Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The Monticello City Council recently engaged in general discussion on code enforcement, prompted by City Manager Kurt Mackiewicz and City Planner Quinn Atkinson. The two basically were…
Category: Front Page
Monticello Police Department may be moving to new location
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. After more than eight decades of being headquartered in the small building adjacent to city hall on Mulberry Street, the Monticello Police Department (MPD) may soon be…
“Missy’s Law” legislation filed to keep persons convicted of serious crimes in custody
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. A bill introduced in the Florida Legislature for the coming 2026 session aims to keep individuals convicted of serious crimes from being released prior to sentencing. House…
County-wide speech contest winners announced
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. The county-wide level of the 4-H Public Speaking Contest was held on Tuesday evening, Dec. 2, hosted by UF/IFAS Extension – Jefferson in the auditorium at Aucilla…
County to enhance 911 system
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The Jefferson County is set to receive additional funding for the continued upgrade of its emergency communication system and its transition into Next Generation 9-1-1 (N911) services….
The fire ban has ended, BUT…
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. The fire ban imposed across Jefferson County in mid-November expired at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Fire Chief Derrick Burrus reported that there was discussion about extending…
It’s time for Letters to Santa!
Please read the guidelines above and make sure that you get your letters sent so Santa can read them! For letters to be published in the newspaper, they must be delivered to…
Firefighters respond to multiple blazes as fire danger remains high
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County Fire Rescue Chief Derrick Burrus says that rains predicted for this week will likely not be sufficient to lift the ban currently in place on…
TDC grants $3,000 to two local organizations
Lazaro Aleman ECB publishing, Inc. In keeping with the recommendation of the Tourist Development Council (TDC), the Jefferson County Commission recently awarded small grants to two local nonprofit organizations that serve the…
City officials approve two development projects
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. City officials recently green-lighted two development projects that will slightly alter the cityscape, one involving the remodeling of a commercial building and the second the construction of…
National company to locate facility at former dog track
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Recovery Logistics (RLI), a North Carolina-based company that specializes in disaster response and restoration efforts, has purchased the large tract on U.S. 19 North that for nearly…
Playpen recalled over “risk of suffocation” to infants
Ady Hammock ECB Publishing, Inc. A children’s playpen sold on the Amazon website was recalled on Thursday, Nov. 20, for a serious risk of injury or death to users, according to the…
Drought intensifies for Jefferson County – state of emergency declared
Updated Nov. 23, 2025 Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County has declared a Local State of Emergency and issued a temporary countywide burn ban due to ongoing exceptional drought conditions. This…
Multiple changes proposed to county’s local land development regulations
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The Jefferson County Commission recently approved the scheduling and advertising of public hearings to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend the Land Development Code (LDC)….
Fire Chief issues ban on outdoor burning
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. A large swath of the Big Bend has received only 1.53 inches of rain since Sept. 1, an amount that is 8.24 inches below normal. The most…
City eyes use of AI to transcribe certain meeting minutes
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Not altogether uncritically, City of Monticello officials are contemplating climbing aboard the artificial intelligence (AI) bandwagon, if on a limited, trial basis. On Tuesday evening, Nov. 4,…
Mayor joins newly-formed economic development committee
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The Monticello City Council recently selected Mayor Gloria Cox to be the city’s representative on the Jefferson County Economic Development Committee, a newly-formed group whose chief purpose…
Property appraiser offers analysis of tax-relief bills
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Given her expertise and thoroughness, it’s not surprising that Property Appraiser Angela Gray would come up with a thoughtful, objective analysis of the potential impacts locally of…
Constitutional officers return nearly $200,000 in unused funds to county coffers
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. This is a time of year that commissioners particularly appreciate, when the books close for the previous fiscal year and certain constitutional officers return unspent monies from…
Florida laws that took effect Oct. 1 (Part Three)
Bri Rodriguez ECB Publishing, Inc. Nearly 30 new state laws took effect across Florida on Oct.1, shaping policies on everything from public safety and education to housing and digital privacy. These legislative…