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Minutes after Hispanic Festival proclamation, City learns new Florida law will bar it next year
Today
FERNANDINA BEACH - City Commissioner Genece Minshew lashed out Tuesday at a new Florida law that will restrict city actions involving diversity, equity and inclusion, calling it “the most egregious …
FBHS Foundation awards teachers $26,000 in program grants to enhance students’ educational experiences
Yesterday at 3:30 AM
FERNANDINA BEACH — On Sep. 23, the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation announced its first round of program grants for the 2026-2027 school year, awarding more …
North Florida Land Trust and the city partner to extend Greenway
Yesterday at 3:20 AM
FERNANDINA BEACH - North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) and the City of Fernandina Beach have partnered to preserve nearly 10 acres of land over two properties that will help connect additional …
$18 million Citrona Drive plan would add shared-use path, wider sidewalk
3 days ago
FERNANDINA BEACH - A transportation study is recommending an $18.09 million reconstruction of Citrona Drive that would add a 10- to 12-foot-wide shared-use path, a six-foot sidewalk and dozens of …
Top stories
St. Johns River Water Management District seeks public input on Lower St. Johns River Basin Plan
3 days ago
The St. Johns River Water Management District has opened the public comment period for the draft 2026 Lower St. Johns River Basin Plan. The draft plan outlines priorities and projects that …
Community news doesn’t happen by itself - someone has to be there
5 days ago
Editorial: Why The Observer Matters. National Newspaper Week, Oct. 4-10, is a good time to consider something easy to take for granted: Who is watching what happens in our …
Today's Showcase
Digital Compass
Readwise: Keeping your mind curious and remembering what you learn
Today
Retirement gives us something we spent most of our working lives wishing for: time. Time to read, study history, finally understand investing, or explore photography, gardening, genealogy, or …
Off the Porch
Finally – fall is in the air
Yesterday at 3:30 AM
We knew it would come, but couldn’t wait. Comfortable temperatures have arrived. We grumbled through August, as we always do, impatient for cooler temperatures. Each August, we declare it was the …
Nature's Reflection
The gopher tortoise needs our help
3 days ago
The gopher tortoise provides shelter for so many. Its burrow provides a fire bunker for hundreds of organisms in their native habitat and has done so for millions of years. The gopher tortoise …
The photo gallery
Pat's Wildways: Mango Time!
Friday, June 19
I usually don’t go for fruit if given a choice, but for me, mangos are something different. They are the best of the fruiting world, in my opinion at least. And am I in luck! This trip to Belize, …
Florida cacti
Saturday, July 4
I always get a kick out of seeing cacti in the salt marsh, for example in the Ron Sapp Egans Creek Greenway, because I think of cacti as living in dry areas like the desert. But it turns out there …
Digital Compass
Microsoft didn't tell its engineers to stop using AI — the real story is more important
Thursday, October 1
You may have seen a surprising headline recently: Microsoft told its engineers to stop using AI. Considering Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in artificial intelligence and has built AI …
AI should be useful, not frightening
Thursday, September 24
If you've been following the news about artificial intelligence lately, you may have noticed something unusual. The same companies spending billions of dollars developing AI are sometimes the …
From the HeART
Libraries are for everyone
5 days ago
I have been an avid reader since I experienced the joy of learning through reading in elementary school. I loved spending Saturdays on a trip to the library and then going home and diving into …
Would you live on Chestnut St.?
Sunday, September 27
I found Chestnut Street while scrolling through Facebook Reels for relief from the heaviness of the world. Serendipity. What a find. It makes me laugh. The stories about life on Chestnut St. with all …
Off the Porch
Cornwall — A magical place
Wednesday, September 30
One of many memorable walking vacations with my sister took us to England, first to the Cotswolds for a week of gentle walking, then a more challenging week in Cornwall. In our second week, we joined …
Unexpected new friend
Wednesday, September 23
When you least expect it, a new friend comes into your life. One of my favorite annual events is the Amelia Island Dance Festival. Executive Director Susie Dodge outdoes herself every year, and this …
Pat's Wildways
Pat’s Wildways: Training crocodiles
Friday, October 2
It’s not every day that you see someone training a crocodile, not even for me. I’ve seen lots of animals being trained, what with my marriage to a marine mammal trainer, but I never expected to …
Pat’s Wildways: Sargassum overload
Friday, September 25
We knew that sargassum weed had taken over Placencia, Belize’s normally pristine white sandy beaches, but what the hey? We go to the same five-room hotel there every few months for a couple of …
Buccaneer Trail paving scheduled next week
Friday, October 2
Buccaneer Trail will be resurfaced from the South Fletcher Roundabout at Harris Teeter to Marian Drive as part of Nassau County’s FY 2025/26 Level & Overlay projects.
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17 restaurants passed the inspection at the first visit. 24 restaurants didn't pass the first inspection
Thursday, October 1
Nassau County Restaurant Inspections at a Glance - September 2026. Disclaimer: These records are sanitation and safety inspections conducted by the Division of Hotels and …
Nature
Sharing our space with others — pollinators
Saturday, October 3
There are many ways to make a positive impact on our local ecosystems to ensure our own health, stability and happiness in the future. We all know we need pollinators for our well-being. We can make …
Nature's Reflection
Gopher tortoise — the environmental engineer and homemaker
Tuesday, September 29
Deep in the middle of a now-rare longleaf pine forest in northeast Florida, a gopher tortoise looks for a place to build a home. She is surrounded by saw palmettos, wildflowers, towering and graceful …
The pollination crew
Saturday, September 26
We need pollinators to survive as a human species. These insects and other organisms are crucial for food production and are currently in high demand. Pollinating insects save us at least $195 …
Listening for whales in distress
Saturday, September 19
I was excited to talk to Nick and Maggie Williams, co-founders of Whale Guard Bioacoustics Research Inc. Their nonprofit researches and protects North Atlantic right whales. This organization aims to …
See more Nature stories
County News
Reduced library hours dismay county residents
Thursday, September 24
The reality of reduced library hours and the shuttering of the Bryceville library branch is setting in for county residents. And it doesn’t feel good.
The cutbacks are the result of a …
Read more county news
City News
City waterfront board advances harbor plan as costs of flood prevention wall draw scrutiny
Wednesday, September 30
FERNANDINA BEACH - The Waterfront Advisory Board voted unanimously Monday to send a draft Harbor Master Plan to the City Commission, but left unresolved how to extend a flood wall across privately …
Saturday, September 12
Get ready to have a detailed discussion with your healthcare provider about your cholesterol. Health professionals are rethinking how they view high cholesterol due to new treatment guidelines and a …
Read more.
Tuesday, September 1
After a rough flu season last year winter, federal health authorities are hopeful that this season’s vaccine is a better match for the predominate flu strains and will reduce illness.
Read more.
Business
Surf Restaurant property proposed as 13-home redevelopment
Wednesday, August 12
FERNANDINA BEACH — An Amelia Island beachside landmark could give way to residential development under a concept plan headed to the city's Technical Review Committee this Thursday.
Golf Pub Social Announces New Ownership
Tuesday, April 7
FERNANDINA BEACH, FL — Golf Pub Social, Amelia Island’s go-to destination for indoor golf, live music, and community gathering, is entering an exciting new chapter. The venue has been …
Liberty Academy: The Buzz on Beekeeping
Saturday, February 21
Liberty Landscape Supply has announced a new event series titled "Liberty Academy," which offers continuing education, expert guidance, and community engagement for area homeowners, contractors, and …
Special Features
A Message in a Bottle Leads to Stories From Everywhere
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Recently, my friend Cathy showed me a plastic Coke bottle she found on the beach. Inside the bottle was a neatly folded letter. The cap was tight, and no water had penetrated the bottle. The message …
The Remarkable Journey of Cumberland Island Museum's Collection
Monday, February 17, 2025
In December 1990, the 5-log schooner Behemoth made two trips from Fernandina Beach to Brickhill Bluff. The 100-year-old nonmotorized vessel was owned, maintained and operated by Les Johnson. The …
Community
Island Hop Craft Beer & Spirits Festival returns to Fernandina Beach Oct. 3
Friday, September 18
The 6th Annual Island Hop Craft Beer & Spirits Fest returns to Central Park in Fernandina Beach on Sat., Oct. 3, 2026, from noon-4 p.m., bringing together craft beverages, live music, local food, …
Taste of Amelia expands to full weekend of food, wine and Island experiences
Monday, September 14
The Taste of Amelia is expanding this fall from its popular culinary crawl into a three-day celebration of food, wine, spirits, history, and Amelia Island hospitality. The Taste of Amelia …
Saturday, September 12
The East Coast Greenway trail system is a multi-use trail that starts in Maine on the Canadian border and ends in the Florida Keys. It is the longest trail of its kind in the country. The trail …
Wednesday, August 26
FERNANDINA BEACH — Nominations are officially open for Barnabas Center’s 6 th annual Hometown Heroes Fashion Show. This year’s event honors veterans and active-duty military members for their …
Churches & Charities
Monday, August 3
A group of artistic American Beach ladies and children met recently at Barnabas Center, Inc., a non-profit organization in Fernandina Beach, to paint bowls in preparation for the Center's …
Monday, August 3
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Barnabas Center invites the community to a simple but meaningful meal supporting neighbors in need. The 13th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon will take place Tuesday, Nov. 24, …
5-Day Forecast
Friday
Showers and Windy
High: 78°F
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Saturday
Showers and Breezy
High: 82°F
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Sunday
Chance T-storms then Showers Likely
High: 83°F
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Columbus Day
Mostly Sunny
High: 84°F
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Tuesday
Sunny
High: 84°F
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