Blog - Nassau County Chamber of Commerce

Great Decisions Return to Nassau County Council on Aging

1/19/2022

Nassau County Council on Aging
Liz Dunn
Marketing & Communications Director
January 19, 2022

Due to popular demand, the 2022 Great Decisions Courses – nine sessions prepared by the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) – return to Nassau County Council on Aging’s (NCCOA’s) Janice Ancrum Senior Life Center, 1901 Island Walk Way, Fernandina Beach, on Tuesdays from January 25 to March 22 from 3 pm to 4:30 pm.

Facilitated by experienced NCCOA volunteers, courses include a wide array of topics including Changing Demographics (Jan 25), Outer Space (Feb 1), Climate Change (Feb 8), Russia (Feb 15), Myanmar and ASEAN (Feb 22), The Quad Alliance (Mar 1), Industrial Policy (Mar 8), Drug Policy in Latin America (Mar 15) and Biden’s Agenda (Mar 22). Advance registration is required.

Please read the entire announcement here – https://conta.cc/3ApsLgB. Information on session topics, membership, registration and resources is included.

For more information on NCCOA classes, programs and services, contact us at 904.261.0701 or visit www.nassaucountycoa.org.

Amelia Island Sets the Table for Annual Restaurant Week - Jan 21-30

1/19/2022

Media Release
January 19, 2022

2022 Line-up of Restaurants, Menus, Special Events Now Online

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2021) – Northeast Florida’s Amelia Island is setting the table for the 14th Annual Amelia Island Restaurant Week, Jan. 21-30. The 10-day, island-wide culinary celebration serves up special events and fixed lunch and dinner menus at 23 of the island’s most popular and award-winning restaurants. Lunch menus are just $15 per person, with dinner menus priced at either $25, $35 or $45 per person. All the restaurant listings, menus and special event information can be found online at AmeliaIsland.com/yummy.

“Thanks to an exceptional and expanding collection of dining options, Restaurant Week remains one of the most anticipated annual events on Amelia Island,” said Gil Langley, President and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In addition to providing an outstanding dining experience for guests, every meal purchased, and every event ticket sold, is a boost for our local restaurants and their employees, which are vitally important to the local economy.”

This year’s restaurant week will showcase 23 of the island’s most popular restaurants, each providing fixed menus for lunch, dinner or both. The list of participating restaurants currently includes:

Amelia Island Tea House
Arte Pizza Wood Fire & Grill
Bantam & Biddy
Bar Zin Bistro and Wine Bar
Beech Street Grill
The Boat House
Brett’s Waterway Café
Café Karibo
Cantina Louie
Coast at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
Cucina South
Joe’s 2nd Street Bistro
Kitchen 251
Lagniappe
Le Clos
Marina Restaurant
Pogo’s Kitchen
Salt Life Food Shack
The Salty Pelican
Story & Song Bookstore Bistro
The Tavern by AIBC
Tidewater Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Verandah

The 2022 Restaurant Week festivities will begin Thursday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Omni Amelia Island Resort with the “Fisherman’s Journey” Opening Dinner, a five-course, epicurean journey into a day in the life of an Amelia Island fisherman. Tickets are $99 per person.

There are also two special events at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, including the “Cayman Reunion” one-night only dinner at Salt Restaurant, and the “Celebration of the Sea” Closing Dinner at Coast Restaurant. The Cayman Reunion dinner will pay tribute to the memorable experience of the Cayman Cookouts in a fresh, new way to showcase the expansive culinary knowledge and excellence of the talented chefs and sommelier. Tickets are $315 per person. The Celebration of the Sea Closing Dinner will feature Chef Action Stations and a buffet that includes chilled seafood, sushi, shrimp and grits, scallops with pork belly, chicken and waffles and mini-crab cakes, along with a delectable array of dessert specialties. Tickets are $125 per person.

For a complete listing of participating restaurants, menus and special event information, visit AmeliaIsland.com/yummy.

About Amelia Island
Northeast Florida’s coastal treasure, Amelia Island is a barrier island rich in colorful history and breath-taking natural beauty. Amelia Island offers long, beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, and pristine waters. Upscale resorts with world-class spas, championship golf and exclusive dining blend effortlessly with a captivating collection of bed and breakfast inns and historic districts. The island is home to Fernandina Beach, once a vibrant Victorian seaport village, and now a charming downtown district of eclectic shops, attractions and eateries. Forget the everyday getaway; come make memories on Amelia Island. For visitor information and online planning, visit AmeliaIsland.com.

Del Webb Announces Model Home Park Groundbreaking at Wildlight

1/19/2022

10 new decorated model homes coming soon to active-adult community

WILDLIGHT, Fla. (Jan. 19, 2022) – Del Webb, the nation’s leading builder of active adult communities for those 55 and older, proudly announces construction is underway on a new model home park at Del Webb Wildlight, a community rich in resort-style amenities and recreation that is close to everything Northeast Florida has to offer.

“We are pleased to see Del Webb Wildlight coming to life” said Wes Hinton, Vice President of Wildlight. “Del Webb’s strong brand recognition for quality design, resort-style amenities and close community connection makes this the ideal fit for Wildlight and our Florida Lowcountry lifestyle.”

Pulte is building 10 decorated model homes and more than two dozen quick move-in homes at Del Webb Wildlight, which will be ready for closings in 2022. VIP appointments will begin in April 2022. To be among the first to hear about community development updates, special events, promotions and more, join the VIP Interest List at DelWebb.com/Wildlight.

“We anticipate high demand for our spectacular homes at Del Webb Wildlight,” said Tony Nason, Division President of PulteGroup’s Northeast Florida Division. “Our gated, 55+ community offers buyers an amenity-rich lifestyle and an outstanding location near Amelia Island beaches, the Jacksonville International Airport, world-class golf courses, upscale shopping and dining, and more.”

Del Webb Wildlight will offer 16 consumer-inspired floor plans that fit the needs of the 55+ buyer, including the company’s most popular floor plans with new Florida Lowcountry elevations. With an emphasis on livability and comfort, Del Webb Wildlight home designs will feature spacious opening living areas with room for entertaining.

Prospective home buyers can get a first look at Del Webb Wildlight with an online video of the groundbreaking and property. For more information, call (904) 595-8357 or visit DelWebb.com/Wildlight and join the VIP Interest List.

Del Webb Wildlight residents will enjoy an active-adult lifestyle centered around signature resort-style amenities hosted by a full-time lifestyle director. The community will have approximately six acres of recreational areas exclusively for residents that include a 12,000-square-foot amenity center designed for group activities and gatherings, a resort-style and lap pool, tennis and pickleball courts, a dog park and more. Del Webb Wildlight will have more than 10 miles of walking trails winding through the community, linking the neighborhood to other parks, amenities, the YMCA, and neighborhood restaurants in Wildlight.

Del Webb Wildlight is PulteGroup’s first community in Nassau County, Florida. Wildlight is a master-planned, mixed-use community offering plenty of opportunities for exploration and recreation. Wildlight homes and community amenities are designed using Florida Lowcountry (FLOCO) inspired architecture, with sweeping porches and window transoms to maximize views of the community’s lakes, natural wetlands and wooded areas.

PulteGroup has two additional popular age-restricted Del Webb communities in Northeast Florida. The communities, which offer active-adult living and a variety of amenities, include Del Webb eTown and Del Webb Nocatee. For more information, visit www.DelWebb.com.

Elections' Office Announces Florida State Association Supervisor of Elections $1,200 Scholarship

1/19/2022

Nassau County Supervisor of Elections
Contact: Kassy Jackson
kjackson@votenassaufl.gov
January 18, 2022

Nassau County, FL 1/17/2022– Janet H. Adkins, Nassau County Supervisor of Elections, is pleased to announce the opportunity for local college students to apply for a $1,200 scholarship given through the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE). The deadline to apply is March 11, 2022.

The scholarship will be awarded to a full-time student enrolled or accepted to a senior college or university in Florida (accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

Applicants must:

Be either a Political Science/Public or Business Administration or Journalism/Mass Communication major.
Be a U.S. citizen and a Florida resident for two years preceding the academic year for which an application is made.
Be at least a junior in college, or have enough credits for enrollment as a junior before the application deadline.
Have maintained a “C” average, or above, for the previous academic year.

Applications are available online at www.VoteNassauFL.gov or may be picked up from the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections office, 96135 Nassau Place, Suite 3, Yulee, FL 32097. Applications must be submitted to the county’s elections office in which the applicant is registered to vote.

All applications received will be reviewed by the Supervisor. One finalist will be selected and forwarded to the FSE Scholarship Committee to represent Nassau County. The FSE Scholarship Committee will choose four winners from among the finalists submitted by the Supervisors of Elections throughout Florida. Each of the four winners will be awarded a $1,200 scholarship.

For additional information, please visit www.VoteNassauFL.gov or call 904-491-7500.

Nassau County Council on Aging Low Vision Support Group Meets January 26

1/18/2022

Nassau County Council on Aging
Press Release
Submitted by Liz Dunn
January 16, 2022

Nassau County Council on Aging’s (NCCOA’s) next meeting of the Low Vision Support Group is on Wednesday, January 26, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, at the Janice Ancrum Senior Life Center, 1901 Island Walk Way in Fernandina Beach. During the meeting, group members will share how they cope with low vision or blindness and what support NCCOA offers, including talking books and low vision products for independent living. Carolyn Wiltse, representative of the Vision Education & Rehabilitation Center (VERC), will demonstrate the importance of coloring contrast; VERC Representative Candy Solomon will detail services offered.

If you have any questions, please contact Frances Bartelt, NCCOA Volunteer Coordinator, 904-775-5484 or fbartelt@nassaucountycoa.org.

Nassau County Urges Proper Disposal of Tires

1/14/2022

from The County Insider
Office of the Nassau County Manager
January 13, 2022

The Nassau County Road Department removed these tires from Lanceford Creek this week after a resident reported seeing them there. As a reminder. each household can dispose of up to 4 tires per year, free of charge, at the County’s Convenience Recycling Center located at Landfill Road in Callahan. The County also hosts a tire recycling event every year in April which allows residents to dispose of up 15 tires, free of charge.

So, please do not dump tires. Not only are they unsightly, they are harmful to our environment. Old tires contain chemicals and heavy metals that contaminate soil, surface water and groundwater. They also attract rodents and disease carrying mosquitos and are a fire hazard. To learn more about how tires affect our environment, please click here.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

Pineland Bank Named #1 SBA Lender Among All Banks and Credit Unions in Northeast Florida for 2021

1/13/2022

“Pineland Bank, a Preferred SBA Lender, earned the #1 SBA Lender spot among all banks and credit unions in Northeast Florida for 2021, according to the Jacksonville Business Journal. In total, twenty-three (23) SBA loans for over $20,000,000 were made to small business owners in Nassau, Duval and St. John’s Counties helping to create/protect 235 jobs.

“We are extremely proud of our local bankers Mike Mickler, Susan Sturges and John Minor who
contributed to these statistics”, said Thomas Bennett, Chief Credit Officer. “Pineland Bank has a rich history of serving our local communities with SBA and conventional loan options. We’re proud for that tradition to continue.”

Founded in 1939, with an initial investment of $40, Pineland has grown to 7 full‐service locations that serve communities in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Although a lot has changed over 80 years, Pineland’s commitment to building service, trust, and loyalty in our communities has not. For more information, please stop by our branch located in downtown Fernandina or call 904‐261‐8233.

Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Weekly Reemployment Assistance Updates - January 12

1/13/2022

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued its weekly Reemployment Assistance updates. Daily updates can be found on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard.

IRS 1099-G Tax Forms

DEO has begun issuing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 1099-G tax forms to Reemployment Assistance claimants through January 31, 2022, and they can be found in the claimants' Reemployment Assistance Inbox.
IRS 1099-G tax forms provides the total amount of unemployment compensation paid to an individual during the 2021 calendar year refunds, credits, or offsets of state or local income tax a claimant received; and any federal income tax withheld from the claimant’s Reemployment Assistance benefits, at the request of the claimant.
If an individual receives an IRS 1099-G tax form and they did not apply for Reemployment Assistance benefits in calendar year 2021, and the individual believes that they may be a victim of identity theft, they should notify DEO by visiting the Reemployment Assistance Help Center.
Next Steps: Accessing the IRS 1099-G Tax Form

DEO implemented a new multi-factor log-in process to better safeguard Florida’s Reemployment Assistance claimants. If a claimant has not accessed their Reemployment Assistance account since September 2, 2021, they should review the Guide for Accessing Your Reemployment Assistance Account.
Once a claimant has accessed their account, select “Inbox” from the claimant homepage.
Next, they should select “1099” from the list of correspondence in the claimant inbox.
Finally, claimants must select the tax year (2021) for the IRS 1099-G tax form they would like to view.

Once a claimant has viewed the IRS 1099-G tax form, it will no longer be displayed in their inbox. To retrieve the form after the initial review in the claimant inbox, a claimant must use the search option within their inbox, select “other” from the subject drop down, and then "search" for the IRS 1099-G tax form to display.
If a claimant would like to request an additional or amended IRS 1099-G tax form, or needs to receive additional assistance with the IRS 1099-G tax form, please visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center, here.
It is very important that claimants keep a record of their IRS 1099-G tax form to file 2021 tax returns with the IRS. If claimants have any additional questions about the 1099-G tax form or how to access it, these frequently asked questions are available with helpful information.

Payment Progress:

As of January 11, DEO has paid 2,442,563 claimants more than $31.9 billion ($31,907,985,904). Over 5.8 million (5,865,660) unique claims have been processed, representing 99.7 percent of unique claims submitted.
97.9 percent of all eligible benefits requested prior to December 17, 2021, for state Reemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) have been paid to claimants. Additionally, 99.9 percent of all eligible benefits requested by claimants for weeks of unemployment prior to July 25, 2020, have also received their corresponding Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefits for that week.
DEO recommends that claimants and employers utilize the Reemployment Assistance Help Center—an online portal for claimants and employers to provide and receive additional information from DEO. This online resource continues to be updated with additional features for claimants and employers to notify DEO of instances of Reemployment Assistance fraud or identity theft, provide documentation to DEO, and has several resourceful materials for claimants or employers who have additional questions. To visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center, click here.

Overpayments

This month, DEO will begin issuing the overpayment determinations for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and Lost Wages Assistance (LWA).
If a claimant previously received a Notice of Disqualification with an overpayment for weeks of unemployment where the claimant received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), or state Reemployment Assistance benefits, the claimant will soon receive an additional notice for the same weeks of unemployment for the federal programs listed above, as applicable.
DEO encourages all claimants to monitor and check their Reemployment Assistance account for updates if they have received a state or federal overpayment to potentially reverse or relieve the overpayment established.
If you received an overpayment for Reemployment Assistance benefits between March 1, 2020, and September 4, 2021, through no fault of your own, the state of Florida is not referring overpayments to collection agencies to ensure claimants do not experience adverse impacts to their credit scores. Additionally, the state of Florida is not pursuing enforcement actions regarding non-fraudulent state Reemployment Assistance overpayments.
The federal government sometimes requires enforcement actions to recoup federal overpayments. However, in some circumstances, the federal government also allows you to be eligible for a waiver from a federal overpayment. Federal Reemployment Assistance benefits include PUA, FPUC, LWA, PEUC, and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) programs.
If you received a federal overpayment, you have the following options:
Apply for a federal overpayment waiver;
Appeal the Notice of Determination; and/or
Repay the overpayment.
These actions or options do not apply to fraudulent overpayments and DEO will continue to investigate fraudulent overpayments to ensure individuals and bad actors are held accountable for their fraudulent actions in accordance with the law.
DEO remains committed to Floridians and understands the financial hardships and uncertainty the pandemic has caused for many claimants and their families.
In addition, to assist claimants in navigating overpayments on their accounts, DEO has made the following resources available:
FloridaJobs.org/Overpayments - with easy-to-understand information and resources on overpayments
Reemployment Assistance Overpayments Guide for applying for an overpayment waiver
Informational Flyers with helpful information on overpayments and overpayment waivers
FloridaJobs.org/RAHelpCenter - Reemployment Assistance Help Center self-service paths for notice of disqualification, overpayment, and appeals assistance
For more information about Reemployment Assistance overpayments, click here.

Update to the Amount of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Weeks

Each year, the maximum number of weeks available to Reemployment Assistance claimants is calculated based on the average unemployment rate for the most recent third calendar year quarter.
The maximum duration of benefits is 12 weeks if this statewide average unemployment rate is at or below 5 percent.
An additional week is added to the maximum duration of benefit weeks for each of 0.5 percentage point increment in the statewide average unemployment rate above 5 percent.
Based on the average 2021 third quarter statewide unemployment rate of 5 percent, beginning January 1, 2022, any new state Reemployment Assistance claim filed is eligible for up to 12 weeks of benefits.

CONNECT Hours

DEO will be conducting nightly maintenance to the CONNECT system to process claims and payments. CONNECT's regularly scheduled hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. daily, Monday - Friday.
Beginning Saturday, January 15, through Sunday, January 16, CONNECT will be unavailable to claimants while DEO works to continue to process payments, and send necessary correspondence to claimants. CONNECT will be available Monday, January 17, at 8:00 a.m.
This schedule does not affect individuals who wish to file a new claim. Individuals can file a new claim 24 hours a day, seven days per week at www.FloridaJobs.org and select "File a Claim."

Customer Service Centers

The Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center is available this week Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for all account inquiries and questions. On Saturday, January 15, through Sunday, January 16, staff resources will be dedicated to processing claims and payments. The Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center will reopen Tuesday, January 18, at 7:30 a.m.
For additional questions, please visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center. This online portal can assist claimants or employers provide additional information to DEO. Individuals can also notify DEO of suspected Reemployment Assistance fraud or identity theft. To access this new online portal, click here.

Additional Resources

If an individual is not eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance benefits, there are additional resources readily available to Floridians and their families.
DEO, in partnership with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), provide additional opportunities and resources for Florida families who need additional assistance. Resources include food assistance for low-income households, medical assistance, and temporary financial assistance to families who qualify. For more information, click here.

About DEO
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce, and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.FloridaJobs.org.

Congratulations to Our December Boys & Girls Clubs Youths of the Month

1/13/2022

FERNANDINA BEACH, FL (January 12, 2022) – Boys and Girls Clubs of Nassau County congratulates our December 2021 Youths of the Month. Roberts Learning & Achievement Center member Khloe Anabella Brand and Miller Freedom Center member Diego Acevedo are our latest members to receive this recognition.

Khloe Anabella Brand is a nine-year-old in the 3rd grade at Emma Love Hardee Elementary. She has been a member at Roberts Learning & Achievement Center since August of 2019. Of the programs Khloe participates in at the club, “MyOn: Reading is Fun” is her favorite and reading is her favorite subject at school as well. Among other favorites, Khloe loves the color pastel yellow and enjoys dancing and pop music. In her free time she enjoys playing with her cousins. Khloe tells us that she likes to come to the Boys & Girls Club because she feels safe and has fun.

Diego Acevedo is a ten-year-old in 5th grade at Yulee Elementary School and attends Miller Freedom Center. Diego has been a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County since 2018. Basketball is Diego’s favorite hobby and blue is his favorite color. Another sport Diego enjoys is baseball and he can throw the ball at a very impressive speed. His favorite athlete is Joe Jackson. He also likes The Rolling Stones, author Percy Jackson and history class. Diego has three programs that he particularly likes at the club and those are Sports, Technology Lab and the Learning Zone.

For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County please visit bgcnassau.org.

Khloe Anabella Brand

Diego Acevedo

Wallace Pierson Travel to Hold Two Events to Get Your Travel Back on Track

1/12/2022

Wallace Pierson Travel
By Ange Wallace
January 12, 202

Travel during the pandemic/endemic “COVID Disruption” is an ever changing, ongoing story in and of itself. Not since WWII has the travel industry been impacted globally for such an extended period of time! It is easy to get caught up in our own frustrations and disappointments as trips continue to be moved, rebooked, or at a minimum affected by the day to day changes in both the Virus and each country’s or region’s reaction to each new phase. I am on several boards and committees that zoom with multiple countries and it is heart breaking to hear the stories of how lack of travel is affecting individuals in countries, cities, villages, camps around the world. And, not every country has government help available for those hardest hit. Still there are many good things coming from our enforced halt/slow down of travel. There have been many benefits to our planet and environment. We have learned many ways to travel more intentionally and more carefully.

Wallace Pierson Travel would love to invite you to two new, in person events in January and February where you can meet with some of our best travel companies and hear what they have been doing, are doing and expect to see happening in the next couple of years as we all try to get travel back on track in a meaningful, fulfilling way. We will have a panel of four expedition companies talking about travel to Antarctica on Jan 20, at 6:00 pm at Story and Song.

Representatives from four of our favorite Antarctic companies, Lindblad Expeditions, Silversea Expeditions, Aurora Expeditions and Quark Expeditions, will discuss all aspects of travel to Antarctica and the sustainable practices being employed to protect this fragile environment while studying the sciences that are making this part of the world so important to us all. This event will be recorded, so if you are not able to join us, sign up for the recording to be emailed to you with in a few days of the event. To RSVP email ange@wallacepierson.com with the number in your party or the word “recording” and we will respond accordingly. This event is complimentary and includes refreshments by Story and Song.

Then on February 3, 5:00 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, we will hold our Test Drive the World Travel Show with 24 travel companies available to answer all your travel questions- even some you may not know to ask! The Travel Show doubles as a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Nassau County with a $20 per person given directly to the B&G Clubs for entry to the event. Please click on the link here to learn more and to RSVP.