Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. Potential homeowners had a bit of good news at the end of 2025, as mortgage rates dropped at the end of calendar year 2025. According to the…
State may do away with license stickers
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. If two recent bills filed in the Florida Legislature for the coming session become law, vehicle registration decals will become a thing of the past. The two…
Jefferson County has many Century Pioneer Family Farms
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Many local farming families trace their roots in Jefferson County back several generations. Those who have maintained at least 100 years of continuous family farm ownership can…
Remembering Suwannee: Reflections on a new year, Part 1
Eric Musgrove Contributor I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as we roll into 2026. In lieu of a normal historical article, I’d like to take this…
SRTC recognizes high-achieving students for the Fall 2025 term
Merit Pages News Contributor Recently, the administration at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recognized several students from Monticello, Fla., who did exceptional work during the Fall 2025 term. In order to qualify…
County manager scores relatively high overall in job performance evaluation
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. In their first formal job evaluation of County Manager Shannon Metty since she assumed the position three years ago, commissioners on the Jefferson County Board of County…
Local historic house is another step closer to national recognition
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The owners of the Avera-Clarke House are a step closer to getting the historic structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Jefferson County Board…
Florida’s groundwater projected to be insufficient to meet demand in future
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. As Florida’s population continues to grow and ground water withdrawals exceed this source’s sustainable limit, experts expect that the state will increasingly have to meet new demand…
Fire destroys Lamont home
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, an electrical issue with a golf cart being charged behind a modular home in Lamont, Fla., apparently started a fire that ultimately destroyed…
Veterans support groups planned
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. In response to requests, the Lee American Legion Post 422, will be hosting Veterans support group meetings, starting on Friday, Jan. 16. There will be two different…
New deputy county manager comes with wealth of experience
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County Manager Shannon Metty has significantly stepped up her management team in the person of Ron Russo, whom she recently hired as deputy manager. Russo, who started…
FL Cares enters a new year of improving accessibility
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. FL Cares, a local 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, saw record-breaking activity in 2025. The volunteer-run organization is committed to increasing accessibility across the four-county area of Jefferson, Leon,…
The Jan/Feb Front Porch magazine has arrived!
Emerald Greene ECB Publishing, Inc. It is with great pleasure that we announce the arrival of the Jan/Feb 2026 edition of The Front Porch magazine. The new issue has been mailed and…
Pet Adoption Spotlight: Crawford
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. At the Jefferson County Humane Society’s Wolf Creek Pet Adoption Center (JCHS), many sweet animals are hoping to find their forever home. Crawford, a handsome brown tabby…
Donations are now being accepted for SRJC property restoration
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. The alumni of Suwannee River Junior College and Madison County Training School are holding a fundraising campaign to help with the restoration of the historic property. The…
The fix for 2026
Rev. John Hicks Guest Columnist The average life expectancy in the United States for 2025 was estimated at about 79.4 years (up from previous years). If I were average (which I’m not!),…
Need a boost to start or finish a project?
Sheryl H. Boldt Guest Columnist I’ve struggled with time management all my life. On good days, I make steady progress. On hard days, I feel overwhelmed, discouraged and worn down by the…
White House to roll back Biden fuel economy standards
Morgan Sweeney The Center Square The federal government is relaxing Biden-era fuel economy standards that required most cars to have a fuel efficiency of nearly 50 mpg by 2031 in an effort to ease…
Dexter’s Law goes into effect
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. One law that took effect on Thursday, Jan. 1, is called “Dexter’s Law,” although the actual designation is CS/HB 255 – Aggravated Animal Cruelty. The legislation has…
Rural Business Resource Tour is Jan. 16
Rick Patrick ECB Publishing, Inc. North Florida College will be the site for an event targeted toward helping small businesses located in rural Florida. FloridaCommerce and the Florida Small Business Development Center…