Posts tagged local
News & Notes — March 15, 2013
Mar 17th
Procession set for Saturday, March 16 at 1:00pm
The procession associated with the Iskon of Alachua’s annual Festival of the Chariots will necessitate minor interruptions of traffic along Cordova St. and the area around the Plaza on Saturday, March 16.
The 90-minute parade is set to start at 1:00pm departing from St. George St. and Cathedral Pl. and proceeding west on Cathedral Pl., north on Cordova St. to the Visitors Information Center, then south on Cordova St., east on to Cathedral Pl. then south on St. George St. to the starting point. The procession is proceeded by a one-hour walking procession on St. George St. between Cathedral Pl. and Orange St. which may cause brief traffic halts at the street’s intersections with Treasury St. and Hypolita St.
In addition to the parade, the Iskon of Alachua’s cultural event will be held in the Plaza starting at 11:00 and lasting through the afternoon.
Traffic in the area should expect slow downs, congestion or brief halts to allow for the procession. St. Augustine Police will escort the procession and monitor key points to facilitate vehicular traffic and ensure the safety of the participants.
Complimentary motorcycle parking continues through Sunday
Cathedral Place is designated parking area through March 17
The City of St. Augustine continues the tradition of offering complimentary parking for motorcycles in a designated area of downtown during Bike Week concluding Sunday, March 17. Centered in Daytona Beach, Bike Week draws thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts, many who make day trips to or choose to stay in St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
The designated parking area, delineated by signs, encompasses portions of two-block long Cathedral Pl., between Avenida Menendez and Cordova St. The amount of parking will be adjusted each day by the St. Augustine Police Department based on demand. The designated area is the only area where motorcycles may park free of charge.
Over the years, the city has seen evidence that motorcyclists who utilize the specific area for complimentary parking tend to park multiple motorcycles in a single space, making for more efficient use of space while freeing other parking spaces for vehicles. Additionally, the area tends to becomes an unofficial display of a wide variety of motorcycles from around the county making it an attraction to visitors.
City establishes stormwater advisory committee
Monthly meetings open to the public
As the city nears completion on its Stormwater Master Plan, staff has compiled a group of interested citizens, homeowner associations, government and business leaders to discuss the findings of the report and issues related to the city’s stormwater and the stormwater utility.
The committee,comprised of 15 members will meet the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm beginning next Tuesday, March 19 and concluding on June 18. The meetings will be in The Alcazar Room, City Hall, 75 King St., and will last approximately an hour. Each session will be led by the city’s consultant CDM-Smith and are open to the public. For more information call the Public Works Department 904.825.1040.
Earth Hour’s message practiced every day at city’s parking facility
City’s message: “Lights out for an hour to start; find ways to conserve forever.”
On Saturday, March 23 at 8:30pm local time, businesses, households and governmental entities in communities all over the world will participate in the seventh annual Earth Hour by turning out lights for one hour as a way to show support for environmentally sustainable action. Earth Hour, an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, began in 2007 in one city, Sidney, Australia, and by last year involved hundreds of millions of people in 152 countries across every continent.
The City of St. Augustine will participate by darkening the flood lights that provide up-lighting for the front of City Hall, but instead of a single hour, the city will darken the lights for the entire weekend including Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Though not planned, the Earth Hour date nearly coincides with the first anniversary of the city’s putting into action the message Earth Hour was created to communicate: environmental sustainability. And just like Earth Hour, it has to do with saving energy through more efficient use of lighting.
Learn more by reading Earth Hour’s message practiced every day at city’s parking facility.
This week on The Break Room: New lighting technology saves dollars
Todd Grant, Deputy Public Works Director, stops by The Break Room this week to share updates on a number of public works projects and shares the exciting news on how new technology is saving the city a lot of money at the Historic Downtown Parking Facility.
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.
St. Johns County beach survey asks What do you think?
St. Johns County is inviting residents, visitors, and businesses who enjoy our local beaches to participate in a survey that will help the county enhance beach services and facilities. The survey ends April 15. To participate by sharing your feedback regarding St. Johns County beaches, click here.
For a handy flyer promoting the survey for use on community or workplace bulletin boards or to share with others, click here.
Commemoration of Florida’s 500th set for April 3
April 3, 2013 is a big day in Florida’s history. In fact it is the anniversary of there being a place with the name Florida. The place was already here of course; it just was not known as Florida, or La Florida, until Juan Ponce de Leon called it that on April 3, 1513.
The anniversary is not going unnoticed in St. Augustine which will see a morning filled with activities marking the big day which include four events all open to the public. To learn more, click here.
Share your artistic impression as part of Ancient City Mosaic
Artists of all ages and ability levels are invited to share their artist impression of St. Augustine by participating in Ancient City Mosaic presented by Michaels Stores®, a project that will showcase the creative talent of the local and regional community.
Registration is available online at www.ancientcitymosaic.com and must be submitted by April 15.
Ancient City Mosaic is supported by the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration, Sertoma Club of St. Augustine, St. Johns County Education Foundation, St. Augustine Art Association, St. Johns County Public Library System and St. Johns Cultural Council.
For more information, call the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration at 904.825.1053.
Upcoming events will affect traffic
March and April are two of the city’s most event-ful months with activities being held in a number of venues, like Francis Field, as well as along the streets of the city. Below are some of the upcoming events what will affect traffic. To see details for a specific event, click on the its name.
– Sat, March 16: Festival of the Chariot (downtown) and Run4Hunt Fun Walk/Run (vicinity of R. B. Hunt School)
– Sat, March 23: Grand Muster Torchlight Parade (downtown)
– Sat, March 24: Blessing of the Fleet (downtown)
– Sat, March 31: Easter Parade (downtown)
– Wed, April 3: Commemoration of Ponce Landing (downtown).
Easter holiday closings for the City of St. Augustine
Offices for the City of St. Augustine will be closed on Friday, March 29 in observance of the Easter holiday. Solid waste pick up schedule will remain unchanged.
Meeting schedule and agendas
The Stormwater Advisory Committee meets on Tuesday, March 19. For more information contact the Public Works Department at 904.825.1040.
The Historic Architectural Review Board meets twice on Thursday, March 21. The first is a special meeting at 1:00pm (agenda here) and the second is its regular meeting starting at 2:00pm (agenda here). When available the agenda will be here.
The City Commission meets on Monday, March 25. When available the agenda will be here.
The Parking and Traffic Committee meets on Thursday, March 28. The agenda is available here.
The Planning & Zoning Board meets on Tuesday, April 2. The 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
This Week: March 11 – 17
Mar 13th
Picasso: Art & Arena Exhibit – An exhibition featuring dozens of Picasso originals, including many that have never been seen previously in the United States. Both famous and rare, these pieces were produced in different styles, techniques and media; providing unique insights into one of Picasso’s main themes: bullfighting. The exhibition is at the Visitor Information Center,10 Castillo Dr. in St. Augustine. Admission: Adults $10; Seniors $8; Kids 6 & Under – Free; Kids 7 – 12 – $5; Family of 4 – $20; Military in Uniform – Free; Flagler College Student with ID – Free. The Picasso Exhibit is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daily. www.picassoartandarena.com
904-825-1000
Hotel Ponce De Leon Carrere & Hastings Blueprint Exhibit – In commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Ponce de Leon Hotel, historically and culturally significant ephemera relating to the construction and early years of the Hotel Ponce de Leon will be on display. This exhibit includes original Carrere and Hastings and McGuire drawings and blueprints, photographs, a copy of an 1885 map, and construction documents. Additionally, the exhibit highlights a group of artists who made the Hotel Ponce de Leon their seasonal home during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Original artwork and other artifacts related to their time in Saint Augustine will also be displayed at Flagler College’s Crisp – Ellert Art Museum, located at 48 Sevilla St., St. Augustine. The museum is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is free. http://www.ponce125.com
904-829-6481
Edwin Augustus Moore Special Exhibit at the Lightner Museum – The private collection of Edwin Augustus Moore paintings are featured as a special exhibit at The Lightner Museum through May 1. Moore was an American painter, traveler, journalist, photographer and composer who used St. Augustine for many of his landscape watercolor subjects. He visited the ancient city in 1895 along with other members of his artistic and eccentric family. The Lightner Museum, located at 75 King Street, is open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is adults $10; Active military with ID $6; College students and young people 12-18 $5; Children under 12 (with adult) free; St. John’s County residents are free. 904-824-2874
Art Exhibit: Global Latitudes: Travels Near & Far – The St. Augustine Art Association hosts a visual travelogue of the places and diverse cultures lost and found on planet Earth. The gallery is located at 22 Marine St. and is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. http://www.staaa.org 904-824-2310
Monday – Friday: March 11 – 15
What Could Be Exhibition – Artist Anna von Mertens’ What Could Be exhibition is on display at the Crisp-Ellert Art Museum, 48 Sevilla St., in St. Augustine. The artist meticulously translates empirical data about subjects as far ranging as energy in nuclear explosions to auras in historical paintings into paintings, hand-dyed and hand-stitched fabrics. The gallery will host the exhibition through April 12. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Mon. thru Fri. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays noon to 4 p.m. www.flagler.edu/crispellert
Charles Reid Watercolor Workshop – Renowned watercolorist Charles Reid provides a 4-day workshop that teaches students how to simplify a painting and avoid overworking a piece. Direct painting will be taught using as few over washers as possible. Each daily session is from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach, 50 Executive Way. The cost of the course is $750 ($695 for Cultural Center members). The Hilton Garden Inn offers workshop attendees a special $99 rate for a standard room and $129 for a suite. 904-280-0614 www.ccpvb.org
Tuesday: March 12
Hotel Ponce de Leon Anniversary Lecture – Dr. Alan Woolfolk presents a lecture titled “The Rise of the Wasp Establishment.” The presentation is part of the commemorative events celebrating The 125TH Anniversary of the opening of Henry Flagler’s Ponce de Leon Hotel and takes place at 10 a.m. in the Flagler Room of the former Hotel Ponce De Leon, 74 King St., St. Augustine. Tickets are $5 per person for a single lecture, or $15 for four lectures. Active military personnel may attend at no charge. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a coffee and pastry reception.
Reservations call 904-819-6282 www.ponce125.com
Wednesday: March 13
Ecology Boat Tour – Board an exquisitely stable explorer boat for a front row seat to see historic sites and amazing animals that call this area home. Learn about dolphin behavior and get a the chance to listen to their underwater communication. The tour departs at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. from the St. Augustine City Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez. 904-377-7245 www.staugustineecotours.com
Luxury Sunset Eco Tours – Ride the tide into the sunset on a guided tour with Riple Effect Eco Tours. Swirls of color paint the nighttime sky as you learn about the natural mystery of the estuary. The tour is from 5 to 7 p.m. and departs from Marineland Marina, 101 Tolstoy Lane, St. Augustine (Marineland). The $55 adults and $45 for 15 years or younger fee includes the finest kayaking equipment and guided service. 904-347-1565 www.rippleeffectecotours.com
Thursday: March 14
Discover First America Series “Revolt in Revolutionary War St. Augustine” – A colorful and exciting look at life in loyalist Florida. Sponsored by the Colonial Quarter, this program is part of the 500th Commemoration of Ponce de Leon’s discovery of La Florida and takes place at 7 p.m. at the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St. Admission is free. www.StAugustine-450.com
Sunset Sail – The Schooner Freedom hosts a sunset sail with local musician Scott Sweet of Grampa’s Music playing an acoustic set live on board. The 2-hour sail will depart at 6:15 p.m. from the St. Augustine City Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez, and costs $45 per adult. It will include complimentary soda, water, beer, and wine. 904-810-1010
www.schoonerfreedom.com
Friday: March 15
Music Walk on the Boulevard – From 5-9 p.m. on the third Friday of the month, local businesses on St. Augustine’s Anastasia Boulevard host a special event featuring live music and drink specials at restaurants along the boulevard which begins at the east end of the Bridge of Lions. This week’s musical entertainment features Gove Scrivenor. The Standard, Black Fly, RAW Martini and Gas restaurants (9, 108, 113 and 200 Anastasia Blvd.) along with local boutiques host the event. 904-201-6300
Friday & Saturday: March 15 & 16
Paranormal Investigation of the Old Jail – Explore one of the most haunted buildings in St Augustine, The Old Jail, wiht 2Ghouls Events. Hear sinister accounts of life inside the Victorian prison. Conduct your own investigation with professional equipment. The investigation begins at 10:30 p.m. at the Old Jail, 167 San Marcos Avenue in St. Augustine. Tickets are $80 per person. 904-671-5010
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Pub Tour – Informative and interactive guided St. Patty’s Pub Crawl of St. Augustine. The two-hour walking tour stops at 4 or 5 venues for tastings and a stop at an award-winning micro-brewery where the master brewer will share fun facts about brewing beer, The tour, including beer samples, is $49 per person. ww.thetastingtours.com
904-386-5482
Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company – This world-class flamenco troupe performs at 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A in St. Augustine. Tickets are $20; $15 for seniors/military; and $10 students. www.StAugAmphitheatre.com 904-471-1965
Friday & Sunday: March 15 & 17
Nobody In My Family Ever Wore A Kilt – A comedy everyone will enjoy…..Performances times at the Pioneer Barn at Fort Menendez, 259 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20 for general admission; $15 for students and groups of 15 or more. www.fortmenendez.com 904-824-8874
Saturday: March 16
Pet Friendly Savory Faire Food Tour – Join St. Augustine City Walks on this unique ‘pet friendly’ version of thier original, award-winning food tour! Your furry friends can join in on all the fun as you taste your way through St. Augustine’s rich history and culinary influences. Tour begins at 1:30 p.m. at Tour Saint Augustine, 4 Granada St, and lasts approximately 2.5hrs. Tickets are $49 pp and space is limited. www.StAugustineCityWalks.com 904.825.0087.
R.I.P – Ripley’s Investigates the Paranormal – Join Ripley’s Investigators of the Paranormal and between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm as Ripley’s St. Augustine kicks off its new paranormal tours. Ripley’s will hold free tutorials on how to utilize paranormal investigative equipment – including laser grids, infrared ID digital thermometers, EMF meters and e-smog scouts, which detect electromagnetic fields and produce sound equivalents. There will be lots of music, fun, ticket giveaways and an appearance by Mr. X, a mysterious guest wiht a hauniting past at Ripley’s Castle Warden. Ripley’s is located at 19 San Marco Avenue. www.findmrX.com. 904-824-1606
Celtic Pub Crawl – Beat the rush and start the celebrations early! Join St. Augustine City Walks for a fun Celtic themed version of the original, world-famous St. Augustine Pub Crawl. You’ll explore all the hot-spots and drink with new friends, while learning about Celtic history and its heritage right here in St. Augustine. Tour begins at 2 p.m. $39 pp all-inclusive. Space is limited. ww.StAugustineCityWalks.com 904-825-0087
Castillo By Candlelight – Night tours by candlelight will be from 6 -9 p.m. at the Castillo de San Marcos, 1 South Castillo Drive. Revisit the events of the Second Seminole War from the eyes of a United States Army Sergeant. Admission is $8 per adult ages 15 and older; $4 per child 5 – 15; and free for children 4 and younger. www.nps.gov/casa
AWOLNATION Concert – Electronic and Indie rock group AWOLNATION will perform at 8 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North in Ponte Vedra Beach. Reserved seats are $22.50 in advance; $25 day of show. www.pvconcerthall.com 904-209-0399
St. Patrick’s Day Kayak Adventure – Guided 2-hour eco tour provides an opportunity to paddle into the estuary, one of the earth’s most productive habitats. Learn about fascinating creatures big and small – from the great egret to the eastern oyster. No experience necessary. Stable tandem kayaks make the paddle enjoyable for all. The tour departs from the St. Augustine City Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez, and costs $40/adult paddler and $30/kids ages 6 -12. For time and reservations call 904-377-7245; www.staugustineecotours.com
Saturday & Sunday: March 16 & 17
Historic Plaza Stroll – Guided historic walking tour of St. Augustine’s downtown features little-known secrets, legends and informative stories that are fun and entertaining. The 60-90 minute tour begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person and space is limited. For reservations and information: 904-825-0087 www.StAugustineCityWalks.com
Sunday: March 17
Matchbox Twenty Concert – Five-time Grammy Award nominee Matchbox Twenty performs at 7 p.m. at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A in St. Augustine. This tour celebrates the group’s blockbuster album NORTH. Tickets range from $39.50 to $75. Info: www.StAugAmphitheatre.com 904-471-1965
Murder in The Old City
A murder mystery in the nation’s oldest city combined with great dining creates a memorable and enjoyable evening of entertainment. Tickets to this five-star dinner theatre experience at the Raintree Restaurant are $39.95. Dinner served at 6 p.m., show begins 7 p.m. Raintree Restuarant is located at 102 San Marco Ave. 904-824-7211
Local Resident Specials
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).
For more information on events and activities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com or call 1-800-653-2489
To submit events to be included on the VCB Events calendar and website, please submit details to FHCeventlist@gmail.com.
Source: City of St. Augustine
Stop Saying “Take a Look”!
Jan 30th
The three most overused and unnecessary words you ever hear on television are “Take a look.”
Take a look at this.
First of all, except for blind people who only listen to the television set, we are already looking at it, and so people on television don’t have to tell us to look at it!
Take a look at this.
And for all we know, blind people might get offended by being reminded all the time that they can’t see anything whenever told to “take a look.”
Take a look at this.
Second of all, what does saying “Take a look” add that a simple “Look” doesn’t convey?
Take a look at this.
And third of all, the expression in either its shortest form of “Look,” its longer form of “Take a look,” or even its longer forms of “Take a look at this,” “Take a live look,” or “Taking a look at the temperatures” are all just a lazy way of introducing what the meteorologist, traffic reporter, or any other on-camera person wants to talk about next. Much worse is “take a listen.”
Take a look at this.
I first became aware of this lazy crutch of an expression back in the past when I would attend a presentation by a programmer I worked with, and he would mangle it by saying “Take and look” instead of “Take a look.”
Take a look at this.
For example, he would have a visual aid displayed before us and say something like, “If we take and look at the coding, we can see how the reverse Polish notation affects all the lines that follow.”
Take a look at this.
Then I began noticing that the weather girl on the local news that I watch every morning was saying “Take a look” much too often and even more much too unnecessarily.
Take a look at this.
Then I began to notice that the traffic reporter who would follow her weather report was using “Take a look” in his reports, too, and sometimes even saying “Take a look” twice in the same sentence.
Take a look at this.
And then I began to notice that national reporters on television and hosts on national talk shows were being lazy and using the expression, which, when you think about it, doesn’t add anything to the introduction of whatever follows that we are being told to look at.
Take a look at this.
Rather than saying “Take a look at these temperatures,” the weather girl could simply tell us that the temperature in Denver is a pleasant 65 degrees, compared with the temperatures in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City.
Take a look at this.
Rather than saying “Take a look at the traffic map,” the traffic reporter could simply say “The traffic is heavy on the Interstate highway, so you might want to avoid it.”
Take a look at this.
And rather than saying “Take a look” when a national reporter or a talk-show host wants to introduce a piece of video footage, a simple description of what is going to be shown would suffice or even a simple “Play it” when the person might not know what is about to be shown.
Take a look at this.
Now that I have made you aware of this excessive and unnecessary overused expression on television, start counting the number of times you hear it said, and if you use social media to follow either the person you hear say it too much or the program on which you heard it said or even the network on which the person or program appears, write using either of the more popular social-network tools directly to the person, program, or network and encourage them to stop using that now offensive, unnecessary and overused expression.
Take a look at this.
Unfortunately, this might turn out to be a lost cause. Emphasis on good language and effective communication might have been lost ever since the Baby Boomers became a major influence in society in the Sixties.
Take a look at this.
I don’t watch religious shows on television, and so I don’t know if televangelists use the expression in their sermons or requests for money, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did, because I am hearing the expression almost every time I turn on the television.
Take a look at this.
The same goes for politicians.
I rest my case.