Regional

A clamshell bucket dredge and three ocean-going scows moved 400,000 cubic yards of material during a recent dredge of the Port of Fernandina, which will allow the port to receive ships with a draft of up to 40 feet. WORLDWIDE TERMINALS FERNANDINA

Dredge of port finished

News Staff
Friday, November 13, 2020
A dredging project that came in over $1 million under budget is part of “a renaissance” at the Port of Fernandina that management there hopes will allow the port to grow its business. Chris Ragucci, CEO of Worldwide Terminals Fernandina, which operates the port, shared details of the dredging...
The Amelia Island Tourist Development Council says the work it does promoting tourism in Nassau County has a $900 million impact in the area, including $485 million in wages for 14,345 jobs that are supported by tourist spending. Given those statistics, the TDC’s Board wants to improve the organization’s image and the work it does to attract visitors to the county. AMELIA ISLAND TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Tourist Development Council seeks to cast tourism in a positive light

News Staff
Friday, November 13, 2020
Locals, people who live in and around a tourist destination, are often derisive of visitors. Could there be a worse insult, in a beach community, than to call someone a “tourist?” But, the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council wants to change that perception, and make locals realize –...
In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused major damage to the Fernandina Harbor Marina, much of which has been repaired. A damage assessment by Applied Technology & Management found Dock 1, a wave attenuator, was damaged beyond repair and needed to be replaced, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency is refuting that claim and wants to pay only for repairs. ROBERT FIEGE/NEWS-LEADER

State recommends FEMA pay for marina replacement costs

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The city of Fernandina Beach has an ally in its battle with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over reimbursement of millions of dollars for repairs to the Fernandina Harbor Marina following Hurricane Matthew – the Florida Division of Emergency Management. In a letter to FEMA Region IV...
A charter plane came to rest Sunday in a field at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport after running off a runway. The cause of the incident has not been determined, but the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH/SPECIAL

No injuries reported in airport mishap

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Two pilots and four passengers were onboard when an airplane ran off the runway Sunday afternoon at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. And while one pilot “bumped” his head, no one received medical attention following the incident. Airport Manager Nathan Coyle said the plane, a Hawker...
JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

300 Omni employees out of jobs

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
An unstable tourism industry amid a global pandemic has resulted in the loss of 300 jobs on Amelia Island. On Friday, Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort informed 300 furloughed employees they would not be coming back to work. Michelle Valle, marketing director for the Omni, said in an email...
Jenny Higginbotham Barrett unofficially beat John Cascone for county judge in a runoff election Tuesday after neither garnered 50% plus one vote in a four-way race during the August primary.

Callahan native to serve as county judge

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Nassau County has a new county judge after Tuesday’s Election Day. Jenny Higginbotham Barrett, a Callahan native and finance attorney, unofficially defeated John Cascone by a significant margin. Barrett collected 31,961 votes (58.96%), while Cascone, a Fernandina Beach criminal defense...
The city of Fernandina Beach is purchasing this 5.35-acre parcel of property, outlined in yellow, and putting it into conservation to prevent development on it. Commissioners noted owner Richard Keffer could have made a considerable profit on the land if it had been developed and acknowledged his efforts to work with the city to put the land in conservation. NORTH FLORIDA LAND TRUST

City buys land for conservation, delays decision on events

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The Fernandina Beach City Commission approved permits Wednesday for Veterans Day and Christmas parades in the city’s downtown but stepped back from making a decision about a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and New Year’s Eve Shrimp Drop and fireworks.  Commissioners said they want to...
At its Wednesday meeting, held a day late due to Election Day, the Fernandina Beach City Commission approved a contract with Oasis Marina for the company to take over management and operations at Fernandina Harbor Marina on Dec. 1. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

City OKs marina contract

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The Fernandina Beach City Commission approved a contract with Oasis Marinas to take over management of Fernandina Harbor Marina, a city-owned facility Westrec Marinas has managed for the past decade. At Tuesday’s regular commission meeting, City Attorney Tammi Bach addressed concerns with the...
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Nassau COVID-19 numbers remain low

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Nassau County’s COVID-19 statistics are continuing to improve, the director of the county’s health department said at the Wednesday meeting of the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, but she also expressed concern about what those numbers might look like after the upcoming holiday...