We are less than 30 days away from Halloween, but if you're adventurous and love a good ghost story, there are haunted places nearby that you can visit 365 days a year.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Masks are not mandatory in St. Augustine Beach. Instead, the city of St. Augustine Beach is strongly recommending people use face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many people left Thursday night’s emergency meeting in St. Augustine Beach upset that masks won’t be mandatory. Commissioner Dylan Rumrell wouldn’t back down and was against imposing fines for not wearing masks. The commission ultimately decided to not make masks mandatory, but that people should wear them, but there won’t be any legal enforcement.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Several beachgoers told officers a man exposed himself Tuesday afternoon, the St. Augustine Beach Police Department said. Richard Anthony Gibson, 53, was arrested by St. Augustine Beach police on a charge of indecent exposure after several people told officers that Gibson was purposely exposing himself. A man told police he saw Gibson standing close to the woman and expose himself. Another woman told police she was with her 11-year-old granddaughter when she noticed Gibson looking at her granddaughter. The arrest report shows witnesses told police that Gibson was not wearing a bathing suit, only boxer shorts.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – The city of St. Augustine Beach is seeking applicants for a vacant city commissioner position after the resignation of Commissioner Rich O'Brien. In a news release Wednesday, representatives said the city of St Augustine Beach is grateful for O'Brien's years of dedicated service. The city is seeking residents interested in serving on the City Commission to fill the vacancy. Citizens interested in serving are invited to send a letter of interest and resume to the city manager at mroyle@cityofsab.org or by mail at City Manager, 2200 A1A South, St. Augustine Beach, FL 32080. For more information, visit www.staugbch.com, The City of St. Augustine Beach Facebook page, and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter by texting CITYOFSAB to 22828.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – St. Augustine Beach moved a step closer to banning plastic bags when the city commissioners approved a voluntary ban during Monday night's meeting. Attorney Jane West presented an ordinance that would prevent the use, sale and distribution of single-use plastic bags by retailers in St. Augustine Beach. That ordinance, as well as an additional ordinance to ban plastic straws and Styrofoam, will be reviewed and presented for a first reading in March. Several businesses in or near St. Augustine Beach are already choosing to go green and stop using plastic or Styrofoam. North Florida Coastal Caretakers said it’s pushed for a ban on plastic bags and straws in St. Augustine Beach before but it’s never been successful getting a permanent ordinance passed.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – During a commission meeting Monday night, commissioners with the City of St. Augustine Beach discussed the zoning of pharmacies, a paid parking program and a ban on plastic bag use by retail establishments. First, a motion was passed that allows pharmacies, including those selling medical marijuana, to be allowed in the St. Augustine Beach South business district. About 30 St. Augustine Beach residents and business owners at the meeting told commissioners they do not want a change in zoning to allow for more paid parking in their community. Also passed was an ordinance presented by attorney Jane West for retailers to prevent the use, sale and distribution of single-use plastic bags in St. Augustine Beach. The ordinance to ban plastic bags, as well as an additional ordinance to ban plastic straws and Styrofoam will be reviewed and presented for a first reading in March.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – A criminal mischief charge against a St. Johns County woman accused of torching her boyfriend's clothes were lowered from a felony to a misdemeanor, according to court records. The St. Augustine Beach Police Department arrested Sharon McGrath, 36, Aug. 8 following a domestic fight at a home on 11th Street. Her boyfriend initially told police she burned up $2,000 worth of clothes, but last week the damages were reduced to under $1,000 and the case was transferred out of felony court. McGrath remains out of jail on $2,500 bond, online jail records show.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Parking at St. Augustine Beach could soon cost you. The St. Augustine Beach Commission unanimously voted to charge for parking on A1A Beach Boulevard. The goal for St. Augustine is to have pay-to-park systems set up at the pier, as long as the county approves. The commissioners say the parking system is expected to generate around $600,000 in revenue for St. Augustine Beach- before expenses, including hiring parking staff which would be about 100,000. We are really thinking outside of the box and I’m really excited we’re going to have a source of funds so that we can enhance other pedestrian parking services and facilities,” said Undine George, Mayor of St. Augustine Beach.

A St. Augustine landmark disappeared overnight, leaving locals heartbroken, and scratching their heads. St. Johns County removed the padlocks from the bridge walk, effectively ending the tradition of attaching "love locks" to the bridge. One woman living in Saint Augustine says she is devastated. We are still waiting to find out where the locks went, and if loved ones can receive them. So my boyfriend takes me to St. Augustine to the Lock heart bridge.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Two men are facing felony fraud charges for their connection with a card-skimming device found on an ATM in St. Augustine Beach, police said. The St. Augustin Beach Police Department said it was alerted to the device by management at Ameris Bank at 2060 A1A on Oct. 19. Police said additional charges are pending against the two men in the Oct. 19 crime as the investigation continues. Arevala is in custody on three fraud felony charges with his bail set at $250,000. Mendoza is in custody on three fraud felony charges and one count of attempting to elude a law enforcement officer.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A traffic stop on Wednesday turned into a drug bust, where three people were arrested on multiple drug charges, including possession of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, the St. Augustine Police Department said. A St. Augustine police officer stopped a Chevrolet sedan at about 3:25 p.m., after watching the driver conduct multiple traffic infractions. Medick is charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and driving while license suspended or revoked. Medick’s two passengers, Donald Gillespie, 37, of Jacksonville and Debora Tompkins, 61, of St. Augustine were also arrested, police said. Gillespie is charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and Violation of probation.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – A family's day of fun in the sun turned serious this weekend when a small container of blood washed up on St. Augustine Beach. Spencer Milford said his 4-year-old daughter spotted the vial of blood and went to pick it up. Instead, Lily’s parents picked up the tube of blood and put it in a plastic bag. “One of our big concerns with that is potentially blood in a vial could still be contaminated with something,” St. Johns County Fire Rescue Capt. “It isn’t always, but there is that potential.”News4Jax handed the vial of blood over to the fire department.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – A billboard in St. Augustine Beach is drawing attention from all across the world for a message some people have called “discriminatory.”The billboard along A1A reads “Islam Bloody Islam, Doomed by its Doctrine,” and more than 9,300 people had signed a petition by Tuesday afternoon that called on the owner to take it down. “You can tell the community is not really behind that kind of fear.”At the shopping center across the street, News4Jax discovered he isn’t the only St. Augustine resident unhappy with the sign. An online petition asks St. Johns Outdoor Advertising, the company that owns the sign, to take it down. And while he believes in free speech, Benjelloun said the sign could lead to violence. It's just not appropriate for St. Augustine,” Poage said.