Category: Letters to the Editor

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…

On Thursday, an important decision will be made that impacts every resident of Jefferson County. I encourage you to forward this to neighbors and friends, and to stand up and be heard….

Dear Editor, I have lived in Jefferson County since 2014 and served as the County Budget Officer from April 2023 to July 2025 under County Manager Shannon Metty. I am compelled to…

Dear Hailey, I am writing regarding the January 4, 2026 article in the Monticello News entitled Candy Jones and his house on the hill. I am the grandson of Charles Lafayette Jones…

Dear Editor, I left the January 15, 2026 county commission meeting with an uneasy sense that the peoples’ business was being conducted with less than expected transparency. In the past, I had…

Can anyone give me one GOOD reason you would throw trash out onto the roadside or parking lots? The “good” reason cannot be something like, “To clean my car” or “Because I…

George Orwell in 1949 published a book entitled 1984 wherein he warned against massive government surveillance, both outside and inside the home. This was prior to most homes having a television and…

Dear Jefferson County Citizens, In the past, Jefferson Senior Citizens Center (JSCC) located at 1155 N Jefferson Street, Monticello, Florida, has offered local seniors meals services and engagement activities through funding from…

A Comprehensive Plan is a long term roadmap for a community’s future. It is supposed to guide growth by addressing land use, transportation housing and the environment. It is supposed to be…