Christian Coalition expresses disappointment with school board
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
The Wakulla County School Board followed the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools Rick Myhre and offered the county commission the opportunity to take the old Shadeville School property.
The school was most recently known as Wakulla Education Center, or WEC, where Pre-K classes were held.
Gala held
The Wakulla County Christian Coalition held its annual Arthur Andrews Scholarship Gala on Friday night, the traditional kickoff to a weekend of Black History activities. (Sgt. Andrews was a Wakulla veteran of the Vietnam War who was killed there.) Friday night’s gala honored clergy – from above left, Jocelyn Hayes accepted recognition on behalf of her father, Samuel Hayes, who was in the hospital and unable to attend; Elder Patrick White, center, and Damon Rich, with his wife Tamika, who was mistress of ceremonies for the gala. Damon Rich was also the keynote speaker for the night and spoke about identity, and who we are and who am I becoming? ‘Let God rename you,’ he said. And urged the audience to take time to slow down and listen. All these questions, he said, were the second most important questions to ask oneself. The most important, he said, was ‘do I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior?’ (Photos by William Snowden)
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By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
As we prepared to host an open house last week, I looked over at the conference table where a lot of food was laid out – too much food, it seemed to me at the time.
I was wrong.
A couple of hours later, all that food was gone.
Thanks to all the people who came out on Thursday evening for an Open House/Chamber After Hours event. It was an opportunity for us to say thanks to so many people in the community who have supported the newspaper over these four years.
There was a good crowd, good food and conversation.
The longtime War Eagle football coach wants to spend more time with family
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Scott Klees announced this week that he will retire as Wakulla War Eagle football coach.
Klees, who will still be teaching at the high school, said he wants to spend more time with his family.
Natosha Beard is charged with more than 30 counts of forging
tax returns, pocketing refunds
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
A woman working at the Crawfordville office of Jackson Hewitt was charged with more than 30 counts of preparing fraudulent tax returns for customers and pocketing the refunds.
Natosha Beard was charged in January 2025 with felony fraud. She was in court last week before Wakulla Circuit Judge Layne Smith who set her case for trial in November.
Deputy Don Newsome was charged with supplying information to then-commissioner Mike Kemp
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Wakulla Sheriff’s Deputy Don Newsome entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the state on Jan. 23 – meaning the felony charges against him will be dropped if he has no new law offenses.
As part of the deal, Newsome must also testify against former County Commissioner Mike Kemp, whose case is set for trial in March.
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Dozens of people were set up on Thursday to receive the incoming sea turtles – 25 had been cold-stunned by the icy temperatures and picked up from St. Joseph Bay in Gulf County and brought to Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea for treatment.
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By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Makena Glassner, an 8th grader at Riversprings Middle, won the district-wide spelling bee on Friday with the word “Catalyst.”
Runner-up is Siris McKenzie, an 8th grader at Wakulla Middle.