Local News

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Ron DeSantis last week met the Capitol with sheriffs from 15 rural counties to discuss the methamphetamine epidemic which continues to plague the state’s rural populations. Franklin County Sheriff AJ Smith has spearheaded the creation of meth task force, and he led the meeting, which was joined by Gulf County Sheriff Mike…

Dunn rallies GOP to take back House EASTPOINT – It would not be an apt description to say U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn served up red meat in a fiery speech to a hungry Republican audience last week. Rather, the three-term congressman in the sprawling 2nd District, that encompasses all or part of 19 North Florida…

The gymnasium was filled to the rafters Friday evening, but it wasn’t to cheer on an athletic contest.  Rather, it was a pep rally for dedicated pupils, a spirit gathering for scholarship, as 62 members of the Class of 2021 strode across the stage to receive their diplomas from Franklin County High School. “The real…

 With little fanfare and unanimous support, the Franklin County commissioners voted May 18 to increase the lodging tax on short-term rentals from 2 to 3 percent. And they did it for three main reasons. Infrastructure, infrastructure and infrastructure. With a power to increase the tax based on a super-majority vote, and with a public hearing…

Following a series of three guided discussions online, led by volunteers from the FSU urban and regional planning department, a movement to transform St. George Island into the county’s third town is moving forward and could became a reality by the end of 2022. But it continues to face formidable challenges, not the least of…

There was a surprise waiting for Ted Mosteller and Sheryl Clouse at the offices of the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce on April 22, and it wasn’t additional work being asked of them. Although that’s what they thought it likely could be. “Ted, I need you at the office at 9:45 a.m.” Chamber Director John…

Alma Harris celebrates turning 100 When you’ve lived an entire century, and raised eight children, you have been treated to a lot of Mother’s Days. This Sunday, Alma Harris will mark another of them, 85 years after she was married, and 100 years after she was born April 14, 1921 to Annie and John Thomas…

A third fox has tested positive for rabies within the past week, underscoring the importance of the rabies alert that the Florida Department of Heath in Franklin County has issued for the next 60 days. No individuals were harmed or in direct contact with this most recent fox, which tested positive on Wednesday, and is…

Apalachicola city commissioners worked to come to terms Tuesday evening with Gov. Ron DeSantis order Monday to suspend all local-government coronavirus emergency orders. The governor signed a bill that makes permanent his ban on COVID-19 vaccine “passports” and limits the authority of cities and counties in future health-care crises. “My message is that the vaccines…