• The accounting firm of Ennis Pellum & Associates recently completed a financial audit of LandMar’s work on the public improvement phase of the Shipyards development. According to the audit, LandMar is doing a good job of accurately reporting what it’s doing and what it’s billing the City for. The audit was delivered to the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and the Council Auditor’s Office.
• Sun Microsystems, Inc. has announced its intentions to reduce its workforce and potentially close plants all over the country. Nationally, the company will lay off hundreds and those layoffs started last week. In Florida, 38 people will lose their jobs, but just three in Jacksonville. The company is based out of San Jose, Calif.
• How much rain fell Tuesday night? Enough to make the manhole cover at the corner of Union and Market streets near Burger King float down the street Wednesday at 6:30 a.m.
• The April 16 meeting of the Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee has been canceled. They’ll meet again April 30 to discuss the budget.
• Easter weekend too busy to fit in time with the Easter Bunny? Chick-Fil-A will host the Easter Bunny Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. and he will be available for pictures during his stop at the 4549 Roosevelt Blvd. location.
• Don’t be surprised if City Council President Ronnie Fussell doesn’t immediately return calls. His cell phone suffered an electronic meltdown and he is awaiting another phone.
• The City’s Office of Special Events hasn’t released the schedule of performers for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, but we have learned that the St. Johns River City Band (SJRCB) is in the lineup. The Big Band will perform May 22 and River City Dixie Jazz and the High School Jazz All-Stars with special guest Jacksonville Jaguar Montel Owens will take the stage May 23. The Brass Band will perform at the Veterans Wall May 25 (Memorial Day) at 9:30 a.m.
• One more from SJRCB: the organization will mark its 25th anniversary year by performing April 24 at the black-tie gala that opens the Daytona Beach International Festival, the London Symphony Orchestra’s annual summer season. SJBRC was founded in 1984 with support from real estate developer Ira Koger and conductor Willis Page.
• The City’s Easter Eggstravaganza will move to the Arboretum at 1445 Millcoe Rd. this year April 10 from 6-8 p.m. Last year’s event was held at Victory Park off of Ft. Caroline Road.
• The Duval County public schools and private school winners of this year’s Countywide Student Voter Registration Drive and recipients of the Freedom Award from the Supervisor of Elections are: Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, which registered 40 percent of eligible students, Fletcher High which registered 33 percent of eligible students and Forrest High which registered 28 percent of eligible students. Sandalwood High registered the most students, 534, during the three-day registration drive. The private school winners are Foundation Academy which registered 39 percent of their eligible students and Providence High which registered 30 percent of their eligible students.
• Clarification: Wednesday’s story about the fitness program administrator the City is looking for said in 2004-05, members of the sheriff’s office and the fire department filed 628 health insurance claims worth $28 million and another 1,140 claims last year. Those claims were actually workers’ compensation claims.
• Correction: First Baptist Church is presenting “Jacksonville Passion Play 2009” at the Downtown church this weekend, not at the Times-Union Center.
• Prudential Network Realty is trying to help re-ignite the local real estate market by hosting a public real estate summit at the Ponte Vedra Library on Saturday from 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. The event is free and will have local specialists including St. Johns County Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson, real estate advisors, loan consultants, architects, contractors and more. Appointments aren’t need, but for more information call Molly Thompson at 285-1800.
• Tidbits in San Marco is celebrating 25 years of service this year and customers can save a few bucks on lunch Monday if they dine in from 11 a.m.– 2:30 p.m. The restaurant will be reverting selected menu prices to their 1985 prices. For example, the turkey avocado sandwich is $6.49, but it will cost $2.75 Monday.
• Some Floridians saw one benefit from stimulus dollars take effect yesterday. Monthly benefits for families receiving food stamps as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program went up around $20 a person each month. According to studies, every $5 of Supplemental Assistance benefits generates around $9.20 within local economies.