• The City is getting closer to starting the long-talked-about renovations to the Laura Street Independent Drive and Ocean Street and Independent Drive intersections. Bids for the work will be opened Nov. 18 at City Hall. There’s a mandatory pre-bid meeting set for Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. in the conference room on the first floor of the Ed Ball Building.
• This year’s Transformations event generated $350,000 for the Sulzbacher Center. It was chaired by Michael and Linda Lanier while Mayor John Peyton and former mayors Ed Austin and John Delaney served as honorary chairs.
• Speaking of Peyton, he recently thanked City Council President Richard Clark for his work during the budget hearings, despite the fact the two were on different pages most of the time. In a letter to Clark, Peyton said, “Even though we did not agree on every issue along the way, I am proud we did not let obstacles created by Tallahassee and a weak economy, prevent us from getting the job done.” The 2009-10 fiscal year budget went into effect Oct. 1.
• There’s a new tapas bar in town. The Brass Monkey Tapas Bar on Deerlake Court opened last night. It’s in the Tinseltown area.
• Council member Warren Jones and Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland are holding a town hall meeting tonight at the Schell Sweet Center on Kings Road from 6-7 p.m. to discuss precinct changes.
• This year’s Single Greatest Night is set for Nov. 20 at Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa. Ch. 4 “Morning Show” anchor Casey Black and Cole Pepper of FM-1010 will host the fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tickets are $74 in advance and $100 at the door. For more, call Liza Wrobel of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 733-3560.