Government

As more local students and St. Augustine residents consider using their computer’s high-speed Internet connection for making and receiving telephone calls, a potentially lifesaving service that most of us take for granted must also be considered.

POTS, an acronym for “plain old telephone service”, has been used for years to access 9-1-1 operators in fire, police and medical emergencies.

County Engineer Darrell Locklear reported some good news today for five families in jeopardy of having their homes wash into the Atlantic Ocean.

Gerry Stokes’ home on Coastal Highway (SR A1A North) as well as the homes of four other families located north of Vilano Beach are covered under a local “state of emergency”.

St. Johns County government provides an effective method for citizens to file complaints and track efforts taken by county employees to resolve those issues with PRIDE. The Public Request Inquiry Data Exchange (PRIDE) is available to anyone with Internet access and users have the option to remain anonymous.

The St. Augustine Record was reporting yesterday that Jones will seek re-election after six years on the St. Augustine City Commission.

When Historic City Media spoke with the Supervisor of Elections Office on yesterday, we were told that they could not find any record that Jones has filed as a candidate for re-election. The website maintained by the Supervisor’s office is checked regularly by our news reporters and as of the writing of this story, there is still no record that Jones has properly filed.

For the past three years, there has been an ongoing dispute between the City of St. Augustine, the state Department of Environmental Protection and some local activists — with Ed Slavin as well as Tony and Judith Seraphin at the forefront.

Slavin, who is sometimes credited with uncovering the violation of state Department of Environmental Protection rules, maintains his own blog, critical of the City’s actions at this link.

Beginning in April, the Bookmobile will bring library materials and programming to the World Golf Village and Palencia areas.

Every other Monday beginning April 7th the Bookmobile will be in the Publix shopping center off International Golf Parkway from 9 am to noon. Also, beginning April 9th, the Bookmobile will be available at the Palencia amenities center every other Wednesday from 2:30 to 5 pm.

In a news release available here, the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs is soliciting your nominations for the name of the newest State Veteran’s Nursing Home to be built in St. Johns County.

The Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs plans to break ground this June and anticipates the home to open for occupancy in December 2009.

Although appearing as Item 22 on the Consent Agenda for yesterday’s Board of County Commissioner’s meeting, the celebration of naming the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center overshadowed the resolution to approve execution of an employment contract on behalf of the County with Patrick F. McCormack.