A 51-year-old motorcyclist from St. Augustine, Florida, died after crashing into an RV being towed by a van on U.S. 1 near Smith Grade Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The incident occurred when the 71-year-old van driver, traveling north, attempted a U-turn into the southbound lane from the right lane, crossing in front of the motorcyclist in the left lane. The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, hit the left side of the RV and was taken to Halifax Hospital in Volusia County, where he later died. The van driver was not injured. More… Read Full story: WJXT
Day: October 18, 2023
St. Johns County reaches $3.7M settlement with company in charge of beach restoration project
St. Johns County and the company contracted for beach restoration projects after Hurricanes Irma and Matthew reached a settlement following a dispute over costs. The company, Continental Heavy Civil Corp. (CHC), claimed it incurred additional unforeseen expenses during a $33.5 million FEMA emergency berm restoration project. CHC asserted it was owed around $7 million for cost overruns, split into $4.6 million for extra work items and $2.3 million for trucking shortage impacts. In the settlement, the county agreed to pay CHC approximately $3.7 million, with $830,000 going directly to the company, and the county seeking FEMA reimbursement for the remaining…
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St. Johns County Commission axes potential changes to tree ordinance
Efforts to enhance tree protection during construction in St. Johns County hit a roadblock on Tuesday. The county commission was considering updates to the tree ordinance, aiming to provide more safeguards for trees during the development of neighborhoods and shopping centers. During a lengthy session, dozens of residents, builders, and environmentalists voiced support for measures such as higher fees for tree removal, stricter penalties for tree removal, and mandates for tree buffers around new developments. Public comments on this topic lasted over 2 hours, with the overall discussion taking more than 2.5 hours. However, in the end, county commissioners voted…
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