Voguit to Examine Two-Party System During Community Lecture Series Event
Oct 9th
Every election year tells the same story, Republicans and Democrats battle for the right to hold powerful positions in our country with third party candidates often an afterthought. But with nothing in the Constitution or federal laws discussing a two-party system, how did this become the political norm?
“I have looked at presidential elections, congressional elections and gubernatorial elections between 1865 and 1900 and clearly America was voting for Democrats or Republicans,” said Flagler College assistant professor Steve Voguit.
“I am intrigued by this tradition since the constitution does not require political parties at all.”
Voguit will address this topic as he continues the 2012 Community Lecture Series on Oct. 23 with a talk on “United Nation, Divided Nation: Patterns in American Politics after the Civil War.”
“I’ll be attempting to show the solidifying of the two-party tradition and the domination of the Democrats and Republicans at the national level,” said Voguit, who was recently included in the Princeton Review’s latest book, “The Best 300 Professors.” “I will also talk briefly about the political conditions of that time like high voter turnout and very close elections for instance as well as the establishment of tradition in our society in general and in this case politically.”
Professor Voguit earned his M.Ed. and B.S. degrees from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. He also completed graduate coursework at the University of Florida, the University of South Florida and Texas State University.
Voguit’s lecture is the second in this year’s lecture series entitled “Reconstruction & Gild: Wealth, Innovation and the Pursuit of Status in Late 19th Century America” which focuses on defining moments in American history during the mid to late 1800s. Speakers will discuss the topic through the lens of their particular discipline.
Tickets are $5 per person for a single lecture, or $15 for four lectures. Active military personnel may attend at no charge. Lectures begin at 10 a.m. in the Flagler Room at Flagler College, 74 King St. Reservations are required, but space is limited. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a coffee and pastry reception.
For reservations or more information, call Holly Hill, Assistant Director of College Relations at (904) 819-6282. To watch a live stream of these lectures, visit ustream.tv/channel/community-lecture-series.
Flagler College is an independent, four-year, comprehensive baccalaureate college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 24 majors, 29 minors and two pre-professional programs, the largest majors being business, education and communication. Small by intent, Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as a satellite campus at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost; tuition is $23,690, including room and board. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for the historic beauty of its campus. The main building is Ponce de Leon Hall, built in 1887 as a luxury resort by Henry Flagler, who co-founded the Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.
Source: Flagler College
Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off, A Benefit For Home Again St. Johns Is This Friday
Oct 9th
Some of the top chefs from St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches will make culinary history when they compete at the Renaissance World Golf Resort, Convention Center and Beach Club
for the title of Flavors Top Chef . The Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off is one of the featured events that take place during the Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast program which offers unique, delicious and affordably-priced prix fixe (fixed price) dining choices and enticing cultural events through the month of October.
for the title of Flavors Top Chef . The Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off is one of the featured events that take place during the Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast program which offers unique, delicious and affordably-priced prix fixe (fixed price) dining choices and enticing cultural events through the month of October.
Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast Top Chef Cook-Off will take place Friday, October 12 in 
the Atrium at the beautiful Renaissance World Golf Resort, Convention Center and Beach Club, from 5 to 7 p.m. The competition will feature more than a dozen chefs conjuring up their signature dishes for a panel of celebrity judges who will select the Best of the Best. In addition, everyone in attendance will sample the prix fixe dinners featured by Flavors participating restaurants in October. Ballots submitted by attendees will determine the Flavors People’s Choice Award! Sponsored by the Renaissance World Golf Resort and The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau, proceeds from the event will support Home Again St. Johns, the primary organization responsible for meeting the needs of the homeless in St. Johns County.
Advance tickets for Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off are available online for $20 at www.HistoricCoastFlavors.com. Tickets are also available at the door for $25 per person.
First Coast News Weekend Anchor, Jessica Clark
will emcee the Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off. Celebrity judges will be Chef David Bearl, Member of the American Culinary Federation and the Director of College Advancement at the First Coast Technical Institute; Phil Amato, Anchor and Host of Good Morning Jacksonville on WTLV; Jody Sutton, Director of Community Relations at World Golf Hall of Fame; and David Mariotti, Chairman of the VCB Board of Directors and General Manager, The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach.
The restaurants chefs presenting at the Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off represent every part of St. Johns County from elegant Ponte Vedra Beach southward through Vilano Beach, World Golf Village, and to laid-back St. Augustine Beach. They include:
619 Ocean View and Augustine Grille (Sawgrass Marriott Resort)
95 Cordova (Casa Monica Hotel) – Aviles (Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront)
Beaches on Vilano – Donovan’s Irish Pub – Kingfish Grill – Raintree Restaurant
Rhett’s Piano Bar and Brasserie – Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Hilton Garden Inn Ponte Vedra Beach)
The Tasting Room – The Reef
Villagio Italian Grill (Renaissance World Golf Resort)
For complete details on Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast and to purchase tickets for the October 12 Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off, go to: HistoricCoastFlavors.com. For video appetizers, visit youtube.com/FloridaGetaways.
Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, plus 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. These same beaches greeted Ponce de Leon in 1513 when he discovered and named La Florida, an area whose boundaries encompassed what would later become the eastern United States. For more information on events, activities, holiday getaways and vacation opportunities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com, become a fan on Facebook or call 1.800.653.2489.
Source: Visitors and Convention Bureau
St. Johns County Fire-Rescue and Firefighters for Families to Host Community Day on October 13th, 2012
Oct 6th
Join St. Johns County Fire-Rescue and Firefighters for Families for their annual Community Day on Saturday, October 13th at Fire Station 10 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. This free and informative event will be packed full of fun for all ages, with “Patches” the fire fighting robot, a bounce house, a ladder truck, fun interactive games and complimentary hot dogs and refreshments.
“Home Fires claim thousands of lives every year. By using a little extra caution, you can help to safeguard your family,” said Nyani Mattison, Public Education Officer for St. Johns County Fire-Rescue. “We hope that you will come out and enjoy our Community Day and also learn tips to keep your family safe.”
The Community Day will be held on Saturday, October 13th from 11am-2pm at Station 10 which is located at 155 Library Blvd, next to the Ponte Vedra library.
During the event, Firefighters for Families will be conducting a food drive to assist us with our annual Holiday toy and food drive.
If you have any questions regarding the upcoming Community Day, contact Nyani Mattison, SJCFR Public Education Officer at (904) 209-1779.
Source: St. Johns County Fire-Rescue Department
