Story Submitted It’s almost time for Jefferson County’s juiciest tradition. The 74th Annual Monticello Watermelon Festival returns Saturday, May 31 through Saturday, June 14, , with a fresh new lineup of events,…
Marijuana group eyes another ballot initiative in 2026
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. By now, many county residents have probably received in their mail a petition from Smart and Safe Florida asking for the recipient’s signature to endorse a constitutional…
County beginning budget formulation process
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. With the start of a new fiscal year a little more than three months away, county officials have already begun crunching the numbers in preparation for the…
County requests state funding for improvement of five roads
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County officials recently approved resolutions petitioning the state for funding from the various Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) programs to upgrade five local roads. The five roads…
Notes from the Jefferson County Retired Educators
Story submitted The Jefferson County Retired Educators would like to give a big “thank you” to the Jefferson County Schools for their assistance and cooperation in awarding scholarships to 10 deserving high…
Chamber awards scholarships in memory of Judson Freeman
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Each year, the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce offers a leadership class for high school students with the aim of imparting skills and a mindset for being…
Chamber recognizes 2025 Leadership Class graduates
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. At the May 6 luncheon meeting of the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber recognized 11 high school seniors who successfully completed this year’s Leadership Class. …
Jefferson County’s 2025 Emancipation Celebration
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Eighty years ago, the lawn of Old Howard Academy, one of Monticello’s only schools for Black children, was alive with activity and laughter. It went silent after…
Sour Milk
Florida’s dairy industry is “udderly” booming, thanks to the farmers and dairy cows throughout the state that produce fresh milk. About 125,000 dairy cows reside in Florida, producing around 300 million gallons…
What to watch: House of David slingshots to the top
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. It is rare to have a secular streaming service provide quality biblical content, but Amazon Prime has succeeded with “House of David,” which began streaming in February….
Pam Tebow headlines AWPC banquet
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. As the daughter of an army colonel, Pam Tebow lived all over the world until she was 17, when she entered the University of Florida. She set…
Growing Through It: Love anyway
Some of the last words Jesus spoke before the cross weren’t long-winded or deeply theological. They were simple. Direct. Maybe even frustratingly so. “Love one another.” That’s it. Right there, in John…
Aucilla students honored at awards day
Leah Androski ECB Publishing, Inc. Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) recently held an Academic Awards Ceremony honoring various students and awarding their seniors with scholarships on Friday, May 16, for their hard-work and…
Avoiding a summer at home that bites
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Many wonderful things are synonymous with the approach of summer. As school years across the state end, and the days grow long and hot, it brings to…
Free health clinic on June 3
Katie Marshall and Merry Ann Frisby Shepherd’s Hands of Suwannee Valley Do you or does someone you know need medical care? The Shepherd’s Hands free health clinic will be open this month…
Join our Father’s Day look-alike contest!
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Do you look like your dad? When it comes to genetics, sometimes a loving son or daughter may get Dear Father’s sense of humor and great fishing…
DeSantis signs ‘boater freedom’ bill into law
Steve Wilson The Center Square Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill on Monday, May 19, that would prevent boaters from being subjected to constant inspections by state and local…
New law restricts citizens’ initiatives
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill into law that makes it harder for citizens to initiate petitions to amend the state constitution. House Bill 1205, which…
County officials eye possible grants
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County officials are looking ahead to grants that they may seek in order to fund some local projects, understanding that given the current situation in Washington D.C.,…
Comprehensive plan still a work in progress (Planners review revised document on Thursday)
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County commissioners recently gave preliminary approval to the latest revised version of the county’s comprehensive plan, a document that requires updating every seven years and that is…