🏴‍☠️ 🍬 The Best Halloween Candy - Your Friday Lowdown

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Good Morning, St. Augustine!

I’m James and this is the Old City Lowdown - a sweet treat in your inbox like all of the leftover Halloween candy from last night.

I have a 3-year-old that brought home a metric ton of the goods, so I have my work cut out for me this weekend. Darn.

In today’s edition:

• New St. Aug Fire Station? 🚒 

• Full slate for County Commission 🤝 

• Art Collective STA Ribbon Cutting 🖼️ 

Now, lets’ get to the Lowdown.

-James Foote
Publisher | Old City Lowdown

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Fri • 81 🌡️ 72 | ⛅️ | 💧22% | 🍃 ENE 10mph

Sat • 80 🌡️ 73 | ⛅️ | 💧24% | 🍃 NE 13mph

Sun • 79 🌡️ 73 | 🌤️ | 💧24% | 🍃 ENE 14mph

🚒 City of St. Augustine explores options for new fire station

St. Augustine is evaluating the Blue Water Jewelers site on Anastasia Island for a new fire station, with a public meeting set for November 7 at 5:30PM in City Hall’s Alcazar Room. Assistant City Manager Reuben Franklin will present the project design and visuals at 5:45PM, followed by a Q&A session open to public input. The city aims to engage the community in reviewing and discussing this proposed site at 500 Anastasia Blvd. Public attendance is encouraged! (City of St. Augustine)

🏫 St. Johns School District announces Hurricane make-up plan

St. Johns County Schools closed for five days due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the district requires three of those days to be made up. Veterans Day will now be a full school day, and 10 early-release Wednesdays will be extended to full instructional days. Click here for more information regarding make-up dates.

🗑️ St. Johns County honored for Get Hooked

St. Johns County’s Get Hooked anti-litter campaign, launched in 2023, was awarded top honors at the 2024 Savvy Awards by 3CMA for its environmental impact and community engagement. By involving nearly 900 participants across multiple clean-up events, the campaign reduced litter collected by half in the first half of 2024. With 20 partner organizations, Get Hooked continues to inspire action, including 1,000 volunteer hours through the Adopt-A-Road program, which removed over 10,000 pounds of waste. (St. Johns County)

🏨 Beachwalk Margaritaville Hotel Project Advances

The Beachwalk Compass by Margaritaville hotel project in St. Johns County is moving forward with plans to increase the number of hotel rooms from 150 to 200, including 68 short-term cottages. A five-story hotel with 132 rooms will be located next to Beachwalk’s Crystal Lagoon, and the management will handle maintenance tasks. In exchange for the additional rooms, the project will reduce commercial space by 7,900 square feet. PEBB Enterprises and Falcone Group are developing the project, which still needs final approval from the Board of County Commissioners next week. The Planning & Zoning Agency recommended approval of the application last month. (J. Brooks Terry, Jacksonville Daily Record)

🏘️ Agrihood community goes before BCC next week

On November 5, the SJC Board of County Commissioners will review a rezoning request for the Robinson Improvement Company Planned Unit Development, a proposed 3,332-home "agrihood" community along County Road 214. This 2,673-acre project, planned in phases, calls for community farms, preserved wetlands, and $49 million for traffic mitigation, though plans are murky. Despite the unique concept, planning board members rejected it last month, citing a lack of detail and concerns over traffic, drainage, and compatibility with the area. (Stuart Korfhage, Jacksonville Business Journal)

Have news to report? Email me.

Friday, November 1

🛹 Treaty Park Halloween Event | Live music, skate competition, local vendors, costume contest | 6PM | Free

🎨 Art Collective St. Augustine Grand Opening | Ribbon cutting of St. Aug’s newest gallery | 3:30PM | Free

🖼️ First Friday Art Walk | Art, music, & appetizers at various galleries | 5-9PM | Free | More Info

🍹Freaky Tiki at 33 Charlotte Speakeasy (IYKYK) | Secret Spooky Tiki Pop Up Fri & Sat | 6PM | RSVP Here & select ‘Speakeasy’

Saturday, November 2

🏃 Cotton Mouth Quarter Marathon & 5K at Sykes Family Farm | All proceeds benefit St. Johns County 4-H | 8AM | More Info

🧑‍🌾 Farmers Market at The Amp | Fresh food, handmade art, & live music | 8:30AM-12:30PM | Free

🌾 Fort Mose 1st Harvest & Reconstruction Celebration | Go back in time to celebrate the Fort Mose first harvest | 9:30AM-2PM | Free

🍹Freaky Tiki at 33 Charlotte Speakeasy (IYKYK) | Secret Spooky Tiki Pop Up Fri & Sat | 6PM | RSVP Here & select ‘Speakeasy’

😆 Improv Spooktacular at Third Space Improv | A spine-tingling night of comedy | 7:30PM | $17

Sunday, November 3

⛽️Beer Dinner: Gas Full Service + Dog Rose Brewing Co. | Celebrate 7-Years of Dog Rose with a beer pairing menu inspired by the culinary history of Lincolnville at Gas Full Service | 1PM | $125 | Call 904-217-0326 to RSVP

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

It’s the first of the month and that means live music calendars are still being released for November. Check with your favorite venues if you do not see gigs listed below!

This Weekend at The Amp

• Nov 1-2 | Goose | LOW TICKETS!

Friday, November 1

• Arnold’s | Last Stand, 8:30PM-12:30AM

• Beaches at Vilano | Supernatural, 5-9PM

• Bin 39 Wine Bar | Josh Worthy, 1-4PM | Banjo Brown, 4-7PM

• Cafe Eleven | In a Nutshell (Alice In Chains Cover), The Chili Poppers (RHCP Cover) | 8PM // Tickets, $18

• Colonial Oak Music Park | Bad Dog Mama, 7-10PM

• Dog Rose Brewing Co. | Goose Afterparty w/ Sauce Pocket, 10:30PM

• Fuzion 904 Eatery | Burn Unit, 6-9PM

• Guy Harvey Resort | Whitecaps, 4-7PM

• La Cocina at San Sebastian Winer | Tony Scozzaro, 1-4PM

• Meehan’s Irish Pub | Smokin’ Joe, 1-4PM (Backyard) | Heather Craig, 9PM (Pub)

• Milltop Tavern | Michael Bo Griner, 12PM | Eric Groves, 4:30PM | Beau Knott, 9PM

• Pierre’s Pub | Chase Fouraker + Jonathan Lee, 2-6PM | Green With Envy, 7-11PM

• Prohibition Kitchen | Toots Lorraine, 6PM | Mama Blue, 10PM

• Salt Life Food Shack | Colin Kosco, 6PM

• Sarbez! | Goose Afterparty w/ Wigeon, 10PM | $5 at Door

• Tradewinds Lounge | Heather Craig, 1-4:30PM | Mark Hart, 5-8PM | Blistur, 8:30PM

• Treaty Park Halloween Event | Josh and Myles Awesomeness, 6:30PM | Kudzu, 7:30PM | We Are Skeletons, 8:30PM

Saturday, November 2

• Arnold’s | The Remains, 8:30PM-12:30AM

• Beaches at Vilano | New Guys on the Dock, 5-9PM

• Bin 39 Wine Bar | Yael Zaza Flamenca, 1-4PM | Craig Smith, 4-7PM

• Colonial Oak Music Park | Baba Caiman, 7-10PM

• Dog Rose Brewing Co. | Goose Afterparty w/ Sauce Pocket, 10:30PM

• Fuzion 904 Eatery | Old School, 6-9PM

• Guy Harvey Resort | Evan Dease, 4-7PM

• La Cocina at San Sebastian Winery | Lisi Victoria, 1-4PM & 6-9PM

• Marina Munch | John Winters & Mark Richey, 12-4PM

• Milltop Tavern | Shawn Ryan, 12PM | Josh Worthy, 4:30PM | Beau Knott, 9PM

• Oasis | Good Time Charlie Trio, 5-9PM

• Pierre’s Pub | Christian Powers, Buddy Crump, Chase Fouraker, 2-5PM | Christian Powers, Buddy Crump, Julie Papili, 7-11PM

• Prohibition Kitchen | Clairmont Duo, 6PM | The Space Heaters + Friends, 10PM

• Salt Life Food Shack | Greg Johnson, 6PM

• Sarbez! | Goose Afterparty w/ Airtight & Shreddie King, 10PM | $5 at Door

• Spinster Abbott’s | Goose Pre-party w/ Babe Honey, 2-4PM

• Tradewinds Lounge | Elizabeth Roth, 1-4:30PM | Mark Hart, 5-8PM | Blistur, 9PM

Sunday, November 3

• Arnold’s | Open Mic Night, 6-10PM

• Bin 39 Wine Bar | Jolie, 1-4PM | Ashton Taylor, 4-7PM

• Cafe Eleven | Griffin House, 8PM | Tickets, $35-45

• Colonial Oak Music Park | Kash’d Out, 6-10PM | SOLD OUT

• Dog Rose Brewing Co. | Dewey Via Band, 3:30-6:30PM

• La Cocina at San Sebastian Winery | Vinny Jacobs, 1-4PM

• Marina Munch | Landfall, 12-4PM

• Milltop Tavern | Benjamin Guy, 12PM | Jon Q., 4:30PM

• Old Coast Ales | Bad Dog Mama, 2-5PM

• Pierre’s Pub | The Space Heaters, 1-5PM | Alanis Sophia, Julia Papili, 6-10PM

• Prohibition Kitchen | Old City Jam w/ Shane Platten - Bring your instrument and sign up to play | 6-9PM

• Salt Life Food Shack | Caleb Joye, 6PM

• Tradewinds Lounge | Keith Godwin & the Rio Grande Band, 1-4:30PM | Crawford Boyd’s Acoustic Anomaly, 5-8PM | Mike Johnson + Brad Burns, 9PM

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

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