• The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has released its Performance and Budget Data report and three First Coast agencies are in the top four. DCF ranks Family Matters of Nassau County first overall in the state. The Family Integrity Program of St. Johns County is the third-highest rated community-based care agency and Jacksonville’s Family Support Services is ranked fourth. Family Support Services is also ranked first out of all agencies with more than 1,000 children in out-of-home care. DCF’s First Coast district was ranked first out of 14 state districts for 10 of the past 12 months in percentage of children in active cases. A total of 430 children were adopted in the district in the 2005-06 fiscal year.
• Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is hosting their “MOCA Red Hot Member Party” from 7-11 p.m. Saturday at the museum. The event is free to members. If you are not a member of the museum and would like to become one, call 366-6911 ext. 225.
• The Otis Smith Kids Foundation has moved. They are now at their new Downtown location at 1 Independent Dr., Suite 3303.
• The Public Library System is getting a nice gift Thursday afternoon from the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation in the form of a $32,721.76 check. The gift is the first from the Foundation’s new policy of donating 4 percent of the interest the Foundation earns on its donations. At the end of last year, the Foundation’s endowment fund had approximately $800,000 in it.
• If Council approves, the City’s asbestos technician may be getting a new half-ton pickup truck. The funding for the $16,564 truck is coming from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Asbestos Program Fund.
• In order to have the money to finish the Hendricks Avenue widening project, the City is appropriating $453,300 from the Spring Park and Barnes Road projects. The funds will assure the project is completed and makes sure the City isn’t exposed to monetary claims by the contractor.
“Life is like walking along a crowded street—there always seem to be fewer obstacles to getting along on the opposite pavement—and yet, if one crosses over, matters are rarely mended.”
– Thomas Henry Huxley