🏴‍☠️ The Local Lowdown | October 14, 2024

Good Morning, St. Augustine!

Today is a HUGE day at the Lowdown as we officially welcome the incomparable Ansley Bates, a.k.a. “A-B”, to the team!

Ansley is stepping in to lead our deep dive into everything happening in town, from music and arts to local businesses and more.

AB and I first met back as new coaches at Flagler College where Ansley served as our Sports Performance Coach for the first few years of the program. After countless hours on the field and road trips across the Deep South, we've built a great friendship, and I’m thrilled to have her on board.

Join me in welcoming AB and check out her first Local Lowdown feature below!

In today’s edition:

• Commission Meetings this Week 🏦

• More Free Parking Downtown! 🅿️

• Local Lowdown with AB 🎉

Thanks so much for subscribing and I hope you enjoy today’s newsletter. Now, let’s get to the Lowdown.

-James Foote
Publisher | Old City Lowdown

Mon • 86 🌡️ 66 | ☀️ | 💧6% | 🍃 W 10mph

Tue • 79 🌡️ 60 | ☀️ | 💧1% | 🍃 NNW 7mph

🅿️ Metered parking fees are waived today for Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Standard rates are in effect at the parking garage downtown.

🏦 The St. Augustine City Commission meets tonight to discuss the Spanish Street traffic pattern changes, review the Neighborhood Grant Program scoring criteria, and officially recognize the St. Augustine Lighthouse's 150th birthday on Wednesday. View the agenda here.

🏘️ The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners meets Tuesday to discuss several items, including a development agreement proposed by Robinson Improvement Company (RIC) related to mitigating transportation impacts for the planned “agrihood” development between County Roads 208 and 214, west of I-95. You can read the RIC agenda item here and the full meeting agenda here.

🤝 The St. Augustine Beach Planning & Zoning Board's regular meeting is set for Tuesday night from 6-8PM. The agenda includes discussions on the proposed new construction of an 8-unit condominium at 812 A1A Beach Blvd., along with other business.

👓️ The Vision Plan Community Workshops continue this week, with the fourth of six meetings set for Wednesday night from 6-8PM at The Waterworks, located at 184 San Marco Ave. This session will focus on “Character & Authenticity.” The agenda can be viewed here.

🗑️ Trash, recycling, and yard debris collection will return to the regular countywide schedule this week following Hurricane Milton.

✅ Did you get your sample ballot? St. Johns County residents should have received them by email or snail mail for the November general election over the weekend. Early voting begins October 21 and runs through November 2.

☄️ Don’t miss the Tsuchinshan-Atlas Comet in the night sky! The “dirty snowball” won’t give us a show for another 80,000 years, so be sure to look west just after sunset to get a glimpse of the infrequent cosmic visitor.

Have news to report? Email me.

In the first edition of the Local Lowdown, I’d like to spotlight a new local band doing big things: Pocket Knife Dance Party. Bandmates Jordon Henley and Eric Hasselman played their first gig as PKDP on September 28 to a packed house at Spinster Abbott’s in Uptown.

I put together a video recap of the night, set to their song Free Yourself, featuring Jordon, Eric, artist Evan Rawitt (who did the album art), and live screen printer Noah Ziecheck of Sostober, who printed the merch on-site. You can find them all on Instagram: @pocketknifedanceparty, @evan_rawitt, and @sostober.

Check out the video below to add a sparkle of local art to your Monday. If you enjoy their sound, check them out on all your favorite streaming platforms! I've heard rumor of a new song already on its way... stay tuned!

Happy listening, <3 AB

__________

Pocket Knife Dance Party - Free Yourself | Video by Ansley Bates

🎂 St. Augustine Lighthouse celebrates 150 Years all week!

✏️ Pop Culture Trivia at Treylor Park
📆 Mon, Oct 14 | 9PM
📍 Treylor Park St. Augustine | 61 Spanish St.

Bring a team, have some grub, and win some prizes at Treylor Park in Historic Downtown every Monday night.

🎨 STAAA: Monday Night Figure Drawing
📆 Mon, Oct 14 | 6-8:30PM
📍 St. Augustine Art Association | 22 Marine St.

Join the St. Augustine Art Association every Monday for the Monday Night Figure Drawing session in Historic Downtown. Open to artists 18 and up, this non-instructional studio lets you explore the human form in your favorite medium. Bring your own supplies; easels and tables are provided! $10 for members, $15 for non-members. (more info)

🎸 Open Mic Night at Ann O’Malley’s
📆 Tue, Oct 15 | 6PM
📍 Ann O’Malley’s | 23 Orange St.

Local legend Smokin’ Joe hosts Open Mic Night every Tuesday at Ann O’Malley’s. Come test out some new material or get the crowd going with an Oasis cover or two. Signups start at 12PM and the music gets going at 6PM.

🦓 Sarbingo at Sarbez!
📆 Wed, Oct 16 | 8PM
📍 Sarbez! | 115 Anastasia Blvd

Deals! Prizes! Cash Jackpot! Swing by Sarbez for 5 rounds of bingo starting at 8PM. Cash only, so hit the ATM on your way over!

🚖 West King Wednesdays
📆 Wed, Oct 16 | 5PM
📍 West King St. between US-1 & Rodriguez St

A monthly collaboration of community, culture, & small businesses of West Augustine every third Thursday through December! Don’t miss the Paper Root Comedy Showcase and support locally owned businesses including Bog Brewery, Tacos My Blessing, Muggsy’s, Local Refillery, and the Heart & Soulfood Truck.

Want us to share your event in the Old City Lowdown?

Monday, October 14

• Bin 39 Wine Bar | Muddy Marshall, 1-4PM | Bret Blackshear, 4-7PM

• Casa de Vino 57 | Jam-ology, 7-9:30PM

• Meehan’s Irish Pub | John Phillips, 1PM (Backyard)

• Milltop Tavern | Josh Worthy, 12PM | Josh Worthy, 4:30PM

• Prohibition Kitchen | Micah Gilliam, 6PM

• Tradewinds Lounge | Reggie Starrett, 1-4:30PM | Mark Hart, 5-8PM | Mike Johnson & Brad Burns, 9PM

Tuesday, October 15

• St. Augustine Amphitheatre | Vampire Weekend (Tickets)

• Bin 39 Wine Bar | Wes Register, 2-5PM

• Casa Maya | Juan Mallorca, 6-9PM

• Crabby’s Beachside | Greg Johnson, 6-9PM

• Milltop Tavern | JC Hatfield, 12PM | Jon Q., 4:30PM

• Oasis | Songwriters Night, 6-8PM

• Prohibition Kitchen | Jim Johnston, 6PM

• Salt Life Food Shack | Joe Downing, 6-10PM

• Tradewinds Lounge | Bret Blackshear, 1-4:30PM | Mark Hart, 5-8PM | Salty Daug, 9PM

*Artists & times are subject to change. That’s showbiz, baby.

👋 Thanks for reading! If you found it useful, consider sharing it with a sailboat enthusiast.

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