Full Edition: April 13, 2026

the

Island Brief

Amelia Island • Nassau County • First Coast

Good Morning, Nassau County! It's going to be one of those weeks where the weather does most of the talking. We've got sunshine, a warming trend climbing toward 80 by Friday, and a whole lot happening in between. The big one: the RYAM mediation kicks off behind closed doors in Jacksonville today. We'll break down what's at stake below, along with news about a certain retiring pirate. Let's get into it.

Fernandina ☀️ 76°/61°

Yulee ☀️ 78°/60°

Callahan ☀️ 79°/58°

Hilliard ☀️ 79°/58°

📰	Top Stories

The court-ordered mediation between the City of Fernandina Beach and Rayonier Advanced Materials runs today and tomorrow in Jacksonville, and the public isn't invited. Under Florida's mediation confidentiality rules, everything said in the room stays in the room, so we won't know the substance of the talks or what either side offers. The city has publicly maintained it will not settle to allow RYAM's proposed $50 million bioethanol plant at the Gum Street mill, arguing the facility violates the Comprehensive Plan. If mediation ends in impasse, the case heads back to Judge Aho and the lawsuit resumes.

Read More → Fernandina Observer

For nearly 50 years, Peg Leg Pete has been Fernandina Beach's most photographed ambassador, the grinning pirate welcoming visitors to downtown. Decades of sun, wind, and salt air have taken their toll, and the city has officially declared him a liability. The Historic District Council is now weighing what comes next for the weathered statue. It's an interesting changing of the guard, since a new pirate statue just debuted Saturday at the Waterfront Park grand opening.

Read More → Fernandina Observer

Baptist Health has partnered with Life Flight to station a medical transport helicopter at Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. The goal is simple: cut emergency response times when minutes matter most. For a barrier island with limited evacuation routes and a single bridge off the island to the south, having a dedicated medical helicopter on the runway is a meaningful piece of healthcare infrastructure.

Read More → Fernandina Observer

A 600-acre motorsports and automotive lifestyle development, dubbed North Florida Motorsports Park, is being proposed for northern Nassau County. It's early days, with a long road ahead through county review and public input, but the scale alone makes it worth watching. We'll keep an eye on it as it moves through the process.

Read More → Fernandina Observer

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📍	Around Nassau County

➤	Fernandina Beach: The city is holding community workshops this week for its long-term 2050 Neighborhood Vision Plan. Public notice went out Monday; this is the chance to weigh in on how the community grows and changes. (More)

➤	Nassau County: The Board of County Commissioners approved a $383,000 contract tied to Nassau County School District facilities at its March 23 meeting. (More)

➤	Fernandina Beach: The next regular City Commission meeting is Tuesday, April 21 at 6 PM in City Hall. Agendas usually post late the week before on the CivicClerk portal. (More)

➤	Nassau County: The Fernandina Beach Planning Advisory Board has raised concerns about the county's proposed overhaul of its mobility and impact fee system, calling it one of the most aggressive fee increases in the area's history. Worth watching if you're in development or home-building. (More)

➤	Downtown: Fernandina Beach Main Street has launched Downtown Dollars, a new local gift certificate program to boost foot traffic at small downtown shops. A nice option for birthdays, thank-yous, or just propping up the places you love. (More)

🗓️	This Week on the Island

MON 13

RYAM / City Mediation (Day 1) Jacksonville • Closed to the public • No live coverage

TUE 14

RYAM / City Mediation (Day 2) Jacksonville • Closed to the public

WED 15

Midweek Market Place 8 Flags Shopping Center • 9 AM to 1 PM • Produce, bakers, makers

FRI 17

3rd on 3rd: Exhibit Opening Amelia Island Museum of History, Baker Hall • 6 PM • Also streamed online

SAT 18

3rd Annual Sea Turtle Festival 32 N Fletcher Ave • 10 AM • Family-friendly, new giant sculpture this year

SAT 18

Fernandina Beach Market Place (Farmers Market) N. 7th Street, downtown • 9 AM to 1 PM • Year-round, rain or shine

SAT 18

Fernandina Beach Arts Market 506 Centre Street • 9 AM to 1 PM • Second Saturday pop-up

SAT 18

10th Annual Fish to Fork Omni Amelia Island Resort • 6 PM • Ticketed culinary event

ALL WEEK

Bye Bye Birdie at Amelia Community Theatre ACT Main Stage • Thu/Fri/Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2:30 PM • The Tony-winning 1960 musical

Peg Leg Pete has been grinning at Centre Street traffic for nearly 50 years, and now he's on the way out. What's your favorite Peg Leg Pete memory, and do you think the city should save him somehow? Hit reply and let us know. We read every response.

The 2025–26 North Atlantic right whale calving season, which wraps up along our stretch of coast each spring, just set a 17-year record. How many calves were born?

Answer: 23 calves, the most in 17 years. A rare piece of good news for one of the world's most endangered species.

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