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News from Flagler College
Nov 11th
Mormons. Trappist monks. Gang kids. Pope John Paul II. 9/11. The Rwandan genocide.
Helen Whitney has spent a lifetime examining people and subjects from all walks of life. The acclaimed writer, producer and director will speak on “A Life in Film; Spiritual Landscapes,” a retrospective of the last 40 years of her life and work, with an emphasis on the defining spiritual themes as part of Flagler College’s “Ideas and Images” series.
Whitney, whose series began on Nov. 6-7 will return to the college for two more lectures at 7 p.m. Nov. 13-14 in the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St.
“It is an exploration of a wide variety of topics, among them: juvenile crime, the McCarthy Era, contemporary presidential politics, Papal authority, the troubled relationship between Jews and Christians, our dysfunctional mental health system the oppression of gay men and women, the birth of a new American religion, Mormonism, the spiritual aftershocks of 9/11, the complexities and contradictions of the new forgiveness and many other subjects,” said Whitney.
Whitney’s lectures will also touch on filmmaking issues from journalistic ethics and narrative structure to the language of film and the special challenges inherent in making films about spirituality.
Whitney’s features have aired on PBS, HBO and ABC including “Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero,” PBS’ two-hour special on 9/11 which explored the spiritual aftershocks of this horrific event. Amongst her many accolades are an Oscar nomination; two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards; a George Foster Peabody Award; an Edward R. Murrow Award for distinguished journalism; an Emmy Award; and awards from The Writer’s Guild of America, The Director’s Guild of America, The Hamptons International Film Festival and The San Francisco International Film Festival.
Whitney is a sought after lecturer and frequently speaks at universities, divinity schools, museums and art institutes. She has served as the Director of the Board of Film Forum in New York City and has been artist in residence at six universities and is a Woodrow Wilson scholar.
“Ideas and Images: Visiting Scholars and Artists Program” will feature an international composition of artists and authors, introducing a fresh and creative component to the greater St. Augustine community.
Each event is free and open to the public. Call (904) 819-6282 or visit www.flagler.edu/our-community for more information.
Locker speaks on post-election politics at Flagler Forum event Nov. 15
No matter who wins the election on Nov. 6, Ray Locker says the political campaigning and wrangling will not be over yet.
“We still have the upcoming lame-duck Congress and a bunch of key issues to hash out by the end of the year,” said Locker, the Washington enterprise editor for USA TODAY who will speak at Flagler College on Nov. 15 as part of the 2012 Forums on Government and Public Policy lecture series.
Locker, who will speak on “It’s Not Over Yet: The 2012 Election and the Stakes for a Lame-Duck Congress,” believes the outcome of the election will come down to important factors such as Hispanic and minority voter turnout as well as the discussion on future of major entitlement programs such as Medicare and health care.
He also believes the outcome of this race could determine how campaigns are run in the future.
“This year will be the test between advertising and campaign organization,” said Locker. “I believe it will lead to fundamental changes in how pollsters do business in future elections.”
As the Washington enterprise editor for USA TODAY, Locker supervises the investigative work in the organization’s Washington bureau. He has been the paper’s White House and politics editor and national security editor in the seven years since joining USA TODAY in 2005. His work as an editor and reporter was nominated for Pulitzer Prizes in 2008 and 2010.
Before joining USA TODAY, Locker ran the Associated Press bureau in Sacramento and coordinated the news service’s coverage of California government and politics, including the 2003 recall campaign that led to the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He worked for the Los Angeles Times and spent 13 years as a reporter, columnist and editor at The Tampa Tribune.
All forums take place at Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St., at 7 p.m. Forums are free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of speakers who donate their time in support of the series. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign language interpreters are provided. Call (904) 819-6400 for more information.
Source: Flagler College
This weekend in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and the beaches, November 9 – 11
Nov 8th
Rickie Lee Jones Performs at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Rickie Lee Jones will entertain with her musical style, a unique blend fusion of folk, jazz, and R&B,at 8 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, located at 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach. Tickets are $46 and $56. PVConcertHall.com
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: November 9, 10 & 11
5th Annual Pirate Gathering
Three days of jollification and history in the nation’s oldest city. Celebrate the “Golden Age of Piracy” through exhibits, living history demonstrations, a privateer parade, theives market, pirate battles and a Buccaneer Bash Ball. Admission for the encampment is “a buck-an-ear”. The Pirate Gathering encampment and main activites take place at Francis Filed, located on West Castillo Drive in St. Augustine. pirategathering.com
Veterans Day at the World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum will celebrate Veterans Day when veterans and their dependents will receive free admission to the World Golf Hall of Fame. All guests will be able to enjoy a special scavenger hunt. The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at 1 World Golf Place, located at I 95 Exit 323. WorldGolfHallofFame.org
Saturday: November 10
Sixth Annual Compassion 5K Run /Walk
The “Compassion 5K” is an “out-and-back” style course with rolling changes in topography. This event will raise money to help ease the financial burden of families living with crisis. This 5K starts at 8 a.m. from 49 Shores Boulevard in St. Augustine. Registration is $25. compassion5k.org
The Dressing of the Palms
Be there when dozens of Vilano Beach palms will be judged on the basis of the holiday decorations they display. Palms have been “adopted” by local businesses and residents who then use their imagination to come up with entertaining holiday decorations for each. The judging takes place at 5:30 p.m. at the Vilano Beach Town Center. For details, call 904.910.8386.
Washington Oaks State Gardens Plant Sale
The Friends of Washington Oaks will hold their Second Saturday plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Washington Oaks State Gardens, 6400 Oceanshore Blvd. (A1A) in Palm Coast. Visitors can also enjoy a garden tour of the park at 1 p.m. Regular park entrance fees apply during the event. 386-446-6780
Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang Concert
Blues legends Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang will perform at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.00 to $69.50. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Call 904-209-0367 or 800-745-3000. staugamphitheatre.com
Steve Forbert and Carrie Rodriguez
As part of the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall “Saucer Series”,, Steve Forbert and Carrie Rodriguez will perform at 8 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall located at 1050 A1A North in Ponte Vedra Beach. Tickets are $30 and $35. pvconcerthall.com 904-209-0399
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday: November 10, 11 & 12
Veterans Day Weekend at Castillo de San Marcos
In honor of those that have served the US military, the National Parks Service is offering free admission to the Castillo de San Marcos.Built by the Spanish military between 1672 and 1692, the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fortification in the U.S. Friday through Sunday visitors can experience living history during Spanish Military cannon firings. The Castillo de San Marcos is located on Avenida Menendez, overlooking Matanzas Bay in historic St. Augustine. NPS.gov/casa
Sunday: November 11
Old City Music Fest
The St. Augustine Market Place, located at 2495 SR 207 at I-95 in St. Augustine, will host a fun-filled day of relaxation and musical performances featuring Country and Southern Rock legends, Charlie Daniels Band, .38 Special, Gloriana, Craig Morgan and many more. This exciting day of great southern music, food and people will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project in their mission to honor and empower wounded service members. The Festival will take place from 1 to 10 p.m. (Market opens at 10 a.m.) Advance tickets are $29 – $89 per person. http://www.oldcitymusicfest.com
Meet & Greet at Anastasia State Park to Honor Veterans
To honor our nation’s Veterans, the Florida Park Service is granting free entry to all visitors for the day. Activities for the day include complimentary grilled hot dogs, roving displays about the Friends of Anastasia State Park and the park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and a guided bird walk from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Anastasia State Park is located at 1340A A1A in St. Augustine 904-461-2033
FriendsofAnastasia.org
Free Admission to St. Augustine Lighthouse for Veterans and Active Duty Military
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, 81 Lighthouse Avenue, will offer FREE admission to all Veterans & Active Duty Military from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be a Ceremony to Honor Veterans from 3 to 4 p.m. http://www.StAugustineLighthouse.org
NOTE: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to the Oldest House, the Lightner Museum, the Fountain of Youth (special events excluded), the Ximenez-Fatio House, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Spanish Military Hospital Museum, and the Historic Tours of Flagler College. The daily tours and wine tastings at the San Sebastian Winery are free to everyone. Also, admission is free to everyone at the Authentic Old Drug Store, Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Photios Chapel, the Pena-Peck House, the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum and the Mission Nombre de Dios Museum (donations are welcomed).
NEW: St. Johns County residents who purchase full-price admisssion to the St. Augustine Lighthouse ($9.50 adults; $7.50 seniors and children 12 and under; free for children under 44 inches in height) can now receive a pass good for free admission for an entire year! The Lighthouse is now open until 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Also, on the first Monday of each month, St. Johns County residents are admitted free to the Dow Museum of Historic Houses, 246 St. George Street, St. Augustine.
NEW: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID now receive FREE admission to the Oldest House in St. Augustine.
Do you have a 2013 event that will bring visitors to Florida’s Historic Coast?
email details to: fhceventlist@gmail.com
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LISTING OF EVENTS
Source: Visitors and Convention Bureau
St. Augustine news and notes – November 2, 2012
Nov 3rd
Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 4 at 2:00am, so remember to turn clocks back one hour before retirning on Saturday night, so you’re on-time on Sunday morning. Daylight Saving Time begins each year on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Tuesday is Election Day – Early voting ends tomorrow
Early voting ends tomorrow, Saturday November 3. Polling locations will be open from 7:00am-7:00pm. For a list of locations, click here.
If you have not retuned your absentee ballot, you may wish to drop it off to ensure it is received by the Supervisor of Elections by Election Day. There are 11 locations across the county where ballots may be dropped off, including the city’s Financial Services Center. To see a complete list of locations, click here.
To get ready for Election Day, visit the Supervisor of Elections web site at www.sjcvotes.us for complete voting information, including sample ballots.
No trucks on Lemon St.
Effective immediately and continuing through the construction work on the US-1/Ponde de Leon Blvd. San Sebastian Bridge, trucks are prohibited on Lemon St. Earlier this week the city placed signs noting the prohibition on the western end of Lemon St. at its intersection with US-1/Ponde de Leon Blvd.
Commission sets alternative meeting date in November
December meeting schedule includes two workshops
The Veterans’ Day and Thanksgiving Holidays have necessitated the rescheduling of November’s only Commission meeting from the usual second and fourth Mondays to November 14. This will be the body’s only regular meeting in November.
In December, the Commission will meet on Monday, December 3 for its reorganizational meeting which will include the administering of the oath of office to Joe Boles and Leanna Freeman who were reelected to their offices, and the winner of the general election on November 6. The reorganizational meeting starts at 7:30pm.
December’s busy holiday season will result in the Commission having only one regular meeting which is set for December 10, but the commission has also scheduled two workshops that month. The first workshop, set to start at 4:00pm on December 10, concerns the future of the carpet golf facility located near the City Marina. The second workshop, set for Thursday, December 13 at 9:00am, the topic of discussion will be modifications to the city zoning code, starting with the use of Planned Unit Developments (PUD).
All of the meetings will be held in The Alcazar Room in City Hall, 75 King St. When available, agendas for the meetings will be posted on the city’s web site here.
North Davis Shores sanitary sewer inspections involves smoke
In this case, where there’s smoke…there’s I & I
One of the biggest challenges to operating an efficient sanitary sewer system is to ensure that all the water that needs treated gets treated, and water that does not need treatment doesn’t get it.
Seems simple, but when aging pipes allow rainwater or groundwater to enter the sewer system, a lot of water that does not need to be treated, gets treated; not an efficient use of resources.
The solution? Find the leaks and stop the leaks.
That’s the basis of current inspections of the sanity sewer systems in the North Davis Shores area with the goal of eliminating rainwater inflow and groundwater infiltration. Commonly referred to as “I & I,” the problem occurs when groundwater and/or rainwater enters the sanitary sewer system, travels through pump stations and ends up at the wastewater treatment plant necessitating its treatment just as if it were waste water.
One the the most efficient ways to find the sources of I & I is by distributing smoke into the system and then watch for the smoke. Where there’s smoke, there’s I & I.
To learn more about the inspections and upcoming tests. click here.
In just two weeks…Light-Up! Night
Nights of Lights’ 19th season begins on November 17
Have you seen your neighbors checking their holiday lights? Seem a little early? Not really when you consider that the 19th season of Nights of Lights is only a few weeks away.
Recognized as one of the Southeast’s major seasonal events, Nights of Lights has brought holiday excitement to the Nation’s Oldest City annually since 1994. The 10-week long event begins each year with a simple flip of a switch on the Saturday before Thanksgiving known as Light-Up! Night. To read about last year’s opening night, click here.
Don’t be “left in the dark” when the Nation’s Oldest City is transformed into an enchanted city of light. For guidelines to participate in the Nights of Lights by adding displays to property in the city’s historic districts, click here.
For visitor information including dining, shopping, lodging, attractions, and tours, during the ten weeks of Nights of Lights, visit www.nightsoflights.com.
The Break Room: City Clerk keeps City records, and much more
City Clerk Alison Ratkovic stops by The Break Room this week and discusses the work of the Clerk’s Office as well as explains the City Commission’s reorganization process held every two years following an election.
Each week the friendly and informative style of The Break Room offers the community an opportunity to know a little more about how their city works by getting to know those who do the work every day. The Break Room airs Wednesdays at 5:30pm and Saturdays at 8:00am, and each program is archived at www.breakroom.info as podcasts available for download anytime. To listen to this week’s program immediately, click here.
Discover First America! Program Adventure returns November 20
The Discover First America! Program Adventure returns starting on Tuesday, November 20 at 7:00pm. The free, five-part entertainment series, held at Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada Street, explores facets of St. Augustine’s rich history and culture. Each program will begin at 7:00pm with the doors opening at 6:00pm for seating, lobby displays, information and book signings. The Discover First America! Program Adventure is presented by the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration in partnership with Flagler College, Florida Power & Light Company.
The program schedule is:
– November 20, 2012: Mythbusters! Fact & Fiction in St. Augustine’s History
– December 5, 2012: Ancient City Musicale: 450 Years of Song & Dance
– January 9, 2013: Palace in Paradise: The Hotel Ponce de Leon Turns 125
– January 23, 2013: Juan Ponce de León Finds La Florida
– March 14, 2013: Revolt! Revolutionary War Trials & Tribulations in St. Augustine
St. Augustine 450th Commemoration passports will be given to all participants. Souvenir stampings in the passport will be provided at each program. The Discover First America! Program Adventure is sponsored by the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration, Flagler College, Florida Power & Light Company, St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, St. Augustine/Ponte Vedra on Florida’s Historic Coast, The St. Augustine Record, Augustine.com, SGS Art & Design, and City Gate Productions.
Additional details about the entire The Discover First America! Program Adventure at www.staugustine-450.com.
Got papers to shred? Let Advanced Disposal do it for you.
Advanced Disposal is sponsoring its second annual St. Johns County Shredding Event. St. Johns County residents and businesses are invited to safely destroy old personal documents that should not be carelessly thrown out with the trash. Note that there is a three-box limit per household or business.
Planned for Saturday, November 17 from 9:00am until 1:00pm at the Anastasia Square Shopping Center, corner of SR 312 and Hwy A1A. To see and print a flyer for your information or to share, click here. For more information on the shredding event, call Advanced Disposal at 904.827.1005.
Post-Thanksgiving FOG collection returns
Used fats, oils and grease to be collected on Monday, November 26
The City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County Utilities have joined together for the second year to collect used cooking oil and grease (FOG) following the Thanksgiving holiday.
The recycling collection is set for Monday, November 26, 7:30am–3:30pm at two recycling drop points:
25 W. Castillo Drive (Francis Field); and
840 West 16th Street on Anastasia Island.
This opportunity allows residents to properly dispose of large amounts of used cooking oil to be recycled into usable products such as biodiesel fuel. Participants are asked to allow used cooking grease to cool prior to delivering it in a safe container that will not melt or shatter. Also, to help in collecting oil in the future, each participant will receive a free funnel for future recycling efforts.
When cooking oil is improperly disposed of down the drain, it can clog sewer pipes and create environmental and public health hazards. Problems with sewer lines typically increase around the holidays when people are washing a lot of greasy and fatty foods down the drain. The fats, oils and greases build up inside sewer pipes and can cause raw sewage to back up and overflow into homes, businesses and the environment.
But it is not necessary to wait until Thanksgiving to recycle cooking ooil. There are six locations throughout the county that accepts used cooking oil year round. For a list of the locations and directions, click here.
For more information on the collection and other cooking oil recycling efforts, contact Glabra Skipp, City of St. Augustine at 904.209.4284 or Stacy Kowlsen, St. Johns County at 904.209.2662.
Veterans Day holiday closings for the City of St. Augustine
Offices for the City of St. Augustine will be closed on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veterans Day, but the solid waste pick-up schedule will remain unchanged.
Opportunity to serve: Code Enforcement, Adjustments & Appeals Board
The City Commission is accepting applications to fill vacancies on the Code Enforcement, Adjustments & Appeals Board. Interested individuals who reside within the city limits of the City of St. Augustine are invited to submit applications for this volunteer board. Applications are requested by Friday, November 30 with appointments tentatively scheduled for the City Commission meeting of Monday, December 10. For information concerning qualifications and applications please contact the City Clerk’s office at 825-1007. The application form is available on the city’s web site by clicking here.
Meeting Agendas
Planning & Zoning Board, Tuesday, November 6. Agenda is here.
Code Enforcement, Appeals & Adjustment Board, Tuesday, November 13. Agenda is here.
City Commission, Wednesday, November 14. Agenda will be available here.
Historic Architectural Review Board, Thursday, November 15. Agenda is here.
All agenda, minutes and GTV info
Agendas and minutes for all city meetings can be found at www.staugustinegovernment.com with a schedule of upcoming meetings listed under City Calendar. City Commission meetings are broadcast live via GTV (Comcast Channel 3 in St. Augustine) each second and fourth Monday at 5:00pm. Commission meetings are also recorded and rebroadcast as are Planning and Zoning Board and Historic Architectural Review Board meetings. For a current schedule of all programming on GTV, click here.
Source: City of St. Augustine