A Lee Bentley, III became the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida today, following yesterday’s departure of US Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, according to an announcement from the Justice Department received by Historic City News this morning.

Historic City News readers will be able to participate in a public hearing Monday evening where the St Augustine City Commission will decide the fate of buskers and street performers on Hypolita Street; already prohibited between St George and Cordova Streets, now proposed to be prohibited between St George and Avenida Menendez, as well.

Historic City News has learned of two new resolutions being heard, on first reading, by the St Augustine City Commission at their next regular meeting on Monday evening, July 8, dealing with residential parking permit areas.

Fiscal Year 2013-2014 begins on October 1, 2013 for local governments, and the City of St Augustine has announced to Historic City News the dates set for public meetings related to its budget for that accounting year.

Requests from 28 applicant organizations to fund various events during Fiscal 2013-14 will have to be pared by the St Johns County Tourist Development Council before the requests can be approved by the Board of County Commissioners; because Historic City News has learned that only $550,000 is allocated and the requests total $720,582.

Does the government have the right to quantify your constitutionally protected right to free expression? Some members of the St Augustine Tea Party are telling Historic City News that they believe controlling where you can speak will soon turn into controlling what you can say — and when.

Historic City News has learned that Isabelle Lopez, Assistant City Attorney for the City of St Augustine, has been recognized by her peers among the “2013 Legal Elite” — one of 60 other governmental attorneys, according to the tenth annual survey conducted by Florida Trend magazine.