Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida November 23 2010
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Wish lists go to legislative delegation | |
As the state legislature prepares for its 2011 session, the six-member St. Johns County Legislative Delegation will gather Friday, December 10, at 2 p.m. in the St. Johns County Auditorium to hear from the public on general issues and local bills.
It's that time when local officials present their wish lists, but citizens as well have the opportunity to present their concerns.
The delegation is chaired by State Rep. Mike Weinstein (District 19) and includes Representatives Ronald "Doc" Renuart (District 18) and Bill Proctor (District 20), and State Senators Tony Hill (District 1), Stephen Wise (District 5), and John Thrasher (District 8).
Weinstein's Legislative Assistant Sandy Matthews has details at 904.213.3005. |
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Thanksgiving
opens holidays
The city's lights are lit, Thanksgiving turkeys are being prepared, and the annual St. Augustine Art Association Art and Craft Festival will fill Francis Field with some 125 artists and craftspeople Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4.
Gate donation $1 to benefit Art Association activities.
An added feature: the Gamble Rogers Festival entertainment stage will offer performances throughout the festival.
The Art Association can use volunteers for such as gate greeters, pizza & soda helpers, parking assistants and more. Call Bobbie at 904-824-2310 to sign up. |
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Buckle up for holiday traffic |
St. Augustine Police will join in the Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket Campaign urging motorists to buckle their seat belts.
The campaign runs November 21 through November 30.
Police note progress in increasing seat belt use, increasing the use of Child safety seats, and reducing impaired driving. Since record keeping began in 1961, the number of traffic fatalities on our nation's highways is at an all time low. Fatalities dropped nearly 10% between 2007 and 2008.
Still, in 2008, 37,261 people died and another 2.5 million were injured in traffic crashes.
St. Augustine Police will be aggressively enforcing the Florida State Seat belt law and handing out traffic citations during the campaign.
City & UF seek alcohol sales
City and University of Florida officials are halfway home in their efforts to get approval for alcohol sales at Government house and in the Colonial Spanish Quarter.
They'll go before the city Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) December 7 to allow sales and service in the Quarter.
PZB last month approved Government House alcohol sales and service at public and private events for a three-year period with no more than 24 such event days a year, while tabling the Spanish Quarter request "for further refinement," Planning and Building Director Mark Knight says.
Also on the December 7 agenda: requests to subdivide property on Hildreth Drive into 12 single family residential lots, and to rezone 268 St. George Street for a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
The meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the Alcazar Room at City Hall. |
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| Flagler theater seniors reach Capstone |
The Report has an events page, thanks to an email from Flagler College senior Alicia Goodman.
"We would like to be included in the Calendar of Events Section in your next publication," she writes. "We feel that being in THE ST AUGUSTINE REPORT would help to get us noticed around town and therefore a better turnout than previous years" for the capstone course in Flagler's Department of Theatre Arts.
As the name suggests, the department's graduating seniors must direct, produce, cast, costume, design, and build a set for a series of one act plays. Seven seniors have been at it since September.
For a modest $6, we can enjoy seven off-Broadway productions - all comedies, Alicia says, over a two-night stand, December 1 and 3, at 7 p.m. at Flagler Auditorium.
Bring your autograph books. There could be a budding Neil Simon on stage. |
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The UF Strategic Plan
Organizing city's extensive resources | |
One in a series of summaries from the University of Florida's St. Augustine Historic Area Strategic Plan for management of 34 state-owned properties here. The plan was developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local officials.
A "consolidated database management" system is suggested in the University of Florida plan, both to capture "the extensiveness of historical and cultural resources in St. Augustine" and to "keep visitors returning to the area because it will be impossible to see every site in one day."
The database would "strive to catalogue information from various resources of public and private entities including the National Park Service, Florida Museum of Natural History, City of St. Augustine, Historical Society, Archaeological Association, University and local libraries, etc." according to the plan.
The goal is to "develop educational and exhibit programs that are authentic, multidisciplinary, and demonstrate high standards in stewardship of historic and cultural resources.
"Above all, educational programming should link the past to the present, and demonstrate the relevancy of historic events.
"The extensiveness of historical and cultural resources in St. Augustine (including structures, sites and artifacts) requires careful stewardship and interpretation.
"Educational information and building inventories should identify all historically contributing structures regardless of ownership, and integrate them into the 'Story of St. Augustine.'
"Such a comprehensive educational and exhibit program can keep visitors returning to the area because it will be impossible to see every site in one day," the plan concludes. |
History's Highlight
Betsey incident helps spark Tonyn's navy
One in a series of historic features for our 450th, researched by George Gardner
4 years, 9 months, 17 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
From an account by George E. Buker and Richard Apley Martin
Among confrontations prompting British East Florida Governor Patrick Tonyn to focus on building naval support for St. Augustine was the incident of the brigantine Betsey, heavily laden with ordnance stores, off the coast of St. Augustine, August 7, 1775.
Betsey Captain Alvara Lofthouse, aware of the danger of attempting to cross the shallows at the harbor entrance while riding so low in the water, decided to wait and lighten ship before coming in.
The next morning 293 barrels of gunpowder were moved ashore and, thus lightened, the Betsey could cross the bar - except that weather and heavy seas again delayed Lofthouse.
Meanwhile, Captain Clement Lempriere of the rebel privateer Commerce arrived off Matanzas Inlet. Getting underway on the morning of August 7, Lempriere headed north where he sighted and approached the Betsey. Lookouts on the Betsey, and also in the coastal watchtower near the harbor entrance, followed the Commerce as she drew near.
Captain Lofthouse mistook the American for a "negro vessel," and allowed her to come alongside. To his dismay, twenty-six men from the American sloop boarded the Betsey. The rebels removed 111 barrels and thirty-seven kegs of gunpowder.
A detail of unarmed soldiers had remained aboard the Betsey anticipating the eventual unloading. According to the Commerce's journal these soldiers had been bribed with 100 pounds sterling.
Later the men reported that a bribe had been offered, but they did not say whether it had been accepted. Governor Tonyn's account of the incident gives the troops credit for hastening the American sloop's departure by their plotting to seize the rebels' arms. "The Pirates caught the alarm [and] evacuated the Brig with precipitation," Tonyn reported.
Reacting quickly to the news of the Betsey's plunder, the provincial vessel Florida, outfitted with eight small cannon and a crew augmented by an officer and thirty men from the 14th Regiment of Foot, was dispatched in pursuit.
Several days later the Commerce crossed the Savannah bar with the Florida a few hours behind. The rebels had reached the safety of the inland passage to Beaufort, South Carolina, before the governor's sloop could catch up.
Over the next three years, Governor Tonyn would build a navy through pleas to the crown and drafting of private vessels. In this small corner of the war, Governor Tonyn's navy had been a factor keeping the Americans at bay. |
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The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com |
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