🐠The fishing poles won't work

Happy Fri-yah! As the weather report remains on repeat — hot and sticky 🤬 — the weatherman is adding clouds for ☁ today, tomorrow and Sunday.

Ending this week's theme of protecting our cherished wildlife with a reminder from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to properly discard scallop sells with bay scallop fishing season now underway. Do not throw shells along inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as boating and swimming. Empty scallop shells can be hazardous for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Discard scallop shells in trash receptacles or large bodies of water so they can properly disperse.

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St. Augustine's pier fishing is on hold 🐠

The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier (the Pier) lacks the Atlantic Ocean beneath its massive beams now that the St. Augustine Beach renourishment and shore restoration project, conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville (USACE) Jacksonville, has been completed.

Located on a four-acre beachfront park in St. Augustine, the Pier no longer extends over the ocean. Presently, fishing is thwarted while sightseeing is encouraged . Swimming and surfing are not permitted within 400 feet of the pier.

According to the USACE Jacksonville, the unfamiliar sight is temporary. The sand placement will eventually return to the nearshore system from wave and storm erosion.

Click here to read the story.

What else you should know today: 🔊

🐚Deep blue sea hunters: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 's 2024 recreational bay scallop season is presently underway through Aug. 18. Click here for hunting sites.

🐟Calling all fishermen: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is calling freshwater anglers to catch a bass large enough to log into Florida's record book. Click here to learn more. Click here for the current state record.

⏳Time is running out: July 31 is the deadline for St. Johns County residents to complete the County Comprehensive Plan Update survey to include your input for guiding the county's goals, objectives and policies.

💗🤍💙Calling all military veterans: Veteran Tickets Foundation's Tickets for Troops Program (VET TIX) provides free tickets to U.S. military veterans for major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, sports and concert venues. Click here for information.

🍟Today is National French Fry Day: Click here to find out where to get free fries on Fri-yah!

Great news to end your week - Barry Honan's Lotus Noodle is honored- again! 🥣

When you're good, you're good, but when you're scrumptiously-delicious, you win awards. Such is the case with St. Augustine's Lotus Noodle Bar , showcasing the extraordinary talent of Executive Chef Barry Honan.

Honan's latest accolade touts dinner presentations at the Beard House extended by exclusive request. Only the finest American chefs are invited to the Beard House based on a reputation of excellence, discipline and the quality of the ingredients used in meal prep. The prestigious James Beard House recognition is simply another milestone Honan described as a remarkable honor.

“Crafting food is a passion,” he said. “Representing St. Augustine is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our culinary team who maintain the utmost in dedication.”

Honan and his team crafted two "exquisite" meals to 74 guests at the Beard House in New York’s Greenwich Village.

“To be invited to these hallowed halls is a distinction I wear with the deepest respect and appreciation,” he concluded. “Culinary legends have graced the Beard House with their genius. To follow in their footsteps is humbling and inspiring beyond measure. Through my cuisine, I pay homage to the rich legacy of the James Beard House while offering a glimpse into the culinary vision and the unique perspective that Lotus brings.”

Beard, a well-known food critic, author, and educator, championed regional and seasonally influenced American cuisine, bypassing mass-produced convenience foods popular in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. To this day, his memory is honored through the James Beard Foundation's culinary art awards.

Have a fantabulous weekend! Share your favorite St. Augustine moments with us via pictures and stories of family celebrations, friends, and solo days brimming with funny, historical or simply pleasant moments as well as the "Hey, I have an idea; and did you know; and why is this happening in St. Augustine?" and of course, Tuesday's, "I've got a question" notes to Lviti@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: 🐠The fishing poles won't work