On October 10, 1991, St Augustine and St Johns County lost folk musician James Gamble Rogers III. The popular 54-year-old local performer and famed storyteller, whose life and legacy has been celebrated annually during a festival in St Augustine that carries his name, features national, regional, and local musicians performing on several stages.
If approved, Florida Senate Bill SB-284, and companion House Bill HB-55, entitled “Building Design”, will take away another tool from local government. This legislation seeks to remove the authority of local governments to regulate building designs in many areas.
The Saint Augustine Tea Party invites all Historic City News subscribers to attend the next open meeting to be held on March 23rd at 6:30 pm. This month’s featured speaker will be Luna Lopez, Republican candidate for Florida’s 4th Congressional District — currently represented by Congressman John Rutherford.
Florida Department of Transportation Community Outreach Specialist Allen Nelson has updated Historic City News with the weekly lane closure report containing information regarding ongoing construction projects and traffic impacts for the coming week. Our readers and subscribers will be updated every Friday by 5:00 p.m., with some unavoidable exceptions and state holidays.
During their Tuesday regular meeting on March 16th, County Administrator Hunter Conrad presented a broad set of goals for the purpose of establishing the official “vision” for St Johns County planning. Historic City News has previously reported that, together with St Augustine City Manager John Regan, the somewhat ambiguous vision is said to influence the virtually autonomous administrators as they go about their decision-making on a day-to-day basis.
St Augustine City Commissioners moved during their Monday evening meeting to approve a series of bills currently in the state legislature. The City is represented by a professional lobbyist. They are also members of the Florida League of Cities who regularly lobby the legislature on matters of interest to Florida’s local municipal governments.
Historic City News has reported in the past on several “false flag” indications, both from the department and from City Hall, that the police department was attempting to achieve accreditation. But in 2019, the city manager, John P Regan, put some money behind the talk and hired a new employee specifically for the purpose of getting the department in position to achieve accreditation.
St Augustine Tea Party chairman Lance Thate reported to Historic City News in St Augustine that due to unforeseen circumstances, the regularly scheduled open meeting at the Oasis Restaurant has been canceled for March 9, 2021.
