• Jacksonville attorney Mark Eckels competed in the Beirut Marathon (26.2 miles) Nov. 7, finishing 194 out of 287 with a time of 4 hours, 29 minutes and 49 seconds. The winning time was 2:16:43. The event was held by the Beirut Marathon Association.
• Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals is keynote speaker to the Economic Roundtable of Jacksonville lunch meeting Nov. 30 at the Jacksonville University Davis College of Business. The roundtable won’t meet in December. The Jan. 24 meeting will feature Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Steve Grossman. For information, visit www.ertjax.org.
• Bud Para is legislative affairs director at JEA, the area’s utility. So what happens less than two hours into his “Principal for a Day” visit to Whitehouse Elementary School Monday? The power went out. The generators kicked in and he said the the power returned in 30 minutes.
• Dennis Kelly, regional vice president and general manager of TraPac Inc., is scheduled as the guest speaker at Friday’s meeting of the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. TraPac opened in January 2009 and operates one of the East Coast’s newest automated container terminals. The breakfast is at Currents Riverview Bistro in the Aetna Building on the Southbank. For details, visit www.downtowncouncil.org.
• The Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport won the InterContinental Hotels Group 2010 Renovation Award for its complete renovation the past year. The hotel is one of 41 hotels to have received the award among the group’s more than 4,400 properties.
• On Saturday, the Division of Continuing Education at the University of North Florida will host a “TV-Film Directing & Performance Workshop” from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with a bonus afternoon session from 2-5 p.m. Workshop sessions include “The Best Secrets of How to Break Into the Business,” “How To Go From Nowhere to Around The World and Win a Million Dollars,” and an acting workshop. Registration is $39, with another $30 for the bonus session. For more informaiton, call the division at 620-4200.
• The First Coast Manufacturers Association announced that its 2011 tri-chairs are Mike Templeton of LyondellBasell; Ron Avery of The Ronco Group; and Michael Corrigan of Nu-Trend Plastics.
• Starting June 5, Southwest Airlines will begin daily nonstop flights between Jacksonville and Denver. The airline plans to operate one departure and arrival each day between Jacksonville International Airport and Denver International Airport.
• Following her election to the Jacksonville Beach City Council, Jeanell Wilson sent Mayor John Peyton a letter resigning from the Water and Sewer Expansion Authority, on which she served seven years.
• Diana Ross is coming to Jacksonville. The lead singer of The Supremes who’s had a solo career for 40 years is scheduled for a show at 8 p.m. March 4 at the Times-Union Center Moran Theater. Ticket prices start at $58 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 3.
Tickets will be available at the Times-Union Center and Arena box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
• Cornerstone, the business development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, will continue to cultivate its relationship with Western Ireland when it hosts a delegation from Atlantic Way, the Irish counterpart to Cornerstone, Dec. 1-3.