BY MARK J. CRAWFORD Telegraph Editor STARKE — Another well-attended meeting on Bradford County’s budget Sept. 23 began with a pledge that there will be no more business as usual when it comes to spending taxpayers’ dollars. The room and viewers at home — thanks to a live social media feed provided by the sheriff’s … Read more
Taxes going up as well BY MARK J. CRAWFORD Telegraph Editor STARKE — Tax Collector Teressa Phillips promised to seek raises for her employees when a last-minute change in the county budget provided raises for nearly everyone else. Bradford commissioners approved a $69.7 million budget for 2021-22, which was more than $13 million above the … Read more
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD Telegraph Editor Former Starke Police Chief Jimmy Epps died on Sunday at the age of 81. After splitting his youth between Arkansas and Starke, Epps entered the U.S. Air Force, spending 20 years enlisted, including three tours in Vietnam. The decorated veteran then joined the Starke Police Department. He worked for … Read more
STARKE— A sworn complaint filed by the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office said the victim of sex crimes involving a Bradford High School coach lied to investigators. On Monday, Sept. 20, Bradford High School varsity volleyball coach Lanie Kay Rodgers, 24, was arrested for engaging in lewd conduct with a student and sending sexually explicit text … Read more
BY CLIFF SMELLEY Telegraph Staff Writer If the high school football season ended today, Bradford, Keystone Heights and Union County would all be in the playoffs, based upon the initial rating percentage index rankings released by the Florida High School Athletic Association on Sept. 22. Union is sits atop the rankings in Region 3 of … Read more
BY CLIFF SMELLEY Telegraph Staff Writer Bradford High School’s varsity volleyball team traveled to Live Oak to play Suwannee last night, defeating the Bulldogs 3-0. The Tornadoes (4-7) have now won three straight matches, earning victories over Fort White and Palatka prior to playing Suwannee. The Suwannee match was Bradford’s second straight 3-0 sweep. Bradford … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor STARKE— The Bradford County Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested a second Bradford High School coach this week. Autumn Brooke Rodgers, 24, was arrested Wednesday afternoon for lewd and lascivious behavior, cruelty toward a child and lewdness or indecent exposure against a student by an authority figure. Rodgers was released … Read more
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD Telegraph Editor STARKE — A more tentative budget may have never been approved than that adopted by the Bradford County Commission during its first budget hearing on Sept. 16. Calling for more information as well as cuts, commissioners might not have approved the $70 million budget at all had their attorney … Read more
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD Telegraph Editor STARKE — Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith is fighting for a larger budget to cover rising costs and provide line staff a $1 hourly raise. Smith sent out an updated cover letter to 2021-22 budget request that provides some details of the nearly $7.1 million budget. More than $500,000 … Read more
STARKE — Work continues on the Starke Railroad Overpass on State Road 100 in Bradford County as crews shift their focus toward construction of the bridge itself. Installation of drilled shafts – reinforced concrete columns poured into drilled holes that will eventually support the new overpass – has been completed on the east end of the … Read more
