• Senior Bowl officials were in town last week to meet with City officials, Visit Jacksonville and area hotels. Apparently the meeting went well. Mike Bouda of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Sports and Entertainment Division indicated Senior Bowl CEO Steve Hale told Mayor John Peyton “our bid packet was the nicest, most professional packet returned from any city.” The late January college all-star football game has been in Mobile, Ala. for many years, but Mobile and the game currently don’t have a contract in place.
• Correction to a Tuesday City Note about the University of North Florida’s “Power of Transformation” campaign kick off set for Oct. 2. Blanche and Luther Coggin and Ann and David Hicks are the campaign’s honorary chairs. The co-chairs are Rad Lovett and Russell Newton.
• It appears City Council member John Crescimbeni is interested in finding out who’s really serious about serving on Jacksonville boards and commissions. He has asked the mayor’s office to provide him attendance records of those up for reappointments. “Because our city has so many qualified citizens interested in participating in local government by serving on a board or commission, it will be my intent to reject any candidate for reappointment who has a less than satisfactory attendance record,” he said.
• The UPS Store on Hogan Street now offers paper shredding. There’s a big garbage can inside the store with a shredder on top. It’s a service of Iron Mountain Secure Shredding.
• Speaking of Hogan Street, Hemming Plaza Jewelers has a pearls sale going on. Buy two strands get a third for free.
• If you want to know what’s going on with the Jacksonville Port Authority, tune into Comcast Ch. 29 Friday nights at 8. Port Authority Director of Public Relations and Communications Nancy Rubin hosts the show and spends a half-hour talking with various Port officials. The show also airs at other times that are up to the discretion of Comcast.
• Students of all ages can enjoy the Jacksonville Symphony with the “Sound Check Card.” For $25, any student can gain admission to every JSO Masterworks, Friday Fusion and Coffee series concert for the entire 2009-10 season. The card also allows two accompanying friends admission for only $10. Students who order their Sound Check Card by Sept. 17 will also receive free admission to the dress rehearsal of the JSO’s upcoming production of “Oklahoma!” on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Cards will be available for purchase in the Times-Union Center lobby starting at 6 p.m. before the dress rehearsal. Students may also purchase the card in advance through the JSO box office by calling 354-5547 or online at www.jaxsymphony.org.
• Theatre Jacksonville, America’s longest continuously-running community theatre company, is offering classes in beginning and advanced acting beginning Sept. 20. Courses will meet Sundays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. for eight weeks with tuition of $150 per student. The instructor is Simone Aden-Reid, who taught at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts for 15 years and now directs “Theatre to Go,” a children’s performance workshop. TJ is also offering 12-week classes beginning Sept. 1-2 for youngsters ages 7-10, 11-13 and 14-17 who want to learn acting and musical theatre skills. Tuition is $160 per student for the acting classes, $200 per student for musical theatre. For more information call 396-4425.
• A “quiet room” has been dedicated at Jacksonville International Airport to the United Service Organization (USO). It’s a place where military personnel can relax or sleep during layovers and overnight delays at the airport. It will also be used as a private area for personnel to say farewell to their families as they leave for deployment or be welcomed as they return home. With renovation supported by the Allied Veterans of the World and Affiliates, Inc. it is the first such room among American airports.