by Associated Press
The printed newspaper industry has been devastated by changing technology that has sent the vast majority of people online in search of news. While McClatchy and others have pushed digital operations aggressively, advertising dollars have continued to flow toward local Internet publishers like Historic City News and internet giants like Facebook and Google.
Today, United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced to Historic City News the return of an indictment against 49-year-old Samuel Arthur Thompson of St Augustine. He is charged with receiving and possessing child sex-abuse images, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and transmitting damaging commands to a protected computer system or device.
Historic City News learned today that the City of St. Augustine is receiving a $50,000 grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources to fund a historic site survey of areas in West Augustine, as well as areas to the north around Fort Mose.
At an emergency meeting Monday, interim City Attorney Jim Wilson told City of St Augustine Beach commissioners that there are more applicants interested in bidding for his old job — good news on the heals of Lonnie Groot unexpectedly altering a significant condition of his contract that the commission does not find acceptable. Wilson is continuing to work as city attorney with his colleagues at Coquina Law Firm acting as backup attorneys.
St Johns County Board of Commissioners reported to Historic City News that members of a Florida Department of Transportation project team will begin work soon on a major resurfacing project in the City of St Augustine.
Despite several concerns, Florida Politics is reporting that the Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted unanimously to move forward legislation that would make vandalizing memorials a felony. Residents in veteran-rich St Augustine and St Johns County have been telling Historic City News that this is a Bill that should have become state law years ago.
It is report card time for the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Historic City News readers are being invited to participate in the essential public comment process.
On Tuesday evening, February 11, 2020, Historic City News readers are invited to attend the monthly open meeting of the St Augustine Tea Party where the mood will be festive as members and guests gather to hold an acquittal celebration for the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
