• U.S. Rep. John Mica will be in town Oct. 13 for the Global Trade and Transportation Symposium at the Hyatt. He’s the keynote speaker at the symposium which is being put on by the First Coast Metropolitan Planning Organization and its chair, City Council member Lad Daniels.
• Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church is celebrating its 60th anniversary next weekend with two days of festivities. Sept. 24 is the official day for the church that originally started by meeting in the theater in San Marco Square before moving to its 14 acres on Hendricks.
• The Republican Women’s Club of Duval Federated has sent out a spoof on an invite to a champagne and caviar gala. The invite reminds everyone the group has been working hard for 62 years and then goes on to list those not invited (Pres. George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Mayor John Peyton among others). The host committee, led by local Republican Party Chair Mike Hightower, makes it clear that donations are still being accepted by the RWCDF.
• Tuesday night’s Springfield Preservation and Revitalization board meeting was the last for secretary Rita Reagan. She’s been with the group for 13 years and is stepping down due to SPAR-imposed term limits instituted four years ago. No word on who will succeed Reagan.
• A delegation from eight African nations will be in town Sept. 25 and they’ll meet with local elected officials and visit City Hall.
• A new loft project is coming to Springfield. ACM Development Group is renovating a vacant warehouse on the corner of Market and 14th streets into The Springfield Arts Center, owner-occupied studio and office lofts. They should be complete in spring 2007.
• The University of Florida & Shands Jacksonville has opened a new medical office at the beach. The Beaches Women’s Health Specialists is staffed by Drs. Tina Adams, Rebekah Richmond and Meredith Farrow. The office is on 16th Avenue South.