Latest news with #SarahArnold
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Stop the Swap:' St. Johns County residents, leaders protest against Guana land swap Saturday
The message Saturday morning in Ponte Vedra: 'Stop the Swap:' as hundreds of concerned neighbors, as well as state and county leaders, showed out with signs in hand to speak out against the proposed land swap of the Guana Wildlife Management Area. 'If we lose this, we have lost what is the crown jewel of this county,' county commissioner Sarah Arnold said at Saturday's protest. 'I can't sit by and see that happen. This land was placed in conservation years and years ago.' The proposed deal, which would swap 600 acres of Guana land for 3,000 acres of scattered land throughout central Florida, is an absolute non-starter for many of St. Johns County's residents. Many residents also say the proposal seemingly came out of nowhere, much like – residents say - the proposed developments Action News Jax told viewers about last year at Anastasia State Park that drew similar widespread outcry. 'This was just quietly published on the website, and Audubon Florida were the ones who found it and started sending it out to the organizations,' explained community organizer Stacy Strumph. 'So any time that the ARC or the FDEP quietly just submits something as significant as losing this rare piece of ecological, biodiverse area, it's suspicious. It's a red flag.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Now, St. Johns County residents are calling on their neighbors to make their voices heard at Tuesday's county commissioners meeting, before the Acquisition and Restoration makes its recommendation to the governor and its cabinet Wednesday for final say. 'There's a county commission meeting on May 20, at 5 p.m.,' Strumph said. 'You can come, you can give your three minute speech to the county commissioners, who would be responsible for any rezoning of this land, should it come to fruition.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] 'The final vote will happen with the governor and the cabinet,' State Rep. Kim Kendall said. '[It] doesn't matter if ARC on Wednesday votes it down or up, that helps put some influence, but it comes down to those three individuals.' You can also find the 'Stop the Swap' petition by clicking on the link here. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Starting to take shape': Continued developments made to the Hastings Community Center and Library
New developments have been made to an upcoming library and community center in St. Johns County. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Action News Jax previously told you about the upcoming Hastings Community Center and Library when the ground was broken in 2024. Foundations have been set, and walls are now withstanding. See the pictures above. The new center is going to be located at 401 North Main Street. 'We are excited to see this project come to life, which will serve as an anchor for the Hastings community,' St. Johns County District 2 Commissioner Sarah Arnold said in a news release. 'This facility will not only provide access to books, technology, and information but will also offer a welcoming space for gatherings, events, and programs that will bring people together.' The building will have an expanded library, meeting rooms, a multi-purpose event space, and an outdoor gathering area. Construction on the new facility is expected to be completed in 2025. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New stations set to improve emergency response times in Flagler Estates
Help will soon be closer than ever before for the Flagler Estates Community. St. Johns County hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new fire station and Sheriff's Office substation. It's a 3.8 million dollar construction project that's going to speed up response times to emergencies and medical calls. The future home for Flagler Estates Fire Station #21 is currently fenced off as construction gets underway. The below renderings show what it'll look like once it's complete: St. Johns County Commissioner for District 2, Sarah Arnold, said it's about time to have a new substation here. 'It can take 15 or 20 minutes for response, and this is something the community needed, so we're very thrilled to be breaking ground on the project today,' said Arnold.' Sheriff Robert Hardwick said a joint substation, with both fire and sheriff's office services, will address a greater need in this underserved community. 'It's not only a substation for St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and St. John's County Fire Rescue, but our partners and brothers and sisters with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office who are very isolated down here,' said Hardwick. The fire chief for St. John's County Fire and Rescue said this is the first station to be built as part of the recently approved public safety expansion plan. Another four joint substations are expected be built over the next five years or so. Read: Unprecedented public safety improvements planned and approved for St. Johns County 'The area itself has been growing significantly as far as population and build out in the community, so it's a much-needed resource for this area,' said Sean McGee, the Fire Chief for St. John's County Fire Rescue. McGee said 12 new firefighter/EMT/paramedics who just graduated have already been hired and will be ready to start on the job here as soon as construction is complete. Read: St. Johns County Fire Rescue to hire 31 new firefighters to address growing demands [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
First phase of renovations underway at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center
St. Johns County Officials kicked off renovations at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center this week with an official groundbreaking ceremony at the football field. As part of the first phase, the field's grass is being replaced with artificial turf, with additional improvements being made to the field's drainage system. 'In areas like this, where we're unable to expand upon fields, doing something like adding artificial turf is going to expand play at this site to 365 days a year,' said Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Kane. 'This turf field represents more than just a place to play,' Commissioner Sarah Arnold said. 'It's a step forward in creating a facility that meets the needs of our growing community. From year-round access to fewer cancellations due to soggy, muddy grass, this field will ensure that our residents and their families have more opportunities to enjoy sports, recreation, and community events.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] $2.1 million has been budgeted for construction at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center. The contract for phase one was approved and awarded to Hoffman Commercial Construction LLC. at the February 4th Board of County Commissioners meeting. Work is estimated to wrap up in the fall of this year. Read: Watering restrictions begin in St. Johns County, Duval after Daylight Savings Time The investment in the field reflects the county's desire to expand recreational facilities for its growing population. Just this month, St. Johns County opened its first new park in over a decade. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
