• Crowley Maritime Corp. announced Tuesday that Steve Demeroutis will become vice president of marine operations for the company’s petroleum and chemical transportation group. Rudy Leming will take Demeroutis’ former position of vice president of labor relations. Both will remain in Jacksonville. In the new positions, Demeroutis will be responsible for operation of Crowley’s marine petroleum assets as well as the company’s articulated tug-barges. Leming will be responsible for the development and implementation of Crowley’s overall labor strategy.
• This week, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is hosting several events for Celebrate Pro Bono Week, a national campaign that seeks to provide pro bono legal services during challenging economic times. Cheers & Beers for Pro Bono Happy Hour is 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Intuition Ale Works, 720 King St., in Riverside. Local attorney Lanny Russell is buying the first beer for the first 50 pro bono attorneys. Rogers Towers is providing free food and the event is free and open to the public. One dollar from each beer sold will be donated to JALA.
• The seventh annual S.T.U.D. Rally will be from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday at the Morocco Shrine Auditorium, 3800 St. Johns Bluff Road. During the rally, students from Duval County high schools will address underage drinking and distracted driving, and will develop an action plan to take back to their schools.
• The next Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission meeting will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Main Library, 303 N. Laura St.
• The last Book Warehouse Sale of the year from the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library starts Nov. 9 at the University Park Library, 3435 University Blvd. N., according to organization President Harry Reagan. A $10-a-bag special – all the books that can be stuffed into a brown grocery bag – will be offered for several days. Book prices are $2 for hardcovers, $1 for softcovers and 50 cents for paperbacks. DVDs and CDs are $3; children’s books are $1 for hardcover and 50 cents for softcover. “Better books” are individually priced, mostly $4-$8.
The hours of the Book Warehouse Sale:
• 5-8 p.m. Nov. 9 (member night)
• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 10
• Noon-5 p.m. Nov. 11 ($10 bag special)
• 4-7 p.m. Nov. 13 ($10 bag special)
• 4-7 p.m. Nov. 15 ($10 bag special)
• 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 17 ($10 bag special)
More information can be found at fjpl.org and by calling (904) 630-2304.
• The TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl Road Tour was in Gainesville this past weekend on its sixth stop to promote the TaxSlayer.com scholarship program and Jan. 1 Gator Bowl. On the road tour bus, students were able to register to win a $10,000 scholarship and fans and alumni spun a prize wheel to win Gator Bowl items. They also were able to enter the Ultimate Tailgate Experience sweepstakes, featuring a trip for 10 to the Gator Bowl.
• Duval County Public Schools brought home the Florida Green School District Award for its green efforts. The district’s operations team, green schools and the Green Champions were recognized by the Florida Green School Network, which is a partnership between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Education, Department of Health, Florida’s Foundation and the Sustainable Florida Program. This year, more than 42,000 students, teachers and administrators participated in green school initiatives, which generated $20 million in gross cost savings for the state’s schools. Initiatives included green service learning projects, using organic and sustainable energy sources, recycling programs and efforts to make school buildings and facilities more sustainable. Sandalwood High School was named one of the three finalists in the green school category. In addition to a plaque, the district received a $1,500 award. Sandalwood received an award of $250.
• Thrill the World – an annual international charitable event in which participants perform the zombie dance in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video – will be 3 p.m. Saturday at Intuition Ale Works, 720 King St. in Riverside. Participants will dance for donations in support of Hubbard House, and the event is free and open to the public. Those interested in dancing can email Marie Reeder at [email protected] and learn the six-minute dance online at thrilltheworld.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/thrilltheworldjacksonville.
• The Hoffman Agency LLC, a full-service marketing and communications firm, is celebrating 20 years in business and has received awards for its work with Shands Jacksonville, the University of Florida Academic Health Center. This year, the agency received recognition in the American Advertising Federation of Jacksonville Addy Awards; the Aster Awards; the Telly Awards; Summit Creative Awards; and Healthcare Marketing Awards.
• One of the oldest community blood banks in the country, The Blood Alliance turns 70 on Friday. It held a ceremony to transfer leadership from 19-year CEO and President Dale Malloy to his successor, Valerie Collins. The organization starting Oct. 26, 1942.
• On the air: State Senate District 4 candidates Aaron Bean and Nancy Soderberg have confirmed they will take part in the Monday edition of “First Coast Connect” hosted by Melissa Ross on 89.9 FM. The program will feature listener calls and also be streamed live on WJCT’s website, wjct.org. The show begins at 9 a.m. weekdays.