Regional

NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Nassau schools to stay closed through May 1

News Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran announced during a conference call with school districts around the state Monday that classrooms will remain empty through Friday, May 1, according to a post on the Nassau County School District’s website.
A rare sight – a deserted beach on Amelia Island – will remain the norm for at least the next few weeks. City and county officials believe beach closures have helped “flatten the curve” of the spread of the coronavirus. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

A rare sight – a deserted beach on Amelia Island – will remain the norm for at least the next few weeks. City and county officials believe beach closures have helped “flatten the curve” of the spread of the coronavirus. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Governments talk about how to reopen the beaches

News Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Several city and county officials took part in a conference call Monday afternoon to discuss how, and when, to reopen the beaches on Amelia Island.
Katie Crane receives items from Gary Norris as residents line up to collect fruit, meat and other goods from a Farm Share food distribution at Hilliard’s Buford Grove Baptist Church March 18.

Katie Crane receives items from Gary Norris as residents line up to collect fruit, meat and other goods from a Farm Share food distribution at Hilliard’s Buford Grove Baptist Church March 18.

Churches stock pantries

News Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Callahan’s Jenny Peale pulled up to the curb at Callahan First Baptist Church to retrieve dry food items March 17.  She collected a couple bags for her parents and herself from volunteer Connie Krug.  “I saw the notice on the church’s website and shared it online,” she said.
Caleb Goyette is all smiles after catching this big Amelia Island redfish. TERRY LACOSS/SPECIAL

Caleb Goyette is all smiles after catching this big Amelia Island redfish. TERRY LACOSS/SPECIAL

Seeing reds

News Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Seeing redfish has been a bit of a challenge recently for longtime fishing buddies Kent Poteat and Russ Heller.
Judge James H. Daniel has ruled that Kimberly Kessler is competent to stand trial for the first-degree murder of Joleen Cummings. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Judge James H. Daniel has ruled that Kimberly Kessler is competent to stand trial for the first-degree murder of Joleen Cummings. JULIA ROBERTS/NEWS-LEADER

Judge: Kessler is competent to stand trial

News Staff
Friday, March 27, 2020
Kimberly Kessler may have a personality disorder, but a judge ruled last week she is well enough to be tried for the 2018 murder of Joleen Cummings.
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort has decided to shut down during the coronavirus public health emergency. FILE PHOTO

Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort has decided to shut down during the coronavirus public health emergency. FILE PHOTO

Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort to suspend operations

News Staff
Friday, March 27, 2020
The Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort has made the decision to temporarily shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The closure will result in a loss of roughly 1,000 local jobs, according to Amelia Island Tourist Development Council Managing Director Gil Langley.
FILE PHOTO

FILE PHOTO

FB commissioners share their thoughts on the pandemic

News Staff
Friday, March 27, 2020
The city of Fernandina Beach is facing hard decisions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the hardest was closing the beaches Saturday in order to discourage groups of people from gathering and possibly spreading the virus.
The Fuji Bay at the Port of Fernandina on Wednesday. PEG DAVIS/NEWS-LEADER

The Fuji Bay at the Port of Fernandina on Wednesday. PEG DAVIS/NEWS-LEADER

It’s business as usual at the Port of Fernandina 

News Staff
Friday, March 27, 2020
The Port of Fernandina hasn’t suffered any ill effects due to the coronavirus, according to the port’s operating company. “We haven’t seen any negative effects yet,” Worldwide Terminals Fernandina CEO Chris Ragucci, who also serves as port director, told the News-Leader.
All public beaches on Amelia Island have been closed by order of the city of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County. COURTESY OF MIKE LEDNOVICH/SPECIAL

All public beaches on Amelia Island have been closed by order of the city of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County. COURTESY OF MIKE LEDNOVICH/SPECIAL

All Amelia Island beaches now closed to the public

News Staff
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
As of Saturday morning, there was still only one confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in Nassau County, and city and county officials expressed their intention to keep it that way.