The Graceville News

10/06/2025

These two photos still need to be identified! Do you know who last week's "Do You Know Me" photos are of? Send your answers to our Facebook Messenger or email [email protected]
**Please make sure to state where the individual you are identifying is at in the photo.**

10/04/2025

September finished with the annual Jacob City Day Celebration! Pick up this week's The Graceville News for more pictures from this wonderfully fun event!

10/04/2025

10/04/2025

Friends of the Graceville Branch Library recently hosted several classes from Graceville School at the Graceville Public Library. Pick up this week's The Graceville News for more pictures from this educational field trip!

10/04/2025

Lots Of Events Happening At Graceville First Assembly!

10/04/2025

September was a busy month! Make sure to pick up this week's paper for more pictures of the 2025 Two-Toed Tom Festival in Esto!

10/04/2025

Spread the word: Peanut Butter Challenge kicked off Sept. 29

Start Giving Season early this year by participating in UF/IFAS Extension’s Peanut Butter Challenge this October. Jackson County is participating again this year.The friendly competition among counties asks community members to bring a jar of peanut butter to their local Extension office by Oct. 31, after which the totals will be counted and bragging rights awarded to the counties that collect the most. The donations are given to local food pantries, backpack programs and other partners in the fight against food insecurity.
“Last year, youth and adults in Jackson County donated over 1,400 pounds of peanut butter to help their neighbors. The support for this collection each year is incredible and helps so many families in our community. This year’s donations will be going to Backpacks for Kids – Jackson County, Inc. and Innovative Charities of Northwest Florida, Inc.,” said Terri Keith, UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and Peanut Butter Challenge coordinator.
The UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County office, located at 2741 Penn Avenue, Suite 3, Marianna, will be collecting donations of unopened, unexpired peanut butter jars of any size. Other community partners already signed on to accept donations include:
• Graceville Piggly Wiggly, 5355 Cotton Street, Graceville
• Greenwood Supermarket, 4185 Bryan Street, Greenwood
• Jackson County TIMES, 2866 Madison Street, Marianna
• McCoy’s Outdoors, 2823 Jefferson Street, Marianna
• McDaniel’s Piggly Wiggly, 8166 US Hwy 90, Sneads
• Spanish Trail Farms Storefront, 2019 Porter Avenue, Grand Ridge
In addition to its nutritional value and long shelf life, peanut butter was originally selected as the donation item as a way to highlight Florida’s peanut production. Peanuts, especially those grown for peanut butter, are a major crop in Florida, contributing $149 million to the state’s economy in 2024.
The Annual Peanut Butter Challenge began in Florida’s Panhandle counties in 2012 and spread statewide in 2020.
“It’s always heartwarming to hear the stories of community involvement,” said Jennifer Bearden, UF/IFAS Extension Okaloosa County agriculture agent and co-organizer of the 2023 event. “This event has always relied on community support, and the competition between counties is all with a positive message at its heart.”
Partnerships are also welcomed, with organic competitions often springing up in schools, clubs, office buildings and the like. Contact the Jackson County office to get connected at 850-482-9620.
For more information about how to participate, visit sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/peanutbutter.

10/04/2025

On September 23, 2025, the Jackson County Board of County Commissioners held a Regular Meeting. This is a recap of some of the reports and requests included in that meeting. A request for Adoption of Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida Proclamation was made. The Board adopted a proclamatio...

10/04/2025

The Graceville City Commission unanimously approved both the 2025–2026 operating budget and millage resolution during its September 22 budget hearing, finalizing months of discussion and review. The meeting opened with a review of the city’s ad valorem tax calculations. City Manager Michelle Wat...

10/04/2025

Graceville Native Carol Ricks Returns Home for Book Signing of Rumpled Brown Bag

The Circle Grill was filled with family, friends, and book lovers on Sunday, September 22, as Graceville native Carol Ricks returned to her hometown for a special signing of her latest book, Rumpled Brown Bag.
The event, held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., gave residents an opportunity to reconnect with Ricks, who shared stories about her writing journey and offered personal inscriptions inside each copy. For many in attendance, the afternoon was not just about celebrating a book release, but about welcoming home one of their own.
Ricks spoke warmly of her Graceville roots, noting that the lessons she learned growing up in the community continue to inspire her storytelling. “Graceville shaped who I am,” she told attendees, reflecting on how the values of family, faith, and perseverance find their way into her writing.
Her book, Rumpled Brown Bag, tells a heartfelt story that uses the simple image of a brown bag as a metaphor for life’s hardships and resilience. The novel follows a family through trials and triumphs, weaving themes of love, hope, and faith into a moving narrative.
Rumpled Brown Bag has been well received since its release, drawing positive reviews from readers and critics alike:
• “A beautifully written reminder that our scars and struggles don’t define us, but refine us. Carol Ricks brings small-town life to the page with authenticity and heart.” — Southern Book Review
• “Ricks’s writing is both simple and profound, a rare balance that makes her book accessible to a wide audience while still offering depth and insight.” — Faith & Family Reads
• “Readers will laugh, cry, and reflect on their own journeys as they follow the story. The ‘rumpled bag’ becomes a powerful metaphor for life’s trials and triumphs.” — Goodreads Reader Review
Though the event has passed, Rumpled Brown Bag remains widely available for purchase at most major bookstores and through popular online retailers.
The Graceville signing was more than just a literary occasion — it was a community reunion. Neighbors embraced, stories were shared, and Carol Ricks was reminded that no matter where life’s journey takes her, Graceville will always be home.