The fifth lawyer in the room summarized six hours and eight minutes of legal jousting in fourteen minutes last Thursday, Commissioner Leanna Freeman concluding, "We got it wrong."

   The City Commission was unanimous in voiding a building permit for a 7-Eleven store and 12-pump gas station at congested San Marco Avenue and May Street, Freeman concluding, "I believe we have heard competent and substantial evidence that supports this appeal."

   Among the attorneys at the appeal hearing, brought by the Nelmar Terrace Neighborhood Association and residents, were City Attorney Isabelle Lopez representing the commission, Dennis Bayer for city staff that issued the permit, Jane West for the appellants and James Whitehouse for 7-Eleven.

   The testimony and cross-examinations extended the scheduled 4-hour session into the afternoon and pushed a previously scheduled 2 pm meeting of the Historic Architectural Review Board to 4 pm.

   7-Eleven Attorney James Whitehouse says the ruling will be appealed. The city now takes over defense of the decision, and with more firepower to stop the plan that's led to protest rallies, public outcries at city meetings, and hundreds of emails and phones calls over the past three years.

   Among the commission's findings, the proposed project would be inconsistent with the intent of entry corridor guidelines to preserve historic integrity, and an ordinance last April banning gas stations on San Marco Avenue does preclude the later 7-Eleven permit application which had been approved. 

Derek Hankerson and James Bullock have labored for years to bring forth the story of African American History in Florida.

They've succeeded in greater recognition of St. Augustine's Fort Mose as the first free black settlement in today's America, turning the first underground railroad from slave flights north in the 19th century to south with Spanish decrees of freedom in the 17th century, and extending the Gullah-Geechee Heritage Corridor from southeast coastal states to Fort Mose in Florida.

Now they take their story to Florida State University through the Osher Life Long Learning Institute.  

Gullah Geechee: Pathways to Freedom "explores roles and contributions of Africans and African Americans in Florida's 500 year history and St. Augustine's 450 year history" says Hankerson, founder and producer with Freebooters Productions. Bullock, also a founder, is its creative director.

"The course includes original Florida Crackers, Black Militias, The East Florida Rangers, Gullah-Geechee, Middle Passage, Self-Emancipation, and Underground Railroad south to Spanish Florida" says Hankerson. "Guest speakers will be included and accurate black history films will be shown."

Classes begin February 14 and are scheduled at 1-3 pm Mondays at the university's Maguire Center, Westminster Oaks in Tallahassee.