Barring a change of heart before Monday’s special called meeting, it appears Ed Spears has the support of the majority of the Milton City Council to be named the city’s manager in waiting. Nothing is official, but it appears the biggest talking point might be whether or not he will be given a 6-month probationary period or just the position outright without a trial period. 

At the recommendation of City Attorney Alex Andrade, the Milton City Council voted 6-2 Tuesday to file a lawsuit against Mayor Heather Lindsay for not complying with Florida’s Public Records Act. Council members Casey Powell, Jeff Snow, Matt Jarrett, Roxanne Meiss, Shari Sebastiao and Jeff Snow voted in favor. Marilynn Farrow and Mike Cusack voted […]

Gulf Breeze News Publisher Lisa Newell announced Tuesday that she is running for Florida Senate District 1.

The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola 2024 Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow – featuring the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron (NFDS) The Blue Angels – is also scheduled to include the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during this year’s Nov. 1 and 2 events.

Cook: County to advertise bids for old courthouse

Santa Rosa County staff members were preparing a request for proposals about what to do with the old courthouse in downtown Milton, according to County Administrator DeVann Cook.

Santa Rosa County Commissioner Sam Parker is suing Chris Smith and his business, Gulf Coast Gun & Outdoor LLC, for using and profiting from Parker’s name and likeness without authorization.

Leonardo breaks ground

Leonardo Helicopters broke ground on a new facility at Whiting Aviation Park in Milton, near NAS Whiting Field, on Friday, July 28.

Developers try to change attitudes

When developers pitched their plans to build the 2,700-acre, 7,000-plus-unit, master-planned Jubilee community northeast of Pace in 2022, they often did so at tense meetings packed with concerned residents and vocal opposition. They tried a more low-key approach on June 29, inviting interested residents to meet with them individually at the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce offices.

1. Milton city manager drama

The Milton City Council on July 11 voted unanimously to hire Scott Collins to replace the retiring Randy Jorgenson as city manager. On July 15, Collins withdrew from contract negotiations citing concerns about the process and “a coordinated undercurrent effort…to make either this contract negotiation or my initial contract unsuccessful.”

Construction Career Days

More than 1,000 students from Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties participated in the Northwest Florida Construction Career Days program at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds in East Milton. More than 80 public and private agencies participated in the event organized by the Florida Department of Transportation to encourage high school students to consider the wide variety of careers available in the construction industry.