• At the conclusion of the first full week of early voting for the Aug. 26 primary election in Duval County, the Supervisor of Elections reported 4,675 registered voters had cast their ballots in the first seven days. The Regency Square Branch Library remains the most popular early voting site with a total of 753 ballots for the week which ended Sunday at 5 p.m. The Supervisor of Elections branch office at Gateway Mall was the least-visited early voting site with 132 ballots cast. Early voting continues through 5 p.m. Sunday. For a list of locations, visit www.duvalelections.com.
• Jacksonville resident Reginald Peterson is in the recent Newsweek magazine, but for all the wrong reasons. You know Peterson as the man arrested for calling 911 and complaining about how his sandwich at a local Subway was being made. Peterson is now listed with former presidential candidate John Edwards in the magazine’s “Dignity Index.” Peterson scored a 38 for his stunt while Edwards was awarded a perfect 100 for denying an affair during his campaign.
• In celebration of its 50th anniversary Ch. 7 will host an open house Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 100 Festival Park Ave. adjacent to Metropolitan Park. Guests will include PBS Kids host Bianca DeGroat, Roscoe Gordon from “Sesame Street” and PBS Kids characters Clifford and Curious George. Studio tours will be conducted and members of the FM-89.9 news team will also attend the event. The first 2,500 attendees will receive a souvenir Public Broadcasting tote bag.
• It’s a busy, but different week for Mayor John Peyton. He does not have one public appearance on his weekly schedule.
• Looney Ricks Kiss Architects (LRK) has been recognized by “Engineering News-Record,” a national trade publication, as one of the Top 100 Green Design Firms in the nation. LRK ranked 45th on the list based on 2007 revenue from projects that have been registered with or certified by a third-party organization that sets standards for measuring a facility’s environmental impact, energy efficiency or carbon footprint. Combined, the 100 firms on the list generated $1.74 billion in revenue from green projects in 2007.
• The Ramallah American Club of Jacksonville will host a violin and oud performance by Simon Shaheen Saturday. It is the second time Shaheen has performed at the club to raise funds for his not-for-profit organization that works to educate on the standards of traditional Arab music. The performance will begin at 6 p.m. at the club on Parental Home Road. Tickets will be available at the door for a minimum $25 donation.
• Florida law prohibits extreme increases in the price of commodities such as food, water, hotel rooms, ice, fuel, building supplies and equipment needed as a direct result of an officially declared emergency. Effective immediately, the “Price Gouging Hotline” has been activated at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226) in order for residents to report suspected violations. If convicted, price gougers are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation, up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period.
• The crowd at the Bruce Springsteen Concert Friday night didn’t only span the ages, but also political offices. Future Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judges Jim Daniel and Jeff Morrow were sighted at the show along with a denim clad U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, who is also a fan of U2.
• Speaking of Springsteen, he continued to voice his displeasure with the Bush Administration, but at least he is courteous. The show was delayed about 40 minutes partially because Springsteen doesn’t like to take the stage before most of the fans have found their seats.
• Last one from the show; fans with “hungry hearts” were also just plain hungry. The show’s delay gave the crowd more time to munch and the kitchen inside the EverBank Arena Club was just trying to keep up. Sandwich wraps provide a healthier option to hot dogs and hamburgers, but they weren’t available about an hour before the show.