• Work will begin soon on five new fire stations. According to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Director Dan Kleman, the replacement of stations 5, 31, 32 and 40 and the addition of station 59 may all break ground within the next 30 days.
• The Riverside Fine Arts Concert Series presents “Brazilian Duos” at 8 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Riverside. Three-time Grammy nominee Luciana Souza will accompany guitarist Romero Lubambo. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 389-6222.
• Emergency Pregnancy Services is holding its 6th Annual Celebrity Roast and fundraiser Feb. 24 at the Crowne Plaza. This year’s honoree is former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Tony Boselli. For information on tickets or table sponsorship, call 308-7510.
• A big sign on the old Haydon Burns library says renovations will begin this fall. The project is being done by Main Branch, LLC and has a name: 122 Ocean.
• This is a fifth week for City Council. That means no regular meeting and no Council committee meetings.
• Speaking of Council, member Suzanne Jenkins is sponsoring an ordinance that would prohibit Downtown sidewalks from being closed for more than seven days in a year. According to the legislation, sidewalks — or portions of a sidewalk — are often closed while work is being done on a nearby building. Large projects require long-term closures and this has a “negative impact on the public” that includes “inconvenience and increased risk of walking in the street to go around the section of closed sidewalk.”
• Michele Querry is back in town and working as Mayor John Peyton’s re-election campaign manager. She helped with his original campaign in 2002-03.
• Speaking of Peyton, his re-election Web site has a link called “emerging leaders” where — for $25 — those 24-35 years old with an interest in the campaign can sign up. Those who join the campaign are invited to a mayoral forum next month and and a pre-election party before the March 20 primary.
The new Downtown This Week is out and explores the steady decline of pay phones. The magazine is free and available all over Downtown.