• Mayor John Peyton will be among the dignitaries welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House this morning, but he said he doesn’t expect any face time with the religious leader. “We’ll be in same general area, but I’m sure I’m not going to shake his hand or anything,” said Peyton. After he leaves Washington, D.C., Peyton said he’s off to New York City for a Police and Fire Pension Fund conference and to speak with officials from the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools, which he hopes to attract to Jacksonville.
• The Aqua Grill in Ponte Vedra Beach recently marked its 20th anniversary. Part of the celebration was to support the St. Augustine Boys & Girls Club and the building fund for The Players Championship Boys & Girls Club. Andrea Siracusa, spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, reported that sale of raffle tickets and donations generated $5,710 for the two organizations.
• The new season has brought some new vendors to Downtown Vision Inc.’s Friday Hemming Plaza Farmers’ Market. El Potro serves homemade tamales, quesadillas, soft tacos and burritos; The Que has barbecued ribs every week plus a pulled pork or chicken special; and Two Old Birds (not even close, actually) are selling potted plants. One piece of bad news: the crab cake man will not be participating this summer.
• Another one from Hemming Plaza: Heather Webb from the mayor’s staff was selling Earth Day t-shirts at last Friday’s market. She is a member of the Earth Day Jacksonville committee and said the group will also be at the April 19 Earth Day celebration at the Landing, where there are expected to be more than 100 booths this year, according to General Manager Janice Lowe.
“I love power. But it is as an artist that I love it. I love it as a musician loves his violin, to draw out its sounds and chords and harmonies.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte, French general and emperor