• Gregory Lower joined the Stiles, Taylor & Grace law firm as a shareholder at the end of March. Lower, who was most recently with Banker Lopez Gassler, practices in the area of insurance defense.
• Benjamin Moore has joined The Schwartz Law Group as managing attorney and Adam Schemer joined as an associate. Both are Jacksonville natives. Moore concentrates in business and corporate litigation and plaintiff personal injury. Schemer practices in the areas of family, criminal, and civil litigation.
• Duval County’s unemployment rate fell to 10.68 percent in March from 10.87 percent in February and 11.7 percent in March 2010, according to state numbers seasonally adjusted by the University of North Florida Leading Economic Indicator Project.
• UNF economics professor Paul Mason, director of LEIP, said it’s normal for employment to improve in March. “However, that normal was exceeded in March, indicating that things are getting better,” he said. However, he added “there is a need to remember that there are still influences from discouraged workers, those not fully employed, and others who have left the work force that make the numbers look better than they probably are.”
• Mary Scheps Scott has joined the Fowler White Boggs firm as an associate in the Jacksonville office. She practices in the firm’s business and appellate litigation practice. Scott served as 2009-10 president of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association and was the 2007-08 director of membership. She most recently was with Rumrell, Costabel, Warrington & Brock.
• The price of unleaded gas in Jacksonville averages $3.753 a gallon today, according to www.jacksonvillegasprices.com. That’s up from $3.734 last week, $3.50 last month and $2.803 last year.
• Kickin’ news today. FC JAX Soccer will announce the launch of the FC JAX Destroyers professional soccer team. The event is at 11 a.m. at the Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University, where the first home season will be played starting in May. The men’s team will compete in U.S. Soccer’s Premier Development League this year, while the women’s Destroyers team will begin competing in the W-League next year. Sun Dog Diner is a sponsor.
• Mike Maschmeyer joined Addison Commercial Real Estate Inc. as a senior adviser for investments and development properties.
• “Downtown In-Depth Part 3” will focus on “Downtown Activation. It’s scheduled 5-7:30 p.m. May 4 at the Omni Downtown. Information: www.downtownjacksonville.org.