A discussion of two roadway projects in Northwest Florida touched off a heated exchange between multiple county commissioners during the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization’s (TPO) Aug. 12 board meeting.

The discussion started with Steve Stroberger, a member of the Escambia County Commission, asking the board if it could move Sorrento Road improvements in Escambia to the No. 4 spot on the previously approved non-Strategic Intermodal System (non-SIS) priority list. The fourth spot is currently held by a U.S. 90 expansion project in Milton. Sorrento Road, which is part of Gulf Beach Highway in Perdido, is the fifth-place priority.

Santa Rosa County District Schools is awaiting a judge’s order to see if it can fire a suspended employee accused of inappropriate communication with Central School students in 2024 and 2025.

The Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) is hearing a case between the school district and Keith Elliott, an IT professional who was suspended by the district last September.

A gymnastics coach and social media content creator from Navarre who had moved to Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Monday, July 20, in federal court to multiple charges related to the production, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, as well as money laundering.

Theresa Mitchell, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce and distribute child sexual abuse material, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, one count of receipt of child sexual abuse material, one count of possession of child sexual abuse material and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Central Landfill towers over the surrounding area in the Galt City section of Milton.

A permitted site for processing trash since 1978, Central Landfill handles thousands of tons of material daily and averages about 500 customers per day.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is investigating three people for their alleged roles in the death of an alligator in Milton.

The three people — Kevin Lacz, Richard Reader and Jason Griffin — allegedly trapped, transported and killed an 8.5-foot alligator without a valid alligator nuisance permit and without proper CITES tagging. Lacz is a former member of Navy SEAL Team 3 and served with sniper Chris Kyle. All three men live in the Navarre area.

Incumbent County Commissioner Kerry Smith didn’t qualify for the 2026 ballot based on petitions and now must pay $5,460.06 to stay in the race for Commission District 2.
Smith, along with fellow District 2 candidates Michael Rinaldi and Shawn Kay, failed to garner the required number of petitions by the May 11 deadline.

Mike Philley, band director at Avalon Middle School, has accepted the Santa Rosa County District Schools Instrumental Music Coordinator position.

Kimahri Blevins, 15, and Gabriel Williams, 16, are due back in court this summer.
The pair were charged with first-degree premeditated murder or felony murder for allegedly killing their classmate Danika Troy, 14. The two teens were indicted Dec. 19, 2025.

Four years after narrowly losing to Kerry Smith for the District 2 Santa Rosa County Commission seat, Jeff Ates IV is back. This go round, he is facing seven other candidates, including Smith.
Ates is a lifelong East Milton resident and ran a dirt pit in the area for around 25 years. The pit has supplied dirt and other earthworks for projects across Santa Rosa County. He also managed hunting land in the 1980s and 1990s and currently consults for North American IPS, LLC.

April is Water Conservation Month. While April is typically a dry month in the Sunshine State, it comes as Florida experiences drought conditions from Escambia County to Monroe County.