“Local Opinion and Commentary”
March 9, 2026
Living in Northeast Florida, especially around Jacksonville and Amelia Island, means dealing with the realities of growth—new homes, more traffic, booming tourism, and, yes, airports
Read MoreI used to enjoy wandering downtown Fernandina on a quiet afternoon—grabbing a coffee, stepping into a few shops, seeing familiar faces. That simple pleasure is
Read MoreFernandina’s paid parking program is being framed as a management tool — about turnover, fairness, and access. But there is a structural flaw embedded in
Read MoreIf you’ve ever taken a walking tour down Fernandina Beach’s charming Centre Street and heard a guide claim that the Victorian shops and buildings there
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In small towns and historic downtowns across the country, paid parking generally favors high-turnover, quick-visit businesses while hurting (or favoring far less) long-stay, browsing-oriented retail
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Tourism growth on Amelia Island, like many destinations, is often measured by year-over-year percentage increases in metrics such as visitor numbers, lodging occupancy, bed tax
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Fernandina Beach taxpayers could be leaving as much as $4.5 million on the table over the next five years if the city’s banking services contract
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The idea of a county charter is usually framed as empowering. Supporters talk about “home rule,” local control, and giving voters a stronger voice. In
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This really isn’t about whether paid parking is “good” or “bad.” Reasonable people can disagree on the policy itself. What’s driving the tension is process
Read MoreNot all that long ago, Nassau County’s economy rested on more than one leg. Rail transport, timber and paper operations, port activity, fishing, small-scale agriculture,
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