• Senior Bowl CEO Steve Hale is here today to meet Mayor John Peyton and staff from the City’s Special Events Office, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, Visit Jacksonville! and SMG, the company that manages the City’s sports facilities. He’ll also tour hotels and entertainment venues. It’s possible the annual college football classic that features the best senior players in the nation will be nationally televised from Municipal Stadium through 2016. The game is played each year eight days before the Super Bowl. Senior Bowl spokesman Kevin McDermond stressed that game officials are “not shopping the game around.” However, there is not a current contract with Mobile, Ala. where the game — which originated in Jacksonville — is played.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Community Traffic Safety Team and the Avenues Mall are joining forces Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m for the 12th Annual SHADCO Safety Fair. The Sheriff’s Advisory Council will present more than 60 safety awareness exhibits in the mall and in the parking garage. Children can receive free bicycle helmets from Wolfson Children’s Hospital and be electronically fingerprinted by the U.S. Secret Service as part of Operation Safe Kids. There will also be a display of police cars, fire trucks and helicopters from the JSO, U.S. Customs and TraumaOne.
• The next issue of A&M Magazine, a publication of Florida A&M University, will include a feature story on Jacksonville native and NFL Hall-of-Famer Bob Hayes, who attended the school. Glyndell Presley, director of publications, has asked the City to consider taking out an ad in the issue. The City can have the back inside cover for $5,000.
• City Hall security update: The access control unit installed several months ago adjacent to the metal detector and X-ray machine has been removed and will be replaced by another more secure device. The new unit will be installed this weekend and will allow only City employees with magnetic-stripe badges to enter the building without being scanned for contraband.
• A follow up to Wednesday’s City Note on the Marriage License Office in the Courthouse. Couples looking to save some money during these tough economic times can take advantage of the Duval County Clerk of Court’s capabilities to film and preserve the wedding ceremony on a DVD. The DVD will come complete with background music, photos from the wedding and stock photos of the courthouse. For more information, go to www.duvalclerk.com/ccWebsite/MarriageLicense.department.
• The Jack Del Rio Foundation had its 2nd annual Ice Cream Social at the Jaguars training camp Tuesday for children from Seamark Ranch, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northeast Florida and American Cancer ROCK kids. Del Rio along with a group of players hosted a meet and greet after the morning practice and Blue Bell Creameries donated the ice cream for the event. For more information visit www.jackdelriofoundation.com.
• The Jacksonville Journey Administration of Justice Subcommittee meeting scheduled for Sept. 2 has been canceled as has the Metrics and Measurements of Funded Programs Subcommittee meeting scheduled for Sept. 8. The reason given by the mayor’s office is the committees have completed their work. The Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee meeting set for Aug. 20 has been canceled and rescheduled for Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. in the 8th floor conference room at the Ed Ball Building on Hogan Street.
• New year, same community mission: The annual meeting of the Jacksonville Community Council Inc. is Sept. 23 at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership. During the event, the new board of directors will be announced.
• The first football game of the collegiate 2010 season hasn’t been played yet, but officials of the Gator Bowl Association kicked off “The Patch” program yesterday. For $5, people who purchase the official game’s patch can receive discounts at various restaurants and entertainment venues in Northeast Florida and enter member-only “Patch” events. For more information on the program, go to www.gatorbowl.com.
• After a July that featured a discussion-heavy workshop, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization resumes its regular monthly meetings Aug. 13 with a full agenda. The consent agenda features resolutions endorsing the JTA, FDOT and Port Authority’s applications for Tiger Discretionary Grant Funds, while the agenda features action items on issues such as resolution support for a high-speed rail corridor between Jacksonville and Orlando and a second North Florida TPO stimulus priority project list.
• Yes You Canvas! in the Lakewood Shopping Center is hosting an event Tuesday to celebrate “Turtle Trails” and raise funds for Child Guidance Center. “Turtle Trails Tuesday” will include two sessions: one for children at 12 p.m. and an evening session at 7 p.m. for adults. Owner David Durrett opened the art studio as a means to bring the joy of painting to everyone. He paints each subject step-by-step so that anyone, even those who haven’t painted before, can produce a finished painting during each session. The cost for the adult session is $35 per person and the children’s fee is $20. All proceeds benefit the programs and services of Child Guidance Center. To register visit www.YesYouCanvas.com or call 993-9047.