Local

Marlon (Maui) Capule wears a homemade Valentine’s Day themed hat while working as a cashier at Walmart in Yulee on Wednesday. 

Marlon (Maui) Capule wears a homemade Valentine’s Day themed hat while working as a cashier at Walmart in Yulee on Wednesday. 

A man of many hats 

Marisa DeMar
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Frequent visitors of the Walmart in Yulee are no stranger to the colorful array of festive hats worn by cashier Marlon (Maui) Capule.  During his shifts at Walmart, Capule is never seen without one of his homemade hats, which are crafted for every holiday or no occasion at all.
oe Brown, the pirate actor aboard The Flying Dutchman during one of Amelia Island Pirate Voyages daily cruises.  By Marisa DeMar/News-Leader 

oe Brown, the pirate actor aboard The Flying Dutchman during one of Amelia Island Pirate Voyages daily cruises.  By Marisa DeMar/News-Leader 

Ahoy! 

Marisa DeMar
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
The Flying Dutchman is a 53-foot-long ship dedicated to providing tourists and locals with an experience of Amelia Island through the lens of a medieval pirate.
Gage tree care employees plant Holly trees on Florida Arbor Day, Jan. 16. By Marisa DeMar/News-Leader

Gage tree care employees plant Holly trees on Florida Arbor Day, Jan. 16. By Marisa DeMar/News-Leader

Florida Arbor Day in Fernandina Beach 

Marisa DeMar
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
In celebration of Florida’s Arbor Day members of the City of Fernandina Beach Government, the Nassau County staff of the Florida Forest Service, the Amelia Tree Conservancy and Gage Tree Care hosted a tree planting ceremony at the Peck Center Field in Fernandina Beach.
The map displaying the paid parking zone in Fernandina Beach starting Feb. 16.

The map displaying the paid parking zone in Fernandina Beach starting Feb. 16.

Paid Parking 101 

Marisa DeMar
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
To address resident questions and social media speculation over  paid parking in downtown Fernandina Beach, the News-Leader sat down with city officials to gain insight into the upcoming project and to clarify how residents will be impacted.
Amelia Island Restaurant Week

Amelia Island Restaurant Week

Options to savor at 18th Amelia Island Restaurant Week

Nick Blank
Friday, January 16, 2026
Amelia Island’s culinary scene is on display for the next 10 days for Amelia Island Restaurant Week, where residents and visitors in search of flavor have 24 participating restaurants to choose from. Amelia Island Restaurant Week, which starts today and runs through Jan.
Credit-NCSO

Credit-NCSO

Serial Walmart fraudster nabbed in Yulee

News Staff
Friday, January 16, 2026
A Florida man accused of carrying out a retail fraud scheme at more than 40 Walmart stores across the state was arrested Jan. 9 at a Yulee Walmart, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said. The agency said 31-year-old Branden Brown, of Kissimmee, was charged with six counts of retail theft.
Brian Kyzer and Kam Kyzer pose outside of the WataNut retail store on Centre Street in Fernandina Beach. Submitted photo

Brian Kyzer and Kam Kyzer pose outside of the WataNut retail store on Centre Street in Fernandina Beach. Submitted photo

A sweet arrival 

Marisa DeMar
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Fernandina Beach will now be home to the headquarters of WataNut bakery starting next month. The retail store on Centre Street has been supplying goods to the area for five years however it was headquartered in Augusta, Georgia where the owners resided.
Local demonstrators protest the actions of an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week in front of the Downtown Historic Courthouse. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Local demonstrators protest the actions of an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week in front of the Downtown Historic Courthouse. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Locals join nationwide ICE protests

News Staff
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Dozens of people were out in front of the Historic Downtown Courthouse on Thursday to protest the actions of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis. On Jan.