In today's Digest:
🌊 King tides and a nor'easter flooded streets near City Hall.
🚲 St. Augustine's new bike share will put 90 bikes across 170-plus docking stations.
📷 County commissioners voted 3-2 to revoke permits for 89 roadside plate readers.
💧 Elkton's $191.8 million wastewater plant can treat 3.25 million gallons a day.
🚤 Doug Crane Boat Ramp is closed for about six weeks of dredging.
🐟 Shrimp and Grits Beside the San Sebastian River
On Riberia Street in Lincolnville, St. Augustine Fish Camp serves seafood beside the San Sebastian River. The menu runs from raw oysters and fried clams to shrimp and grits with white wine butter sauce.
Waterfront picnic tables face the river. For a bigger meal, the low boil for two brings snow crab, wild-caught shrimp, clams and andouille.
Read more here.
🌊 King tides flood St. Augustine streets
The Gist: King tides, rain and a nor'easter flooded St. Augustine streets near Flagler College and City Hall on Monday, October 26. Water rose about two feet above expected levels, and the city delayed the City Hall workday until noon.
Why It Matters: The city's gravity-fed drains struggle to clear streets when king tides push water back through the system.
Read more here.
🚲 Bike share brings 90 bicycles to St. Augustine
The Gist: Locally owned Drifters is bringing 80 pedal bikes and 10 pedal-assist bikes to more than 170 docking stations. The stations will span downtown, West King Street, Anastasia Boulevard and St. Augustine Beach; riders will use the Drifters app to rent and return bikes.
Why It Matters: Residents and visitors will have another way to make short trips between downtown and the beach without driving.
What's Next: The city will hold a launch ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, October 30, in the Plaza de la Constitución.
Read more here.
📷 County votes to remove 89 roadside plate readers
The Gist: St. Johns County commissioners voted 3-2 on October 20 to revoke permits for Flock license plate readers in county rights of way. The Sheriff's Office said the vote requires removal of 89 cameras and that no date has been set to disable them.
Why It Matters: The vote changes where the Sheriff's Office can use plate readers on county roads. Cameras on private property and those operated by homeowners associations are unaffected.
Read more here.
💧 County celebrates $191.8 million Elkton wastewater plant
The Gist: St. Johns County celebrated its State Road 207 Water Reclamation Facility on October 15. The $191.8 million plant at 3055 State Road 207 has treated wastewater since May and can process 3.25 million gallons a day, with room to double capacity.
Why It Matters: The county expects the facility's reclaimed irrigation water to save 13 billion gallons of drinking water and keep more than 1 million pounds of nutrients out of the Matanzas River over 20 years.
Read more here.
🚤 Doug Crane Boat Ramp closes for dredging
The Gist: St. Johns County closed the Doug Crane Boat Ramp at 1039 Shore Drive on October 26 for maintenance dredging. The ramp and its parking lot are off-limits during the work, which the county expects to take around six weeks.
Why It Matters: Boaters who use the St. Augustine ramp must find another launch while crews improve waterway access.
What's Next: The county expects to reopen the ramp in about six weeks. Work in the staging area will continue afterward without blocking the ramp.
Read more here.
🌽 Sykes Family Farms Crop Maze | Sykes Family Farms | Elkton | Fri, Oct 30, 6-10 p.m. | More
Navigate the nine-acre maze, meet farm animals and take a hayride.
🐠 Halloween Under the Sea | St. Augustine Aquarium | St. Augustine | Fri, Oct 30, 4:30-7 p.m. | More
Kids can trick-or-treat, decorate cookies and meet mermaids near sharks and stingrays.
🍬 Halloween Trick or Treating on St. George Street | North St. George Street | St. Augustine | Sat, Oct 31, 1-4 p.m. | More
Follow orange and black balloons to downtown businesses handing out candy. Free admission.
🎃 Freaky Fall Farmers Market | Ripley's Believe It or Not! St. Augustine | St. Augustine | Sat, Oct 31, 5-9 p.m. | More
Shop, collect candy at trunk-or-treat and catch the costume contest.
🥕 Wednesday Pier Farmers Market | St. Johns County Ocean Pier | St. Augustine Beach | Wed, Nov 4, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | More
Pick up produce, bread and local crafts beside the pier. Admission is free.
🎭 Improv Spooktacular | Third Space Improv | St. Augustine | Fri, Oct 30, 8-10 p.m. | More
Performers build unscripted spooky scenes from audience prompts. Costumes are encouraged.
🕯️ Mortality and Mourning: Women in Black | Ximenez-Fatio House Museum | St. Augustine | Sat, Oct 31, tours at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. | More
Tour the candlelit house and learn about women's 1800s mourning rituals.
🎼 Jake Shimabukuro | Cafe Eleven | St. Augustine Beach | Sun, Nov 1, 8-10 p.m.; doors at 7 p.m. | More
Hear ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro blend Hawaiian melodies, rock and improvisation.
🎸 Keith Harkin | Cafe Eleven | St. Augustine Beach | Wed, Nov 4, 8 p.m.; doors at 7 p.m. | More
Hear a solo set from the Irish singer-songwriter known for Celtic Thunder.
👖 Blue Jean Bash and Benefit | Tringali Barn | St. Augustine | Thu, Nov 5, 5:30 p.m. | More
Alpha-Omega Miracle Home's benefit includes dinner, a live auction, dessert and entertainment.
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