Regional

FILE PHOTOS

FILE PHOTOS

County board bids adieu to three commissioners

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Monday’s Nassau County Board of County Commissioners meeting was the final time three of the commissioners would participate as members of the legislative body. The terms in office for Daniel Leeper, Pat Edwards and Justin Taylor expire Nov. 16.
Plans for a park on the Amelia River waterfront in Fernandina Beach were put on an online hub so residents could rate elements of the plan. Ratings and comments showed positive feedback on elements such as a band shell, sunset observation deck and waterfront boardwalk. Comments also contained concerns that parking not be reduced to build the park. The design firm will bring updated plans to the City Commission in December. MARQUIS LATIMER + HALBACK

Plans for a park on the Amelia River waterfront in Fernandina Beach were put on an online hub so residents could rate elements of the plan. Ratings and comments showed positive feedback on elements such as a band shell, sunset observation deck and waterfront boardwalk. Comments also contained concerns that parking not be reduced to build the park. The design firm will bring updated plans to the City Commission in December. MARQUIS LATIMER + HALBACK

Community weighs in on waterfront park plans

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Plans to develop the Amelia River waterfront in Fernandina Beach have come and gone for at least 20 years. One aspect that has been constant is the desire of stakeholders – developers and city officials – to include the community in creating a plan for the waterfront.
Mark Anderson, a recovering addict, lives in the same neighborhood as Grace and Gratitude Sober Living, which is facing code violations for operating a recovery home in an area that is only zoned for group homes. “Group homes, recovery home, who gives a crap?” Anderson asked the city’s Code Enforcement and Appeals Board. “We have a lot of issues here in this community and these codes you guys have against some of these homeowners … you guys want to nitpick on these few issues.” JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Mark Anderson, a recovering addict, lives in the same neighborhood as Grace and Gratitude Sober Living, which is facing code violations for operating a recovery home in an area that is only zoned for group homes. “Group homes, recovery home, who gives a crap?” Anderson asked the city’s Code Enforcement and Appeals Board. “We have a lot of issues here in this community and these codes you guys have against some of these homeowners … you guys want to nitpick on these few issues.” JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Code board ponders the future of recovery houses

News Staff
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Members of the Code Enforcement and Appeals Board agree Grace and Gratitude Sober Living is not in compliance with the city’s Land Development Code, but will they prohibit Henry Green from operating the recovery residences in city limits? That has yet to be determined.
Aboard sailing vessel Wayward Wind heading out of the St. Simons channel to the starting line at sunrise behind a row of competitor boats. SUBMITTED

Aboard sailing vessel Wayward Wind heading out of the St. Simons channel to the starting line at sunrise behind a row of competitor boats. SUBMITTED

Amelia Island wins Ocean Challenge

News Staff
Friday, October 30, 2020
Amelia Island Sailing Club won the annual Ocean Challenge race on Saturday, competing with boats from the Golden Isles Sailing Club based on St. Simons Island, Ga. Both spinnaker and non spinnaker class boats were in the race, sailing a course from the St Simons channel to the St.
Mocama Beer Company will offer beers of varying flavors, colors and aromas in its taproom on South Eighth Street, as well as at restaurants and retail locations in Northeast Florida and, in the future, southern Georgia. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Mocama Beer Company will offer beers of varying flavors, colors and aromas in its taproom on South Eighth Street, as well as at restaurants and retail locations in Northeast Florida and, in the future, southern Georgia. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Mocama Beer Company is opening a brewery with taproom on South 8th

News Staff
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Telling the story of Mocama, the coastal region that stretches from what is now southern Georgia down through the Okefenokee Swamp to the west coast of Florida, Hamp Tanner says the word means coast or ocean.
Rain often results in a back yard flooded ankle-deep on Raymond Hines’ property in the Amelia Walk subdivision, making the area unusable. RAYMOND HINES/NEWS-LEADER

Rain often results in a back yard flooded ankle-deep on Raymond Hines’ property in the Amelia Walk subdivision, making the area unusable. RAYMOND HINES/NEWS-LEADER

Commissioners seek review of drainage rules

News Staff
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
At a special meeting of the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners held earlier this month, Commissioner Pat Edwards spoke about his concern for the way the county reviews and handles drainage.
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Teacher asks board to fight for raises

News Staff
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
The Nassau County School Board heard from a member of the Nassau Teachers’ Association, the union that represents teachers in Nassau schools, who asked the board to support teachers in current contact negotiations.
As the attenuator at the Fernandina Harbor Marina moves up and down with the tide, pieces of Styrofoam are visible, which appear to be from underneath the attenuator. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

As the attenuator at the Fernandina Harbor Marina moves up and down with the tide, pieces of Styrofoam are visible, which appear to be from underneath the attenuator. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

MAB questions points in Oasis contract

News Staff
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
The Marina Advisory Board has some issues with a contract for marina management services that is set to be approved next week by the Fernandina Beach City Commission and are sending questions to the commission ahead of the vote to approve the contract.
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

CARES Act dollars flow to businesses

News Staff
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Nassau County officials say disbursement of CARES Act funding has gone well thus far during an Oct. 21 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. Nassau County Manager Taco Pope said the county has made great progress during the past six months, calling it a “journey and a challenge.