Noah Hertz Reporter email
Noah Hertz is a Jacksonville Today reporter focusing on St. Johns County. From Central Florida, Noah got his start as an intern at WFSU, Tallahassee’s public radio station, and as a reporter at The Wakulla News. He went on to work for three years as a general assignment reporter and editor for The West Volusia Beacon in his hometown of DeLand, where he helped the Beacon take home awards from the Florida Press Association. A Florida State University graduate, Noah is happy to be back up in North Florida. When he isn't writing, Noah likes reading, baking and playing video games.
Featured image for “St. Johns lawmaker backs changes to development bill”
Florida Rep. Kim Kendall, center, says she wants to see changes in a controversial state development law. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
2 days ago

St. Johns lawmaker backs changes to development bill

Rep. Kim Kendell says the state shouldn’t be dictating how local officials can regulate development.…

Featured image for “Meet the new mayor of St. Augustine Beach”
Beth Sweeny will serve as St. Augustine Beach's mayor through 2026. | Submitted, Beth Sweeny
December 15, 2025

Meet the new mayor of St. Augustine Beach

St. Augustine Beach officials elevated Beth Sweeny from the position of vice mayor. Hear her priorities in the new position.…

Featured image for “Nocatee man will climb Kilimanjaro for infant death fundraiser”
The Pucillo family are, from left, Marie, Giovanni, Elena Rose and Evan. Evan will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in February to raise money for a nonprofit organization that supports families, like the Pucillos, coping with the death of an infant. | Submitted, Evan Pucillo
December 12, 2025

Nocatee man will climb Kilimanjaro for infant death fundraiser

Evan Pucillo plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on Feb. 9, the day his son died hours after birth.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine police chief announces retirement”
St. Augustine Police Chief Jennifer Michaux will retire next month. | St. Augustine Police Department
December 5, 2025

St. Augustine police chief announces retirement

Police Chief Jennifer Michaux reflects on her 30-year career in law enforcement and her five years as chief.…

Featured image for “State CFO touts immigration agenda in St. Johns County”
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia speaks Wednesday beside (from left) State Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, state Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville, and St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
December 3, 2025

State CFO touts immigration agenda in St. Johns County

CFO Blaise Ingoglia came to the First Coast to discuss his immigration priorities in the upcoming legislative session.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County adopts conservation fee on developers”
A new fee on developers would conserve undeveloped land like this in St. Johns County. | Flickr, Justin Ellenberger
December 2, 2025

St. Johns County adopts conservation fee on developers

The impact fee, phased in over five years, will pay for acquiring sensitive conservation land.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County bans smoking at parks and beaches”
Smoking cigarettes and vape pens is now against the rules in St. Johns County. | Brian Yurasits, Unsplash
December 2, 2025

St. Johns County bans smoking at parks and beaches

Students from Washington Classical Christian School had asked county officials to change smoking rules.…

Featured image for “Shakeup shuffles leadership on St. Johns County Commission”
The current St. Johns County commissioners are, from left, Christian Whitehurst, Sarah Arnold, Krista Joseph, Clay Murphy and Ann Taylor. | St. Johns County
December 2, 2025

Shakeup shuffles leadership on St. Johns County Commission

A surprise vote Tuesday dumped the leadership appointed just two weeks ago.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine lawmaker aims to curb last-minute land swaps”
Protesters took to the streets in Ponte Vedra Beach earlier this year to oppose a private company's plans to trade nearby sensitive conservation land for scattered plots around the state. A new bill filed in the Florida House and Senate would require more transparency about land swaps. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
November 24, 2025

St. Augustine lawmaker aims to curb last-minute land swaps

A St. Augustine representative is aiming to increase transparency surrounding land swaps like a controversial trade that nearly occurred earlier…

Featured image for “Legal fight stalls some panhandling prohibitions in Northeast Florida”
St. George Street in downtown St. Augustine is one of the areas city law rules is off-limits for panhandling. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
November 23, 2025

Legal fight stalls some panhandling prohibitions in Northeast Florida

According to internal emails, the City of St. Augustine is not enforcing its panhandling law due to ongoing litigation.…

Featured image for “A holiday film from a local writer: ‘Dial It Back’”
Actors Jasmeet Baduwalia and Ashlyn Baas play the two college-aged leads in the film "Dial it Back," written by Erin Keefer of Ponte Vedra Beach. | Dial It Back, Mad Wife Productions
November 19, 2025

A holiday film from a local writer: ‘Dial It Back’

Ponte Vedra resident Erin Keefer calls her film “a quirky crime comedy holiday movie.”…

Featured image for “Survey asks: How are the trails in St. Johns County?”
A 19-mile long paved trail runs from Palatka to southwest of St. Augustine. | Florida State Parks
November 17, 2025

Survey asks: How are the trails in St. Johns County?

A new survey seeks input from the public about paved walking and biking trails in St. Johns County.…

Featured image for “What’s new as Nights of Lights flips the switch this weekend”
The Plaza de la Constitución is lit up during Nights of Lights in downtown St. Augustine. l St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau
November 13, 2025

What’s new as Nights of Lights flips the switch this weekend

There are only a few pages left in this year’s calendar, which means Nights of Lights is ready to shine.…

Featured image for “Bankrupt Marineland will be sold to local activists”
The ownership of Marineland Dolphin Adventure has been tied up in court proceedings for months. Now, a nonprofit organization run by local people will take over its operations. | News4Jax, LoopNet
November 12, 2025

Bankrupt Marineland will be sold to local activists

The group, #1 Apex Association, plans to keep Marineland operating with existing employees and animals.…

Featured image for “Nights of Lights parking worries some business owners”
St. Augustine's Uptown neighborhood is just north of the historic downtown. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
November 11, 2025

Nights of Lights parking worries some business owners

One change, in particular, is raising concerns about Nights of Lights. See what the debate is all about.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County seeks input from agriculture leaders”
The Wilson Family Farm in St. Johns County is among the producers in the local agriculture industry. | Submitted, Christine Wilson
November 5, 2025

St. Johns County seeks input from agriculture leaders

A new agriculture advisory board will give farmers a seat at the table during important county decisions.…

Featured image for “Cline’s butcher shop expands from San Marco to St. Johns”
Joe and Milouda Cline, owners of Cline's Custom Meats. | J. Brooks Terry, Jacksonville Daily Record
October 31, 2025

Cline’s butcher shop expands from San Marco to St. Johns

The butcher shop, Cline’s Custom Meats, is known for cuts of meat that include Jacksonville-raised cattle…

Featured image for “New road segment should ease traffic near World Golf Village”
Staff and elected officials from St. Johns County celebrate the opening of a new segment of County Road 2209 on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
October 28, 2025

New road segment should ease traffic near World Golf Village

The new 3-mile segment of road connects Silverleaf Parkway with busy International Golf Parkway.…

Featured image for “Vilano Beach, Jax played key roles in TWEN’s new album”
TWEN band members Ian Jones and Jane Fitzsimmons on the beach in St. Johns County | Mego Lockett
October 27, 2025

Vilano Beach, Jax played key roles in TWEN’s new album

TWEN says Vilano Beach and Jacksonville played a pivotal role in their forthcoming album’s production.…

Featured image for “How can St. Johns County create more affordable housing?”
Nonprofit leaders and others discuss affordable housing during an event in St. Johns County. From left are Bill Lazar with the St. Johns Housing Partnership, Bob Porter with D.R. Horton, Malinda Everson with Habitat, Aliyah Meyer with the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and Erick Saks with Operation Lifeline. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
October 24, 2025

How can St. Johns County create more affordable housing?

Local leaders outline solutions for affordable housing at a time when it’s desperately needed.…

Featured image for “Purple Olive restaurant moves to former Gypsy Cab space”
In taking over the space that used to house the Gypsy Cab Co., Purple Olive owners Kristen White and Peter Kenney renovated the space. | Old City PR
October 23, 2025

Purple Olive restaurant moves to former Gypsy Cab space

Purple Olive will open Friday on Anastasia Island after 21 years in St. Augustine Beach.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine Airport Authority loses another commissioner”
The St. Augustine Airport, which is overseen by the St. Johns County Airport Authority. | St. Augustine Airport
October 23, 2025

St. Augustine Airport Authority loses another commissioner

Jennifer Liotta is the fourth Airport Authority board member to resign this year.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County will not join lawsuit over development law”
October 21, 2025

St. Johns County will not join lawsuit over development law

More than 20 municipalities are suing Florida over a new law that restricts local development.…

Featured image for “State CFO visits First Coast to reimburse police for ICE costs”
Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia delivered reimbursements checks from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to sheriffs from Northeast Florida Wednesday afternoon. From left are Putnam County Sheriff H.D. "Gator" DeLoach, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, Ingoglia and Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
October 21, 2025

State CFO visits First Coast to reimburse police for ICE costs

Local law enforcement received payments for the costs of helping ICE arrest illegal immigrants.…