Helene: Essential information for St. Johns County

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As Helene approaches the Jacksonville area, St. Johns County has provided residents with the following information as the county works with the Emergency Operations Center to get prepared for the storm:

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Government Offices

• All St. Johns County government offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• This includes all departments of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners, the Supervisor of Elections’ Office, the Property Appraiser’s Office, the Tax Collector’s Office, and the Clerk of Courts and County Comptroller’s Office

o Please note that to accommodate the special medical needs shelter, the Health and Human Services Building will be closed beginning at 1 p.m. today and will remain closed on Friday, Sept. 27. This closure includes County Social Services and the Housing and Community Services Department. These specific offices will reopen on Monday, Sept. 30, at 8 a.m.

• All City of St. Augustine government offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• All City of St. Augustine Beach government offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Residential Waste Collection Service

• St. Johns County will maintain normal operations with household garbage, recycling, and yard debris collection on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.
• The Tillman Ridge and Stratton Road Transfer Stations will maintain normal business hours on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.
• The City of St. Augustine will maintain normal operations with household garbage, recycling, and yard debris collection on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.
• The City of St. Augustine Beach will maintain normal operations with household garbage, recycling, and yard debris collection on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.

Public Library System

• All St. Johns County libraries, bookmobiles, and book drops will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• Additionally, all offsite programs scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26, have also been canceled.

· The bookmobile stop at the World Golf Village Convention Center (500 S. Legacy Trail, St. Augustine) that is normally scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays will be canceled as well.

• Due dates will be extended and fines will not be incurred until Monday, Sept. 30.

Parks and Beach Services

• Community Centers
• Solomon Calhoun Community Center will be closed to the public as of 1 p.m. today, Wednesday, Sept. 25, through Thursday, Sept. 26. Further information about reopening will be distributed as it is provided.
• The remaining community centers will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26, and will reopen for regularly scheduled programming on Friday, Sept. 27.
• Solomon Calhoun Pool
• The pool will be closed to the public as of the close of business today, Wednesday, Sept. 25, through Thursday, Sept. 26. Further information about reopening will be distributed as it is provided.
• Programming
• All programming is canceled for Thursday, Sept. 26, and will resume Friday, Sept. 27.
• The St. Johns County Family Color Run 5K scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds has been postponed to Saturday, Nov. 16.
• St. Johns County Pier and Gift Shop
• St. Johns County Pier will close to the public today at 5 p.m. The Gift Shop will remain open today for regular business hours. The Pier and Gift Shop will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26, and will reopen on Friday, Sept. 27. The Pier will reopen once inspected.
• St. Johns Golf Club
• St. Johns Golf Club will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26, and will reopen Friday, Sept. 27.
• Beach Driving
• Beach driving will close at 4 p.m. today and reopen on Friday, Sept. 27, pending tides and impacts to the beach.
• Parks and Athletic Fields
• All permitted and non-permitted events are canceled for Thursday, Sept. 26. Fields and parks will reopen after inspections on Friday, Sept. 27.

Schools

• All St. Johns County School District schools and district offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• Scheduled afterschool, athletic, and extracurricular activities will be canceled Thursday, Sept. 26.
• The St. Johns County School District is monitoring the storm and will make further announcements regarding additional closures at www.stjohns.k12.fl.us.

Council on Aging and Sunshine Bus Service

• St. Johns County Council on Aging (COA) has announced that all COA senior centers and facilities, including River House, COA administrative offices, and COA’s transportation headquarters, will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• Sunshine Bus and Paratransit transportation services will also be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
• For more information and for updates, please visit www.coasjc.org/news, or call 904-209-3700.
• For information and updates on Sunshine Bus and Paratransit transportation services, please visit https://sunshinebus.net/alerts-updates or call 904-209-3716 during operating hours.

The St. Johns County Emergency Management Citizen Information Hotline (904-824-5550) is now open to help answer the public’s questions about Helene. The Citizen Information Hotline will remain open until 5 p.m. today and reopen at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

St. Johns County Emergency Management encourages the public to stay informed through these options:

• Follow St. Johns County Emergency Management on Facebook (facebook.com/StJohnsEOC) and X/Twitter (x.com/StJohnsEOC).
• Sign up for the Alert St. Johns emergency notification system at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com.
• Ensure the notification settings selected allow you to be alerted at all times for your safety.

Register for Nixle Alerts by texting StJohnsEOC to 888777.

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