Facing a decade in prison, Milton father Sean Hollonbeck went to trial Tuesday, Aug. 25, in Santa Rosa County. Hollonbeck was ultimately acquitted on charges of false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The charges were related to a 2024 incident in which Hollonbeck held an Uber driver at gun-point. Throughout his time facing the charges, Hollonbeck maintained he acted as any parent would under the circumstances.

Alligator hunting season in Florida began Aug. 15 at midnight. Within just a few hours, what will likely be one of the biggest gators of the season was caught on the Yellow River in Santa Rosa County.

If you walk into your child’s school, there is a chance you might hear they belong to a “house” or have received a “feather.” Don’t be alarmed. They are partaking in their school’s PBIS program.

Normally, when you see several police cars with their red and blues on, excitement isn’t the first word that comes to mind. On August 5, the Milton Police Department and Santa Rosa County first responders aimed to change that.

The City of Milton has released its Bands on the Blackwater schedule. Bands on the Blackwater will present free, live music along Blackwater River every Friday night from August 29 to October 24, 7-9 p.m.

Distinguished University of West Florida biology professor Dr. Wade Jeffrey has earned global recognition with a ranking by ScholarGPS. The academic ranking platform named Jeffrey a “Highly Ranked Scholar,” placing him in the top .05% worldwide in the field of life sciences. Scholars are recognized for their significant contributions to research, as measured by publication count, citations and h-index.

The start of the new school year is just around the corner. Students in Santa Rosa County will return to class on August 11, leaving less than a month before the semester begins.

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.

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.