For the first time in roughly 20 years, the Hurlburt Field Airpark is open to the general public.

While the airpark has been unofficially available for public use since April 11, 1st Special Operations Wing (1SOW) Commander Col. Patrick Dierig and others with Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday to formally welcome community members to the outdoor museum.

“An answered prayer.” That’s how Austyn Evans describes knowing her two-year-old son, Conrad, now has a kidney after an agonizing search for a donor. Although the search took them from Northwest Florida to Texas and then to Georgia, the donor turned out to be closer to home (in fact, the donor lives in their home).

Eglin Air Force Base’s Fire and Emergency Services recently lost one of their own in a motor vehicle crash, which occurred Wednesday, March 13. Battalion Chief Matthew Becker, who served with Eglin Fire and Emergency Services for 17 years, left behind a wife, two children and countless loved ones.

Whether Santa Rosa County flies Florida’s tallest American flag depends on where it would be installed.

When most people want to experience an authentic experience in another culture, they usually have to get on a plane and fly far away to a foreign destination. For those northwest Floridians looking to explore Japanese culture, you need only hop in your car and drive to St. Sylvester Catholic Church (6464 Gulf Breeze Parkway).

Navarre’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) held a training session Sunday, March 3, at Holley Navarre Fire District Station 45. The training session was part of a six-session training course to prepare residents of Santa Rosa County for emergencies and how they can help their community. Five people participated in the course. Four were from Navarre and one from Pace.

The 25th anniversary of the Blackwater Heritage State Trail in February was bittersweet for Richard Collins. In 1996, the Pace man earned recognition as a National Conservation Hero for helping create the trail.

The UF/IFAS Santa Rosa County Master Gardeners invite the public to attend an educational session to learn about native Florida wildflowers that can be easily grown in your home gardens and landscapes.

Students can drive their tractors to Jay High School on a designated day during FFA Week.

A Milton man is counting more than just his blessings after he won a grand prize from the Florida lottery. Bernard Waters, 63, claimed the $5 million top prize from the $20 Monopoly Doubler Scratch Off game this month. According to the Florida lottery, Waters chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump-sum payment of $3,994,698.