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.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLSHMV) is reporting a data breach of the state’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database, also known as DAVID.

Each September serves as National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to bring awareness to mental health issues and the resources that could save people’s lives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide was responsible for 48,824 deaths in 2024, the most recent year the agency has statistics for. While this amounts to a little over 1.5 percent of the total deaths across the U.S., CDC stats show a profound increase in the suicide rate per 100,000 from 2001 to 2024.

Following their 51-13 victory over Navarre last week, the Milton Panthers football team (1-2) had high expectations heading into their first district matchup against Fort Walton Beach (1-2).

That was until, as Milton head coach Ronnie Douglas put it, they got “hit in the mouth.” The final score was 28-0 in favor of the Vikings, who hosted the Sept. 11 game.