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Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. For those who like to keep eyes on the skies, here are some interesting celestial events happening this month. * All month: Get a great view of Venus After sunset, look west to see Venus shining brightly near the Leo constellation. It will be the easiest planet to spot this month, so if you'd like to catch a glimpse of one of our neighbors, now is the time. Don't miss it, though! Within hours of sunset, it will disappear, as the already westward planet

I'm not quite sure exactly when the change occurred. In fact, it has only recently dawned on me that any change at all had happened. But it certainly has happened. I remember back in my younger days, very few things really made their way under my skin to the point of annoyance. However, I have found that many "little things" that once would have "gone with the flow," now elicit at least a s

O. Henry was found abandoned at John Stretch Park. He was such a lovable dog that those who found him didn't want to send him to animal control. Enter a search for a home. Herb had just lost a special friend by the name of Lucky. He wasn't looking for a replacement, but when he met Henry, there was a mutual connection. I called the dog O. Henry after the author of "The Gift of the Magi.

Aly Raschid Contributor Duke Energy Florida will implement its third rate reduction of 2026 from June through September, lowering residential customer bills by approximately $50, or 25%, for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy used when compared to January. Below is an outline of how these rate reductions have and will continue to appear on the bills of Duke Energy Florida's typical residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month: February 2026: An approximately $33 decrease f

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Newly-hired County Manager Douglas Baber officially took over the reins of the office on Monday, June 22, per the employment contract that the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners approved on the previous week. Per the contract, which the commission okayed on Thursday evening, June 18, Baber will receive an annual salary of $140,000, plus annual costs of living adjustments (COLA) beginning in October 2027, provided that other county employees recei

Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Big Bend Hospice (BBH) reports that during their recent Ensure drive they received an incredible outpouring of support from the Jefferson County community. "The response was overwhelming, and we received a large amount of donations to help support our patients who rely on nutritional supplements to maintain comfort and quality of life," said Andrea Zinker, the volunteer coordinator for BBH. BBH sends a huge thank you to the Jefferson County Advisory Counc

Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. You might know Chrissy Lastinger as the local girl who was recently crowned Miss Watermelon Queen 2026. What you probably didn't know is that Lastinger is also the number one high school girl bowler in Leon County, and at Lincoln High School, the MVP of her team for two years in a row. Now, she's excited to be heading off to Junior Gold Championships in Minneapolis this month. Lastinger went into bowling starting from scratch and expecting nothing more th

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. County officials recently pulled out all the stops to honor local veterans, thanks to the efforts of Interim Manager Ron Russo, staff and others in the community, including the several businesses that donated food, drinks, flowers, decorations and photography services for the event. The ceremony on Thursday evening, June 18, included an outdoor reception for the veterans, a proclamation by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, the presentation

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Like many other communities across Florida that have declared bans or moratoriums on data centers in keeping with a new state law, Jefferson County is in the process of placing a temporary pause on such facilities. The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners took the action on Thursday evening, June 18, based on expressed concerns that data centers consume inordinate amounts of water and electricity, increase energy costs for consumers and can adver

Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. National Insurance Awareness Day is observed on June 28 to encourage us to review our insurance policies to ensure we have protections for ourselves and our property. This week's Monticello News features special pages dedicated to local insurers, including: * Thomas Wallace of United Healthcare * Ryan Pavlik of Ghallagher Insurance * Lance Braswell and Josh Leibbrand of Farm Bureau Insurance * Joanne Barker of Keystone Insurance * Leslie Wilk