Category Archives: General

B&B Wins Curb Appeal Award

  The Amelia Island Williams House Bed & Breakfast at 103 S. Ninth St. in [...]

Commentary: Reflections on Earth Day

By Linda Hart Green Earth Day 1970, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I only skipped school [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: Visiting the Big Bend Area of Florida

By Pat Foster-Turley In the past few years, Bucko and I have taken short field [...]

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Your Best Recipe Could Be in a New Amelia Cookbook

By Wilma Allen Area cooking enthusiasts are invited to submit their favorite recipes for “The [...]

Antun Files for Mayor Position

City Commissioner James Antun has filed to run for Fernandina Beach Mayor. Antun was elected [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: North Florida Wildlife Center

By Pat Foster-Turley In preparation for yet again another road trip to Florida’s Big Bend [...]

Airport to Consider Automated Landing Fees That Would Discourage Touch and Gos

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport Director Sam Carver supports airplane landings fees as [...]

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A Good-Deed Effort Saves Two Special Camellias

By Mike Lednovich Local developer Todd Bates, who is planning to build four houses on [...]

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Historical Society Program: George J.F. Clarke and the Creation of Fernandina

  James G. Cusick, the curator for the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History in [...]

Weeds? Look Again at a Bountiful, Useful Lawn

By Lauri deGaris According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a weed is a plant that is [...]

2 Comments

Pat’s Wildways: Gulf Specimen Marine Lab

By Pat Foster-Turley I’m always on the lookout for new column ideas, and over my [...]

2 Comments

How will the FAA’s proposal impact Amelia Island?

By Mike Lednovich It won’t happen next week, next month, or even this year. But [...]

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Commentary: Book-Banners Who Preach a War Between Good and Evil

By Linda Hart Green A number of books have been removed from Nassau County school [...]

43 Comments

Pat’s Wildways: Backyard Bliss

By Pat Foster-Turley It’s my favorite time of year in our backyard. The air is [...]

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A Journey Into the World of Falconry

  By Lauri deGaris Over the past few years, I have enjoyed sharing numerous picnics [...]

Easter Isn’t About Eggs. It’s About Renewal

By Linda Hart Green Maybe, like me, you have driven by the site of the [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Warming Up

By Pat Foster-Turley There is always something to catch my eye when I walk on [...]

Music Will Fill the Island Air This April

By Wilma Allen It isn’t just birds that will be singing this April. The island [...]

More Dr. Ruth Performances

Amelia Musical Theatre’s recent sold-out performance of “Becoming Dr. Ruth” is back for a limited [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Arizona Skies

By Pat Foster-Turley One of my main motivations for visiting southern Arizona with my brother [...]

RYAM Gets Initial Nod on Air Permit for Bioethanol Facility

By Mike Lednovich The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has notified RYAM that it plans [...]

Charlie George Modifies His Intent to Step Down

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach Interim City Manager Charlie George expounded on his comment last [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Arizona Underground

By Pat Foster-Turley There’s a lot going on underground in southern Arizona, the location of [...]

St. Marys Mine Hearing Available Via Zoom

By Paula Alford The quality of life for all of us living near the St. [...]

Commentary: It’s Nassau’s River Also. Pay Attention!

By Emily Floore, St. Marys Riverkeeper On February 9, 2024, Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Talking Turkey

By Pat Foster-Turley There is an avian mystery happening on Amelia Island, and maybe someone [...]

Commentary: When the Joy of Reading Crosses Paths With the Censors

By Linda Hart Green I do 75% of my seeing out of my right eye. [...]

Pat’s Wildways: The ‘Dying’ Art of Taxidermy

By Pat Foster-Turley Whenever I visit my friends in Gainesville I ask them for new [...]

Obituary: Marlene Marie Chapman

Marlene Marie Chapman (71), of Fernandina Beach, passed away peacefully at Community Hospice Jane and [...]

Anne Oman, Journalist and Observer Writer

We are saddened to report that Anne Oman, who served for nine years as a [...]

Tours of St. Peter’s Historic Church Coming in April

Are you interested in Fernandina’s history and historic buildings? Join a free 45-minute tour sponsored [...]

Quiltfest Applications Start in April

The theme for the 38th annual Jacksonville Quiltfest (QuiltfestJax) is “Sew Your Heart Out.” It [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Sundown Shows

By Pat Foster-Turley Every evening around some retention ponds there is a show that is [...]

Grace Church Invites Public to Birthday Fling

Grace Community Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, invites the public to [...]

The Amelia Will Return Feb. 29 to March 3

The Amelia returns in 2024 with a week-long celebration of motoring excellence. Attendees will enjoy [...]

Question: Close Downtown Boat Ramp and Use Bartels Ramp?

By Mike Lednovich The Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Board (CRAAB) will discuss the merits of [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Road Trip to Sebastian

By Pat Foster-Turley I am always on the lookout for new things to see in [...]

City Friendship Questioned as Developer Seeks Change

By Mike Lednovich Vice Mayor David Sturges’ friendship with a Fernandina Beach developer, who is [...]

Many More Steps Before Flood Wall Can Be Built

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach Mayor Bradley Bean disregarded the numerous obstacles in constructing a [...]

Want to Help Our Environment? You Need to Know This

By Candis Whitney  Did you know that there are more than 25 environmental/conservation organizations in [...]

Learn About Homeless Programs

If you’re curious about the increase in the number of unhoused people in our county [...]

Too-Small Tug Can’t Handle Ocean Barges and Must Be Sold

By Mike Lednovich The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) voted Monday to sell its [...]

Ross Seeks Second Opinion on Partisanship

By Mike Lednovich Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Chip Ross is seeking an advisory opinion from [...]

It’s Time to Pay Our Respects to Early-Death Babies

February means different things to different people, but to Kim Maimone February means Mera’s Mission [...]

Historic New Zion Church Undergoing Restoration

As you travel along Atlantic Avenue and N. 10th Street at the east end of [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Bald Eagle Nests

By Pat Foster-Turley I love it when one of my columns spawns another one. This [...]

A Fertile Year for Whales, Offset by Tragedies

By Lauri deGaris Seventeen — that is the number of North Atlantic right whale calves [...]

Nao Trinidad’s Last Day in Our Marina

By Wilma Allen Today is your last chance to step back in time and imagine [...]

Billy Elliot, the Musical, Coming to ACT Next Month

Amelia Community Theatre opens “Billy Elliot: The Musical” on Feb. 9 at 207 Cedar St. [...]

Take Your Visitors to Salt Life. No Visitors? Take You

By Dylan Bailey When it comes to dining experiences that seamlessly blend food, ambiance, and [...]

Motel Proposed at Sadler and Ryan

The developer for a proposed motel located at the entrance of the Pirates Bay community [...]

Port and Feds Are In a Serious Misunderstanding

By Mike Lednovich The Port of Fernandina is in peril of having to pay back [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Healing Power of Nature

By Pat Foster-Turley This was a week I didn’t have a column in mind. My [...]

A Friendly Agreement Expands Athletic Warmups

Fernandina Beach has often cast an envious eye on a large, unused field in front [...]

Unusual Shipping Container Hotel Up for Review

By Mike Lednovich The city’s Technical Review Committee (TRC) is scheduled Thursday to review a [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Treats at the ARK

By Pat Foster-Turley Anyone who knows me by now knows that I love animals, especially [...]

Once-a-week Trash Collection for City Customers Starts Today

Did you put out your garbage today? Are you a Waste Management customer? Double-check this [...]

46th Annual MLK Parade Schedule

Bartram Garden Club Celebrates Florida’s Arbor Day

The Bartram Garden Club will be celebrating Florida Arbor Day at 11 a.m. on Jan. [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Deer Mortalities

By Pat Foster-Turley Here on Amelia Island, deer cannot be legally hunted, and for the [...]

Join the Dream Team: MLK Day of Service Seeking Volunteers

Calling all volunteers! United Way of Northeast Florida is looking for volunteers this Saturday in [...]

MLK Day Panel Discussion Event to Share Stories

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Duncan Lamont Clinch Historical Society will [...]

New Right Whale Calf, Hit by a Boat, Likely Will Die

By Lauri deGaris The first North Atlantic right whale calf born this season has been [...]

Memories of Last Year’s Magical Whale Visitor (and Dolphin Friends)

By Lauri deGaris Last January, many Amelia Island residents, and visitors too, were thrilled to [...]

Storm Warning Ends — Oops, It’s on Again and Raining Buckets — What a Day!

Severe Weather Updates 12:30 — From the U.S. Weather Service: Expect a band of severe [...]

Sky’s the Limit for FBHS Aerospace Students

By Wilma Allen By the time they graduate from high school, many local teens will [...]

‘Becoming Dr. Ruth:’ Many Laughs for People of a Certain Age

Jill Dillingham of Amelia Musical Playhouse, first gave the script of “Becoming Dr. Ruth” to [...]

CRAAB to Submit Waterfront Park Plans for Approval

  By Mike Lednovich When the city commission convenes on Jan. 16 they will be [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Manatee Watching

By Pat Foster-Turley Bucko and I finally made it to Crystal River, long heralded as [...]

Is the Island Maxed Out? Commission’s All Over the Place

By Mike Lednovich The late Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda once said, “Opinions are [...]

Commentary: A Topsy-Turvy Year at City Hall

By Mike Lednovich Now after more than a year in office, how did the 2023 [...]

Sixth Right Whale Calf is Sighted

By Lauri deGaris Right whale calf number No. 6 was born off Cumberland Island on [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Old Florida

By Pat Foster-Turley Whenever Bucko and I feel like getting away from the hubbub that [...]

Citizens Win Tringali Case

By Mike Lednovich A circuit court judge has ruled there is “no plausible explanation for [...]

Two More Whale Calves Born Nearby During the Solstice

By Lauri deGaris Newborn right whale calves No. 4 and No. 5 emerged from the [...]