The Loop | July 23, 2026 | No. 8

From our desks at The Baker County Press...

Welcome back to The Loop, where Baker County is already talking back-to-school supplies. But we're also talking property tax math, dump hours, summer camps, and cursed jewelry.

You know, just another normal week.

This week: commissioners found out the Facebook comment section is much more crowded than the actual meeting room, the jail log stayed booked and busy, and Baker County kids got storytime, art camp, and a whole lot of “please don’t let summer end yet” energy.

Grab a cupcake and let’s get into it.

🏛 In The Loop

The dump hours drama went from online opinions to… an almost-empty room

Baker County had plenty to say online about possible dump hour changes.

At Monday night’s two-hour county workshop? Not so much in person.

Commissioners met to talk collection site hours, trailer rules, enforcement and long Sunday lines, but public attendance was light. Still, board members said they’d heard the message loud and clear from residents: don’t mess too much with the schedule.

Baker County's keyboard warriors sending a message

The outcome? Most collection site hours stay the same, including the popular Wednesday split shift — 6–10 a.m. and 4–8 p.m. — plus Saturday’s 8 a.m.–5 p.m. schedule.

One change commissioners did support: switching the Cuyler site from Monday to Tuesday so it matches the rest of the system.

The bigger issue may not be hours at all, but actually enforcing the rules across the board. Officials said the dump rules, signs and handouts don’t all match, and attendants have been put in awkward — sometimes threatening — situations when asking for ID or turning away improper loads. (Seriously, what a load of garbage)

Basically: the county wants clear rules, fewer confrontations and less “my cousin’s raggedy trailer full of mystery debris should totally count as household trash” energy.

Formal action was expected Tuesday, with more budget talk coming on solid waste needs like dumpsters, compactors and site capacity.

Read the full breakdown here

A Macclenny woman is accused of fraudulently receiving nearly $19,400 in public assistance after allegedly failing to report or underreporting more than $223,000 in self-employment income, according to a state financial crimes complaint.

Investigators allege the benefits included SNAP, Medicaid and temporary cash assistance. She faces public assistance fraud and theft allegations.

Aka 'Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program'

Other recent arrests and filings included controlled substance charges after traffic stops, an alleged vehicle theft involving a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox, DUI-related charges, failure-to-appear cases, contempt of court charges, probation violations and other felony and misdemeanor complaints.

A few of the cases were more serious, including a lewd or lascivious molestation charge involving a victim younger than 12 and a separate felony witness-tampering case filed in circuit court.

Here's the full roundup. As always: these are allegations unless and until proven in court.

Or, said another way: the jail log was busy, and now the court system has follow-up homework and probably...lots of paperwork.

Also on the radar

Property tax cuts could mean local budget math has to tighten UP

Baker County, the city of Macclenny AND local taxing districts are starting to game out what could happen if voters approve a proposed property tax amendment on the ballot this upcoming November.

The short of it? Homeowners could see bigger homestead exemptions on non-school property taxes, but local governments could also see major revenue drops.

New state estimates show the Baker County government, Macclenny, and independent special districts could collectively lose nearly $6.7 million a year by 2028, with losses projected to grow in later years.

The Baker County Hospital Authority is watching especially closely. Its members are leaning toward keeping the current tax rate for now, but documents reviewed at their July meeting showed future cuts could affect how much local tax support flows to Baker County Medical Services, which operates Fraser Memorial Hospital, Frank Wells Nursing Home, Dopson Family Medical Center and the rural health clinic.

Local officials say they’re preparing to work within whatever voters decide.

But here's the deal. November’s ballot could shape more than your tax bill. It could also shape future conversations about county services, hospital support, fees, budgets and what “do more with less” looks like when the spreadsheet starts sweating. It could mean higher prices in other places after all.

Lighten The Loop

Little artists, big garden energy

Baker County 4-H campers spent the week proving that art class and garden club can enjoy a crossover event.

During the Budding Artists day camp, kids explored horticulture and creativity through hands-on projects like topiaries, fairy and gnome gardens, pollinator “bug mugs,” beaded succulents, decorative pavers and reimagined mystery paintings.

So basically HGTV Junior: Garden Goblin Edition.

The camp used 4-H’s learn-by-doing approach to help kids connect with nature, insects, plants and different forms of art. They also visited the Harn Museum of Art in Gainesville, where Japanese gardens and multimedia pieces gave them inspiration for their final projects.

Posing with Florida's largest waterfall. (This is a joke, no one message us)

By the end of the week, campers had learned that creativity is not limited to paper, paintbrushes, or whatever is currently stuck to the kitchen table.

Sometimes it looks like plants, bugs, rocks, pavers, and a kid proudly explaining their masterpiece to anyone within a 10-foot radius.

A posh pup, a country canine and a local teacher turned author

Storytime at Emily Taber Library got super close to home with a local author's new book!

Dr. Nancy Nicole Rodgers-Mason, a longtime Baker County educator, read her new children’s book, “The Posh Pup & the Country Canine: Darcy-Jane’s Country Adventure,” to a group of kids and parents Tuesday morning.

The story was inspired by two real family dogs: Darcy-Jane, a pampered city pup, and Reilly, Rodgers-Mason’s easygoing country dog from Glen St. Mary.

Think The City Mouse and the Country Mouse, but with muddy paws, pasture vibes, and a Floridian twist.

The book follows two very different dogs who discover friendship, acceptance and the life-changing truth that sometimes the country dog ain't just a bumpkin.

Rodgers-Mason said the story grew from playful conversations with her sister more than 20 years ago, when city-dog Darcy-Jane would visit the country, and everyone wondered whether she’d survive the cows, goats, fleas and Reilly’s food bowl.

The adorable book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be found at The Baker Book Hive and Almost Sunday.

⚡ Loop Around Town

Park After Dark

Friday, July 31 | 8–9:30 p.m.
St. Mary's Shoals Park | 9315 Odis Yarborough Road, Glen St. Mary

St. Marys Shoals Park and The Sandhill Society is hosting Park After Dark for anyone who wants a little evening nature time that doesn't involve sweating buckets.

Bring bug spray, water, and the emotional readiness to hear one mysterious noise in the woods and immediately become a track star.

🚗 Worth the Drive

For those willing to venture outside county lines...

Sponsored Content

⚡ Loop Tea Loop

Aunt Florida and the cursed ring | Part 2

When we last left Aunt Florida, she had gone from Baker County to New York City, married a French gambling-house owner, and received a mysterious double-diamond ring that had been found on the carpet after a night of gaming.

You know... normal family stuff.

Then her husband, Leon David, got sick. A woman named Rosie arrived claiming to be his sister and helped care for him.

Sweet, right? Except Rosie was not his sister. She was his wife.

Leon admitted he had committed bigamy, and according to family lore, what money his illness had not eaten up went toward paying Rosie off. Florida and Leon later married legally in an Episcopal ceremony, but he died not long after.

And the ring? Still there. Obviously. Cursed jewelry doesn't exit politely.

Florida later married David Knapp, a German immigrant this time, but her fortunes kept slipping. Near the end of her life, she was pawning jewelry — and it included the double-diamond ring.

After she died in New York in the 1920s, her family found pawn tickets among her belongings. Her niece, Aunt Ollie, made the trip north and came back with the ring. (WHY, Aunt Ollie, WHY!)

That’s when things got... complicated.

Aunt Maime claimed the ring was hers because of an earlier agreement she'd had with Florida. Aunt Ollie argued she had made the trips to New York and handled Florida’s final affairs. Their father had the last word... and sided with Maime.

Cue nearly 30 years of sisterly silence, cold shoulders and inheritance-level resentment.

Maime wore the ring, but reportedly turned the diamonds inward whenever Ollie’s children or grandchildren were around.

One family member said if he ever got the ring, he would drive to Ocean Pond, walk to the end of the pier and “chunk that thing” as far as he could.

[Chat: Is this the official Baker County cursed-object disposal policy?]

The ring kept showing up around family tension for decades — more illness, more accusations, more arguments over who should get it next.

... on second thought, maybe not.

Then came the final little twist: the ring was eventually appraised and found to be worth far less than everyone thought. The stones were poor quality and flawed.

So was it cursed? Maybe.

Or maybe, as Gene Barber suggested, something believed to be valuable simply “dug in and drew out the worst” in everyone connected to it.

Alright folks, that wraps it up!! Got thoughts? Stories? Feedback? Shoot it to me at sales@bakercountypress.com. Go ahead, I can take it.