Residents in North Santa Rosa County want to know what a proposed regional utilities authority could mean to their local service providers — and their monthly rates. They’ll have an opportunity to find out at a community involvement meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, at City Hall, 6738 Dixon Street in Milton.

Jay’s SGA visits Tallahassee

Jay was represented well at a Student Government Association district meeting in Tallahassee last week.

Bills would create water authority, limit fire fees

Florida Sen. Doug Broxson, Gulf Breeze-R, told Santa Rosa County residents that he will sponsor a bill creating an authority to oversee water-related utilities north of the Yellow River and bills to reform how county fire districts are funded.

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.

Fentanyl awareness plan

Milton city staff are working out details of a fentanyl awareness campaign to explain the drug’s dangers.

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.

The cold weather shelter for the homeless and/or heatless will be open Thur., Dec. 28, Fri., Dec. 29 and Sat., Dec. 30 at Ferris Hill Baptist Church, 6848 Chaffin St. in Milton. Those who would like to stay at the shelter must arrive between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Only service animals (with verification of rabies vaccination) are permitted to stay with guests. No one will be admitted after 8:30 p.m. unless brought in by law enforcement. The shelter closes at 7 a.m. each morning.

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.”