Sheriff takes lead in Interstate shootings
June 20, 2008
Sgt. Charles Mulligan with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has informed Historic City News that after coordinated discussions with The Florida Highway Patrol, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office will take the lead investigative position in last nights Interstate shooting incidents. Read more
103 year streak broken!
June 20, 2008
Since at least 1905, as best as can be determined, at least one St. Johns County constitutional officer has had opposition according to Vicky Oakes, Assistant Supervisor of Elections in a conversation with Historic City News this afternoon.
At the close of qualifying week for candidates seeking county office, which ended today at noon, every constitutional officer in St. Johns County is running for re-election without opposition. Read more
Safety first this 4th of July
June 20, 2008
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. Read more
Fireworks Over The Matanzas
June 20, 2008
This morning, Historic City News was provided the program for St. Augustine’s great July 4th tradition; Fireworks Over The Matanzas.
6:00pm - Concert by the 13th Army Band
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 of Independence Day 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 the City of St. Augustine will welcome the 13th Army Band to the Plaza de la Constitución for a concert with traditional patriotic favorites and popular pieces appropriate for Independence Day.
Serving the State of Florida, the nation, and local communities since 1906, the citizen-soldiers of the 13th Army Band is today one of the 71 Reserve bands stationed throughout the United States. As the official military band of Florida, unit members have enjoyed performing for many official State functions, such as the Governor’s Inauguration, official visits of United States dignitaries including the President of the United States, and numerous foreign leaders. The band has performed throughout the southern United States, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Morocco for all branches of the Armed Forces and State Department.
In times of disaster, the band has supported the needs of local communities in multiple roles, including providing relief supplies from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach during Hurricane Wilma for the residents of South Florida. The 13th Army Band provides music for all occasions with eight distinctive ensembles. Band members are citizen-soldiers who serve their communities as students, teachers, administrators, clerks, police officers and any other role you find in every community. What makes them unique is their service to their country as soldier’s whose military mission is music.
Those attending the concert will want to bring lounge chairs for seating.
Then there’s fireworks!
Fireworks over the Matanzas, the highlight of July 4 in St. Augustine, 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 has been 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 and the Temporary Bridge of Lions into a theatre of sight and sound.
Local radio stations WFOY/1240-AM and Sunny 94.1/WSOS-FM and will provide simulcasts of the soundtrack so those viewing the display from any location will be able to fully experience Fireworks Over The Matanzas.
Enjoying downtown after the fireworks
June 20, 2008
Over the years 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 according to Cathy DuPont with the Department of Public Affairs. Dupont informed Historic City News that this plan includes using King Street’s turning lane as a drive lane exiting downtown. Also, in an effort to move vehicles out of the Historic Downtown Parking Facility, DuPont said that all of West Castillo Dr. will be westbound to Ponce de Leon Boulevard.
A growing number of people are choosing to remain downtown after the fireworks for a bite to eat or take in some of the shops that have extended hours for the holiday. Given the choice between spending time strolling downtown with friends and family or sitting in traffic wasting gas, more and more are taking their time.
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 turning the downtown into a pedestrian friendly zone.
Those not wishing to view the fireworks should avoid the downtown area and be aware that following the fireworks outlying routes such as US-1, SR-A1A, SR-312 and SR-207 will experience heavy traffic.
