Now that the governor’s October 1st deadline is upon them, the city manager, John Regan, is throwing the public an obligatory “bone”, announcing to local Historic City News reporters that City Hall “is prepared to resume in-person public meetings and hearings”.

Last Monday, the St Augustine City Manager, who has been peppered with criticism over his handling of a growing list of maladies in the community, told commissioners and Historic City News reporters that he has spent “over $318,000” in direct moving costs for the specious “emergency” removal of the 141-year-old veterans memorial that stood in honor of 46-individual, local soldiers who died during the American Civil War.

In a move advocated by Historic City News about 100 Republican Committeemen and women attending a regular business meeting of the St Johns County Republican Executive Committee last Thursday evening, passed a motion to remove Leanna Freeman from its official slate of candidates

The August Primary Election has been certified according to a report from St Johns County Supervisor of Elections, Vicky Oakes. She told Historic City News local reporters that they are already preparing for the November General Election.  If you think your vote does not count, just recall the General Election of 2016, when Paul Waldron, who has never held political office, defeated former assistant St Johns County manager, Jerry Cameron, by just 7-votes.

Early voting attracted almost 18,000 participants on Tuesday August 18 in St Johns County, according to information obtained by Historic City News from the elections office.  However, more than 25,000 mail-in ballots were counted.

With 48 of 48 precincts reporting, Historic City News was informed by the Supervisor of Elections, Vicky Oakes, of the results of the following local elections. These are unofficial results and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. They include partial vote by mail, early voting and Election Day but do not include provisional ballots.

During last week’s St Augustine city commission video conference call, conducted in lieu of traditional public meetings in the Alcazar Room of City Hall, a simple question raised by Commissioner John Valdes concerning the condition of the 1879 Confederate Memorial to be moved, triggered an abrupt response from Nancy Sikes-Kline, leading her at one point to talking over the commissioner.

Vicky Oakes, St Johns County Supervisor of Elections, contacted Historic City News editor Michael Gold as she concluded all “early voting” activity at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.  She announced that there is no early voting on Sunday or Monday, the day before Election Day.