Author Archives: Mike Phillips
Major Commerce Park Planned for Wildlight Development
Pattillo Industrial Real Estate (PIRE) has announced the development of a 1.5 million-square-foot industrial complex [...]
Nov
Dear 15%: Come on in With the Rest of Us!
By Mike Phillips Observer Editor I learned two new words this election: undercount and overcount. [...]
Nov
City Races Go to Runoffs
Two Fernandina Beach City Commission runoffs are coming coming Dec. 13. Incumbent Mike Lednovich, who [...]
Nov
Nicole Evacuations Ordered for Zones A and D
Nassau County is calling for evacuations of zones A and D as Tropical Storm Nicole [...]
Nov
Two Educators Join School Board As Tax Increase Passes
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The campaign started with six candidates for two Nassau County [...]
Nov
COMMENTARY: How Did We Do?
This is not a place that loves bond issues – even though they are a [...]
Nov
Conflict: Beach Renourishment Oversight and Fish Oversight
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics At one time, NOAA Fisheries committed people and time to oversight of [...]
Nov
City To Manage Golf Course Three More Years
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The Fernandina Beach City Commission has committed the city to three more years managing the [...]
Nov
Coming Black Friday: The Pajama Party!
The Annual Black Friday Pajama Party will once again take place in historic downtown Fernandina [...]
Nov
Gator Supporters, Meet Your New President: U.S. Senator Ben Sasse
The University of Florida has formally selected U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse as its next president, [...]
Nov
Right Whale Rule Drawing More Opposition
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Organized pushback against federal efforts to reduce North Atlantic right whale [...]
Nov
Wild Amelia Joins With Keep Nassau Beautiful
The board of directors of Keep Nassau Beautiful has announced that Wild Amelia is now [...]
Nov
Facing the Holidays While Grieving? Here’s Hope
Community Hospice & Palliative Care is offering Hope for the Holidays, a workshop that will [...]
Nov
Uninsured? Here’s Help
Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare offers a free service to help uninsured individuals get affordable and [...]
Nov
De-stressing Business During the Holidays
Lisa Jones, president of LR, Holistic Life and Leadership Coaching, LLC, is the featured presenter [...]
Nov
Big Job Fair Opportunity
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), CareerSource Northeast Florida and Patriots for Paychecks have partnered [...]
Nov
Big Career Fair Opportunity in Jacksonville
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), CareerSource Northeast Florida and Patriots for Paychecks have partnered [...]
Oct
COMMENTARY: Our #2 Schools Spend More Than the #1 Schools
By Richard Lamken Schools division lead in County Citizens Defending Freedom Nassau County School District [...]
Oct
Small Business Fair Coming Up
By L. Najimy $1000 Start-Ups will hold its Annual Celebrate Small Business Fair on Saturday, [...]
Oct
Thanks for a Successful Food Drive
First Presbyterian Church of Fernandina Beach (FPC) extends sincerest appreciation to the generous shoppers at [...]
Oct
Habitat Fundraiser, “She Nailed It,” Is Hitting It Out of the Park
She Nailed It! Nassau Habitat for Humanity By Cindy Jacoby and Dee Torre-Kaufman Photographer: Holly [...]
Oct
City Commission Essay by Candidate Staci McMonagle
Editor’s note: The Observer invited Fernandina Beach City Commission candidates to write an essay about [...]
Oct
City Backs County Land Conservation Bonds
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics A bond plan to kick-start Nassau County’s land conservation, amid [...]
Oct
Matthew Federal Marina Money Finally Coming Through
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Not every city has a collectively owned marina, but Fernandina Beach [...]
Oct
Veterans Day Fun Run Coming Up
Cross the Line Foundation will be sponsoring the 2nd annual Veterans Day Fun Run. This [...]
Oct
The Myth of City-County Discontent
By Dale Martin, City Manager In the midst of the current campaign season for two [...]
Oct
Candidate Essay by Genece Minshew: Better Ways to Get Things Done
Genece Minshew for City Commission Seat 5, Fernandina Beach EDITOR’S NOTE: A few weeks ago, [...]
Oct
Genealogy Program: How to Find Women in Records
The Amelia Island Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in the Community Room [...]
Oct
Holiday Support for Foster Families
While most families still have a few weeks before their Thanksgiving preparations begin in earnest, [...]
Oct
New Habitat Build to Honor Benefactor David Berkman
The public is invited to join Nassau Habitat and the family to honor the late [...]
Oct
Garden Club Meeting
The Bartram Garden Club will meet Oct. 20 at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Fernandina [...]
Oct
Amelia Island in the Top Three Again
Amelia Island recognized as being in the top 3 islands in the United States Condé Nast [...]
Oct
Welcome to Fernandina Beach: A Kerfuffle Over the Sign
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Those wanting to turn Amelia Island into the sort of [...]
Oct
Lewis Museum to Reopen, Grandly, on American Beach
After a two-year hiatus, the A. L. Lewis Museum at American Beach, formerly the American Beach [...]
Oct
Operation Heavyweight Busts 54 Drug Dealers
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper has announced that a months-long, multi-agency drug-dealing investigation has put [...]
Oct
Wild Amelia Presentation on Cumberland Island
Wild Amelia Presentation on Cumberland Island Learn about the conservation efforts of Wild Cumberland on [...]
Oct
A Break on Flood Insurance Premiums
Nassau County has once again received an improvement in its classification in the Community Rating [...]
Oct
A Partnership for Healthy Food Donations
First Presbyterian Church is supporting Barnabas Center to collect healthy food donations on Oct.13 from [...]
Oct
CLAM Informational Meeting
The Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program Amelia Tree Conservancy, the Comp Plan/LDC Working [...]
Oct
Starting Point Gets $4 Million Grant
Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare has been awarded $4 million in funding from the U.S. Substance [...]
Oct
ACT Season to Open With a Witty Family Clash
By Linda McClane Amelia Community Theatre kicks off its 42nd season on Oct. 7 with [...]
Oct
Commentary: Another Close Call
By Faith Ross Luck was with Amelia Island again as the predicted heavier winds and [...]
Oct
Here’s the Word on Storm Debris
Hurricane Ian Storm Debris Assessment Preliminary damage and debris assessments by Nassau County’s emergency responders [...]
Sep
Now Comes Cleanup Time
The aftermath of Hurricane Ian This photo, taken yesterday by city street crew leader Jimmy [...]
Sep
Evacuation Order Has Been Lifted
As of 8:30 a.m., the evacuation order for Nassau County has been lifted. While the [...]
Sep
As Ian Departs, Final Weather Service Advice
NWS JACKSONVILLE FL 455 AM EDT FRI SEP 30 2022 STORM SURGE WARNING REMAINS IN [...]
Sep
County Bulletin: Don’t Drop Your Guard Yet
Hurricane Ian downgraded to a tropical storm Hurricane Ian was downgraded overnight to a Tropical [...]
Sep
Beach Driving, Some Parking Suspended
Hurricane Ian causes some beach parking to be suspended As of 1:45 p.m., a decision [...]
Sep
County Opening Two Shelters
Nassau County has two shelters opening as of noon today in anticipation of Hurricane Ian [...]
Sep
Garbage Service to Resume
Waste Management has announced that it will resume residential garbage pickup in Nassau County on [...]
Sep
Evacuation Order Zones A and D
The Following is an Evacuation Order for Zones A and D – Hurricane Ian As [...]
Sep
A Challenge to Create Ian Memories
A Note from the Editor Mike Phillips – Hurricane Ian Memories Mike Phillips – Observer [...]
Sep
Nassau K-12 Closures
Nassau County Schools closed in anticipation of Hurricane Ian Nassau County School District has announced [...]
Sep
FSCJ Cancelling All Classes, All Campuses
Florida State College Jacksonville, will cancel classes ahead of Ian’s Arrival Based on recent information [...]
Sep
A Wednesday Morning Update From the City Manager
Morning Update from Fernandina Beach City Manager By Dale Martin Fernandina Beach City Manager As [...]
Sep
Serious Nassau Advice from the Weather Service
Issued by Jacksonville – FL, US, National Weather Service Affected Area: Coastal Nassau County LOCATIONS AFFECTED [...]
Sep
Popular Author at Book Fair Luncheon
Kristin Harmel Comes to Amelia Island The Amelia Island Book Festival luncheon, 11 a.m. Oct. [...]
Sep
City Emergency Declared
Fernandina Beach declares city emergency ahead of Hurrican Ian Joining the governor and the county, [...]
Sep
Visiting Writers at Story & Song Sept. 27
Amelia Island Writers present Multi-Genre Writing Tuesday, Sept. 27, 4-6 p.m., Story & Song Bookstore, [...]
Sep
Book Festival Supporters Meet a “LumberJill”
Kristine Ochu, author of Campfire Confessions Recently Amelia Island Book Festival supporters joined in a [...]
Sep
Voting Q&A from Florida Division of Elections
Information last updated: May 25, 2022 When do polls open on election day? Polls on [...]
Sep
Ideas for People With Poor Vision
Nassau County Council on Aging’s (NCCOA’s) next meeting of the Low Vision Support Group is [...]
We Can Reduce Suicide in Our Community
By Virginia Foxworth September is Suicide Prevention Month in the United States. The Nassau County [...]
Learn About Cochlear Implants
Nassau County Council on Aging’s (NCCOA’s) next meeting of the Hearing Loss Support Group is [...]
Sep
A Fun-Raiser for Kenya
Kenya Partners, a nonprofit operating in Kenya since 2006, invites you to join us at [...]
Commentary: A Proposal for Funding Public Maintenance
By Gerald Decker I have a suggestion for getting our many visitors to help Fernandina [...]
Sep
Take Note of a Very Important Referendum on the November Ballot
By Mike Phillips Nassau County has a reputation for disliking bond issues, but it also [...]
Sep
Commentary: Time for a New Bike at City Hall?
Editor’s note: The Observer has invited all seven City Commission candidates to submit an essay [...]
Dementia Caregivers Workshops
Nassau County Council on Aging (NCCOA) is at the forefront of offering caregiving services to [...]
Local Insurance Business Bought by Integrity Marketing
Integrity Marketing Group, a leading distributor of life and health insurance, and provider of wealth [...]
Nassau Schools #2 of 67 in Florida
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The Nassau County School District has a lot on its hands — [...]
Habitat for Humanity Hopes to ‘Nail’ its Fundraiser
The Nassau Habitat for Humanity board of directors recently pledged to increase the number of [...]
Who Are We?
(Editor’s note: I’ve been thinking of creating a regular section in the Observer that asks [...]
Barnabas Empty Bowls Appeal to Hit a New High
This year’s 9th annual Barnabas Center Empty Bowls luncheon event will be held on Friday, [...]
Two Volunteer Fairs Coming Up
Calling all volunteers! What is your passion? Children, dogs, cats, trees, sea turtles, environmental issues, [...]