|

Holmes County school board approves personnel recommendations 

NAN [email protected] During a brief Holmes District School Board meeting on Sept. 26, the board approved an urgent status condition for hiring instructional personnel for the fiscal year 2023-2024.  Personnel recommendations were approved for Bonifay K-8 School, Ponce De Leon Elementary School, Holmes County High School, and Poplar High School.  Bonifay K-8: Hiring of April…

|

Esto Council declines townwide mosquito spraying services

Collin Breaux [email protected] Florida, including the Panhandle, is a place where trucks sometimes go around spraying mosquito repellent to ward off the buzzing nuisance. The Esto Town Council, however, is saying no to doing that in 2023. Councilmembers declined to go forward with townwide spraying during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Councilmember Garet…

HCHS Volleyball team raises funds for cancer patient
|

HCHS Volleyball team raises funds for cancer patient

DIANE M. [email protected] Each season, the Holmes County High School Lady Devils Volleyball team reaches out in the community and helps someone in need. This season, the team chose Dawn Draper who is battling cancer. Draper, a 1991 graduate of HCHS, was diagnosed with a rare low-grade ovarian cancer and in May underwent open abdomen…

| | | |

State to step up testing for deer disease

Jim Turner News Service of Florida Some deer killed during two popular hunting days in December must be tested for a contagious disease fatal to the animals as the state expands efforts to limit the spread of the disease. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on Tuesday, Sept. 19, that deer killed on…

| | |

Holmes County looks to pull out of 79 Corridor project

NAN [email protected] During the Sept. 19 meeting of the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners, District 1 Commissioner Jeff Good said that Washington County was in agreement with Holmes County relinquishing control of their interest of the 79 Corridor project to the City of Bonifay. At the 79 Corridor budget meeting on Sept. 13, in…

| |

OPINION | Reynolds: Sarah Segrest was an inspiration

For decades, Sarah Segrest taught seventh grade English and Holmes County French.  Mrs. Segrest was the first touch of culture that came into the young lives of us country kids just crossing the street from the old brick Bonifay Elementary School to the junior high wing at Holmes County High. She was the right combination…

Appeal denied in 2010 Holmes County murder case
| |

Appeal denied in 2010 Holmes County murder case

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously turned down an appeal by a Death Row inmate convicted of kidnapping a woman in Holmes County and murdering her in 2010. Inmate Johnny Mack Sketo Calhoun argued that the case had “newly discovered evidence” because of an alleged jailhouse confession by another man, according to Thursday’s ruling….

Chipley man arrested on multiple child porn charges
| |

Chipley man arrested on multiple child porn charges

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Jerry Raphael Pitts Jr., 18, of Chipley, on May 19. Pitts is charged with 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.   The case began last year when FDLE agents received a cybertip about a computer user uploading child sexual abuse material on…

Law enforcement lights the way for Special Olympics
| |

Law enforcement lights the way for Special Olympics

The 40th annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics made its way through Holmes and Washington Counties recently. There were several agencies represented including Holmes Correctional Institution, Northwest Florida Reception Center, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Chipley Police Department, Florida Department of Corrections Probation and Parole and members of Florida Panhandle Technical College’s Criminal Justice…

|

Holmes County EMS to take part in Hart HELPS project

Holmes County EMS was recently approved to take part in the Florida Department of Health Hart HELPS project. HELPS is an acronym for Helping Evolve Locally Provided Services project. Over the course of the next year, EMS will be tracking which calls they have responded to that refuse transport or do not need transport to…