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, DeLand. Noah won an award for his breaking news coverage at The Wakulla News and he went on to help 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. Augustine residents may get higher tax bills”

Lion statues guard St. Augustine's iconic Bridge of Lions. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

St. Augustine residents may get higher tax bills

City commissioners are proposing to leave the tax rate the same, but rising property values would lead to higher taxes.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Higher taxes likely for St. Johns County residents”

St. Johns County's entryway on State Road A1A. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

Higher taxes likely for St. Johns County residents

The county plans to keep its tax rate the same, but rising property values mean homeowners would pay more.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns County to pay $6.3M for deputy’s crash”

Julia "Jenny" Perez says her life was shattered after a St. Johns County sheriff's deputy hit her motorcycle. | Provided by Julia Perez, via Fresh Take Florida

St. Johns County to pay $6.3M for deputy’s crash

Motorcylist Julia Perez was severely injured when Deputy Brandon Hetzler ran into her while answering his phone.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Volunteer researchers unlock secrets of nesting sea turtles”

Volunteer researcher Jeff Finnan prepares a sea turtle egg for genetic testing at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

Volunteer researchers unlock secrets of nesting sea turtles

Northeast Florida is about half way through sea turtle nesting season, and volunteers are working hard to keep track of…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns County commissioner cleared of meeting violation”

St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Joseph waves an American flag as she begins her comments during a meeting Nov. 21, 2023. | St. Johns County

St. Johns County commissioner cleared of meeting violation

A federal judge ruled that Krista Joseph did nothing wrong when, during a meeting, she encouraged people to vote against…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “These St. Johns County elections will likely be decided in August”

St. Augustine | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

These St. Johns County elections will likely be decided in August

The general election isn’t until November, but a handful of races in St. Johns County will be as good as…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns County finishes beach restoration early”

Beach restoration stretched over more than 9 miles of coastline from the St. Johns-Duval county line south to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. | St. Johns County

St. Johns County finishes beach restoration early

Crews have been shoring up 9 miles of beach since March to fortify it against future storms.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Former St. Augustine mayor loses law license ”

St. Augustine | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

Former St. Augustine mayor loses law license

Joseph Boles Jr. was a prominent elder law attorney and former eight-year mayor of St. Augustine.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Postmortem for a historic St. Augustine home”

11 Bridge Street, pictured at left June 5, and the rubble of the building days later. | Carly Zervis

Postmortem for a historic St. Augustine home

One day it was there, and the next day it was gone. City leaders question whether 11 Bridge Street in…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Augustine Commission kills parking rule update”

One of St. Augustine’s busiest intersections, the modified traffic circle at San Marco Avenue and May Street | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

St. Augustine Commission kills parking rule update

It was not immediately clear why the parking measure was shelved at the last moment. …

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns County explores North Beach seawall”

Piers like these in St. Johns County's North Beach community are easily inundated when high storm surge floods the area. | St. Johns County

St. Johns County explores North Beach seawall

The surge from flooding is getting higher in the North Beach and Vilano Beach community, and a seawall may be…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Historic St. Augustine rectory to get refresh”

This historic photo shows the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine's rectory as it has stood since 1965. | Diocese of St. Augustine

Historic St. Augustine rectory to get refresh

Housing for clergymen of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine will receive a much-needed renovation.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Federal St. Augustine flooding study expected to yield solutions in 4 years”

The seawall along Avenida Menendez near the heart of Downtown St. Augustine will soon be raised up. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

Federal St. Augustine flooding study expected to yield solutions in 4 years

How do you keep St. Augustine from flooding? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to give answers, eventually.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Baptist opening emergency room in St. Augustine”

The new Baptist/Wolfson Children’s Emergency Room and Imaging Center will open Monday, June 17, 2024. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

Baptist opening emergency room in St. Augustine

Baptist Health officials say the new ER will bring emergency care closer to home in St. Johns County.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns moms speak about their lawsuit over schoolbooks”

School library books, like these at R.L. Brown Gifted and Talented Academy in Jacksonville, remain a controversial issue in Florida. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

St. Johns moms speak about their lawsuit over schoolbooks

The two parents are suing for equal rights when the public challenges books in Florida’s schools.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Waves of Change: Civil rights demonstrators return to St. Augustine”

The St. Johns Cultural Council recognized Purcell Conway and Shed Dawson for their participation in the St. Augustine Beach wade-ins in June 1964. Their efforts to integrate a whites-only beach was part of a series of demonstrations during Freedom Summer. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Waves of Change: Civil rights demonstrators return to St. Augustine

Protesters Shed Dawson and Purcell Conway are honored as a new museum exhibit commemorates wade-ins at a whites-only beach.…

By Noah Hertz and Will Brown

Featured image for “St. Johns weighs $107,000 incentive for office developer”

This map shows, in yellow, where a proposed office space could be built near Interstate 95 and International Golf Parkway. | St. Johns County.

St. Johns weighs $107,000 incentive for office developer

St. Johns County says it needs more flexible office space, and it’s considering an incentive for a developer to help…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Are cell towers safe? RiverTown residents are worried”

Rivertown Mainstreet is the main thoroughfare in much of the Rivertown development in St. Johns County, south of Fruit Cove. Hundreds of homes lie along the road, as well as a planned K-8 school. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today.

Are cell towers safe? RiverTown residents are worried

More than 500 people have signed a petition opposing construction of a cell tower in St. Johns County’s RiverTown neighborhood.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Johns restricts schoolbooks, including ‘Slaughterhouse Five’”

Jean Moore, seated at left, petitions the St. Johns County School Board to remove four books on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today.

St. Johns restricts schoolbooks, including ‘Slaughterhouse Five’

Only the oldest students in St. Johns County Schools will have access to “Slaughterhouse Five” and three other books.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Son of ‘most arrested rabbi in America’ traces father’s steps in St. Augustine”

Rabbi Israel Dresner with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the early 1960s. | Wikimedia Commons

Son of ‘most arrested rabbi in America’ traces father’s steps in St. Augustine

Avi Dresner recently visited to film for a documentary about his dad who was arrested in St. Augustine during the…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “HGTV’s ‘Dream Home’ sweepstakes has a winner”

This is the 3,300-square-foot "Dream Home" given away as part of an HGTV contest. | HGTV

HGTV’s ‘Dream Home’ sweepstakes has a winner

Maria Fratta, a schoolteacher in New York, won a new home in Anastasia Island, a Mercedes Benz and $100,000.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Thousands offer ideas for World Golf Village”

This aerial view shows the World Golf Hall of Fame at World Golf Village in St. Augustine. | Visit St. Augustine

Thousands offer ideas for World Golf Village

A public survey found that the IMAX Theater, dining and green space are the most popular uses of the property.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “$400k a ‘low budget’ in Northeast Florida housing hot spots”

This three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in northwest St. Johns County's Shearwater community is up for grabs for $625,000. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today.

$400k a ‘low budget’ in Northeast Florida housing hot spots

Families are getting priced out of high demand and higher-priced real estate hot spots in Duval County and St. Johns…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “St. Augustine OKs Davenport Park carousel”

This concept image shows what Davenport Park,near San Carlos and San Marco avenues could look like once the new carousel is installed. | St. Augustine.

St. Augustine OKs Davenport Park carousel

St. Augustine’s “Carousel Park” has been without a carousel since 2019, but that’s about to change thanks to a local’s…

By Noah Hertz