• The Advanced Autoparts Monster Jam will be roaring into Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Saturday, but fans can get up-close and personal with some of the competitors at locations throughout the City: Grave Digger will be at Hedgehog Motor Sports on Blanding Boulevard and Stone Crusher is at Duval Ford on Cassat Avenue, both from 4-8 p.m.; Superman is at Dairy Queen on Main Street; TAZ is at Dairy Queen on Merrill Road; and Nitro Circus is at Metro PCS on Atlantic Boulevard. All three will visit from 3-7 p.m.
• Speaking of Monster Jam, parking lots open at the stadium at noon Saturday and that parking will cost $20. Fans who arrive at 1 p.m. can enjoy a ride in a monster truck in Lot J for $5 or pick up a free pass at local Advanced Autoparts stores while supplies last. There will also be a pit party in Lot D, and it will also cost $5 to attend. Free passes can be found at Southern Ford dealers while supplies last.
• If you travel Atlantic Boulevard over the Intracoastal Waterway, you probably know someone stole the American Flag that was placed atop the big mound of dirt just south of the bridge in Neptune Beach. That flag hasn’t been recovered, but it has been replaced.
• Speaking of Neptune Beach, fans of Lemon Bar will be happy to find out the oceanfront bar opens for the 2010 season today at 2 p.m.
• Candidate filing update. So far, eight people are listed on the Supervisor of Elections Web site as “filed” candidates for mayor. Also, Property Appraiser Jim Overton has filed for re-election. On the City Council side, Robert “Fritz” VanVokenburgh has filed to run for the Dist. 5 seat, Marc McCullough for Dist. 7 and James “Big Jim” Beard for Dist. 11. Incumbent judges Linda McCallum, Mark Mahon, John Moran, Russell Healy and Ronald Higbee have all filed for re-election.
• The recession might not be over according to Brookings Institution senior fellow Anthony Downs, who disagrees with Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke that the recession has ended. “We stopped falling, but we haven’t started moving up,” he said at a recent meeting of the Urban Land Institute North Florida District Council and the NAIOP Northeast Florida Chapter.
• Gull Weaver has been promoted to Deputy-in-Charge of the office of Clerk of Bankruptcy Court in the Jacksonville Division of the Middle District of Florida. The Deputy-in-Charge is responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration of the division and provides leadership and direction to employees. Weaver was previously in the Court’s Automation Division.
• Speaking of Bankruptcy Court, Supervisor Mavis Flight is retiring from the court April 30. She has served the Court for 20 years.
• Ivy Ultra Bar owner Lee Spell has put together a flag football tournament with teams from several watering holes located in and near Downtown. It’s Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Jaguars practice fields near the stadium. Ivy’s opponents include squads from Mark’s, Dive Bar, Burrito Gallery, Dos Gatos, Mavericks, The Pearl and Square One. North Florida Sales will be there offering samples of Anheuser-Busch products. The public is invited and admission is free. After the games are over, the Ivy is hosting an awards ceremony and celebration with no cover charge and drink specials.
• The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library have marked a milestone surpassing the 10,000 mark in volunteer hours. Members of the organization donate their time at Booktique at the Main Library, the Saturday Morning Bookstore at the University Park branch library and at two annual book sales at the Fairgrounds and Expo Center. All proceeds support library programs citywide. The Friends are also collecting books to ship to military personnel serving overseas as well as cash donations to defray the cost of shipping. Call 630-2665 to get involved.