NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — UPDATE, 3/25/2020: Two gaming establishments in Nassau County filed injunctions in an attempt to remain open after County Commissioners ordered in January that cafes should shut down by March 28.
The case was heard in Federal Court on Thursday and the judge issued his ruling Tuesday, denying the injunction. READ THE RULING BELOW:
Order Denying Injunction by ActionNewsJax on Scribd
All gaming establishments in Nassau County should close their doors this weekend, according to a release from the Board of County Commissioners.
Failure to do so would result in a civil penalty of no less than $250 per day of violation, and subject to fines by the Code Enforcement Board of up to $1,000 per day for the first violation, $5,000 per day for a repeat violation, and up to $15,000 per violation if the Code Enforcement Board or Special Magistrate finds the violation to be irreparable or irreversible in nature. Each day that the establishment remains open would be considered a repeat violation.
Anyone with any questions is asked to contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010.
Original story from 1/27/2020 below:
Nassau County Commissioners are giving internet cafes 60 days to shut down.
It was a unanimous vote by commissioners to close the businesses, calling them a public nuisance.
The decision had dozens, if not hundreds of people in the county divided.
Since closing in Jacksonville, internet cafes have nearly doubled in Nassau County, from 14 arcades to about 30, if not more.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said they’ve seen a significant amount of violent crimes and increased drug activity at the arcades.
They conducted an undercover operation into 28 of the arcades in December 2019.
NEW AT 11: @NassauCOFL are giving Internet cafes 60 days to shut down.
— Dani Bozzini (@DaniANjax) January 28, 2020
Hear from neighbors both for and against the new ban against Internet cafes on @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/LtFoc43KgZ
Sgt. Cedric Arline of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office took the stand Monday night explaining, “We purchased methamphetamines out of multiple locations of these gambling establishments. We had several detectives go in, and we also had purchases of heroin, crack cocaine.”
The impact of internet cafes had the entire community divided. Dozens of people who spoke Monday we’re hoping they would be allowed to stay open, especially retirees, like Gene Kendall, a retired Navy admiral, who goes to the internet cafes for fun.
“I don’t go to the gaming arcades for money, I go because of the sociability,” explained Kendall.
Other neighbors believe internet cafes are drawing crime into Nassau County. The ordinance passed Monday night said the internet cafes are “an endangerment to both the public and first responders.”
Seber Newsome, a Nassau County resident against the cafes said, “They found crack, meth, heroin, solicitation going on. Why do you want that in a neighborhood?”
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