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Published by former Mayor George Gardner March 6 2013
The Report is an independent publication serving our community.
Contributions are greatly appreciated. Click or mail to
George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084
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Two cultures, one weekend
 
America's Menorcan heritage is unique to St. Augustine, where hardy souls indentured from a tiny Mediterranean island fled unbearable conditions at a New Smyrna indigo plantation in 1777 to become the backbone of St. Augustine that survives to this day.
America's Irish heritage is more recognized in Boston, New York, and Savannah - where a massive St. Patrick's Day parade steps off annually, but St. Augustine has its share of Irish history.
Both heritages are celebrated this weekend, with the Menorcan Heritage Celebration 11 am - 3 pm Saturday on the grounds of the historic Llambias House and the Celtic Music and Heritage Festival at Francis Field Saturday and Sunday.
At the Menorcan Celebration, look for mullet net demonstrations, Sally Walton and Friends dancers, Menorcan family photo albums and storytelling, and lots of heritage foods and baked goods. Free admission.
At Francis Field, the Romanza-sponsored Celtic Festival features Celtic rock, Scottish pipes and drums and Highland games athletes, Celtic vendors and other activities 11 am to 10 pm Saturday, 11 am to 7:30 pm Sunday. Admission $5.
The third annual St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off at 10 am Saturday at Francis Field to loop around the bayfront. visit www.celticstaugustine.com.
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City Hall's 450 office is looking for 450 artists to paint the town.
Registration open through April 15 as the Ancient City Mosaic project gets under way to select 450 "impressions of St. Augustine."
The collection will be displayed in public libraries and at the St. Augustine Art Association.
Unlike traditional tile mosaic, this will be a collection of any art medium on 12 x 12 inch canvas.
Registration fee $10 adults and $5 youths under 17.
Sponsored by Michaels Stores to benefit the St. Johns County Education Foundation. Details here.
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AAA finds Ponce
Going (many) Places
AAA's Going Places Magazine writer Jason Davis in the March-April 2013 issue lays out the options - and confusion - concerning Ponce de Leon's landing site in Florida 500 years ago. 
"It's impossible to argue with 500 years of history. April 2 marks five centuries since explorer Juan Ponce de Leon reached the Florida shore in search of riches for the Spanish monarchy. And while there's no doubt among historians that he led this bold expedition, where he landed is hotly debated.
"Many places lay claim. St. Augustine gets the lion's share of credit, probably because it's believed to be the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States - and because it reportedly has more Ponce statues than any other North American city (three, with a fourth to be unveiled nearby in April). Some argue he came ashore south of Daytona Beach, in an area now known as Ponce Inlet.
"The luxury enclave of Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville, stakes its own claim. So does Jupiter Inlet. Others contend he made landfall near Melbourne Beach; locals are so adamant, they named a park for him in 2005 and plan to build a cultural center.
"For those without a map, that's a margin of error of roughly 250 miles. Ponce's logs were never located, so state authorities aren't certain of his exact landing spot, either. They've erected monuments at various points along Florida's Atlantic Coast, each with wiggle room: 'Possible Vicinity of Juan Ponce de Leon's Landing.'
"Melbourne Beach seems to have taken an assertive approach to the milestone, scheduling an April 2 re-enactment of Ponce's landing and a parade in his honor four days later. Meanwhile, up the coast in St. John's County, plans are under way to erect a 6-foot bronze statue of Ponce atop a 13-foot concrete pedestal, highly visible to motorists along Coastal Highway."
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 Historic meeting
Vintage cars rest in the shadow of the great cross in the Mission of Nombre de Dios parking area Monday during an antique car stopover.
Mission Director Eric Johnson said the club called ahead for permission and a donation from the club is much appreciated.
It was reminiscent of a stopover several years ago by the Budweiser Clydesdale team, which harnessed up at the mission and took an unexpected stroll along the bayfront.
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No sequestering our youth
 As a noun, sequester is a general cut in government spending; as a verb, it's to isolate or hide away.
There was no sequestering high school students from St Johns and Clay chapters of the YMCA of Florida's First Coast Delegation as they joined over 700 students at Tallahassee last weekend to take part in the 56th annual Florida Youth In Government State Assembly.
Hopefully foreordaining a brighter future for responsible leadership in the American democratic process, the youths tackled legislative, executive, judicial, lobbying and press corps processes.
The yearlong, nonpartisan program allows students to improve their public speaking and debate skills while they express their opinions, ignite change, and represent their generation.
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Inactive committees recount
recent city government history
The list of inactive city boards is a record of recent history of city government.
Many boards and committees created by the City Commission to assist in government actions are temporary, created for a specific issue or area of government. They 'sunset,' or cease, unless reactivated by the commission.
- Entrance Corridor Review Committee (Inactive) - created with enactment of Entry Corridor Guidelines to resolve property owner disputes with regulations. The commission recently shifted the review process to the Historic Architectural Review Board.
- Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (Inactive) - required with the city's takeover of management of 34 state-owned historic properties. Discontinued as management was shifted to the University of Florida.
- 450th Commemoration Commission (Inactive) - early effort by Mayor Joe Boles to manage the 450th commemoration through a steering committee of city and county leaders. Shifted to the private First America Foundation which folded, resulting in today's management by a 3-person city staff. A separate federal 450th Commemoration Commission still exists.
- Aggregation Ordinance Task Force (Inactive) - created during real estate "bubble" of mid 2000s to tackle concerns with property owners reverting large lots into multiple smaller building lots.
- Citizen Advisory Task Force/Seawall Project (Inactive, December 2008) - required to oversee planning for the seawall restoration now nearing completion south of the Bridge of lions.
- Neighborhood Grants Panel (Inactive, December 2008) - created to financially assist neighborhood associations with projects such as street sign toppers and the Nelmar Terrace pocket park.
- San Sebastian Project Architectural Review Committee (Inactive) - a 3-member review panel created to review proposals for development of the Sebastian Inland Harbor project.
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History's Highlight
Irish St. Augustine?
2 years, 6 months, 3 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
St. Augustine's heritage is more bagpipes than bullfights. The Asturian region in northwest Spain - our founder's birthplace - is linked more to the British Isles than the Moors of northeast Africa who swept across southern Spain in the eighth century.
Traditional Spanish culture comes from that Muslim occupation. But the invasion and its culture were stopped where the plains of Spain transform over the Pyrenees Mountains into the rolling green hills of its northwest regions; stopped at the Battle of Covadonga, a village in Asturias, in 722. 
The leader of that battle against an overwhelming Muslim force was Don Pelayo, his name adopted by St. Augustine founder Pedro Menendez for his flagship eight centuries later.
The Florida Irish Heritage Center notes, "The Irish have been in Florida for over 400 years. The Irish came to Spanish La Florida in the 1500s, first as missionary priests and mercenary soldiers in the employ of the King of Spain, and then as planters, traders, shop keepers, doctors and administrators. Three of the 'Spanish' Governors of La Florida were Irish military officers."
The Irish made their marks in the clergy. During the first Spanish period (1559-1763), Father Richard Arthur, also known as Padre Ricardo Artur, presided over the parish of St. Augustine.
During the second Spanish period (1783-1821), King Charles III requested that Fathers Thomas Hassett and Michael O'Reilly (priests from Longford, Ireland, educated in Spain) proceed to St. Augustine, where Father O'Reilly conducted an energetic pastorate. His dwelling is today the Father O'Reilly House museum on Aviles Street.
And in the military. Due to the number of wars Spain was involved in during the early 18th century, the country could not provide enough soldiers for its campaigns. Diplomatic approaches were made to a number of countries to recruit mercenaries. Germans, Italians and Walloons were recruited, but the Spanish were particularly keen to engage Irishmen because of their reputation as soldiers. The Hibernian Regiment in Cuba helped the Spanish regain Florida in 1781, defeating the British at Pensacola.
The restored Spanish government at St. Augustine in 1783 took a census of "alien" residents in East Florida, recording among them Derby O'Leary, a storekeeper and rum dealer, living in a small house attached to the Guard House; Fleetwood Armstrong, a wine merchant, owner of a house and grounds on Charlotte Street; Robert English, living in a rented house on Charlotte Street; Joseph Kelly, a shoemaker with a rum shop, renting a house in the neighborhood of the Castle, and John Reynolds, a merchant, who owned a store on Charlotte Street.
Image: traditioninaction.org. Catholics led by Pelayo defeat superior Muslim forces at Covadonga
St. Augustine Bedtime Stories - Dramatic accounts of famous people and events in St. Augustine's history - in booklets designed for quick reads before bed. Information here
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The St. Augustine Report is published weekly, with additional Reports previewing City Commission meetings as well as Special Reports. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com
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