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Deputies: Meth lab found in back of car at Walmart

Sunday, December 20th, 2015, 6:08pm

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A meth lab was discovered in the back of a car at a Walmart off U.S. 1 in St. Johns County Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

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Deputies were originally called out to the Walmart in St. Augustine for a shoplifter and discovered a meth lab in the back of the suspect's vehicle in the parking lot, according to Chuck Mulligan with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

A Walmart employee said that the suspect tried to take $1,700 worth of goods before being caught with the meth lab.

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Submitted by Jessica Clark, Reporter

Tuesday, December 15th, 2015, 8:46pm

ID=77387244 ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Payphones are now rarer sights than they used to be, but they're still in business on the First Coast.

On the corner of the main city plaza in St. Augustine, next to historic plaques and monuments, there sits a humble pay phone.

Aaron Jockers has used the phone. "I think it's wonderful you have a payphone next to the nation's oldest park. Because it's a relic and antique itself!"

And it still works.

First Coast News did an experiment. Our crew set up a camera on the balcony of building across the street and called the phone.

The phone rang, but many people walked right by.

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Friday, December 11th, 2015, 7:20pm

ID=77142578 ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Thousands of people will be visiting St. Augustine to experience Nights of Lights during the holiday season.

As the annual display of holiday lights grows in popularity, the city will increase parking capacity to accommodate the plethora of vehicles, the City of St. Augustine announced in a press release.

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Wednesday, December 9th, 2015, 9:24pm

ID=77067212 ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.- A St. Augustine police officer and two others were injured when the officers patrol car crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Masters Drive and Ravenswood Drive Wednesday afternoon.

The patrol car was heading northbound when it tried to pass another vehicle around 1:30 p.m when the crash occurred, police spokesman Mark Samson tells First Coast News.

Samson says they do not yet know whether the officer was headed to an emergency call or not.

All three were taken to Flagler Hospital with "non-life threatening" injuries.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office will investigate the accident.

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Submitted by Roger Weeder, Reporter

Tuesday, December 8th, 2015, 7:10pm

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — St. Johns County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country with discussion on Tuesday focusing in on how to better prepare for the future.

A crowded conference room was filled with ideas on ways to get a leg up on development - already nearly 2,300 home permits granted through October this year. While housing stats are not as high as before the crash in 2005, home building is on a huge upswing in various parts of the county, with Nocatee leading the charge.

"We are becoming Jacksonville, we are becoming something that I don't think most of us want," said B.J. Kalaide who was one of many speakers who wanted to voice her concerns to the county commission.

Commissioner Rachael Bennett said part of problem is having staff that can plan.

"Our planners are really reviewers... are not enough of them to actually plan," said Bennett.

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Submitted by Jessica Clark, Reporter

Monday, December 7th, 2015, 7:53pm

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. — The way government works in St. Augustine Beach may be changing.

St. Augustine Beach city commissioners will decide Monday evening if they should have the final say on big projects and developments.

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Surprisingly, the city commission has not had this power for decades.

The issue that brought this to light is the Embassy Suites hotel planned for A1A.

The three-story hotel in St. Augustine Beach is planned for the land south of Anastasia State Park and north of the pier.

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Monday, December 7th, 2015, 1:44pm

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A man has died following a single-vehicle crash in St. Augustine, authorities said.

The victim has been identified by the St. Augustine Police Department as 52-year-old Paul Drew Packer.

The accident happened about 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at the intersection of Hildreth Drive and Douglas Avenue.

According to police, Packer was driving a 2014 Nissan Sentra when he failed to stop at a stop sign and the car jumped a fence, striking a fence and a fire hydrant before crashing into a tree.

Packer was airlifted to UF Health Jacksonville where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Investigators say he was not wearing a seat belt and speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.

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