29th Annual Nights of Lights begins with Light-Up! Night

Entertainment, free park and ride shuttle returns

The City of St. Augustine kicks-off the 29th Annual Nights of Lights season on Saturday, November 19, beginning at 4:00pm with a Showtime USA dance troupe performance in front of City Hall, followed by the All Star Orchestra in the Gazebo at the Plaza de la Constitución at 5:30pm.  

The lighting of the city’s holiday tree and canopy of live oak trees around the Plaza de la Constitución begins promptly at 6:30pm.  The Nights of Lights continues through Sunday, January 29, 2023. For more information, visit the City's website.

Free Park & Ride shuttle returns during Nights of Lights season

City will provide service starting on Light-Up! Night, Saturday, November 19

The City of St. Augustine Free Park and Ride shuttle returns for the peak dates of Nights of Lights, starting on Light-Up! Night, Saturday, November 19.


The Free Park & Ride shuttle service will continue on Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend (November 25 & 26), the first three Saturdays in December, and the five days following Christmas, Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30. For more information, visit the City's website.

Document shredding, used oil and electronics disposal offered at community recycle event

TODAY, Friday, November 18 until 1:00pm, in recognition of America Recycles Day

Face of the City

Valentin ‘Val’ Arenas, Solid Waste Equipment Operator III

Happy #AmericaRecyclesDay! In celebration, we are featuring Valentin ‘Val’ Arenas, Solid Waste Equipment Operator III!
 
As an Equipment Operator, it is Val’s job to operate just about all of the City’s heavy equipment, including the front loader, rear loader, claw truck, and forklift, on both commercial and residential routes.
 
“I moved to Florida from Puerto Rico almost 50 years ago, and am so proud to work for the City of St. Augustine,” said Val. “Everybody is a team here. I also want to give a shout out to my manager, Olivia. She is an exceptional boss and I am thankful to get to be part of her team.”
 
Outside of work, Val loves spending time with his wife of almost 30 years, Andrea, and children: Alicia, who serves in the Air Force, Alexis, and Andrew. Val’s hobbies include golfing, going out to eat, and he used to race motorcycles.

Vegetative Debris Collection

Keep the roadways and access to debris clear to speed up recovery process

Starting today, Friday, November 18, the City’s Solid Waste Division will be utilizing a contractor to collect primarily vegetative debris.
 
As a reminder: Residents are urged to place yard debris curbside. Debris should be placed no more than 10 feet away from the curb, so that it can be reached by pickup crews and claw trucks.  Do not place debris under low hanging limbs, guide wires, and electrical and communication lines, or in the street where it can obstruct vehicular traffic, fire hydrants, mailboxes, and utility boxes. To expedite the recovery process, it is imperative to keep the roadway and access to the debris piles clear. If possible, avoid parking on the street, so debris removal trucks will have direct access.  For additional information, please call Todd Grant, Utilities Director, at 904.315.8499.

City offices closed  on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 for Thanksgiving holiday

Residential recycling pickup will resume Thursday, December 1

 full story on the City's website. 

City Fire Offers Safety Tips

Celebrate Thanksgiving safely

• Stay in the kitchen anytime you are broiling food or cooking on the stovetop
• Always keep children at least three feet from the stove
• Keep the countertops around the stove free of clutter and combustible materials
• Make sure your turkey is completely thawed before dropping it in the oil
• If you do have a grease fire, never use water as a method of extinguishment.

The Break Room:

Greg White, Order of La Florida Award Recipient

Joining us on The Break Room for Part 2 of his interview is Greg White, Order of La Florida Award recipient! He discusses his experience of living through the Civil Rights Movement, the founding of the Solomon Calhoun Center, as well as upcoming projects and programs in West Augustine.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center 

Open Monday - Saturday, 9:00am - 6:00pm

FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in St. Johns County. The DRC will be in the Wind Mitigation Building and open Monday - Saturday, from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers provide disaster survivors with information from Florida state agencies, FEMA, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process, and get updates on applications. For more information, visit St. John County Emergency Management's website.

Development Review Committee Meeting

Fridays, 8:30am

Agenda and participation instructions available by contacting the Planning & Building Department

at 904.825.1065 or DRC@citystaug.com.