The election of 2006 was a dark election for St Johns County residents — it was the year that convicted felon Thomas G. Manuel played the voters here like a violin; and used his powers of manipulation, in concert with three pawns, one of whom would later say, on camera, “to take over the county”.

City of St Augustine Beach Commissioner, Undine Pawlowski, informed Historic City News local reporters that at the May meeting of the Beach commission, on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at St Augustine Beach City Hall, a time would be set for the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Ocean Hammock Park.

A conditional special use permit for the next 180 days, allowing Ren Weise to conduct outdoor weddings on his property located at 4975 Palm Valley Road in Ponte Vedra Beach, was approved by county commissioners on a 4-0 vote; Ken Bryan was not able to vote because of a declared conflict of interest.

Historic City News reporters learned that a controversial statewide septic tank mandate, passed by the Florida Legislature in 2010, was eliminated when Governor Rick Scott signed HB-1263 into law Friday; over objections from the Sierra Club, who requested a veto.

The St Johns County School District updated Historic City News on the revised agenda in place for Tuesday’s School Board workshop; being held at 8:30 a.m. in the Superintendent’s Conference Room located at 40 Orange Street in St Augustine.

St Augustine commissioners want to know if Historic City News readers feel there is greater value in the miniature golf course adjacent to the Municipal Marina on the bayfront or making the area part of an open green space, which could be rented for income-producing events?

Nothing short of fireworks during the first two-hour segment of the St Augustine City Commission during their regular meeting tonight when a local pastor took the podium — not to recite a benediction, but rather to condemn the members of the commission and city staff for defamation of his Lincolnville church.