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 “Former St. Augustine mayor loses law license ”
St. Augustine | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
July 1, 2024

Former St. Augustine mayor loses law license 

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

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
June 26, 2024

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…

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
June 24, 2024

St. Augustine Commission kills parking rule update

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

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
June 21, 2024

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…

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
June 18, 2024

Historic St. Augustine rectory to get refresh

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

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
June 17, 2024

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.…

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
June 14, 2024

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.…

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
June 11, 2024

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.…

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
June 6, 2024

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.…

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.
June 5, 2024

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…

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.
June 4, 2024

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.…

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.
May 28, 2024

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.…

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
May 27, 2024

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…

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
May 22, 2024

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.…

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
May 16, 2024

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.…

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.
May 15, 2024

$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…

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.
May 13, 2024

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…

Featured image for “Hotelier has big plans for St. Augustine high-rise”
An illustration shows Cathedral Place as it may look if a luxury hotel is approved at the property. | City of St. Augustine.
May 10, 2024

Hotelier has big plans for St. Augustine high-rise

Jalaram Hotels of St. Augustine wants to turn the historic Cathedral Place into a luxury hotel with a parking garage.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County to sell off surplus property this weekend”
St. Johns County is selling off surplus property. | Frederick Warren, Unsplash.
May 9, 2024

St. Johns County to sell off surplus property this weekend

Items for sale include a number of pickup trucks and other vehicles as well as office equipment.…

Featured image for “Affordable housing plan denied near World Golf Village”
An affordable housing complex was proposed on this land near County Road 16 and Silverleaf Parkway in St. Johns County. | Google
May 7, 2024

Affordable housing plan denied near World Golf Village

Citing traffic concerns, the St. Johns County Commission voted against a 288-unit affordable housing proposal called The Preserve at Ward’s…

Featured image for “Amelia recognized as ‘best island’ in US ”
Sailboats are moored on the Amelia River in Fernandina Beach's historic waterfront district. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
May 6, 2024

Amelia recognized as ‘best island’ in US 

Amelia Island was selected in a survey by Global Traveler Magazine. It topped destinations like Maui and Hilton Head.…

Featured image for “Carousel might soon return in St. Augustine”
Davenport Park sits near San Carlos and San Marco avenues in St. Augustine. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
May 2, 2024

Carousel might soon return in St. Augustine

One man’s journey to restore a carousel to “Carousel Park” got a step closer to reality Thursday.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County to host public budget workshops”
May 2, 2024

St. Johns County to host public budget workshops

The county aims to make its budget-setting process more transparent this year by making public workshops more accessible.…

Featured image for “St. Johns charity raises money to buy healthy food for seniors”
These are some of the custom birdhouses up for grabs as part of Pie in the Sky's For the Birds fundraiser. Proceeds will help fund the group's efforts to deliver healthy food to seniors.
May 1, 2024

St. Johns charity raises money to buy healthy food for seniors

Pie in the Sky is auctioning off artistic birdhouses in its annual For the Birds fundraiser.…