• Sunday is the Jaguars’ annual Military Appreciation Day at Jacksonville Municpal Stadium. This year, more than 125 military recruits from all service branches will take the oath of enlistment during halftime at the Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans game. Army Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo will administer the oath to the new recruits and also re-enlist 20 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who have served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• More military appreciation: Maj. Gen. Douglas Burnett, adjudant general of the Florida National Guard, will be the keynote speaker at the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Military Appreciation Luncheon Thursday at the Hyatt Regency. He is a Jacksonville native and has logged more than 20,000 hours at the controls of fighter planes, cargo aircraft and commercial airliners. More than 800 people are expected to attend including top-ranking military officers, business and civic leaders and elected officials.
• There’s an interesting e-mail being sent to President-elect Barack Obama supporters. It’s from the Democratic National Committee and Obama campaign manager David Plouffe. According to Plouffe, the DNC spent a lot to get Obama elected and has incurred “considerable debt to secure victory for Barack and Joe.” Now the party is trying to replenish the pot and for a minimum donation of $30 you can get a limited edition “2008 Victory” T-shirt.
• New digs for one local nonprofit: Hubbard House is hosting the grand opening of its new outreach center and thrift store location at 6629 Beach Blvd on Monday. The center will offer drop-in crisis intervention, adult and children counseling, case management and an at-risk youth program.Ceremonies for the grand opening begin at 1:00 p.m.
• Rather not cook on Thanksgiving? Casa Dora Italian Cafe on Forsyth Street near the Florida Theatre will welcome the hungry holiday masses on turkey day. The 108 E. Forsyth cafe will offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal with some Italian side dishes and desserts for $12.95. Reservations are requested.
• Looks like the real estate market might be looking up. Pulte Homes of Jacksonville sold 18 homes during its three-day special Monster Sale promotion. Prices started at $130,000 and a variety of home styles were offered – like townhomes, carriage homes and condominiums. Over 150 prospective homebuyers from Northeast Florida turned out for the event. Eight of Pulte’s communities saw homes sold, totalling over $3 million.
• Three new members have joined the City’s Taxation, Revenue and Utilization of Expenditures (TRUE) Commission meeting: Joe Andrews, Steve Jarecki and Robert Jones. Andrews said he joined the Commission because one year ago he was part of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County and was interested. Jarecki has been a Jacksonville resident since 1989 and was in the Navy. Jarecki was also classmates with TRUE Commission Chair John Palombi. “I’m a local tax attorney,” said Jones. “Hence my interest.” Jones added that he is interested in learning more about the City’s fiscal policies.
• Speaking of the TRUE Commission meeting, among the possible future candidates is Jason Fischer – the same Jason Fischer who ran for the Duval County Soil and Water Conservation Board Group 4 seat and expressed interest in joining the Commission either through Community Policy Analysis Center or through the mayor’s office. Fischer said he will submit his credentials to both for possible appointment to the Commission.