7/21/20 @ 9:00 p.m.

As of 11:00 AM, July 31, 2020, FDOH Nassau has 19 new cases of COVID-19.

The Health Department is conducting case investigation and contact tracing on these cases. The individuals will remain in isolation until released by public health. The total case count to date is 1,054 for Nassau County (997 residents, 57 non-FL residents).

7/31/20 @ 7:00 pm

From Emergency Management:

​Nassau County Emergency Management Will Monitor Tropical Cyclone Isaias through Weekend

Hurricane Isaias is expected to move through the Bahamas and then toward the Florida East Coast over the weekend, with Nassau County projecting conditions similar to a strong Nor’easter on Sunday that could produce minor flooding in parts of the county.

Emergency Management Director Greg Foster says the Emergency Operations Center will monitor the storm throughout the weekend and provide situational updates on the website www.OneNassau.com and social media (NassauEM is on Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor) at 9:00 am and again at 3:00 pm both Saturday and Sunday.

Foster says Nassau County residents should monitor the storm’s path throughout the weekend. Foster says no evacuations are planned, but a special needs shelter will be on stand-by in case of extended county power outages. “If you feel your own safety is at risk, you should take appropriate action,” Foster advises. “Otherwise, monitor the storm through NassauEM and shelter in place.” Nassau County residents who anticipate needing evacuation assistance or medical accommodations in a public emergency shelter should register on Florida’s Special Needs Registry each hurricane season at https://snr.flhealthresponse.com/.

Foster reminds residents the tropics are becoming more active and hurricane preparedness, especially while we remain under a Public Health Advisory for the pandemic, should be a priority for all Nassau County residents. Be prepared, not scared.

7/31/20 @ 10:15 a.m. - At Wednesday's Special Meeting, the Board approved Executive Order 18, extending the requirement for face coverings in public spaces for an additional 30 days. Dr. Seidel, Director of the Nassau County Department of Health, was in attendance and provided an update to the Board. She indicated that before coverings were made mandatory, positive cases among those tested were close to 10%. She stated that now cases are closer to 8% and stated, "I believe our mitigation efforts are working and we need to continue them".

To watch the presentation, please click here.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

7/30/20 @ 10:50 a.m.

From Emergency Management:

Isaias became a tropical storm overnight and as of 0500 this morning had winds of 60 mph.

• Local wind/rain impacts are possible, the most likely period for SE GA & NE FL would be late this weekend into early next week
• Coastal Impacts: Increase in local beach surf heights and rip current risk this weekend and early next week; chance of hazardous marine winds and seas in our coastal waters Saturday through Monday.
• Wind & Rainfall Outlook: Still too much uncertainty for specifics on these hazards for our local area. Note the cone of uncertainty, attached below, covers all of northeast FL and southeast GA.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

For Immediate Release: July 27, 2020
Contact: Office of Communications, (850) 617-7737
Twitter: @FDACS & @NikkiFriedFL                      
 
FDACS Asking Floridians to Report Suspicious Seed Packets from China
                                                                                  
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is warning Floridians about unsolicited packages of seeds received through the mail. The seed packets, which may arrive unexpectedly in packages bearing Chinese characters, may bear the name China Post, and may be labeled as jewelry, have been reported in multiple states including Virginia, Kansas, Washington, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, and others.
 
As of July 27, FDACS has received at least 160 reports from Florida residents reporting having received suspicious seed packages. The content of the seed packages is unknown at this time.
 
The introduction of plant seeds into the United States is tightly regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Seeds of unknown origin may constitute agricultural smuggling, may be invasive, may introduce pathogens, toxins, or plant and animal diseases, may pose a risk of foodborne illness, and may pose a threat to plant, animal, and human health. FDACS is working closely to receive guidance from the USDA and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the lead regulatory body on this issue, in consultation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
 
“Plant seeds from unknown sources may introduce dangerous pathogens, diseases, or invasive species into Florida, putting agriculture and our state’s plant, animal, and human health at risk,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Anyone receiving these suspicious seed packets should not open them, should not plant them, should limit contact with them, and should report them immediately to both our department and USDA officials.”
 
What To Do: Anyone receiving unsolicited seed packages from other countries should follow these directions:
 

• Do not open the seed packet and avoid opening outer packaging or mailing materials, if possible
• Do not plant the seeds or discard them in trash that will be landfilled
• Limit contact with the seed package until further guidance on handling, disposal, or collection is available from the USDA
• Report the seed package to the FDACS Division of Plant Industry at 1-888-397-1517 or DPIhelpline@FDACS.gov
• Report the seed package to the USDA APHIS Anti-Smuggling Hotline at 1-800-877-3835 or SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov

 
When reporting the seed package to FDACS and USDA/APHIS, please be prepared to provide one’s name, physical address, phone number, and email address for contact purposes.
 

7/29/20 @ 3:05 p.m. - Early election for the primary begins on Monday, August 3rd. The Chamber of Commerce has been conducting panel discussions and collecting candidate questionnaires to help residents get to know the candidates. Please take the time to watch these videos so you can ensure you're ready when you head to the polls next week.

Below are links to videos for each County seat open for election, as well as questionnaires answered by the candidates.

County Commissioner District 1

• Daniel Leeper questionnaire
• John Martin questionnaire
• Candidate Forum video

County Commissioner District 3

• Jeff Gray questionnaire
• Brent Lemond questionnaire
• Candidate Forum video

County Commissioner District 5

• Klynt Farmer questionnaire
• Charlie Gressman questionnaire
• Anthony Stamps questionaire
• Candidate Forum video

Supervisor of Elections

• Janet Adkins questionnaire
• Stan Bethea questionnaire
• Justin Taylor questionnaire
• Candidate Forum video

Superintendent of Schools

• Dale Braddock questionnaire
• Dr. Kathy Burns questionnaire
• Albert Wagner questionnaire
• Candidate Forum video

School Board Member District 4

• Cindy Grooms questionnaire
• Russell Johnson questionnaire
• Candidate Forum video

Candidate videos for other positions up for election include: Nassau County Court Judge; Ocean Highway Port Authority District One; Ocean Highway Port Authority District Two; Florida's 4th Congressional District; and Florida House District 11 can be found here.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

7/29/20 1:40 p.m. - As of 11:00 AM, July 29, 2020, FDOH Nassau has 24 new cases of COVID-19. The Health Department is conducting case investigation and contact tracing on these cases. The individuals will remain in isolation until released by public health. The total case count to date is 1,009 for Nassau County (956 residents, 53 non-FL residents). 

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

7/29/20 @ 1:00 p.m.- Nassau Amelia Utility customers on Laurel Oak Road will experience a temporary water outage today while personnel work to replace fire hydrants in the area to improve reliability and existing infrastructure. Door tags will be placed on the affected homes with instructions for a required Boil Water Notice to follow the outage.  Following  bacteriological testing and negative results, a Boil Water Rescission notice will be distributed and you may resume normal usage at that time.  We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.

If you have any questions, please contact NAU Customer Service at (904) 530-6030.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office