• Speaking of the Chamber, the deadline to register for the annual Leadership Trip to Seattle is fast approaching. The trip is Nov. 11-14, but the deadline is Oct. 10. For info, call Kathy Gerlach at 366-6646 or e-mail her at [email protected].
• Thursday’s “Fallen Heroes Patriot Day Ceremony and Breakfast” was attended by many recognizable names including City Council members Art Graham, Kevin Hyde, Glorious Johnson, Mia Jones, Stephen Joost, Jack Webb and Clay Yarborough; State Reps. Dick Kravitz and Audrey Gibson; Sheriff John Rutherford and former Sheriff Nat Glover; Mayor John Peyton, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink; Tax Collector Mike Hogan; and Circuit Court Judge David Gooding.
• The Annual International Coastal Cleanup is next Saturday and there are several sites all over the beaches and other coastal areas. The cleanups begin anywhere from 7-9 a.m. and volunteers only need to dress appropriately. Site captains will provide bags and gloves. For more, log on to the City’s Web site at www.coj.net.
• The topic of the 2008-09 Jacksonville Community Council Inc. study is “Financing Jacksonville’s Future.” Carter Bryan is chairing this year’s study which kicks off Oct. 21 at the JCCI offices at noon. The study will look at, among other things, current City revenues and alternate revenue streams.
• City employees are eligible for a $5 discount off tickets to Sunday’s Jaguars game against the Buffalo Bills.
• Speaking of the game, if you go the Parris Island Marine Band will play “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Grambling State marching band will perform at half-time.
• Hallmark Partners is the big sponsor of this year’s “Kick Off to a Cure” event. It’s next Sunday in the Terrace Suite at the stadium and features over 25 area restaurants and their signature dishes. Last year, the event drew 500 and organizers are looking to draw 600 this year. It’s a lunchtime event and, yes, the Jags and the Indianapolis Colts will be on the TVs.
• The operating costs for the Beaches Trolley service are in from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. With four trolleys running 29 days during weekends and holidays from June 27– Sept. 1, operating costs came up as $82,561. Tropical Storm Fay canceled three of the scheduled days. Looking ahead to 2009, projected costs running four trolleys on the same course from May 8–Sept. 7 are estimated to be $163,115. And if JTA added a fifth trolley? $203,894. A sixth? $244,673.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art began its new hours on Sept. 1. The museum at 333 N. Laura St. is closed Mondays and open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday (with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursday) and noon–4 p.m. Sunday. In conjunction with ArtWalk, the museum will be open 5– 9 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month.
• The Dive Bar at 331 E. Bay St. is now open Sundays from 8 p.m.-2 a.m. The bar also opens at 4 p.m. on Mondays now.