Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. June 1 has come and gone, and with that, we’ll be stuck in the throes of hurricane season until November 30. Between now and then, chances are…
Category: Editorials
Thoughts from the past and present: On history
As many of you probably know, I’ve been regularly writing history articles in the Jefferson Journal for a little over two years now. People notice, and because of it, one of the…
From the Sunny Side: Laughing yoga?
I am a generally curious person. Some might say (and some have actually said) I even tend to be a little on the “nosy” side. That basic curiosity often comes in handy,…
Ponderings… A berry good day
This weekend, I was invited to go berry-picking with a friend of mine. We had an excellent time last month picking strawberries and peaches at Moccasin Grove, which is located in nearby…
Marriage & meddling
I was disappointed to see that the Baptist Convention has made movements to try and outlaw same-sex marriage. What an amazing case of, “my world is the entire world” mentality. The inability…
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…
Ponderings: Beetles in the night
It is June, which means that the season has begun when I venture out into the night in my pajamas and I start a careful vigil that I like to call “caterpillar…
From the Sunny Side: Wisdom
I have often heard it said that “with age comes wisdom.” I do believe that is true, in most cases. I like to think I am a bit wiser about many things…
The Bible and human liberty: America’s 250th birthday is July 4, 2026
In the formative days of the Republic the directing influence the Bible exercised upon the fathers of the nation is conspicuously evident. To Washington it contained the sure and certain moral precepts…
Ponderings…The end of a road
I’ve worked here at the local newspaper office for four years, having started in May of 2021. In that time, I have won a total of 12 awards through the Florida Press…
Lessons that stuck: “Go around the leaf”
I grew up in Tallahassee and was blessed to attend SAIL, one of the best high schools there. I won’t go into detail, but I credit the school for saving my life…
Ponderings…Using your voice
The world can be really noisy, and it can be tempting to stay silent in an attempt to not add to all the racket. I have found, however, that often the loudest…
Thoughts from the past and present: On third places
I’ve lived in Monticello my whole life, and I always remember it being pretty quiet. Over the past few years, though, I feel like something’s changed. It’s not a bad change, either. …
Ponderings… To spin around a star
As strange as it seems, I have made yet another revolution around our sun, making me 33 years old. Time seems to go simultaneously too quickly and painfully slow, as if I…
Summer program kickoff party at the library today
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. The Jefferson County R.J. Bailar Library (375 S. Water St.) is kicking off its summer reading program with a party today, May 30, at 1 p.m. This…
Ponderings… Most of what I know
The world can be an increasingly dark place, it seems. When the pandemic struck our little planet, five years ago, I felt a sinking sensation of dread as the world as we…
Letter to the Editor: Thank you from the Handley Family
Thank you to all who have prayed for Hunter and helped us through this difficult time. We have experienced so much love showered over us between GoFundMe, fundraisers and personally helping us…
💐 Happy 20th Anniversary, Ms. Shameka “Ms. Shekki” Geathers! 💐
Celebrating a Legacy of Love, Laughter, and Learning at Our Blessings Early Learning Center Twenty years ago, God planted a seed in the heart of a young woman named Shameka Geathers—better known…
Thoughts from the past and present: Notes on NFC
On May 8, I graduated summa cum laude from North Florida College with an Associate of Arts. My time at NFC was brief but breezy. NFC is a true example of a…
Ponderings… Risk vs reward
This past weekend, I was scheduled to showcase my art as a vendor at the Suwannee County Wildflower Festival. I signed up months ago, and have spent these few weeks steadily building…