Major transportation study budgeted for city
May 16th
Through the diligent work of a St. Augustine City Commissioner the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO) budgeted $125,000 to conduct a much needed traffic circulation study in the city. The Special Planning Funding awarded by the North Florida Transportation
Planning Organization (NFTPO) came as a result of City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline identifying the opportunity to budget the funds and encouraging staff to actively pursue the grant.
Planning Organization (NFTPO) came as a result of City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline identifying the opportunity to budget the funds and encouraging staff to actively pursue the grant.
In budgeting funds, the NFTPO described the study’s purpose as a way to “develop an overall transportation plan, incorporating developments over the past 20 years as well as future potential developments such as pedestrian, bicycling, transit and rail improvement needs to be developed for all modes of transportation in and around the city.” The study is scheduled to be completed in June 2013.
“The city is very fortunate to have received this support and especially at this time,” said Sikes-Kline, who represents the City of St. Augustine on the NFTPO. “This will fund an independent consultant with a fresh set of eyes to look at transportation to and through our city, and then evaluate what we have and speculate on what we might have. It’s a great opportunity, and one we could not afford without the TPO’s assistance.”
The NFTPO pointed out that the millions of visitors who access downtown each year do so via three “constrained roadways,” being King St., San Marco Ave., and the Bridge of Lions adding “Getting visitors into and out of the downtown historic district is challenging.” The NFTPO further identifies the city’s anticipated increase in visitors because of the current multi-year 450th Commemoration, a point emphasized by Commissioner Sikes-Kline.
“The TPO recognized that the 450th Commemoration will impact all types of traffic that moves through our historic districts including motorized, non-motorized and pedestrian traffic. This study will identify what might be done to meet those unique needs,” said Sikes-Kline. “Success with this funding has two parts: because the city has a representative on the TPO, we were aware of the opportunity, and the request was filed because of the work of the city’s Planning and Building Department under Mark Knight’s direction.”
“This is a big deal,” said City Manager John Regan. “Securing funds for a study like this is the necessary first step towards any broad based, long-term changes that will improve traffic in St. Augustine. We should thank Commissioner Sikes-Kline and Planning and Building Director Mark Knight for their diligent pursuit of this support. The payoff for the entire community will be big.”
For more information on the work of the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, visit www.northfloridatpo.com. For more information on this grant, call the Planning and Building Department at 904.825.1065.
Source: Paul Williamson, City of St. Augustine Department of Public Affairs
Another beat-down of Denver’s homeless
May 15th
To the surprise of no one, the “Criminalize Homelessness” ordinance put forth by the Denver City Council passed by a vote of 9-4. To call this a “camping ban” is disingenuous at best — camping is something people with houses do.
Council member Montero accused us tonight of being Hit and Run activists. What is really hit and run is the ordinance itself.
If we take the city at its word, and not at the verbiage of this fascist piece of legislation, we are expected to believe that there will be few arrests, and then only after unavailable services have been offered.
Chief White says that the police will have a “light touch.” We would like to remind the city that Denver County Jail is no day spa, in fact we’re quite sure there’s not a hot tub in the building.
The Denver Police claim that this bill will be selectively enforced. What that means, literally, is that if they don’t like where you are, who you are, or what you stand for, then you might be arrested. We remember when the Patriot Act was passed, we were told that it would only apply to terrorists, now petty NSA surveillance, TSA strip-searches, and the death of habeas corpus are an accepted reality to all Americans.
Homelessness is the ultimate symptom of a dying economy. To arrest people for sleeping on the streets because you don’t like the way it looks, is like throwing pumpkin seeds at an oncoming bear.
Lopez was right, “this is class war.”
Unfortunately, the front line is now the most vulnerable members of our community.
Flagler College names AARP Bulletin editor Jim Toedtman as new Flagler Forum director
May 13th
Jim Toedtman, editor of AARP’s Bulletin, 
has been named director of the Flagler College Forums on Government and Public Policy lecture series.
has been named director of the Flagler College Forums on Government and Public Policy lecture series.
Toedtman, a speaker at the program for the last 13 years, succeeds Victor Ostrowidzki, who passed away this past spring after battling cancer. Ostrowidzki, 80, was a veteran journalist and former White House reporter who covered every presidential election from 1964 to 1988. He joined the faculty at Flagler in 1997, founded the Forum series and taught classes on elections and the media.
The Forum brings nationally-recognized journalists and authorities to St. Augustine to discuss issues of local, federal and global importance. Past speakers have included Robert Novak, Mark Shields, David Broder, Joe Klein, Anne Coulter, Pat Buchanan and Chris Matthews.
“I am delighted with the opportunity of continuing and enhancing the Flagler Forums in ways that enrich the academic lives of Flagler students and benefit the St. Augustine community,” Toedtman said. “I look forward to the challenge of building on the solid foundation set by my friend Vic Ostrowidzki.”
Toedtman has had a distinguished career as reporter and editor for the New York daily newspaper, Newsday, and as an editor for Hearst Corp. newspapers in Boston and Baltimore. At Newsday, he was part of a team of reporters investigating Long Island land scandals that won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for public service. From 1986 to 1995, he served as managing editor of New York Newsday and helped develop and direct the staff, which won numerous awards including the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. He was named Newsday’s Washington Bureau Chief in 1995.
He was named editor of the AARP Bulletin in 2005. Since his appointment, the Bulletin has been consistently recognized for excellence in covering a range of public policy and consumer issues. It is published 10 times a year and has a circulation of 22 million. He also helped develop AARP’s online news and information website.
Toedtman graduated from the College of Wooster and earned a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. He also studied at the University of Queensland, Australia, as a Rotary Foundation Fellow.
Flagler College President William Abare said, “I am delighted that Jim Toedtman has agreed to accept our offer to serve as the director of the Forums. Over the past 13 years, Jim has become a good friend of the College and a close personal friend.”
Abare added, “We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Jim’s experience to lead this important program. He is a well-respected journalist who has a great network of friends and colleagues from which to draw Forum speakers. He is very familiar with our campus and our community and will be a great addition to our staff.”
Source: Brian Thompson, Director, News and Information, Flagler College.
