• Due to changes in state law, persons who have been convicted of felonies may now be eligible to regain their right to vote, serve on a jury, hold public office and apply for certain occupational licenses. A free workshop will be held Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Supervisor of Elections Branch Office at Gateway Mall, 5200-2 Norwood Ave. For more information call 924-1646 or 353-2180.
• The law firm of Holland & Knight has released “Eyes on Tallahassee,” the firm’s annual publication that provides a recap of the 2008 legislative session. It includes summaries of keys bills that passed and those that didn’t. It can be found at www.hklaw.com.
• City officials and emergency responders aren’t the only ones gearing up for hurricane season. Some University of North Florida students are learning to become construction forensic experts in hurricane damage assessment by taking a two-course series this summer. The course will include students understanding how high winds from hurricanes affect building structure and students will become core members of the UNF Hurricane Damage Assessment and Recovery Research Team. Field training begins at Hanna Park, where the students will use equipment to practice forensic investigations on buildings in the park.
• Metropolitan Park maybe be welcoming back boaters to its shores soon. The dredging project underway along the St. Johns River near the park is tentatively scheduled for completion by July 17, according to Jim Suber, Jacksonville Waterways Coordinator.
• For people looking for forgiveness after eating too much, there’s a buffet lunch at the First Baptist Church every Thursday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The meal costs $7 for adults and $5 for kids 11 and under at the 124 W. Ashley Street location.
• The homemade Slovakian sausage at Peter Sipos’ hot dog cart, which is parked in front of the Duval County Courthouse on Bay Street, is quite delicious with Sipos’ special sauce and sauerkraut. They take a little while to cook, but anyone can stop by and request one be ready for the following day’s lunch.
• Couple of corrections. The Chamber’s Leadership Trip to Seattle starts Nov. 11 and the June 19 Jacksonville Community Council Inc. meeting is at the OE&S offices on San Marco Boulevard.
“When the judge calls the criminal’s name out he stands up, and they are immediately linked by a strange biology that makes them both opposite and complementary. The one cannot exist without the other. Which is the sun and which is the shadow? It’s well known some criminals have been great men.”
– Jean Genet, French playwright, novelist