• The University of North Florida Center for Global Health and Medical Diplomacy will host its 5th Annual Caring Community Conference, “Northeast Florida: Region of Medical Excellence,” from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the UNF University Center. The conference will offer a five-year status report on improving patient care, fostering growth in health care and bioscience industries, as well as enhancing medical education and research. “Progress has been significant,” said Dr. Yank Coble, center director. Participants will learn about a new communitywide initiative to control abuses in prescription pain medication and will hear results of the third Economic Impact Study of the Health Care and Bioscience Industry.
• Mathews Bridge users will see lane and bridge closures while the structure is repaired and repainted, starting this fall and finishing in summer 2014. The Florida Department of Transportation scheduled a public meeting for Sept. 8 at the exhibition hall at the fairgrounds. Open house is 4:30 p.m. and the project presentation is 6 p.m. It will cover project details, including lane and bridge closing hours. For information, call FDOT at 800-207-8236, ext. 5457.
• The CoreLogic research group said Wednesday that Jacksonville home prices, including distressed sales, fell by 4.6 percent in July from July 2010 and fell 9.1 percent in June from June 2010. Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices fell by 1.3 percent in July and 3.8 percent in June.
• Republican Party of Florida Chairman David Bitner said Wednesday he would resign Sept. 23 because of health concerns and recommended that Vice Chairman Lenny Curry, who also heads the Duval County GOP, be elected to replace him. Bitner revealed in April that he had been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Bitner was elected to head the party in January, taking over for Sen. John Thrasher (R-St. Augustine).
• Visit www.innovatenortheastflorida.com and take an online survey by Oct. 1 for JAXUSA Partnership and the Northeast Florida Regional Council. They ask for opinions about Northeast Florida’s future economy. Organizers also are holding focus groups and one-on-one interviews with government, civic and business leaders. The results will be used to shape workforce strategy.