government
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St. Johns County: A Pivotal Moment for Community Unity
A pivotal moment can change everything. I hope the June 3 Commissioners meeting is such a moment. It was a pleasure to watch the meeting on June 3. It was uplifting. It was positive. It was hopeful. There was no tension. There was minimal name calling, and that was drowned out by positive comments. Testimonials Continue reading
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At what point does “freedom of speech” become “I deserve access to private information about others?”
In St Johns County, a cloud of controversy surrounds County Administrator Joy Andrews following public accusations of misconduct, culminating in a no-confidence vote. Despite facing harsh scrutiny and personal attacks, Andrews responded with professionalism, emphasizing the need to protect employee rights and integrity. The situation highlights ongoing tensions within the Board of Commissioners. Continue reading
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The Tactic of Fueling Hatred
The American public increasingly accepts unverified social media claims, often driven by personal agendas or ignorance. In St. Johns County, developers are unfairly demonized, creating division among residents amidst growth frustrations. The new county commission may amplify this division while potentially jeopardizing legal standing with developers, raising concerns about long-term consequences for the community. Continue reading
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Shame
So, I wonder if this is how our County is going to work next year. No collaboration. No listening (to anyone who disagrees). Decisions made on a personal agenda without regard for facts, the law, respect for fellow commissioners or respect for the County, as a whole. I had (naively?) hoped that after the primaries, Continue reading
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The Commissioners Did Not Raise Property Taxes. That Is A Lie
With five days to go until the primary election for St Johns County Commissioners District 1, 3 and 5, I’m just going to be blunt here. I received an email from “SJCountyNeighbors” accusing Commissioners Dean and Whitehurst of raising our “property taxes in each of the last four years by about 10% on average.” That Continue reading
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The Irony of Nicole Crosby
Please share Judge Kenneth Janesk, of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, just ruled on a lawsuit brought against Nicole Crosby, “the Anns” handler/campaign manager/marketing advisor. The lawsuit (type in case #CA24-0665), brought by Plaintiff James Higbee, alleges defamation of his character in social media and says that the defamation had a direct impact on Continue reading
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The other “Ann” Interview
Okay, I must mention this before I address some of the elements of the St Augustine Record interview with Ann Taylor. Why, in heaven’s name, would any individual who is putting themselves out to their community to become an elected official, making important decisions about the County and its future, allow themselves to be part Continue reading
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Interview with commissioner candidate Ann-Marie Evans.
I have been following the St Augustine Record reporter’s recent candidate profiles and appreciate her hard-hitting questions. She doesn’t pull punches and, in a few paragraphs, manages to get to the gist of the campaign claims, promises and conflicts. She tackles big questions like bribery, transparency, laws, etc. in a fair and balanced way. I Continue reading
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Methinks thou doth protest too much
The candidates challenging the incumbents for County commissioner are finding themselves the targets of the same vitriol to which the incumbent Commissioners have been subjected for almost a year. They are using every public platform available to them to protest what is being said about them. They can do that. They can lie, they can Continue reading
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Attack Ads Multiply
When I heard that Rob Hardwick was running for reelection as Sheriff of St Johns County, my first thought was, “No one would be foolish enough to run against him.” Actually, that was my second thought, my first being “Thank goodness.” I have worked with the Sheriff extensively for our community’s safety and have spent Continue reading
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