Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The proposed placement of a funeral home on a 0.77-acre property at 370 South Jefferson St. has served tangentially to underscore a longstanding stormwater drainage problem that…
Mackenzie Edson raises money for local non-profit
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. For those who enjoyed a pleasant stroll around Downtown Monticello during this year’s Watermelon Festival, they undoubtedly met young Mackenzie Edson, a special little girl who has…
High speed chase ends in crash
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has reported that at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, while a deputy was monitoring traffic on I-10 in Madison…
Madison and Jefferson superintendents seek to share three district positions
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Madison and Jefferson counties sit adjacent to each other, with the Aucilla River in between. As rural counties in North Florida, their relatively small school systems face…
The Watermelon Festival Schedule
TODAY, FRIDAY, June 13 Vendor Village, 3-9 p.m. Watermelon Oasis, 3-9 p.m. “Frozen Jr.” at MOH, 7 p.m. Melon Jam Street Dance, 7-9 p.m. Beer Garden, 7-9 p.m. SATURDAY, June 14 Vendor…
County sets up committee to hire new auditor
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. With the contract of the current auditor about to expire, county officials recently adopted a resolution setting up a committee to procure the services of a new…
Officials learn about restrictions tied to A-Building grants
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County officials are wiser about what they can and can’t do with regard to the A-Building, given the restrictions associated with the several preservation grants that the…
Felony Verdicts from the 2nd Judicial Circuit
Phillip Strickland of Monticello, Fla., born March 27, 1985, had been found guilty in Circuit Court in Jefferson County of Possession of Controlled Substance; had served a 366-day sentence in the Florida…
Celebrating Flag Day
Halie Wetherington ECB Publishing, Inc. Flag Day is celebrated annually on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States, which occurred on June 14, 1777. The Meaning…
Celebrating freedom with Flag Day
Christian Peterson ECB Publishing, Inc. Flag Day, annually celebrated on June 14, is one of the more obscure American holidays. But where did this holiday originate from? And how can one celebrate…
Ponderings: Beetles in the night
It is June, which means that the season has begun when I venture out into the night in my pajamas and I start a careful vigil that I like to call “caterpillar…
From the Sunny Side: Wisdom
I have often heard it said that “with age comes wisdom.” I do believe that is true, in most cases. I like to think I am a bit wiser about many things…
Meet the 2025 Miss Watermelon Queen!
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Heaven-Leigh Purvis was crowned the 2025 Miss Watermelon Queen by Maggie Boyd, 2024 Miss Watermelon Queen, on the evening of Saturday, May 31. Purvis is the daughter…
Meet our new Teen Miss Watermelon!
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. On the evening of Saturday, May 31, Maggie Walker was crowned 2025 Teen Miss Watermelon. 15-year-old Walker is a Jefferson County native, daughter of Thomas and Christell…
“Kindergarten, here we come!”
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. On May 19, Pre-K students at Jefferson County Schools (JCS) celebrated their graduation from Pre-K and their start of Kindergarten upcoming this fall. The graduates were from…
NFC announces President’s List and Academic Dean’s List for Spring 2025
North Florida College Contributor North Florida College is proud to recognize its Sentinels for outstanding academic achievement at the conclusion of its Spring Term 2025. Students included in the President’s List are…
Posture impacts overall health, for better or worse
Doris Bishop Contributor Remember when our grandmothers told us to sit up straight? Is posture more then not slouching and looking good? As the years go by, I am more and more…
Honoring CNAs: The backbone of patient care
Jason Futch ECB Publishing, Inc. Behind every successful doctor’s office, in-care patient clinic or long-term care facility are compassionate individuals who go above and beyond for medical patients in their times of…
Healthcare Heroes: Emily Gorden
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Say hello to one of our local healthcare heroes, Emily Gorden! Gorden is a Board Certified Music Therapist at Big Bend Hospice, serving the counties of Jefferson,…
FWC announces start dates of scalloping season
Leah Androski ECB Publishing, Inc. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) recently announced the starting dates for the 2025 scalloping season. Bay scallop season kicks off in the Fenholloway— Suwannee River…