• Look for a Bahama Breeze Island Grille to open a new location in Jacksonville some time this year. Laurie Burns, the restaurant’s president, was in town recently and met with Mayor John Peyton to talk about expanding to the Jacksonville market. Bahama Breeze is owned by Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, which also owns Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille and Seasons 52.
• Leadership Jacksonville will hold its 15th annual “Celebration of Leadership” April 15 at the Hyatt. This year the organization will honor community trustees Henri Landwirth and Suzanne Montgomery. The event is from 6-9 p.m.
• Ocean State Air Conditioning & Heating owner Glenn Jones will serve as chair of the North Florida Air Conditioning Contractors Association this year. Jones was recently featured in a Florida Times-Union article for helping a family that didn’t have an air conditioning system. He says his company will look for more families in need over the course of the year.
• This year’s National Hurricane Conference is set for March 29-April 2 in Orlando. Former National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield is chair of the Planning Committee. Chip Patterson, the City’s former emergency response chief, is the only person from Jacksonville on any of the subcommittees.
• According to Zodiac Grill owner Jerry Ewais, the plans aren’t finalized but he is looking to move his restaurant that’s at the corner of Adams and Hogan a few storefronts east to the old Mudville Grill location.
• The numbers are in for this year’s Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive. The total collected by the volunteer bell ringers in the four-county North Florida command is $544,988.30. That’s a little short of this year’s goal of $570,000 but the figure does not include online donations. By the way, donors have until Jan. 31 to contribute via the Internet.