• The Jacksonville Symphony Association will officially welcome Stacy Ridenour as its new executive director during a reception Oct. 8 at the Haskell Company building on Riverside Avenue. Ridenour is coming from the Kalamazoo Orchestra in Kalamazoo, Mich.
• Attorney Michael Korn has suggested Dr. Sol Brotman to Mayor John Peyton for possible appointment to either the board of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority or the Jacksonville Port Authority. Brotman is a former member of the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission.
• In light of recent news involving Bear Sterns, Countrywide, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and others, Police and Fire Pension Fund Executive Director/Administrator John Keane informed Peyton this week he is closely monitoring the situation. With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, Keane assured Peyton, “Our staff and team of investment professionals recognize the implications these events have on the performance of our stock and bond portfolio and the long term impact on the funding requirements.”
• Two recently-elected Circuit Court judges — Adrian Soud and Virginia Norton — are the guest speakers at next Thursday’s meeting of the Northside Business Leaders, Inc. The club will also install its new officers.
• A Duval County education veteran has been named one of the five new regional executive directors. Former teacher, principal and regional superintendent Leila Mousa has been with Duval County Public Schools for 38 years and will now be providing support to help districts meet student proficiency needs. She begins the new role immediately.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art is throwing its biennial gala, The Blaze Ball Nov. 8. The event includes cocktails, dinner, dancing and live music. Doors open at 6 p.m., with an after party scheduled to run from 10 p.m.–1 a.m. The public is able to attend, but ticket and information is not yet available. For more information, go to www.mocajacksonville.org.
• U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger, in cooperation with the Open World Program, is hosting a delegation of five judges from Russia this week. They will spend time studying the local legal climate by attending local, state and federal courts and interacting with law students at Florida Coastal School of Law, members of local bar associations and local attorneys. The Open World Program is a “nonpartisan initiative of the U.S. Congress that brings together political and civil leaders to build a better understanding between members of diverse communities.”
• The State Attorney’s Office reported that 114 phone calls have come in about gas stations in Duval County for price gouging. In all, there have been over 5,500 calls and 1,841 complaints reported against Florida gas stations for price gouging.