Category Archives: County News
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 [...]
2 Comments
Sep
New Port Customs House Wrinkle: Feds Will Prevail
By Mike Lednovich The latest twist in the ongoing controversy regarding the U.S. Customs and [...]
10 Comments
Sep
Arts Alive Is Cranking Up in Nassau Schools
By Wilma Allen Starting next week, hundreds of local kids will be raising their paint [...]
Sep
Port Commission Still Short of a Valid Budget
By Mike Phillips It was an unhappy crew of port authority commissioners who gathered Wednesday [...]
3 Comments
Sep
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 [...]
9 Comments
Sep
Update on Vote-by-Mail Confusion
The Observer recently reported that 12,295 vote-by-mail registrations in Nassau County had been invalidated by [...]
8 Comments
Sep
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 [...]
Sep
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 [...]
Aug
Tough Talk from Customs: New Port Facility or Else
By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) has so little money available [...]
Aug
Big School Tax Hike in the Works
The District School Board of Nassau County is proposing a tax levy of $109 million, [...]
Jul
County Has a New Planning Director
Nassau County’s new planning director is Elizabeth Backe. She has almost 25 years of experience [...]
Jul
New Wrinkles in RV Site Plan: Townhouses and City Annexation
By Mike PhillipsThe developer of a proposed RV park on Nassau County land on Sadler [...]
Jul
City Critic Was Getting Free Trash Service for Five Years
By Mike LednovichNews-Leader columnist Steve Nicklas, who repeatedly criticizes city spending as wasteful, has been [...]
Jul
Are OHPA’s Dire Finances a Formal Emergency?
By Mike LednovichThe Ocean Highway and Port Authority’s attorney and accountant are working with the [...]
Jul
Is Port-City Dispute Nearing Resolution? Stay Tuned
By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach claims each year that the Ocean Highway and Port Authority [...]
Jul
New Library Director Selected
Julie Cannavino has been selected to serve as the next Nassau County library director. She [...]
Jul
A Grim Meeting as the Port Ekes Out a Budget
By Mike Lednovich A bleak future financial outlook for the Ocean Highway and Port Authority [...]
Jun
Port Budget: Short of Money and, So Far, Ideas
By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) begins tackling its 2023-24 budget [...]
Jun
Port May Sell Residential Land to Pay Legal Debts
By Mike Lednovich The Port of Fernandina took the first step Wednesday toward potentially selling [...]
May
Port Finances Are ‘At The Cliff’s Edge’
By Mike Lednovich The Port of Fernandina’s crushing legal debt may threaten its ability to [...]
May
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 [...]
Apr
Stunner: Commission Accepts Developer’s Tall Towers Offer
By Mike Lednovich The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted 4-1 to [...]
Apr
How Nassau County Makes Elections Secure
By April L. Bogle Janet Adkins, Supervisor of Elections (SOE) for Nassau County, addressed eight [...]
Apr
The Attorneys Speak: Riverstone Proposal Is ‘Deeply Flawed’
Dear Chair and Members of the Nassau County Commission: I, along with Reese Henderson, represent [...]
Apr
Community Leaders Speak: The Riverstone Proposal Is a ‘Hail Mary’
A Letter to the Nassau County Commissioners and County Attorney: Nearly two years ago, the [...]
Apr
Here’s a Special Way to Love the Beach
By Shari Roan Along with the maritime forest, Amelia Island is best known among nature [...]
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
Why the Secrecy on New Riverstone Offer?
Since May 22 of last year, Nassau County and Riverstone Properties have been at a [...]
Apr
Do Nassau Sea Turtle Lighting Regs Need Work?
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The resurgence of loggerhead sea turtles along the Florida and [...]
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
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
A Big Win for Cruise Ships Opponents at Port Commission Meeting
The cruise ship idea is dead. As the Port of Fernandina master planning process drew [...]
Mar
Port Commission Will Vote on its Plan March 8
The Ocean Highway Port Authority (OHPA) commissioners are preparing to vote on a final version [...]
Feb
Nassau Firefighters to Train for Derailments
Nassau County Emergency Management (NCEM) will hold a multi-agency tabletop emergency response exercise in its [...]
Feb
Boat Ramp Repairs
The North End (Dee Dee Bartels) Boat Ramp is temporarily closed. A piling on the [...]
Feb
Port Decisions Coming into the Final Weeks
By Mike Phillips What was expected to be a conclusive port commissioners meeting last evening [...]
Feb
Big Raise Approved for Nassau Teachers
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Nassau County is making moves, working to better compensate the [...]
Jan
‘Impaired’ Properties Continued: More of the Story
By Mike Phillips Although the bureaucratic tangle around the Jasmine Street beach access clearly is [...]
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
Records Settlement Vindicates Nassau Employee — and Rayonier
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Another chapter involving former Nassau County Attorney Michael Mullin is closed, [...]
Nov
COMMENTARY: Whither Nassau County?
By Bill Gingrich Nassau County voters cast their election ballots in favor of who they [...]
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
Nicole Evacuations Ordered for Zones A and D
Nassau County is calling for evacuations of zones A and D as Tropical Storm Nicole [...]
Nov
City Backs County Land Conservation Bonds
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics A bond plan to kick-start Nassau County’s land conservation, amid [...]
Oct
The Myth of City-County Discontent
By Dale Martin, City Manager In the midst of the current campaign season for two [...]
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
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
A Break on Flood Insurance Premiums
Nassau County has once again received an improvement in its classification in the Community Rating [...]
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
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 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
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
Nassau Schools #2 of 67 in Florida
By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics The Nassau County School District has a lot on its hands — [...]
Nassau County School Board Races Head to Runoffs
By Wes Wolfe, Florida Politics Nassau County, with its deep-red politics and ability to generate [...]
Alyson McCullough Takes Western Seat on Nassau Co. Commission
By Wes Wolfe, Florida Politics One of the nastier and more-competitive North Florida races not [...]
Hupp Huppmann Wins Nassau Co. Commission Battle
By Wes Wolfe, Florida Politics It was a thorough drubbing for incumbent Nassau County Commissioner Aaron Bell, [...]
Florida Department of Health – COVID-19 Situation Report – Week Ending July 28, 2022
Florida Department of Health July 30, 2022 [...]
Jul
Centers for Disease Control Issues Latest Report of Cases and Deaths in Nassau County FL
Centers for Disease Control July 18, 2022 [...]
Jul
Florida Department of Health – COVID-19 Weekly Situation Report – Weekending July 14
Florida Department of Health July 16, 2022 [...]
Jul
Improved Design for Nassau County Vote by Mail Ballots – Ballots On The Way!
Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Press Release VoteNassauFl.gov July 15, 2022 Janet H. Adkins, Supervisor [...]
Jul
Substantial Amelia Island beach Infrastructure Upgrade Pegged as Decades-Long Project
Florida Politics By Wes Wolfe July 13, 2022 The harmonization project is more like a [...]
Introducing ‘Vote Nassau Florida’ Mobile App
Nassau County Supervisor of Elections July 8, 2022 Click on the Image Below to Download [...]
Jul
Florida Dept of Education Releases Grades of Nassau County Schools
Nassau County Schools Kathy K. Burns, Superintendent Press Release July 7, 2022 Making the Grade [...]
Jul
Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Situation Report -June 24 to June 30
Florida Department of Health July 1, 2022 [...]
Jul
Renovations at Fernandina Beach Library Branch
6/30/22 @ 9:45 a.m.- Please be advised that the Fernandina Beach Library Branch will be [...]
Jun
Speed Limit Temporarily Reduced on County Road 121
from The County Insider Office of the Nassau County Manager June 30, 2022 6/30/22 [...]
Jun
Nassau County proclaims July 1-7 “Clean Beaches Week”
from The County Insider Office of the Nassau County Manager June 30, 2022 6/30/22 [...]
Jun
Aaron Bell steps aside as Nassau Commission Chair as Hupp Huppmann launches campaign
By Wes Wolfe FloridaPolitics.com June 30, 2022 Huppmann said a central factor to running is [...]
Jun