Bonnie Melrose Parade and Festival
MELROSE— The Melrose Patriots sponsored the community’s second parade and festival of the season on Dec. 18. Photos by Amy Stanley.
Dan Hildebran
Democratic women help families in need
MELROSE— As they have done for the past three years, the Democratic Women’s Club of the Lakes Area adopted needy families from the Sonshine Daycare Center in Melrose this holiday season. Three families with five children under five, including a set of 4-year-old twins were the focus of the club’s efforts this year. Individual club … Read more
KH led Clay in housing price gains
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor GREEN COVE SPRINGS— An officer with the Clay County Economic Development Corporation said Keystone Heights led Clay County in median housing price growth during 2021. Interim President Laura J. Pavlus told Clay County commissioners that Keystone’s median price of $235,000 was an increase of 36.6% over the prior year. Fleming … Read more
Clay commissioners discuss goals for 2022
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor GREEN COVE SPRINGS— Expanding broadband internet services and updating the land development code were two of the goals Clay County commissioners said they wanted to accomplish in the upcoming year. Commissioners Wayne Bolla, Betsy Condon, Jim Renninger, Mike Cella and Kristen Burke held a strategic planning workshop on Dec. 14 … Read more
Mom: son molested on bus, school district unresponsive
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor FLEMMING ISLAND— Clay County School District officials responded to complaints from parents about the treatment of students during the school board’s Dec. 9 meeting. Parent Holly Haddock of Green Cove Springs told board members that her son was attacked and molested on a school bus on Oct. 11, and that … Read more
Recent arrests in Bradford, Union and Clay
Dec. 11 through Dec. 17 The following individuals were arrested recently by local law enforcement officers in Bradford, Union or Clay (Keystone Heights-area) counties. All defendants are considered innocent until convicted in a court or until pleading guilty or no contest. Information in this report is from law enforcement agencies and court documents, which are … Read more
Lake Region observes Wreaths Across America
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— Around 240 people gathered at the Keystone Heights Cemetery to honor fallen veterans at the Lake Region’s Wreaths Across America event, Saturday, Dec. 18. This was the first year the Lake Region ceremony was not organized by Joan Jones. Due to declining health, the Australian native and World … Read more
Why Melrose has 2 Christmas parades
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor MELROSE— Many smaller towns don’t have a single Christmas parade, but the community at the corners of Bradford, Putnam, Clay and Alachua counties featured two Christmas parades this year: the Merry Melrose Christmas Parade on Dec. 11 and the Bonnie Melrose Christmas parade the following Saturday. Tom Germano, the second-year … Read more
Set fire to home to destroy evidence
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor STARKE— A 24-year-old Starke man was arrested for arson after he admitted to help setting a fire at an East Call Street home to destroy evidence of earlier thefts. Levi Jarrett Nelson, 24, was arrested for the April 21, 2020 offense. The residence belonged to a 90-year-old nursing home patient. According to … Read more
