FERNANDINA BEACH WEATHER
Music Will Fill the Island Air This April

By Wilma Allen It isn’t just birds that will be singing this April. The island [...]

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More Dr. Ruth Performances

Amelia Musical Theatre’s recent sold-out performance of “Becoming Dr. Ruth” is back for a limited [...]

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Commentary: Six Short Lessons for Our School Board

By Mike Phillips The Nassau County School Board was treated Thursday evening to a lesson [...]

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Ayscue Files to be Next City Mayor

Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Darron Ayscue has filed to run for mayor in the August [...]

Bioethanol Forum to be Held Monday — All Are Invited

By Mike Lednovich Plans for a bioethanol plant to be located at the Rayonier Performance [...]

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At Bar Zin, Expect Luxury That You Won’t Forget

By Dylan Bailey A quaint bistro called Bar Zin is tucked away behind the lush [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Arizona Skies

By Pat Foster-Turley One of my main motivations for visiting southern Arizona with my brother [...]

RYAM Gets Initial Nod on Air Permit for Bioethanol Facility

By Mike Lednovich The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has notified RYAM that it plans [...]

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Titanium Mine Hearing Finds Not a Single Supporter

By Paula Alford Not one supportive comment was heard on March 5, when more than [...]

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It’s Time for Wildflowers — and Magic

  By Lauri deGaris This time of year, there is no surer sign of spring [...]

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Charlie George Modifies His Intent to Step Down

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach Interim City Manager Charlie George expounded on his comment last [...]

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Commentary: Living With Grief Is a Long, Learning Process

By Linda Hart Green I exhale with relief when the date of March 6 passes. [...]

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Lagniappe Cooks up a Little Something Extra

By Dylan Bailey Lagniappe takes inspiration from the flavors of New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah. [...]

City Looking at Lower Density Numbers Downtown and Elsewhere

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach city commissioners have agreed that city staff should make recommendations [...]

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Waterfront Dispute Comes Down to a Park or More Parking Spaces

By Mike Lednovich The race is on to determine whether a waterfront park in Fernandina [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: Arizona Underground

By Pat Foster-Turley There’s a lot going on underground in southern Arizona, the location of [...]

RYAM Open House a Friendly Affair

The crowd at the RYAM bioethanol open house Wednesday was mostly neighbors wondering about this [...]

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It Might Feel Early, But the Time to Seek Office Is Upon Us

By  Suanne Thamm This year is a crucial political year for the city of Fernandina [...]

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St. Marys Mine Hearing Available Via Zoom

By Paula Alford The quality of life for all of us living near the St. [...]

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Commentary: Good Old Boys Versus the Public Good

By Mike Lednovich In the heart of Fernandina Beach, important decisions that shape our community’s [...]

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Rotary’s Taste of Amelia is Coming March 9

The 37th Taste of Amelia event will showcase culinary treats from a variety of restaurants [...]

Coming Soon: A Coffee Place With a Mission

By Dylan Bailey If you’re a coffee connoisseur, there’s a new coffee shop on the [...]

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Commentary: “Getting Older” Doesn’t Have to be “Getting Old”

By Dickie Anderson Approaching my 80th birthday this spring, I am determined to do everything [...]

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Commentary: It’s Nassau’s River Also. Pay Attention!

By Emily Floore, St. Marys Riverkeeper On February 9, 2024, Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: Talking Turkey

By Pat Foster-Turley There is an avian mystery happening on Amelia Island, and maybe someone [...]

Commentary: The Riverstone Battle is Far From Over

By Lyn Panone On April 23, 2023, Nassau County Commissioners Martin, Huppman, Gray and Farmer [...]

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A Fateful Deliberation Continues Over Potential Density Changes

By Mike Lednovich Like the scientists in the film Oppenheimer who grappled with the potential [...]

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City-County Soccer Field Deal Nears Completion

By Mike Lednovich Nassau County will contribute up to $1.7 million to help Fernandina Beach [...]

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City Seeks Grants to Cover Public Safety Shortages

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach’s Fire Department Chief and Police Chief told city commissioners their [...]

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Is the Bioethanol Proposal Legal? Expert Opinion Sought

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach City Attorney Tammi Bach says she is seeking an outside [...]

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Commentary: When the Joy of Reading Crosses Paths With the Censors

By Linda Hart Green I do 75% of my seeing out of my right eye. [...]

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Want to Know More about the Bioethanol Proposal?

RYAM has issued an invitation to an open house at its 10 Gum St. facility [...]

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Fusion Ramen Causes a Stir in Yulee

By Dylan Bailey If you’re a fan of ramen, you’ll be thrilled to know that [...]

Go Figure: Park Discussion Was All Over the Waterfront

By Mike Lednovich Hodgepodge perfectly describes what happened during discussion Tuesday on what began as [...]

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Commentary: An Interview With Johnnetta Betsch Cole

By April L. Bogle Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s lineage alone could fill a book. She is [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: The ‘Dying’ Art of Taxidermy

By Pat Foster-Turley Whenever I visit my friends in Gainesville I ask them for new [...]

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Local Actress/Film Producer Nominated for Award

By Wilma Allen This Sunday, Amelia Islander Sinda Nichols will be rubbing elbows with stars [...]

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Boat Ramp Talk Gets Five Thumbs Down

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach city commissioners were united Tuesday in dismissing any proposed plans [...]

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Obituary: Marlene Marie Chapman

Marlene Marie Chapman (71), of Fernandina Beach, passed away peacefully at Community Hospice Jane and [...]

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A Tale of Whales, Healing and the Beach Lady

By Lauri deGaris I am grateful to have known The Beach Lady of American Beach, MaVynne [...]

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Anne Oman, Journalist and Observer Writer

We are saddened to report that Anne Oman, who served for nine years as a [...]

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Bill Birdsong: Through His Lens, He Teaches a Love of Nature

  By Dylan Bailey In the realm of photography, there are those who capture moments, [...]

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Tours of St. Peter’s Historic Church Coming in April

Are you interested in Fernandina’s history and historic buildings? Join a free 45-minute tour sponsored [...]

On World Whale Day, Consider the Unnecessary Deaths

By Lauri deGaris February 18, 2024, is World Whale Day. And I am heartbroken to [...]

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Is This Your Year to Write a Book?

Has anyone ever said to you, “You should write a book about that?” Is 2024 [...]

Quiltfest Applications Start in April

The theme for the 38th annual Jacksonville Quiltfest (QuiltfestJax) is “Sew Your Heart Out.” It [...]

No Action Yet on Density Plan. Public Workshop Set

By Mike Lednovich The city’s Planning Advisory Board took no action Wednesday on proposed revisions [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Sundown Shows

By Pat Foster-Turley Every evening around some retention ponds there is a show that is [...]

Coastal Furnishings Closing for Good

After almost a decade of serving the coastal communities of Nassau County, independent furniture retailer [...]

Grace Church Invites Public to Birthday Fling

Grace Community Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, invites the public to [...]

How to Pitch Your Novel

The Amelia Island Writers are presenting a free workshop on pitching an idea for a [...]

Barnabas Honors Hometown Heroes

This year’s 3rd annual Barnabas Center Fashion Show Honoring Hometown Heroes, which takes place on [...]

The Amelia Will Return Feb. 29 to March 3

The Amelia returns in 2024 with a week-long celebration of motoring excellence. Attendees will enjoy [...]

“Billy” Star is Only Second Girl in the World

Julia Taylor is appearing as Billy in “Billy Elliot the Musical” (BETM) in Fernandina Beach, [...]

“You People” — a Commentary

By Chip Ross, city commissioner I recently received an email from a local charter boat [...]

Commentary: How Religious Freedom Was Born in the USA

By Linda Hart Green This is the current signboard in front of the First Baptist [...]

Library Friends to Donate $40,000

By Wilma Allen At its annual membership meeting, Feb. 22, Friends of the Fernandina Beach [...]

At Vintage Donuts, Your Imagination Is the Cook

By Dylan Bailey If you’re a fan of donuts and have a penchant for nostalgia, [...]

Question: Close Downtown Boat Ramp and Use Bartels Ramp?

By Mike Lednovich The Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Board (CRAAB) will discuss the merits of [...]

City Friendship Questioned as Developer Seeks Change

By Mike Lednovich Vice Mayor David Sturges’ friendship with a Fernandina Beach developer, who is [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Road Trip to Sebastian

By Pat Foster-Turley I am always on the lookout for new things to see in [...]

The Big Spring Book Sale Is Coming in March

The Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library’s Spring Book Sale will be held March 20-23 [...]

Many More Steps Before Flood Wall Can Be Built

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach Mayor Bradley Bean disregarded the numerous obstacles in constructing a [...]

Want to Help Our Environment? You Need to Know This

By Candis Whitney  Did you know that there are more than 25 environmental/conservation organizations in [...]

Take This Class and Make Our Community Safer

By Jim Bollenbacher Did you know that if you experience sudden cardiac arrest, your chance [...]

Learn About Homeless Programs

If you’re curious about the increase in the number of unhoused people in our county [...]

Too-Small Tug Can’t Handle Ocean Barges and Must Be Sold

By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) voted Monday to sell its [...]

Ross Seeks Second Opinion on Partisanship

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Chip Ross is seeking an advisory opinion from [...]

It’s Time to Pay Our Respects to Early-Death Babies

February means different things to different people, but to Kim Maimone February means Mera’s Mission [...]

Start-Ups Grads Venture Forth

The latest graduates of the $1,000 Start-Ups program have completed a 9-month program on entrepreneurship, [...]

When Whale History is Lost, So is Ours

Editor’s note: In celebration of right whale calving season on our shores, we are posting [...]

Historic New Zion Church Undergoing Restoration

As you travel along Atlantic Avenue and N. 10th Street at the east end of [...]

Cucina South: Perfect for a Special Night Out

By Dylan Bailey Located amidst the beautiful oaks of Amelia Island, Cucina South is a [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Bald Eagle Nests

By Pat Foster-Turley I love it when one of my columns spawns another one. This [...]

A Fertile Year for Whales, Offset by Tragedies

By Lauri deGaris Seventeen — that is the number of North Atlantic right whale calves [...]