• Barring a hurricane, it looks like the 2011 Light Parade of boats will take place Nov. 26 along the St. Johns River Downtown. Buddy Haskell, president of the Jacksonville Marine Association, said this morning that Mayor Alvin Brown’s office signed off Wednesday on a partnership between the City and the private sector to organize the event. Haskell said his group is working with the Gator Bowl Association and Downtown business owners to ensure the tradition enjoyed by an estimated 100,000 people each year will continue. Chris Hand, Brown’s chief of staff, said this morning the issue is how much money can be raised by the private sector, since funding for the parade was removed from the City budget. “We’re hopeful we can do it,” he said.
• Gov. Rick Scott appointed Roy Pechillo, of Orange Park, to the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board. Pechillo is the vice president of the southeast region for Rels Valuation. His term begins Monday and ends Oct. 31, 2015. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
• Linda Boucard, director of communications for Fonkoze USA, is scheduled as the keynote speaker at the Jacksonville Urban League’s 38th Annual Equal Opportunity Luncheon Wednesday at the Hyatt Downtown. Boucard is serving in Haiti as a critical link between Fonkoze and Fonkoze USA, a 501c3 organization dedicated to securing financial and technical support for its Haitian partners. For information, visit www.jaxul.org.
• Look for myMochi Riverside to open at 1661 Riverside Ave., between Zoe’s Kitchen and Einstein Bros. Bagels. The Facebook page shows the frozen yogurt store will open at 11 a.m. 11/11/11.
• Recent restaurant building permits by the City: A remodeling of Taco Bell at 7331 103rd St. was permitted at a project cost of $82,725 by C.W. Hayes Construction Co.; roofing was approved for the McDonald’s at 3143 Emerson St. by Preferred Roofing; interior work was approved for Qdoba Mexican Grill at St. Johns Town Center by River City Restoration.
• The City OK’d permits for a new Daily’s convenience store and car wash at 9143 Baymeadows Road. Permits show C&R General Contractors Inc. will build the store at a project cost of $850,000 and the car wash for $130,000. First Coast Energy LLP is the owner.
• Among other retail building permits: Hurst Contractor Inc. is handling work for the Five Smooth Stones Audio Video store at 12795 San Jose Blvd., Unit 7; The Shrout Companies is making interior improvements for Dip N Clip at 7628 103rd St., No. 6, at a project cost of $18,012; Osterer Construction will handle the $133,400 tenant build-out for Gretchen’s Hallmark at 13820 Old St. Augustine Road in Bartram Park; Stipe Construction Inc. is building out space for Bella Nail Salon at 13475 Atlantic Blvd., No. 15, at a project cost of $15,000.
• Among recent office permits: Target Contractors Inc. will provide the $67,500 interior build-out for Insurance of America at 1 Sleiman Parkway; Stipe Construction Inc. is handling interior office renovations for Synovus Valuations Service at 10407 Centurion Parkway N., No. 200, at a project cost of $15,000.
• Here a few more permits: Stellar Group is building the $2.2 million, 10,037-square-foot St. Mark’s Commons Building at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 4114 Oxford Ave.; Continental Contractors of Maryland is improving rooms at The Inn at Mayo Clinic at a project cost of $344,863.