The men at the center of the controversial killing of a Milton-area alligator in March have entered into a pretrial diversion (PTD) contract. If the men complete the court-ordered tasks, their charges could be dismissed.

Kevin Lacz, Richard Reder and Jason Griffin are accused of illegally removing an 8.5-foot alligator from a retention pond in Milton and bringing the live alligator to a residence, where it was killed with a power drill. Lacz had previously been a SNAP trapper.

Another sea turtle nesting season has come and gone. This year, there were 17 total nests on Navarre Beach, with an estimated 1,700 eggs in total. All were loggerhead sea turtles.

While it was a relatively high number of nests compared to recent years, the promising season turned sour in July. A series of storms inundated 13 nests with water, in essence destroying them. Hatchlings breathe through their porous shells before emerging and crawling to the sea.

Thirteen nonprofits serving Northwest Florida are celebrating after they each received $101,000 from a local organization.

The funds came from IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, a women’s philanthropy group that collects donations and distributes them to nonprofits each year through grants. Most of the organization’s money comes from its members, each of whom pays $1,000 annually.

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.

On Oct. 17, from 3 to 5 p.m., Spirit Stables in East Milton will host a “Wild West Hoedown” to support Horse Healing, a nonprofit connecting people with equine therapy resources.

The hoedown will include face painting, kids crafts, a feeding station, hayrides, a chili competition and games for children. There will also be a “jailhouse” where you can lock up friends and family. While the event is free to attend, the activities are ticketed.

Another bear hunt is in the works for December.

Last year, a bear hunt was held in four specified hunting zones. The zones were within four of the seven Bear Management Units across the state. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which approved and regulated the hunt, approximately 52 black bears were harvested, or killed.

One of the men vying to be the next governor of Florida stopped by Fort Walton Beach Wednesday, Sept. 30, to rally support and answer citizens’ questions.

Byron Donalds, the Republican Party of Florida’s nominee, spent most of the campaign event focusing on affordability.

A pursuit involving a U-Haul pickup driver sent multiple deputies to the hospital and led to an arrest Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Midway.

During September and October, a traveling exhibit featuring artifacts from the first Spanish settlement in the New World will shine a light on Pensacola’s connection to the Aztec people.

“Indios Amigos: Aztec Allies and the (New) Spanish Conquest of La Florida” features artifacts from the 1559 Tristan De Luna expedition and settlement in Pensacola.

A person was found deceased in a burnt out vehicle on the Eglin Range in the early morning hours of Sept. 23.

The vehicle was found near Range Road 234 and Lewis Turner Boulevard.