• The Law Office of Zeina Salam is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certified through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The DBE program establishes guidelines for the participation of firms owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged persons in DOT-assisted contracting.
• To thank immediate past City Council President Richard Clark for his year of service, new Council President Jack Webb pledged to donate $250 in Clark’s name to the Mandarin Food Bank at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
• New Council President Webb chose Council member Art Graham as Floor Leader and Clay Yarborough as Chaplain for the new term.
• The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce presented its quarterly Cornerstone Chair award to the Rulon Company, a manufacturing company based in St. Johns County. Rulon President and CEO Wayne Robison accepted the award at the event Thursday at the Hyatt Downtown.
• In remarks at the Thursday meeting, Cornerstone Chair Lee Thomas announced “the presenting sponsor today - a great company - Rayonier,” emphasizing “a great company.” That’s because Thomas happens to be president and CEO of Rayonier.
• Carnival Cruise Lines will add a seven-day eastern Caribbean cruise itinerary aboard the Carnival Fascination from the Jacksonville Port Authority Cruise Terminal. The renovated 2,052-passenger Fascination will offer a series of six week-long cruises to Grand Turk, the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, and Nassau, complementing the ship’s four- and five-day Bahamas/Key West departures. Departure dates in 2011 include April 30, May 7, July 23 and 30, and Sept. 17 and 24. For information, contact a travel agent,call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or visit www.jaxport.com or www.carnival.com.
• Stein Mart President and CEO David H. Stovall Jr. joined the Baptist Health board of directors.
• Welcome to new JCCI Forward leadership. As of Thursday, the 2010-11 team will include Chair Elexia Coleman-Moss; Chair-elect Jennifer Mansfield; and committee members Mickee Brown, Preston T. Callison, Adrienne Cartagena, Leah Donelan, Jason Fey, Broderick Green, Christy Jackson, William Jackson, Circe LeNoble, LaTonya Lockhart, Jacquelyn Lowe, William Magevney, Lee Poechmann, Antoinette Williams and Felicia Wright. The group is for 25-to-45-year-olds interested in community issues.
• Needing a blood boost heading into Independence Day weekend, the Blood Alliance will host “United We Care” blood drives Tuesday in Orange Park (10 a.m.-8 p.m., Orange Park Mall) and St. Augustine (10 a.m.-6 p.m. Publix at Cobblestone Shopping Center). For more information, go to www.igiveblood.com.
• Summer interning might mean little or no pay, but it also can mean free parking for interns Downtown. The City is picking up the tab for their parking at the Downtown garage at 116 N. Pearl St. if they work at a Downtown business. They will need a letter from their employer. For more information, call the Downtown Garage at 350-3842.