Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. A local citizen’s attempt to do a good turn for the children in his neighborhood ran into legal realities that appear to have doomed the effort. Ronald…
Category: Front Page
MLK Day parade cancelled but celebration still planned at the community center
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. The MLK, Jr. Committee has just announced the cancellation of the parade that was planned for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19. Nevertheless, the…
FDLE spotlights seven active cases on National AMBER Alert Awareness Day
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is commemorating National AMBER Alert Awareness Day by spotlighting the seven active AMBER Alerts in Florida. “When a child goes missing, it becomes an immediate…
Council set to select a new city clerk
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Monticello officials expect to appoint a new city clerk and treasurer as soon as Tuesday, Jan. 27. This, at least, is the date that the Monticello City…
Two local grocery store projects making progress
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Two development projects related to grocery stores in Monticello continue moving forward, if perhaps not as speedily as some residents would like, given the lack of choices…
Jones reclaims mayor’s seat
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Councilman John Jones is the City of Monticello’s new mayor as of Tuesday evening, Jan. 6. Jones replaced Gloria Cox, the city council member who served in…
Hurricane-impacted rural communities to receive financial help
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced that an additional $167.5 million will be awarded to several Florida communities affected by the hurricanes of recent years. A total…
City council denies funeral home application
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The long-running effort by local businesswoman Evelyn Hagan to get a property on North Jefferson Street rezoned and its designation changed on the comprehensive plan in order…
County manager’s office reviews 2025, sets goals for 2026
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Understanding the importance of messaging, setting goals and establishing standards, Jefferson County Manager Shannon Metty and Deputy Manager Ron Russo have set forth an outline of strategic…
State may do away with license stickers
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. If two recent bills filed in the Florida Legislature for the coming session become law, vehicle registration decals will become a thing of the past. The two…
County manager scores relatively high overall in job performance evaluation
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. In their first formal job evaluation of County Manager Shannon Metty since she assumed the position three years ago, commissioners on the Jefferson County Board of County…
Florida’s groundwater projected to be insufficient to meet demand in future
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. As Florida’s population continues to grow and ground water withdrawals exceed this source’s sustainable limit, experts expect that the state will increasingly have to meet new demand…
Fire destroys Lamont home
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, an electrical issue with a golf cart being charged behind a modular home in Lamont, Fla., apparently started a fire that ultimately destroyed…
New deputy county manager comes with wealth of experience
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County Manager Shannon Metty has significantly stepped up her management team in the person of Ron Russo, whom she recently hired as deputy manager. Russo, who started…
The Jan/Feb Front Porch magazine has arrived!
Emerald Greene ECB Publishing, Inc. It is with great pleasure that we announce the arrival of the Jan/Feb 2026 edition of The Front Porch magazine. The new issue has been mailed and…
Dexter’s Law goes into effect
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. One law that took effect on Thursday, Jan. 1, is called “Dexter’s Law,” although the actual designation is CS/HB 255 – Aggravated Animal Cruelty. The legislation has…
Bill aims to reduce cost of inmate health care in Jefferson County
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Acting on the request of Sheriff Mac McNeill, House Representative Allison Tant has introduced legislation for the coming session that seeks to cap the compensation that the…
FDC enhances public safety through innovation and accountability in 2025
Florida Dept. of Corrections Contributor In 2025, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) continued to advance Florida’s public safety mission through strategic investments in staffing, institutional security, officer safety, training and technology,…
Opponents of SB 180 see glimmer of hope in newly proposed legislation
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Opponents of the controversial Senate Bill 180, which became law in June 2025 and essentially restricts counties and municipalities from amending their comprehensive plans or land-development regulations…
Officials contemplate use of RESTORE Act funds for local projects
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County staff are seeking direction from elected officials on how the county should proceed in terms of the acquisition and use of some $12 million in…