St Augustine City Blog

Note:  All construction projects will be suspended from Friday, July 3 until Monday, July 6 for the Independence Day holiday. All state offices will be closed Friday, July 3.

ST. AUGUSTINE — The following lane closures are scheduled on road construction projects in Putnam and St. Johns Counties, July 6 - 10, 2009. 

ST. JOHNS COUNTY
State Road A1A – Bridge of Lions (contact Laurie Sanderson:  904-825-3647 or 904-669-1165)
No lane or road closures are scheduled during the week of July 6, 2009 at the Bridge of Lions Rehabilitation project site. The next set of channel closures is scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 7, at 8 a.m. and last until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Please visit the Bridge of Lions website at www.FDOTBridgeofLions.com for more information.

**State Road 312 at Mizell Road Roadway Repairs - REVISED**
No lane closures are scheduled on this project this week.

U.S. 1 from Moultrie Creek near Vail Point Road to State Road 207
No lane closures are scheduled on this project this week.

State Road 16 from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A
There are no lane closures scheduled on the State Road 16 four-laning project from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A for the week of July 6.

PUTNAM COUNTY
State Road 20 from the Alachua County line to U.S. 17 in East Palatka
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on State Road 20 between the Alachua County line and U.S. 17 in East Palatka as inmate crews repaint the roadway markings.

State Road 20 from Hollister to InterlachenÂ
Daytime lane shifts are scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 10 on State Road 20 from Hollister to County Road 315 in Interlachen. Crews will be making adjustments to the pavement in preparation of paving the final layer of asphalt on the roadway. 

County Road 315 at the State Road 209 Intersection in Interlachen
Lane closures and traffic shifts are scheduled this week on County Road 315 both north and south of the intersection with State Road 20 in Interlachen as changes are made to the traffic separators.

U.S. 17 from County Road 309 in Satsuma to Currie Road in San Mateo
Periodic daytime lane closures may occur on U.S. 17 south of Dunns Creek Bridge Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 10 between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. while concrete is delivered for the extension of the box culvert.

MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the Public Information Office at 1-800-475-0044 or e-mail sdmancil@pbsj.com.

St. Augustine will celebrate Independence Day this weekend with it’s usual bang on the bayfront. Music and fireworks will fill the cobblestone streets of the Oldest City starting at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 4.

Festivities will get under way with a free concert in the Plaza de la Constitucion from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The All Star Orchestra will entertain the crowds a mix of swing music and a few traditional, patriotic favorites. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for seating.

Following the concert, find a spot along the historic bayfront for the dazzling display of Fireworks over Matanzas. The event, which draws more people to downtown St. Augustine than any other, will begin at 9:30 p.m. with a simulcast on WFOY/1240. The fireworks show will include approximately 5,000 individual shells that will explode anywhere between 100 and 2,000 feet over the bay.

As a result of the fireworks spectacular, many roads in downtown will be closed or re-routed (see information below). Parking will be available at the Historic Downtown Parking Facility at the Visitors Information Center as well as all other public parking lots throughout downtown. The parking area at the Castillo de San Marcos, however, will be closed from 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.

Grab the family, head downtown this Saturday and celebrate our nation’s birthday in the place where it began!

For more information, please visit www.staugustinegovernment.com.

JULY 4TH STREET CLOSURES:

All day:

• Charlotte St. between King St. and Cathedral Place

8:30 p.m. until approximately 10:30 p.m.:

• The Temporary Bridge of Lions
• S. Castillo Dr. and Avenida Menendez north of the Temporary Bridge of Lions
• Cathedral Pl from Avenida Menendez to St. George Street
• Orange St. from S. Castillo Dr. to Ponce de Leon Blvd. (US1)

Detours in effect from 8:30 p.m. until approximately 10:30 p.m.:

• King St. will be two-way
• King St. eastbound will turn north on St. George St., then west on Cathedral Pl (detour routed to Cordova St. to King St)
• Avenida Menendez northbound will turn west on King St.
• San Marco Ave. southbound will turn west on W. Castillo Dr. to Ponce de Leon Blvd. (US1)
• W. Castillo Drive. eastbound will turn north on San Marco Ave.
• Anastasia Blvd. westbound may not cross the Temporary Bridge of Lions.

George W. Alford III, “Big George”, 61, Port Orange, went to meet our Lord on June 23, 2009 after fighting a long battle with Leukemia. Services will be announced at a later date. George was born in Daytona Beach on December 26, 1947, and was a member of Port Orange Christian Church. He attended Mainland High School and D.B.C.C. and was a Sergeant in the Army National Guard. As a young man, he worked at his family’s business, Alford Electric Motor Repairs, for a number of years. Being the “shade tree mechanic” that he was, he then opened his own consulting and ground water rehabilitation company, Alford, Rogers, Cullimore Concepts, Inc. George was the holder of seven U.S. Patents and was a consultant for the E.P.A., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Overseas Companies and International Governments. Since the early 90’s, George was an enthusiastic participant in Alafia River Rendezvous, which is a pre-1840 living history event in Florida where he made many friends. He was also a participant in British Night watch in St. Augustine each year. Those who knew George would say he was truly “larger than life.” He had a wonderful sense of humor, had many friends and never met a stranger. He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle and a dear friend to all. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Barbara to whom he was married 33 years; daughters, Sherri DeCoudres, Port Orange, Cindy Ciresi, Port Orange; brothers, Julian Leslie (Becky) Alford, Minden, LA, James (Linda) Alford, Port Orange; nieces, Tracy (Jeff) Moore, Pensacola, FL, Alicia Queally, Easton, CT, Michelle Pawlish, Rockville, MD; nephew, Julian Leslie Black, Dearing, GA; great niece, Taylor; great nephews, Zachary and Christopher; and Goddaughter, Tabatha Carwise, Daytona Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to Port Orange Christian Church, 904 Taylor Road, Port Orange, FL 32127 or to Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com.

Old City is excited to announce the addition of its newest family member—Auglink Communications, Inc. Just 24 hours after St. Augustine’s first privately owned dial-up Internet service provider informed its customers that it would be closing its doors, Auglink users were able to breathe a sigh of relief that their email and Internet connections would be spared thanks to a last-minute reprieve from Old City Web Services, Inc.

President of Auglink, Maurice Morissette, delivered the bad news to customers in an email late Tuesday afternoon, declaring that Auglink would be out of business on Friday, June 26, 2009. But in a second e-mail sent to company users on Wednesday evening, Old City Web Services, Inc. President Chuck Nusbaum announced, “Good news! Nothing is going to happen this Friday!�

Customers of Auglink will now be welcomed into the Old City family, which includes Old City Web Services, a full-service design studio (oldcitywebservices.com) and St. Augustine’s most popular web portal, Old City (oldcity.com).

Auglink was originally launched in 1994 and incorporated in 1995, during a time when the country’s leading Internet provider, America Online, did not offer a local, toll free number for St. Augustine web users. Elkus and partner Eric Hinson later expanded the company to provide e-mail services as well through “aug.com.â€�

Elkus also started Old City Web Services, which was acquired by Nusbaum in 2005.

Though much is still to be sorted out in the transition, Nusbaum wants Auglink customers to know that their e-mail accounts are still active and fully operational.

“For a while, you won’t notice any difference–except possibly a little better service,â€� Nusbaum said in his initial e-mail to Auglink customers. “We do have some short and long term plans in place to improve the quality of your service experience and possibly lower some prices.â€�

For more information, contact Old City Web Services at (904) 829-2772 .

ST. AUGUSTINE — The following lane closures are scheduled on road construction projects in Putnam and St. Johns Counties, June 27 through July 2, 2009. 

Note:  All construction projects will be suspended from Friday, July 3 until Monday, July 6 for the Independence Day holiday. All state offices will be closed Friday, July 3.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY
State Road A1A – Bridge of Lions (contact Laurie Sanderson:  904-825-3647 or 904-669-1165)
No lane or road closures are scheduled during the week of June 29, 2009 at the Bridge of Lions Rehabilitation project site. The 48-hour channel closure affecting marine traffic originally scheduled June 29-July 1, 2009 has been canceled. The remaining scheduled channel closures are still in effect. The next set of channel closures is scheduled to begin July 7, 2009. Please visit the Bridge of Lions website at www.FDOTBridgeofLions.com for more information.

State Road 312 at Mizell Road Roadway Repairs
Westbound State Road 312 at Mizell Road is scheduled to be reduced to one lane Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. while crews make repairs to the roadway.  The lane closures will be a total length of one half mile.  Work is scheduled to take place every weekday through July 10 barring unforeseen conditions such as bad weather.

State Road 206 from State Road 207 to State Road A1A
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on State Road 206 between State Road 207 and State Road A1A as inmate crews repaint the roadway markings.

U.S. 1 from Moultrie Creek near Vail Point Road to State Road 207
No lane closures are scheduled on this project this week.

State Road 16 from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A
There are no lane closures scheduled on the State Road 16 four-laning project from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A for the week of June 26.

PUTNAM COUNTY
State Road 20 from the Alachua County line to U.S. 17 in East Palatka
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on State Road 20 between the Alachua County line and U.S. 17 in East Palatka as inmate crews repaint the roadway markings.

State Road 20 from Hollister to InterlachenÂ
Daytime lane shifts are scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday, June 29 through Thursday, July 2 on State Road 20 from Hollister to County Road 315 in Interlachen while crews continue to work on concrete and drainage.  With the recent shift in traffic, motorists are now traveling on both the east- and westbound travel lanes, so vehicles coming off of the side streets must stop prior to crossing to the median.  Please use caution in the area and be aware of the new traffic pattern.

County Road 315 at the State Road 209 Intersection in Interlachen
Lane closures and traffic shifts are scheduled this week on County Road 315 both north and south of the intersection with State Road 20 in Interlachen as changes are made to the traffic separators.

U.S. 17 from County Road 309 in Satsuma to Currie Road in San Mateo
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on U.S. 17 south of Dunns Creek Bridge Monday, June 29 through Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while crews continue clearing the construction area and begin work on the drainage structure beneath the bridge.

Shands Bridge on State Road 16 in Clay and St. Johns Counties
The Shands Bridge over the St. Johns River between Clay and St. Johns Counties, will be reduced to one lane with flaggers directing traffic on Wednesday, July 1 from 9:30- a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for routine bridge maintenance.

MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the Public Information Office at 1-800-475-0044 or e-mail sdmancil@pbsj.com.

Michael  Jackson, the “King of Pop”,  apparently died this afternoon of massave coranary failure.
Various news sources reported earlier today that Michael Jackson suffered a heart attack this afternoon at a home on the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard in Bel Air that Jackson rented. He was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Paramedics responded to a call at Jackson’s home at 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and took him to the hospital.

A Jackson family member, who was not identified, had told TMZ.com that Michael was in “really bad shape� as the brothers headed to the hospital.

TMZ later reported “We’ve just learned Michael Jackson has died. Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon and paramedics were unable to revive him. We’re told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.�

ST. AUGUSTINE — The following lane closures are scheduled on road construction projects in Putnam and St. Johns Counties, June 20 through June 26, 2009. 

ST. JOHNS COUNTY
State Road A1A – Bridge of Lions (contact Laurie Sanderson:  904-825-3647 or 904-669-1165)
No lane or road closures are scheduled during the week of June 22, 2009 at the Bridge of Lions Rehabilitation project site. Channel closures affecting marine traffic only begin June 22, 2009 and continue at various scheduled times throughout the summer to accommodate construction of the center span of the Rehabilitated Bridge of Lions. Please visit the Bridge of Lions website at www.FDOTBridgeofLions.com for more information.

State Road 312 at Mizell Road Roadway Repairs
Westbound State Road 312 at Mizell Road is scheduled to be reduced to one lane Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. while crews make repairs to the roadway.  The lane closures will be a total length of one half mile.  Work is scheduled to take place every weekday through July 10 barring unforeseen conditions such as bad weather.

State Road 206 from State Road 207 to State Road A1A
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on State Road 206 between State Road 207 and State Road A1A as inmate crews repaint the roadway markings.

U.S. 1 from Moultrie Creek near Vail Point Road to State Road 207
Nighttime lane closures are scheduled Sunday, June 21 through Friday, June 26 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Moultrie Creek to State Road 207 while crews work on the shoulder of the roadway. 

State Road 16 from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A
There are no lane closures scheduled on the State Road 16 four-laning project from International Golf Parkway to County Road 13A for the week of June 22.

PUTNAM COUNTY
State Road 20 from the Alachua County line to U.S. 17 in East Palatka
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on State Road 20 between the Alachua County line and U.S. 17 in East Palatka as inmate crews repaint the roadway markings.

State Road 20 from Hollister to InterlachenÂ
Daytime lane shifts are scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26 on State Road 20 from Hollister to County Road 315 in Interlachen while crews continue to work on concrete and drainage.  With the recent shift in traffic, motorists are now traveling on both the east- and westbound travel lanes, so vehicles coming off of the side streets must stop prior to crossing to the median.  Please use caution in the area and be aware of the new traffic pattern.

County Road 315 at the State Road 209 Intersection in Interlachen
Lane closures and traffic shifts are scheduled this week on County Road 315 both north and south of the intersection with State Road 20 in Interlachen as changes are made to the traffic separators.

U.S. 17 from County Road 309 in Satsuma to Currie Road in San Mateo
Daytime lane closures are scheduled on U.S. 17 south of Dunns Creek Bridge Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while crews continue clearing the construction area and begin work on the drainage structure beneath the bridge.

S.R. 19 on the Florida Barge Canal
The Florida Barge Canal located on State Road 19, approximately 10 miles south of State Road 20, will be reduced to one lane with flaggers directing traffic on Tuesday, June 23 from 9:30- a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for routine bridge maintenance.

MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the Public Information Office at 1-800-475-0044 or e-mail sdmancil@pbsj.com.

Street Closures on July 4th

All day
• Charlotte St. between King St. and Cathedral Pl.

8:30pm until approximately 10:30pm
• The Temporary Bridge of Lions
• S. Castillo Dr. and Avenida Menendez north of the Temporary Bridge of Lions
• Cathedral Pl. from Avenida Menendez to St. George St.
• Orange St. from S. Castillo Dr. to Ponce de Leon Blvd. (U.S. 1)

Detours in effect from 8:30pm until approximately 10:30pm
• King St. will be two-way
• King St. eastbound will turn north on St. George St., then west on Cathedral Pl. (detour routed to Cordova St. to King St.)
• Avenida Menendez northbound will turn west on King St.
• San Marco Ave. southbound will turn west on W. Castillo Dr. to Ponce de Leon Blvd. (U.S. 1)
• W. Castillo Dr. eastbound will turn north on San Marco Ave.
• Anastasia Blvd. westbound may not cross the Temporary Bridge of Lions

Parking
• The Historic Downtown Parking Facility at the Visitors Information Center can accommodate 1,200 cars. The cost is $7.00 for all day.
• All public parking throughout the city will be available at no charge the entire the day.
• There will be no access to or from the parking lot of the Castillo de San Marcos National monument from 6:00pm until 11:00pm.

St. Augustine’s Great July 4th Tradition Continues

6:00pm - Concert by The All Star Orchestra
8:30pm - Traffic detours begin
9:30pm - Fireworks!

Holidays are built around traditions and few holidays have more great family traditions than the Fourth of July: great food, outdoor band concerts, a day with friends and family, and of course, fireworks! They all come together in a grand celebration and there’s no better place to celebrate Independence Day than in the Nation’s Oldest City.

First, there’s music

Starting at 6:00pm one of the region’s most popular big bands, The All Star Orchestra, returns to the Plaza de la Constitución for a two-hour show filled with Big Band and Swing music along with all the traditional patriotic favorites. The All Star Orchestra’s performance from the Plaza’s Gazebo runs from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. The concert is free and those attending should bring lounge chairs for seating.

Then there’s fireworks!

Fireworks over the Matanzas, the highlight of St. Augustine’s traditional July 4th activities has become synonymous with celebrating Independence Day in the Nation’s Oldest City. The spectacular aerial display of pyrotechnics high over Matanzas Bay begins at 9:30pm.

The 20-minute display is tightly choreographed to a stirring soundtrack of great popular music delivered over an extensive sound system transforming the entire Bayfront between the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and the Temporary Bridge of Lions into a theatre of sight and sound.

Local radio station WFOY/1240-AM will provide a simulcast of the soundtrack so those viewing the display from any location will be able to fully experience Fireworks Over The Matanzas as long as they have a radio.
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Enjoy downtown after the show

Since July 4th falls on a Saturday this year, it is expected that many people will remain downtown at the conclusion of the show for a late dinner or to visit the shops that have learned the value of extended hours after the fireworks. Given the choice between spending time strolling downtown with friends and family or sitting in traffic wasting gas, more and more people are taking their time.

Keep it safe and legal

Those attending Fireworks Over The Matanzas should remember two important safety rules that will be strictly enforced:Â
• Alcohol is prohibited on public property, including parks, streets and sidewalks; and
• Possession of fireworks that explode or leave the ground is illegal. Those found with such fireworks will be subject to citation or arrest and will have prohibited fireworks confiscated. The cost of the citation is $100.00.
Simply put: Have a great time with friends and family, but keep it safe and legal!

In the event medical assistance is needed,  the St. Augustine Fire Department along with St. Johns County Emergency Medical Services will have a base station at the main entrance to the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and will have personnel roving on bicycles throughout the evening.
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Getting in, parking, and getting out

St. Augustine’s annual Fireworks Over The Matanzas draws more people–and cars–into the downtown area than any other single event all year long. A growing trend in recent years has been the use of bicycles by those who live close to downtown or carpooling with friends to minimize the number of cars in need of a place to park.

Rerouting of traffic will begin at 8:30pm and will include closing of the Temporary Bridge of Lions, Avenida Menendez and South Castillo Drive to all vehicular traffic to accommodate the vast number of pedestrians. The best advice is to arrive early, explore the city, enjoy the show, and be patient during departure.

For those who do drive into the city, parking in city owned parking lots and on the street will be free on July 4th with the largest concentration of surface parking located on Granada Street behind the Lightner Building. The Historic Downtown Parking Facility located at the Visitors Information Center can accommodate 1,200 vehicles and for July 4th will be charging a flat $7.00 for all day parking. Also there will be no access to or from the parking lot of the Castillo de San Marcos National monument from 6:00pm until 11:00pm.

While St. Augustine’s Old World streets are a key component of its Old World charm, it is also a challenge when dispersing large numbers of vehicles, but the St. Augustine Police Department has refined a traffic plan that moves vehicles safely and as quickly as possible out of the downtown area following the fireworks. This plan includes having some streets made one-way out of the downtown to two lanes of King St. dedicated to west-bound traffic out of the downtown as well as both lanes of West Castillo Dr. Traffic signals in the downtown area, along Ponce de Leon Blvd. (U.S. 1), Anastasia Blvd  (A1A), and State Roads 312, 207 and 16 will be monitored to facilitate traffic flow.

Members of the St. Augustine City Commission will hold a brief ceremony this Saturday, June 20, to dedicate a marker commemorating the visit to St. Augustine by Frederick Douglass, 19th Century American abolitionist, author and statesmen. The ceremony, to be held at the marker located on St. George St. just north of Treasury St., will start at 9:30am.

Douglass spoke to the residents of St. Augustine on Sunday, April 7, 1889 in the Genovar Opera House which was located in that vicinity. During Saturday’s dedication, Gerald Eubanks, a well know local actor and lifelong resident of St. Augustine, will portray Douglass and offer a few remarks in that role as part of Saturday’s ceremony.

Born into slavery in 1818, Douglass rose in the pre-Civil War years to become a leader in the abolitionist cause and in the late nineteenth century a tireless advocate for the African-American community and civil liberties. Douglass played a vital role in persuading President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Douglass’ visit to St. Augustine included a reception attended by an estimated 700 people, which the Florida Times-Union described as “including prominent people of both races.� St. Augustine’s mayor welcomed Douglass on behalf of the Governor of Florida after which Douglass spoke about the continuing struggle of African Americans to achieve civil rights in the post-Emancipation Era. 

The marker is the seventh in a series of city produced historical informational markers. The others are located at: the Plaza de la Constitución; City Hall, formerly the Alcazar Hotel; Twine Park, recognizing the contributions of Henry and Kat Twine; on St. George St. near the Arrivas House, commemorating the city’s Minorcan heritage; at the Visitor Information Center describing the Caños de San Francisco, or Fountains of San Francisco; and on Tremerton St. noting the location of the 18th century mission community of Nuestra Senora de Rosario de la Punta.