• Radiation oncology and proton therapy experts from the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville are in Japan this week to make presentations at the annual meeting of the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group, the world’s leading proton therapy scientists, physicians and researchers. The Jacksonville institute opened in 2006 and treats cancer patients with proton therapy, a form of radiation that destroys cancerous tumors while preventing damage to healthy, normal body tissue and organs.
• As JAA Executive Director Steve Grossman spoke to The Civic Round Table last week, a cell phone rang. “If it’s for me, I’m not home,” he said.
• Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is the guest speaker at the June 24 Cornerstone Quarterly Luncheon at the Hyatt. Donohue will talk about the energy challenges facing the country. For more information, visit www.opportunityjacksonville.com or call 366-6600, ext. 7601.
• The Jacksonville Children’s Chorus has been invited to perform June 27 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. The group will join other choruses from throughout North America to form a festival chorus of 190 singers for the performance. The Festival Chorus will be conducted by Darren Dailey, artistic and executive director of the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus. It’s his conducting debut at Lincoln Center. Dailey made his conducting debut in Carnegie Hall with the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus in 2008.
• The latest entry to the 2011 City Council elections is Republican Sean Hall, who is running for At-Large Group 5. Hall is an executive business development manager for Panasonic Computer Solutions Company. The seat is currently held by Glorious Johnson, who has filed to run for mayor in the 2011 election.
• The next Ethics Commission meeting is 5 p.m. Monday in the Don Davis Room on the first floor of City Hall.
• The new South Mandarin/N.W. St. Johns County Lawyers’ Association is in the organizational phase of development, led by attorney Michael Lindell of Lindell & Farson.
• According to the store manager of the Atlantic Beach Publix, the new store in Neptune Beach will open Aug. 12.
• Speaking of the Beach, Jacksonville Beach surfer Asher Nolan is featured in the new issue of Surfing magazine. Nolan took a trip through the Caribbean recently and it’s a good thing. While he was in Barbados, he saved a French woman from drowning.
• St. Paul’s Catholic School in Riverside is asking area business leaders to become “business partners in education,” but the 224-student school isn’t seeking donations. Patricia Moss of the school’s fundraising committee is only asking the business community to lend company names to the project. State Rep. Charles McBurney has agreed to let the school use his name.
• Speaking of McBurney, he’s a member of the Southside Business Men’s Club and was introduced on Wednesday as “our own Charles ‘The Attorney’ McBurney.”
• Friday is “Ride Your Bike to Work Day” and you can join Mayor John Peyton and City Council member Don Redman at 8 a.m. in Hemming Plaza to mark the event. The North Florida Bicycle Club has organized group rides from three locations, Arlington, Southside and the Westside, who will all meet Downtown.
• The Law Offices of Farah & Farah is a sponsor of the May 27-30 Jacksonville Jazz Festival and has offered the firm’s parking lot at Main and Adams streets for one of the stages. The firm also is allowing the City to set up a beer garden in the space on the west side of Main Street, between the law office and Perdue Office Interiors.