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Today's Showcase
From the HeART
Libraries are for everyone
Today
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 …
Dining With Dylan
Smoky Mountain Diner serves up a taste of old Southern hospitality
Yesterday at 3:30 AM
A week ago, I found myself winding through the mountains of western North Carolina on my way from Waynesville to Hot Springs. It wasn't a particularly fast drive. The road twisted and turned through …
Pat's Wildways
Pat’s Wildways: Training crocodiles
3 days ago
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 …
Community news doesn’t happen by itself - someone has to be there
Today
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 …
Buccaneer Trail paving scheduled next week
3 days ago
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
4 days ago
Nassau County Restaurant Inspections at a Glance - September 2026. Disclaimer: These records are sanitation and safety inspections conducted by the Division of Hotels and …
City waterfront board advances harbor plan as costs of flood prevention wall draw scrutiny
5 days ago
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 …
Top stories
Opinion
Paradise lost? Changes coming to Cumberland Island
Tuesday, September 29
I’m willing to wager that people who enjoy hiking and camping in Ft. Clinch State Park, kayaking through Egans Creek or spotting an alligator at the beach also relish Amelia Island’s close access …
What could Fernandina’s waterfront look like? New city harbor plan offers two visions
Sunday, September 27
FERNANDINA BEACH - The city's Waterfront Advisory Board will review a draft Harbor Master Plan on Monday that lays out two preliminary concepts for extending public access, marina facilities and …
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
4 days ago
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
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 …
When an apology is not enough
Sunday, September 20
Note: This is a personal commentary based on my experience attending the Call to Action meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at First Missionary Baptist Church. I am not a reporter. Reporters’ accounts of …
Off the Porch
Cornwall — A magical place
5 days ago
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: 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 …
Pat’s Wildways: Okefenokee Swamp Park
Friday, September 18
It’s been years, maybe a couple of decades, since we visited the north entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp just south of Waycross, Georgia. Our memories of it were flavored by the repeated homage to …
Atlantic Avenue project parking loss draws pushback as FDOT $5 million launch nears
Saturday, September 26
FERNANDINA BEACH — On-street parking will disappear along portions of Atlantic Avenue as the Florida Department of Transportation adds bike lanes and striped paved shoulders to a $5 million …
Amelia Island bed tax revenue forecast to top $12 million, exceeding last year
Friday, September 25
FERNANDINA BEACH - The Amelia Island tourism agency forecasts bed-tax collections will top $12 million for fiscal 2026, exceeding last year's collections despite a decline in hotel occupancy and …
Nature
Sharing our space with others — pollinators
Yesterday at 3:30 AM
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
What will happen to Atlantic Avenue parking? FDOT meeting set for Thursday
Monday, September 21
FERNANDINA BEACH — A Florida Department of Transportation plan that will remove on-street parking along sections of Atlantic Avenue to make room for bicycle lanes and roadway shoulders will be the …
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
Monday
Showers
High: 77°F
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Tuesday
Showers and Breezy
High: 77°F
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Wednesday
Showers Likely and Windy
High: 77°F
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Thursday
Chance Showers and Windy
High: 78°F
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Friday
Showers Likely and Windy
High: 79°F
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