opn

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Think of children’s lives as jigsaw puzzles. If pieces are missing, the picture is incomplete. Edrick Hamilton has been attempting to supply the missing pieces to young lives as part of hits 12G Mentoring program, which is celebrating its 10th year of existence. Hamilton hadn’t planned on creating a mentoring program, … Read more

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] A source of light. For Bradford County students every year, that’s exactly what Bradford Community for Schools’ Take Stock in Children is: a source of light. That light was especially bright in the 2024-25 school year as the Bradford program received Take Stock in Children’s Luminary Award. It was the Bradford … Read more

BY JENN SAMSEL [email protected]  Goblins, ghosts, witches, and pumpkins came alive as children and adults decked out in the most creative Halloween costumes filled the streets.  Everyone was excited to collect candy, trinkets, popcorn, and food, turning the festival into the one everyone looked forward to all year long.  The 29th annual Starke Great Pumpkin … Read more

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Bradford High School’s football team maintained the top spot in the Florida High School Athletic Association/MaxPreps power rankings for Region 2-2A and moved up in the rankings for Class 2A overall. Rankings, which take record and strength of schedule into account, are updated weekly and will be used to determine playoff … Read more

BY LISA HOLTZENDORF Special to the Telegraph-Times-Monitor Union County High School’s football team lost its third straight game as the Tigers lost 35-0 to visiting Hudson on Oct. 24. The Tigers (2-6) are riddled with injuries and were without several starters as the Cobras (3-6) dominated on both sides of the ball. Hudson struck early, … Read more

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] A lot of people received nice prizes at the annual Altrusa of Starke Gala, but only one won the best prize of all — Dorene Davis, who was announced as the $2,500 grand-prize winner at the Oct. 23 event at Starke’s Gov. Charley E. Johns Conference Center. Everyone who bought a … Read more

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Union County High School senior swimmer Eva Whitehead took her first official step in defending her state championship, qualifying for regional competition with her performance at the District 2-1A meet, which was hosted Oct. 21 by Jacksonville’s Episcopal School. Whitehead, who won the 200-yard individual medley state title last season, placed … Read more

BY CLIFF SMELLEY [email protected] Union County High School’s volleyball team had its season put to an end by Branford in the Region 3-Rural championship match for the third straight year, with the top seed Buccaneers defeating the third seed Tigers 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-14) on Oct. 28 in Branford. The Tigers (21-9) took an … Read more

BY MARK J. CRAWFORD [email protected] While there were a number of asks from local government and community groups at last week’s legislative delegation meeting, The Arc of Bradford County with members of The Arc of Florida presented Sen. Jennifer Bradley with their 2025 Legislative Champion Award.  Bradley cosponsored a bill that improved transparency at the … Read more