• Sheriff John Rutherford said he is pleased with how his department has handled the recommendations from the Murder Committee Study done by Jacksonville Community Council Inc. In a letter to committee members, Rutherford said JSO has completed all five recommendations pertaining “specifically to law enforcement.” Those recommendations were: target the killing among young adult men, get illegal guns off the street, improve the relationship between law enforcement and the community, differentiate drug traffickers from users and rehabilitate inmates and ex-offenders.
• The top paid CEOs in the state are ranked in the January issue of Florida Trend, and Peter Lynch of Winn-Dixie came in at No. 8 with an annual base salary of $1.1 million. Lynch made $5.2 million with other compensation. Top base salary in the state is Bennett LeBow of Miami-based Vector Group Ltd. at $3.95 million. However, the top paid executive in the state, by far, is Bill Foley, chairman and CEO of Fidelity National Financial Inc. For the fiscal year 2007, which ended in June, Foley made $22.8 million (his base salary was only $582,465), about $14 million more than No. 2 Ira Lampert, chairman/president/CEO of Hollywood-based Concord Camera Corp.
• There’s a new Irish pub in Ponte Vedra. Kelly’s is holding its grand opening Friday and the pub sent out interesting invites in the shape of a full beer mug. Kelly’s is on PGA Tour Boulevard.
• Jane Vance, a consultant on special initiatives for Duval County Public Schools, has indicated that Crystal Jones has accepted the position as executive director for Teach For America Jacksonville. Jones has worked for Teach For America in both Houston and Atlanta and will be in Jacksonville full time by the beginning of March. Teach For America is a New York-based organization that recruits recent college graduates, regardless of major, and trains them and places them in cities in need of teachers in struggling and challenged schools.
• The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is hosting a Family Day, with free admission from noon-5 p.m. on Jan. 27. The event will allow families to explore the life of Rome. There will also be tours of “Art from the Ashes: In Stabiano, Exploring the Ancient Seaside Villas of the Roman Elite.”
• The All American Football League is holding its inaugural draft Saturday at Sneakers in Baymeadows. The event coincides with six other drafts across the country for the fledging semi-pro league that begins play in April. One of Team Florida’s games is set for Jacksonville.
• The Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting set for Feb. 7 has been rescheduled for Feb. 14. It’s at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers.
• Speaking of Waterways, City Council member and Waterways Commission Chair Bill Bishop has added to the monthly meetings by a half-hour. Bishop has decided to have 30-minute agenda meetings before each meeting, starting at 8:30 a.m.
“The dinosaur’s eloquent lesson is that if some bigness is good, an overabundance of bigness is not necessarily better.”
– Eric Johnston, former president, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.