• At the recent meeting of JTA’s board of directors, City Council member Art Graham, the Council’s liaison to JTA, said he’s hopeful the controversy surrounding the huge mound of dirt in Neptune Beach on the Intracoastal Waterway will be resolved soon. Dubbed Find Island, Graham said the pile of dirt was the result of a disconnect between JTA, the Florida Inland Navigation District, the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Neptune Beach.
• The parent companies of The Jacksonville Bank and Oceanside Bank have agreed to merge, with Oceanside merging into the Jacksonville Bank. Jacksonville Bancorp Inc. President Gil Pomar becomes president of the combined banks, while Oceanside President Barry Chandler becomes City President of the Beaches offices. Oceanside is owned by Atlantic BancGroup Inc. Jacksonville Bancorp also announced a stock purchase agreement with four private investors, led by CapGen Capital Group IV LP, for $30 million in new capital. The merger, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, could be completed in the fall.
• Luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. posts on its website that it will open in winter 2010 at St. Johns Town Center. The address will be 4834 River City Drive.