News Archive

Santa Rosa County residents with storm damage still cannot apply for federal disaster aid nearly a week after Hurricane Isaias made landfall.

Santa Rosa County and its residents stand to receive federal funds for Hurricane Isaias recovery under a disaster declaration request the state filed with the Trump administration, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Oct. 16 in Milton.

Hurricane Isaias will dominate the Oct. 20 Santa Rosa County Commission meeting.

Unlike past weeks, this upcoming week will only feature a regular meeting on Tuesday at the Santa Rosa County Administration Building in Milton at 8:30 a.m.

Here are three things you need to know:

A week after Hurricane Isaias, Milton is finding broken gas and water lines as city officials are still in emergency response mode, Mayor Heather Lindsay said Oct. 16.

A group of about 15 volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse helped clear Linda Farr’s backyard in Milton on Oct. 15.

Early voting for the 2026 general election in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties will begin Monday, Oct. 19, as scheduled.

According to Tappie Villane, the supervisor of elections for Santa Rosa County, and Paul Lux, the supervisor of elections for Okaloosa County, Hurricane Isaias didn’t significantly impact their offices and there have been no major delays in getting things ready for early voting.

Residents and businesses in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties have had their IRS tax deadlines pushed back until February due to Hurricane Isaias.

Santa Rosa County began hauling away nearly 2 million cubic yards of vegetative debris left by Hurricane Isaias on Oct. 14, a job county officials say will take four to six weeks.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Oct. 13 that the state “never mandated” a reopening date for Santa Rosa County schools after Hurricane Isaias, a day after Superintendent Karen Barber said the state directed them to reopen Oct. 14.

With Santa Rosa County in cleanup mode following Hurricane Isaias, the Department of Health-Santa Rosa is offering a free tetanus shot clinic Thursday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its office at 5527 Stewart St.