• Effective June 1, the Soud Law Firm of Jeff and Adrian Soud moved from their 233 East Bay Street offices to new digs at the Riverplace Tower Suite 2450 on the Southbank.
• There has been a small change to the Downtown skyline that you may not have noticed. The two tall antennas that had been on top of Independent Square since it was the Independent Life Building have been removed. According to Dan Frey, property manager for Eola Capital, they hadn’t been used by radio companies for almost 20 years and had become what he called a “maintenance liability.”
• For all you workers fretting the gas pump and being reimbursed for company mileage, just a reminder that the IRS optional standard rate is at 50.5 cents for 2008.
• The post office inside Sundrez at the Landing opens this morning. They’ll have stamps and other items needed for mailing just about anything.
• Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba has been named the member of the year by the State FOP, which is comprised is 20,000 members. Nelson was honored at the State FOP meetings last week in St. Petersburg Beach.
• If you’re looking for a burger or plate of bangers-and-mash for your weekday lunch at London Bridge Pub on Adams Street, you only have until the end of the week to make it happen. Effective Monday, the doors won’t be unlocked until 4 p.m. It’s a temporary change, however and the owners plan to revamp the menu and bring back lunch in the fall.
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Executive Director Dennis Pate was recently elected to join the 2008–09 Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Board of Directors. The AZA is the the country’s leading accrediting organization for zoos and aquariums and is responsible for policy setting for more than 200 AZA members.
• Lovebirds who choose the Clerk of Courts as a wedding venue will now be able to see those memories live on through DVD. Beginning in February, the Marriage License Department began offering a recording service for ceremonies with several options. A DVD with video, music and photos cost $125, CD with pictures and music is $50 and a CD with pictures is $50. The fees aren’t making money, though, just covering the procedure’s expenses.
• Though nothing has been officially announced, sources say that following the July 3 Make a Scene Downtown! party at the Jacksonville Landing, the venue will have a wetter location for two of the dates in July. Namely, the Omni’s renovated pool for the July 10 and July 31 parties, with another area hotel filling the void for the July 17 and July 24 parties.
Poll Results The results of last weeks poll are here