• Design and engineering firm Stellar has been awarded “Accredited Quality Contractor” status from Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. The program was launched in 1993 to publicly recognize and honor construction firms that have documented commitment in four key areas of corporate responsibility: safety, employee benefits, training and community relations.
• The Vision is Priceless Council is hosting its 25th annual Bar-B-Q and Country Western Dance at 5 p.m. March 15 at the St. Augustine Rod & Gun Club. Miller Electric Co. and W.W. Gay Mechanical are sponsoring the event that will include food, dancing, silent auction, games and live entertainment. Money raised will benefit Vision is Priceless, a local non-profit agency with the mission of screening and identifying vision problems and facilitating treatment for those in need.
• Speaking of Vision is Priceless, the agency has received a $10,000 grant from the Aetna Foundation. The groups are partnering during March, which is also “Save Your Vision” month, to reach underserved communities in Duval County with free visual and glaucoma screenings. Some quick vision facts: more Americans are likely to service their cars (87 percent) than have an annual eye examination (56 percent); about 85 percent of knowledge and experience is acquired through sight; more than 2.2 million Americans age 40 and older have glaucoma. For more information, call 308-2020.
• The Ides of March may be interesting for Sheriff John Rutherford, who will get the roast treatment at this year’s seventh annual Celebrity Roast to benefit Emergency Pregnancy Services. The event is March 15 at the Crowne Plaza. Roasters include Bill Gay, Property Appraiser Jim Overton, Undersheriff Frank Mackesy and others. For tickets and sponsorship information, call 308-7510.
• City Council Auditor Kirk Sherman has released the first quarterly financial report for the 2007-08 fiscal year. According to Sherman, the City’s general fund is projected to experience an overall favorable budget variance of $4.5 million. Sherman attributes this positive variance to projected expenditures being $15.5 million below budget.
“Justice?—You get justice in the next world, in this world you have the law.”
-William Gaddis, U.S. novelist.