I thoroughly enjoyed the recent article written by Judge Thomas. It brought back a flood of memories of my many conversations with Don. Before getting to a few of the more humorous stories, I want to share some political ones.

The Cottondale Hornets opened their week on a big stage, earning a 51–46 win over the Holmes County Blue Devils.

There are five school board and county offices up for election this year and four of those offices have candidates pre-filed to run.

Friday afternoon, a loaded log truck was passing through Cottondale on Highway 90 when the driver realized his logs were on fire.

The second week of January is a quieter place.

The Marianna and Malone girls’ basketball teams had the opportunity to compete on a bigger stage as part of the Jackson County Optimist Shootout, an event that gave local teams the chance to play in a large arena setting, the Milton H. Johnson Center.

The Wharf Restaurant on Highway 90 East in Marianna is preparing for a major expansion.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia affect millions of people worldwide, and with no known cure, prevention has become a major focus of research.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026 marked an extraordinary moment for Jackson County Fire Rescue. The department was named the 2025 Rural EMS Provider of the Year for the State of Florida, an honor presented by Florida Health during its Excellence in Emergency Medical Services Awards Ceremony.

It was standing room only Tuesday night at the Marianna City Commission meeting as the public gathered to express their concerns over a possible development on Bumpnose Road.