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Published by former Mayor George Gardner March 9 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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A proposal "to create Braille plaques and audio guides for five historic statues in downtown St. Augustine" goes before the City Commission Monday.
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Blind students with tactile art
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The meeting begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
The historic statues are Henry Flagler, Pedro Menendez, the Civil Rights Foot Soldiers, the Menorcans and Ponce de Leon.
Presenting the plan is the St. Augustine Art Association, with a $10,000 grant from the Joann Crisp Ellert/Community Foundation Fund.
Association Administrator Elyse Brady says, "The grant project is called TOUCH St. Augustine - an acronym for Tactile Outreach for Understanding Creativity and History.
"It is essentially an outgrowth of our Annual Tactile Art Show, held each October in partnership with the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind whose students create Braille labels for the touchable art in the exhibit."
Brady credited Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline with sparking the idea. "The seed for this project was planted during a conversation we had with you at the St. Augustine Art Association several years back, when you talked about the beautiful historic statuary in our City," she wrote to Sikes-Kline.
Partners in the project: Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind; Kansas Braille Transcription Institute; Cathedral Basilica; Flagler College; Sculptor Enzo Torcoletti, Community Foundation of Jacksonville; City of St. Augustine, and Florida Deaf-Blind Association.
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Clocks go ahead one hour Sunday at 2 am for ...
It's Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight Savings Time.
Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states in the US that do not participate in DST.
Daylight saving time was advocated by Benjamin Franklin, but not used until World War I, when countries were attempting to save money on fuel.
In 2005 daylight saving time was extended by four weeks. Clocks now change on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Most of the countries in the Northern Hemisphere observe DST; however, areas south of the equator do not.
Image: 16th Century Gunpowder Flask Sundial Compass Watch
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Broadband radio upgrade sought for city departments
St. Augustine's emergency services equipment is included in the county's new $27 million broadband emergency radio
 system, but Fire Chief Mike Arnold wants to add public works and city departments to the upgraded system. Arnold will ask city commissioners Monday to authorize $112,706 for compatible handheld radios for the new system. "Nobody will be listening to (narrow band) VHF anymore," he says, "and in major events, it's important to have every resource interoperational." He notes many agencies are looking at transferring to the broadband system, with several signed on including Flagler Hospital and the National Park Service. "A portion of the city cost can be recovered by eliminating cellphones at a cost of $50 each a month," Arnold suggests. "I've found twelve so far, and that can save $7,200 alone."
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 Action and horror films like The Last Exorcism, Snitch, and Jack the Giant Slayer are current fare at Epic Theatres of St. Augustine, but there's more.
Opera at Epic March 14 offers the filmed Aida from La Scala at 6 pm, one of a series of famous operas continuing twice-monthly through May 23. Showtime 6 pm. Admission $15, students $12.
St. Augustine is among five Northrop Grumman sites nationwide - two in Florida - designated as Centers of Excellence in design and integration in support of its Aerospace Systems businesses.
Melbourne will take on aircraft design work currently being performed at the company's Bethpage, N.Y., facility.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing systems, products and solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide.
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County goes roundabout
Five years in planning and $5 million in construction, a roundabout is open and getting final dressing at Four Mile Road and Volusia Street.
 County Public Works Director Joe Stephenson says, "The project was initiated due to increasing vehicle and pedestrian traffic using the Volusia Street /Four Mile Road route between West King Street and SR 16. The roundabout that is now in place is the best solution to this challenge." Shown at right is the plan that was presented to residents during workshops, sorting out various entering street angles. Roundabouts have been discussed as part of a St. Augustine city mobility study, particularly at the May Street/San Marco Avenue intersection. |
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Extreme Makeover's Ty praises Enactus project
 | | Used to being surrounded by smiling faces, Pennington poses with Enactus team. |
TV's "Extreme Makeover" host Ty Pennington praised Flagler College's Enactus
Containers for a Cause program during a recent visit to the area for Jacksonville's Home and Patio Show.
"I thought the recent trend of redesigning shipping containers into small hotels or mobile homes was cool to begin with, but the students have made it even better," said Pennington.
A pilot project of Enactus (formerly Students in Free Enterprise - SIFE) to recycle shipping containers into affordable housing resulted in a converted container for a quadriplegic in Hastings.
Of his visit to discuss "a building project that uses shipping containers to help the community and homeless ... I was seriously impressed," wrote Pennington on his website. "They're positive leaders, creative volunteers and really know the meaning of teamwork when it comes to helping others."
Visit Pennington's website detailing the project and reader responses.
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News & notes
Bridge naming for Ponce de Leon
Commissioners Monday will consider a resolution to support naming the recently completed San Sebastian Bridge on US 1 the Ponce de Leon Bridge "as a legacy of the commemoration of the 500 anniversary of the discovery of Florida." The state legislature and Florida Department of Transportation have the final say on naming bridges.
Salt Run, San Sebastian dredging
Commissioners Monday will be asked to approve Interlocal Agreements with the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District for dredging of the Salt Run Channel and the San Sebastian River, with grant assistance for $280,000 from the Florida Inland Navigation Districts (FIND) Waterway's Assistance Program.
Charette on mini golf site
Results of a charette on use of the city-owned mini golf site on the bayfront will be presented to commissioners Monday by Commissioner Roxanne Horvath, an architect who called together a group of residents and businesses recently to discuss ideas.
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History's Highlight
St. Augustine's Menorcans
2 years, 6 months to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
St. Augustine's Menorcan heritage is celebrated today 11 am - 3 pm on the historic Llambias House grounds, a free event hosted by the Menorcan Cultural Society.
Old men, women and children in the center, younger, stronger men in front and behind, carrying wooden spears, the silent column of some 150 trudged north along the trail from New Smyrna to St. Augustine.
They were unconcerned about attacks from Indians, or being hunted by their overseers, or insects or beasts of the forest. In nine years they had suffered all forms of misery. 
Three of their number had secretly made the 70-mile trek before them, and filed complaints with East Florida Governor Tonyn. This tattered band would testify further to broken contracts, forced labor, beatings and death at the hands of overseers charged with making a success of an agricultural colony carved out of the wilderness.
It was May 5, 1777, nine years and 18 days after their arrival on the Mosquito Coast.
The New Smyrna survivors were granted small parcels of land at St. Augustine where, their hopes finally realized, they quietly built new lives and became a major influence on the future development of St. Augustine.
Six years after the exodus, England returned Florida to Spain. The New Smyrna survivors remained - through Spanish, American and Confederate occupations and finally American statehood.
Reminders survive in the St. Photios Shrine on St. George Street, dedicated to the first Greek settlement in America. It was on the second floor of this building that the New Smyrna survivors met and prayed.
Reminders survive, too, in the many Menorcan descendants in St. Augustine today. Their heritage is honored each year as the ceremonial Royal Family of St. Augustine is chosen from their number.
Image: Detail in statue of Father Camps, the Menorcans' priest, in Cathedral Basilica's west courtyard.
Account from St. Augustine Bedtime Stories. Click for details on this fascinating historic series.
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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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