• While there are probably plenty of Notre Dame fans in town, one person in particular will be pulling hard for the Irish to beat Stanford Saturday. Gator Bowl Association Chair Daniel Murphy of Fidelity is a big Irish backer on the level of the Bull Gators who back Florida. If Notre Dame wins, they improve to 7-5 and could play in the Gator Bowl Jan. 1.
• Former City Council President and current Jacksonville Sister Cities Association President Lad Daniels has appointed Ellia Pico as a board member of Sister Cities to represent San Juan, Puerto Rico, which recently became a Sister City of Jacksonville. Pico is from Puerto Rico and is in the legal counsel office at CSX.
• Speaking of San Juan, its mayor Jorge Santini Padilla was in town for the official signing of the agreement and indicated he enjoyed his stay. He also told Mayor John Peyton he sees the agreement as more than ceremonial. “During these tough economic times, I believe that this agreement is a pact that forms part of a much bigger development, which transcends geographical boundaries,” he said in a letter to Peyton.
• No Hemming Plaza Farmers Market Friday due to the Thanksgiving holiday. It’ll be back Dec. 4.
• The Landing is hosting a VIP viewing party Friday for the lighting of its Christmas tree. The party is inside Mavericks and starts at 6:30.
• City Council member John Crescimbeni is sponsoring legislation urging the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to not impose restrictions on snapper and grouper fishing in local offshore waters. The legislation contends the current data on the fish population of those species is “incomplete or insufficient.”
• Speaking of Council, member Art Shad is sponsoring a bill to honor Theatre Jacksonville for its 90 years of “uninterrupted community theatre in Jacksonville.”
• Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland is looking to combine two voting precincts in Council member Denise Lee’s district. His bill combines precincts 8M and 8N and creates a new 8N. Holland says they are currently about 50 yards from each other.