• Gov. Charlie Crist issued a statement commenting on Thanksgiving and all that Florida has to be thankful for. “As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us remember we have countless opportunities to give back to our fellow Floridians,” he wrote. “We should all work together in service to our communities, never taking for granted the many blessings that we hold dear.”
• Speaking of the Florida governor, Crist also said goodbye to hurricane season officially. The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season ended Nov. 30 and saw 16 named storms, with eight being hurricanes to make this season the most active and deadly since 2005. Four storms threatened Florida – Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike – with only Fay paying a visit to Jacksonville.
• Tickets are on sale for the First Coast Nutcracker taking place at the Moran Theater Times-Union Center. Presented by VyStar Credit Union, the performances will take place Dec. 5-7. Tickets are available online at www.jaxsymphony.org or at the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Box Office. Prices range from $19 to $44.
• Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum will deliver the commencement address for Stetson University College of Law on Dec. 20. Among the 87 graduates are the first eight students to complete the online LL.M. in the elder law program.
• Dignity U Wear, the local nonprofit that provides new clothes to those in need, received $98,000 from the “Love Giving. Love Saving” campaign where the nonprofit partnered with Stein Mart. The one-day-only event gave shoppers the opportunity to donate $5 and get 10 percent off their entire purchase. The campaign was a nationwide event and the first of its kind.
• The Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant at the beach is serving a traditional four-course Christmas Eve dinner complete with music and “figgy pudding” – a dessert dish that dates back to the 16th century in England. Chef Aaron Webb will prepare the meal while The Johnston Duo will perform entertainment. Prices are: adults $59, children under 10 half price and children five and under eat for free.
• Florida has been named the best trails state in the nation by American Trails, a national nonprofit organization working on behalf of trail interests. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard joined representatives from both the state and Tallahassee to unveil Florida as thes best trail state.