Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. On the morning of Friday, Jan. 10, students from Jefferson County K-12 (JCS) and homeschool students gathered at Trelawn Plantation in Drifton for an archaeological dig in…
Let’s not be ChrINOs: Christians In Name Only
Let’s not be ChrINOs: Christians In Name Only As you reflect on your Christian journey, what choices from 2024 would you change? Where do you hope to grow closer to God in…
Blessings and challenges
Looking back, I’ve been blessed over my lifetime by many people. Every Christmas, I decorate my Christmas tree with special ornaments from friends and family; each a gift representing something about that…
What to watch: “Miracle in East Texas”
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. Recently, I took a scroll through a few apps, looking for a decent movie to watch without needing to repent afterwards. Accomplishing that is more of a…
Learning as I go: the science behind hugs
In my high school psychology class, I was introduced to the importance of physical touch. We read about Frederick’s experiment where newborns were taken from their mothers at birth and placed in…
Winter in Monticello 2025
Monticello Snow 2025 (1) Monticello Snow 2025 (2) Video Courtesy of C. Cruver Photography
Jack Frost pays North Florida a visit
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. North Florida residents awoke on Wednesday to a world of white, with some snow continuing to fall into the early morning hours, a phenomenon rarely experienced in…
Car chase ends in arrests on Hwy. 19
Florida Highway Patrol Contributor On Tuesday, Jan. 14, around 11:31 a.m., the Florida Highway Patrol was requested by Tallahassee Police Department to assist with an ongoing investigation in locating a couple of…
County begins implementing cybersecurity measures
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County officials recently adopted a resolution that set minimum foundational standards to safeguard against cybersecurity threats and better protect county data, information technology, and information technology resources,…
Slew of bills already proposed for legislative session
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The 2025 legislative session isn’t set to start until March 4, but already, more than 120 bills have been introduced. The bills filed so far span a…
National Security Matters: Random subjects
Liturgical Year: We are in the Season of Epiphany. Already, we have passed Advent and the Season of Christmas. Next will be the Lenten season. The church year progresses rapidly at the…
Lost for words: Keep your chin up when it’s down to the wire
First coming to use in the 1800s, “keep your chin up” came to be a popular expression for encouraging people to press on through difficult circumstances and to never give up. It…
CareerSource seeks Jefferson business leader for its board
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. CareerSource Capital Region (CSCR) has announced openings for two seats on its volunteer board of directors. They are seeking business leaders from Jefferson and Gadsden counties to…
Wizarding night proves fun for all
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. On Saturday, Jan. 18, there was magical mischief afoot in one of the Downtown Monticello shops. Between the hours of 4-8 p.m., mysterious cloaked figures made their…
Butterfly conservation initiatives flutter in with the new year
Kate Richardson Tall Timbers The new year is shaping up to be big for butterflies, thanks in large part to the dedication and support of the Stoddard Bird Lab’s volunteer butterfly experts,…
UF seeks input to support Florida farmers
U.S. Department of Agriculture Contributor As a part of a grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the University of Florida (UF) invites current and aspiring Florida farmers to…
Court awards county $1M-plus in restitution from Reams, Culp and McNeill
More monies possibly to be awarded to county Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County will be receiving a little more than $1 million in restitution, stemming from misappropriations and other financial…
Flamingo vs. Mockingbird
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Florida lawmakers may once again try to make the flamingo the state bird, in lieu of the current mockingbird. House Bill 81, which Republican Representative Jim Mooney,…
Impact fees won’t be coming this year
Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Jefferson County won’t be imposing impact fees, at least not in 2025. The Board of County Commissioners recently terminated the agreement with the consultant that was to…
Guardian ad Litem volunteer Jana McConnaughhay honored by Florida Bar
The Florida Bar Contributor The Florida Bar recognized 21 lawyers for their work on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged clients at a Jan. 16 ceremony at the Supreme Court of Florida. Established…