Facing a decade in prison, Milton father Sean Hollonbeck went to trial Tuesday, Aug. 25, in Santa Rosa County. Hollonbeck was ultimately acquitted on charges of false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The charges were related to a 2024 incident in which Hollonbeck held an Uber driver at gun-point. Throughout his time facing the charges, Hollonbeck maintained he acted as any parent would under the circumstances.
Alligator hunting season in Florida began Aug. 15 at midnight. Within just a few hours, what will likely be one of the biggest gators of the season was caught on the Yellow River in Santa Rosa County.
This July, Stuff the Bus, the annual donations drive organized by United Way of West Florida, brought together Escambia and Santa Rosa County residents to support local schools and students for the 2025-26 school year.
It’s a busy day at Benny Russell Park, as it should be on a warm, beautiful Sunday afternoon, just a day before children begin the school year. The park is loud, filled not just with the laughter and joy of children but also music as a speaker serenades the crowd with Christian music. There are inflatables set up in the open area past the park’s splash pad. Teenagers are tossing a football back and forth. Children are chowing down on burgers and hot dogs and families are lounging in the shade under large white canopies.
The City of Milton has released its Bands on the Blackwater schedule. Bands on the Blackwater will present free, live music along Blackwater River every Friday night from August 29 to October 24, 7-9 p.m.
Distinguished University of West Florida biology professor Dr. Wade Jeffrey has earned global recognition with a ranking by ScholarGPS. The academic ranking platform named Jeffrey a “Highly Ranked Scholar,” placing him in the top .05% worldwide in the field of life sciences. Scholars are recognized for their significant contributions to research, as measured by publication count, citations and h-index.
For some car owners, owning a Jeep would be like owning any other car. For die-hard Jeep lovers, it’s a little bit different. That’s where Santa Rosa Jeeps comes in. The car club, a collective for owners of Jeep Wranglers in Santa Rosa County, was created to show off members’ Jeeps and help the community at the same time. On July 12, the group did just that, putting on a show-and-shine car show with proceeds from the event going to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The Milton Police Department kicked off their Operation Safety Cone program in style on July 16 with a sweet treat at The Sweet Greek’s new location in Milton. Operation Safety Cone is a new type of enforcement the MPD will be rolling out this summer, during which officers will be on the lookout for children demonstrating positive behaviors in the community, like crossing the street safely, wearing bike helmets, helping others in the community and picking up litter. If a child is spotted demonstrating good behaviors, officers will present them with a ticket to get a free ice cream cone from The Sweet Greek.
Roughly 34 people in the US die every day due to drunk driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. On March 6, community member Luca Kukuk was one of those 34, killed after being hit head-on by an alleged drunk driver. During the Market of Pace’s third anniversary the market took time to honor the late Kukuk’s memory the week of his 23rd birthday.
Santa Rosa County Animal Services (SRCAS) is proudly joining forces with Petco Love, a national non-profit working to lead and inspire change for animals, and animal welfare groups across the state of Florida on a shared mission to find homes for 2,000 dogs and cats in shelters. The Petco Love Florida MEGA Pet Adoption Event will take place June 27-29 in Petco pet care centers and local animal shelters.
