• At Wednesday’s press conference to announce a new Keep Jacksonville Beautiful initiative, Mayor John Peyton told everyone former Mayor Jake Godbold wasn’t feeling well. “For anyone who has come in contact with Jake, I have a bottle of Purell,” said Peyton, holding up the bottle. “We are not sure what he has.”
• Nelson Cuba was re-elected president of the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police Tuesday evening without opposition. It is Cuba’s fourth term in office and makes him the longest serving president in the more than 50-year history of the Jacksonville FOP. He was first elected in 2003 and has been reelected ever since by the nearly 3,000-member organization.
• At the Duval County School Board’s organizational meeting, Brenda Priestly Jackson was appointed chair and Nancy Broner was appointed vice chairman, replacing Tommy Hazouri and Priestly Jackson, respectively. Priestly Jackson represents Dist. 4 and joined the School Board in November 2002. Both she and Broner have served as chair in the past.
• According to a survey conducted by Florida Trend magazine, 23 percent of foreign buyers of U.S. real estate prefer Florida. International purchasers of Sunshine State property are led by Canadians (26 percent), Latin America (23 percent), Western Europe (22 percent) and the United Kingdom (16 percent).
• The Blood Alliance Bloodmobile is making a stop at the Hemming Plaza Market Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Appointments are scheduled every 20 minutes and walk-ins are also welcome. A photo ID is required to donate. If you’d like to schedule an appointment call 634-0303, ext. 225.
• The City has been informed by the U.S. Department of Justice that it has been turned down for a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant. According to BJA Acting Director James Burch, there were 514 applicants for the grant funding, but only 33 grants were awarded.