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…
Category: Letters to the Editor
Is it 2026 or 1984?
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…
Reorganization of senior services
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 should not be changed lightly
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…
Message from the Jefferson County Property Appraiser
To all my fellow residents of Jefferson County, Florida, I have a heartfelt message to share with you. I have been diagnosed with a serious illness that will require immediate treatment. I…
Property tax “relief”: typical politics
Reading the November 12 article regarding the numerous property tax proposals, a common theme appears in nearly every one: “Non-school Property Tax”. In fact, none, not one, of these proposals would truly eliminate allhomestead property…
How I became a book lover!
Growing up my mother, my sister and even my best friend loved to read books. Much to my mother’s chagrin I was not a book reader. Don’t get me wrong, I read!…
Another enjoyable Ghouls Night Out
This past Thursday, my daughter and friends and I enjoyed another Ghouls Night Out in Downtown Monticello. The weather was perfect and the shops were open with all sorts of sales, treats…
Educational bias in our post-secondary educational system
The tragic death of Charlie Kirk has brought to the forefront the educational bias prevalent in our post-secondary educational system. The gun criminal that took his life used the word “fascist” on…
Letter to the Editor
October 6, 2025 Did you know there are angels among us? I was informed last week that one of them is moving form our area to Indiana to live with one of…
Thank you, Winn-Dixie family
As we watch the doors slowly close on our Monticello Winn-Dixie store, I want to say that I am truly sorry. I am sorry that we were unable to maintain this vibrant,…
Honoring lineworkers
In 2012, Aug. 26 was established as Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day to honor the thousands of workers who deliver reliable electric service throughout the state. Lineworkers shoulder great responsibility. During the strongest…
Hometown pride
“A slice of the good life” is exactly what we out-of-towners experienced at the Watermelon Festival! Hometown pride and collegiality was quite evident as we took in the sights and sounds of…
This isn’t just about land use
I’m writing this letter with a heavy heart on behalf of my mother, Evelyn Hagan, owner of Hagan Funeral Service, addressing the rezoning at 370 S. Jefferson Street to provide essential parking…
Letter to the editor
I read recently about speaker Johnson chastising Elon Musk about disagreeing with the president or his party. I thought back to a story told by President Reagan comparing life in these United…
Letter to the Editor: Congrats to columnist Hailey Heseltine
This is an octogenarian, vista article. I have been a contributor for many decades. My articles go back to the Ron Cichon era. My composition were submitted to the late Fran Hunt,…
Cops not cameras
On the front page of the March 26 Monticello News, I read about a criminal that was speeding through the school zone. Fortunately there was a deputy there to apprehend him. The…
Thank you Jackie Pons!
Dear Editor, We would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to Superintendent Jackie Pons and the Jefferson County School Board for their extraordinary civic leadership and unwavering support…
President Trump is correct to dump the Postal Service
I often use the phrase ‘The oxymoron known as government efficiency” to illustrate how inefficient government can be. I was very pleased to see President Trump carry through with the Department of…
One more thing to like about Jefferson County, Florida
One more thing to like about Jefferson County Florida is citizen participation. Like the rest of the country that recognized a change was needed, the Jefferson County Republican voter turnout in the…