Letter: Questions local rating of President Bush
Warren Butler
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/29/08
Editor: It is astonishing to read the Record's article on a poll of 880 local registered Republicans and learn that 66 percent of them approve of President George W. Bush. National polls have his approval rating at below 25 percent and falling. I find it inconceivable that this local sampling can be at such odds with established national polls.
Many Republicans I know, and with whom I discuss political interests, voice regret -- even embarrassment -- at their support for Bush. Many will probably still vote their party going forward in spite of their concern for domestic and world conditions.
While this survey may enlighten local candidates I really wonder if it is a true reflection of the 65,900 registered Republicans in St. Johns County.
Warren Butler
St. Augustine
Monday, August 04, 2008
Charter government allows abuse of power
Charter government allows abuse of power
By CRAIG MAGUIRE
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/27/08
The Florida Legislature says that a county commission should do a study of county government, create a real charter commission, hold real public hearings, then create the charter and hold more public hearings to tell the voters the pros and cons of both constitutional home rule and charter home rule.
This charter was not created in this way. In the best of good old boy politics, a small group, people from Ponte Vedra and their friends, decided that we needed charter government. Twelve people met quietly, without public hearings or countywide representation and created their charter.
They tried to get Tallahassee to pass it behind our backs, but that failed. Our commissioners took their charter, held a few public hearings to make it look legitimate and put it on the ballot.
However, the committee and our commissioners failed to do the most important thing. This charter does not protect citizens from abuses that come with charter government.
1. The first abuse is taxation. Charter government allows our commissioners to impose new taxes on us that they cannot now do. Their hunger for new taxes is evident. They have already tried to create a new fire service fee, and have proposed increasing the county sales tax, adding a stormwater utility fee, a conservation sales tax, a potential transportation sales tax and a real estate transfer tax.
2. Charter government gives more power to our commissioners. Some have already stated that they want to take control of the Airport Authority and the Mosquito Control District. A simple amendment to the charter will give them the power to hire and fire our sheriff and other constitutional officers. At least one charter county has abolished the constitutional office of sheriff and made the position an appointed department under the commissioners.
Several charter counties have elements of control over the school board and the school employees.
3. Constitutional home rule provides financial checks and balances by putting the county checkbook under the clerk of courts and away from the control of the commissioners. Several charter counties have removed the checkbook from the clerk and put it under the control of the commissioners. We have had several instances of county commissioners who tried to get the county to pay bills that weren't legal. Fortunately our elected clerk of courts refused to pay them.
4. The amendment process is the worst abuse of citizen protection. Four commissioners can put any amendment they want on the ballot with only one public hearing. They can hold an election at any time, and the amendments only require a simple majority to pass, allowing special interest groups to control the charter.
An amendment also can be created by a charter review committee (CRC) that is hand-picked by the commissioners. Ten members can establish district alliances for their own self-interests and propose a charter amendment that will benefit only their districts or negatively affect another district. The commissioners have no veto power over such special-interest amendments. The taxpayers must fund all activities of the CRC, including administrative support, research costs, consultants fees, independent attorneys, etc.
5. The charter states: "This charter shall be liberally construed. ..." This tells me that the charter will be favorably interpreted for special interests.
Rep. Bill Proctor said in his Dec. 27, 2006, memo (cc) to Commissioner (Ben) Rich, "...I seriously question the use of the term 'liberally,' as it is boundless."
Charter government is the ultimate Pandora's Box. Once passed, untold opportunities exist for abuse by self-serving groups imposing their personal agendas. This charter gives us no protection from abuse.
Craig Maguire was a County Commissioner, 1988-1996, and chairman, 1989-1990. He also was Rural Affairs Committee Chairman, 1994-1995, for the National Association of Counties.
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© The St. Augustine Record
By CRAIG MAGUIRE
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/27/08
The Florida Legislature says that a county commission should do a study of county government, create a real charter commission, hold real public hearings, then create the charter and hold more public hearings to tell the voters the pros and cons of both constitutional home rule and charter home rule.
This charter was not created in this way. In the best of good old boy politics, a small group, people from Ponte Vedra and their friends, decided that we needed charter government. Twelve people met quietly, without public hearings or countywide representation and created their charter.
They tried to get Tallahassee to pass it behind our backs, but that failed. Our commissioners took their charter, held a few public hearings to make it look legitimate and put it on the ballot.
However, the committee and our commissioners failed to do the most important thing. This charter does not protect citizens from abuses that come with charter government.
1. The first abuse is taxation. Charter government allows our commissioners to impose new taxes on us that they cannot now do. Their hunger for new taxes is evident. They have already tried to create a new fire service fee, and have proposed increasing the county sales tax, adding a stormwater utility fee, a conservation sales tax, a potential transportation sales tax and a real estate transfer tax.
2. Charter government gives more power to our commissioners. Some have already stated that they want to take control of the Airport Authority and the Mosquito Control District. A simple amendment to the charter will give them the power to hire and fire our sheriff and other constitutional officers. At least one charter county has abolished the constitutional office of sheriff and made the position an appointed department under the commissioners.
Several charter counties have elements of control over the school board and the school employees.
3. Constitutional home rule provides financial checks and balances by putting the county checkbook under the clerk of courts and away from the control of the commissioners. Several charter counties have removed the checkbook from the clerk and put it under the control of the commissioners. We have had several instances of county commissioners who tried to get the county to pay bills that weren't legal. Fortunately our elected clerk of courts refused to pay them.
4. The amendment process is the worst abuse of citizen protection. Four commissioners can put any amendment they want on the ballot with only one public hearing. They can hold an election at any time, and the amendments only require a simple majority to pass, allowing special interest groups to control the charter.
An amendment also can be created by a charter review committee (CRC) that is hand-picked by the commissioners. Ten members can establish district alliances for their own self-interests and propose a charter amendment that will benefit only their districts or negatively affect another district. The commissioners have no veto power over such special-interest amendments. The taxpayers must fund all activities of the CRC, including administrative support, research costs, consultants fees, independent attorneys, etc.
5. The charter states: "This charter shall be liberally construed. ..." This tells me that the charter will be favorably interpreted for special interests.
Rep. Bill Proctor said in his Dec. 27, 2006, memo (cc) to Commissioner (Ben) Rich, "...I seriously question the use of the term 'liberally,' as it is boundless."
Charter government is the ultimate Pandora's Box. Once passed, untold opportunities exist for abuse by self-serving groups imposing their personal agendas. This charter gives us no protection from abuse.
Craig Maguire was a County Commissioner, 1988-1996, and chairman, 1989-1990. He also was Rural Affairs Committee Chairman, 1994-1995, for the National Association of Counties.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: Impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes
Letter: Impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes
Dr. Michael Gabriel
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/26/08
Editor: Is any crime greater than sending soldiers to war and death to gain control of oil fields in the middle east, while lying to the public about WMDs and Democracy-promotion? If we follow Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and ignore this crime, what crime will we not ignore?
The American people want change now. We will no longer tolerate a fascist-imperialist government with no regard for the rule of law. Begin the cleanup now. Impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney now.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Dr. Michael Gabriel
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/26/08
Editor: Is any crime greater than sending soldiers to war and death to gain control of oil fields in the middle east, while lying to the public about WMDs and Democracy-promotion? If we follow Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and ignore this crime, what crime will we not ignore?
The American people want change now. We will no longer tolerate a fascist-imperialist government with no regard for the rule of law. Begin the cleanup now. Impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney now.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Tomato growers deserve government compensation Perspective The Palm Beach Post
Tomato growers deserve government compensation
Perspective
The Palm Beach Post
Publication Date: 07/25/08
Florida growers take no consolation from the federal government's announcement last week that all kinds of tomatoes are safe to eat. The damage -- more than $100 million of it -- has been done to sales of the state's crop.
The fear now is that damage might last longer.
Four months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pointed to tomatoes as the primary suspect for the salmonella outbreak that was spreading across the country. To date, more than 1,200 people in 42 states have gotten sick from something, but the government can't figure out what. No evidence exists to connect any of the illness with any of the state's produce.
Florida tomato growers correctly blame the FDA for stigmatizing their product without working more closely with the industry early on to trace the problem to its source. It appears that the government jumped to a convenient conclusion under public pressure to come up with an answer -- any answer. Tomato sales have plummeted, and growers have no assurance that things will get better with the next harvest. Some farms may switch to other crops in the fall to avoid the risk of more wasted effort and heavy losses. Consumers figure to take a hit from rising prices, too.
The FDA's inept and irresponsible response to the outbreak cost Florida growers mightily. They want compensation from the government, and they deserve to get it.
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Perspective
The Palm Beach Post
Publication Date: 07/25/08
Florida growers take no consolation from the federal government's announcement last week that all kinds of tomatoes are safe to eat. The damage -- more than $100 million of it -- has been done to sales of the state's crop.
The fear now is that damage might last longer.
Four months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pointed to tomatoes as the primary suspect for the salmonella outbreak that was spreading across the country. To date, more than 1,200 people in 42 states have gotten sick from something, but the government can't figure out what. No evidence exists to connect any of the illness with any of the state's produce.
Florida tomato growers correctly blame the FDA for stigmatizing their product without working more closely with the industry early on to trace the problem to its source. It appears that the government jumped to a convenient conclusion under public pressure to come up with an answer -- any answer. Tomato sales have plummeted, and growers have no assurance that things will get better with the next harvest. Some farms may switch to other crops in the fall to avoid the risk of more wasted effort and heavy losses. Consumers figure to take a hit from rising prices, too.
The FDA's inept and irresponsible response to the outbreak cost Florida growers mightily. They want compensation from the government, and they deserve to get it.
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Tomato growers deserve government compensation Perspective The Palm Beach Post
Tomato growers deserve government compensation
Perspective
The Palm Beach Post
Publication Date: 07/25/08
Florida growers take no consolation from the federal government's announcement last week that all kinds of tomatoes are safe to eat. The damage -- more than $100 million of it -- has been done to sales of the state's crop.
The fear now is that damage might last longer.
Four months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pointed to tomatoes as the primary suspect for the salmonella outbreak that was spreading across the country. To date, more than 1,200 people in 42 states have gotten sick from something, but the government can't figure out what. No evidence exists to connect any of the illness with any of the state's produce.
Florida tomato growers correctly blame the FDA for stigmatizing their product without working more closely with the industry early on to trace the problem to its source. It appears that the government jumped to a convenient conclusion under public pressure to come up with an answer -- any answer. Tomato sales have plummeted, and growers have no assurance that things will get better with the next harvest. Some farms may switch to other crops in the fall to avoid the risk of more wasted effort and heavy losses. Consumers figure to take a hit from rising prices, too.
The FDA's inept and irresponsible response to the outbreak cost Florida growers mightily. They want compensation from the government, and they deserve to get it.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Perspective
The Palm Beach Post
Publication Date: 07/25/08
Florida growers take no consolation from the federal government's announcement last week that all kinds of tomatoes are safe to eat. The damage -- more than $100 million of it -- has been done to sales of the state's crop.
The fear now is that damage might last longer.
Four months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pointed to tomatoes as the primary suspect for the salmonella outbreak that was spreading across the country. To date, more than 1,200 people in 42 states have gotten sick from something, but the government can't figure out what. No evidence exists to connect any of the illness with any of the state's produce.
Florida tomato growers correctly blame the FDA for stigmatizing their product without working more closely with the industry early on to trace the problem to its source. It appears that the government jumped to a convenient conclusion under public pressure to come up with an answer -- any answer. Tomato sales have plummeted, and growers have no assurance that things will get better with the next harvest. Some farms may switch to other crops in the fall to avoid the risk of more wasted effort and heavy losses. Consumers figure to take a hit from rising prices, too.
The FDA's inept and irresponsible response to the outbreak cost Florida growers mightily. They want compensation from the government, and they deserve to get it.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Glad ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD Is No Longer Astride the Conch House
and grateful the Ponce family sued him for fraud.
But why abolish Reggae Sunday?
It's one of the few diverse music events in our City.
Be sensitive to the neighbors, but be sensitive to diversity, too.
But why abolish Reggae Sunday?
It's one of the few diverse music events in our City.
Be sensitive to the neighbors, but be sensitive to diversity, too.
City planners to review Conch House Resort plan
City planners to review Conch House Resort plan
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/04/08
St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board members plan to determine Tuesday whether to approve a proposed redevelopment of the Conch House Resort on Comares Avenue, and they want to hear from the public on the issue.
The board has tabled the project twice, and at its last meeting board members wanted more feedback from the public and they hope to see that Tuesday.
Conch House Builders LLC wants the board to grant a Planned Unit Development for a resort, marina, condominiums, hotel, restaurant and bar.
The board has had concerns about some of the buildings' height up to 55 feet and about parking. It has asked the developer to consider an underground parking garage.
The board spent hours discussing the redevelopment proposal in early June and late July, but only a few residents spoke on the issue. At both meetings the board asked the developer to return with more information.
The developers want to put a trio of three-story condominium buildings of 32, 20 and 12 rooms staggered along Comares Avenue. The middle one will serve as both a condo and hotel. The project also includes a three-story beacon lighthouse building, from 35 to 55 feet high, that will serve as a dock master facility.
Board members and neighbors have a problem with the lighthouse idea, especially its size. And property owner David Ponce said at the July meeting that he would look at taking it out of the design.
Also slated for the project is the refurbishing of the existing Conch House Restaurant, a new marina restaurant and bar with 177 seats and a 6,700-square-foot conference center. Ponce anticipates that events at the conference center will bring in enough revenue for to him stop Reggae Sunday, a popular weekly dining and drinking event.
The board's decision will then be heard by the City Commission, which makes the final decision on the project.
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© The St. Augustine Record
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/04/08
St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board members plan to determine Tuesday whether to approve a proposed redevelopment of the Conch House Resort on Comares Avenue, and they want to hear from the public on the issue.
The board has tabled the project twice, and at its last meeting board members wanted more feedback from the public and they hope to see that Tuesday.
Conch House Builders LLC wants the board to grant a Planned Unit Development for a resort, marina, condominiums, hotel, restaurant and bar.
The board has had concerns about some of the buildings' height up to 55 feet and about parking. It has asked the developer to consider an underground parking garage.
The board spent hours discussing the redevelopment proposal in early June and late July, but only a few residents spoke on the issue. At both meetings the board asked the developer to return with more information.
The developers want to put a trio of three-story condominium buildings of 32, 20 and 12 rooms staggered along Comares Avenue. The middle one will serve as both a condo and hotel. The project also includes a three-story beacon lighthouse building, from 35 to 55 feet high, that will serve as a dock master facility.
Board members and neighbors have a problem with the lighthouse idea, especially its size. And property owner David Ponce said at the July meeting that he would look at taking it out of the design.
Also slated for the project is the refurbishing of the existing Conch House Restaurant, a new marina restaurant and bar with 177 seats and a 6,700-square-foot conference center. Ponce anticipates that events at the conference center will bring in enough revenue for to him stop Reggae Sunday, a popular weekly dining and drinking event.
The board's decision will then be heard by the City Commission, which makes the final decision on the project.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Wondering if the League of Women Voters will actually let voters ask their own questions (like grownups) or make us write them down on cards?
If the League of Women Voters intends to use cards tonight, then they don't need me there.
I can ask questions the way God intended.
Let people ask questions in our own voices, without being censorsed/molested by schoolmarms who censor questions (the way the poltroons do at the Flagler College Forum and the way they recently did it at the Democratic Club's charter non-debate between Roger van Ghent and Herbie Wiles).
Our Founding Fathers would not approve of the effort by controk freaks to dumb down politics (the way they do it in Vilano Beach and other bogus fora where moderators think they're smarter than the people who attend).
We don't need any more damn dictators in St. Johns County -- there are enough arleady.
I can ask questions the way God intended.
Let people ask questions in our own voices, without being censorsed/molested by schoolmarms who censor questions (the way the poltroons do at the Flagler College Forum and the way they recently did it at the Democratic Club's charter non-debate between Roger van Ghent and Herbie Wiles).
Our Founding Fathers would not approve of the effort by controk freaks to dumb down politics (the way they do it in Vilano Beach and other bogus fora where moderators think they're smarter than the people who attend).
We don't need any more damn dictators in St. Johns County -- there are enough arleady.
Meet the County Commission candidates
Meet the County Commission candidates
Publication Date: 08/04/08
You're invited to a televised forum tonight of all the St. Johns County Commission candidates in the primary election.
The session will be at the St. Johns County auditorium in the county office complex at the intersection of U.S. 1 North and Lewis Speedway.
The session begins at 7 p.m. and will include taking questions from the audience. The session also will be broadcast live on G-TV, channel 3 on Comcast Cable.
Attending will be Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson and her challenger Al Abbatiello, both of St. Johns, Commissioner Ben Rich and his challenger Mark Miner, both of St. Augustine, and Randy Brunson, Ken Bryan and Gary McMahon, all of St. Augustine, who are vying for the seat being vacated by Commissioner Jim Bryant, who is not seeking re-election.
The session is sponsored by the League of Woman Voters and The St. Augustine Record.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Publication Date: 08/04/08
You're invited to a televised forum tonight of all the St. Johns County Commission candidates in the primary election.
The session will be at the St. Johns County auditorium in the county office complex at the intersection of U.S. 1 North and Lewis Speedway.
The session begins at 7 p.m. and will include taking questions from the audience. The session also will be broadcast live on G-TV, channel 3 on Comcast Cable.
Attending will be Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson and her challenger Al Abbatiello, both of St. Johns, Commissioner Ben Rich and his challenger Mark Miner, both of St. Augustine, and Randy Brunson, Ken Bryan and Gary McMahon, all of St. Augustine, who are vying for the seat being vacated by Commissioner Jim Bryant, who is not seeking re-election.
The session is sponsored by the League of Woman Voters and The St. Augustine Record.
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So why is St. Johns County so slow to evacuate? The Davis Family and other campaign-contributing moneygrugging developers
When Nocatee was proposed, I was against it. Now the august County Commission Chair, Tom Manuel, who has turned into a lapdoggie for the Davis family, says it's enough to have saferooms in Nocatee homes because of the impossibility of evacuating timely.
When Nocatee was proposed, Judas Goat Roger van Ghent conned environmentalists into supporting it. They were wrong. Van Ghent took campaign contributions from the Davis family and will reportedly have a park named after him. The statute of limitations on the federal Hobbs Act has not been expried and may be tolled for fradulent concealment.
Just as the feds successfully prosecuted the real estate company of PIERRE THOMPSON for molesting a bald eagle nest tree, so too they might prosecute the unjust stewards and phony public interest advocates who purshed for a too-big development that now threatens evacuation from hurricanes.
FSU first reported its findings about slow evacuations in SJC and Bay County) in its FSU Research in Review earlier this year. Kudos to the Record for reporting them -- now let's talk about the implications -- crooked politicians made it happen.
Roger van Ghent should be held personally accountable for every life lost in a hurricane due to incomplete evacuation made possible by his pet project (Nocatee).
Ideas have consequences, and the idea that you can be a Judas Goat for trusting environmentalists and Democrats has consequences -- the world is watching you.
See below.
When Nocatee was proposed, Judas Goat Roger van Ghent conned environmentalists into supporting it. They were wrong. Van Ghent took campaign contributions from the Davis family and will reportedly have a park named after him. The statute of limitations on the federal Hobbs Act has not been expried and may be tolled for fradulent concealment.
Just as the feds successfully prosecuted the real estate company of PIERRE THOMPSON for molesting a bald eagle nest tree, so too they might prosecute the unjust stewards and phony public interest advocates who purshed for a too-big development that now threatens evacuation from hurricanes.
FSU first reported its findings about slow evacuations in SJC and Bay County) in its FSU Research in Review earlier this year. Kudos to the Record for reporting them -- now let's talk about the implications -- crooked politicians made it happen.
Roger van Ghent should be held personally accountable for every life lost in a hurricane due to incomplete evacuation made possible by his pet project (Nocatee).
Ideas have consequences, and the idea that you can be a Judas Goat for trusting environmentalists and Democrats has consequences -- the world is watching you.
See below.
Storm evac is too slooooooooooooow
Storm evac is too slow
County's time is over 16-hour state standard
By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/03/08
The state standard for evacuating a coastal county is 16 hours or less if a Category 4 or 5 hurricane approaches.
Florida State University officials said last week that it would actually require 19 or 20 hours to evacuate St. Johns County, putting residents at risk.
County Commission Chairman Tom Manuel said the county has "multiple areas" that cannot meet a 16-hour standard.
"In Nocatee, they built safe rooms that can weather a Category 3 hurricane in every house," Manuel said. "That's a good idea. There's no way we can evacuate on I-95. You won't even be able to get on I-95. That's why (proposed State Road) 9B is such an important road. It starts within the county so there's no southern wave of evacuees."
S.R. 9B will, when completed, start at State Road 208 and connect to State Road 9A, leading drivers to Interstate 95 on the north side of Jacksonville.
The FSU team that wrote the evacuation report, Timothy Chapin, associate professor of urban & regional planning, Robert Deyle, professor of urban and regional planning and Earl J. Baker, associate professor of geography, had been studying land use changes in coastal communities over a 10-year period.
Deyle said that in 2006, counties that didn't define their own evacuation times were set at 16 hours.
"That was a general rule of thumb that the Division of Emergency Management used a few years ago," he said.
However, St. Johns County's Emergency Management Director Ray Ashton said the state is now compiling a new and more accurate evacuation timetable and will consider additional factors such as transportation, storm surge and behavioral information.
"The barrier islands are the first evacuation area," Ashton said. "You're always going to have a problem there because of the bridges. There are 35,000 people there, so the key is early evacuation."
The current county figures for evacuations show that they can range from nine hours for a Category 1 hurricane with light traffic on I-95 to as much as 19 to 20 hours with heavy traffic on I-95 fleeing storms to the south.
The Sheriff's Office also has a plan in place to smooth traffic flow as much as possible during hurricanes.
Ashton said, "We have 100 different scenarios to play with, so we can't wait until 10 hours from landfall. We're going to err on the safe side."
According to Jeff Alexander, manager of the Statewide Evacuation Program study now underway, said the professors are correct in saying that the county won't make the 16 hour mark.
"It's not the best news in the world, but we live in Florida and people want to live near the water," Alexander said. The key, he added, is managing growth and density in high-hazard coastal areas to maintain evacuation times roughly the same.
A new tool, he said, is a light-aided aerial mapping program that provides more accurate information about which coastal areas will flood during hurricanes.
"The maps we have now were created in 1998," Alexander said. "The physics of water doesn't change dramatically, but there's been a lot of technology developed since then."
He said one member of the state study team, Professor Earl J. Baker, is studying behavioral aspects of hurricane evacuation, seeking answers to questions such as: Will people evacuate? Where will they go if they do leave? Why would they not leave? Are they going to leave town, stay with friends or go to a public shelter?
"(That information) helps us devise plans that can meet needs," Alexander said.
Ashton said a final order to evacuate is made by many agencies and individuals, such as the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Management, County Commission, County Administrator, School Board and County Attorney.
The FSU study reported that from 1990 to 2002, development had added $80 billion in property and 958,000 new residents to coastal hurricane zones.
Manuel said people believe more roads is the answer to faster evacuation times.
"There's no way to build your way out of it," he said.
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County's time is over 16-hour state standard
By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/03/08
The state standard for evacuating a coastal county is 16 hours or less if a Category 4 or 5 hurricane approaches.
Florida State University officials said last week that it would actually require 19 or 20 hours to evacuate St. Johns County, putting residents at risk.
County Commission Chairman Tom Manuel said the county has "multiple areas" that cannot meet a 16-hour standard.
"In Nocatee, they built safe rooms that can weather a Category 3 hurricane in every house," Manuel said. "That's a good idea. There's no way we can evacuate on I-95. You won't even be able to get on I-95. That's why (proposed State Road) 9B is such an important road. It starts within the county so there's no southern wave of evacuees."
S.R. 9B will, when completed, start at State Road 208 and connect to State Road 9A, leading drivers to Interstate 95 on the north side of Jacksonville.
The FSU team that wrote the evacuation report, Timothy Chapin, associate professor of urban & regional planning, Robert Deyle, professor of urban and regional planning and Earl J. Baker, associate professor of geography, had been studying land use changes in coastal communities over a 10-year period.
Deyle said that in 2006, counties that didn't define their own evacuation times were set at 16 hours.
"That was a general rule of thumb that the Division of Emergency Management used a few years ago," he said.
However, St. Johns County's Emergency Management Director Ray Ashton said the state is now compiling a new and more accurate evacuation timetable and will consider additional factors such as transportation, storm surge and behavioral information.
"The barrier islands are the first evacuation area," Ashton said. "You're always going to have a problem there because of the bridges. There are 35,000 people there, so the key is early evacuation."
The current county figures for evacuations show that they can range from nine hours for a Category 1 hurricane with light traffic on I-95 to as much as 19 to 20 hours with heavy traffic on I-95 fleeing storms to the south.
The Sheriff's Office also has a plan in place to smooth traffic flow as much as possible during hurricanes.
Ashton said, "We have 100 different scenarios to play with, so we can't wait until 10 hours from landfall. We're going to err on the safe side."
According to Jeff Alexander, manager of the Statewide Evacuation Program study now underway, said the professors are correct in saying that the county won't make the 16 hour mark.
"It's not the best news in the world, but we live in Florida and people want to live near the water," Alexander said. The key, he added, is managing growth and density in high-hazard coastal areas to maintain evacuation times roughly the same.
A new tool, he said, is a light-aided aerial mapping program that provides more accurate information about which coastal areas will flood during hurricanes.
"The maps we have now were created in 1998," Alexander said. "The physics of water doesn't change dramatically, but there's been a lot of technology developed since then."
He said one member of the state study team, Professor Earl J. Baker, is studying behavioral aspects of hurricane evacuation, seeking answers to questions such as: Will people evacuate? Where will they go if they do leave? Why would they not leave? Are they going to leave town, stay with friends or go to a public shelter?
"(That information) helps us devise plans that can meet needs," Alexander said.
Ashton said a final order to evacuate is made by many agencies and individuals, such as the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Management, County Commission, County Administrator, School Board and County Attorney.
The FSU study reported that from 1990 to 2002, development had added $80 billion in property and 958,000 new residents to coastal hurricane zones.
Manuel said people believe more roads is the answer to faster evacuation times.
"There's no way to build your way out of it," he said.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Raffish Rattlestnake Florida Republicans Say They Own the Word "Republican,
Go ahead, Florida Republican Party -- I just used the word Republican -- you dull Republicans in Tallahassee didn't authorize it -- now sue me.
Makes as much sense as telling the Republican Liberty Caucus is unauthorized to use the word Republican.
If you nasty SJCRepublicans didn't go drunk to all your meetings, then assaulting and/or calling the police on each other, maybe you'd make a lick of sense.
The Florida State Republican Party's jejune attempt to expel libertarians from the Republican Party shows them they're not welcome.
The party of Lincoln has (sadly) become the party of crooks like Senator TED STEVENS (R-Alaska), facing seven felony counts.
The party of Lincoln is now the party of SUSAN BURK, a former Westinghouse engineer and lawyer, who dismissively said it was "ludicrous" and "ridiculous" to consider public power for our city and county (she is the definition of those words).
The party of Lincoln is now the party of ERROL JONES, a former member of the SJC Democratic Executive Committee who is now a Republican, a City Commissioner who made the motion November 13th to send solid waste illegally dumped in the Old City Reservoir back to Lincolnville.
Makes as much sense as telling the Republican Liberty Caucus is unauthorized to use the word Republican.
If you nasty SJCRepublicans didn't go drunk to all your meetings, then assaulting and/or calling the police on each other, maybe you'd make a lick of sense.
The Florida State Republican Party's jejune attempt to expel libertarians from the Republican Party shows them they're not welcome.
The party of Lincoln has (sadly) become the party of crooks like Senator TED STEVENS (R-Alaska), facing seven felony counts.
The party of Lincoln is now the party of SUSAN BURK, a former Westinghouse engineer and lawyer, who dismissively said it was "ludicrous" and "ridiculous" to consider public power for our city and county (she is the definition of those words).
The party of Lincoln is now the party of ERROL JONES, a former member of the SJC Democratic Executive Committee who is now a Republican, a City Commissioner who made the motion November 13th to send solid waste illegally dumped in the Old City Reservoir back to Lincolnville.
GOP warns dissident wing Republicans try to stop 'Liberty Caucus
GOP warns dissident wing
Republicans try to stop 'Liberty Caucus'
By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/02/08
State Republicans are trying to thwart a move by Ron Paul supporters to take over the party in St. Johns County and the state.
This week, the Republicans sent warning letters to 10 state chapters of the Republican Liberty Caucus -- an organization within the party that promotes an agenda much the same as Ron Paul libertarians. The letter warned the caucus the law doesn't allow them to use the word "Republican" in its name without permission.
Some local Republicans see the caucus as seeking control of their party and then opposing Sen. John McCain, who they see as too liberal. This is similar to what is playing out on the national stage, as mainstream Republicans are losing western support for McCain to libertarians.
This week, the caucus here vowed a strong court fight to keep its name.
"We're Republicans, too," state caucus chairwoman Lisa Bullion said. "We're Republican activists within the party. We feel we're operating under the law."
William Westmiller of Thousand Oaks, Calif., chairman of the national Republican Liberty Caucus, said no other caucus has this problem.
"To my knowledge, this type of law only exists in Florida. Our strategy has always been to work in a civil and cooperative fashion within the Republican Party," he said.
St. Johns County libertarians joined the Republican Party after Paul, a Texas congressman and former Libertarian Party candidate, polled only single digit percentages in nearly all states. They say the mainstream party has lost its conservative base.
Northeast Florida's Republican Liberty Caucus president, Will Pitts, a St. Johns County resident and Jacksonville businessman, said taking away their name is "un-American. We have every right to use that name."
Bob Veit, president of St. Johns County Republican Club, said, "They're generally nice people, but also are zealots. They would marginalize other Republicans, moderate and conservative. This augurs no good for the party in the long term."
Two caucus members -- John Charles Stevens and Wynona Mayer -- are running Aug. 26 for state committeeman and state committeewoman, seeking to oust mainstream incumbents Jon Woodard and Becky Reichenberg.
Veit said Woodard and Reichenberg had "dedicated themselves to victory in November for the Republican slate."
State committee seats make and change Republican strategy. The caucus leadership wants to inch ahead and get more members elected to such posts.
The libertarian agenda now assumed by the caucus seems plucked directly from an earlier Republican playbook.
It seeks more individual liberty, minimal government intrusion, fiscal responsibility, opposition to welfare and entitlements, no foreign aid, lower taxes, state sovereignty, elimination of federal agencies duplicated at the state level, less regulation and a strong national defense with fewer military bases abroad.
Many Republicans believe those aims are the heart of their party.
But Veit said he doesn't like their tactics, and mainstream Republicans have filed grievances to Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, reporting anti-Republican comments by caucus members.
Stevens reportedly said "bashing the (Republican) party did nothing to advance (our) agenda," and added that "a chunk of 'the base' (of Republican voters) can be turned our way."
He also discussed obstacles the caucus faced if it tried to take over the Democratic Party or third parties.
Veit said said Stevens and Mayer had sworn to support McCain.
"They obviously do not take their oath seriously because they both are actively trying to torpedo McCain's candidacy as evidenced by their stated intentions to demonstrate against McCain at the National Convention in Minneapolis. I want Republicans to know what's happening."
Bullion said vocal dissenters like Stevens don't speak for the caucus. Stevens later said many of the comments attributed to him were taken out of context.
"We're a little more expressive and passionate (than other party members), kind of in your face," Stevens said. "I don't believe (the state party) has legal grounds (to prevail in a lawsuit)."
Still, some local Republicans don't want a divided party. For example, Joe Moody of Ponte Vedra Beach, a lifelong Republican voter, doesn't belong to the caucus and hadn't met Veit.
"(But) if he's a true conservative Republican, I will support him with vigor. If he is not, I won't. If the Republican Party would move back to its base, it would be more cohesive and more effective getting Republicans out to vote."
Another Republican voter, Robert Champion, president of the Ponte Vedra Beach Republican Club and a member of the St. Johns County Republican Executive Committee, said the caucus has good ideas, one being low taxes.
"(But) I think their approach is wrong," Champion said. "They might get a victory for (themselves) at the cost of the election. John McCain is much more of a Republican than Barack Obama. They'd be better off getting behind McCain. They could be an election spoiler."
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© The St. Augustine Record
Republicans try to stop 'Liberty Caucus'
By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/02/08
State Republicans are trying to thwart a move by Ron Paul supporters to take over the party in St. Johns County and the state.
This week, the Republicans sent warning letters to 10 state chapters of the Republican Liberty Caucus -- an organization within the party that promotes an agenda much the same as Ron Paul libertarians. The letter warned the caucus the law doesn't allow them to use the word "Republican" in its name without permission.
Some local Republicans see the caucus as seeking control of their party and then opposing Sen. John McCain, who they see as too liberal. This is similar to what is playing out on the national stage, as mainstream Republicans are losing western support for McCain to libertarians.
This week, the caucus here vowed a strong court fight to keep its name.
"We're Republicans, too," state caucus chairwoman Lisa Bullion said. "We're Republican activists within the party. We feel we're operating under the law."
William Westmiller of Thousand Oaks, Calif., chairman of the national Republican Liberty Caucus, said no other caucus has this problem.
"To my knowledge, this type of law only exists in Florida. Our strategy has always been to work in a civil and cooperative fashion within the Republican Party," he said.
St. Johns County libertarians joined the Republican Party after Paul, a Texas congressman and former Libertarian Party candidate, polled only single digit percentages in nearly all states. They say the mainstream party has lost its conservative base.
Northeast Florida's Republican Liberty Caucus president, Will Pitts, a St. Johns County resident and Jacksonville businessman, said taking away their name is "un-American. We have every right to use that name."
Bob Veit, president of St. Johns County Republican Club, said, "They're generally nice people, but also are zealots. They would marginalize other Republicans, moderate and conservative. This augurs no good for the party in the long term."
Two caucus members -- John Charles Stevens and Wynona Mayer -- are running Aug. 26 for state committeeman and state committeewoman, seeking to oust mainstream incumbents Jon Woodard and Becky Reichenberg.
Veit said Woodard and Reichenberg had "dedicated themselves to victory in November for the Republican slate."
State committee seats make and change Republican strategy. The caucus leadership wants to inch ahead and get more members elected to such posts.
The libertarian agenda now assumed by the caucus seems plucked directly from an earlier Republican playbook.
It seeks more individual liberty, minimal government intrusion, fiscal responsibility, opposition to welfare and entitlements, no foreign aid, lower taxes, state sovereignty, elimination of federal agencies duplicated at the state level, less regulation and a strong national defense with fewer military bases abroad.
Many Republicans believe those aims are the heart of their party.
But Veit said he doesn't like their tactics, and mainstream Republicans have filed grievances to Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, reporting anti-Republican comments by caucus members.
Stevens reportedly said "bashing the (Republican) party did nothing to advance (our) agenda," and added that "a chunk of 'the base' (of Republican voters) can be turned our way."
He also discussed obstacles the caucus faced if it tried to take over the Democratic Party or third parties.
Veit said said Stevens and Mayer had sworn to support McCain.
"They obviously do not take their oath seriously because they both are actively trying to torpedo McCain's candidacy as evidenced by their stated intentions to demonstrate against McCain at the National Convention in Minneapolis. I want Republicans to know what's happening."
Bullion said vocal dissenters like Stevens don't speak for the caucus. Stevens later said many of the comments attributed to him were taken out of context.
"We're a little more expressive and passionate (than other party members), kind of in your face," Stevens said. "I don't believe (the state party) has legal grounds (to prevail in a lawsuit)."
Still, some local Republicans don't want a divided party. For example, Joe Moody of Ponte Vedra Beach, a lifelong Republican voter, doesn't belong to the caucus and hadn't met Veit.
"(But) if he's a true conservative Republican, I will support him with vigor. If he is not, I won't. If the Republican Party would move back to its base, it would be more cohesive and more effective getting Republicans out to vote."
Another Republican voter, Robert Champion, president of the Ponte Vedra Beach Republican Club and a member of the St. Johns County Republican Executive Committee, said the caucus has good ideas, one being low taxes.
"(But) I think their approach is wrong," Champion said. "They might get a victory for (themselves) at the cost of the election. John McCain is much more of a Republican than Barack Obama. They'd be better off getting behind McCain. They could be an election spoiler."
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© The St. Augustine Record
Judge: Steinheimer must pay his fine
Judge: Steinheimer must pay his fine
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/02/08
A county court judge ruled Friday that Morris Steinheimer, a disabled man ticketed in March for driving his golf cart on a sidewalk, had to pay the $123.50 fine.
Steinheimer and his "life partner," Mandy Fugate, have used the golf cart to travel from their Treasure Beach Road home for years and contend that they have the right to do so under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Judge Charles Tinlin said, while he sympathized with the couple, a state law forbids driving a golf cart on the sidewalk. He gave Steinheimer six months to pay the fine.
He has 30 days to appeal the decision, and his attorney, Tom Cushman, said he planned to.
The couple has also said that they don't have a feasible alternative to the golf cart for transportation.
During the hearing, Cushman told Tinlin, "They've explored every option that they have."
Tinlin replied, "Well I don't think they have."
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© The St. Augustine Record
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 08/02/08
A county court judge ruled Friday that Morris Steinheimer, a disabled man ticketed in March for driving his golf cart on a sidewalk, had to pay the $123.50 fine.
Steinheimer and his "life partner," Mandy Fugate, have used the golf cart to travel from their Treasure Beach Road home for years and contend that they have the right to do so under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Judge Charles Tinlin said, while he sympathized with the couple, a state law forbids driving a golf cart on the sidewalk. He gave Steinheimer six months to pay the fine.
He has 30 days to appeal the decision, and his attorney, Tom Cushman, said he planned to.
The couple has also said that they don't have a feasible alternative to the golf cart for transportation.
During the hearing, Cushman told Tinlin, "They've explored every option that they have."
Tinlin replied, "Well I don't think they have."
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© The St. Augustine Record
How nice of the military to finally address bombs from old bombing range -- decades after it did so in other places!
We're astonished it took so long but grateful our federal government cares so much about us as to actually ask questions decades after it first rained bombs down on our county.
In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, folks asked questions about nuclear weapons pollution commencing in 1981, when I moved there to start the Appalachian Observer.
Reckon the local rags hereabout -- and County Commissioners -- were too busy for decades passing out cigars to celebrate their power that they forgot to ask the vital questions about bombing runs in our county.
Glad the Army Corps of Engineers had the sense to ask the questions in quo, because those questions would never have been asked if left up to our putative environmental regulators like the Department of Environmental Protection and our county mismanagement -- like SJC's Code Enforcement Tsar, Mr. Acosta, a/k/a the "Fatass Barney Fife" (of 11th Circuit Court of Appeals case law --- protected poliitcal sign -- fame).
Searching for used ordnance Corps seeks public assistance at old bombing range
Searching for used ordnance
Corps seeks public assistance at old bombing range
By Terry Brown
Special to The Record
Publication Date: 08/02/08
SWITZERLAND -- Growing up on the St. Johns River, Lori Mazza remembers the sounds of airplanes roaring down the waterway on their bombing runs. Less than a quarter mile away from the childhood home she still occupies today, Navy bombers would take aim on targets at the site located on what was then Bombing Range Road.
"We grew accustomed to the concussions made from bombs hitting their targets," Mazza said, "and I vividly remember the day a plane crash-landed in the river in front of our house."
Her parents raced to help the injured only to find they had ejected to safety somewhere up river.
Much has changed in the surrounding area. The roadway fronting the range has since been renamed Greenbriar Road, but remnants of the 1,900-acre bombing site remain.
At the direction of the U.S. Congress, the Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating the Switzerland site used during World War II first as a landing strip and later as bomb training site through 1961. The Corps of Engineers recently completed a site inspection and is asking the public to tell them if ordnance remains in the area.
"So far we have found nothing significant on the Switzerland site other than inert ordnance and debris," Charles Fales, project manager, said Friday.
At the northwest quadrant of the bombing site are Switzerland Point Middle and Hickory Creek Elementary schools, as well as several subdivisions. There are also hundreds of acres of property for sale surrounding the old bombing range.
Five types of munitions were used at the training site, according to Hugh Sease, owner of Ordnance and Explosive Remediation Inc. in Cohasset, Mass. Of those, only two types could still cause harm now more than 45 years since the last sortie run on the site.
The active 3- and 25-pound bombs contained a Mark 4 signal cartridge that, upon impact, would shoot out titanium tetrachloride or a white cloud that resembled talcum powder, Sease said. A spotter in a tower would grade the bomber for accuracy. He said the Department of Defense also used 100-pound sand-filled bombs and two practice rockets that did not contain a charge.
Sease's company has participated in three cleanup operations at the site, the last about four years ago. He said the Mark 4 signal cartridge had the impact equivalency of a 10-gauge shotgun shell. Sease said the charge is encased in a tube that at this point would most likely be filled with dirt and debris. While the charge is not enough to kill someone, it could cause harm to people, he said.
"If someone were to toss one into a fire, there is a very good chance they would get peppered pretty good from the dirt inside the tube," Sease said.
Sease also said standard practice for site clean-up at the location of the schools is a minimum of two feet of fill dirt that is capped with rock, concrete or asphalt. Sease stressed those school sites were on the fringes of the property and in the unlikely event there was ordnance present, it was safely encased during construction of the schools and would pose no threat to students or staff.
The Greenbriar subdivision sits adjacent to the old bombing range. Resident Reg Pilinko built his home in the subdivision in 2001, and said the developer required him to sign a waiver stating he was aware of the former use of the site. Pilinko said it is not unusual to find all kinds of spent ordnance throughout the area.
Pilinko said his brother, who also lives in the neighborhood, uses the cone of a shell as a doorstop in his home. They also hunt wild hogs and deer on the old bombing range and say at any given time you can come across rusted out pieces of bombs from a bygone era.
"It's all over the place -- everywhere you walk out there," said Pilinko looking out on the remnants of the bombing range skirting his property.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Corps seeks public assistance at old bombing range
By Terry Brown
Special to The Record
Publication Date: 08/02/08
SWITZERLAND -- Growing up on the St. Johns River, Lori Mazza remembers the sounds of airplanes roaring down the waterway on their bombing runs. Less than a quarter mile away from the childhood home she still occupies today, Navy bombers would take aim on targets at the site located on what was then Bombing Range Road.
"We grew accustomed to the concussions made from bombs hitting their targets," Mazza said, "and I vividly remember the day a plane crash-landed in the river in front of our house."
Her parents raced to help the injured only to find they had ejected to safety somewhere up river.
Much has changed in the surrounding area. The roadway fronting the range has since been renamed Greenbriar Road, but remnants of the 1,900-acre bombing site remain.
At the direction of the U.S. Congress, the Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating the Switzerland site used during World War II first as a landing strip and later as bomb training site through 1961. The Corps of Engineers recently completed a site inspection and is asking the public to tell them if ordnance remains in the area.
"So far we have found nothing significant on the Switzerland site other than inert ordnance and debris," Charles Fales, project manager, said Friday.
At the northwest quadrant of the bombing site are Switzerland Point Middle and Hickory Creek Elementary schools, as well as several subdivisions. There are also hundreds of acres of property for sale surrounding the old bombing range.
Five types of munitions were used at the training site, according to Hugh Sease, owner of Ordnance and Explosive Remediation Inc. in Cohasset, Mass. Of those, only two types could still cause harm now more than 45 years since the last sortie run on the site.
The active 3- and 25-pound bombs contained a Mark 4 signal cartridge that, upon impact, would shoot out titanium tetrachloride or a white cloud that resembled talcum powder, Sease said. A spotter in a tower would grade the bomber for accuracy. He said the Department of Defense also used 100-pound sand-filled bombs and two practice rockets that did not contain a charge.
Sease's company has participated in three cleanup operations at the site, the last about four years ago. He said the Mark 4 signal cartridge had the impact equivalency of a 10-gauge shotgun shell. Sease said the charge is encased in a tube that at this point would most likely be filled with dirt and debris. While the charge is not enough to kill someone, it could cause harm to people, he said.
"If someone were to toss one into a fire, there is a very good chance they would get peppered pretty good from the dirt inside the tube," Sease said.
Sease also said standard practice for site clean-up at the location of the schools is a minimum of two feet of fill dirt that is capped with rock, concrete or asphalt. Sease stressed those school sites were on the fringes of the property and in the unlikely event there was ordnance present, it was safely encased during construction of the schools and would pose no threat to students or staff.
The Greenbriar subdivision sits adjacent to the old bombing range. Resident Reg Pilinko built his home in the subdivision in 2001, and said the developer required him to sign a waiver stating he was aware of the former use of the site. Pilinko said it is not unusual to find all kinds of spent ordnance throughout the area.
Pilinko said his brother, who also lives in the neighborhood, uses the cone of a shell as a doorstop in his home. They also hunt wild hogs and deer on the old bombing range and say at any given time you can come across rusted out pieces of bombs from a bygone era.
"It's all over the place -- everywhere you walk out there," said Pilinko looking out on the remnants of the bombing range skirting his property.
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© The St. Augustine Record
Carla Wright deserves re-election
Carla Wright deserves re-election to the St. Johns County School Board. She works smart and she works hard.
One opponent is a former principal. Will "Skeeter" Key give a straight answer to why he allegedly "retired" amidst an affair with a subordinate?
The other opponent is a Ph.D. who put "Ph.D." on her signs -- not exactly making her sound like a Democrat.
One opponent is a former principal. Will "Skeeter" Key give a straight answer to why he allegedly "retired" amidst an affair with a subordinate?
The other opponent is a Ph.D. who put "Ph.D." on her signs -- not exactly making her sound like a Democrat.
Carla Wright learns importance of education in U.S.
Carla Wright learns importance of education in U.S.
By MARCIA LANE
marcia.lane@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/31/08
District 5 School Board member Carla Wright learned her lesson about the importance of education while growing up in South America.
In Argentina, where compulsory education was in place, there was a large middle class and a distribution of the wealth. When her family moved to Peru, where there was no compulsory education, she found a country of the very rich and the very poor, with no middle class.
"The difference was because of the education," Wright said. "This county could be a Third World county without our compulsory and free education system."
That belief in education plus an interest in where her tax dollars were going led Wright to seek a seat on the school board in 2001. She was appointed to that first year in office by then-Gov. Jeb Bush after a board member resigned.
Wright, 68, won in her own right in the 2002 election, then won again in 2004.
She still doesn't like the fund-raising part of campaigning, but she does believe campaigns "bring out the issues. There's so much misinformation, and it gives you a chance to correct that."
This year has brought a funding crisis for education that may continue for several years throughout Florida. Passage of Amendment 1, millions less in state revenue and a slowing economy are all being felt on the local level. This year's budget will be anywhere between $11.3 million and $15 million less than last year.
"We need to keep academics high despite all the budget cuts," said Wright, who is serving as board chair.
She's opposed by Dr. Jan Herrmann and former principal Skeeter Key.
In addition to keeping up academic standards, Wright wants to see the arts in schools protected as well.
"It's been proven children do better academically when there are the arts ... and those courses may keep a child in school," she said. "The arts can give children the incentive to come to school. They learn other subjects in the process of the teaching of artistic endeavors."
She calls the arts "awfully important" and says they keep kids in school, increase the graduation rate and reduce dropout rates.
Another goal is to see St. Johns schools continue to improve academically. The St. Johns school system ranks as No. 3 in the state based on academic testing.
"I want us to become No. 1," Wright said. "We went to No. 3 from No. 5. There's no reason we can't continue to improve."
The budget cuts facing the system will have to be addressed, she said.
"I don't know what we're going to do," Wright said, pointing to numerous cutbacks and job freezes already initiated.
The board has been told to expect more cuts within this budget year. Schools can't charge fees, and they're limited by law in ways to raise money.
She thinks this is where parents and school supporters can make the difference.
The response is already starting, she said. A grassroots parent group calling itself 50th No More has formed with a primary goal of restoring funding for public schools to the level required by the Florida Constitution.
The name comes from Florida's rank of 50th in funding out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
"If that takes root, it could be the answer to all our problems," she said.
Despite increased involvement at the state level, the board has not been able to effect change. It's going to be up to people to make the difference she believes.
She credits much of the system's success to Superintendent Joe Joyner.
"I said on his evaluation he was born to be a school superintendent, and that's true," she said.
Wright thinks the current school board works well with him and together that has made a difference.
"Now is not the time for change," Wright said, adding the current budget crisis is a major reason she's decided to run again.
"I did not want to leave the school board in the lurch. ... We have a lot of work to do and some heavy decisions to make. (This board) knows each other, and we work well together. I'd hate to disturb that," Wright said.
A professional ballet dancer, Wright was born in California and grew up in South America where her father was a chemical mining engineer for an American firm. She first came to St. Augustine to gain a needed half credit at Ketterlinus High School so she could attend Florida State University.
She has danced as soloist with the Peruvian Ballet and taught ballet in Ft. Lauderdale and the Houston Ballet Foundation. She's had a second career as a graphic designer and art director.
In 1987 she returned to St. Augustine, where she opened Studio Printing and Advertising Co., later selling it. She worked for the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board for four years and has served as chair of the St. Augustine Preservation Advisory Committee and the Historic Architectural Review Board.
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© The St. Augustine Record
By MARCIA LANE
marcia.lane@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/31/08
District 5 School Board member Carla Wright learned her lesson about the importance of education while growing up in South America.
In Argentina, where compulsory education was in place, there was a large middle class and a distribution of the wealth. When her family moved to Peru, where there was no compulsory education, she found a country of the very rich and the very poor, with no middle class.
"The difference was because of the education," Wright said. "This county could be a Third World county without our compulsory and free education system."
That belief in education plus an interest in where her tax dollars were going led Wright to seek a seat on the school board in 2001. She was appointed to that first year in office by then-Gov. Jeb Bush after a board member resigned.
Wright, 68, won in her own right in the 2002 election, then won again in 2004.
She still doesn't like the fund-raising part of campaigning, but she does believe campaigns "bring out the issues. There's so much misinformation, and it gives you a chance to correct that."
This year has brought a funding crisis for education that may continue for several years throughout Florida. Passage of Amendment 1, millions less in state revenue and a slowing economy are all being felt on the local level. This year's budget will be anywhere between $11.3 million and $15 million less than last year.
"We need to keep academics high despite all the budget cuts," said Wright, who is serving as board chair.
She's opposed by Dr. Jan Herrmann and former principal Skeeter Key.
In addition to keeping up academic standards, Wright wants to see the arts in schools protected as well.
"It's been proven children do better academically when there are the arts ... and those courses may keep a child in school," she said. "The arts can give children the incentive to come to school. They learn other subjects in the process of the teaching of artistic endeavors."
She calls the arts "awfully important" and says they keep kids in school, increase the graduation rate and reduce dropout rates.
Another goal is to see St. Johns schools continue to improve academically. The St. Johns school system ranks as No. 3 in the state based on academic testing.
"I want us to become No. 1," Wright said. "We went to No. 3 from No. 5. There's no reason we can't continue to improve."
The budget cuts facing the system will have to be addressed, she said.
"I don't know what we're going to do," Wright said, pointing to numerous cutbacks and job freezes already initiated.
The board has been told to expect more cuts within this budget year. Schools can't charge fees, and they're limited by law in ways to raise money.
She thinks this is where parents and school supporters can make the difference.
The response is already starting, she said. A grassroots parent group calling itself 50th No More has formed with a primary goal of restoring funding for public schools to the level required by the Florida Constitution.
The name comes from Florida's rank of 50th in funding out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
"If that takes root, it could be the answer to all our problems," she said.
Despite increased involvement at the state level, the board has not been able to effect change. It's going to be up to people to make the difference she believes.
She credits much of the system's success to Superintendent Joe Joyner.
"I said on his evaluation he was born to be a school superintendent, and that's true," she said.
Wright thinks the current school board works well with him and together that has made a difference.
"Now is not the time for change," Wright said, adding the current budget crisis is a major reason she's decided to run again.
"I did not want to leave the school board in the lurch. ... We have a lot of work to do and some heavy decisions to make. (This board) knows each other, and we work well together. I'd hate to disturb that," Wright said.
A professional ballet dancer, Wright was born in California and grew up in South America where her father was a chemical mining engineer for an American firm. She first came to St. Augustine to gain a needed half credit at Ketterlinus High School so she could attend Florida State University.
She has danced as soloist with the Peruvian Ballet and taught ballet in Ft. Lauderdale and the Houston Ballet Foundation. She's had a second career as a graphic designer and art director.
In 1987 she returned to St. Augustine, where she opened Studio Printing and Advertising Co., later selling it. She worked for the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board for four years and has served as chair of the St. Augustine Preservation Advisory Committee and the Historic Architectural Review Board.
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Commissioner reports campaign signs stolen
Commissioner reports campaign signs stolen
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/31/08
St. Johns County Commissioner Ben Rich, who is running for re-election in the fall, reported that between 10 and 15 of his campaign signs had been stolen around the county.
Rich reported the thefts at the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday and estimated their value was $100, according to a police report.
In a telephone interview, Rich said the signs went missing less than 24 hours after he or his supporters posted them.
"We put out kind of a sampling of them to see what would happen to them, and they went away almost immediately," he said.
He said it appeared there was a concerted effort to take his signs rather than random acts of theft since they were allegedly stolen from the northwestern part of the county down to the southeastern.
He said this also happened to him four years ago, when he was first elected, and it hurts a small campaign like his where yard signs and walking door to door are virtually all the candidate has to make his points with the voters.
"(The signs are) part of the political process, and when people start tampering with the political process by commit criminal offenses such as theft, you have a collapse of the political process," he said.
State Attorney John Tanner, who is also up for re-election, said earlier this month that his office is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to a prosecution of those who steal campaign signs.
To report such a theft, Tanner said people should call his office or their local sheriff's office.
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By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/31/08
St. Johns County Commissioner Ben Rich, who is running for re-election in the fall, reported that between 10 and 15 of his campaign signs had been stolen around the county.
Rich reported the thefts at the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday and estimated their value was $100, according to a police report.
In a telephone interview, Rich said the signs went missing less than 24 hours after he or his supporters posted them.
"We put out kind of a sampling of them to see what would happen to them, and they went away almost immediately," he said.
He said it appeared there was a concerted effort to take his signs rather than random acts of theft since they were allegedly stolen from the northwestern part of the county down to the southeastern.
He said this also happened to him four years ago, when he was first elected, and it hurts a small campaign like his where yard signs and walking door to door are virtually all the candidate has to make his points with the voters.
"(The signs are) part of the political process, and when people start tampering with the political process by commit criminal offenses such as theft, you have a collapse of the political process," he said.
State Attorney John Tanner, who is also up for re-election, said earlier this month that his office is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to a prosecution of those who steal campaign signs.
To report such a theft, Tanner said people should call his office or their local sheriff's office.
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Social Security Administration's managers aghast at St. Augustine management's mismanagement
Bats in their belfry? While harassing Social Security disability recipients to distraction, the management of St. Augustine's Social Security office couldn't manage their way out of a bat infestation -- after months of delays, they're moving to a new office. What kind of manager ignores bat poop and noise to the detriment of their own employees, and "custoemrs" of the SSA? There should be a Congressional hearing on this kind of federal nincompoopery.
Social Security office moves into 'bat-free' location --- there were moire than 1000 bats living behind one of the walls
Social Security office moves into 'bat-free' location
New address is 1750 Tree Blvd. Suite 2, off S.R. 312
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/30/08
Fittingly, it was on a Friday the 13th when Debra Engram closed the Social Security office she managed on U.S. 1 South due to an infestation of bats.
Since that June day, the office has been closed as customers were diverted to other offices in the area, to the Internet or to a hotline.
But Monday, the local office reopened at a new location at 1750 Tree Blvd. Suite 2, across State Road 312 from Publix.
"It's a bat-free environment, and everyone's happy," Engram said.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rascal Rangers, a local company that works to control critters, was called in June to help with the problem.
Tom Moore, a senior ranger with the company, said the main concern with bats is guano, or "bat droppings."
Guano doesn't cause a major scare, but it does pose a risk of spreading histoplasmosis, a disease that primarily affects the lungs and can be fatal, Moore said. However, the disease is rare in Florida.
While only a few bats ultimately found their way into the Social Security office, there were an estimated 1,000 more living in one of the walls, he said.
Moore and his colleagues extracted most of the bats, but there were about 20 that stayed behind in the wall.
"It was bad enough with just one or two of them just coming down," he said. "It was quite startling for the workers."
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New address is 1750 Tree Blvd. Suite 2, off S.R. 312
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/30/08
Fittingly, it was on a Friday the 13th when Debra Engram closed the Social Security office she managed on U.S. 1 South due to an infestation of bats.
Since that June day, the office has been closed as customers were diverted to other offices in the area, to the Internet or to a hotline.
But Monday, the local office reopened at a new location at 1750 Tree Blvd. Suite 2, across State Road 312 from Publix.
"It's a bat-free environment, and everyone's happy," Engram said.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rascal Rangers, a local company that works to control critters, was called in June to help with the problem.
Tom Moore, a senior ranger with the company, said the main concern with bats is guano, or "bat droppings."
Guano doesn't cause a major scare, but it does pose a risk of spreading histoplasmosis, a disease that primarily affects the lungs and can be fatal, Moore said. However, the disease is rare in Florida.
While only a few bats ultimately found their way into the Social Security office, there were an estimated 1,000 more living in one of the walls, he said.
Moore and his colleagues extracted most of the bats, but there were about 20 that stayed behind in the wall.
"It was bad enough with just one or two of them just coming down," he said. "It was quite startling for the workers."
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DEP: GP must build pipeline --- Mandate will help improve Rice Creek
DEP: GP must build pipeline
Mandate will help improve Rice Creek
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/30/08
Georgia-Pacific Corp. has spent $200 million in environmental improvements to its plant to clean the discharge it dumps into a St. Johns River tributary in Palatka, but it wasn't enough -- the water quality is still poor. Now the Florida Deparment (sic) of Environmental Protection is requiring the company to spend $35 million on a pipeline that will inject the discharge directly into the river.
A report in March shows that during a dry season, 95 percent of the Rice Creek tributary flows out from GP, company spokesman Jeremy Alexander said Tuesday. After the report, DEP mandated through an administrative order that the company build the pipeline.
Melissa Long, DEP water program administrator, said the pipeline's discharge won't have a negative effect on the river.
"The discharge is already going into the river. We're not changing the amount that goes (into it)," she said. "The positive impact will be seen in Rice Creek."
River advocates feel differently, and some have fought the pipeline in court since 2002.
The company's paper mill dumps 24 to 27 million gallons of water laced with chlorine into the creek each day, St. Johns River advocates say.
The mill has disposed wastewater into the creek since 1947.
Linda Young, director of Clean Water Network of Florida, said the chlorine creates dioxin in the creek. Dioxin, a toxic, carcinogenic compound, is the same chemical in Agent Orange that has caused birth defects in Vietnam for 40 years, she said.
Young said it takes anywhere from 30 days to two or three months for water to flow from Palatka to the mouth of the St. Johns, and in the meantime, the company's discharge will sit there.
Long said the department didn't want the pipeline and hoped to keep the discharge in Rice Creek. But, she said, it's not possible to bring the water quality up to standards because it is a low-flowing creek, especially during a dry season.
The company has spent $100 million on equipment called oxygen delignification. This adds a wash cycle to the pulp, creating cleaner water that is sent to Rice Creek. More than $88 million also was spent on an elemental chlorine-free bleach plant that takes some of the dioxin out of the flow.
"We absolutely think we had every legal right (to forgo spending $200 million and build the pipeline)," Alexander said. "But spending the money was the right thing to do for the environment."
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Pipeline time line
Publication Date: 07/30/08
* 1993: Georgia-Pacific first applied for pipeline permit with Department of Environmental Protection.
* 1998: DEP and Environmental Protection Agency look at possible technology that could improve Rice Creek instead of putting in a pipeline.
* 2002: An administrative hearing with DEP, Clean Water Network, Stewards of St. Johns and Putnam County Environmental Council is held about the pipeline.
* 2002: Received Permit and Administrative Order stating if new equipment did not improve water quality in Rice Creek, the pipeline would be built.
* March 15, 2006: New equipment installed.
* June 15, 2008: Study shows Rice Creek still does not meet DEP water standards.
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Mandate will help improve Rice Creek
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/30/08
Georgia-Pacific Corp. has spent $200 million in environmental improvements to its plant to clean the discharge it dumps into a St. Johns River tributary in Palatka, but it wasn't enough -- the water quality is still poor. Now the Florida Deparment (sic) of Environmental Protection is requiring the company to spend $35 million on a pipeline that will inject the discharge directly into the river.
A report in March shows that during a dry season, 95 percent of the Rice Creek tributary flows out from GP, company spokesman Jeremy Alexander said Tuesday. After the report, DEP mandated through an administrative order that the company build the pipeline.
Melissa Long, DEP water program administrator, said the pipeline's discharge won't have a negative effect on the river.
"The discharge is already going into the river. We're not changing the amount that goes (into it)," she said. "The positive impact will be seen in Rice Creek."
River advocates feel differently, and some have fought the pipeline in court since 2002.
The company's paper mill dumps 24 to 27 million gallons of water laced with chlorine into the creek each day, St. Johns River advocates say.
The mill has disposed wastewater into the creek since 1947.
Linda Young, director of Clean Water Network of Florida, said the chlorine creates dioxin in the creek. Dioxin, a toxic, carcinogenic compound, is the same chemical in Agent Orange that has caused birth defects in Vietnam for 40 years, she said.
Young said it takes anywhere from 30 days to two or three months for water to flow from Palatka to the mouth of the St. Johns, and in the meantime, the company's discharge will sit there.
Long said the department didn't want the pipeline and hoped to keep the discharge in Rice Creek. But, she said, it's not possible to bring the water quality up to standards because it is a low-flowing creek, especially during a dry season.
The company has spent $100 million on equipment called oxygen delignification. This adds a wash cycle to the pulp, creating cleaner water that is sent to Rice Creek. More than $88 million also was spent on an elemental chlorine-free bleach plant that takes some of the dioxin out of the flow.
"We absolutely think we had every legal right (to forgo spending $200 million and build the pipeline)," Alexander said. "But spending the money was the right thing to do for the environment."
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© The St. Augustine Record
Pipeline time line
Publication Date: 07/30/08
* 1993: Georgia-Pacific first applied for pipeline permit with Department of Environmental Protection.
* 1998: DEP and Environmental Protection Agency look at possible technology that could improve Rice Creek instead of putting in a pipeline.
* 2002: An administrative hearing with DEP, Clean Water Network, Stewards of St. Johns and Putnam County Environmental Council is held about the pipeline.
* 2002: Received Permit and Administrative Order stating if new equipment did not improve water quality in Rice Creek, the pipeline would be built.
* March 15, 2006: New equipment installed.
* June 15, 2008: Study shows Rice Creek still does not meet DEP water standards.
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City, County Need to Weight Costs and Benefits of All Electric Power Options
A pitiful FPL lobbyist had has ass handed to him last Monday night. Watch the replay tonight.
Every single citizen who spoke at the public hearing spoke against signing FPL's 30-year franchise deal, which would give up for 30 years our right for our city to sell electric power.
Future meetings will present all options, including the possibliity of joining with St. Johns County, Clay Electric, Jacksonville Electrict Authority.
Public power agencies supply power to 25 percent of Florida residents, without nuclear power, Cost of Work in Progress (CWIP), phantom taxes and routinized harassment of whistleblowers, brought to you by Florida's under-regulated Investor-Owned Electric Companies like FPL and the inept Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).
The vote to obtain more information was 5-0.
Thank you, Commissioners. The energy future deserves public scrutiny, not another coverup.
Every single citizen who spoke at the public hearing spoke against signing FPL's 30-year franchise deal, which would give up for 30 years our right for our city to sell electric power.
Future meetings will present all options, including the possibliity of joining with St. Johns County, Clay Electric, Jacksonville Electrict Authority.
Public power agencies supply power to 25 percent of Florida residents, without nuclear power, Cost of Work in Progress (CWIP), phantom taxes and routinized harassment of whistleblowers, brought to you by Florida's under-regulated Investor-Owned Electric Companies like FPL and the inept Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).
The vote to obtain more information was 5-0.
Thank you, Commissioners. The energy future deserves public scrutiny, not another coverup.
Costs weighed in FPL issue --- Decision tabled by City of St. Augustine
Costs weighed in FPL issue
Decision tabled
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/29/08
St. Augustine City Commissioners said Monday they want more public involvement before they decide to renew a 30-year franchise with Florida Power and Light or buy them out.
The commission agreed that taking over FPL's assets in St. Augustine -- which could cost more than $50 million -- is not a feasible option for the city. But John Regan, city chief operations officer, said the city could continue its service with FPL without going into another 30-year contract.
If the city does that, it will lose $1.4 million in annual franchise fees from FPL, Regan said. That money goes to the city's general fund and would have to be gained in another way, such as taxes, Regan said.
The commission tabled the topic to its Sept. 8 meeting.
The city's current FPL franchise ends in June 2009.
Commissioner Errol Jones asked if not having a FPL franchise would lower city residents' electric bills.
Dave Cobb, of FPL, said yes, electric bills would be about 6 percent lower.
Commissioner Don Crichlow said he was most worried about having such a long-term agreement with FPL without carefully looking into other options.
For example, St. Johns County does not have a franchise with FPL but still uses the company services.
Commissioner Susan Burk said it was a "no-brainer" that the city could plunge into debt if it took over the utilities.
"For us to fantasize about taking it over it is ludicrous. It's insane," she said. "Monopolies are not a bad thing. Utilities are a monopoly."
Few members of the public spoke. Judith Seraphin who said she wanted to hear from staff at a municipality who are running their own utilities.
"I would like to hear another side of it," she said.
Mayor Joe Boles and Commissioner George Gardner both said they wanted to hear more the public on the issue.
"It'd make me feel a lot better if the public got involved," Boles said.
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Decision tabled
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/29/08
St. Augustine City Commissioners said Monday they want more public involvement before they decide to renew a 30-year franchise with Florida Power and Light or buy them out.
The commission agreed that taking over FPL's assets in St. Augustine -- which could cost more than $50 million -- is not a feasible option for the city. But John Regan, city chief operations officer, said the city could continue its service with FPL without going into another 30-year contract.
If the city does that, it will lose $1.4 million in annual franchise fees from FPL, Regan said. That money goes to the city's general fund and would have to be gained in another way, such as taxes, Regan said.
The commission tabled the topic to its Sept. 8 meeting.
The city's current FPL franchise ends in June 2009.
Commissioner Errol Jones asked if not having a FPL franchise would lower city residents' electric bills.
Dave Cobb, of FPL, said yes, electric bills would be about 6 percent lower.
Commissioner Don Crichlow said he was most worried about having such a long-term agreement with FPL without carefully looking into other options.
For example, St. Johns County does not have a franchise with FPL but still uses the company services.
Commissioner Susan Burk said it was a "no-brainer" that the city could plunge into debt if it took over the utilities.
"For us to fantasize about taking it over it is ludicrous. It's insane," she said. "Monopolies are not a bad thing. Utilities are a monopoly."
Few members of the public spoke. Judith Seraphin who said she wanted to hear from staff at a municipality who are running their own utilities.
"I would like to hear another side of it," she said.
Mayor Joe Boles and Commissioner George Gardner both said they wanted to hear more the public on the issue.
"It'd make me feel a lot better if the public got involved," Boles said.
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JOHN TANNER finally finds a white collar crime he can sink his teeth into ---
sign stealing! TANNER's tatterdemalion St. Johns County prosecutors would not prosecute numerous cases involving the rich and powerful, even including blatant Open Records and Sunshine violations (three day junket to NYC by City of St. Augustine Commissioners). But steal one of his signs? You'll go to jail. This crook is riding for a fall -- no one likes him, least of all the sworn, bonded Law Enforcement Officers aghast at his conflict of interest involving his own daughter in a county jail. Rather than allow the Grand Jury findings (presentment) to be released, TANNER's spent over $250,000 of our money to suppress the report.
Tanner warns would-be sign tamperers
Tanner warns would-be sign tamperers
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/27/08
Let the sign wars begin.
State Attorney John Tanner, who is up for reelection this fall, said posting campaign signs around town is one of the fun parts of the process.
But, Tanner said, his office and the four county sheriffs in his district aren't going to tolerate sign tampering.
Several candidates around the district have complained about their signs being tampered with or stolen, he said.
A $500 reward is being offered for information that leads to the prosecution of anyone stealing or tampering with a candidate's sign.
"I thought it was time we tried to do something about it, and all the sheriffs agree," he said.
About 30 signs for a candidate in Flagler County were recently reported stolen, among several other complaints. They're expensive to replace.
"When you get up to 30 of those big signs, you're talking about money," Tanner said.
Local campaigns spend thousands of dollars on the signs, and not only is messing with them "immoral," it's criminal, he said.
The crime is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500 and 60 days in jail. A repeat offense is a felony.
St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Kelshaw said he had not heard of campaign signs being defaced or stolen in the county.
To report campaign sign tampering or thefts, call a sheriff's office or the state attorney's office.
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By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/27/08
Let the sign wars begin.
State Attorney John Tanner, who is up for reelection this fall, said posting campaign signs around town is one of the fun parts of the process.
But, Tanner said, his office and the four county sheriffs in his district aren't going to tolerate sign tampering.
Several candidates around the district have complained about their signs being tampered with or stolen, he said.
A $500 reward is being offered for information that leads to the prosecution of anyone stealing or tampering with a candidate's sign.
"I thought it was time we tried to do something about it, and all the sheriffs agree," he said.
About 30 signs for a candidate in Flagler County were recently reported stolen, among several other complaints. They're expensive to replace.
"When you get up to 30 of those big signs, you're talking about money," Tanner said.
Local campaigns spend thousands of dollars on the signs, and not only is messing with them "immoral," it's criminal, he said.
The crime is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500 and 60 days in jail. A repeat offense is a felony.
St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Kelshaw said he had not heard of campaign signs being defaced or stolen in the county.
To report campaign sign tampering or thefts, call a sheriff's office or the state attorney's office.
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Foreign Real Estate Speculators Be Damned -- Your Stupid Strip Malls Stand Unoccupited -- Get Thee Hence -- A Pox on All Your Dumb Ole Ugly Buildings!
See Below. ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD and his ilk have gulled, diddled and euchred enough investors, domestic and foreign, to fill a Grand Jury docket. They've destroyed wetlands and a 3000-4000 year old Indian village, next to St. Augustine High School. They and their creepy lawyers (GEORGE McCLURE, MCCLURE BLOODWORTH and ROGERS TOWERS) can now drive around on $4.00/gallon gasoline and see what they have wrought. Like Ozymandius, only without the class and panache. Their ugly-ass developments were shoddily built, so one looks forward to them collapsing into swamps, unoccupied. McCLURE once bragged that he represented ROBERT MICHAEL GRAUBARD, "the most hated man in St. Johns County." Well, GEORGE, "that's damning with faint praise. See below.
Sign of the times: Vacant strip malls Bad luck, speculation hurt, but better times still two to three years away
Sign of the times: Vacant strip malls
Bad luck, speculation hurt, but better times still two to three years away
By Lydia Fiser
Record Intern
Publication Date: 07/26/08
Palm Plaza on State Road A1A South opened 10 months ago, but driving by it, it doesn't look open.
Ten out of the 11 units are empty. The only one that has been leased out is a Dick's Wings restaurant that received a notice Friday stating it had to pay its rent for May, June and July within three days or it would lose the unit.
"In regular circumstances it would have been unusual to not have filled those units by now," said Jonathan Bamberg, the real estate broker for Palm Plaza.
But in the poor economy, it has become common for it to take long periods of time to find businesses to come in.
"It's not a happy circumstance, but it is true market," he said.
Bamberg's situation exemplifies the state of commercial real estate. On A1A, from the Bridge of Lions to Crescent Beach, there are more than 45 empty store fronts.
One of the largest groups is Ocean Front Plaza, a strip mall on A1A with 17 empty units that have been empty since the building was ready for tenants a year ago.
It has yet to get its first tenant.
This plaza's lease rates are higher than many of the others in the area, the real estate broker for the building said.
"It might have been over-built for the area, the money put into it," said the broker, Tish Enders.
The owner has had businesses inquire into leasing some of the units but has been particular who he wants to rent to, she said.
"He'd rather it stay vacant than have a tenant leave in a year," she said.
The vacant shop windows in St. Johns County, like those of Ocean Front Plaza and Palm Plaza, are a testament to how the current economy has affected the community.
Bad timing, bad times
Experts think there are a few possible causes of the suffering industry.
Bamberg, the real estate agent, said bad timing is one problem.
Some developers planned the building of new strip malls between 2003 and 2005, before the market turned bad. When the buildings were constructed it was "just as we were in the rapidly deteriorating real estate market," he said.
So, developers were left with new buildings and no tenants because possible tenants had a hard time finding the money to open businesses and keep them open.
Another problem is that small businesses are facing tough times, said Warren Portman, owner of the Portman Plaza at the intersection of State Road 312 and A1A.
"The economy is in the dumper, gas is up to $4 a gallon," Portman said. "Consequently what this has done is hurt small businesses because people have less disposable income to spend."
Olde Carriage Realty owner Arnold DeLorenzo agrees.
"This economy is so bad that it's even hard to find tenants now," he said. "It's just hard times."
Speculation took over
Nick Sacia, the executive director of the Economic Development Council of St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, said another possible cause of the vacancies is the business model developers followed.
"During the real estate boom, we kind of got away from traditional economics in real estate," he said.
Normally, developers would buy or build a strip mall and plan to make money based on businesses they rented out their units to, he said.
But during the boom times, many developers no longer followed this strategy, he said. Instead, they never planed to make much money off of renting units, but instead planned to make money by selling their property that they predicted would substantially increase in value in a short period of time.
"They stripped out the business factor and went straight to a real estate speculation and then put a business on it," Sacia said.
But then the market changed, the boom times ended and developers were stuck with an investment that could no longer make them a sizeable profit, if any at all.
"Commercial real estate is really only worth what you can produce on that land, and we got away from that. It just got to be speculative," Sacia said.
Commercial getting better
Bamberg is hopeful for the future, though.
"It appears that residential has made a return, and commercial is improving," he said. "It does look like we have finally reached the bottom of the market as far as this part of Anastasia Island."
Palm Plaza seems to be looking toward a brighter future too, now that they've dropped their rental prices.
"We're getting more qualified individuals making inquires into the property," he said.
Bamberg said a clothing store and an out-of-state company are looking into some of the units, and he hopes at least three empty units will be filled soon.
"Before the end of this season's out, we might work our way up all the way to having a bad year," he said jokingly.
Despite glimpses of hope, though, he thinks it will take 24 to 36 months of a slowly improving market before it gets back to normal.
"It'll be a buyer's market for at least the next two or three years," Bamberg said.
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So much for the law of averages -- now take a look at all the fat butts in the local stores!
Marvelous what you can do with averages. (See below). SJC, we've got a way to go -- look at all the fat butts you see in the local grocery stores. If I worked in one, I'd be inclined to say, "sorry, sir (or m'am), you've had enough!"
St. Johns among skinniest counties
St. Johns among skinniest counties
By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/26/08
Good news, St. Johns County. You're skinny.
Money magazine recently released a list of the skinniest counties in the country based on average body mass index, which measures weight compared to a person's height, and St. Johns tied at No. 21 with Gallatin County, Mont.
Those New Year's resolutions must have paid dividends, as St. Johns didn't make the list in 2007, the first year it was made up by county.
Five of Florida's 68 counties made the Top 25, making it, according to this list, the skinniest state in the nation.
The other Florida counties that placed alongside St. Johns were: Indian River, No. 11; Sarasota, No. 13; Brevard, No. 16; and Seminole, No. 20.
So, St. Johns County, bust out a bikini or, heck, even a Speedo, and enjoy a day at the beach -- so long as you weren't one of those weighing (pun intended) the county down.
Skinniest U.S. Counties
1. Marin County, Calif.
2. San Francisco County, Calif.
T-3. Williamson County, Tenn.
T-3. Maury County, Tenn.
5. Boulder County, Colo.
6. Douglas County, Colo.
7. Alexandria, Va.
8. San Mateo County, Calif.
9. Fayette County, Ga.
10. Santa Fe County, N.M.
T-21. St. Johns County
T-21. Gallatin County, Mont.
n
Source: County data compiled by Bert Sperling of Sperling's BestPlaces.
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By CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/26/08
Good news, St. Johns County. You're skinny.
Money magazine recently released a list of the skinniest counties in the country based on average body mass index, which measures weight compared to a person's height, and St. Johns tied at No. 21 with Gallatin County, Mont.
Those New Year's resolutions must have paid dividends, as St. Johns didn't make the list in 2007, the first year it was made up by county.
Five of Florida's 68 counties made the Top 25, making it, according to this list, the skinniest state in the nation.
The other Florida counties that placed alongside St. Johns were: Indian River, No. 11; Sarasota, No. 13; Brevard, No. 16; and Seminole, No. 20.
So, St. Johns County, bust out a bikini or, heck, even a Speedo, and enjoy a day at the beach -- so long as you weren't one of those weighing (pun intended) the county down.
Skinniest U.S. Counties
1. Marin County, Calif.
2. San Francisco County, Calif.
T-3. Williamson County, Tenn.
T-3. Maury County, Tenn.
5. Boulder County, Colo.
6. Douglas County, Colo.
7. Alexandria, Va.
8. San Mateo County, Calif.
9. Fayette County, Ga.
10. Santa Fe County, N.M.
T-21. St. Johns County
T-21. Gallatin County, Mont.
n
Source: County data compiled by Bert Sperling of Sperling's BestPlaces.
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Ryan Wheeler Is Still a Mediocrity, and Sloth By Him Resulted in the Evisceration of Red House Bluff, a 3000-4000 Year Old Indian Village by SAHS
See below. With mediocre mendacious uncivil servants like Ryan Wheeler in Tallahassee, it's a wonder there are any archaeological treasures left. May the dingbat Ryan Wheeler kindly repent from his coverup ways.
Mystery bones unearthed
Mystery bones unearthed
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/22/08
St. Augustine archaeologist Carl Halbirt unearthed bones Monday that possibly could be those of a Native American.
The pieces of bones, including a possible pelvis bone, were discovered while the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind was putting in a new water line on Milton Street, Halbirt said.
He reported the find to State Archaeologist Ryan Wheeler, who asked the city in an e-mail to rebury the disturbed material where found, which is mandated under state law, and give the state a map and photos of the bones.
"We think it may be human remains, but without exposing more of it, we'll never know," Halbirt said. "It's a guessing game."
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By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/22/08
St. Augustine archaeologist Carl Halbirt unearthed bones Monday that possibly could be those of a Native American.
The pieces of bones, including a possible pelvis bone, were discovered while the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind was putting in a new water line on Milton Street, Halbirt said.
He reported the find to State Archaeologist Ryan Wheeler, who asked the city in an e-mail to rebury the disturbed material where found, which is mandated under state law, and give the state a map and photos of the bones.
"We think it may be human remains, but without exposing more of it, we'll never know," Halbirt said. "It's a guessing game."
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City faces $31,000 fine for defective pipeline
City faces $31,000 fine for defective pipeline
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/22/08
The city could pay $31,000 to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for allowing a pipeline behind its Waste Water Treatment Plant to leak into marshland.
John Regan, city chief operations officer, and other city staff met with the DEP Northeast District on Monday and said the department proposed fining the city $31,000.
But Jodi Conway, DEP spokeswoman, said the department has given "no finalized penalty amounts at this point."
"We haven't concluded looking over all the information on the enforcement side to determine the penalties," she said.
The 1,600-foot pipe, located in Lincolnville off Riberia Street, has been leaking into the marsh for years. The failing pipe was meant to dump treated water into the Intracoastal Waterway, but it instead leaked the fresh water into the saltwater marsh, where it sat stagnant.
That caused the area to become a vibrant green compared to the surrounding brown marsh, according to DEP.
Regan said the proposed DEP fine is for the city's actions from 2005 to 2007, when it failed to fix the pipe. Bob Leetch, former city public works director, reported to DEP in 2005 that the pipe was leaking. City Manager Bill Harriss said it was not fixed because it cost too much money.
Leetch also said DEP never followed up with the city, and the pipeline "fell off the radar." Leetch then left the city on his own accord in 2006.
Regan said of his meeting Monday, "(DEP) was very concerned about the time frame from 2005 to 2007."
"It was 2007 when the city picked up steam in addressing the problem," he said.
Leetch's proposal to Harriss to replace the pipe cost more than $3 million. In the last month, city staff has found another way to install a new pipeline for $1 million.
Leetch said there were rumors of problems with the pipeline in 2004, and the city repaired the pipe in 2003 and 2007. He said, once he got involved in 2005 and saw the pipe was leaking, he wrote a letter to DEP.
A DEP wetlands expert said last week that the marshlands surrounding the pipe are fairly healthy.
Regan said the city will likely come back to DEP with a counter offer to the proposed $31,000 fine.
"We have not agreed yet. We plan to have ongoing discussions (with DEP)," Regan said. "We are committed to working this out with the state."
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By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 07/22/08
The city could pay $31,000 to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for allowing a pipeline behind its Waste Water Treatment Plant to leak into marshland.
John Regan, city chief operations officer, and other city staff met with the DEP Northeast District on Monday and said the department proposed fining the city $31,000.
But Jodi Conway, DEP spokeswoman, said the department has given "no finalized penalty amounts at this point."
"We haven't concluded looking over all the information on the enforcement side to determine the penalties," she said.
The 1,600-foot pipe, located in Lincolnville off Riberia Street, has been leaking into the marsh for years. The failing pipe was meant to dump treated water into the Intracoastal Waterway, but it instead leaked the fresh water into the saltwater marsh, where it sat stagnant.
That caused the area to become a vibrant green compared to the surrounding brown marsh, according to DEP.
Regan said the proposed DEP fine is for the city's actions from 2005 to 2007, when it failed to fix the pipe. Bob Leetch, former city public works director, reported to DEP in 2005 that the pipe was leaking. City Manager Bill Harriss said it was not fixed because it cost too much money.
Leetch also said DEP never followed up with the city, and the pipeline "fell off the radar." Leetch then left the city on his own accord in 2006.
Regan said of his meeting Monday, "(DEP) was very concerned about the time frame from 2005 to 2007."
"It was 2007 when the city picked up steam in addressing the problem," he said.
Leetch's proposal to Harriss to replace the pipe cost more than $3 million. In the last month, city staff has found another way to install a new pipeline for $1 million.
Leetch said there were rumors of problems with the pipeline in 2004, and the city repaired the pipe in 2003 and 2007. He said, once he got involved in 2005 and saw the pipe was leaking, he wrote a letter to DEP.
A DEP wetlands expert said last week that the marshlands surrounding the pipe are fairly healthy.
Regan said the city will likely come back to DEP with a counter offer to the proposed $31,000 fine.
"We have not agreed yet. We plan to have ongoing discussions (with DEP)," Regan said. "We are committed to working this out with the state."
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/072208/news_072208_037.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
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