Amazon expanded to Milton Nov. 9, 2022, and opened a delivery station at the Santa Rosa County Industrial Park in East Milton off U.S. Highway 90.

In January, Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the new Amazon distribution center, welcoming the company to the community.

The facility is more than 80,000 square feet and was previously a call center for Navy Federal Credit Union. Amazon completely remodeled the building’s interior to accommodate a conveyance system, sort zones, route staging areas, a multi-faith room, mothers’ room, breakroom, training room and office space.

About 6 years ago, local musician and entrepreneur Jonathan Ivey had an epiphany idea for a play on words product for northwest Florida.

This October, his dream became a reality when he launched his own orange-lavender-flavored soda called Pensa-Cola.

Site plans have been submitted to Santa Rosa County for an Amazon distribution center at the Santa Rosa County Industrial Park in East Milton off US 90. According to District 4 County Commissioner Dave Piech, the center will be just under 81,000 square feet and will be taking over a former call center.

“I think it’s awesome. It’s going to bring in some higher paying jobs from a higher paying company,” Piech said. “It doesn’t surprise me. We have a very talented work pool.”

Vice President of Emerald Coast Exceptional Families (ECEF) Angela Nandin was named the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)’s 2021 Spouse of the Year and received the Joan Orr Award.

Nandin was recognized at the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Military Appreciation Commerce and Coffee at St. Sylvester Catholic Church May 20.

Joe Trujillo has served as an assistant principal to Navarre High School for the past six and half years. Before that he served as the Dean of Students at Navarre High for two years. Starting Feb. 11, he is now taking on the role of principal at Avalon Middle School in Milton.

Santa Rosa Adult School has been around for a little over 75 years. The school started right after World War II to help the veterans who were coming back from war. That’s where it got its inspiration for a mascot – the Warriors.

“Anybody’s who’s come in contact with him knows how real his faith in Jesus was. I believe even though COVID may have taken his last breath, Jesus was right there to catch him. I know that he’s seeing things now that I long to see. My heart’s broke.”

Santa Rosa County School District has a few new leaders, ready to serve the students, the staff and the community.

“This is the most important job that I believe I as a superintendent have is to identify, recruit and retain great leaders for our school district,” Barber said. “And these leaders are going to help our employees, our teacher, our students to be successful, and so it just brings great pleasure to me.”

Every Sunday morning at 10 a.m., Living Truth Church meets at the East Milton ballpark, where they hold their service in the community gymnasium.

“We’re really nontraditional, no suit no tie,” Paster Jared Owens said. “I’ve been known to wear sneakers a time or two.”

They launched their church in March 2020, right at the beginning of COVID-19. Living Truth Church East Milton held online services for about two months and were able to finally meet in person in June.

Members of surrounding communities gathered alongside Milton residents Thursday to honor those who have served in the United States military.