Report: victim lied about relationship with coach

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

State lawmakers hear from constituents

GREEN COVE SPRINGS— Clay County’s state lawmakers heard from local citizens during a Sept. 15 meeting at the county’s administration building.   Senator Jennifer Bradley, along with State Representatives Bobby Payne and Sam Garrison make up the Clay County delegation.  Bradley’s senate district covers all of 10 northeast Florida counties including Clay, Bradford and Union, in addition to a portion of Marion.  … Read more

Airport employee kept city hall open during COVID outbreak

BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor   KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— City Manager Lynn Rutkowski thanked a Keystone Heights Airport employee for keeping city hall’s doors open during an August COVID outbreak that swept through the municipality’s office staff. During the outbreak, in which three of city hall’s four employees were home sick, Morgan Bradley shuttled back and forth … Read more

Second Bradford coach arrested

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

Condon fights tax increase

BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor   GREEN COVE SPRINGS— County Commissioner Betsy Condon was the only Clay County Commissioner to vote against a half-mil, 10.8% property tax increase during a Sept. 14 meeting. Condon said that contrary to popular opinion, the entire tax increase is not for law enforcement and fire-rescue salaries.  “If the entire millage … Read more

Bradford sheriff fights to justify budget

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

Union turns 100!

BY TRACY LEE TATE Times Editor Next weekend, Sept 30-Oct 2, 2021, Union County will celebrate two milestones, all in one weekend. It will be the end of Homecoming Week for Union County High School.  After fun and games during the first part of the week-long event, students will gather at the football stadium on … Read more

Emergency management, fairgrounds agree on shelter

On Sept. 15, a memorandum of understanding was finalized between Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith, Bradford County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Chris Dougherty, Bradford County Fair Association President Warren Carver, and Bradford County Fair Association Manager Dale Woodruff regarding use of fair association facilities for emergency management activities.  In 2019, the fair association completed … Read more