5/23/25 @ 12:15 p.m. - Fernandina Beach Ocean Rescue sent out this important reminder regarding the beach flag warning system and what the different colored flags mean. Learning their meaning before you hit the beach to keep yourself and your family safe. 

Know Before You Go!

It’s Beach Safety Week! Our beach flag warning system keeps you informed about water conditions to help keep you safe. Make a habit of knowing the flag colors (and their meaning) before you hit the beaches!

red dangerous conditions - high surf
yellow - medium hazard - moderate surf
purple - stinging marine life
double red - water closed to the public

Fernandina Beach Ocean Rescue provides lifeguard services for Amelia Island beaches, including those in the County limits, through a mutual aid agreement. We appreciate all they do to keep residents and visitors safe. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

5/22/25 @ 9:00 a.m. - Each year in May, Mental Health Awareness Month is recognized to support efforts at fighting the stigma associated with mental illness, providing support, educating and the public, and advocating for equal care. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), studies show that there are an estimated 57.8 million adults aged 18 and older in the United States which represents 1 out of every 5 adult Americans who experience mental illness each year, with 1 in 20 adults experiencing serious mental illness each year. However, due to limited or no knowledge of the need, barriers to care, or fear and shame, 60% of adults and 50% of youth do not receive the treatment necessary for their mental health needs and the average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years.

At the Wednesday, May 21, 2025 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners presented a Proclamation declaring May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Nassau County, Florida. Representatives from Starting Point Behavioral Health and NAMI were both in attendance to accept it. NAMI Executive Director Suzanne Mailloux stated, "We recently expanded our services to Nassau County and we're grateful to be here, grateful to serve the community and grateful to guide individuals through peer support, and help them find the treatment and services they need." Dr. Laureen Pagel thanked the Board of County Commissioners to for their continued support and expressed her excitement about having NAMI as a new community partner in Nassau County to help serve the residents.

Recognizing the impact of awareness and education, access to services, and acceptance of the importance of mental health to a person's overall success is important in the fight against the stigma associated with mental illness. The Board of County Commissioners joins the efforts of Starting Point Behavioral Health and NAMI in promoting mental health, wellness and community understanding of support and services with a focus on prevention and early intervention. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

5/21/25 @ 6:00 a.m. - Hurricane Season takes place yearly from June 1st - November 30th. It's important that residents begin preparing now to ensure you're ready should an emergency occur.

Did you know that Nassau County Emergency Management maintains a handy Preparedness Guide to help you plan for an emergency? It provides information on how to stay informed through AlertNassau, preparing an emergency supply kit, protecting personal property and locating your evacuation zone. Download your free copy today at www.onenassau.com. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

5/20/25 @ 5:00 p.m. - On Saturday, May 17, 2025, Nassau County Solid Waste hosted its Bi-Annual Waste Tire Amnesty Day Event. This event allows Nassau County residents to dispose of up to 15 car or truck tires at no cost. During the four hour event, a total of 401 tires were collected. 

Thank you to the hardworking employees of Solid Waste for coordinating another successful recycling event.  A big thank you as well to the residents who participated to ensure that tires are disposed of properly. Nassau County Solid Waste looks forward to bringing its next Waste Tire Amnesty Day in the Fall of 2025. 

Missed the event? No problem! Each household is allowed to dispose of up to 4 car/truck tires per year at no-cost. Proof of residency is required. The Convenience Recycle Center is located at 46026 Landfill Road. For hours of operation, please click here. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

5/20/25 @ 1:30 p.m. - Holland Contractors will be constructing a roundabout at the intersection of North Harts Road and William Burgess Blvd. Work will begin on Thursday, June 5, 2025 and is anticipated to be complete by Saturday, July 21, 2025.

To accommodate motorists, there will be no closures. Temporary detours will be put in place: one connecting William Burgess Blvd. at Spring Meadow Avenue; and one connecting Cardinal Road to William Burgess Blvd. (see map below)

Traffic will be maintained in accordance with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) design standards.  We appreciate the community's patience as we work to bring these much needed improvements to the area.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Operations Manager Dale Hutcherson of Holland Contractors at (904) 528-7273 or via e-mail to [email protected].  

5/20/25 @ 10:15 a.m. - The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has scheduled eastbound daytime shoulder and single lane closures for routine bridge maintenance inspection of the SR 200 Shave Bridge Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The shoulder and single lane closures will allow FDOT workers to perform the inspection. FDOT routinely inspects all state bridges to ensure safety and longevity of the FDOT structures. Please use caution in the area.
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Drivers seeking real-time traffic alerts may visit www.FL511.com or download the FL511 app.

5/19/25 @ 3:45 p.m. - The 2nd Annual Opening of the Beaches was held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, along with the Wild Amelia Nature Festival. Hundreds of guests enjoyed food and beverages, nature and animal exhibits, live music, games and dancing. One lucky couple even got engaged! The weather was beautiful and although it was hot, guests were able to get shade in our air conditioned Vision 2050 tent and under a large, inflatable tent with fans.

We are grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate with us! We are also grateful to the Parks & Recreation Department for coordinating Opening of the Beaches and for all their hard work setting up and breaking down the event. And a big thank you to the many volunteers with Keep Nassau Beautiful for all their hard work in coordinating the Wild Amelia Nature Festival. This annual event teaches residents about our local ecosystem and all the wonderful creatures that inhabit it. Not only is it very informative, it's always fun to see live animals such as bats, bunnies, possums and more!

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

05/20/25 @ 6:00 a.m.-

May 1st marked the beginning of sea turtle nesting season. Mama sea turtles have begun making their way to our Florida beaches to lay their eggs. It is important that we all do our part to protect nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings.

Week Three
Keep the beaches dark. Sea turtles, especially hatchlings, use the darkness and the light reflection from the ocean to navigate. Artificial lighting can mistakenly be perceived as the moon's lighting on the ocean and can lead the sea turtles away from the water and potentially towards danger. 

Nassau County Code, Section 37.07, Beachfront Lighting Restrictions, was created to safeguard nesting mothers and their hatchlings. Failure to comply could result in a fine. 
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• Avoid flash photography which can be disturbing and harmful to see turtles
• Replace white porch lights with turtle safe lighting found at your local hardware store
• Eliminate, turn off, redirect or shield lights that can be seen from the beach surface
• Install timers and/or motion detectors and set the timer to 5 minutes or less for areas where light is needed
• Keep pool and cabana lights off
• Apply dark window tinting or draw curtains/blinds after dark
• Avoid using flashlights on the beach at night. Instead, use turtle safe flashlights found at your local hardware store. 

​-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

5/19/25 @ 6:00 a.m.

​Please be advised the A.J. Johns, Inc. will be reconstructing a portion of Felmor Road which will require a complete road closure. Work is anticipated to begin at Thursday, May 29th and be completed by the close of business on Friday, May 30th, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting. Traffic will be maintained in accordance with FDOT design standards throughout the project. Local traffic needing to access the area will be able to do so from State Road 200. ​

If you have any questions, please contact Caleb Hurlbert, Project Manager for A.J. Johns, Inc. at (904) 563-4993 or via email at [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communciations Officer 

5/18/25 @ 8:00 p.m.

​Below are pictures from the week of May 9 - May 16, 2025. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer