• The Downtown Investment Authority scheduled a special meeting at 2:30 p.m. today in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall. The subject is the Downtown Economic Trust Fund, which the City Council Finance Committee voted to shift into another Council-controlled account. For information, call (904) 630-1979.
• As part of National Public Lands Day on Sept. 28, the North Florida Land Trust and its partners will host a two-mile creek cleanup and festival at Hollybrook Park. "Moppin' Up McCoys" will be a community-driven restoration initiative made possible through a Wells Fargo "Environmental Solutions for Community" grant. Cleanup begins 9 a.m. Sept. 28 at Hollybrook Park, 319 Cherokee St. To volunteer, call the St. Johns Riverkeeper at (904) 256-7613. For more information, call the trust at (904) 285-7020.
• Gov. Rick Scott has appointed James Batts of St. Augustine to the Florida Building Commission. Batts, owner of the Batts Co., fills a vacant seat and has been appointed for a term that began Thursday and ends Nov. 5, 2016. The 23-member commission is responsible for development of the Florida Building Code and other elements of the system that support its implementation.
• The City Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services Department will host its monthly free career and employment counseling seminar for veterans and active duty military from 3-6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, Suite 120. The seminars are provided by Incepture Inc.
• The next meeting of the Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee will be at 3 p.m. today at the eighth-floor conference room in the Ed Ball Building, 214 N. Hogan St.
• The Shipyards property Downtown will be the host site for Jaxtoberfest, a two-day festival featuring local breweries, restaurants, and children's activities. The event will be Oct. 11-12 and feature a 5K Beer Run, music, games and more.
Area senior athlete a national winner
Shirley Chase, 88, of St. Augustine won a bronze medal in swimming at the National Senior Games held July 20-Aug.1 in Cleveland. She competed in the 500 Freestyle, clocking in at 18:19.61. More than 10,000 athletes ages 50 and over competed in 19 sports at the games and of the 568 who competed, 16 were from the Jacksonville area.
Ray makes case for manufacturing
State Rep. Lake Ray, a Republican representing District 12, displays some "made in Jacksonville" products after a presentation Monday at the Wyndham Hotel to the Meninak Club of Jacksonville. Ray is president of the First Coast Manufacturers Association and told Meninak members that U.S. goods are known for their quality. "The reality is the world wants our products," he said.
Guess named Junior League board president
Meredith Guess has been named Junior League of Jacksonville board president for the 2013-14 year, its 90th serving Jacksonville. According to a news release, Guess has five goals to guide her leadership: the 90th anniversary celebration to honor the dedication of women in the organization; defining member experiences for current and future members; developing targeted, efficient volunteering through its eradication of "food deserts" in Jacksonville; maintaining operational excellence; and positioning the organization for financial stability.
Johnson named Bolles interim president, head of school
The Bolles School board of trustees unanimously selected Bradley Johnson, class of 1979, as the school's interim president and head of school. Johnson is a partner in the Taylor, Day, Grimm, Boyd & Johnson firm, representing employers in litigation and similar proceedings. He begins immediately in handling the day-to-day operations of all four campuses of the school. The board has begun its search for a permanent head of school.
North Florida Land Trust adds 3 board members
The North Florida Land Trust has added three members to its board of directors: Edward "Bud" deLaurier, Atlantic Realty Advisors managing director and principal; Andrus Health, a Ponte Vedra resident representing The Healy Foundation of Maryland; and Antonio "Toni" Porterfield, The Main Street America Group senior vice president of human resources, communications and administrative services. For more information, call the trust at (904) 285-7020 or visit northfloridalandtrust.org.
JAX Chamber announces 2013 Industry Weeks
The JAX Chamber is launching its 2013 Industry Week program, a weekly tour of organizations that comprise the region's targeted industries. The first tour for chamber President and CEO Daniel Davis and community leaders began Monday and ends Friday with a visit to information technology companies such as Web.com, iMethods, TEKsystems, Colo5, The Building IT Co., Quad Nova and Hashrocket.
Advanced manufacturing companies will be toured next week, followed by logistics, Aug. 26-30; aviation and aerospace, Sept. 2-6; military, Sept. 9-13; financial services, Sept. 16-20; and health and life sciences, Sept. 23-27.
Monroe Street closed for construction
Monroe Street is closed between Pearl and Julia streets for the 16-month renovation of the old federal courthouse. Work began last week on the Downtown project, which will house the State Attorney's Office.
Coastal Law opens new center
Florida Coastal School of Law has created The Center for Law Practice Technology, a unit within the school that will offer certificates in legal technology and law practice management. According to Coastal Law administration, the center is designed to prepare students for a legal marketplace that demands those skills. Students who earn certificates will learn how to create and operate a virtual law firm that provides 24/7 access for clients, automate frequently used documents, leverage social media and develop a brand, and learn the legal ethics surrounding the delivery of online legal services, according to a news release. For more information, visit fcsl.edu.
Crowley expanding
Crowley Maritime Corp. announced it has signed contracts with Aker Philadelphia Shipyards Corp. to build up to eight product tankers for delivery 2015-17. The construction expands Crowley's fleet of petroleum vessels and enhances customer service, according to a news release. The contracts for the first four 330,000-barrel tankers have a delivery date of 2015 and 2016 and additional agreements include options for building up to four more tankers. Aker Philadelphia sold and delivered two product tankers, the Florida and Pennsylvania, to Crowley in 2012 and 2013.