Author Archives: Mike Phillips

Local Pups Book a 100% Fundraiser for Animal Shelters

More than 80 photos of local pups highlight the Amelia Island Dog Lovers Guide, a [...]

Port Tugboat Mess Is Running up Costs for Customers

By Mike Lednovich The deadline to have the Port of Fernandina’s tugboat Fort Clinch certified [...]

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Commentary: How a Jeweler Would Untangle a Community

By Linda Hart Green My jeweler/watchmaker father earned a nickname in the community where his [...]

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And Now, a Food Truck for Crepes: The Real Deal!

By Dylan Bailey Food trucks have been steadily gaining popularity for their unique offerings and [...]

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Buy a House? Much Ado Over Ty Ross’s Compensation

By Mike Lednovich One city commissioner wants the city to buy a house where all [...]

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Oh, by the Way: They Raised Their Salaries 50%

By Mike Lednovich There was no mention that the 2023-2024 Fernandina Beach city budget included [...]

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A Tough Decision Gets a Board of Adjustments Variance

By Mike Phillips It can be tough serving on the Fernandina Board of Adjustments. People [...]

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Against Advice, City Votes to Lower Hook-Up Fees

By Mike Lednovich Four city commissioners voted Tuesday to ignore the advice of their paid [...]

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Commentary: How Can We Cure America’s Polarization?

By Linda Hart Green My father was a jeweler and a watchmaker. He carried on [...]

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New Port Customs House Wrinkle: Feds Will Prevail

By Mike Lednovich The latest twist in the ongoing controversy regarding the U.S. Customs and [...]

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A Low Country Wonder: the World of Salt Marshes

By Lauri deGaris The fall equinox is fast approaching, it arrives Sept. 23, 2023. Days [...]

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Espana: In New Hands, but as Good as Ever

By Dylan Bailey Tucked away on South Fourth Street, España Restaurant & Tapas has been [...]

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Pickleball Here, Pickleball Everywhere — and More to Come

By Wilma Allen “We are a little obsessed with Pickleball,” Shelly Duncan wrote in an [...]

Utility Chief Asks That New Study Be Used to Set Fees

By Mike Lednovich City Utilities Director Andre Desilet has sent a letter to city commissioners [...]

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Commentary: Vote AFTER the People Have Spoken

By Mike Lednovich Twice in eight days the Fernandina Beach City Commission told residents your [...]

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Arts Alive Is Cranking Up in Nassau Schools

By Wilma Allen Starting next week, hundreds of local kids will be raising their paint [...]

Port Commission Still Short of a Valid Budget

By Mike Phillips It was an unhappy crew of port authority commissioners who gathered Wednesday [...]

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Fernandina’s New City Manager: Ty Ross

By Mike Lednovich It took the Fernandina Beach City Commission just over two hours to [...]

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Huge School Tax Increase Debated — but Passed — by Board

By Mike Lednovich It’s bad news for local property owners as the Nassau County School [...]

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How Citizens Say OPHA Should Sell Lots

After hearing input in August from more than 40 citizens about the Ocean Highway and [...]

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Meet the City Manager Candidates Monday

By Mike Lednovich Citizens can meet and ask questions Monday of the four final candidates [...]

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The Hot Southern Chef Is Coming to Town

As Food Network Celebrity Chef Jason Smith would say, “Honey, if cookin’ is a chore, [...]

Update on Vote-by-Mail Confusion

The Observer recently reported that 12,295 vote-by-mail registrations in Nassau County had been invalidated by [...]

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Care Centers Looking for Volunteers

Care Centers of Nassau has served the developmentally disabled population since 1975. It is a [...]

First-Class Italian, But Not Where You’d Expect It

By Dylan Bailey While cruising along A1A, you might notice a seemingly ordinary Italian spot [...]

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Cars and Cannons Coming Up

Cars and Cannons Vintage Car Show is a unique, once-a-year opportunity to see more than [...]

Commentary: Bean’s Gavel Is Honorary, Not a Weapon

By Mike Lednovich Mayor Bradley Bean last Tuesday night silenced a sitting city commissioner who [...]

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This Iconic Tree at the Downtown Entrance Needs Friends

By Mike Lednovich Representing an alliance of conservation groups, Julie Ferreira with the Nassau County [...]

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Chip Ross Says It’s Density, One Slice at a Time

By Mike Lednovich Three decisions by the City Commission Tuesday night could clear the path [...]

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Riverfront Leads as City’s Main Grant Target

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach’s long delayed riverfront flood protection wall, estimated at $16 million [...]

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Tree Conservancy Joins CARD in Suit Against Towers

On April 24, 2023, the Nassau County Commissioners agreed to permit Riverstone Properties to build [...]

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Commentary: Turning Sympathy Into Empathy

By Linda Hart Green I had a different topic chosen for this commentary. I couldn’t [...]

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Yummy Sushi Is, Well, Pretty Darned Yummy

By Dylan Bailey Stashed behind LUV Car Wash, Yummy Sushi is a relatively new exponent [...]

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Commentary: Finding Divine Goodness in Angry Times

By April L. Bogle My father was a pious young man who attended a Bible [...]

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Like Voting by Mail? You Probably Have Some Work to Do

By Mike Lednovich Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Janet Adkins has been notified that 12,225 [...]

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Tokitae: A Captive Orca Who Never Forgot Her Mother’s Song

By Lauri deGaris I wept when I learned Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut or Tokitae, resident Orca from the [...]

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Seaweed: Call It Not a Weed, But a Flower of the Sea

By Lauri deGaris There are many types of seaweed, and their color and grace are [...]

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Sturges Wants Commission to Talk About Density

By Mike Lednovich Vice Mayor David Sturges wants to discuss the definition of density in [...]

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Tornado Watch Wednesday Aug. 30, 11 am

Wind gusts are getting much higher, and Nassau County is under a tornado watch. Authorities [...]

The Latest (7:30 am Aug 30): Still Under Tropical Storm Warning

Issued By Jacksonville – FL, US, National Weather Service Affected Area Coastal Nassau County Description [...]

Minor Coastal Flooding through 11 pm Today, Aug 30

COASTAL NASSAU-COASTAL DUVAL-COASTAL ST. JOHNS-COASTAL FLAGLER- 509 PM EDT TUE AUG 29 2023 …HIGH RIP [...]

The Island in Fiction: Newest Museum Exhibit

Join the Amelia Island Museum of History on the evening of Friday, September 15 for [...]

9:30 a.m. Aug 28 Weather Notice

The U.S. Weather Service is forecasting at this time that Hurricane Idalia will make landfall [...]

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Port Commission Seeks Input on Lots to Be Sold

Port commissioners are sponsoring an outdoor listening session for the public at one of the [...]

Child Book Authors at Book Loft Sept. 2

Child book authors Frank and Rose Winn are a father-daughter team who will be at [...]

Book Fest: A Famous Chef and a Funny Southern Cook

The Amelia Island Book Festival guests for its 2023 fall luncheon are the celebrated French [...]

Spotted Horsemint: It Crowns a Beautiful Sabbath Day

By Lauri deGaris Every Sunday morning, I must rise before the bird song is heard [...]

Grants for Nonprofits That Help Youth Are Offered

VyStar Foundation is now accepting grant requests for its youth initiative. Funding priority will be [...]

Commentary: Musing About Connections That Make Life Better

By Linda Hart Green I took a photo of a mishmash of wiring out of [...]

Fifth Annual Dance Season Set, Tickets Going Fast

By Wilma Allen Thanks to enthusiastic audiences and sold-out performances in its first four seasons, [...]

Only in Fernandina Beach: The Eclectic Band Sonofarious

Scott Kessler, Marcus Yew. Bottom: Brenda Kayne, Nora Wittman, Munsell McPhillips By Wilma Allen With [...]

7 Brew: Drive-Thru Only, but Heavenly Coffees

By Dylan Bailey It’s not every day you see a new coffee shop opening within [...]

A Get ‘er Done Evening with the Redevelopment Board

By Mike Phillips The members of the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (CRAAB) were presented [...]

City Manager List Is on the Table from Citizens Committee

By Mike Lednovich The search for a new Fernandina Beach City Manager that began with [...]

Commentary: A Highly Seasoned Boater’s Advice on Our Marina

By Wally Moran Having stopped in Fernandina Beach by boat more than 50 times myself, [...]

New Sadler Road Hotel Project to be Reviewed

By Mike Lednovich A $7 million hotel project on Sadler Road will be reviewed Thursday [...]

Commentary: Sidewalks vs. Trees Need Not Be a Conflict

This is an open letter from the Nassau County Sierra Executive Board to fellow stakeholders [...]

Emily’s Death Has Led to United Action on Blood Clots

By Rich Donnelly First Coast News A local family’s grief has led to a new [...]

Coalition for the Homeless Meeting Coming Up

The next community meeting for the Coalition for the Homeless – Nassau County will be [...]

Tough Talk from Customs: New Port Facility or Else

By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) has so little money available [...]

Commentary: Want a Miracle? Try a Kind Word

By Linda Hart Green I got caught in the rain. It was sunny when I [...]

Ciao! Italian the Way It Should Be Done

By Dylan BaileyIn the vibrant heart of Fernandina Beach, Florida, there’s a little gem known [...]

Port Plans to Add Two Fabric Warehouses

By Mike LednovichThe Port of Fernandina is ready to start building two fabric warehouses on [...]

After a Shambles, Port Votes to Sell Historic District Lots

By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) voted 4-1 Wednesday to sell [...]

Lecture on the Slave Ship Antelope

The Amelia Island Museum of History will host Dr. Jonathan Bryant’s presentation “Dark Places of [...]

Commentary: Blindsided by a ‘Good Neighbor’ Church

By Samuel Jefferson Kennard I am shocked and dismayed to hear that Amelia Baptist Church [...]

An Update on The Cumberland Horses Suit

By Lauri deGaris On April 12, 2023, the horses of Cumberland Island — in their [...]

Nine Manager Candidates Presented to Citizen Committee

By Mike Lednovich Colin Baenziger & Associates has submitted nine city manager candidates to the [...]

Amelia Baptist Church Seeks to Rezone, Expand and Sell to Developer

By Mike Phillips The Amelia Baptist Church (ABC) owns 10+ acres adjoining its property in [...]

Publix Goes for Expansion Allowed by New Code Changes

  By Mike Lednovich Just days after the city commission voted to change the City [...]

Like a Breakfast to Write Home About? Try the Southern Donut Company

By Dylan BaileyIf you’re a breakfast aficionado craving gourmet donuts, hearty meals, and artisan coffee, [...]

Rep. Bean Bill Would Freeze U.S. Education Dept. Hiring

U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) Chairman of the Early Childhood, Secondary, and Elementary Subcommittee, introduced [...]

City Opens Up Path to Bigger Shopping Centers

By Mike Lednovich By votes of 4-1, the Fernandina Beach City Commission Tuesday paved the [...]

City Finds More Money for Improvements

By Mike LednovichThe combination of having too much money in city reserves and underestimating anticipated [...]

An Update on the City Manager Search Process

Here is the schedule going forward for selecting the new Fernandina Beach city manager: Now [...]