• Shands HealthCare CEO Timothy Goldfarb is one of the five from across the state on this year’s Governor’s Sterling Award Leadership Panel. The group is comprised of executives from the previous year’s Sterling Award winners. The City won the Sterling Award in 2001. This year’s awards ceremony is May 26-29 in Orlando.
• Public schools aren’t the only ones hurting for funding. According to board of directors chair Mary Ellen Smith and trustees chair Dan Rice of The Guardian Catholic Schools, the school is looking at a $200,000 budget shortfall heading into the next school year.
• For the technologically savvy entrepreneurs, the U.S. Small Business Administration recently upgraded its podcasts resource section. Topics vary, with some of the newest focusing on preparing for tax season and a business startup checklist, with features like going green and adjusting to a down economy in the works. For more information, go to www.sba.gov/tools.
• The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. Air Quality Advocacy Task Force is concerned with the future air quality of areas around the Port due to the anticipated traffic increase. Along with Dr. Sudhit Prabhu, chair of Healthy Jacksonville 2010 – Asthma Project, the JCCI task force is asking for the City to create a group with representation of different agencies to monitor the situation.
• This year’s “Hugs Not Hits” to benefit the Monique Burr Foundation for Children is set for April 4. The third annual 60-mile motorcycle ride starts at Big Bike Motorcycles on Sunbeam Road. Last year over 200 riders raised more than $20,000. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the ride starts at 10:30.
• An electronic turnstile is being installed at City Hall so City employees can swipe their badge to enter the building. The memo from the mayor’s office notifying City Council members of the impending installation prompted Council member Art Graham to send a memo to the mayor’s office and his fellow lawmakers stating he believes security on the Council floor should also be upgraded with a door to segregate the reception area from the rest of the office suite.