Santa Rosa County 4-H recently celebrated an outstanding achievement as its archery team showcased bow skills at the Florida 4-H State 3-D Archery Competition.

The Senior Team, comprised of three high school age children, netted third place in the highly competitive Florida 4-H State 3-D Archery Compound Division Competition. In the Florida 4-H State Intermediate Individual 3-D Archery Compound Division Competition, Hailey Marsh, 13, earned second place.

The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, as well as county, state, and Florida Department of Transportation officials, met at the corner of Highway 90 and Avalon Boulevard Wednesday, Jan. 29, to commemorate two public servants of yesteryear.

Soup kitchens are nothing new in the Christian church. Every day you can find churchgoers preparing and serving meals for the needy.

While the soup kitchen is a well-known fixture of ministry work, St. Paul United Methodist Church is using theirs to serve more than just sustenance.

November through January is generally known as the holiday season in the United States, as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day are celebrated and observed as days employees have off. Other holidays are also celebrated during that time of year, including Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. While the holiday season may be a short period of the year, there are many other holidays observed throughout the calendar year. In Florida, there are state-specific holidays, which are observed in state offices.

A celebration of the lives of two former Santa Rosa County Sheriffs turned into a scary situation Wednesday morning, Jan. 29, in Milton. State Sen. Don Gaetz, 77, suffered what has been described as a “medical emergency” during his remarks at a roadway dedication ceremony. The ceremony was in honor of Bart D. and John R. Broxson, two former Santa Rosa County Sheriffs and members of the well-known Broxson family.

For the past 17 years, Melissa “Joni” Weaver has been teaching science to middle schoolers. While the topics in science can be academically heavy and, at times tedious, Weaver said she enjoys being able to bring fun into the equation.

Our own Hansen Hasenberg visited Plains, Georgia, last summer and brought back a story for our readers on the childhood farm and other historic sites associated with Jimmy Carter, whose funeral was held at Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9.

If you or your child attended Hobbs Middle School at any point in the past 20 years, chances are you know Ms. Stacy Lea Jones.

A teacher since 1995, Jones has spent the past 29 years teaching students in Santa Rosa County. She spent a decade at King Middle School before coming to Hobbs Middle, where she has been a staple of the school’s social studies department for nearly 19 years.

What started out as a vacation to see her sister-in-law a decade ago has turned into a career at East Milton Elementary School for Debra Adkins, the school’s choice for teacher of the year.

An employee of Santa Rosa County District Schools has resigned from their position after an investigation found that the employee had engaged in “financial improprieties.” In a statement to Santa Rosa Press Gazette, the school district said the resignation came after the employee, later identified as Kelly Short (Allen), was informed of action that would be taken against her employment both immediately and through recommendation of the school board at their next regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 19, 2024.