Regional

Exclusive Subscriber Content

State recommends merging Callahan schools

News Staff
Friday, February 7, 2025
Callahan schools may soon consolidate from four schools to two. During a joint meeting Monday night between the Nassau County School Board and the Callahan Town Council, Assistant Superintendent Mark Durham presented an update on the state of the school district.
No Ethanol Fernandina group photo
Elsa Liebenberg, Sandra Carey and Bryn Byron began protesting a bioethanol plant proposed for RYAM’s Fernandina Beach campus last year. This week, Fernandina Beach City Manager Sarah Campbell ruled the plant cannot be allowed under the city’s Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan. RYAM has 30 days to appeal that decision. Photo by Julia Roberts/News-Leader

No Ethanol Fernandina group photo
Elsa Liebenberg, Sandra Carey and Bryn Byron began protesting a bioethanol plant proposed for RYAM’s Fernandina Beach campus last year. This week, Fernandina Beach City Manager Sarah Campbell ruled the plant cannot be allowed under the city’s Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan. RYAM has 30 days to appeal that decision. Photo by Julia Roberts/News-Leader

Exclusive Subscriber Content

CITY MANAGER REJECTS BIOETHANOL

Julia Roberts
Friday, February 7, 2025
Fernandina Beach City Manager Sarah Campbell has drawn a line in the sand, informing Rayonier Advanced Materials the bioethanol plant proposed for the city cannot be built under the city’s code.
A member of the Jacksonville-based Goats on the Go herd forages for food in the tree branches in December on a parcel of conservation land owned by Fernandina Beach. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

A member of the Jacksonville-based Goats on the Go herd forages for food in the tree branches in December on a parcel of conservation land owned by Fernandina Beach. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Nassau County's Wild Neighbors: Sustainable vegetation management on the rise locally

Ashley Chandler
Thursday, February 6, 2025
A sustainable option used for thousands of years for clearing vegetation is amassing interest in the area. Locals in Nassau County are buying or renting goats. Nikki Gunter owns Goats on the Go, a Jacksonville-based business that focuses on sustainable vegetation management.
The leaders of Nassau County's nonprofit, Imagine Nassau, pose for a photo. From left, Tim Maguire, vice-president (Animal Services director); Holly Coyle, secretary (economic resources manager); Brandy Carvalho, acting executive director (director of strategic advancement); Jay Robertson, treasurer (Parks & Recreation director); and Chief Brady Rigdon, president (Nassau County Fire Rescue fire chief). Submitted photo

The leaders of Nassau County's nonprofit, Imagine Nassau, pose for a photo. From left, Tim Maguire, vice-president (Animal Services director); Holly Coyle, secretary (economic resources manager); Brandy Carvalho, acting executive director (director of strategic advancement); Jay Robertson, treasurer (Parks & Recreation director); and Chief Brady Rigdon, president (Nassau County Fire Rescue fire chief). Submitted photo

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Imagine Nassau

Ashley Chandler
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Nassau County has taken on a unique initiative that staff says will alleviate the burden on tax dollars.
Sheriff Bill Leeper fires the ceremonial first shots at the South Range of the Nassau County Public Safety Training Complex at the Ribbon Cutting event held in 2022 for Phase One of the regional training complex. Submitted photo

Sheriff Bill Leeper fires the ceremonial first shots at the South Range of the Nassau County Public Safety Training Complex at the Ribbon Cutting event held in 2022 for Phase One of the regional training complex. Submitted photo

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Public Safety Training Complex: Room to Grow

Ashley Chandler
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Just off County Road 108, a 40-acre plot of land is home to a training complex that remains under construction but is in-use. The county is constructing the Nassau County Public Safety Training Complex project in phases.
From left, Ron Flick, Linda Morris, Todd Ericksen, Wynn Fendig and Jerry Hinson convene Jan. 21 for the Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board Workshop on the Timber to Tides Design Overlay.

From left, Ron Flick, Linda Morris, Todd Ericksen, Wynn Fendig and Jerry Hinson convene Jan. 21 for the Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board Workshop on the Timber to Tides Design Overlay.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Timber to Tides design plan will guide Nassau’s S.R. 200 growth

Ashley Chandler
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
In the next couple of months Nassau County will consider implementing the Timber to Tides Design Overlay (T2TDO). The Planning and Zoning Board held a workshop Jan. 21 to review a presentation from Josh MacBeth, senior planner/design with the Planning Department.
The "teal team" won the kickball tournament at Government Field Day, an events held by the Board of County Commissioners for county staff and families. The teal team was made up of members of the Clerks' office. Submitted

The "teal team" won the kickball tournament at Government Field Day, an events held by the Board of County Commissioners for county staff and families. The teal team was made up of members of the Clerks' office. Submitted

Exclusive Subscriber Content

County holds field day for staff

News Staff
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Nassau County held its Government Field Day for a second year on Saturday. On Tuesday, the county shared details and photos of the event, held for county employees and their families.
The Sheriff's Office shared this on social media to advertise for the free Women's Self Defense Class next week. Submitted

The Sheriff's Office shared this on social media to advertise for the free Women's Self Defense Class next week. Submitted

Exclusive Subscriber Content

NCSO to host women’s self-defense class

Ashley Chandler
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Next week, local women will join the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office to learn to defend themselves. The free Women’s Self-Defense Class, to be held 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, focuses on “situational awareness and basic self-defense techniques.
From left, Alyssa Vinson, UF/IFAS Hillsborough County extension agent, Dr. Hector Pérez and Taylor Clem, Nassau County extension agent, pose for a photo together in a traveling studio the duo set up at the state Florida-Friendly Landscaping office in Gainesville to record an episode of Cultivating Curiosity. Vinson and Clem, cohosts, interviewed Pérez for the first episode of 2025, titled A Couple of Seed Geeks. Submitted photo

From left, Alyssa Vinson, UF/IFAS Hillsborough County extension agent, Dr. Hector Pérez and Taylor Clem, Nassau County extension agent, pose for a photo together in a traveling studio the duo set up at the state Florida-Friendly Landscaping office in Gainesville to record an episode of Cultivating Curiosity. Vinson and Clem, cohosts, interviewed Pérez for the first episode of 2025, titled A Couple of Seed Geeks. Submitted photo

Exclusive Subscriber Content

UF/IFAS Extension podcast inspires 'curiosity,' 'wonder'

Ashley Chandler
Thursday, January 30, 2025
A podcast hosted by a local educator shares the “endlessly fascinating and inspiring” world of plants through expert’s eyes.
Deputy County Manager Robert Companion speaks Monday at the Board of County Commissioners meeting in the Commission Chambers at the James S. Page Governmental Complex. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Deputy County Manager Robert Companion speaks Monday at the Board of County Commissioners meeting in the Commission Chambers at the James S. Page Governmental Complex. Photo by Ashley Chandler/News-Leader

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Potential $400K grant will provide new data on river basins

Ashley Chandler
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
On Monday the Board of County Commissioners approved two grant applications that have local conservationists clapping.