February Treasure Beach News

Hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather. If you’re disappointed, just keep thinking Spring’ and we’ll be there before you know it.


Bingo for Books
About 30+ adults showed up for the second Anastasia Island Branch Library Bingo for Books which was held on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009. This is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Anastasia Branch Library. Anne called out the numbers and was extremely diligent in making sure that all of us would have an equal chance at getting a free adult fiction book.

The books, almost new, were supplied by the Library. The next opportunity for this event will be Saturday, March 14, 2009. Come out and have fun while making new friends. Newcomers and returnees are always welcome.


In case you missed it, here is a portion of the article Sheriff David Shoar, St. Johns County Sheriff, wrote in the February issue of the St. Augustine Beaches News Journal in regards to Underage Alcohol Compliance Operation.

“The men and women of the Sheriff’s Office are committed to keeping our children safe and holding those who serve alcohol to minors accountable. Periodically the Sheriff’s Office along with the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) conduct underage alcohol compliance operations at random businesses throughout the county. These operations will continue throughout the county until we reach our goal of 100% compliance.


Unfortunately, there are many other methods our children obtain alcohol. According to the 2008 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, over thirty three percent (33%) of St. Johns County middle school students said they have used alcohol. Over sixty eight percent (68%) of St. Johns County high school students said they have used alcohol. Children often use fake I.D.’s to purchase alcohol. They also have an older friend or sibling buy for them. Some hover around the outside of a convenience store or grocery store and ask strangers to purchase alcohol for them. One of the more common methods our children obtain alcohol is from their parents in their own home. Children will take beer or other alcoholic beverages from outside refrigerators.
It is a very common practice for kids to drain liquor bottles from their home and fill them with other liquids, such as water. Parents need to be more aware of these methods and not have alcohol so readily accessible in their home. It is the responsibility of the parents and community to keep our children safe.

I hope that this information will enlighten you that an underage drinking problem exists and I ask that if you see someone either selling alcohol to minors or someone purchasing alcohol for minors, that you would report them to your local law enforcement agency. Please feel free to contact me anytime at my email address at dshoar@sjso.org”


Request for Photographs
The City of St. Augustine Beach was incorporated in November of 1959 and the city will become 50 years old this year. Photographs are needed for a retrospective in October. The Historical Society’s Library has provided photos of the trolleys, model T Fords, Skeeters, Dune Buggys, trucks and Jeeps. Organizers are in need of photos of you and your buddies enjoying the beautiful beach and surf in the 60’s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Photos of weddings, birthdays, reunions, picnics, beach tennis, volleyball, hanging out at the beach, old photos of hotels, motels, drive-ins, and souvenir shops, etc. Each photo will be handled professionally as an historic archive. Each photo donor will be listed as a sponsor. Contact Melissa Stuart at 501-1253.

Attention: All St. Johns County Eligible Voters
On January 22, 2009 the following editorial appeared in the St. Augustine Record. I believe that it is very important information for all eligible voters so here it is again in case you missed it!

Florida’s next statewide election is the August 24, 2010 primary, about 20 months away. So why, you ask, are we talking about it now?

Because the office of Supervisor of Elections, Penny Halyburton, says it is a good time to do some housekeeping on your voter registration – or to get registered if you aren’t – without the rush of an election just around the corner.

A notice on the home page of the state’s Division of Elections website –
http://election.dos.state.fl.us -- says, “Prepare now for future elections.”

If you are registered, don’t assume you are good to go.

1) Has your address changed?
2) Have you moved here from another county or state?
3) Has your name changed?
4) Has your signature changed?

Most registered voters know to make changes when they change their name or address. But updating their signature may not be on top of the mind. It is especially important, according to Halyburton’s office, if you intend to ever vote absentee. The signature on your absentee ballot must match the signature on your voter registration card.

In St. Johns County’s 2008 General Election ballot count, 47 absentee ballots out of 21,000-plus cast did not count because of a bad signature. That’s not a lot, but it is 47 votes that could have affected a countywide election. But none were that close. If you have been following the Minnesota race and the re-ballot count between Franken and Coleman, then you may understand how important absentee ballots have be
So, if your signature doesn’t look the same as it did, say, 10, 15 or 20 years ago, check it out with the elections office. You can do so by mail or in person. The voter registration form can be used for changes in signature, address, name, party affiliation, or to register to vote. Call 823-2238 to have one sent to you, or go to http://www.sjcvotes.us and follow the link to voter registration.

Print it out and mail it in to the Supervisor of Elections, 4455 Avenue A, Suite 101, St. Augustine, FL 32095.

Whether or not you think you will ever vote absentee, make the change just in case.
Do it now while it is on your mind! It’s never too early to be sure your vote will count.

On Monday, Jan. 26, 2009 we attended a dinner and movie to benefit St. Johns Cultural Council at the Gypsy Cab Bar & Grill, 830 Anastasia Blvd. The movie, “A Deal is a Deal” was a dark and deadly British comedy which told the story of a subway train driver named Paul, who has a dream. He longs to commune with nature and write novels. Both the buffet and movie were very enjoyable. I believe a good time was had by all who attended.

1908 to 2008 - A Century in Review

2008 was a dreadful year for many who saw their life savings evaporate. Some lost jobs and even their homes. But consider these statistics for the year 1908 –

 The average life expectancy was 47 years.
 Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
 Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
 There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
 The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
 The average wage in 1908 was 22 centers per hour.
 The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
 More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
 Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
 Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for
shampoo.
 The American flag had 45 stars. The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30.
 Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Maybe it’s time to count our blessings as we go forward in 2009 and while we still have hope that it will get better?


Here are some more Florida Fun Facts

http://www.great-florida-vacations.com/floridafun-facts.html

Did you know?

1. The Florida Keys, there are more than (count ‘em) 800! Many are teeny-tiny, and they stretch for 180 miles into the ocean.

2. You know that Florida has miles and miles of beaches – want to know how many? Try
roughly 1,100 miles of sand and surf.

3. The deepest natural spring in the whole world is Wakulla Springs in the Florida
Panhandle.

4. The St. John’s River in northeast Florida is one of the few rivers in the world that flows north instead of south.

5. And although this is only kind of “water-y”, the longest fishing pier in the world is in Tampa Bay. It is a portion of the old (original) collapsed Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Over the next few months, I would like to share with you a condensed version of Annie
Gottleib’s “20 Good Things that Happens to You as You Get Older” which was reprinted with permission from McCall’s magazine by the New York Times Company and appeared in the Orlando Regional Medical Center’s Fall 1991 Quarterly Publication for the Community. This month will be 1 through 5.

1. You get smarter.
Sigmund Freud published his first great work, The Interpretation of Dreams, at age 44
Henry Kissinger was appointed secretary of state at 50
Rachel Carson completed her classic on environmental damage, Silent Spring, at 55.

According to the experts, there was only one thing unusual about these people. They kept using their brains.

2. Your mental health improves.
Studies show that our psychological defense mechanisms – ways of coping with difficult feelings – become healthier as we grow older. When young, we protect ourselves from such feelings with strategies such as denial and impulsive acting-out. In later years, we rely far more on constructive defenses like humor, altruism and creativity.

3. You feel freer sexually.
As with mental activity, sexuality feeds on itself. Those who are sexually active are most likely to stay active into their older years. Often they become more open to the affectionate, tender, sensual aspects of lovemaking. A couple’s sex life may also heighten dramatically after their children grow up and leave home.

4. You take charge of your health.
Our lifestyle choices, as much as our genes, determine how fast we age. Problems we used to associate with age can now be forestalled, even avoided, because we’re in better health. After all, a fit, healthy 25-year old body is a gift most of us take for granted. A fit, healthy 50-or 70-year-old body reflects a conscious decision we can take pride in.

5. You feel your power.
People in their middle and later years are at the height of their professional effectiveness. Freed from other responsibilities, they can focus on work, acquiring new skills and developing new interests.

These years are “the age of competence,” says psychoanalyst Elizabeth L. Auchincloss, MD, “when people get a great deal of satisfaction and security out of realizing they have something to offer others.”

The Chinese New Year began on January 26, 2009.

It is the Year of the Ox, which is also known by the formal name of Yi Chou. For centuries, the Chinese calendar has been in continuous use. The more common International Calendar – or Gregorian Calendar – only goes back about 430 years. If you were born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985 and 1997, this is your Year.

Personality Traits of the Ox
http://www.lifescript.com


If you were born in the Year of the Oxen, one of your main attributes is your desire to get the job done. An Ox seldom procrastinates. It’s just not part of your makeup. The Ox succeeds through perseverance, and for the most part, that is exactly how it works out.

Because work is their major motivator, they have no time for people they perceive as being lazy.

They do not make friends easily and never strike up a friendship based on a first impression.

They prefer to have a few close friends, but can live without a bushel full of acquaintances.

Just as you would suspect, the Ox can be stubborn and downright obstinate. Once their mind is made up, they rarely change it. There’s a good chance that an Ox was the first to ask, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?”

Although Ox people would prefer to live in the country, when this is impossible, they create a relaxing atmosphere at home even when living in a big city.

Western Counterpart: Capricorn
Famous Oxen: Warren Beatty, Bill Cosby, Madeleine Albright, Margaret Thatcher, Bruce
Springsteen, Vincent Van Gogh, Jon Bon Jovi, Charlie Chaplin, Aristotle, Robert Kennedy, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Burton, Kate Moss, Meg Ryan, George Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr., Anthony Hopkins, Heather Locklear, Eddie Murphy, Jane Fonda, Princess Diana, Meryl Streep, Sigorney Weaver, Jim Carrey, Walt Disney, Paul Newman, and Jack Nicholson.