Top Stories

Students arriving back to school in August will be greeted by some familiar faces, only at different schools. According to Superintendent Darryl Taylor, Jr., the changes will be discussed by the School Board at a meeting Thursday and are expected to be approved. [Full Story »] 

Retired Lt. Col. Ty Edwards, formerly of Blountstown, gave an inspirational speech at the Veterans Memorial Civic Center in Bristol Saturday at a ceremony following the Annual Walk For Liberty sponsored by American Legion Posts 172 and 272. The Lt. Col. was introduced by another local U. S. Army war veteran, Capt. Johann Van Lierop. [Full Story »] 

“Calhoun County is expected to receive $5,135,000 from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for the Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP). These funds may include, but are not limited to, repair and replacement of housing including manufactured homes, down payment assistance, and emergency repairs. [Full Story »] 

by Doug Bennett
Science writer/editor
University of Florida
UF Health Communications

Karen Wright worked her way through the small gathering outside her 4-month-old daughter’s room in pediatric intensive care. It seemed to her as if everyone at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital had come to witness this historic moment. [Full Story »] 

Carr School Principal Darryl Taylor, Jr. was called upon by the Calhoun County School Board before the school year ended to assume the role as interim Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Although he still helps when needed at Carr, he now faces the daily challenges of dealing with insurance and contractors to get the School District’s buildings ready for the next school year following the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael last October. [Full Story »] 

Many people in our community remember a time when International Harvester tractors were parked on the corner of Angle and North Main Streets in Blountstown, Florida. A few folks even remember the time when that property was a home to mules. Mules were brought in on the M&B railroad, unloaded, and marched down the street to the Anders’ stables. The mules were sold and traded to be used in farming, turpentine and timber operations and on local family homesteads. [Full Story »] 

Saving Downtown Blountstown, Inc., is in the process of purchasing the building located on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Pear Street in Blountstown. The property has a rich history and, when restored, will be a wonderful addition to the downtown area. Plans are for commercial rentals on the bottom floor and office space or apartments in the upstairs area. [Full Story »] 

by Blountstown Fire Chief
Ben Hall

On Saturday morning, a record 266 runners hit the Blountstown Greenway Bike Path to participate in the 8th Annual Catfish Crawl 5K to benefit the Blountstown Fire Department Scholarship Fund. Runners from all over the Southeast came to our small town to support our race and enjoy the festivities.
[Full Story »] 

A collection of businesspeople, city and county officials and various other residents and community leaders in the Opportunity Florida region recently returned from a trip to Mississippi to visit areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Opportunity Florida worked to put together the trip to observe how Mississippi was able to come back strong from the 2005 storm. [Full Story »] 

Senator Montford provided these comments with the legislative session in Tallahassee coming to a close, “Nearly seven months after the catastrophic category five hurricane washed over the panhandle the state legislature is ending session with a near $2 billion commitment to recovery. The state has been forced to step up and fund significant portions of the debris cleanup and even immediate infrastructure needs because the federal government has refused to act on a disaster relief package. Recovery from Hurricane Michael will be one of the most difficult challenges our community will face in the next century. For more than half of a year neighbors have relied on neighbors and friends have helped friends but federal support has been non-existent. My colleagues in the state legislature have ensured that the incredible needs do not go unmet, but with the scope and enormity of the problem, the state legislature can merely fill gaps, barely scratching the surface of what will likely end up being a decades long and tens of billions of dollars problem. During the legislative session I sponsored a resolution to urge the federal government to act, which the Senate passed unanimously. I plan to keep delivering that message to Washington, partisanship has to be set aside when it comes to the life and death decisions still being made every day. North Floridians deserve the immediate response from our federal government and nothing less.” [Full Story »] 

CALHOUN/JACKSON COUNTIES, FL - The North Florida Inland Long Term Recovery Group (NFI LTRG) Board of Directors announced Thursday that Kristy Terry will lead the organization as their executive director. [Full Story »] 

Panhandle farmers, timber owners, school systems, hospitals, businesses, and citizens are still suffering following last October’s category 5 Hurricane Michael. [Full Story »] 

On April 10, local students traveled to Disney’s Boardwalk Inn to spend the next three days representing Calhoun County in the statewide Commissioner’s Academic Challenge competition. Despite the challenges presented by Hurricane Michael, team members worked diligently to prepare for the battle against the top students across Florida, and placed 4th in the state. [Full Story »]