News Archive

At the Sept. 22 Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners meeting, engineering, surveying, planning and design firm Baskerville-Donovan Inc. presented findings regarding plans for a Santa Rosa County pool.

Plans for the Navarre Beach Boardwalk have been controversial since the project began. At the July 21 Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners Meeting, STOA Architects presented their boardwalk concept. This sparked concern among residents, and Navarre Beach Pier Manager Tamara Fountain spoke out at multiple meetings regarding the issue, stating that the county was wasting money, being careless and destroying Navarre.

Officers from the Milton Police Department arrested 18-year-old Francois Sims Jr. in connection with a shooting within Milton city limits. 

This week’s lineup features just one Board of County Commissioners meeting instead of two, with a Regular Meeting on October 9, 2025. Residents have several things to be interested in for this meeting, which includes a Medal of Honor Proclamation, the hiring of an Assistant County Attorney, the approval to move forward with the replacement of the old playground equipment at Benny Russell Park and the Navarre Beach Toll Rate Study Results from Jacobs Engineering.

The parents of Luca Kukuk, the 22-year-old Pace resident killed in a collision with a drunk driver on March 6, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Jay High School groundskeeper Kevin Dunning, 52, was arrested Monday, Sept. 22, by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office after an investigation revealed he sent inappropriate Facebook messages to a student. An administrator at Sims Middle is under investigation.

The University of West Florida earned its highest position to date the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best College rankings. It placed No. 6 among other Top Public Schools in the Regional South. With this, UWF spends a fourth consecutive year among the top 10 public institutions in the region.

Walmart has found a new home on Berryhill Road in Pace. Last Wednesday, Sept. 17, hundreds of area residents enjoyed taking part in the Pace Walmart Neighborhood Market’s grand opening festivities. The store is an addition to a rapidly growing community, with convenience being a major factor welcomed by residents.

The legal case against Kelly Short, the former educator and administrator who resigned from Santa Rosa County District Schools following an investigation into alleged mishandling and stealing of district funds, remains ongoing.

Pullum Commerce Park in East Milton is set to get three new warehouses as part of a planned development. The site, currently vacant, is on the north side of Technology Avenue.