• The North Florida Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation exceeded its goals at the 2007 Walk to Cure Diabetes held April 14. The 2,000 people participating bettered the goal by 500 and the funds raised totaled more than $440,000, exceeding this year’s goal by $60,000. Since it was founded in 1970, the national JDRF has provided more than $1 billion in direct funding to diabetes research.
• Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet have declared this week “Cybercrime Awareness Week.” In addition to fraud, identity theft and computer-facilitated crime against seniors, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 77 million youngsters use the Internet daily and one in seven between the ages of 10 and 17 is solicited sexually online. The state legislature is considering a bill that would increase penalties for possession or distribution of child pornography and triple the prison term to 15 years for sexual predators convicted of traveling to or coordinating travel for a child for the purpose of sexually abusing the child.
• The Florida Library Association selected Joy Korman, a member of the Jacksonville Public Board of Library Trustees, for the 2007 Outstanding Citizen Library Award. She lobbied for the passage of the state law that allowed Jacksonville access to construction grant funding from the state for the Better Jacksonville Plan library projects that resulted in the Main Library, six new branches and 12 library renovations or expansions to existing branches.
• The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission has denied an application for a permit for KBJ Architects to demolish the building the firm owns at 504. N. Julia. St. The building is the former home of First Christian Church and was built in 1950. City Council is considering an ordinance that would declare the building a local landmark and landmark site.
• Dr. William Plested III, president of the American Medical Association, will be in town May 20-22 as a guest of the Duval County Medical Society. He’s the featured speaker at the Medical Society’s May 21 dinner at Epping Forest.
• The Jaguars Foundation has formed a partnership with First Book and Rally Jacksonville in an effort to distribute 100,000 new children’s books across Jacksonville. Jaguars co-owner Delores Barr Weaver and Mayor John Peyton will co-host the press conference to announce the partnership. It’s May 2 in the West Club of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium at 10 a.m.
• JTA plans to use $25,000 from the Jacksonville International Airport Community Redevelopment Area Trust Fund to help market its airport shuttle service. The Downtown-to-the-airport shuttle began operating June 20 of last year and ridership is currently 7-15 a day.
“Nature has her own best mode of doing each thing, and she has somewhere told it plainly, if we will keep our eyes and ears open. If not, she will not be slow in undeceiving us, when we prefer our own way to hers.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson