Local

Brian Barnard paints a whale for the raffle during the Whale Baby Shower hosted by the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors on Wednesday. Photo Marisa DeMar/News-Leader

23 Right Whales born this season

Marisa DeMar

Friday, April 10, 2026

Twenty-three North Atlantic right whale calves were born in the 2025-2026 season which spans from mid November to mid April each year.

Judge halts recall efforts

Nick Blank

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

A Nassau Circuit Court judge has ruled in favor of two Fernandina Beach city commissioners seeking to halt a recall effort against them. Judge Marianne Aho on Wednesday granted a temporary injunction on behalf of commissioners Genece Minshew and Tim Poynter against the recall.

From Blues to Brews

Marisa DeMar

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

In celebrating their one year anniversary of operation, local business Sax & Blue announced their plan to open a coffee shop inside the store called Sax & Brew.

Resident captures photo of thick smoke from the wooded area behind homes in Harbor Concourse. Submitted photo

Harbor Concourse faces blaze

Marisa DeMar

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Residents of Harbor Concourse in Fernandina Beach were beginning their Easter weekend festivities on Saturday when a blaze grew out of control in a wooded area along Harbor Concourse Circle. Around noon Sarah Susan pulled into her driveway and noticed smoke rising from the backyard.

Nassau County Fire Rescue responded to a large bush fire active near Keel Court in Fernandina Beach. Photo by Marisa DeMar/News-Leader

Keel Court residents evacuated due to brush fire

News Staff

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Residents in a local neighborhood were forced to evacuate for a short time today, when a brush fire broke out.Early this afternoon, Nassau County Fire Rescue responded to a large brush fire active near Keel Court in Fernandina Beach.

Officers on the scene of an incident invovling an SUV and a bicycle March 27 on South Fletcher Avenue. Amy Mulligan/News-Leader

FHP: Bicyclist hospitalized after collision with SUV

News Staff

Friday, April 3, 2026

A 75-year-old Fernandina Beach man suffered “incapacitating injuries” while riding a bicycle March 27 after a car swerved into the bike lane on South Fletcher Avenue knocked him off the bike and ran over him, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

The Sounds on Centre concert series is held in downtown Fernandina Beach. Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Sounds on Centre returns tonight

Nick Blank

Friday, April 3, 2026

A downtown Fernandina Beach staple returns Friday. The Sean McCarthy Band will start the Sounds on Centre proceedings with a 2-hour concert, 6-8 p.m., on Friday near the Palace Saloon. The event is organized by the nonprofit Friends of Downtown Fernandina Beach.

A line of people formed outside ALDI on Thursday for a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the opening of the new ALDI, formerly Winn-Dixie. Photo by Marisa DeMar/News-Leader

ALDI now open

Nick Blank

Friday, April 3, 2026

Long lines stretched past the newly opened ALDI on Thursday morning as Fernandina got one of its two closed grocery stores back. Brian Feliciano said he arrived at 1 a.m. when he got there and no one was there, though others started showing up around 5 a.m.

Photo 2: The sign tacked outside of Hola! Cuban Cafe hung to notify the public of the dangerous structure. By Marisa DeMar News-Leader

Historic building deemed a public danger

Marisa DeMar

Friday, April 3, 2026

Waldemar Borrero woke up on a typical Monday morning to find out he would need to vacate his rental property within 24 hours due to the structure being deemed unsafe by building inspectors.

Tina McDaniel makes progress on the 5-foot long sea turtle known as Scout.

Beach Junki to host 3rd annual Sea Turtle Festival

Marisa DeMar

Thursday, April 2, 2026

The third annual Sea Turtle Festival hosted by Beach Junki is set to take place on April 18 at Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach. Amy Beach, the founder of the non-profit, told the NewsLeader about the newest addition to the festival, a five-foot-long sea turtle sculpture named Scout.