BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— Clay County Property Appraiser Tracy Drake spoke to the Federated Republican Women of Clay County on Wednesday, Sept. 28, about the Florida constitutional amendments on the November 8 ballot. Two of the proposals would reduce property assessments in the state. Amendment 1 would authorize the legislature to prohibit … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— During the Tuesday, Sept. 27, Clay County Commission meeting, Commissioner Jim Renninger asked Tourism Director Kimberly Morgan why her department and tourism board are proposing to pay $170,000 to a kayak bass fishing promoter to bring a tournament to the area. The commissioner also said he wanted to … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS—Clay County Commissioners declared Oct. 2 to 8 as 4-H Week, adding that the organization has helped over 10,000 Clay County youth “become confident, independent, resilient, and compassionate leaders each year.” The proclamation, made during the commissioners’ Sept. 27 meeting, says 4-H is the country’s largest youth development organization … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— Clay County’s Elections Office said mail-in ballots for the Nov. 8 general election were to be mailed to voters on Thursday, Sept. 29. However, the office held off sending the ballots to voters until Monday, Oct. 3 because of Hurricane Ian. Earlier this month, the office sent 2,904 … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— The Clay County Sheriff’s office sent 18 deputies and four 911 operators from the county’s emergency operations center Friday morning bound for southwest Florida to help with recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian. Assistant Chief Scott Moreland told First Coast News reporter Leah Shields that the deployment will last … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— Clay County District Schools, along with the University of North Florida’s College of Education and Human Services and UNF’s College of Arts and Sciences have been awarded an over $7 Million partnership grant to address the critical teacher shortage and create equitable teaching outcomes for every student. According … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— During a special meeting on Monday, Sept. 26, the Keystone Heights City Council approved its 2022-2023 budget, adopted the county’s comprehensive emergency management plan and declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Ian continued to track toward the Lake Region. The millage rate for the 2022-2023 fiscal year … Read more
Recent arrests in Bradford, Union and Clay 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, … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— Mourners gathered at Highpoint Community Church in Middleburg Friday morning, Sept. 23 to celebrate the life of former Clay County Sheriff Dalton Bray who died on Sept. 13. Bray served as sheriff from 1989 to 1992 after working as an FBI special agent, FDLE supervisor and Orange Park … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— When Florida’s 10 regional planning councils were first established in the 1970s, their predominant purpose was to help counties and regions manage growth through land use planning and zoning regulation. Now, however, the missions of both the Northeast Florida Regional Council, based in Jacksonville and the North Central … Read more
