• Jacksonville Civic Council member Ed Burr and Executive Director Don Shea will be featured at an IMPACTjax Downtown Revitalization Forum at 5:30 p.m. April 19 at the Skyline Cafe in the Bank of America Tower. The council created a Northbank Redevelopment Task Force Report about revitalizing Downtown. IMPACTjax is the young professionals group of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. RSVP at www.opportunityjacksovnille.com
• Starting today, Laura Street will be open for two-way traffic Downtown from Forsyth Street to Independent Drive. It had been a one-way southbound-only street from Monroe Street. Upon completion of the overall project, Laura Street will be completely two-way from Springfield to Independent Drive.
• Bob Simpson was named acting chief operating officer of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, replacing Ernestine Moody-Robinson. Authority Executive Director Steve Grossman told media that Moody-Robinson was put on leave pending a formal separation so he can find someone for the job to succeed him. Simpson most recently was senior director of Cecil Airport and will keep those duties, Grossman said in a memo to staff.
• Alex Sink, former Florida CFO, Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Jacksonville banker with NationsBank/Bank of America, joined Hyde Park Capital, an investment banking firm in Tampa, as a senior adviser. It specializes in mergers and acquisitions and raises capital for public and private companies in Florida and the Southeast. Sink will focus on business development and expanding client relationships for the firm.