Author Archives: Mike Phillips
Chamber Music Festival Opening Is Coming Up
The 22nd season of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival will open on Friday, Jan. 13 with a [...]
Dec
Ayscue and Antun Win City Commission Seats
Here are the provisional results from the Dec. 13 Fernandina Beach City Commission election: Seat [...]
Dec
Do Partisan Politics Have a Place in Our Small-Town Elections?
By Mike Phillips Observer Editor Now that the Fernandina Beach runoff election is over, no [...]
Dec
They Met, and They Got Something Down the Road!
It’s master planning time again at the Port of Fernandina. It comes around every 10 [...]
Dec
The Port Thinks Big – and Bigger – and Bigger
The Port of Fernandina has completed its first draft of a 10-year master plan. It’s [...]
Dec
Exhibit of Amelia Excavations — Plus Lecture on Big Talbot Digs
Stories Underground highlights significant archaeological excavations on Amelia Island, from crude 19th-century explorations of native burial [...]
Dec
A Big Saturday Coming Up
Dec.10 in Fernandina Beach will be big. Not only will both the Market Place farmers [...]
Dec
It Came from the Attic: A Community Show and Tell Event
For lovers of old objects and photographs, the joy comes more from the story behind [...]
Dec
Arts and Culture Celebrates with More Public Art
Arts and Culture Nassau recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in front of a new public [...]
Dec
Commentary: Questions for Michael Lednovich
If elected, what would be your first priority as a new commissioner? Finishing the city [...]
Nov
Records Settlement Vindicates Nassau Employee — and Rayonier
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Another chapter involving former Nassau County Attorney Michael Mullin is closed, [...]
Nov
Businesswomen: Holiday Event with Donna Paz Kaufman
All businesswomen of Nassau County are invited to join the Eight Flags Chapter of the [...]
Nov
Church Work: Helping with the Pain of Divorce
Editor’s note: Nassau County’s many churches reach out into the community, finding and meeting needs [...]
Nov
Commentary: Questions for Darron Ayscue
Editor’s note: This is the third response of four by candidates in the city commission [...]
Nov
Holiday Comedy at ACT Opens Dec. 2
This December, Amelia Community Theatre returns full of good cheer to Pemberley, the Darcy estate [...]
Nov
Commentary: Questions for James Antun
Your first priority if elected. if elected, my first priority as a new commissioner would [...]
Nov
Nao Trinidad Returning
This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Magellan-Elcano expedition. Ferdinand Magellan, admiral of the [...]
Nov
COMMENTARY: Whither Nassau County?
By Bill Gingrich Nassau County voters cast their election ballots in favor of who they [...]
Nov
Open House for ‘The Club’
The Nassau County Council on Aging will host an open house for “The Club,” the [...]
Nov
A Dozen Questions for the Runoff Candidates: Genece Minshew
Editor’s note: After seeking questions from quite a number of thoughtful citizens, we boiled their [...]
Nov
Nassau Teacher Nominated for Major National Award
Fernandina Beach Middle School seventh grade teacher Bailee Jones has been nominated for the 2022-23 [...]
Nov
It’s Time to Think About Dickens Again
“Dickens on Centre” once again will be a highlight of the season. A Victorian-themed celebration [...]
Nov
Commentary: What a Remarkable Community Effort Looks Like
By Pam Hart Chair of the Protect Nassau Now or Never PAC We are thrilled [...]
Nov
COMMENTARY: How Covid Has Changed Health Care
By Diana Twiggs, MD It is not an exaggeration to say the coronavirus pandemic forever [...]
Nov
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