Brian Drury of Folkston, Ga. celebrates completion of the Northwest Lineman College’s Lineworker Certification Program and designation as a journeyman lineman. He joined Okefenoke REMC as an apprentice II lineworker in March 2015 and works out of the Hilliard office. He received his certificate and a commemorative statue of Willie Wiredhand, the national mascot of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s member co-ops, from OREMC Human Resources Manager and Safety Coordinator David Smith. Smith applauded Drury’s commitment that set a positive example for other apprentices. 

The Railroad Day Festival and Car Show highlights trains, automobiles and air travel Saturday. 

Antique engines, tractors and model trains will be exhibited outside the depot while model train layouts will be on display inside. 

In its 14th year, the festival serves as a fundraiser for the West Nassau Historical Society. 

“We’re trying to raise awareness of Nassau County’s history and to encourage the community to join our group,” said event Co-Chairman John Hendricks. “We need volunteers to help continue our mission.”

A larger-scaled 5-gauge engine will circle the track around the depot. 

“I think it’s going to be a little bit bigger, because we’re combining our Railroad Day Festival with the Spring Market from West Nassau High School and we’re going to have our 5-guage train running around the track,” said society President and event Co-Chairwoman Emily Baumgartner. 

WNHS Theatre Troupe 5268 hosts the children’s activities and will perform musical numbers from Broadway shows and skits. Bounce houses, games and children’s activities are planned. 

“We’re going to sing and dance and have fun with the kids,” said WNHS Director of Theatre Josh McKinney. 

Also new this year, the society pays homage to air travel with a newly implemented exhibit of Federal Aviation Administration radar equipment from the 1950s and 1960s. The Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center began operations in December 1941. Two decades later, Hilliard became home to a new JARTCC. 

Society co-founder and retired FAA air traffic controller Jan Johannes discussed the impact of computerized systems. He witnessed some of the transition from manual air traffic control to computerized tracking during his employment from 1967 to 2000. 

An IBM-9020 data processing unit was the brains behind the radar screen until 1992.  It is displayed in the West Nassau Museum of History. 

“Nassau County was the first computerized radar in the world,” Johannes said. “In a short time, it went to 22 other centers in the U.S. similar to the one in Hilliard.” 

An official grand opening of the exhibit will be held in November. 

“Thanks to the FAA management and the Board of Nassau County Commissioners that we received this exhibit,” Johannes said. He will be on hand to answer questions and provide background along with technical advisor Gordon Reynolds, who worked at the FAA during the transition. 

Outside, musical acts will perform onstage and on the depot decks. “We’ve got something for everybody,” said Entertainment Chairman Jerry Peterson. 

Buck Lucontro is the emcee. Entertainment begins at 9 a.m. with Line Dance Fever, Dale Wingo Band, 12 Gauge Country, Benny Alford and Friends, Random Tandem, Elizabeth Mobley and Randall Smith, Shifty Gears Band and Mark O’Quinn. It closes with Band on the Run at 3:20 p.m. Ken and Brenda Macy of God’s Burning Love Ministry and musician Benjie Anos round out the musical lineup. 

Callahan singer/songwriter O’Quinn looks forward to entertaining the crowd.

“My music is honest and any time I can use it for good, I take the opportunity,” he said. “I am thrilled to be a part of something positive that brings together the community to celebrate history. I grew up listening to all genres of music, so I don’t put limitations on my writing. I make sure there’s something in the mix for everyone. I’m looking forward to having some fun with family and making new friends.”

Joel Pace Piano and Music will provide opportunities for fun with instruments. 

“We are happy to have our instrument zoo for everyone to come try out,” Pace said. “Younger or older, all are welcome. We’ll have digital pianos, keyboards, percussion, guitars, ukulele and more.” 

A welcome and sponsor recognition ceremony will be held starting with the national anthem at 10:55 a.m. A bench and seating area will be dedicated in memory of Society co-founder Louise Driggers. 

As in past years, William Maurer contributed another watercolor of a train engine in observance of the annual event. The Amelia Island artist has contributed several works of train art exclusively for the festival. 

Callahan Cruisers of North Florida, AB&B Auto Parts and Cochrane’s Collision Center host a classic car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. across the street from the depot. Winners will be announced during the event.

With the festival already a staple in the community, Hendricks welcomes participation. The society meets the fourth Thursday of every month with a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Callahan Depot. Meetings start at 7. 

“Everyone volunteers their time so the society can pass its history to the next generation,” Hendricks said. “We don’t want to fade off the radar.”

Two sisters brew iced coffee and hot espresso that has customers driving from near and far to sample the morning’s perk. 

Brandy Huls and Tanya Thrift launched “Sisters Coffee AKA That Coffee Chic” about seven months ago. They began utilizing from their refurbished 1969 Coachman in March. 

Before that, “That Coffee Chic,” sold coffee at Small Town Rags in Callahan. 

The camper launched the venture into a new direction. 

“Nassau named us,” Huls said, adding, “I’ve always worked on creamers and I’ve never been simple, so that’s what I’ve credited it to, is always wanting something better out of my recipes and food and drinks. I’ve always worked on my own creamers and nothing ever came of it. One day it just clicked and I had a drink. And I was like, ‘that’s really good.’ And I made another one, and I was like, ‘Dang, that’s really good.’”

She called Thrift and asked her to come over to her house for a taste test. 

“I knew off the bat she had to be my partner,” Huls said. “I wouldn’t have done it if weren’t for her, because she encouraged me and pushed me to do it. When we would be out and about just doing our errands or something, we’d hear ‘Hey, you’re that coffee chick.’ So that’s where it came from, but since we’ve partnered up and opened this up, we’ve changed the name to Sisters Coffee AKA That Coffee Chic, so people would know that it was still us.” 

Ashli Hall stops by the camper a couple times each week for the iced coffee. 

She placed her insulated tumbler on the counter for a fill-up, which will cost her a little extra. Coffee drinks range from $4.50 to $7, depending on the preparation. Double shot espressos are $2. Along with the creamer, the caramel swirled on top by request is made from scratch. The coffee and espresso is purchased from a local vendor. Hot coffee, hot lattes, regular cold brew, decaffeinated cold brew and espresso are available.

If the camper isn’t in Hall’s hometown of Callahan, she drives to Hilliard to grab a fresh brew. 

“It’s just really good coffee,” she said. “It’s better than Starbucks. I just like the Cool Whip. And they make their own caramel, so it’s just good-flavored coffee.”

Huls tows the trailer with her Chevy Tahoe to Hilliard, Callahan, Yulee and Fernandina. The women’s husbands support their entrepreneurial spirit. 

Huls’ husband Brian remodeled the trailer and Thrift’s husband Nick completed the electrical work necessary to outfit the coffee machines. The rustic but modern interior features handcrafted wood counters. 

The trailer concept isn’t too far from the makeshift setup the pair contrived as children to serve make-believe customers. 

“It’s fallen out of the sky,” Thrift said of the business. “I love it. It’s a dream come true. We used to play drive-thru as kids. We’d have a little drive-thru in the shed and we would play McDonald’s. We’d come through on a lawnmower in the little drive-thru and serve dog food and baby food.”

“On a Snapper lawnmower,” Huls interjected.

Social media has helped the business grow as the baristas send out daily updates to alert customers to their locations. The busy sisters try to set up in Hilliard and Callahan at least twice a week. 

“I was just telling them that I stalk their page on Facebook to find where they are,” Hall said.

Hilliard resident Baylee Dover receives text alerts so she doesn’t miss out. 

To receive a text alert, text NASSAU to 31996 to get updates on the camper’s location and times of business. 

“How they announce it, you know, they let you know when they’re going to be here and what times they’re going to be here,” Dover said. “And then if they get sold out, you know, they send out text messages, which I like, because then I know I don’t need to come uptown or whatever.” 

Leah Johnson visits the traveling kiosk as much as possible. She chose the River Bottom Cold Brew with a sugar-free option. The coffee serves as a baseline and delivers a full-bodied finish that lingers on the palate. 

“I like any coffee,” she said. “I do the iced one. I particularly like the iced.”

Alicia Head is one of the original customers.

“Regular, sugar-free, they’re all amazing,” she said, adding that each time they’re in Hilliard she stops by, sometimes purchasing as many as six coffee drinks at once for herself and others. 

The sisters greet customers like family as they prepare beverages. 

“It’s a dream come true,” Thrift said. “I mean, it’s nice to be supported the way that we are. It’s amazing. It’s very appreciated and emotional.”

Huls agrees the business provides new opportunities for them. 

“Feeling successful and more than just a mom and a housewife, I think, and not knocking that at all, because, you know, that was my dream, ” she said. “But to actually be able to be successful at something and for it to be as big as it is, it’s just humbling and, I don’t know, I can’t explain it.”

Cynthia Hicks described the sugar-free version as the best she’s ever had. 

“Another name for it is coffee crack,” she said adding, “The other coffee is really, really good, too. It’s got a good deep, rich base.”

Charles Chavarria tosses a chair into a garbage truck during the Town of Hilliard Cleanup April 13. Ultra-Shred technician LaVon Bush, above, places a bag of paper into a bin for shredding. Hilliard Town Councilman Lee Pickett and Advanced Disposal-Stateline’s Timmie Rice carry a recliner to a dumpster. Hilliard Middle-Senior High School football players and their parents participated in the cleanup as well as students from West Nassau High School’s Air Force JROTC. This year’s cleanup garnered a total of 26.78 tons of debris, with 314 volunteers participating. The town distributed 63 prizes and four $50 prizes were hidden within the town.

Katherine Gates earned a gold medal for her volunteer spirit. 

The 18-year-old Callahan resident received the Congressional Award Gold Medal April 5 from U.S. Rep. John Rutherford for physical fitness, public service, personal development and expedition/exploration.

“I was really inspired by the challenge,” Gates said.  

Rutherford commended the dual-enrolled homeschool student.

“We are very proud to recognize you in Northeast Florida. I can tell you it’s an honor.” 

As a Fourth District recipient, Gates will travel to Washington D.C. to attend ceremonies honoring award winners across the U.S. June 19-21. Also attending from the district is Lauren Eavenson of St. Augustine. They will join 30 additional Florida youths across the state. Fernandina Beach Optimist International President RJ Sicre said the club plans to sponsor Gates’ air travel expense. 

The Congressional Award is presented to young citizens who voluntarily participate. Registration is open to teens 13-and-a-half. They must finish their activities by their 24th birthday. Based on goals, they may receive bronze, silver or gold medallions or certificates.

As part of Gates’ physical fitness challenge, she completed two half-marathons in Jacksonville, competed in 4-H state Western riding competitions and had a grand champion sheep and steer during the Northeast Florida Fair in 2018. 

Gates is in her 10th and final year of Nassau County 4-H involvement, serving at numerous day and summer camps. During a Florida 4-H University project in 2018, Gates coordinated the
creation and distribution of
starter emergency preparedness bags. The bags contained whistles, glow sticks and adhesive bandages. 

UF/IFAS 4-H Agent Kelsey Irvine nominated her for the award. “When it comes down to it, she is the perfect example of what we hope will come out of the 4-H program. She is great leader, a fabulous human and just plain amazing. She’s going to do great things throughout her life and in her community.”

Gates voluntarily works in dog obedience and tracking exercises with Tandem K9, Inc., completing requirements for personal growth. 

She plans to attend Berry College and study animal science then attend veterinary school with a goal of caring for large animals.  

For her public service, she was a Youth Emergency Team member with the Emergency Operations Center in Yulee. She led adults in a class for sheltering animals in times of disaster. 

As part of her expedition/exploration challenge, Gates accompanied grandparents Dr. Donald Twiggs and registered nurse Linda Twiggs to Panajchel, Guatemala. The Twiggs rendered medical help while Gates assisted where she could. The teen volunteered six hours per day for a week. She also participated in Spanish language immersion activities. 

Winning the award means a great deal to Gates.

“It’s just a physical representation of what I’ve spent the past two or three years doing,” she said. “I was planning to participate in these activities at these levels anyway through the 4-H club and working with Tandem K9, and then I was also planning to go to Guatemala. This was means to get recognized at a higher level.” 

She is the daughter of Douglas and Lisa Gates and sister to Alexander, 14.

“She’s been a good kid,” Lisa Gates said. “She’s not been difficult to raise at all. She’s very driven and very outgoing.”

Nassau County pet owners can take advantage of a free spay/neuter program for a limited time. Participants may have to pay $10 for a county license. 

The Petco Foundation awarded Nassau County Animal Services with a $50,000 check Thursday through its Petco Lifesaving Grant Investment program to support its 2019 Spay/Neuter Nassau Initiative. 

Starting May 1, residents may schedule spay/neuter surgeries with First Coast No More Homeless Pets while funds last, according to Nassau County Animal Services Director Tim Maguire. He applied for the grant about a year ago. 

“Providing access to these surgeries will help prevent overcrowding of our local shelters in the future,” Maguire noted in a press release. “Having the support of Petco Foundation is invaluable. This grant will ensure an increased quality of life for animals in our community.” 

The grant will provide surgeries for approximately 1,000 dogs and cats. 

When scheduling a spay/neuter appointment, residents must mention that the surgery is in conjunction with the Petco grant. 

Before surgery, pet owners must provide proof of residency. 

Spay/neuters within a single household are limited to just two or three pets, so that more people can take advantage of the services offered. 

The Petco Foundation donated $15,000 earlier this year as well as $1,000 for a pet pictures with Santa Claus event in December, Maguire told the Record Thursday, adding, “We’re applying for anything we can. And we don’t always get them. Sometimes we get turned down. Petco’s been great to us.” 

NCAS also received a donation of 60 large and extra-large dog crates that will be utilized at the facility for various events. The cost-savings was $6,000, according to Maguire. 

To schedule a spay/neuter surgery related to this grant award, call First Coast No More Homeless Pets at 904-425-0005. The facility is located at 6817 Norwood Ave., Jacksonville.

The tide could turn on how visitors drive, camp or park on local beaches. 

The Nassau County Commission recently formed a community work committee to gather information from area residents. Beach-related ordinances are under review. County officials are considering whether to require permits for overnight parking on the beachfront or camping on unincorporated beaches. Currently, only vehicles without Nassau County license plates pay $5 per day or $25 per year to drive on the beach. 

The group met with residents in the Multipurpose Building in Callahan April 11. 

Committee member Lowell Hall asked how permits for parking and camping would be monitored.  

If permits do become a requirement, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Director of Operations Butch Osborne said permits need to be documented, so that if issues arise, a log of permit holders’ names could be accessed. 

Most of the complaints received concern vandalism and trash left behind by campers and visitors in the unincorporated areas of the beaches, according to Osborne. 

Fernandina Beach resident Peter Smith said the ordinance focus should be on beach camping. Residents have expressed concerns about overnight revelers at Peters Point. 

“The current situation has some specific problems,” he said, adding that a logical approach to enforcement is needed. 

“There’s a jewel – an unpolished diamond at Peters Point,” Smith said. 

He suggested creating different experiences at each beach access, with some areas utilized for fishing, dog walking, horseback riding, driving and camping.

“Maybe Peters Point could be made into a real nice camping and equestrian site,” Smith added. 

He said that some campers have used the sand dunes as a bathroom because they’re not close to public restroom facilities. 

Smith asked the group to “broaden the horizon and solve the problem with a positive solution.” 

Following the meeting, the 35-year resident told the Record, “The problem is a few bad apples and they get away with stuff.” 

Committee member Mac Morriss said earlier, “We don’t want to take away beach camping because the Boy Scouts have been camping there for years.” 

Fernandina Beach resident Marian Phillips doesn’t want to see four-wheel drive vehicles banned from beach access. 

The City of Fernandina Beach is considering whether to only allow four-wheel drive vehicles to access the beach at the Sadler Road entrance. 

Phillips recalled how she observed people in their four-wheel drive vehicles sat ready to help pull stalled cars from the sand for bragging rights. 

Phillips frequents the beach as often as possible. She told how a friend spent her last moments on the beach before she died from cancer.

“I would love to sit on that beach and take my last breath,” Phillips said. 

The panel also discussed how motorists with all-wheel drive are capable of maneuvering through beach sand as well as four-wheel drive vehicles. 

With 60 percent or more of vehicular traffic coming from outside of Nassau, restricting vehicular traffic to just Nassau County residents is another consideration. The group is also looking at how other municipalities govern beach access. Huguenot Memorial Park in Duval County closes access to its beach when a certain number of vehicles arrive. That might be a way to limit beach parking in Nassau County. 

President and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau Gil Langley said that the number of parking spaces hasn’t increased since 1988. 

With projections that the county’s population could double by 2045, it could become an issue, according to Director of Planning and Economic Development Taco Pope. The county’s current population is roughly 88,000. 

During the discussion, Langley said that officials should consider how the state park system tracks campers and enforces litter violations through online reservations. 

Before the meeting’s end, Hall made a motion to continue the discussion on beach permits for parking and camping after dark. 

Residents may email comments about beach-related concerns to contact@nassaucountyfl.com.

The employees of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office 911 Call Center celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, which was April 14-20. The professionals manage emergency phone calls and serve as a lifeline for public safety employees.

“Their job is certainly not an easy one. In fact, it is not a job that many people can do, but it is vital to protecting our community and each of them deserves our praise and gratitude for everything they do to keep us safe,” said Sheriff Bill Leeper. “I ask you to take a moment and thank our Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center and team for all they do throughout the year to help protect our community.”

These communications officers are known as the “voice without a face” to the motoring public and are normally the first to receive the call when assistance is needed.

A screaming mother holding the limp body of her baby, a distraught elderly person trying to wake up their spouse, a child hiding in a closet while it’s parents fight in the next room, or a confused person who was just in an automobile accident and doesn’t know where they are – these are just a few of the types of calls that come into the 911 call center. It’s up to the dispatcher to calm the caller, enter precise information into a computer and do the actual dispatching of equipment and people.

“The real first responder to any incident is the 911 communications officer. They are the person picking up the phone and saying, ‘911, where’s your emergency?’ Our communications officers become the first contact for people who are in a crisis of some kind. They are the link that brings the police, the deputy sheriff, the firefighters or the paramedics and EMTs. They are the first first responders, and they will always answer the call,” said Leeper.

Junior Cadet Col. Sara McGuire takes command from Senior Cadet Col. Savannah Johnson April 10. McGuire will lead the Air Force JROTC at West Nassau High School. The seniors are preparing to graduate and turned management of the unit over to the current junior class. “I have the utmost confidence in the juniors stepping up in leadership positions. They are ready to take the reigns and will continue to raise the bar,” said Col. Gregg Kline, who instructs the program with the assistance of Chief Master Sgt. Edward Spiezio. The JROTC went through an Air Force inspection and earned an overall unit assessment score March 12 of “Exceeds Standards,” the highest rating attainable. The inspection occurs every three years and this is WNHS’ fourth consecutive “Exceeds Standards” rating. 

Three Nassau County residents are among Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation’s Youth Award winners.

Hilliard Middle-Senior High School’s Sydney Starling will travel to Washington, D.C. as a delegate for OREMC on the Youth Tour Leadership Experience this summer. HMSHS’ Rylee English and Trinity Christian Academy’s Jenny Ard each received a $2,000 scholarship.

OREMC awarded 10 scholarships and selected four youth delegates this year. It is the 26th year OREMC has awarded scholarships, with a total of $220,500 presented to 231 students. 

Starling received an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June for the Youth Tour Leadership Experience. While in Washington, the students will join approximately 1,500 young people who will be representing rural electric cooperatives from across the United States. Highlights of the stay in the nation’s Capital will include cruising down the Potomac River, placing a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington Cemetery and touring the U.S. Supreme Court and the Washington National Cathedral.

This is the 27th year OREMC has participated in the Youth Tour, bringing the total number of sponsored delegates to 101.

West Nassau Genealogical Society President Dot Higginbotham presents three Nonagenarian Charter certificates April 8. Receiving them are  honorary lifelong members Margie  Koebel Dunn, 92, Eugenia Turner Kennedy, 95, and Mattie O’Steen Moore, 98. Guest speaker Kim Hoffecker presented the educational program “Who Are the Sons of Confederate Veterans” to commemorate April as Confederate Heritage Month. 

Callahan Elementary School first grade students visit with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Corrections K9 team. Deputy Kutz, Deputy Pickett and Sgt. McCracken talk about safety and introduce the students to K-9 Angel Maggie and K-9 Loki.  

Efforts are made to help inmates lead lives free of drugs and crime. 

Those who are addicted to drugs within the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center were recently visited by representatives from Adult and Teen Challenge USA.

The organizers conducted three classes, all one hour each, to those inmates who are interested in getting their lives back and not resorting to committing crimes. Former female inmates from other areas in Florida were a part of the presentation and talked about their struggles and how the program has helped them. 

“Our hope is they took something positive away from the program in order to turn their life around and become a productive member of our community,” said Sheriff Bill Leeper.

More than 200 Adult and Teen Challenge USA residential programs operate throughout the United States and all offer a variety of faith-based services that provide help for people struggling with drugs, alcohol and other life-controlling issues. 

To find out more about the program, visit https://teenchallengeusa.com/residential.

On every corner in every city, children wait on the bus to arrive. School transportation is a vast logistic operation. 

The Nassau County School
District has 88 bus drivers covering 160 bus routes that transport over 6,000 students. Bus drivers travel an average of 8,000 miles daily and make over 4,000 bus stops in a geographic region that is just over 650 square miles. While buses are essential to the school district, they can cause unintentional distress for parents and staff wondering if their students arrived to and from school safely.

For over two years, the district has been exploring opportunities to improve the school bus experience for our bus drivers and families. The Transportation Department has investigated and tested many programs to make buses safer and allow better communication among all stakeholders. The department determined the Transfinder routing system coupled with the Synovia Solutions GPS system would do both.

In addition to bus routing capabilities, the Transfinder routing system is used by our Land Growth Management Team to outline geographic areas, identify the number of students in attendance zones and adjust zones to match school capacities, and better prepare for changes and growth. Transfinder also integrates with Synovia GPS systems on our buses.

The Synovia GPS system allows us to track and monitor many aspects of school bus performance and match that performance to the routes scheduled in Transfinder. It uses student data to support applications like “Here Comes the Bus” and student ridership. 

HCTB is a real-time bus tracking app that allows parents to see when the school bus will be at the stop. It sends you a text message on your phone when the bus is getting close to your stop. It also allows us to send messages directly to parents and students on a particular bus. This app is currently available to parents on a limited basis. 

Sign up is easy. Just go to the transportation page on the district website and click on “Here Comes the Bus.”

We are working on adding a feature to our buses to provide drivers with a panic button that can dispatch emergency services to their exact GPS location, bus route information, turn-by-turn navigation and stop-by-stop student information. Students will also use a bus ID card to scan when they get on and off the bus, making sure students are on the right bus and get off at the right stop. This information will be available in the app for parents to see in real time when and where their child gets on and off the bus.

These upgrades to our district bus operations require time-consuming and labor-intensive efforts and collaboration between many departments, schools and vendors. We are excited to see and share these safety and communication improvements with our staff and families. We work every day for the success and safety of our students, and the continuous improvement of our schools.

Jessica Morton, treasurer of the Friends of Bryceville Branch Library, presents Becky Crawford with an Easter basket. Crawford won the BFOL Easter drawing April 20.

Hilliard Middle-Senior High School students win in the interview challenge held in late March. The students met with representatives from local businesses to fine tune their interview skills and prepare them for future employment opportunities. 

Katherine Gates earned a gold medal for her volunteer spirit. 

The 18-year-old Callahan resident received the Congressional Award Gold Medal April 5 from U.S. Rep. John Rutherford for physical fitness, public service, personal development and expedition/exploration.

“I was really inspired by the challenge,” Gates said.  

Rutherford commended the dual-enrolled homeschool student.

“We are very proud to recognize you in Northeast Florida. I can tell you it’s an honor.” 

As a Fourth District recipient, Gates will travel to Washington D.C. to attend ceremonies honoring award winners across the U.S. June 19-21. Also attending from the district is Lauren Eavenson of St. Augustine. They will join 30 additional Florida youths across the state. Fernandina Beach Optimist International President RJ Sicre said the club plans to sponsor Gates’ air travel expense. 

The Congressional Award is presented to young citizens who voluntarily participate. Registration is open to teens 13-and-a-half. They must finish their activities by their 24th birthday. Based on goals, they may receive bronze, silver or gold medallions or certificates.

As part of Gates’ physical fitness challenge, she completed two half-marathons in Jacksonville, competed in 4-H state Western riding competitions and had a grand champion sheep and steer during the Northeast Florida Fair in 2018. 

Gates is in her 10th and final year of Nassau County 4-H involvement, serving at numerous day and summer camps. During a Florida 4-H University project in 2018, Gates coordinated the
creation and distribution of
starter emergency preparedness bags. The bags contained whistles, glow sticks and adhesive bandages. 

UF/IFAS 4-H Agent Kelsey Irvine nominated her for the award. “When it comes down to it, she is the perfect example of what we hope will come out of the 4-H program. She is great leader, a fabulous human and just plain amazing. She’s going to do great things throughout her life and in her community.”

Gates voluntarily works in dog obedience and tracking exercises with Tandem K9, Inc., completing requirements for personal growth. 

She plans to attend Berry College and study animal science then attend veterinary school with a goal of caring for large animals.  

For her public service, she was a Youth Emergency Team member with the Emergency Operations Center in Yulee. She led adults in a class for sheltering animals in times of disaster. 

As part of her expedition/exploration challenge, Gates accompanied grandparents Dr. Donald Twiggs and registered nurse Linda Twiggs to Panajchel, Guatemala. The Twiggs rendered medical help while Gates assisted where she could. The teen volunteered six hours per day for a week. She also participated in Spanish language immersion activities. 

Winning the award means a great deal to Gates.

“It’s just a physical representation of what I’ve spent the past two or three years doing,” she said. “I was planning to participate in these activities at these levels anyway through the 4-H club and working with Tandem K9, and then I was also planning to go to Guatemala. This was means to get recognized at a higher level.” 

She is the daughter of Douglas and Lisa Gates and sister to Alexander, 14.

“She’s been a good kid,” Lisa Gates said. “She’s not been difficult to raise at all. She’s very driven and very outgoing.”

Haley Love sings during the Town of Callahan’s 14th annual National Day of Prayer event May 2. Former Navy Mst. Sgt. at Arms Timothy Beazley speaks before leading prayer for the military. The Anchor Church Pastor Dwight Allen closed the event with prayer. The Callahan Middle School Chorus and the Citywide Male Chorus, including Thomas Blue, performed. Tanner LaCross, Second Baptist Church Pastor Malachi Clowers and First United Methodist Church of Callahan Pastor Dan Search were among many local pastors who led prayer during the gathering inside the meeting room of the Callahan Volunteer Fire Station. The town held its first National Day of Prayer celebration in 2006.

Students from Mrs. Watts’ class at Callahan Elementary School enjoy an ice cream party reward for being the class at CES to collect the most coins during the “Reading Makes Cents” coin drive to support Ferst Readers of Nassau County during Read Across America Week. All Nassau County elementary schools participated in the coin drive, which raised enough funds for 240 children in Nassau County to receive a free book and literacy resources for one year. Winn-Dixie in Callahan and Walmart in Yulee provided the ice cream. 

The tide could turn on how visitors drive, camp or park on local beaches. 

The Nassau County Commission recently formed a community work committee to gather information from area residents. Beach-related ordinances are under review. County officials are considering whether to require permits for overnight parking on the beachfront or camping on unincorporated beaches. Currently, only vehicles without Nassau County license plates pay $5 per day or $25 per year to drive on the beach. 

The group met with residents in the Multipurpose Building in Callahan April 11. 

Committee member Lowell Hall asked how permits for parking and camping would be monitored.  

If permits do become a requirement, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Director of Operations Butch Osborne said permits need to be documented, so that if issues arise, a log of permit holders’ names could be accessed. 

Most of the complaints received concern vandalism and trash left behind by campers and visitors in the unincorporated areas of the beaches, according to Osborne. 

Fernandina Beach resident Peter Smith said the ordinance focus should be on beach camping. Residents have expressed concerns about overnight revelers at Peters Point. 

“The current situation has some specific problems,” he said, adding that a logical approach to enforcement is needed. 

“There’s a jewel – an unpolished diamond at Peters Point,” Smith said. 

He suggested creating different experiences at each beach access, with some areas utilized for fishing, dog walking, horseback riding, driving and camping.

“Maybe Peters Point could be made into a real nice camping and equestrian site,” Smith added. 

He said that some campers have used the sand dunes as a bathroom because they’re not close to public restroom facilities. 

Smith asked the group to “broaden the horizon and solve the problem with a positive solution.” 

Following the meeting, the 35-year resident told the Record, “The problem is a few bad apples and they get away with stuff.” 

Committee member Mac Morriss said earlier, “We don’t want to take away beach camping because the Boy Scouts have been camping there for years.” 

Fernandina Beach resident Marian Phillips doesn’t want to see four-wheel drive vehicles banned from beach access. 

The City of Fernandina Beach is considering whether to only allow four-wheel drive vehicles to access the beach at the Sadler Road entrance. 

Phillips recalled how she observed people in their four-wheel drive vehicles sat ready to help pull stalled cars from the sand for bragging rights. 

Phillips frequents the beach as often as possible. She told how a friend spent her last moments on the beach before she died from cancer.

“I would love to sit on that beach and take my last breath,” Phillips said. 

The panel also discussed how motorists with all-wheel drive are capable of maneuvering through beach sand as well as four-wheel drive vehicles. 

With 60 percent or more of vehicular traffic coming from outside of Nassau, restricting vehicular traffic to just Nassau County residents is another consideration. The group is also looking at how other municipalities govern beach access. Huguenot Memorial Park in Duval County closes access to its beach when a certain number of vehicles arrive. That might be a way to limit beach parking in Nassau County. 

President and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau Gil Langley said that the number of parking spaces hasn’t increased since 1988. 

With projections that the county’s population could double by 2045, it could become an issue, according to Director of Planning and Economic Development Taco Pope. The county’s current population is roughly 88,000. 

During the discussion, Langley said that officials should consider how the state park system tracks campers and enforces litter violations through online reservations. 

Before the meeting’s end, Hall made a motion to continue the discussion on beach permits for parking and camping after dark. 

Residents may email comments about beach-related concerns to contact@nassaucountyfl.com.