Hightower sworn in as clerk of court

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Cecil Trey Hightower, Jefferson County Clerk of Court and Comptroller-Elect, has now been in charge of the office for about a week, although his term doesn’t officially start until Jan. 1. Judge Bobby Plaines administered the oath of office to Hightower on Friday, Nov. 1, following the latter’s appointment by Gov. Ron DeSantis two days earlier. Hightower’s appointment came at the request of Interim Clerk of Court Jason Welty, who has since returned to the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation as its executive director. A county native and Aucilla Christian Academy graduate, Hightower won the office in the August primary, beating out thr