Category: Letters to the Editor

Mary Madison Contributor In 1986, I was gifted a very special book by our school librarian:  “Leaves of Gold.” The book is a collection of literary pieces by ancient and modern authors….

I was very pleased this week to get a call from our most excellent Sheriff McNeill, who told me ALL of the Flock cameras in the county were being removed. Our most…

Every time you flip a switch and the lights come on, there are teams of lineworkers who make it possible. On August 26, we recognize Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day, a designation established…

As a new school year begins at Jefferson K-12, A Community Partnership School, we are reminded of a simple truth: student success is strongest when an entire community comes together on behalf…

It was very disheartening for me to hear that Jefferson County High School will no longer have a varsity football team. I know football is not what makes a school successful. I…

At the August 20, 2026 BOCC meeting three Commissioners passed a proclamation honoring Charlie Kirk with no regard for the public input. Let’s take a look at what Charlie Kirk actually represented….

Jackie Pons Superintendent of Schools Football has always been an important part of the Jefferson County tradition. For generations, our community has celebrated championships, all-American players, great coaches, and – most importantly…

Over the past month, using public records, I have attempted to answer the question I asked our Board of County Commissioners at the June 18. 2026 meeting that has gone unanswered: We…

I read about the projected loss of property tax revenue in the 6/24/26 paper.  What I did not read was how property tax revenue has climbed 96 percent here since 2019, from…

In the June 10, 2026 Monticello News online version, there were two articles next to each other. One touted how the county was giving away $22,000 to local non-profits, a practice in violation of…

I had written about the massive number of surveillance cameras in Jefferson County back in January 2026. To recap, Jefferson County has at least 25 Flock “safety” license plate reader cameras in…

Three years ago I had the opportunity to adopt four adult peafowl that needed a new home. Before agreeing to take them in, I checked with my neighbor who has been a…

The push to make abortion drugs available by mail began with the Dobbs decision, which allowed states to enact and enforce laws that fully protect unborn life. No sooner had the U….

John Hancock was the first to sign that sheet of parchment. After much dispute and a powerful speech by John Adams, the resolution of independence was adopted with 12 affirmative votes and…

Remember the old black and white movies where the bad guy is tying the Widow to the train tracks? That’s the kind of extortion currently occurring just outside the city limits in…

With a single sheet of parchment and 56 signatures America became a nation on July 4, 1776. This year we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. From the freedom principles stated…

The U.S. House recently voted 218-213 to pass the SAVE Act to protect American elections for Americans. Every Republican voted for it. Every Democrat but one voted against it. The SAVE act…

Two hundred and forty years ago, on January 16, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson’s groundbreaking Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This pivotal law disestablished the state church, declaring that…

It has been a long and hard twenty-one days for all concerned. Ms. Metty has faced the difficulty of having her work publicly criticized; the board has fielded a constituency divided in…

Lives at Risk: Residents Warn of Escalating Propane Dangers, Near-Misses, Inmate Safety, and Double Thermal Radiation Hazards Go Unaddressed Emergency management professionals often warn that the most devastating disasters are not caused…