• Plaza III Steakhouse has rolled out a new summer promotion: lunch for two for $19.95. It’s offered Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. through Aug. 31 and includes any entree on the lunch menu plus a non-alcoholic beverage. Visit www.plaza3jax.com to print the required coupon. “We’re featuring the lunch special to introduce some new menu items to the public, especially Downtown office workers,” said Plaza III owner J. Bard McLean. Summer happy hour is also in force with half-price wine, well drinks and domestic beer from 5-7 p.m. and 10 p.m. until closing.
• There’s a retirement party Friday for Jack Gilrup, who’s retiring after 16 years with the City as its chief of Disabled Services. It’s from 3-5 p.m. in the Main Library.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has postponed its budget hearings in front of the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee. No word on the new date or time.
• City Council member Lynette Self will host the ground breaking of the Ed Austin Skateboard Park 10 a.m. Friday at Ed Austin Regional Park in Arlington.
• Jenny Gleeson has left the mayor’s office where she was staff manager. She is now at the Water & Sewer Expansion Authority as its director of communications and operations. According to Gleeson, there are no plans to replace her and her job duties will be spread across other mayoral staffers.
• The Jacksonville Urban League Board of Directors has approved new officers and members for 2007-08: Maribel Hernandez from the Jacksonville Airport Authority, chair; Pamela Van Auker, vice chair; Andre Higgins, treasurer; Bill Soumis, assistant treasurer; Brian McDuffie, secretary; Rev. Odell Smith of Second Missionary Baptist Church, chaplain; and Derrick Smith of CSX Transportation, immediate past chair. Barry Johnson from Prudential Financial, Michael Kneller from Landstar System, Gregory Perrine from JEA, Timothy Williams from Winn Dixie Stores, Christina Wilson from the Jacksonville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank and Paul Schmidt from Reynolds, Smith & Hills were elected to the Board of Directors.
• City Council Tuesday night enacted an ordinance that included an inventory list “identifying City-owned property deemed appropriate for use as potential affordable housing.” The list had to be adopted before June 30 to meet the requirements of Section 125.379 Florida Statutes. Of the roughly 600 properties on the list, one address stands out because it’s about as ironic as it gets: 303 N. Laura St. – the site of the Main Library at Hemming Plaza.
“Having served on various committees, I have drawn up a list of rules: Never arrive on time; this stamps you as a beginner. Don’t say anything until the meeting is half over; this stamps you as being wise. Be as vague as possible; this avoids irritating the others. When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed. Be the first to move for adjournment; this will make you popular; it’s what everyone is waiting for.”
– Harry Chapman