Immigration Attorneys in Fernandina Beach, FL

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Hurricane Debbie was more like Little Debbie for locals. It has left Nassau County very wet, but mostly safe.

Across the rest of Florida and into Georgia and South Carolina, thousands have been left without power, hundreds needed rescuing from flood waters, and five people have lost their lives as a result of the storm.

At 11 a.m. on Tuesday, poweroutages.com said that 109,477 electric customers were without power in Florida. In Georgia, 17,970 were without power, and in South Carolina, 17,625 were without power.

According to the Florida Power and Light website, a few dozen people were still without power in Nassau County as of Tuesday morning. Florida Public Utilities’ website said only one customer in Nassau County was without power as of Tuesday morning.

The city of Fernandina Beach fared well during Hurricane Debby, with only four trees down and city services up and running by Tuesday.

According to interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson, the city received only minimal damage.

An emergency shelter was set up at the Martin Luther King Rec Center on Monday and remained open Tuesday. City Hall was closed Monday, but reopened on Tuesday.

“We are still assessing damage, but as of this morning we have a total of four downed trees,” Glisson said Tuesday morning. “We have moderate debris fallout and there has been no significant flooding.”

The Port of Fernandina also fared well, with no significant damage.

Ocean Highway and Port Authority Administrative Office Manager Rossana Hebron said the port followed U.S. Coast Guard protocol during Hurricane Debby. She said the port was on “X-ray” status Saturday, which according to the Coast Guard, means weather advisories indicate sustained gale force winds (39–54 mph/34–47 knots) from a tropical or hurricane force storm are predicted to make landfall at the port within 48 hours.

Sunday, the USCG placed the port under condition Yankee, when sustained gale force winds are expected within 24 hours, vessel movement is restricted and all movements must be approved by the captain of the port.

At midnight Sunday, the USCG condition was Zulu, meaning weather advisories indicate that sustained gale-force winds from a tropical or hurricane-force storm are predicted to make landfall at the port within 12 hours. The port closed at midnight Sunday.

"The Port of Fernandina has not experienced any significant rain or flooding,” Jeff Hymas, spokesperson for Savage, parent company of port operator Nassau Marine Terminal, told the News-Leader. “However, Nassau Marine Terminal closed operations at the port on Tuesday morning out of caution, in the interest of our team’s safety. We plan to be back in operation again on Wednesday.”

Hymas said no ships had to be rescheduled due to the storm, and that there was a small number of staff at the port to monitor the storm, and the port would be fully staffed Wednesday.

As Tropical Storm Debby continues to move across the southeast coast, the county is expecting more rain.

Nassau County is just one of the many Florida counties that declared a local State of Emergency over the weekend in response to the incoming Tropical Storm Debby. As the week began, local leaders were concerned about potential record-breaking rainfall that could cause serious flooding issues for Nassau County residents.

On Monday, local government offices, Nassau County School District, and other local businesses and organizations closed for the day. The BOCC announced administration offices would be closed again on Tuesday in order to allow county staff to work on storm management and response. The school district also delayed the start of all schools and offices until 9 a.m. on Tuesday and canceled extracurricular activities.

On Monday morning, the Board of County Commissioners held an emergency 9 a.m. meeting to ratify and affirm the executive order that was issued by County Manager Taco Pope on Sunday.

“In the event that there is an incident or event that decorates the necessity of a local state of emergency, your plan allows for Emergency Management Director and the Executive Policy group which is a defined group of individuals in the community which includes, myself representing the municipalities as well as your constitutional officers and the school district to recommend a local state of emergency be enacted,” Pope said the emergency meeting. “The requirement is that as soon as it’s safely possible, that state of emergency issued by the county manager be brought before the Board of County Commissioners for ratification.”

Director of Emergency Management (EM), Tim Cooper was in attendance at the 9 a.m. emergency meeting to give an update on the storm and EM’s efforts that began last week and will most likely proceed the rest of the week.

Cooper said Emergency Management has been tracking the storm closely since last week and began to make plans last Thursday.

“We had to step into a more forward-leaning posture last Thursday. I called the first coordination meeting amongst the community that we have to make plans when this kind of stuff happens such as the school board, the sheriff’s office, the fire department so we did that last Thursday. Friday we stayed in contact, in touch, I’ve been on all the state calls, all the weather calls, multiple times a day since then, and then yesterday (Sunday) with the storm track and the forecast we were getting … the concern of the storm stalling could bring record-setting rains.”

As of the Monday morning meeting, Cooper said they were expecting the storm to stall north of Nassau County.

“We can hope for a lot of things but we’ve got to plan for the worst,” Cooper said.

Also on Monday, Sheriff Bill Leeper took to social media to update the community on the impacts of the storm. In one of the videos, he stood in front of the St. Mary’s River which was continuously rising.

“We expect some flooding is gonna take place, so if your property has flooded in the past, more than likely it will now,” Leeper said. He also said there had been a few crashes so far and that drivers should be cautious. If the street lights are out, use it as a four-way stop.

In another video, he stood on the beach at Peters Point to warn locals to stay out of the water.

“Stay safe, Nassau,” he said at the end of both videos.

Hurricane Debby made landfall around 7 a.m. Monday near Steinhatchee, Fla., with winds reaching 80mph. As it moved over land, the storm weakened back to Tropical Storm status.

achandler@fbnewsleader.com

Hurricane Debby made landfall in Steinhatchee, Florida, Monday morning, the same area where Tropical Storm Debby came ashore 12 years ago and Hurricane Idalia hit last year. Florida residents along the state's west coast are being drenched and flooded, but inland areas can't count themselves lucky just yet. Much of the state and parts of Georgia are under a tornado watch until 4 p.m. EDT Monday.

"A few tornadoes are possible over central and northern Florida and southeastern Georgia today," the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. "The threat will spread northeastward into parts of South Carolina later today and tonight."

The National Weather Service said that two tornadoes were seen on the ground by spotters in or near Polk County. One NWS student volunteer spotter reported a tornado on the ground in west Bowling Green in Hardee County at 4:35 p.m. and another took a video of a tornado on the ground for about 2 minutes southwest of Bartow about two hours later.

Tornadoes are unpredictable, immensely powerful, and very, very dangerous. Here's what you need to know.

Which Florida counties are under tornado watch?

Twenty-nine of the state's 67 counties are included in the NWS's tornado watch, including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Union and Volusia.

Coastal areas under tornado watch include:

Which Georgia counties are under tornado watch?

As of Sunday afternoon, the following Georgia counties are included: Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Tattnall, Ware and Wayne.

Also coastal waters from Savannah, Georgia to Altamaha Sound out 20 nautical miles, including Gray's Reef national Marine Sanctuary

What's the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

If the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for your area it means conditions for tornadoes are good and you should be ready to act quickly. Have your emergency plans and supplies ready.

If your area is under a tornado warning, it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar and you may be in imminent danger. Act quickly.

if you are under a tornado warning or if you've seen or heard a tornado approaching, immediately take steps depending on your situation:

How do I prepare for a tornado?

The National Weather Service suggests having an emergency plan ready ahead of time, including designating a "safe space" in your home that is a completely interior room, ideally without windows.

You also should have supplies ready such as flashlights, batteries, food, water, clothes and shoes, and some way or multiple ways to get updates including your fully-charged phone with push alerts set up, local TV reports, weather apps and a NOAA weather radio.

What do I do if a tornado is nearby?

Check forecasts regularly to see if you're at risk for tornadoes. You can get that information from weather apps on your phone, this website, NOAA Weather radio, local news sites such as this one, local TV news, or your local Emergency Operations Center. Stay informed.

Have a family plan ready that includes where to meet and how to keep in touch. Assume you'll lose power and keep your phones fully charged ahead of time, with important phone numbers written down.

Tornadoes can sound like a freight train bearing down on you, but don't assume that if you don't hear that you're safe. Pay attention to weather alerts.

What do I do if a tornado is coming and I'm in a house?

If you're in a house:

What do I do if a tornado is coming and I'm in a mobile or manufactured home?

If you're in a mobile or manufactured home:

What do I do if a tornado is coming and I'm out in the open?

If you're in open country:

What do I do if a tornado is coming and I'm in a vehicle?

What do I do if a tornado is coming and I'm in an office, condominium, school or hotel?

What do I do after a tornado has passed?

What is a tornado?

According to the National Weather Service, a tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground.

Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year.

Although tornadoes are most common in the Central Plains and the southeastern United States, they have been reported in all 50 states.

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NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Fernandina Beach City Commissioners took the next steps to make the Amelia Waterfront Park a reality. Tuesday night they voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the final design for the park that would be located at Parking Lots C and D near South Front Street.

The project has been talked about for years but was never able to get off the ground for different reasons. The city plans to use $2 million in impact fees to help pay for the park.

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Public comment had a mix of people for and against the project.

Marianne Phillips spoke against the project during her time at the podium. She spoke in honor of her mother who recently passed away, saying that her mother advocated for the shrimping industry. She’s hoping to carry on her mother’s legacy and feels the park is not the right fit for the area.

“People do not come down here to this waterfront to enjoy a park. They come down here to see their shrimp boats. They come down here to see the sunsets and they’re not out there playing,” Phillips said. “Kids are not going to come over here and play in a little circle area, whatever that little circle area is.”

She hoped that commissioners would vote against the project.

“I will continue to say no to this and I’m asking y’all re-design, do whatever you’ve got to do to preserve our working waterfront and the shrimpers,” Phillips said.

John Abbott, president of the Amelia Island Boules Club, spoke during public comment. While he’s in favor of the park, he wants to ensure the petanque courts that were taken from the Marina are restored elsewhere in the city.

“Our message this evening is that the work is not quite done yet, because we need to have our 16 competition courts restored somewhere else downtown,” Abbott explained.

Outside of his concern for the petanque courts, Abbott thinks the park will be a great benefit to the community.

“There’s a lot of detail, there’s a lot of work to be done, a lot of you know, still some thought and design thought to be put into it,” Abbott said. “But I think it’s a win for the community and I fully support it.”

News4JAX spoke with Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson on Friday about the project. He says making improvements like the waterfront park is something they try to do carefully, especially considering the amount of people the city attracts.

“You want to maintain the historic feel. You want to keep the charm that makes Fernandina what it is today, a vibrant clean community,” said Glisson. “So you make those improvements, you got to be careful and you got to make those adjustments in a methodical planned out way.”

On Friday, Glisson told News4JAX the next part of the process includes putting a bid out for construction in a few weeks. The hope is for construction to start in September or October, with a goal to have a majority of the work done by the end of this year.

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About the Author

Ariel Schiller

Ariel Schiller joined the News4Jax team as an evening reporter in September of 2023. She comes to Jacksonville from Tallahassee where she worked at ABC27 as a Weekend Anchor/Reporter for 10 months.

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After ongoing controversies including run ins with North Myrtle Beach merchants, staff, and (lately) elected city leaders, Mike Mahaney has applied for a job in Fernandina Beach, FL.

Mahaney was hired and has maintained his post as North Myrtle Beach city manager since 2010.

He previously worked in the same capacity in other municipalities for 40 years.

Mike Mahaney is one of 18 candidates for the Fernandina Beach, Florida city manager position with less than one week remaining until applications are closed.

Work History

From 2004 to 2007, Mahaney served as Nassau County’s county manager. Nassau County is located in the state of New York.

His next job was as city manager in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where he lasted two years before being fired in 2010. He earned $180,000 a year and supervised 798 employees. When he was hired, he told the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel he left the county manager position due to political changes.

Mahaney is currently the city manager of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, overseeing a $208 million budget with 680 employees in a town that hosts millions of tourists each year.

Mike Mahaney – Past Controversies

His run ins with North Myrtle Beach merchants made headlines.

In 2022, the owner of a local kayak business alleged Mike Mahaney assaulted her during a meeting to discuss the future of her business. The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the May 10, 2022 incident and sent its findings to 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson, who wrote back that the state would not move forward with a prosecution given the high barrier to proving an assault “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

His run ins with local merchants “just off” main street and ocean boulevard are legendary.

In 2020, MyrtleBeachSC News reported: The City of North Myrtle Beach issued a ticket to the restaurant owner, Weldon Boyd, on May 8, 2020 for “supposedly” violating Governor Henry McMaster’s Covid emergency mandate 2020-10.

The jury deliberated for a total of 4 minutes before returning a verdict of not guilty for Weldon Boyd and Buoys Restaurant.

Mahaney holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Master of Public Administration from James Madison University.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – There’s a lot to love about Fernandina Beach and city leaders hope to capitalize on that charm with a new waterfront park and other downtown improvements.

The city has several downtown revitalization projects in the works to enhance downtown while keeping its historical appeal intact.

Under the downtown revitalization project, the city will improve downtown sidewalks, landscaping and lighting because some of the infrastructure is 40 to 50 years old.

The waterfront park, which would include green space, a pavilion, restrooms and improved parking, would be built on Marina Lot C & D on South Front Street.

Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson said the city had discussed ideas about the park for decades.

“We had the impact fees in place to fund the project. It’s been something that’s been discussed for years. We’ve had studies. We’ve had plans and concepts. It’s just never got to the point where it’s positioned to be a reality. And it looks like we’re finally there,” Glisson said.

Kayli Fletcher, who works in downtown Fernandina Beach, welcomed the changes.

“If there is a way that you could bring families together where they could sit, have lunch, have the kids play in a safe area that would be beneficial for downtown Fernandina Beach,” Fletcher said.

Cayman Hogue, who also works and lives downtown said she was concerned about the possible new addition.

“I’m not quite sure how they’re going to fit all this in. Because we are already having spacing issues, especially like all the housing lots. They’re building like two houses on one lot. So, I don’t know how they’re going to financially do this, how they’re going to make enough room for all this, especially because we still have the train tracks and stuff,” Hogue said.

Hogue also felt like there were more pressing issues that the city could address.

“For example, the streets, their potholes, there needs to be more lighting, for sure,” Hogue said. “They need to fix the smaller issues before they go on and making us even more of a tourist destination than we already are.”

Take a look at the rendering below:

Fletcher understood change is inevitable but was okay with it as long as it benefits a family-friendly environment.

“If families feel safe, and can bring their family down here and feel safe, I think that’s going to be a major improvement to the businesses downtown,” Fletcher said.

Glisson encouraged residents to get involved with the process as the city works to approve the design and start construction.

“There’s no form of government that affects your quality of life more than your local government. So be engaged, your thoughts, your opinions matter, and that’s helped shape where we’re at now,” Glisson said.

The city said there are some funding challenges with the downtown revitalization project, but some of the first phase funding is accounted.

The city commission will vote on the final design for the waterfront park on Tuesday.

If approved, construction is expected to start in the fall.

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