Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida January 4 2011 |
Commission reassigns committees/boards | |
The City Commission wrapped up 2010 with two important tasks - assignment of commissioners to area boards, and review of commission-appointed committees.
Commissioners appointed to area boards represent the city and bring back to the commission updates from those boards.
Mayor Joe Boles will continue to represent the city on the Tourist Development Council, and Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline on the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
Commissioner Bill Leary takes over for retired Commissioner Don Crichlow on the Northeast Regional Planning Council, Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman will serve on the Sister Cities Association and County Intergovernmental Committee, and Commissioner Errol Jones with the Visitor & Convention Bureau.
One appointed committee was terminated - the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee was a provision of the legislation that authorized city management of 34 state-owned historic properties here. That management was turned over to the University of Florida in 2010.
Both the Entry Corridor Review Committee and Parking and Traffic Committee remain active. The Entry Corridor Review panel meets as necessary to review concerns with the corridor guidelines. Their members are selected from the Planning and Zoning and Historic Architectural Review boards.
The Parking & Traffic Committee was terminated, to be reestablished this year with appointments by each sitting commissioner. This committee meets monthly to continue traffic improvement efforts. |
|
|
|
The 12th
Night Ball
The annual 12th Night Ball, a commemoration and celebration of the epiphany, awaits those in 18th century garb (anything from prince to pauper they say) Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Sala de Montiano at Government House.
The scene above is typical of this gala occasion, though dogs are not permitted today. Back then they were okay because many folks didn't have napkins.
The hosts ask $15 per person, $20 per couple, and a covered dish or desert, a period place setting with utensils, and any alcoholic beverages that might be consumed. Contact Chuck Dale 904.377.0006. |
|
|
Sending the right fire call | |
Fire alarm monitoring systems - good idea.
Sending the alarm to the wrong number - bad idea.
City Fire Marshal John Rayno says, "Recently we have found that many residential systems are not being programmed with the correct contact information. Alarm companies are calling fire department business numbers, not emergency lines, to report an alarm.
"The alarm notifications have been found hours or days later on voicemail messages left by the callers."
Monitored systems should be programmed to 904.829.2226, the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Communications Office serving both city and county, Rayno says.
Residential systems are not regulated or inspected by fire prevention bureaus as they are with commercial systems.
"Each homeowner must check and ensure that the proper contact information is included with their system."
Fire Marshal Rayno is at 904.825.1099.
Echoes of Christmas past
Do we really know what Christmas is like for the homeless?
The Homeless Coalition posed the question and interviewed several homeless persons during the recent holidays. Among their responses:
· You learn to just mind your own business and stay to yourself.
· In the loneliness of it all, you suffer quietly.
· You think of those that are the richest; yeah, those with family and friends.
· I would imagine what it would be like to be sitting at a table with nice food and a warm bed and my own Christmas lights.
The Homeless Coalition says the good news for three of four who were interviewed is that they chose to stay at St. Francis House during the holiday period. |
|
|
|
| Is the Quarter Spanish or simply Colonial? |
Thought's being given to changing the name of the city's living history museum from Colonial Spanish Quarter to, simply, Colonial Quarter.
We are, after all, a city of centuries, recognizing our founder's landing (1565), Drake's Raid (1586), Searle's Sack of San Augustin (1668), the siege of St. Augustine (1702), British Period (1763-1783), American Territorial Period (1821), Seminole Wars (1835-1842), Henry Flagler's Gilded Age (1887-1906), and World War Two (1940's).
The thought arose as the city's Heritage Department began "Colonial Christmas" tours in deMesa House on St. George Street. The tours, offered daily at 11 a.m. and 1, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m. from the Spanish Quarter entrance, will continue through January 9.
The challenge is historic accuracy. The deMesa House, an excellent example of Territorial Period architecture, is venue for tours by Joseph and Mary Stout (historic interpreters Brad Taylor-Hicks and Gili Lochner), residents of deMesa House in the late 1700s.
The current Colonial Spanish Quarter was named as civilian counterpart to the Castillo's interpretation of Spanish military life in the 1740s. |
| Spain has a place in Celtic heritage |
The week of March 11-17, the dynamic Romanza introduces the first ever St. Augustine Celtic Music and Arts Festival, and with it questions of heritage.
Like American history textbooks dismissing Spanish influence, choosing to start American history at English Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620), rather than St. Augustine (1565), Celtic heritage includes. . .
"Lilting Celtic melodies, mist-shrouded valleys, legends of 'the Little People'. . . Ireland? No. It's the province of Galicia, located in the northwest corner of Spain. Though not all experts agree, many believe that Celts settled there several millennia ago and later sailed from Galicia to conquer Ireland."
This from Manoel "Mhor" Camba, who helped found the League of Celtic Galicia in 1996. That league has not been recognized by the pan-Celtic League of Nations (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man) "because Gallego is a Romance language (related to Spanish and Portuguese), not a Celtic language," Camba says. "Politics, politics. . ."
That Celtic heritage is also strong today in Galacia's neighbor, Asturias, home region of St. Augustine's founder.
We may see the gaita at the festival, a Galician bagpipe some suggest preceded the Scots' bagpipe.
"The gaita may have come from Scotland," Campo responds. "Celtic music is just a label to sell music. The bagpipe occurs in many places, not only Celtic countries."
The conclusion of some scholars is that Galicia was part of the Atlantic culture area, just like Ireland and Brittany, with shared language and religion.
Dr. Daniel Bradley, a genetics lecturer at Trinity, said a new study into Celtic origins revealed close affinities with the people of Galicia, and that, "You can regard the ocean - rather than a barrier - as a communication route." |
History's Highlight
Christmas, 1837
One in a series of historic features for our 450th, researched by George Gardner
4 years, 8 months, 5 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
From research by Jacksonville's Ron Johnson for his Today in Florida History
Christmas Eve 1837, U.S. General Zachary Taylor and some 800 Federal army troops gather near the banks of Lake Okeechobee to prepare for what would be a major battle with Seminole Indians.
The Seminoles await them in the swampy high grass and trees near the great lake - 400 to 500 strong, led by five chiefs including Coacoochee, called Wild Cat by the whites.
It will be the culmination of an eventful year in this second Seminole Indian  War. The martyrdom of the legendary Osceola, captured in October under a flag of truce near today's Treaty Park, and his imprisonment in the Castillo, have rallied the Seminole bands.
Coacoochee, who in November made the only escape ever recorded from the Castillo, provides further inspiration.
The Seminoles prepare the battlefield by slicing the grass to provide an open field of fire and notching trees to steady their rifles.
Their scouts, perched in the treetops, follow every movement of the Federal troops.
Fighting in three feet of mud and muck where horses are useless, historians suggest the Christmas Day battle was technically a draw, although the Seminoles inflicted heavy damage on General Taylor's troops. Twenty-six U.S. soldiers, including the majority of Taylor's officers, are killed, with 112 wounded, against 11 Seminoles killed and 14 wounded.
Both sides claim victory. General Zachary Taylor takes the nickname "Old Rough and Ready," a label he will wear all the way to the White House.
Years later Billy Bowlegs visited Washington, and on being escorted through the buildings of the Capitol and viewing many statues and paintings, he halted before a portrait of Zachary Taylor, grinned and exclaimed: "Me whip!"
A month after the Battle of Okeechobee, on January 31, 1838, Osceola - who had been moved to Fort Moultrie, South Carolina after Coacoochee's escape from the Castillo, died and was buried outside the fort. On his marker, military authorities had inscribed, "Osceola, Patriot and Warrior."
Image from Picture History |
|
|
|
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 |
|
|
