Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Department of Emergency Management head Kevin Guthrie and FEMA Regional Administrator Deanne Criswell visited St Augustine Friday and toured perpetually flood-prone Davis Shores; taking stock of storm damage suffered as Hurricane Ian churned past.
Dana Kelly, the spokesperson for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Office of Public Information, confirmed for Historic City News that Florida district medical examiners are reporting hurricane deaths across the state now total 58, with 5 of those being confirmed in the 7th Judicial Circuit. St Johns County has so far been spared from the death toll, as has Putnam and Flagler.
Starting today, Monday, October 3, the City of St Augustine government offices, and most services will reopen for business. For Historic City News subscribers who reside within the city limits or in an area where trash collection is provided by the city, that means accumulated trash collection will be continuing in earnest.
On Monday, September 26, 2022, Historic City News subscribers are expected to participate in the regularly scheduled St Augustine city commission meeting when two ordinances will be heard on second reading that would create a new land use category and a new zoning district, ultimately allowing for higher density and transit-oriented development in the city limits.
A joint complaint by the Republican Party of Florida and the campaign of Republican Congressional District 9 candidate Scotty Moore, accuses WESH-2 News of violating Florida law when the station denied Moore entry to a political debate for not having up-to-date COVID vaccine documentation.
St Johns County Civic Roundtable Government Affairs Committee Chair Janet Patten and Vice Chairman and Treasurer Lisa McGlynn informed local Historic City News reporters that their Board of Directors has determined a dangerous rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment application will come before the County Commission for action on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.
St Johns County Supervisor of Elections announced to Historic City News this morning that the Canvassing Board accepted a request made by current District 4 County Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker that the ballots cast in his race need not be recounted. In a letter from Blocker last night, he accepted that his re-election campaign had “come up short”.
During a tough-fought campaign, awash in big-money contributions, state-level endorsements, and enough political controversy to keep two reporters buried for a week, the incumbent county commissioner representing affluent and influential voters in District 4 finds himself in a nail-biter against a political newcomer who appears to have him beaten by about 200 votes.
