Nest Living Opens in Five Points

Nest Living recently had their grand opening in Five Points. Joey Marchy of Urban Jacksonville spoke with shop owner Shaan Batten earlier this month. Stop by for a visit.

Cummer Ball & Auction XXXI

6:00PM - 1:00AM

The Cummer Ball features a live and silent auction, delectable hors d'oeuvres, seated dinner and dancing.

Proceeds to benefit The Cummer Art Acquisitions Fund.
For more information, visit their website or call (904) 899-6038.

The museum is closed because of the event but will reopen at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29 for AT&T Free Tuesdays.

The History of One of Our Own

The Charlie Patton of the Times-Union has a very nice story about Jerry Spinks. Of course he talks about history, being the president of the Jacksonville Historical Society, but we also get to hear a little of Jerry's own history. It's a fine story and Jerry does deserve the recognition. And through it all, he doesn't once mention Luminaria!

Public Meeting Regarding John Gorrie Jr. High

The school board is holding a community meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 6 p.m. in the Lee High School auditorium to discuss the sale of John Gorrie. The former junior high school is located at the corner of Stockton and College Streets.

The school was built in 1923 and is now listed as an Historic Landmark by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. It is also a contributing structure to the Riverside Historic District, which is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is owned by the Duval County School Board; however, the building no longer serves as a school and is being utilized primarily as a teacher supply depot for the School Board.

Are Those Stormwater Fees on the Horizon?

They are indeed! The Tax Collector will send bills for two new fees in May – the new solid waste fee and the stormwater fee.

Whether or not your bill contains charges for solid waste, stormwater or both depends on the type of property you own and what is contained (developed) on your property. The average homeowner will receive a bill with both fees on it. The solid waste fee will help offset the cost of garbage collection while the stormwater fee will be used to generate the revenue needed to meet new and existing stormwater requirements set by state and federal governments and to improve Jacksonville's drainage system. This should help the health of the St. Johns River.

Use the links found on the City of Jacksonville website to learn more.

If you have questions that aren't answered on this site, or if you need assistance, please call 630-CITY (2489).

Monthly Board Meeting for RAP 7:30 - 9:30pm

The Board of Directors meet Wednesday, April 16 at Trinity Luthern Church located at the corner of McDuff and Park. We have a lot to discuss. New committees are up and running. We will be dicussing the some of the regular issues as well support for RADO, membership benefits, John Gorrie, quality of life issues facing the district, fundraising issues, the ongoing restoration of the Buckland House, zoning and transportation issues and a historic preservation award.

This meeting is open to all RAP members as are the committees. So if you have an interest in helping out in the district, please paln to attend

Be Smart about Your Home Financing and Credit

SmartEdge training event in Jacksonville, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. The SmartEdge (by GMAC) increases awareness about establishing and maintaining credit, managing budgets, buying and leasing, financing your home, what to consider when buying insurance and more.

SmartEdge brings financial education to the community in a fresh and engaging way, providing a blended learning environment. The War on Poverty-Florida is introducing the SmartEdge curriculum sponsored by GMAC. WPF is using its innovative asset development model to assist individuals, faith-based and community-based organizations with development and implementation of educational asset building programs and services.

SmartEdge is a financial educational campaign designed to help develop consumer understanding of personal credit, and increase awareness of financing, and ultimately helping individuals choose smart financial decisions.

Whether you are already providing financial education or considering tools to assist your efforts to strenghten and build the capacity of those you serve by increasing knowledge and developing assets, expand your options... Ask about how your participation can donate books to post high school students, books for your workshops, provide scholarships for students or support for your program.

Register today to attend, seating is limited. All training materials are provided free of charge. You can register online at www.waronpoverty.org or email ahood@waronpoverty.org

More Restaurant News

Two new restaurants recently opened in the district. Einstein Bros. Bagels opens it's third location at 1661 Riverside, just across the street from the Publix shopping center and Memorial Park. Einstein Bros. offers fresh bagels, coffee, sandwiches, panini, wraps, and yogurt. It's also a good place to stop by for dessert.

Also opening is the Espeto Brazilian Steak House in Avondale. Carving gauchos right at your table! Chose from a large selection of 15 types of meats from New York strip and lamb chops to slow roasted beef ribs and Brazilian style sausage. Visit Restaurant.com to purchase a $25 gift certificate for $10!.

If anyone have been to either of these new spots, we'd love to hear what you think. For more on these two openings, read the story at Jacksonville.com.

Teacher of the Year Finalit at Central Riverside Elementary

WJXT has a nice story about David Burrell on their News4Jax site. David is Central Riverside Elementary School's Teacher of the Year and is one of six finalists for Duval County's teacher of the year.

We are thrilled to have him teaching our kids. Good luck Mr. B!