News Archive

Milton Chief of Police Jennifer Frank announced at the June 10 city council meeting that she had secured a grant of $18,800. The grant will be used for four MPD officers to attend a four-day, 27-hour course in New Mexico dedicated to train officers to respond to bombing incidents. The grant includes direct delivery of goods with no match required, meaning MPD will not have to pay out of pocket for the training.

Two of the three public hearing votes for additional taxing units failed by a 2-3 vote, with Commissioners Ray Eddington, Rhett Rowell and Bobby Burkett casting ‘no’ votes.

First on the hearing agenda was the Public Safety Municipal Services Taxing Unit, followed by Roads and Transportation MSTU, which is an additional millage on a homeowner’s property tax bill.

The saga around Pace Pharmacy continues. Levin Papantonio law firm has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pharmacy and individuals, Stephen Allen Burklow, Monique Burklow and David Barron Winkles, all of whom stand accused of trafficking prescription drugs. They were all arrested last month by Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office following a multiyear investigation.  Filed in a state court Friday, June 13, the case is being brought on behalf of Andrew Strickland, a 47-year-old Escambia County man who died from a fatal combination of controlled substances just days after filling prescriptions from Dr. Elaine Sharp at Pace Pharmacy.

Max Williams worked with the Santa Rosa County school district for 45 years.

For many, 1980 may not feel that long ago. Blondie’s “Call Me” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back” was the top grossing movie of the year. Shoulder pads, big hair, and acid wash jeans were trendy, and department stores like Macy’s and JC Penney still held shoppers in their grasp.

While Blackwater River State Park welcomes visitors, those same visitors often leave behind more than footprints.

Using a Guy Harvey Foundation grant, Santa Rosa County 4-H went onto the river earlier this month to help clean up trash and other man-made debris. The foundation enabled them to rent canoes from Adventures Unlimited.

A U.S. Airman assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing graduated from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Corporals Course at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, May 9, 2025.

Corporals Course is a professional military leadership program designed to equip participants with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to assume greater responsibility as noncommissioned officers.

The City of Milton is making a splash this Independence Day with Riverfest 2025, happening Friday, July 4, at the Riverwalk and Jernigan’s Landing along the Blackwater River.

This marks the first time the City of Milton is officially hosting the annual Riverfest event, which was previously managed by the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce.

An important meeting is being held tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. at the regular commissioners meeting at 6495 Caroline Street in the commissioners’ chambers. If you haven’t heard about it, please listen up. These public hearings were advertised by our county in Escambia County (Pensacola News Journal) – not Santa Rosa County. Under Florida Statute […]

As smoke engulfed a home’s garage on Holley Court in Navarre May 28, firefighters pulled a rottweiler out from the haze.

Thanks to a specialized mask on board Holley Navarre Fire District Engine 41, the animal was given oxygen, hauled off in an ambulance and able to be given treatment. The dog, named “Sydney,” has reportedly left St. Francis Animal Hospital after a multi-day stay.

Within the first half hour of the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners meeting, Chairman Kerry Smith made clear he wanted to remove a member of the zoning board. The member in question is Commissioner Ray Eddington’s District 4 representative, Gene Sullivan. Smith accused Sullivan of getting into a verbal altercation with a zoning applicant following the special zoning meeting of May 22.