BY DAN HILDEBRAN [email protected] When John Williams first walked into a Starke Rotary Club meeting in late 2022, he was simply there to give a presentation. As the newly appointed CEO of the Arc of Bradford County, he had been invited to speak to the club about his organization’s work with individuals with developmental disabilities.…

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] In correctly spelling the word “mythical,” sixth-grader Logan Scarberry of Lawtey Elementary School assured himself of a real victory at the Bradford County School District spelling bee, which was held Feb. 5 in the school board meeting room. The event, sponsored by the Bradford County Education Foundation and WJXT Channel 4…

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Nursing school is difficult enough, so why not try to limit the hardships outside of the classroom? A partnership between the Bradford County School District and Santa Fe College will result in North Florida Technical College being utilized for a Santa Fe Associate in Science in Nursing Bridge program. The program,…

    BY JENN SAMSEL [email protected] Concerned Citizens of Bradford County held its ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Service Award Banquet on Jan. 17 at the Gov. Charley E. Johns Conference Center in Bradford County. The event opened with a powerful speech from the guest speaker, the Hon. Tatum Davis, Bradford County…

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Sherry Houston, the vice president of Santa Fe College’s Office for Advancement as well as the executive director of Santa Fe Foundation Inc., spoke about how the school is meeting students’ needs in a variety of ways and at a variety of places at the Kiwanis Club of Starke’s Jan. 20…

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…

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…