• Speaking of the event, several City officials were on hand, including more than a half dozen City Council members. Mayor John Peyton was scheduled to attend, but couldn’t make it due to an illness, perhaps from his morning engagement. “I hope it wasn’t the budget meeting (that made him ill),” joked Barbara Ketchum, who praised the mayor for his efforts. Peyton met with City Council President Richard Clark and Finance Committee members Wednesday morning to discuss the 2010-11 budget.
• Chief Rick Graham is retiring Friday after 34 years with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. During a news conference Wednesday morning on the abduction of Melvin Duclos, Sheriff John Rutherford praised Graham for his efforts in helping find the newborn. “Talk about going out at the top of your game,” he said.
• Chairwoman Vida Vongsay expects more than 800 partiers Downtown Monday for Celebrate Asia! 2010 at the Hyatt. The evening event will feature traditional food, entertainment and what Vongsay describes as “a huge costume party.” Big-name corporate sponsors are on board. Check out www.celebrateasia.net for information.
• Speaking of JSO, Lt. David Stevens will fight during the April Guns N’ Hoses event at the Arena. Event coordinator Robbie Freitas has been after Stevens to spar with a member of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department for several years.
• Along with the return of spring comes a call for examples of good government stewards. Since 2003, the City Council president has been charged with establishing a nominating committee to review nominations for the Robert O. Johnson Good Government Award. The award is given annually to a City employee with a reputation for integrity and honesty and who has demonstrated outstanding public service to the City Council and the citizens of Jacksonville. Past recipients have included Lin White, Alice Newman and Jack Gillrup. The five-member committee comprises representatives from: Council (traditionally the vice president), the council auditor, a Constitutional officer, an independent authority and the mayor’s office.
• PRC Digital Media is running with a fast crowd. President Ray Hays says PRC is teaming with Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance founder Bill Warner to produce a one-hour documentary tentatively titled “The King, The Knight and Big Daddy,” featuring NASCAR legend Richard Petty, British racer Sir Stirling Moss and Don Garlits, considered the father of drag racing. The trio will participate in a seminar during the 15th annual concours event March 12-14 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.
• Communities in Schools invites the public to celebrate the nonprofit organization’s 20th anniversary by attending the “Symphony of Students” at 8 p.m. March 11 at the Times-Union Center. There are two options: For $40 per person you can attend the concert by the CIS Jump Start Strings Orchestra joined by poet Al Letson and Nuttin’ But Strings. For $100 per person you can have dinner at 6 p.m. in the atrium of the Omni, then walk across the street to the concert and return to the hotel after the performance for a private reception. To reserve tickets visit www.cisjax.com.
• Clarification to Tuesday’s story about the City’s sports and entertainment venues: While improvements to the Arena, the Baseball Grounds and the Equestrian Center were funded through the Better Jacksonville Plan, upgrading the Times-Union Center, Municipal Stadium and the Osborn Center was part of River City Renaissance.
• Wednesday morning pedestrians were being cautioned by a security guard to be careful walking on the south side of the SunTrust Building because one of the flagpoles had been almost blown off the building. A few feet away on Sister Cities Plaza, two newspaper vending boxes had been been blown over and were lying on the sidewalk.
• The D-LINE, the official drum line of the Jaguars, will hold open auditions from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday in the West Club of Municipal Stadium. Auditions are open to drummers and cymbal players and registration is available on www.jaguars.com/dline. Free parking for the auditions will be available in Lot M on the west side of the stadium. All musicians are required to bring practice pads, sticks and chops and must be at least 18 years old. For more information call 633-6000.
• Though a little hobbled by a recent broken leg, City Council member Don Redman still intends to participate in the Gate River Run March 13. “I may be walking it this year, but I’ll be there,” said Redman. “I haven’t missed one yet.” The Gate River Run started in 1978.