• Social recipe: Many New Year’s parties tend to have some good food, but thanks to the local chef of one of Jacksonville’s newest restaurants, a few more might have some ideas. Chef Joe Everett of III Forks Jacksonville is offering up a couple recipes via the restaurant’s Facebook page for foods for the occasion, including a Beer Can Chicken and Firecracker Shrimp.
• If the crowd was any indication, Tuesday’s Gator Bowl Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast at First Baptist Church was a hit. “We were very pleased with how everything went,” said Clint Hendry, FCA area director. Hendry estimated around 850 people showed, a bump up from the close to 600 who attended last year. He credits the increase to Florida State coach Bobby Bowden’s presence, but was impressed by the stories of all the speakers. “Real stories, real guys who offered interesting perspectives,” added Hendry.
• Marks Gray attorney Giselle Carson ran her first marathon, the Jacksonville Marathon, recently and qualified for the legendary Boston Marathon. She completed her first marathon (26.2 miles) Dec. 21 with a time of 3:31:42, qualifying for both the New York and Boston marathons. She placed third in her age group.
• Gov. Charlie Crist recently appointed three to the Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel, and those appointments await Senate confirmation. The appointees included Dean Willis, 59, of Jacksonville, a laboratory director and chief microbiologist of the Bureau of Laboratories within the Florida Department of Health. He succeeds Alice Barr and is appointed from Dec. 21 to Oct. 31, 2011.
• Beginning tomorrow, it will be a little tougher to get a Florida license or ID card. Back in 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act for new standards, but while it became effective in May, Florida got an extension until Jan 1, 2010. Under new guidelines, Florida residents will need to present a document establishing their residence and date of birth, which include a passport, birth certificate copy, naturalizations or citizenship certificate and marriage or divorce documentation. Non-citizens will need to bring an unexpired permanent residence card, valid passport or other government documents among others. (courtesy News Service of Florida).