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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
