• Duval County’s unemployment rate fell slightly to 12.37 percent in March, according to state numbers adjusted for seasonal factors by the University of North Florida Local Economic Indicators Project. The state reported preliminary March rates and updated February rates for Florida and its counties. After local adjustments, UNF found that Duval’s March rate was down, just barely, from the adjusted 12.43 percent in February, but was up from 9.38 percent in March 2009. UNF economist Paul Mason found that the rate hit a high of 12.63 percent in November.
• According to a financial information analyst, it’s going to be awhile before the Jacksonville housing market returns to anything resembling a few years ago. In an AOL article, Fiserv Case-Shiller said it’ll be 2020 before Jacksonville recovers from the 39.3 percent decline in home sale values. It could be worse. In Orlando, Fiserv Case-Shiller predicts it will be 2039 before that market recovers from its drop of 59.9 percent.
• As the new Dist. 2 Secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation, Alan Mosley is the newest member of the JTA board of directors. Mosley recently left the City, where he was chief administrative officer for Mayor John Peyton.
• Speaking of Peyton, he’s out most of the week at the Panama Canal Authority memorandum of understanding signing.
• The Jessie Ball duPont Fund has added two staff members. As of June 1, Katie Ensign will join the Fund as senior program officer while Barbara Roole will join the Fund as senior policy director.
• May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month and local organizations are throwing a bash. The “Celebrate Asia! 2010” festivities are at 8 p.m. May 8 at the Hyatt and feature dining and dancing as well as cultural shows. Corporate sponsors have filled their allotment of tables, but individual tickets remain for varying prices, depending upon times. For more information, visit www.celebrateasia.net.
• Every year, various City departments compete to see which one can raise the most money for the United Way of Northeast Florida. Last year’s campaign earned the Mayor’s office a Community Champions Circle of Honor Gold Award.
• The 36th Annual Riverside-Avondale Preservation Home Tour is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. This year, 10 homes and businesses are on the tour, including a mansion on Bourbon Alley in Avondale. Tickets are $15 per person and are available at the Riverside Arts Market, Whiteway Delicatessen on King Street and Fans & Stoves in 5 Points. For a list of this year’s tour stops, visit www.riversideavondale.org.
• The Gallery Group at The Art Institute of Jacksonville is hosting the opening reception for the exhibition “You Don’t Know: Recent Photographs by Jennifer Morgan” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 29 at the school on Baypine Road. The reception includes an opportunity to speak with Morgan about her work. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. To RSVP or for more information, call Tonya Lee at 486-3000.
• The Florida Bank, in conjunction with the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, will host a Cinco de Mayo mixer from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. May 5 at the Downtown office, 135 W. Bay St. Snacks and cocktails will be provided. To RSVP, call 446-1940.