Hailey Waldo editor@riverbendnews.org Florida agricultural producers impacted by the winter 2026 freeze events are being asked to participate in a rapid damage assessment survey, led by the University of Florida’s Institute of…
Category: Community News
Mayo resident Helen Haigh turns 100
Jason Futch reporter2@riverbendnews.org Mayo has a new centenarian within its ranks! Helen Haigh celebrated her 100th birthday at Lafayette Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Monday, Feb. 9, a milestone that brought generations…
BBQ dinner fundraiser supports Reed family
Christian Peterson reporter@riverbendnews.org Last month, Mayo residents Corey and Amanda Reed lost their son in a car accident. As the family mourned, the community rallied around them to offer support. Working together, the community hosted multiple fundraising meals to help cover expenses associated with laying their son to…
National FFA Week is around the corner
Christian Peterson reporter@riverbendnews.org The Future Farmers of America (FFA) is an active and popular organization in the Suwannee Valley area. Many students across local high schools are members and participate in a wide range of activities. On top of all…
Live Oak Elks Lodge uses $4k grant to assist 589 residents
Lori Watson Contributor Live Oak Elks Lodge #1165 is pleased to announce that it used a $4,000 Beacon Grant to prepare 110 Christmas food baskets, each filled with non-perishable items and a…
Lafayette County Toxic Round-Up event collects hazardous waste
Alachua County Household Hazardous Waste Department Contributor The Alachua County Household Hazardous Waste Department, in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Lafayette County Commission, will sponsor a FREE…
Keep your pivot in shape to conserve water and protect yields
Raymond Balaguer Contributor Center pivot irrigation systems are a major investment, and when they aren’t working properly, the costs can add up fast. Worn nozzles, pressure problems, clogged sprinklers or misaligned towers…
Hamilton County UF/IFAS Extension to host Lunch & Learn program on heart health
Danny Federico editor@riverbendnews.org The Hamilton County UF/IFAS Extension will host a Lunch & Learn program focused on heart health on Friday, Feb. 27, in Jasper. The program will feature an interactive class…
Hamilton County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Coalition to host golf tournament
Danny Federico editor@riverbendnews.org The Hamilton County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Coalition (HCAODPC) will host its 17th Annual Golf Tournament on Friday, March 27. The tournament will take place at Francis Lake…
Taylor County collision kills Branford woman, injures two others
Jason Futch Reporter2@riverbendnews.org A crash in Taylor County on Friday, Feb. 13, resulted in the death of a Branford woman, while a Branford man and a Perry man were taken to…
Fleming appointed to serve as District 2 Suwannee County Commissioner
Jason Futch Reporter2@riverbendnews.org On Friday, Feb. 13, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Clyde Fleming to serve on the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners, representing District 2. The appointment follows…
A sad course of events
I am continually stunned by the crimes committed against the working class and the elderly. Let me be clear: all crime is atrocious. But there is a particular cruelty in targeting those…
Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary Micro Pet Food Pantries installed throughout region
Jason Futch Reporter2@riverbendnews.org The Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary has been installing Micro Pet Food Pantries through its Suwannee Animal Ambassadors, Volunteers and Educators (S.A.V.E.) program. The sanctuary has provided a regional…
Florida Run for the Fallen visits Suwannee County
Jason Futch Reporter2@riverbendnews.org All gave some, and some gave all. For those who gave their all, the men and women with the Florida Run for the Fallen remembered them as they…
Two Branford superstars earn Florida Dairy Farmers awards
Christian Peterson reporter@riverbendnews.org Florida is an agriculturally based state, a fact that is especially evident in North Central Florida. One of the region’s most prominent industries is dairy farming, and many local farmers have come together to form the Florida Dairy Farmers organization. While the importance…
Filling storefronts
Katherine Allen Contributor Economic development and downtown revitalization are not new concepts to our community. Just ask Lee Harvard or Brantley Helvenston. They were part of the Pride in Action group that,…
February is Heart Health Month
Kim Griffin Contributor February is American Heart Health Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and encourage habits that protect our hearts. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death…