For some car owners, owning a Jeep would be like owning any other car. For die-hard Jeep lovers, it’s a little bit different. That’s where Santa Rosa Jeeps comes in. The car club, a collective for owners of Jeep Wranglers in Santa Rosa County, was created to show off members’ Jeeps and help the community at the same time. On July 12, the group did just that, putting on a show-and-shine car show with proceeds from the event going to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Former Florida Department of Education Commissioner and University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. officially began his new position on July 14, marking the end of Dr. Martha Saunders’ eight-year stretch as UWF President. University Public Relations and Diaz held a press conference July 16 to officially introduce him to faculty and staff members, as well as provide a forum for Diaz to answer questions about his plans for the school.

Santa Rosa County dropped all charges against Victoria Elsenpeter, who was previously charged with grand theft after roughly $3,800 went missing from the Clerk of Courts and Comptroller.

Pace Library ended their part of the county’s summer reading program with a bang on July 15, putting on an educational and interactive display for all in attendance. The interactive experience was presented by Animal Tales Southeast, a safe and licensed animal education program. The presentation from Animal Tales included a frog, beardless dragon, legless lizard, kookaburra bird, kinkajou (a member of the raccoon family that resembles a lemur) and a snake, all from varying continents.

The Milton Police Department kicked off their Operation Safety Cone program in style on July 16 with a sweet treat at The Sweet Greek’s new location in Milton. Operation Safety Cone is a new type of enforcement the MPD will be rolling out this summer, during which officers will be on the lookout for children demonstrating positive behaviors in the community, like crossing the street safely, wearing bike helmets, helping others in the community and picking up litter. If a child is spotted demonstrating good behaviors, officers will present them with a ticket to get a free ice cream cone from The Sweet Greek.

In May, the Milton City Council approved phase one of the Locklin Lake restoration project focused on dredging the lake. Residents made rampant vegetative growth concerns with the project clear at a July 16 homeowner’s association meeting, held in conjunction with the City of Milton.

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, an 870-page piece of legislation designed to make the tax provisions Trump enacted in 2017 with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.

The Soundside Conservation Project, a movement for Santa Rosa County to purchase a 27-acre plot of land in Gulf Breeze off Soundside Drive and designate it for conservation, has been approved by a unanimous vote of Santa Rosa County Commissioners July 10. The land encompasses 4 acres of uplands and 23 acres of “high quality wetlands” according to an appraisal of the property. The wetlands feed into a creek that empties into the Santa Rosa Sound. 

The Milton City Council voted to move forward with the purchase of almost 260 acres of land in East Milton for city use during their July 8 meeting. The meeting also saw several special proclamations and recognitions from the council.

“That oughta fix you right up!”

These were the words of long-time Milton resident Dr. Rufus Thames at the conclusion of every appointment or house call he had. According to his wife, Gale, these words were his favorite expression. Thames, who sadly passed away in 1990, was a well-loved doctor in the community for several decades. His work spanned generations of residents in Milton with impacts still felt by people today.