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Northeast Florida Business Briefs - July 2006
» City Manager Jim Hanson says several developers have contacted him about turning the former Palms apartment complex along Mayport Road into condominiums. Hanson says the city wants to move quickly, as the abandoned 100-unit complex has become home to "vagrants and drug activity."
GAINESVILLE --
» University of Florida researchers have given sight to chickens usually born blind because of an inherited disorder. The technique of injecting healthy genes through the eggshells of the affected chicken embryos has raised hope that a similar gene-transfer therapy could restore sight in children born with a similar condition, known as Leber congenital amaurosis type 1.
JACKSONVILLE --
» Advocates of reopening Cecil Field as a Navy Air Base got a boost when the Department of Defense Inspector General determined that Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia has failed to start condemning and buying all incompatible-use property within the base's primary accident zone. Despite Gov. Jeb Bush's support for reopening Cecil Field, Mayor John Peyton reiterated his pledge to maintain it as a civilian business/industrial park.
» Florida Community College at Jacksonville broke ground on a 130-acre campus at Cecil Commerce Center on the city's Westside. The school will offer classes in general education, college preparatory, business, child care and adult education.
» Washington Mutual announced it will lay off 550 at its regional operations center in Baymeadows.
» Winn-Dixie Stores (OTC-WNDXQ.PK) pleaded guilty to illegally possessing, shipping and selling undersized Brazilian spiny lobsters. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida said Winn-Dixie will pay a $200,000 criminal fine and forfeit about 6,000 pounds of spiny lobster with a retail value of $160,000. The grocery chain, operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, also announced plans to sell 21 stores to 14 buyers for more than $15 million total. The stores, mostly in south Florida, were closed earlier this year.
» The Jacksonville Aviation Authority was forced to rip up a 4-year-old, $15-million baggage handling system at Jacksonville International Airport that has had chronic problems screening and moving bags to aircraft in a timely manner. In its place, the authority will install an $18-million system.
» EverBank Financial is expanding its headquarters, moving into a new 13-story downtown building. The Jacksonville-based bank holding company has 1,500 employees nationwide.
» America Online closed its Southside call center and laid off 780 employees.
STARKE --
» An alumni coalition of historic black high schools will host a reunion this month at the Bradford County Fairgrounds, more than 35 years after their schools were closed as a result of desegregation. The United Historic High School Alliance will be the first event to join alumni from Lincoln High School in Gainesville, A.L. Mebane High School in Alachua and Robinson Jenkins Ellerson High School in Starke.
Business Beat - Week of May 3rd
