Author Archives: Mike Phillips
Study Shows Rates for a Self-Supporting Marina
By Mike Lednovich The Marina Advisory Board will discuss rates at its May 22 meeting. [...]
Apr
At First Meeting, Citizens Say Walking and Cycling Safety Is Worse
By Mike Spino At the first public series of meetings this week about walking and [...]
Apr
Election Fraud Speakers Find an Audience Here
By April L. Bogle A former law professor and a businessman turned podcaster preached their [...]
Apr
Port Is Deep in The Red, With Urgent Needs to Spend
By Mike Lednovich The Port of Fernandina is suddenly awash in hundreds of thousands of [...]
Apr
City Commission Goes Big-Time in Manager Search
By Mike Phillips For several weeks after firing former City Manager Dale Martin, a majority [...]
Apr
Marina Beefing Up Security With Gates
By Mike Lednovich Property theft and vandalism on boats docked at the city marina is [...]
Apr
Commission OKs Legal Support for Ethics Charge
Fernandina Beach city commissioners voted at Tuesday night’s meeting to approve paying legal fees for [...]
Apr
Commentary: No Matter Your Beliefs, Stand Up for the Tylers
By Rev. Linda Hart Green In 2010, I was a pastor in Ridgewood, New Jersey. [...]
Apr
Citizens Give Commission Some Jobs to Do on Manager Search
By Mike Lednovich The citizens committee tasked with advising the City Commission on finding the [...]
Apr
Commentary: OK Kids, Let’s Buckle Down
By Suanne Thamm Some years ago a now-departed neighbor added a new acronym to our [...]
Apr
New Round Coming Up for Training Entrepreneurs
Since 2020, $1,000 Start-Ups, Inc. has helped launch 30 small businesses in Nassau County through [...]
Apr
2023 Waste Contract: Once-a-Week Garbage
By Chip Ross The first reading of the city’s new agreement with Waste Management will [...]
Apr
Ancient Presbyterian Group Is Being Planted Here
By Elizabeth Matthews Pastor Tom Hawkes and his wife Ann did not relocate to Amelia [...]
Apr
City Has Found a New Airport Director
Interim City Manager Mark Foxworth has announced that Sam Carver, who currently manages the Witham [...]
Apr
Art Auction to Support Police Good Works
The Fernandina Beach Police Foundation (FBPF) is holding a ticketed VIP art auction to benefit [...]
Apr
It’s Blueberry Season — and a Season for Ancient Stories
By Lauri deGaris Blueberries are native to North America and can be found in every [...]
Apr
Here’s the Latest Riverstone Tall Towers Offer
By Mike Phillips The shroud of mystery has been lifted from the latest settlement proposal [...]
Apr
Author to Speak on Florida in WWII
A presentation called “War in Paradise: World War II in Florida” will be at 6 [...]
Apr
Final Port Plan Gives Community What It Wanted
By Mike Lednovich After 18 months of work, the Ocean Highway Port Authority unanimously approved [...]
Apr
A Dirty Trick at Le Clos Turned Remodel Into Oblivion
By Dylan Bailey Le Clos has made another official statement on its Facebook page, retracting [...]
Apr
Commentary: Some Hard Truths About Parking Lot A
By Chip Ross Recently Amelia River Cruises emailed me concerning an action taken at the [...]
Apr
Ethics Charge Filed Against Vice Mayor
By Mike Lednovich Vice Mayor David Sturges is facing an ethics investigation by the Florida [...]
Apr
In-Person Job Fair Coming Up
The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce is hosting an in-person job fair on Thursday, May [...]
Apr
Volunteers Needed to Advise on Elder Issues
ElderSource, a nonprofit organization that works to empower elders, adults with disabilities and their caregivers [...]
Apr
Set Free: a Church for Recovery and Redemption
By Eizabeth Matthews I’m sitting across from someone I’ve spoken to many times over text [...]
Apr
Beloved Le Clos Abruptly Closes
By Dylan Bailey Le Clos, an iconic Fernandina historic district restaurant since 1996 is no [...]
Apr
City Manager Search: Back to Square One
By Mike Lednovich Executive search firm Strategic Government Resources says it will not provide only [...]
Apr
Walker? Cyclist? Here’s Your Chance to Be Heard
The new Citizens’ Task Force for Safe Walking and Biking in Fernandina Beach invites the [...]
Apr
Casual Chamber Concert With a Norwegian Flair
Join the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival (AICMF) 5 p.m. April 16 for a fun-filled [...]
Apr
Heritage Tree Trolley Tours
Join your friends and neighbors in supporting the Amelia Tree Conservancy’s heritage tree trolley tour. [...]
Apr
The Uses, and The Magic, of Our Sands
By Lauri deGaris North Florida’s beaches are made up of three common types of sand [...]
Apr
Tree Conservancy Celebrates 10 Years
Amelia Tree Conservancy is marking its 10th anniversary of protecting Amelia Island’s tree canopy. A [...]
Apr
Why the Secrecy on New Riverstone Offer?
Since May 22 of last year, Nassau County and Riverstone Properties have been at a [...]
Apr
Area 51 Korean Grill: Very Good, and Longer Hours
By Dylan Bailey Our restaurant reviewer Area 51 Korean Grill touts an impressive blurb on [...]
Apr
Walking/Cycling Safety Study Needs Your Ideas
Fernandina Beach citizen surveys reveal that safe and accessible walking and biking is a priority [...]
Apr
Pulitzer-Winning ‘Proof’ Opens Here April 14
By Linda McClane The award-winning drama “Proof” opens April 14 at Amelia Community Theatre. The [...]
Apr
Commentary: Challenges and Qualifications for a New City Manager
By the Conserve Nassau Board of Directors The Fernandina Beach City Charter provides general guidelines [...]
Apr
Charlie George to Take Over as Interim Manager 38 Days Early
Interim City Manager Mark Foxworth is stepping down early, on April 14, to let the [...]
Apr
Who’s On First? Commission Wrestles With Manager Process
By Mike Phillips The most important item on yesterday’s city commission agenda was billed as [...]
Apr
Businesswomen: ‘Ungeek’ Your Technology
Attention all Nassau County businesswomen, the Eight Flags Charter Chapter of the American Business Women’s [...]
Apr
Okefenokee: The Swamp Next Door That Is a National Treasure
By Lauri deGaris The Okefenokee Swamp is a unique freshwater ecosystem providing nearly a half-million [...]
Apr
Commentary: Manager Search Must Be Done Professionally
By Margaret Kirkland Chair, Conserve Nassau With the current size and projected growth of Fernandina [...]
Apr
Review: New Cuban Bistro Off to a Delicious Start
By Dylan Bailey When I heard Amelia Island was welcoming another Cuban restaurant, I was [...]
Apr
It’s Almost Time to Build Another City Budget: How That Happens
By Suanne Thamm There is never a good time to be without a permanent, full-time [...]
Apr
Right-Wing Group Proposes Businessman for City Manager
By Mike Lednovich The ultra-conservative political group County Citizens Defending Freedom-Nassau is proposing a retired [...]
Apr
A Big Year for Concours Week
The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (AICVB) has released data on this year’s Amelia [...]
Mar
Conserve Nassau Goes Nonprofit
The Conserve Nassau organization has become a nonprofit dedicated to educating and engaging the community [...]
Mar
Do Nassau Sea Turtle Lighting Regs Need Work?
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The resurgence of loggerhead sea turtles along the Florida and [...]
Mar
A Recognized Tree City Third Time
Fernandina Beach once again has been recognized as a Tree City by the international program, [...]
Mar
Hard Choices Ahead on Rec Center Auditorium
By Mike Phillips The reports are in on a study of the costs of repairing [...]
Mar
Charlie George to be Tapped as Next Interim City Manager
By Mike Lednovich Deputy City Manager Charlie George will assume the duties of interim [...]
Mar
The Good Old Days of City Manager Deals
Fernandina, Florida January 11, 1936 “A called meeting of the City Commission was held this [...]
Mar
Meet Four Military-Inspired Writers
If you like to write, kick off your weekend with Amelia Island Writers, who will [...]
Mar
Commentary: A Deceit Beyond the Pale
By Mike Phillips Over the years I’ve lost track of how many city commissions and [...]
Mar
Other Proposed Search Advisor is a Mystery Man from 2012 On
By Mike Lednovich Not much was known about the city commission’s appointment of Richard Sala [...]
Mar
Commentary: ‘Criminal Enterprise’ Accusers Now on Record With FBI
By Chip Ross For years a few individuals have publicly stated that the city of [...]
Mar
Here Comes the Big Book Bash!
The annual Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library book sale is almost here. The main [...]
Mar
Search Committee ‘Advisor’ Knew Nothing About It
By Mike Lednovich A long tenured former city manager who was voted by the [...]
Mar
Daniil Trifonov, Acclaimed Pianist, Here April 1
The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival (AICMF) presents Daniil Trifonov, on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at [...]
Mar
City Manager Search Group Launched — With Surprise Advisors
By Mike Phillips In a Fernandina Beach City Commission meeting made up primarily of routine [...]
Mar
Port Update: Fertilizer is Off the Table, and the Cement Exodus Will Continue
By Mike Phillips The cement exodus from the Port of Fernandina has slowed but is [...]
Mar
Commentary: What Will it Take to Be United in Keeping Our Paradise?
By Suanne Thamm Hatfields vs. McCoys. Sharks vs. Jets. Natives vs. Newbies. Isn’t it about [...]
Mar
Old Town Home Tour April 8, 10-4
By Jennifer Harrison Old Town Fernadina was the last Spanish town platted in the New [...]
Mar
Why a Mine in Georgia is Our Problem, Too
EDITOR’S NOTE: Many Nassau County residents don’t know that St. Marys Riverkeeper, as part of [...]
Mar
Genealogist to Discuss Resources
The Amelia Island Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, in the Community Room [...]
Mar
Manager Search Update: No Applications
The Fernandina Observer has learned that there have been no applications received for the city’s [...]
Mar
‘One Book One Community’ Author Luncheon
Enjoy lunch 11:30 a.m. Thursday April 6 as author Katherine Reay discusses her book “The [...]
Mar
New Task Force to Seek Walking and Biking Opportunities
Under the direction of Fernandina Beach Deputy City Manager Charles George, a task force has [...]
Mar
Local PR CEO Named Best in US
The World Communications Forum Association has named Axia Public Relations CEO Jason Mudd as the [...]
Mar
Cement Exodus Update
As of Saturday morning, with the port shut down and no trucks running, there were [...]
Mar
Review: Wickedly Good Wicked BAO
By Dylan Bailey Down an unassuming street in Fernandina Beach, lives a restaurant you won’t [...]
Mar
Leadership Training for Nassau County
The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Florida Institute for Political Leadership [...]
Mar
A Scramble to Get Cement Out of the Port
This is the aftermath of just one busted bag. (Photo taken last month.) Trucks started [...]
Mar
Pat’s Wildways: New Gardening Mishaps
By Pat Foster-Turley March 17, 2023 I’ve been gardening in my backyard for 20-some years [...]
Mar
Habitat Golf Tournament Coming Next Month
Nassau Habitat for Humanity is holding its second annual golf tournament on April 21 at [...]