• The City’s Athletics Office will be closed all next week for relocation. It won’t be going too far, though, as it’ll make the move from its current 851 N. Market St. location to the first floor of the Ed Ball Building. It’ll resume normal operations the week of Feb. 22.
• Several elected and appointed officials from around the area will be at the University of North Florida tomorrow and Saturday to take part in a local initiative based on a University of North Carolina model. As part of the Foundations of Local Government Continuing Education Initiative, officials will spend the time discussing and exchanging ideas on the major challenges facing Jacksonville, with each official having time to react and discuss. Invited parties include members of City Council, JEA, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Duval County Supervisor of Elections, Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Property Appraiser’s Office and more.
• The Twisted Martini and JobsDirectUSA will host their second “Pink Slip Party” Feb. 11 from 5-8 p.m. at the Landing. It’s an opportunity for people seeking a job to network and connect with firms looking to interview job candidates. All hiring companies and staffing agencies are also invited to participate. The first such event last April was attended by more than 200 potential employees and more than a dozen employers. To RSVP visit www.speeddatingforjobs.com.
• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection along with the Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc. (SWIX) collected more than 600 pounds of old or unwanted ammunition last weekend at an ammunitions collection event at the Gander Mountain store. This marks the fourth year DEP has co-sponsored the event, but the first time it was held in the Jacksonville area. The proper disposal of old or unwanted ammunition can save lives by preventing it from getting into the hands of children and can also help protect the environment by keeping lead and other contaminants from seeping into the groundwater. Items that were collected from 42 participants included 225 pounds of shotgun shells, 354 pounds of bullets, 12 pounds of flares and 16 pounds of gun powder and black powder.
• R. John Kaegi, who most recently served Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida as its chief strategy officer, has joined Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business as an Executive-in-Residence in the Leadership Center. His role at BCBSF included facilitation of the processes and meetings of the corporate strategy committee supporting the development of critical business strategies, and he was deeply involved in shaping health care reform. Kaegi holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Oregon and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis.