• How cold was it Monday morning? Cold enough that both fountains in Hemming Plaza still had a significant amount of ice floating in them at mid-morning. Lots of the plants in the hanging baskets were affected, too.
• The Mortgage Bankers Association of Jacksonville will feature guest speaker Gunster attorney and author Michael Cavendish at its meeting Wednesday at Maggiano’s in the St. Johns Town Center from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cavendish will discuss renovating a mortgage businesses’ practices toward better management of legal risk and business performance together. There is a fee for entry, go to www.mbaofjax.org
• Nineteen more Florida hotels have made their commitment to protect the state’s environment by becoming designated members of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s “Green Lodging” program. With the new designations the program now includes a total of 614 designated properties statewide including 85 hotels and other lodging facilities in Northeast Florida. The program establishes environmental guidelines for hotels and motels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution. As reward for participation, the state is recommending designated properties in the program to companies and trade organizations seeking environmentally conscious lodging and convention facilities.
• The University of North Florida’s English Department is holding tryouts for its April production of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew.” The tryouts are Wednesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday from 1-3 p.m. in the Robinson Theatre. There are roles for 15 males and eight females with some singing parts. One is for a male age 30-40 who can play the guitar.
• Touchdown Jacksonville is hosting its “Team Teal” kickoff today at 6 p.m. at Municipal Stadium. The purpose is to get the group working toward its goal of selling out season tickets for the Jaguars’ 2010 NFL campaign. At the meeting team captains will learn their responsibilities and what they will be doing in the community toward that goal. There may be quite a crowd. In little more than a week the number of team captains has grown from about 700 to more than 2,100.