• The Justice Coalition is beginning its sponsorship drive for the “Together We Can” breakfast that will be held Feb. 21. The annual fundraiser supports the Justice Coalition’s mission to assist innocent victims of violent crimes. The breakfast is being hosted for the first time by the Fraternal Order of Police and will take place at the FOP headquarters on Beach Boulevard. For more information on sponsoring a table, call Ann Dugger at 783-6312.
• The Luminaria Christmas Concert in Riverside and Avondale is at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Stockton Street. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call David Bowen at 384-4060.
• Correction. Marcus Stroud plays defensive tackle for the Jaguars, not linebacker as we said in a Wednesday City Note.
• The ACC put out a three-page release about the conference’s title game moving to Tampa and Charlotte for the next four years. Jacksonville, which hosted the first three title games, isn’t mentioned until the last paragraph.
• Times-Union sports columnist Sam Borden is heading back to New York.
• It looks almost certain Florida State will play a home game here next year. It’ll be Sept. 27 against Colorado. The announcement is being held up by the changes in the athletic administration at FSU.
• Fogle Fine Art & Accessories is holding its annual Holiday Show through Dec. 22 at the main gallery at 3312 Beach Boulevard. Each room of the gallery is decorated with a different theme. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Quinton White, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Jacksonville University, is meeting with Mayor John Peyton today to discuss proposals for Central Florida cities to draw more than 155 million gallons of drinking water a day from the St. Johns River. Peyton heard a presentation from the St. Johns Water Management District, which developed the withdrawal plans a few weeks ago. White said he plans to encourage Peyton to support more conservation measures. “In doing some research, I’ve found out the average person worldwide uses like 5 or 6 gallons (of water) a day,” said White. “Yet, in the U.S., we’ve watched our water consumption grow to an average of about 90 gallons a day. And in Florida, it’s about 150 to 175 gallons a day.”
• Speaking of Peyton, he has authorized another City staffer to sign documents on his behalf. In executive order 2007-13, Peyton delegates authority to Public Works Director Joey Duncan to sign all documents necessary to terminate contracts for department projects, provided the document is first sent to the Office of General Counsel for approval. In November, Peyton gave Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Kerri Stewart the authority to sign official documents on his behalf.
“A civilized man is one who will give a serious answer to a serious question. Civilization itself is a certain sane balance of values.”
– Ezra Pound, U.S. poet.