Heather Ainsley
Heather Ainsley has lived in Monticello, Fla. since 2015, and until recently, worked as manager at Brickhouse Eatery for two and a half years. She enjoys writing, and hopes to be able to serve the community she loves with entertaining, high-quality stories that showcase the talent, kindness and comradery that she has come to admire as a major part of Jefferson County. In her spare time, she can be found at home painting or working on her novel, which, she has said, “Is nowhere near ready,” or spending time with one of her many beloved pets.
The home she shares with her boyfriend, Ben Abbott, is also often host to misplaced animals, as animal rescue is a passion they share. Their most recent rescue is a kitten, affectionately named Beans, who is just days away from going to her new home. “There's just something so rewarding about finding a sick, injured or abandoned animal and nursing them back to good health, good manners, and finally, a good home,” Ainsley says.
Heather is happy to be a part of the ECB Publishing team, and looks forward to seeing YOU in the field!
Mike Johnson
Michael “Mike” Johnson was born and raised in small-town Farmville, Va., graduating from Prince Edward County Schools, where he played football for seven years and was in Air Force JROTC for four years. After graduating, he went to Southside Community College.
While in college, Mike drove a school bus with his mother, Cristy Johnson, for his old high school and played for a Virginia, Semi-pro football team. He drove the bus from the age of 18 to 26, being the youngest in the state after the Common Wealth changed the laws. He spent his semi-pro time playing with the Charlottesville Kryptonite for two seasons.
His father, John Johnson, a Lieutenant for the Longwood University Police Department, was Mike's role model growing up. At the age of 21, Mike started working at the local, regional jail that held state, local and federal inmates. He was an officer there for five years, trying to follow in his family's footsteps. Mike moved to Florida approximately two years ago, switching jobs from the jail system to the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC). He worked for the maximum-security prison, Suwannee Correctional Institution, in Suwanee County.
Mike's reason for moving to Live Oak, Fla., was to help take care of his great grandfather, Lawrence Bruner, a retired US Navy Vet. Mike had been coming down for many years visiting his great grandfather and finally decided it was time to live in the Sunshine State.
Mike has always been a firm believer that God has a plan for everyone and why everything happens. On September 10, 2020, Mike was in a motorcycle accident, causing significant injuries taking him out of the FDOC world. With his positive outlook on life and belief in the Lord, he used a negative situation and turned it into a positive, trying new things and being a big part of the local communities. He believes that reporting is a great way to reach out to the community and bring everyone closer.
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