According to Santa Rosa County Economic Development, Santa Rosa County is the eighth fastest growing population in Florida with 203,752 current residents.

Of current residents, approximately 23.6% are between the ages of zero and 19. With rapid growth occurring in Santa Rosa the school district is forced to contend with ever evolving facility needs. To meet those needs, Santa Rosa County District Schools has invested in the K-8 school model, which combines elementary level students (K-5) with middle school students (6-8th grade) into one school environment.

Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office executed a court order at Gulf Coast Guns in Milton to seize assets or “collateral” due on a “defaulted” loan. Photos and video were shown of deputies emptying the store of inventory. But throughout the day, supporters voiced their support for the store on social media. The Sheriff’s Office said they were following the orders of the court and had no other involvement in the civil case.

Just before noon Tuesday, Feb. 25, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office executed a court order at Gulf Coast Guns in Milton. The order, which was issued by a Judge in Santa Rosa County, dealt with the seizing of items from the gun store.

Earlier this month, several members of the Facebook group, “Navarre Locals,” posted about receiving tickets for failing to stop for school buses. In Florida, it is a violation of the law to pass a school bus that is stopped and picking up or dropping off students.

Many of those who posted felt they had been involved in scenarios where they didn’t deserve a ticket. Erica G. made a post Feb. 12 describing an incident in which she failed to stop for a bus at a red light.

In January, Santa Rosa District Schools announced the Sunshine State Scholars for the district. Each high school chose one student to represent the very best of their school’s math and science education.

A cacophony of celebration ignited inside Kayla Stanford’s fifth-grade classroom Tuesday, Feb. 4, as Santa Rosa District Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Barber and others surprised Stanford with the announcement that she was District teacher of the year.

The announcement came as happy news to teacher and students alike, although for different reasons.

The Friends of Santa Rosa Veterans Treatment Court received a $9,000 check from Pirates on the Panhandle, a social club based in Navarre. The money was raised at the Pirate Plunge, held Jan. 1, 2025. The photo was taken by Santa Rosa Press Gazette Reporter Hansen Hasenberg.

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.