Category Archives: Community

An Inspiring Journey: Clarence and His Bagel Shop

By Dylan BaileyAloha Bagel is not just a popular bagel shop in Fernandina Beach; it’s [...]

Pride Panel at History Museum

In recognition of Pride Month, a panel of local LGBTQ+ residents will share their experiences [...]

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Walk and Bike Task Force Draft Report Ready

Fernandina Beach Deputy City Manager/City Engineer Charlie George formed a citizens’ task force for safe [...]

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Omni Joins Habitat in Drive to Build More Housing

Habitat for Humanity and Omni Amelia Island Resort have formed a partnership to help build [...]

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Say It Loud: No More Anonymity

By Mike Phillips Recent events have convinced me that our reader comments service needs a [...]

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The Ancient Mayhaw Is Making a Comeback Here

By Lauri deGaris Mayhaw is a variety of hawthorn tree noted for slender branches with [...]

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Behind The Saturday Market: Loving Caretakers

By Dylan Bailey The Fernandina Farmer’s Market is a special place. If you’ve driven down [...]

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The Nest, A Women’s Center

By Elizabeth Matthews Megan Hammond knows what it’s like to be a young woman facing [...]

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Help Needed, Help Appears — That’s Community

By Tom Oliver Occasionally you get to witness an act of true community. This started [...]

Better Together: A ‘Village’ of People Helping Stressed Families

By Elizabeth Matthews Ramona is the single mother of two young daughters; a Florida transplant [...]

City Attorney: Don’t Cancel Pride Events

By April L. Bogle Fernandina Beach City Attorney Tammi Bach will advise city commissioners against [...]

Front Porch Beaders Reach a Whole Community in Need

By Elizabeth Matthews Front Porch Beads began as an effort to bring a family together [...]

Hofbrau Amelia: Real German? Ja! Recommended? Jawohl!

By Dylan Bailey Hofbrau Amelia is Fernandina’s only German pub and biergarten. My question now [...]

Mental Health TED Talk Coming Up

A Community Conversation is being hosted by the Nassau Chapter of the National Alliance on [...]

The Riverstone Vote Is Not What You Think — Read On

By Mike Lednovich County Commissioner John Martin said in emails Tuesday that people are erroneously [...]

Are We Up to The Challenge of Buying Riverstone’s Property?

By Mike Phillips Though there’s still a lot of tip-toeing going on in county government [...]

Election Fraud Speakers Find an Audience Here

By April L. Bogle A former law professor and a businessman turned podcaster preached their [...]

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 [...]

Heritage Tree Trolley Tours

Join your friends and neighbors in supporting the Amelia Tree Conservancy’s heritage tree trolley tour. [...]

Conserve Nassau Goes Nonprofit

The Conserve Nassau organization has become a nonprofit dedicated to educating and engaging the community [...]

Here Comes the Big Book Bash!

The annual Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library book sale is almost here. The main [...]

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 [...]

Old Town Home Tour April 8, 10-4

By Jennifer Harrison Old Town Fernadina was the last Spanish town platted in the New [...]

Leadership Training for Nassau County

The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Florida Institute for Political Leadership [...]

Garden Club to Present “Down the Rabbit Hole” Flower Show

  The Bartram Garden Club of Amelia will present Down the Rabbit Hole, a National Garden [...]

Mystery: Port Meeting Cancelled ‘Until Further Notice’

That’s all the notification said. The Wednesday meeting is cancelled. No reason given. It’s known [...]

How Fernandina Beach Came to Be Restored

The Amelia Island Museum of History will present a lecture by Buddy Jacobs on the [...]

Commentary: Eminent Attorney Challenges City Attorney on Important Land-Use Case

Editor’s note: The following piece of advice to the Fernandina Beach City Commission was written [...]

The Bartram Garden Club Talks Roses

The Bartram Garden Club, Inc. Submitted by Linda Broadrick Secretary and Publicity Chairman Feb. 5, [...]

Interview: Story & Song Bookstore Bistro

By Dylan Bailey I was given the opportunity to interview Donna Kaufman, who is the [...]

Citrus Drive Delivers Local Fruit to Barnabas

Barnabas Center Press Release Submitted by Nicola Barnack Director of Development Jan. 25, 2023 Record-breaking [...]

Calling All Port Questioners – Final Open House

If you have any questions, concerns or fresh ideas about the Port of Fernandina Beach, [...]

Florida Roots Trail Race Delivers an Unforgettable Day at Fort Clinch

The third annual Florida Roots Trail Series foot race was run this past weekend at [...]

New Memorial in Fernandina Beach Honors Pearl Harbor Survivor

Executives from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and the Veterans Council of Nassau County honored a [...]

Commentary: Townhouses in a Neighborhood That Cherishes Its History – and the Law

By Julie Ferreira The Fernandina Beach City Commission is poised to make a significant decision [...]

Commentary — Townhouses: A View From the Historic District

  By Taina Cristner Most of us are very concerned about the impact this new [...]

A Friend of Fernandina and The Observer Has Passed

Editor’s note: We were saddened to learn of the death of Malcolm “Mac” Noden. While [...]

Pay Up to Tee Up: Golf Fees Soaring on the Island

By Mike Lednovich Domenick Gambardella and Carla Foreman were stunned after receiving an email late [...]

COMMENTARY: A Proud and Fearless Day, 45 Years Later

By Alexandra R. Lajoux Yesterday in Fernandina Beach, our community hosted the biggest local parade [...]

City Manager’s Comments – James Thomas

By Dale Martin, City Manager In 1998, Tom Brokaw, then the sole anchor of “NBC [...]

Legislators Hear From Tree Advocates

By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Conservative state legislatures like to pass municipal preemption laws to [...]

Free Dental Clinic for Kids

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is hosting the Jacksonville Dental Society’s annual Give Kids [...]

Barnabas Fashion Show Fund-Raiser

This year’s second Barnabas Center Fashion Show Honoring Hometown Heroes takes place Monday, Feb. 27, [...]

Fernandina Memories at the Museum

On Monday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m., the Duncan Lamont Clinch Historical Society will present [...]

Starting Point Open House: Jan. 13

Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare will host an interactive open house Friday, Jan. 13, 4-6 p.m., [...]

Commentary: a Heartfelt Argument for Girls’ Softball

by Amber Stuckey Board Member of Elm Street Little League   Some of my fondest [...]

If You’ve Lost Someone, This Is For You

“Understanding Grief” is designed to help people learn that healing is possible after the death [...]

Want to Honor a Really Special Park Ranger?

The Florida Park Service Ranger Association is hosting the 2023 Park Ranger of the Year [...]

‘Impaired’ Properties Continued: More of the Story

By Mike Phillips Although the bureaucratic tangle around the Jasmine Street beach access clearly is [...]

Library Book Club Back in Business

After an extended Covid-caused hiatus, the Friends of the Library Book Club has regrouped and [...]

Stephan R. Leimberg: an Amelia Neighbor of Great Consequence

By Jo-Ann Leimberg & Jay Kayne On Dec. 1, 2022, Amelia Island lost a true [...]

Nao Trinidad Returning

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Magellan-Elcano expedition. Ferdinand Magellan, admiral of the [...]

Open House for ‘The Club’

The Nassau County Council on Aging will host an open house for “The Club,” the [...]

Nassau Teacher Nominated for Major National Award

Fernandina Beach Middle School seventh grade teacher Bailee Jones has been nominated for the 2022-23 [...]

It’s Time to Think About Dickens Again

“Dickens on Centre” once again will be a highlight of the season. A Victorian-themed celebration [...]

Commentary: What a Remarkable Community Effort Looks Like

By Pam Hart Chair of the Protect Nassau Now or Never PAC We are thrilled [...]

Nicole Evacuations Ordered for Zones A and D

Nassau County is calling for evacuations of zones A and D as Tropical Storm Nicole [...]

Coming Black Friday: The Pajama Party!

The Annual Black Friday Pajama Party will once again take place in historic downtown Fernandina [...]

Wild Amelia Joins With Keep Nassau Beautiful

The board of directors of Keep Nassau Beautiful has announced that Wild Amelia is now [...]

Facing the Holidays While Grieving? Here’s Hope

Community Hospice & Palliative Care is offering  Hope for the Holidays, a workshop that will [...]

Uninsured? Here’s Help

Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare offers a free service to help uninsured individuals get affordable and [...]

De-stressing Business During the Holidays

Lisa Jones, president of LR, Holistic Life and Leadership Coaching, LLC, is the featured presenter [...]

Big Job Fair Opportunity

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), CareerSource Northeast Florida and Patriots for Paychecks have partnered [...]

Big Career Fair Opportunity in Jacksonville

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), CareerSource Northeast Florida and Patriots for Paychecks have partnered [...]

Small Business Fair Coming Up

By L. Najimy $1000 Start-Ups will hold its Annual Celebrate Small Business Fair on Saturday, [...]

Thanks for a Successful Food Drive

First Presbyterian Church of Fernandina Beach (FPC) extends sincerest appreciation to the generous shoppers at [...]

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 [...]

Veterans Day Fun Run Coming Up

Cross the Line Foundation will be sponsoring the 2nd annual Veterans Day Fun Run. This [...]

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 [...]

Holiday Support for Foster Families

While most families still have a few weeks before their Thanksgiving preparations begin in earnest, [...]

New Habitat Build to Honor Benefactor David Berkman

The public is invited to join Nassau Habitat and the family to honor the late [...]

Garden Club Meeting

The Bartram Garden Club will meet Oct. 20 at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Fernandina [...]

Amelia Island in the Top Three Again

Amelia Island recognized as being in the top 3 islands in the United States Condé Nast [...]

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 [...]

A Partnership for Healthy Food Donations

First Presbyterian Church is supporting Barnabas Center to collect healthy food donations on Oct.13 from [...]