Published by former Mayor George Gardner November 4 2015
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Resignation, quorum issues
Veterans Day 2016
Area events, parade to honor veterans
 The Veteran's Day Grand Parade next Wednesday will cap a week of ceremonies and events saluting what Veterans Council Chair Bill Dudley calls, "the city's unique, 450 year military heritage."
The 10:20 am parade along the bayfront is organized by the 450th Military Commemoration Committee, the Veterans Council of St. Johns County, and the Ancient City Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
"As a tribute to those who have secured the freedom we enjoy today," Dudley writes in the
Patriot Reader newsletter, "the marchers represent those who have gone before, those serving now and those who will serve in the future."
They'll include re-enactors representing veterans from every era of St. Augustine's military history, Army Engineer troops from Fort Stewart, Color Guards representing the Florida National Guard and the military services, Junior ROTC drill teams and marching units from the three St. Johns County high schools.
The Navy Region South East Band, the St. Augustine High School and Ponte Vedra High School combined marching bands, and massed pipes and drums will provide parade music.
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Child's play on
Lightner tour
Made for Children is the theme today at 10 am for Lightner Museum Curator Barry Myers' monthly tour of unique and special treasures of the Museum.
Myers has selected everyday objects used by children throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. All objects were designed to educate and instruct children as they grew up to be young ladies and gentlemen, from children's christening sets, (including the proverbial silver spoon), to furniture (just the right size for little people).
Tours are included in the price of admission and begin in the front lobby of the Museum at 10 am the first Wednesday of each month. Admission is free for St. Johns County residents with valid identification.
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Veterans events
Dudley lists events in the days preceding the Grand Parade:
5 Nov. 8:30 AM Valley Ridge HS Veterans Day event
6 Nov. 8:30 AM Liberty Pines HS Veterans Day event
7 Nov. 1-4 PM Veterans Fund Raiser at Ancient City Brewing
8 Nov. 1:30 PM
K9s For Warriors Program at Anastasia Baptist Church
10 Nov. 9:30 AM COA River House Veterans Day Program
10 Nov. 4:00 PM Vietnam War Plaque Dedication in the Plaza de la Constitution
11 Nov. 10:30 AM Veterans Day Parade along the bayfront
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Scholars discuss
I'm trying to find the deco in St. Augustine.
Paul Weaver, Historic Architectural Review Board
 "I've never heard of art deco vernacular," Historic Architectural Review Board member Paul Weaver, a historic architecture consultant, told landscape consultant Jeremy Marquis as developers of a proposed La Quinta Hotel on Anastasia Boulevard tried to make their case before the board last Thursday. "Vernacular is not a style; it's a building tradition," said Weaver. "And art deco is a clearly defined academic style. (This) looks like it's been taken from someplace else and plopped down on Anastasia Boulevard."
It was the first review meeting of HARB as entry corridor design review board, to give large scale project applicants preliminary comments before moving forward in the approval process.
The board voted to continue the project review to its November 19 meeting.
"I think it can be done," said Weaver, "but the case just hasn't been made yet."
In earlier action, the board unanimously endorsed a plan for renovation of a former car dealership building at 283 San Marco Avenue to be new home for NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse's racing team, to include car assembly and a transportation museum.
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Parking facility reaches 3 million
 Figures of six to seven million visitors annually to St. Augustine are only estimates, but the computerized visitor center parking facility can be exact, and it counted its three millionth vehicle in October.
The nine year old 1,200 vehicle structure opened in July 2006 and hosts nearly 31,000 vehicles a month.
March and December are the busiest months for the facility, while January, June and August have the lowest count. September, which is also one of the slower months, saw a 60% increase this year due in large part to the city's 450th anniversary activities.
Designed in the Mediterranean-Revival style that is synonymous with St. Augustine's Flagler-era historic architecture, the $18.5 million needed for the project included nearly $2 million in federal funding.
The parking facility and the Visitors Information Center are operated by the city's Visitor Services Division. The parking facility is accessible 24 hours a day. Parking is $12 all-day. The Visitor Information Center is open 8:30 am to 5:30 pm seven days a week, but is closed on Christmas Day.
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History's Highlight
About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands, lay buried 8,301 American soldiers who died in "Operation Market Garden" in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944.
 Every one of the men buried in the cemetery, as well as those in the Canadian and British military cemeteries, has been adopted by a Dutch family that minds the grave, decorates it, and keeps alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted.
It is even the custom to keep a portrait of their soldier in a place of honor in their home.
Annually, on "Liberation Day," May 5, the date of the German army's defeat, memorial services are held for "the men who died to liberate Holland."
The day concludes with a concert. The final piece is always "Il Silenzio," a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Holland's liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since.
In 2008 the soloist was a 13-year-old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands. This beautiful concert piece is based on the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.
Contributed by Ted Pappas
My grandfather is buried there. He was killed in action on 26 Feb 45. They were fighting house to house after crossing the Ruhr River in Germany. The Dutch did adopt graves. They kept in contact with my mother and grandmother years ago, writing letters and sending gifts such as the wooden Dutch shoes.
My Daughter visited the Cemetery at Normandy and was so impressed with an old French couple simply walking down the rows pulling the odd weed, she asked them in French how long they had been employed at the cemetery They replied they weren't, They had done this weekly for 60 years as a thank you to those who died for them.
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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 a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com or gardnerstaug@yahoo.com
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