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Published by former Mayor George Gardner September 11 2013
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George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084
Click to order St. Augustine Bedtime Stories -
two sets of twelve, $15 each set
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Wine and marriage, wine and marriage
go together in a horse and carriage
City Attorney Ron Brown will be preparing an ordinance revision to allow alcohol consumption on horse carriages after a plea to the City Commission Monday by JoAnna Engel, co-owner of The Tasting Tours.
"We weren't aware (of open container restrictions)," Engel said. "The thought of telling all our customers we can't do this is just heartbreaking for us."
The change would come on the heels of a recent revision to allow alcohol consumption within 100 feet of churches, sought by owners of the former Exchange Bank who are now going through city boards to approve the former bank lobby as an event venue.
Both requests are keyed to the growing wedding business in St. Augustine.
"We can adjust our local ordinance," Brown told commissioners, "but they'll also have to comply with state statutes requiring that drivers have commercial licenses for the 'limousine exception.'"
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The Fire Department's historic 1906 fire bell at the Malaga Street main station will be tolled 12 times this morning at 8:45 in a Ceremony of Remembrance of the terrorist attacks 12 years ago, September 11, 2001.
The brief program, beginning at 8:30, concludes with a moment of silence and ringing of the bell, refurbished and set on the department grounds two years ago.
Fittingly, attendees will be surrounded by emergency equipment, a reminder of the first responders who sacrificed themselves to answer the call 12 years ago in New York City.
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 Temporary fencing lines West Castillo Drive as crews complete conversion of Francis Field for this weekend's Gentlemen of the Road tour. |
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Nonprofit, business and
public park for Riberia
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City commissioners were impressed, but want more detail and public input on a creative plan for Riberia Pointe which would blend a nonprofit children's museum, aquarium business, and public park.
Marc Newman of PLACE Alliance in Orlando, a board member of the nonprofit Children's Museum of St. Johns (CMSJ), outlined the plan for commissioners Monday, a prelude to public meetings Tuesday at city hall and September 24 at 6 pm at the main library on US 1.
Shawn Hester, president of Marine Conservation Partners, joined Newman to describe his aquarium proposal, and Norm Gregory, vice president for economic development for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, described potential financial impact.
Within the plan:
The Children's Museum, a nonprofit, would include 15,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space and 25,000 square feet of outdoor exhibit area on a 1.4 acre site.
The aquarium, a business, would include 8,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space and 25,000 square feet of outdoor exhibit area on a 1.6 acre site.
The public park and plaza would include 1,200 feet of trails and a 500 seat amphitheater on 3.2 acres.
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Antenna, events venue on HARB agenda
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Requests for an antenna in the former Exchange Bank cupola and an events venue hall with alcohol sales and consumption in its lobby are part of a full agenda for the Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) meeting Thursday, September 19 at 2 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
Theresa Segal, who led efforts for restoration rather than a new Bridge of Lions, opposes installation of the antenna, which would be tucked into a cupola opening she argues is a significant architectural feature; the bank owners met little opposition getting clearance from the Planning and Zoning Board last week for alcohol sales - as long as the activities are kept inside. Now they'd like a Planned Unit Development zoning category to allow an event hall.
Among other HARB agenda items, Josh Parks wants a metal roof structure over an outdoor deck and patio area at his Local Heros between the north end of St. George and Spanish streets, Harry's Restaurant on the bayfront plans improvements along its north and south courtyards, and architect/City Commissioner Don Crichlow has several requests:
To expand the existing parking lot, construct a new fence, wall, and gate, and extend the entrance porch at the Cathedral Parish School on St. George
To replace the existing fence along St. Francis Barracks' Marine Street Parade Grounds and set pedestals to display bronze plaques
To install a retractable awning on the easternmost courtyard of retail space at St. George and Hypolita Street.
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History's highlight
'... now was the time to attack it'
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1 year, 11 months, 29 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
In the third of seven letters to King Phillip (August 13, 1565 to January 30, 1566), written October 15, 1565, Pedro Menendez reports on the capture of the French Fort Caroline less than two weeks after founding St. Augustine.
In order for them to come and attack me they must bring a larger and better force.... Their fort must have been left weak (so) now was the time to go and attack it. 
I conferred with the captains ... and they were of the same opinion. I immediately ordered 500 men to be ready, 300 of them arquebusiers and the remainder armed with pikes and bucklers, and we packed our knapsacks so that every man carried six pounds of biscuit on his back and I myself among the first for example's sake carried this provision and drink on my shoulder.
We found the rivers greatly swollen with the rain that had fallen, so that we advanced but little until the 19th, when we came to sleep a league more or less from the Fort, more than 15 leagues through morasses and desert paths never yet trod.
On the 20th, the eve of the day of the Blessed Apostle and Evangelist St Matthew, in the morning when it began to dawn, (we) determined to attack it openly with twenty scaling ladders that we had brought with us.
Without losing a man killed nor wounded save one ... we gained the fort and all that it contained. One hundred and thirty men were put to death and the next day ten more who were taken in the mountain.
About 50 or 60 persons escaped by swimming to the mountain and also in two boats from the three ships that they had in front of the fort. I immediately sent a trumpet to the ships to demand that they should surrender and give up their arms and their ships, but they refused.
We sent one ship to the bottom with the guns that were in the Fort. The other took in her crew and went down the river where a league distant were two other ships with much provisions, being some of the seven that had come from France and had not yet been unloaded.
As it seemed to me that I ought not to lose this prize, I forthwith left this fort to get ready three barges ... in order to go and seek them, but they were warned by the Indians and ... they took the two best of the three ships that they had and sunk the other and within three days they took to flight.
They wrote to me from the Fort that, after these ships had gone, about twenty Frenchmen in their shirts appeared in the mountain. ... I gave orders that they should use all diligence to take them and execute justice upon them.
Image: flickr.com
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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