Temperatures in St. Augustine are predicted to hit 99 this week as we roll into our hottest month of the year, so what can you do out there to stay cool? Eat ice cream!

While downtown maybe loaded with yogurt and ice cream shops, those of us who live on the edge of the city haven’t had many options since TCBY left town–that is, until recently when local couple Jason and Laura Welty opened an ice cream shop called Cold Cow on US1 just south of Moultrie Creek.

Cold Cow offers a wide variety of flavors and treats from soft serve ice cream to Italian ice and custard. They also have fresh baked cookies, waffle and cake cones, and a list of toppings to tickle your taste buds. Jason also tries his hand at a few special mixes including the popular Cookie Monster flavor (which is no longer tinted blue, but still delicious!) and his recent Trash Bag creation that includes seven different types of candy bars.

Jason and Laura greet every customer with a friendly smile and if you make Cold Cow a frequent stop, they will remember your name and your favorite order! They can also cater birthday parties and have a bouncy house for rent that’s often in use at the store on the weekends (much to the joy of Jason and Laura’s two kids!).

We’re genuine fans of Cold Cow and its owners, which is why we want to spread the word! The store is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m . (11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights). If you’re not sure what to get, we can recommend some of our favorites:

Shannon - Pina Colada Italian Ice with Custard

Toni - Creme de Menthe soft serve with Cookie Dough

Cecile - Cookies and Cream

Chuck - Mango sherbet

Visit the Cold Cow website for information on all the ice cream flavors and toppings they have to offer!

Local citizens (both the people and animal varieties) will be glad to know that the St. Augustine Humane Society has re-opened its doors! The newly renovated facility will be open for business Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Although the SAHS is not currently housing pets, they will open their doors as an education center to help the local community with its informational needs about the proper care of our animal companions.

The SAHS also offers important services to the community including their low-cost spay and neuter service called the “Spay Shuttle” (which launches every Thursday) and a series of dog and puppy training classes that take place each week. These services will be on-going as the renovations to the new facility are completed.

If you’d like to help out, the St. Augustine Humane Society is currently seeking volunteers for their committee programs (overseeing certain aspects of the group’s operation) as well as receptionists and greeters to welcome guests on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The OldCity.com family is thrilled to welcome SAHS and all of its hard-working volunteers back into the community! We can’t wait until all of the new renovations are complete!

- OldCity.com

Happy Friday, folks! For those of you in St. Augustine, I hope you are staying indoors today, it’s pretty wet out there. Had to go downtown this morning and I thought I might have to swim from the car to my destination! I don’t recommend heading down there unless you have to.

We’ve been getting a lot of great press attention for the unveiling of the St. Augustine iPhone App featuring the Shiversand Awe tour. I wanted to share some of it, along with the reviews it’s been getting.

Story on Historic City News

Blog from HauntJaunts.com

St. Aug News Story

The SOP Radio Network (includes audio interview)

Five-Star Reviews from iTunes:

This is a must have app.

by sOulbAit - Dec 18, 2009

This is a must have app. I live near St. Augustine and just love the ghost stories. Now I can carry my iPhone around and start and stop the tour at anytime. I can do part of the tour and then come back another day to finish the tour. The voice is very easy to understand, the map makes it super easy to follow the course to each of the destinations. To top it off, the app is FREE. I love it. Enjoy.

I love this tour

by a thorn - Dec 8, 2009

I am so glad to see this tour is now an app. Will go tonight.

great even for locals

by Rev. Neβie - Dec 10, 2009

im a local here in st. augustine, and this brings you to only the best parts of downtown…its great! no tourist traps either!

If you want more information on what the St. Augustine App has to offer, check out iphone.oldcity.com. You can download the app from iTunes for FREE a limited time.

-OldCity.com

New Technology for the Oldest City: Introducing the St. Augustine iPhone Application

Old City Web Services and SAGPS Adventure Tours are revolutionizing the way people discover the Oldest City with the St. Augustine iPhone App featuring the Shivers and Awe Tour available on iTunes and powered by GeoQuest Technologies, Inc.

St. Augustine – The Nation’s Oldest City is stepping into modern times with the new St. Augustine Application for the iPhone and iPod touch powered by GeoQuest Technologies, Inc. The application is available for free starting today, Wednesday, Dec. 9, on Apple iTunes. Developed through a partnership between local businesses Old City Web Services and SAGPS Adventure Tours, the exclusive application offers locals and visitors the ability to discover St. Augustine like never before.

“We’re thrilled to present this application to our customers and to the general public in and around St. Augustine,� said Old City Web Services president and CEO, Chuck Nusbaum. “Our goal is always to keep the Oldest City on the leading edge of technology to the benefit of local businesses, visitors and residents alike.�

The first phase of the St. Augustine App features a GPS-enabled tour of St. Augustine’s spooky side through the unique vision of the “Shivers and Awe� tour. With the help of an engaging narrator, visitors and locals alike can explore the macabre past of some of St. Augustine’s most popular destinations at their own pace.

“I am very excited to bring new and innovative entertainment using smart phone technology to the nation’s oldest city,� said Jeff Tabor, president of SAGPS Tours, Inc. “I believe that residents of northeast Florida, as well as visitors to our city and local businesses will find the St. Augustine iPhone application both entertaining and user friendly.�

The next phase of the application will act as an extension of OldCity.com, St. Augustine’s leading web portal. Just as locals and visitors can find a wealth of St. Augustine information on OldCity.com, users of the application will be able to surf through listings of local restaurants, shops and attractions with detailed descriptions and contact information.

This addition to the St. Augustine App will also offer a unique opportunity to local businesses looking for new ways to reach customers. Location-based and direct-to-consumer advertising will enable local businesses to guide customers directly to their doorstep. Advances in technology, such as smart phone applications, will help local businesses increase their visibility.

iPhone and iPod touch users are encouraged to go ahead and download the application from iTunes. Doing so will give them access to the Shivers and Awe tour, as well as prompts to download updates as they become available including the scheduled addition of the St. Augustine Trip Planner and much more.

“The Shivers and Awe tour on the iPhone is ideal for visitors and locals to enjoy,â€� said Jeff Swyers, President of GeoQuest Technologies. “Tourists and residents will be engaged and entertained by this tour of paranormal St. Augustine.â€�

GeoQuest is a Utah-based company that previously created an interactive iPhone application for Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.

For more information on all of the features of the St. Augustine iPhone Application and instruction on how to get your free download, visit OldCity.com.

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OldCity.com is St. Augustine’s most popular web portal with information on all the hottest restaurants, attractions, accommodations and events in the Oldest City.

SA GPS Adventure Tours, Inc. (“SAGPS�) based in St. Augustine, Florida, provides tourism entertainment using sate-of-the-art GPS technology. The company’s missions are to provide high quality experiences in St. Augustine, and beyond, while meeting unmet needs such as convenience, consistency with quality of experience, and the ability to take tours in multiple languages. For more information please visit www.sagpstours.com or call (904) 377-1447

GeoQuest Technologies is a Hurricane, Utah based company nestled in the shadows of Zion National Park. Beginning as an independent tour producer for the national parks of Utah and Arizona, GeoQuest Tech transformed into a global leader in producing educational and entertaining multimedia tours for destinations worldwide. The technology developed by GeoQuest Tech allows new destinations to be added rapidly without compromising quality. We partner with destinations who either have content they want turned into an iPhone application or we can help produce a new tour from the ground up. GeoQuest Technologies is dedicated to helping destinations “tell their story� in a unique way. You can reach GeoQuest Technologies at www.geoquesttech.com

St. Augustine’s local chapter of Habitat for Humanity will make this holiday season extra special for four very deserving families who will recieve one of the first four houses dedicated in West Augustine’s Crawford Park. The dedication ceremony will take place this Saturday, Dec. 5th at 11:00 a.m. on the corner of North St. Johns and Avery Streets in West Augustine.

The land for the county’s first development created entirely for Habitat for Humanity was donated by St. Johns County in 2006. Habitat plans to build a total of 34 homes in the neighborhood, which is named in honor of Tom Crawford, Director of St. Johns County Housing and Community Services. Crawford is scheduled to say a few words at the service, as will representatives of three major financial and volunteer donor organizations in St. Augustine–BB&T, The St. Augustine Record and San Sebastian Winery.

Habitat for Humanity of St. Johns has assisted 77 families locally and 20 families internationally escape the cycle of poverty housing. Volunteers work alongside the family who will live in the house to build simple, affordable houses that are sold at no profit with a  zero percent interest mortgage.

If you’re looking for a special way to help the Habitat for Humanity organization continue its positive impact on St. Augustine, consider purchasing a ticket to the group’s annual Gala for Humanity on December 10th from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Held at the beautiful Casa Monica Hotel in downtown St. Augustine, the event includes delicious food catered by 95 Cordova, live music and dancing with the John Shaffer Trio and both live and silent auctions to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Some of the auction items slated to be featured include exquisite custom jewelry, Jaguars autographs, a private dinner party prepared by an award-winning chef, and several getaway vacation packages.

Tickets can be purchased through this Friday, December 4th, for $65.00 per person or $120.00 per couple. Organizations or individuals who purchase a table of ten will receive a discounted rate of $55.00 per person.

For more information, contact the Habitat for Humanity office at 826-3252, ext. 2004.

Government House Museum Open for Art Walk

The City of St. Augustine’s Government House Museum of History and Archaeology, located at 48 King St. will be open at no charge for guests Friday, September 4 for the First Friday Art Walk. 

More than 20 art galleries are open during the popular downtown art walk.  The Government House Museum will be open to the public from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

For more information call the Department of Heritage Tourism at 825.5033.

Mayor Joe Boles will throw out the first ball Monday night, August 3, when the Jacksonville Suns battle the Huntsville Stars on St. Augustine Night presented by Mowrey, Shoemaker, & Beardsley, PL! Join residents
and dignitaries of St. John’s County for a night of family fun highlighting the St. Augustine community.
The festivities begin at 6PM with an exhibition softball game featuring Pedro and the Setting Suns against business and community leaders from the St. Augustine area. Following the softball game the Jacksonville
Suns will take on the Huntsville Stars in a Southern League matchup beginning at 7:05pm. St. Augustine Mayor Joseph Boles will be in attendance to throw the ceremonial first pitch.
Monday, August 3rd will also feature the Suns’ first Belly Buster Buffet! For just $20, get a Homeplate Box seat
plus all-you-can-eat hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, ice cream treats and soft drinks from 6-9PM! Pick up a $5 discount coupon at participating St. Augustine locations or upgrade to the Buffet for $10 with an  already purchased Homeplate Box ticket.
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind baseball event as the Suns connect America’s Oldest City with America’s oldest pastime!
Sponsorship and ticket packages for St. Augustine Night are available for $100 - $1,500. Call the Suns Director of Sales and Promotions, Casey Nichols, at (904) 358-2846, or email caseyn@jaxsuns.com to find out how you can participate..

Dana Ste. Claire, who last April took over the planning of the city’s 450th Anniversary
Commemoration, will also head up the city’s Department of Heritage Tourism on an interim
basis following the retirement of Dr. Bill Adams at the end of this month. Dr. Adams has
headed the Heritage Tourism Department since September of 1999.
In making the announcement this morning, City Manager Bill Harriss stated that because of
current economic conditions and budgetary constraints and the need to reassess the Heritage
Tourism Department’s mission, an interim director will best serve the city’s needs while the
commission evaluates the future direction of the Department.
Harriss drew attention to Ste. Claire’s background and knowledge of the tourism industry as
an asset for the Heritage Tourism Department during this transition period. Prior to joining
city staff, Ste Claire was the National Director of Museums for Historic Tours of America.

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 .

Since Monday, May 11, the City of St. Augustine has adjusted the chlorine and ammonia levels in the citys water system, which may have slightly changed the taste of city water. Some noticed it, most didn’t

On this coming Thursday, June 11 the City Water Treatment Plant will resume it’s normal feeding of ammonia into the system and revert back to a chloramine disinfection. Bet you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Chlorine and ammonia are both used in St. Augustine’s water treatment process to maintain disinfection of the water.  Adjustment of the chlorine and ammonia levels for pipeline maintenance purposes is a standard operating practice, and is recommended by the American Water Works Association.

For additional information, please contact the City of St. Augustine Water Treatment Plant at (904) 825-1044.