• Clear Channel Communications has named Christa West local sales manager at TV-30. She comes to Jacksonville from Atlanta, where she spent eight years selling for Cox Broadcasting’s WSB-TV.
• Residential construction was down 13 percent last year and the decline is having a trickle-down effect on at least one national retailer. Home Depot has reported a 28 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits and the company doesn’t expect the outlook to improve until at least the end of the year. The fourth quarter ended Jan. 28 and Home Depot’s profit was $925 million, down from $1.29 billion in fourth quarter 2005-06. Earnings are also down from 60 cents a share to 46 cents for the same period.
• Here’s a chance to support a worthy cause and also have a chance to attend golf’s most historic event: daniel, Florida’s oldest not-for-profit child-service agency, is holding a raffle to give away a travel package for four to the 2007 British Open. The prize includes air fare, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, a full Scottish breakfast each morning, four rounds of championship golf and admission to the final two days of the tournament. The drawing will be held March 12 at daniel’s 7th Annual Charity Golf Tournament at Timuquana Country Club. Cost to participate is $100 per raffle ticket. For information, call Jim Kelly at 296-1055 ext. 1026 or visit www.danielkid.org.
• The numbers are in from Rotoract Club of Florida’s First Coast Sixth Annual Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala, “Seven Over the St. Johns,” held earlier this month at the Main Library. According to Jay Magee, the club’s Service Committee Chair, they raised over $25,000 that will go to several nonprofits including The Bridge of Northeast Florida, an organization that promotes the development of healthy, self-sufficient youth and families by providing educational, social and health programs to families in need. Other beneficiaries include: Art with a Heart for Children, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida and daniel Memorial, Inc.
• Greenscape of Jacksonville will hold the Great Greenscape Tree Giveaway starting at 7 a.m. on Feb. 24 to commemorate the organization’s 20th annual flowering tree sale. Those interested can pick up a free tree from Lot J at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Approximately 20,000 trees of several species — red maple, river birch, dogwood, crepe myrtle, little gem magnolia, sweetbay magnolia, nuttal oak, live oak, bald cypress and drake elm — will be given away. Also, the first 100 kids that show up will get a seedling from the historic Treaty Oak in San Marco.
• A team of five Jacksonville high school students won the State LifeSmarts Championship this week at the Florida State Fair in Tampa. The competition tests students in five consumer-related areas: personal financial management, health and safety, the environment, technology and telecommunications and consumer rights and responsibilities. The winner of this year’s event was the Duval County 4-H “Team Extreme,” Abigail Vroegindewey, Chas Riggleman, Natalie Birchwood, Joe Engle and Caleb Vroegindewey. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson presented the team members with trophies and a check for $2,600 to defray the cost of attending the national LifeSmarts competition being held in Orlando in April.