Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Many nearby communities have Fourth of July celebrations that residents of Jefferson County may find worth the drive. Madison The Madison Lions Club hosts their annual God…
Category: Community News
Officials vote to revert role of county manager to county coordinator
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. A county manager’s position is a precarious one, subject to official and public scrutiny, as well as the vagaries of politics, as a recent commission meeting underscored….
CERT Basic Training Class to be offered in July
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County’s CERT, the local volunteer Community Emergency Response Team, is ready to onboard new members with training this month. Sessions will take place Tuesday and Thursday…
Non-profit provides accessible entrance for veteran
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Bright and early on June 25, volunteers with FL Cares, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, got to work at the home of a 68-year-old Navy veteran in the Asheville-Greenville…
City using solar energy to power wastewater treatment facility
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Most Monticello residents probably aren’t aware that the wastewater treatment plant off Mamie Scott Drive is now operating off solar power and providing energy cost savings to…
School board approves 5-0 to share three directors with Madison
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Attendance was high for the Jefferson County School Board meeting on Monday, June 23, when the agenda included 33 items requiring board member votes. Items that seem…
The NEW Front Porch is in the mail
Emerald Greene ECB Publishing, Inc. With great pleasure, we announce the arrival of The Front Porch magazine’s July/August 2025 issue. The new issue has been mailed out and subscribers should have…
Anna Weltzbarker makes dean’s list at VSU
Merit Media News Contributor Valdosta State University congratulates Anna Weltzbarker of Monticello, Fla., for earning a spot on the Spring 2025 Dean’s List. The Dean’s List honors are reserved for the highest…
Florida Future Chef Competition seeks its next champion
Jason Futch ECB Publishing, Inc. Calling all Florida student chefs and families! The Florida Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness is on the search for the next Florida Future Chef Champion. The…
A.A. marks its 90-year anniversary
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Alcoholics Anonymous traces its formation back to a 1935 meet-up between a stockbroker and surgeon. Bill, the stockbroker, had been able to achieve sobriety and then maintain…
Ponderings… Bees without wings
The other day, I had a rare day off work, and I was helping Ben at the kennel when I spied a small black lump balanced on the tip of a blade…
4-H International Exchange has space available for three host families
Kathy Egan ECB Publishing, Inc. If you have ever considered hosting an exchange student, this summer might be the perfect time to take the plunge into citizen diplomacy. The 4-H International Exchange…
From girls to queens
Kathy Egan ECB Publishing, Inc. Margaret Frazier recalls she has been working with young people all her life, so out of a desire to continue her passion, she began the Girls of…
What to know about tick bites and Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Christian Peterson ECB Publishing, Inc. Many people are educated about the dangers of a tick bite and Lyme disease. However, what many do not know is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a bacterial…
Woman’s Club celebrates local boutiques’ fashions
ECB Publishing, Inc. Photo by Laura Young, June 12, 2025 Models for Aveline Boutique included (left to right) Sara Halpin, Lorene Williams, Gwen Halpin, Peggye Bullock, Savannah Ward, Tracey Knowles (owner), Phoenix…
Miss Watermelon Queen from 2024, Maggie Boyd, studies abroad in Spain
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. June 1, 2024, was a life-changing day for Maggie Boyd. With no previous pageant experience, she was crowned the 2024 Miss Watermelon Queen, also taking home the…
Watermelon Run 2025
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. On the morning of Saturday, June 7, over 120 registered runners and walkers lined up on East Jefferson Street to await the air horn signifying the beginning…
First Watermelon Festival Kickoff Block Party held
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. The 2025 Watermelon Festival saw the start of something new on June 6 with the introduction of the Kickoff Block Party to the lineup of festival events,…
Contest winners showcased at 2025 Awards Show
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. As part of the kickoff block party on the evening of June 6, the winners of the Watermelon Festival contests were announced, along with the festival’s Grand…
Driver sentenced for 2023 fatal cycling accident
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. On Friday, September 22, 2023, Florida Highway Patrol responded to an early morning call involving a traffic collision that took place on Wacissa Springs Road. A pickup…