• The artists in the Art Center Cooperative at The Carling are packing up their paints and easels again. They’ll be moving soon because the lobbying firm Fiorentino & Hewitt have leased more space to expand their offices which opened at the building last November. Vestcor was letting the artists use the space at a greatly discounted rate with the understanding they would vacate within 30 days when the space was leased. No word yet on where the painters, sculptors and photographers will land.
• If you were hoping to attend Jacksonville University’s hall of fame induction ceremonies Saturday night at the campus, you’ll most likely be out of luck. The event is sold out at 254 people, according to JU Associate Athletics Director Joel Lampe. Saturday’s inductees include former athletes: Gisela Anderson (volleyball), Dee Brown (basketball), Jim Kirkland (posthumously, basketball), Rod McIntyre (basketball), Chad Oliva (baseball) and Micah Ross (basketball, football).
• The name and style will be the same, but the owners have changed at the R. Roberts Gallery. Current vice president and former director Jennifer Riedeburg has purchased the gallery from founder Richard Roberts, with a new ownership celebration slated for May 30. The Avondale-based gallery features original paintings, sculptures and fine arts in many styles. For more info call 388-1188.
• For several months The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been donating cell phones people no longer use to senior citizens who would otherwise not be able to have a cell phone. The project is currently on hold because most of the phones that have been donated are the older analog type. AT&T, which provides the service for the cells for seniors program, recently shut down its analog operations in favor of digital service, through which the analog phones will not function. If you have a retired digital cell phone that you’d like to contribute to the cause, drop it off at Anne Teague Bail Bonds on Forsyth Street near the Florida Theatre. Bond Agent Jo Ann Connor said the office has collected more than 3,000 used cell phones since 2000 that were given to victims of domestic violence in case they needed to call for emergency services.
• The Wingate by Wyndham Hotel recently became the 131st property in the state to become a designated member of the Florida Green Lodging Program. Hotels must implement “green” practices that reduce energy waste to earn the designation. For more information about the program, go to www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging.
• The Jacksonville 48 Hour Film Festival kicks off today at the Jacksonville Landing, when teams receive their assignments at 7 p.m. before heading off for two days of frantic filming. The short film competition pits teams of area filmmakers against each other, for a weekend deadline of creating the best short film possible. Attendees can also see some of last year’s films on the big screen.
• JEA began a third-party payment program at 65 sites throughout Duval County the first week of March and so far it has performed as expected. After two months, the payment sites at gas stations and convenience stores account for 3,000 utility bill payments a week or about 10% of JEA’s total in-person transactions. The third-party provider is paying the 51-cent per transaction cost so considering a payment at a branch costs JEA $3.82 to process, the public utility is saving more than $45,000 a month in administrative costs.
• It had to happen eventually: Doug Ganson has gone postal at Sundrez at the Landing. He has inked a contract with the U.S. Postal Service to operate a Contract Postal Unit when the card and gift store opens later this month in its new larger location near the escalators. Ganson will sell stamps and provide all the other services available at any Post Office counter including mail collection, parcel post and registered mail.
• U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office will hold office hours for Duval County residents May 9 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville Beach City Hall. The senator will not be there, but will be represented by his Regional Director Michelle Barth.
• Early earnings from Saturday’s Cummer Ball & Auction look promising, said Cummer Council President Robin Albaneze, following the 10-item live auction netting $50,000. The final figure will take at least a week to tally, but Albaneze said she is optimistic it will reach the council’s $200,000 goal. The money will go toward the museum’s acquisition fund, used to purchase permanent artworks. Final attendance was 510, she said, and one of the biggest conversation pieces was a Mercedes Benz – inside the museum’s elevator.
“Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.”
– Samuel Butler, British author