Noah Hertz Reporter email
Noah Hertz is an award-winning reporter focusing on St. Johns County. Noah got his start reporting in Tallahassee and in Wakulla County, covering local government and community issues. He went on to work for three years as a general assignment reporter and editor for The West Volusia Beacon in his Central Florida hometown of DeLand, where he helped the Beacon take home awards from the Florida Press Association. A Florida State University graduate, Noah loves North Florida. When he isn't on the job — although, when isn't a reporter on the job? — Noah likes reading, baking and riding his bike around Northeast Florida.
Featured image for “Marineland rebounds from dark days. Now staff say the park is thriving.”
A dolphin leaps from the water at Marineland Dolphin Adventure. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
1 hour ago

Marineland rebounds from dark days. Now staff say the park is thriving.

Six months ago, all signs pointed toward bankruptcy for Marineland Dolphin Adventure.…

Featured image for “Siding with church, St. Johns County rejects alcohol at Hastings pizza parlor”
An agriculture-themed mural adorns the side of a building along Hastings' historic Main Street. The mural was painted by artist Kelsey Montague in 2025. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
1 day ago

Siding with church, St. Johns County rejects alcohol at Hastings pizza parlor

Main St. Pizza & Ice Cream had sought permission to sell beer and wine across from First Baptist Church.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County seeks residents’ opinions about public transit”
St. Johns County's key public transit offering is the Sunshine Bus, operated in partnership with the area Council on Aging. | St. Johns County Council on Aging
May 15, 2026

St. Johns County seeks residents’ opinions about public transit

The survey is required by the Florida Department of Transportation to help develop a transit plan.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | What is St. Johns County planning for World Golf Village?”
This aerial view shows the World Golf Hall of Fame at World Golf Village in St. Augustine. | Visit St. Augustine
May 8, 2026

#AskJAXTDY | What is St. Johns County planning for World Golf Village?

After discussing ideas to develop parts of World Golf Village, St. Johns County has been quiet for months. What’s the…

Featured image for “St. Johns commissioners worry about the possibility of data centers”
Fans that are part of a cooling system are seen on the roof of a data center April 27, 2026, in Hillsboro, Oregon. | Jenny Kane, AP
May 5, 2026

St. Johns commissioners worry about the possibility of data centers

Elected officials worry that data centers, the power behind artificial intelligence, could drain the county’s resources.…

Featured image for “Anastasia State Park expands lodging options with ‘glamping’ cabins”
These new bungalows at Anastasia State Park are a part of what the park's concessionaire calls its new "glamping" offerings. | Cape Leisure Corp.
May 4, 2026

Anastasia State Park expands lodging options with ‘glamping’ cabins

New cabins are part of what the Anastasia State Park’s concessionaire calls its new “glamping” offerings. …

Featured image for “St. Johns County’s business is booming, and officials want to keep it that way”
Manufacturing — like HVAC company Q-PAC in Elkton — are one area where St. Johns County is seeing businesses grow. | St. Johns County
May 1, 2026

St. Johns County’s business is booming, and officials want to keep it that way

From new hospitals to the local airport, a lot of money is coming into one of Florida’s fastest-growing counties.…

Featured image for “Baseball coach under investigation at St. Augustine High School”
St. Augustine High's baseball field has hosted the Yellow Jackets for decades. In this May 2017 photo, the Yellow Jackets defeated Jacksonville Englewood. | Photo by Will Brown
April 30, 2026

Baseball coach under investigation at St. Augustine High School

Coach Tony Cannaday was removed from his position over “inappropriate activities” in the team’s locker room. …

Featured image for “State education commissioner berates St. Johns County superintendent”
The St. Johns County School District faces a budget shortfall that the superintendent blames partly on private school vouchers. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
April 24, 2026

State education commissioner berates St. Johns County superintendent

Superintendent Brennan Asplen was upbraided for criticizing Florida’s private school voucher program.…

Featured image for “Archaeologists to discuss relics from segregated schools”
St. Augustine archaeology crews are hard at work, including this site at the St. Benedict the Moor school. | City of St. Augustine
April 16, 2026

Archaeologists to discuss relics from segregated schools

St. Augustine will have a community meeting to highlight artifacts unearthed from the sites of former segregated schools.…

Featured image for “Fruit Cove residents fight proposed Daily’s gas station”
Speakers oppose a proposed Daily's gas station, convenience store and car wash in Fruit Cove. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
April 15, 2026

Fruit Cove residents fight proposed Daily’s gas station

St. Johns County commissioners denied a similar gas station proposal in 2019, partly because of traffic.…

Featured image for “Five-star hotel approved in downtown St. Augustine”
St. Augustine's Treasury building, seen from the Bridge of Lions, is the tallest in the historic downtown's skyline, standing six stories tall. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
April 14, 2026

Five-star hotel approved in downtown St. Augustine

City commissioners unanimously approved plans for a hotel in downtown’s tallest building.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine Beach considers term limits for commissioners”
The coastal city of St. Augustine Beach has an estimated population of ab out 6,800 as of the 2020 census. | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
April 8, 2026

St. Augustine Beach considers term limits for commissioners

Voters will decide in November if St. Augustine Beach’s city commissioners should have term limits.…

Featured image for “Flagler archaeology students dig into St. Augustine artifacts”
Flagler College student Abby Mahon shows off a shard from a piece of pottery that dates back to the 19th century. It's one of the pieces found in a recent dig at the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
April 6, 2026

Flagler archaeology students dig into St. Augustine artifacts

Archaeology students are studying artifacts found during a recent dig at the St. Augustine Lighthouse.…

Featured image for “Activists fight for cat colonies in St. Johns County”
Cats like these kittens are trapped outside St. Augustine and taken to clinics in Jacksonville and Clay County. St. Johns County has no program to spay, neuter and vaccinate cats and return them to the outdoors. | Photo courtesy Adrienne Arnone
April 1, 2026

Activists fight for cat colonies in St. Johns County

Activists want the county to create a policy to neuter or spay unowned cats and return them to their surroundings.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County asks DeSantis to veto development bill”
The Florida Legislature passed a development bill that St. Johns County argues would take away some of their local decision-making power. | Gary McCullough, AP
March 24, 2026

St. Johns County asks DeSantis to veto development bill

County commissioners say the bill would take away their authority over some development issues.…

Featured image for “State Black history museum is still a long ways off”
A historical display stands at the future site of the Florida Museum of Black History in West Augustine. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 19, 2026

State Black history museum is still a long ways off

For the second time, a bill regarding the Black history museum in St. Johns County failed to pass the Legislature.…

Featured image for “Sing Out Loud festival will scale back this fall, with a big move coming”
Sing Out Loud headliner Hozier performs during the 2025 event. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 17, 2026

Sing Out Loud festival will scale back this fall, with a big move coming

This year’s Sing Out Loud music festival will offer a smaller presence that still promises lots of performances.…

Featured image for “Sarbez! owner plans new restaurant, venue Alfred’s in west St. Augustine”
Businesses like Blue Hen Cafe and Graet Goods vintage dot West King Street, the main commercial thoroughfare of the West City neighborhood in St. Augustine. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 11, 2026

Sarbez! owner plans new restaurant, venue Alfred’s in west St. Augustine

Alfred’s, a new restaurant and venue, is targeting a spring opening in St. Augustine’s West City neighborhood.…

Featured image for “New exhibit explores St. Augustine’s ancient Irish ties”
A new museum exhibit in St. Augustine explores the city's connections to Ireland that date back centuries. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 9, 2026

New exhibit explores St. Augustine’s ancient Irish ties

St. Augustines’ Irish connections date to 1600 — more than 100 years before the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration.…

Featured image for “Divisive Shore Drive project in St. Augustine is dead”
A proposed path path along Shore Drive in St. Augustine South is officially off the table. St. Johns County officials had proposed building a trail to get pedestrians and cyclists out of the winding two-lane road. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 3, 2026

Divisive Shore Drive project in St. Augustine is dead

St. Johns County commissioners have officially nixed the walking path proposed along Shore Drive.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine drops longtime horse carriage operator”
Country Carriages has operated its horse and carriage business in St. Augustine since 2004. | Courtesy Country Carriages
February 27, 2026

St. Augustine drops longtime horse carriage operator

The action comes after pressure from animal welfare activists and a history of rules violations.…

Featured image for “Local leaders back Randy Fine despite anti-Muslim comments”
Randy Fine speaks at the Florida Capitol in 2022 | Phil Sears, AP
February 27, 2026

Local leaders back Randy Fine despite anti-Muslim comments

St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick says he does not plan to rescind his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Randy Fine.…

Featured image for “Statue of Frederick Douglass unveiled in St. Augustine”
A statue of abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass now sits in downtown St. Augustine. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
February 25, 2026

Statue of Frederick Douglass unveiled in St. Augustine

Gov. Ron DeSantis dedicated the statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass near a plaza where slaves were once sold.…