By WILLIAM SNOWDEN Editor

The three candidates for the district 4 seat on the county commission appeared at a candidate forum on Thursday.

Republican Carrie Hughes, Democrat Beverly Keister and independent Patricia Dyszer were at the forum, held at the Chamber of Commerce offices in the old courthouse, hosted by The Wakulla Sun.

The three candidates were all in agreement that the county commission has allowed too much growth and lost touch with citizens.

Hughes has worked in growth management with the City of Tallahassee for years.

Keister is a certified public accountant who has worked at several firms, including in Atlanta.

Dyszer was a flight attendant for several years, who said she felt a calling from God to run for office and serve the county.

One question asked if the candidates believe Wakulla has been negatively impacted by overdevelopment and, if so, what they would do to slow down growth. Or if they believe overdevelopment

Dyszer said the overdevelopment is obvious in infrastructure needs and traffic issues. “So I would slow the development down right now until we get our problems corrected.”

Hughes said she also believed there are problems with overdevelopment and pointed to traffic on 319. She also pointed to a person appearing at a county commission meeting talking about the “potential for flooding another home with some of the stuff we’re doing” – apparently referring to former Commissioner Chuck Hess speaking during the Citizens to Be Heard about a home site on Emmett Whaley Road that has brought in loads of fill dirt to fill a low-lying area where water goes during heavy rain events. Hess warned the activity could cause flooding of neighboring homes.

Hughes said the problem isn’t growth, but growth without a better plan than what the county currently has in place.

Keister agreed that the county has been negatively impacted by growth. She said the county comp plan should be followed with the goal of keeping the county as beautiful as possible.

Asked about what represents responsible growth, Hughes said the comp plan needs to be followed, but “every time you turn around there’s another comp plan amendment and we’re moving the boundary of where the urban area is.”

Keister said the strength of the county was small business and she would focus her efforts at attracting businesses that would offer jobs.

Dyszer said she would work to preserve the way the county is now.

Asked who should pay for the cost of additional services from growth, Keister responded that developers should pay.

“Developers need tobe prepared to pay their fair share” for development, Keister said.

Dyszer said as developers are making profits, they should bear the costs of services.

“Right now, everything’s on the taxpayer,” Hughes said.

All three indicated support of imposing impact fees on development.

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Dyszer said she would work to preserve the way the county is now.

Asked who should pay for the cost of additional services from growth, Keister responded that developers should pay.

“Developers need to be prepared to pay their fair share” for development, Keister said.

Dyszer said as developers are making profits, they should bear the costs of services.

“Right now, everything’s on the taxpayer,” Hughes said.

All three indicated support of imposing impact fees on development.

Wakulla County Commissioners voted unanimously last week to prohibit data centers in the county.

At the meeting on Monday, Sept. 21, Commissioner Fred Nichols made the motion to approve the change, and Commissioner Valerie Russell seconded. It was Russell who initially brought the issue of preventing data centers from being built locally, citing the high use of electricity and potential contamination of Wakulla Springs or the aquifer in general due to heavy water usage.

Officially, the language is the county’s Land Development Code to prohibit data centers within the unincorporated areas of the county.

Citizens backed the commission chambers at a meeting back in June when the issue was first discussed in support of a ban.

Wakulla joins Jackson County in prohibiting the centers, as other counties – including Citrus, Hernando, Nassau and Pasco counties – are adopting moratoriums.

By LINDA ANN McDONALD Correspondent

Born from front porch creativity and back woods wonder, Sammy Tedder’s “River Obscura: Secrets of a Blackwater River, Episode Two,” is a documentary that proves how dark water keeps a world alive.

The ecological, educational documentary is both directed, narrated, and musically composed and performed by Sopchoppy musician, photographer, and naturalist Sammy Tedder.

The film will be shown at the Imax Theater at the Tallahassee Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 9th at 2:30 p.m. and a second showing will be held at the Sopchoppy Theater on Saturday, Nov. 14th at 7:30 p.m.

There will be a question-and-answer session as well as a meet and greet at the events

The sequel surpasses the original by continually capturing the ecological importance and raw, unadulterated beauty of the Sopchoppy River from underwater.

Accessing the river by canoe, Tedder captures and collects footage by using an underwater GoPro. The film is also accompanied by drone footage and high-definition video camera cinema.

This film celebrates Sopchoppy’s soul and the untamed beauty that makes this ecological piece of the Forida panhandle unforgettable.

“This is something I have wanted to do and have worked on for over 20 years, and it is finally happening!” Tedder said.

“This film is different because (this time) I focused more on the native plants – especially the flowering native wildflowers in the spring/summer season. There are more butterflies and moths from my collection of footage of them, and I went a step further and highlighted the beautiful, different colors and shapes of each, and I want to share it with the audience.”

With this film, Tedder said, “I am walking the fine line of balancing information and science with images and music that fit.”

“The experience filming is that you’re out there – you try to put yourself in the right place and when you capture that great shot, you feel really good about it. Even with a wildflower, sometimes I think, ‘I can’t believe I’m seeing this!’ And to be out there and living it is what it’s all about.”

“I am fortunate that I live on the river and there are few entry points to it, so it makes the film more special because I can share it with others that can’t get there.”

Tedder continued with, “I am promoting animal, plant, and environment identification for education, pleasure and for folks to understand the importance of ecology. This is not a strictly scientific film; however, it is a hybrid, it is between an inspiration and nature film; I want to bring the audience into the river itself.”

In the film, Tedder also projects the beauty of the night sky with stars moving through the sky without light pollution. “There is even footage of Aurora Borealis in Sopchoppy.” Aurora Borealis is frequently referred to as “northern lights”.

Promoting environmental and ecological awareness, Tedder said, “Between the first and second film, I have seen three houses have been built out here. I want to show the beauty of the land so the newcomers will be inspired to protect, nurture and respect its raw essence.”

Tedder said, “It is amazing to capture footage such as mullet in the river twelve miles from the Gulf in April, and the reproductive behaviors of both gar fish and Florida cottonmouths.”

Tedder would like to thank his neighbor Matt Morgan for the aerial assistance in the film and his wife, Sandy, for some of the videography and helping him find critters and telling him to grab my camera.

Sandy Tedder is long time volunteer of the Sarracenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society in Wakulla.

From Front Page

Aurora Borealis is frequently referred to as “northern lights.”

Promoting environmental and ecological awareness, Tedder said, “Between the first and second film, I have seen three houses have been built out here. I want to show the beauty of the land so the newcomers will be inspired to protect, nurture and respect its raw essence.”

Tedder said, “It is amazing to capture footage such as mullet in the river twelve miles from the Gulf in April, and the reproductive behaviors of both gar fish and Florida cottonmouths.”

Tedder would like to thank his neighbor Matt Morgan for the aerial assistance in the film and his wife, Sandy, for some of the videography and helping him find critters and telling him to grab his camera.

Sandy Tedder is long time volunteer of the Sarracenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society in Wakulla.

Wakulla County commissioners unanimously approved the 2026-27 millage and budget at their budget hearing on Monday, Sept. 21.

The final millage rate was set at 7.7 mills, a property tax rate of $7.7 per $1,000 of property value. A home assessed at a value of $100,000 would pay $770 in county taxes before the $50,000 Homestead Exemption is figured in.

The county budget anticipates revenues of some $19.3 million from the property tax levy – that’s of the total county budget of more than $245 million. Tens of millions of the budget comes from grant revenue from the state, especially for septic-to-sewer projects in the Wakulla Gardens/Magnolia Gardens area, and improvements to the county’s wastewater treatment plant.

It was noted that the budget was approved without any cuts to services for animal services or recreation park or other services.

As the county has worked out potential contingency plans for dealing with the expected budget impacts of Amendment 3, the constitutional amendment to increase Homestead Exemption to $150,000 and then $200,000. It is expected to cut funding for Wakulla County government by $8 million.

A staff plan suggested cutting numerous services if the amendment passes.

Students at Riversprings Middle School recently had the extraordinary opportunity to step beyond the pages of their history textbooks when the school participated in Founding Voices, a special educational program presented through the Institute for Governance and Civics at Florida State University.

Rather than simply reading about the people who helped shape the early United States, Riversprings students had the chance to meet them face-to-face – or at least remarkably convincing historical portrayals of them. Performers from American Historical Theater brought Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson to life in an engaging, one-hour presentation.
The program explored the fascinating correspondence and contrasting perspectives of Adams and Jefferson, including the roles and expectations of men and women in the 18th century, differences between the northern and southern states, and the developing political disagreements of America’s founding era.
For Riversprings students, it was history in a very different form: interactive, personal, and memorable. Instead of asking students simply to memorize names and dates, the program gave them an opportunity to listen to historical perspectives, consider differing viewpoints, and experience the past in a way that made the founding era feel much more immediate.
This opportunity reflected Riversprings Middle School’s commitment to providing students with meaningful, engaging experiences that bring classroom learning to life.

• Sydney Andrews graduates from Florida State
  Sydney Andrews earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from The Florida State University. Sydney is a 2023 Wakulla Christian School graduate
  Proud parents are Alan and Amy Andrews.
• Brandie Seber graduates from Valdosta State University

Brandie Seber of Crawfordville, Florida, has earned the Bachelor of Science in Biology from Valdosta State University.
More than 600 students, including Seber, achieved their academic goals and graduated from VSU at the end of Summer 2026.

• SNHU announces summer 2026 President’s List

It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University congratulates the following students on being named to the Summer 2026 President’s List. The summer terms run from May to August.
Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term.
Jaisha Rebollo of Crawfordville
Hunter Sanford of Crawfordville
Tiffany Trudell of Crawfordville
Tenekia Wiggins of Crawfordville

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

The game was a tale of two halves – in the first half, the Suwannee Bulldogs controlled the pace of the game and went in a halftime up 7-6 over the Wakulla War Eagles.
In the second half, the War Eagles came out and dominated their district rival – the defense swarmed and pressured the Bulldog quarterback, and the offense sccored 31 points to improve to 5-1 (1-0 in district play).
Head Coach Derek Allen Jr. credited the Bulldogs with controlling the lock in the first half, with the War Eagles only having four possessions. Wakulla got to the goal line early in the game but only scored once.
Even with the win, Allen said he wasn’t satisfied, saying he felt his team was better than the Bulldogs that 37-7 should have been the score in the first half.
Overall Player of the Week Demarkus Roberts had a great game: three interceptions on defense and a touchdown reception. Roberts is tied for the most interceptions in the state with six.
Offensive Player of the Week Armon Lindsey rushed for two touchdowns.
Defensive Player of the Week Antonio Harvey had a terrific game as defensive end, constantly pressuring the quarterback and coming up with a number of sacks.

On Special Teams, Ced Hicks was Player of the Week with a blocked punt.
Other standouts included quarterback Jaylen Jones who was 5 of 6 passing for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Danny Godbolt had seven carries for 137 yards.
And the War Eagle running game had 41 carries for 367 yards.
Suwannee scored its only points midway through the first quarter on a tipped pass that the receiver caught and went in for the touchdown. Extra point put the Bulldogs up 7-0.
Wakulla came back with a drive down to the Suwannee 4 and then Bryce Manning took it in from there. The War Eagles went for 2 but came up short.
The second quarter was scoreless, but Demarkus Roberts got his first pick of the game on a trick play by the Bulldogs, quarterback backwards toss to halfback for a pass: the Bulldog receiver looked open, but Roberts has outstanding closing speed and made the catch with the ball against his helmet.
Halftime: Suwannee 7, Wakulla 6.
Suwannee took the second half kickoff out to their 25, but then the Wakulla defense got tough and the Bulldogs were going backwards. Punt blocked by Ced Hicks, Wakulla ball at 20.
Roberts makes a great catch in the back of the end zone. Extra point puts Wakulla up 13-7.
Later in the third quarter, Roberts makes his second pick: a one-handed spinning catch.
On Suwannee’s next possession, quarterback under pressure in the end zone, throws ball away and is called for intentional grounding – which makes it a safety. Wakulla 15-7.
Jaylen Jones has a 30-yard run plus a penalty for horse collar puts the ball at the Suwannee 25. Armon Lindsey takes it to the 2, and next play in for the score. Wakulla 22-7.
In the 4th, QB Jones connected to Ryheem Moore with a toe-tap catch for a score. Go for 2. Wakulla 30-7.
Next series, Roberts comes down with his third pick on a tipped pass.
That led to an Armon Lindsey 35-yard run for a score. Final: Wakulla 37-7.

UP NEXT:
HAWTHORNE
HORNETS

The Hawthorne Hornets are 6-0 and were state champs last year. Coach Allen says they’re like Wakulla in that they’re tough, physical and play the same defense as the War Eagles.
They haven’t lost a home game since 2019.
The biggest thing for the War Eagles is not to turn the ball over. The Hornets are opportunistic and capitalize on other teams’ mistakes.