• Mayor John Peyton named Keri Stewart, the City’s deputy chief administrative officer, as Jacksonville’s Stimulus Czar Monday at a press conference to explain what funding will be available to Jacksonville from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also known as the stimulus bill). Stewart will be responsible for coordinating the efforts of the agencies and organizations that will be applying for the federal funding.
• Speaking of Peyton, he has recommended Philip Green for an appointment to the Municipal Service District of Ponte Vedra. That appointment requires gubernatorial approval. Green is the husband of longtime Peyton friend Sheila Green.
• The Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section will hold its annual golf tournament on the first day of spring. Participants will tee it up at Plantation of Ponte Vedra Friday starting at noon. Contact Elizabeth Howard at [email protected] if you are interested in playing.
• Former Chief Assistant State Attorney Jay Plotkin has joined the law firm of Wilner Block.
• Jacksonville is going to add another “Sister City” to its list of similar agreements with municipalities in Argentina, France, China, Korea, Russia and South Africa. Next Tuesday, an emergency resolution will go before the City Council to add Curitiba, Brazil as the newest addition. Peyton will host Curitiba Mayor Beto Richa at an agreement signing ceremony and breakfast April 3 at 8 a.m. at the Hyatt. Tickets are $25 and available at www.braziljacksonville.com.
• The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission has approved the nomination of the Cummer Gardens for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The gardens were originally built in 1902 on the residence of Arthur and Ninah Cummer.
• Sole Purpose continued its success at the Gate River Run. The charitable organization collects used running shoes for the homeless and received about 500 pairs, and about 100 T-shirts, that will be donated to the St. Francis Soup Kitchen and Clothes Closet. Brothers Brian and Carey Hepler are founders of the organization. Donations can be made year-round at 1st Place Sports in Baymeadows at the corner of San Jose Boulevard, in Jacksonville Beach at 424 South 3rd St. and Orange Park at 550-7 Wells Rd.
• Artist Brower Hatcher will be in town April 20 for the dedication ceremony of the Tillie K. Fowler Memorial. The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. and memorial is behind the Yates Family YMCA on the Northbank. Hatcher was commissioned to create the memorial that honors the former member of Congress who passed away in March 2005.
• Atlantic Beach voters will see a change of venue in the three precincts. An Atlantic Beach ordinance has altered the district boundary lines of precincts 13F, 13G and 13H.
• Meisha Werley is the marketing web content coordinator for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. She joined the Chamber in February.
• Speaking of the Chamber, those attending the area Chamber Council events can pay with credits now in addition to cash. Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express will all be accepted.
• The 30th Annual Mayor’s Fish-a-Thon is April 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Hanna Park. The angling event is free for seniors 60 years and older, including fishing gear, bait, fried fish lunch and prizes. Awards will be given for most fish caught, biggest and smallest fish and for the prettiest and ugliest fish. To make reservations for lunch or for transportation from senior residences and senior centers, call 630-7392.
• Duval County Public Schools has been recognized for its commitment to sound financial practices and principles. DCPS received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Officers Association of the United States and Canada and the Association of School Business Officials International Meritorious Budget Award. More than 123,000 students attend 160 public schools in Duval County.
• Kara Tucker, a counselor at the Disability Resource Center at the University of North Florida, has been nominated by Gov. Charlie Crist to serve on the Florida Commission in Human Relations. If her appointment is confirmed by the State Senate, she will serve through Sept. 20.