BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] Murray Ford is set to unveil an 18-bay Quick Lane service facility this month, marking a major expansion for the dealership that has grown from 14 service bays to nearly 40 in just 16 years. The 18,000-square-foot, $6.2 million facility represents the latest chapter in a growth story that began in … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] Starke’s Holiday Inn Express will be celebrating its third anniversary on March 30. The 80-room hotel, which opened its doors in 2022, represents a significant investment in Bradford County’s hospitality infrastructure by F&R Enterprises, a company with seven hotels and numerous convenience stores across Florida. General Manager Jolene Carwise, who has … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] Union County commissioners voted unanimously to place a half-cent sales tax referendum on the November ballot, giving voters the final say on providing additional funding for local schools facing mounting financial pressures. Superintendent Mike Ripplinger appeared before the Board of County Commissioners to request the ballot measure, which would generate an … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] Pastor Patrick Maxwell delivered a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the January 19 county commission meeting, urging attendees to view the holiday as more than just a day off work or shopping sales. “MLK is more than just a day to enjoy a day off. It’s more … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] Keystone Heights Mayor Nina Rodenroth outlined her vision for a Whooping Crane Festival to a Lake Region Civic group. The mayor told the Keystone Heights Rotary Club during its January 14 meeting that her inspiration for the idea came from a historical figure from Keystone’s past: Andy, the Whooping Crane. “So, … Read more
BY JENN SAMSEL [email protected] A residential house fire shut down portions of County Road 352, resulting in the loss of a resident’s home. The fire occurred at 5395 County Road 352 in Keystone Heights on Sunday, January 18th, at 1:30 p.m. Due to the trees surrounding the home, there was a significant concern about the … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] A swimming pool contractor was ordered to immediately pay $80,000 in restitution and an additional $50,000 over the next 120 months to settle two felonies of a contractor failing to refund excess value for work. John James Prendergast, 50, owner of Blue Oasis Pools and Spas Inc., pleaded to the two … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] A Florida State Prison inmate was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading to kicking a correctional officer in the groin. Avery A. Hawthorne pleaded to battery on a law enforcement officer. According to a Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General Probable Cause Affidavit, on December 10, 2024, three … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] A 35-year-old Keystone Heights man was sentenced to three years in prison after deputies found a shotgun in the back floorboard of which he was a passenger, and officers determined the defendant was a convicted felon. Devin Shane Griffis pleaded to the weapons charge on January 14. He was arrested on … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] A 45-year-old Starke woman was sentenced to 30 months with the Department of Corrections after pleading to battery on a person over 65 and grand theft auto. Katie Michelle Chapman was also sentenced to three years’ probation during which she must complete a program at a Marion County substance abuse residential … Read more
