Regional

Kelly Gibson, director of the Fernandina Beach Planning & Conservation Department, announced Tuesday that the city has received a $100,000 donation to its land conservation efforts. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

$100k donated to city for land conservation

News Staff
Friday, February 21, 2020
A family wishing to remain anonymous jumpstarted the city of Fernandina Beach’s Land Conservation Trust Fund this week with a donation of $100,000 and a pledge to donate up to another $100,000 to match public donations to the fund. Kelly Gibson, the city’s Conservation & Planning...
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New beach ordinance set for review on Monday, March 23

News Staff
Friday, February 21, 2020
County Manager and Attorney Michael Mullin has advised the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners that a draft of a new beach ordinance is near completion and requested a public hearing be set for its review. The board selected Monday, March 23, at 6 p.m. In other beach-related news, on Feb....
Several people join together to celebrate the opening of Barnabas’ new service center in Callahan, which is open by appointment to assist local residents. Call 904-261-7000 for assistance.

Barnabas opens in Callahan

News Staff
Friday, February 21, 2020
Barnabas Center now has a service center in western Nassau. The non-profit held a community open house at First United Methodist Church of Callahan in honor of opening its service center to help people in need in western Nassau County. The open house included a luncheon and a tour of the new...
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Historic A.L. Lewis house continues to disappear

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Residents have expressed indignation over the demolition work now underway at 5456 Gregg St. in American Beach, the site of the original home of the historic community’s founder, Abraham Lincoln Lewis. Lewis, an African American millionaire, constructed his home there after creating American Beach...
The circled area is a piece of property near Old Town that Vice Mayor Len Kreger is working to obtain from WestRock so the city can put it into conservation. CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH

Kreger seeks a deal with WestRock on Old Town land

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Fernandina Beach Vice Mayor Len Kreger said at a City Commission meeting earlier this month that he is working on behalf of the city to obtain property owned by WestRock for the city’s conservation efforts. Kreger said the waterfront property, located southwest of Garden and Estrada streets, is...
Fernandina Beach City Manager Dale Martin has told Amelia Bluff developers they can proceed with construction after paying a fine of $38,750. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Work on Amelia Bluff allowed to resume when $38.7k is paid

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Construction on the Amelia Bluff subdivision off Citrona Drive can resume as soon as fines are paid by the developer for removing trees that were protected under the ordinances of the city of Fernandina Beach. In a Feb. 14 letter to W. R. Howell, owner of Amelia Bluff LLC, City Manager Dale...
A marker on the Fort San Carlos Plaza in Old Town Fernandina notes the story of the slave ship Guerrero, which hit a reef off of Key Largo in 1827 while on its way to Cuba carrying 561 enslaved Africans. Three hundred and ninety-eight surviving captives were sold as slaves. Two years later, 100 of the remaining people who survived the ordeal were taken from Fernandina to Africa by the U.S. government. PEG DAVIS/NEWS-LEADER

Fernandina’s place in the history of slavery — part 2

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
The importation of human beings through the port at Old Town Fernandina and their use for slave labor is a story that does not appear in most Amelia Island tourist guides. Most of the treasure brought to Amelia Island by pirates was not meant for secret burial; it was meant to be sold. The treasure...
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Why counting everyone in 2020 is so important

News Staff
Friday, February 14, 2020
The 2020 census is just around the corner. A requirement of the U.S. Constitution, a census of the populace has been undertaken every decade since 1790. Americans will have more options on how to participate this year and, for the first time, will be able to respond online, by phone, or by mail. ...
Using data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this map identifies those areas that are anticipated to be inundated by sea-level rise of 1, 3 and 6 feet. Areas close to the St. Marys River and the Intracoastal Waterway would the most impacted. As with storm surge, large portions of Amelia Island are impacted by the minimum 1-foot sea-level rise scenario predicted to occur by 2050, if not sooner. NASSAU COUNTY PLANNING & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Residents hear sea level, storm surge predictions

News Staff
Friday, February 14, 2020
Nassau County residents were recently invited by the county’s Planning & Economic Opportunity Department to review data projecting the impact of flooding, storm surge, and sea-level rise on property, homes, and businesses. The News-Leader attended a Feb. 5 meeting on Amelia Island. Another...
NASSAU COUNTY PLANNING & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

County to host additional event Feb. 19 on flood risks

News Staff
Friday, February 14, 2020
Nassau County has scheduled a flood outreach event for 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the Hilliard Library, located at 15821 County Road 108, according to a news release. Officials will discuss the following: • Results from the county’s Vulnerability Assessment that looks at flood and...