Residents of Santa Rosa County lined up for free trees April 22 during a combined Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration at Bagdad Mill Site Park, with most of the supply gone by midmorning.

It’s never too early to have a plan. This weekend, residents across Santa Rosa County are invited to a free Disaster Services Expo on Sunday, April 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bayview Community Center, located at 2001 E. Lloyd St. in Pensacola.

American Legion Post 78 in Milton is hosting the inaugural Young Patriots weekend this Saturday and Sunday, a two-day program aimed at bringing civics, community service, and patriotism education to middle and high school students across Santa Rosa County.

Bar-Celona, a tapas bar and restaurant, has opened in the Pace area, bringing a dining concept its owners say northern Santa Rosa County has never had and one born directly from their own travels across Spain and Europe.

Florida’s native and beneficial bat species typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, but are sometimes attracted to buildings and other human-made structures, including buildings still undergoing construction. With bat maternity season starting soon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding the public April 15 is the last day to legally exclude bats from buildings without a permit, until Aug. 15.

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.

The Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County (DOH-Santa Rosa) will host the 3D Mobile Mammography bus to provide free or low-cost mammograms to women Tuesday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students at Central School got to enjoy a day outside as local businesses and groups came out for the school’s annual FARM Day.

A 2023 graduate from Pace High School helped lead the grand opening of a new marching band facility at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. The ribbon cutting took place Friday, March 6.

Rivers Lewis, who is currently a Junior and drum major with the Jaguar Marching Band, said the complex is years in the making.