Hurlburt Field – U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Travis J. Hackett, a member of the 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron, has an inspiring story that intertwines his love for baseball and his dedication to serving his country.

The University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences West Florida Research and Education Center, Feeding the Gulf Coast and the Waterfront Rescue Mission distributed meals to 500 Milton-area families – as many as 3,000 people – last week as part of the national Farm-City celebration.

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, their study on the state of Florida veteran population (2020) shows that Santa Rosa County has 22,295 veterans. In 2020, the state total population of veterans was 1.5 million.

Santa Rosa County, especially the East Milton and Pace areas, continue to experience high rates of commercial, industrial and residential growth. These are some of the subdivisions and businesses county officials have approved since Aug. 1:

City Manager Scott Collins told Milton’s city council last week the city needs a “total operational rebuild.”

For several years before Collins’ arrival in October, bitter divisions in the community have influenced city politics, resulting in many long, chaotic and often confrontational meetings. Such meetings became so regular that an area radio talk show host began airing embarrassing clips from Milton meetings in a segment spoofing the “Days of Our Lives” television soap opera.

Today is the last day for healthcare providers to volunteer for the FREE Remote Area Medical Clinic coming up Dec. 2-3.

Fentanyl usage has reached a crisis point in the United States. The potent and dangerous synthetic opioid, which is oftentimes mixed with other drugs like heroin and methamphetamine, is the leading cause of death in adults aged 18-45, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Hurlburt Field – As an Air Force Comptroller, our ability to adapt to the ebbs and flows of the budget environment and our customer needs is what makes our career field essential to the success of our great nation and the Department of Defense. It is exactly the mind set we need as the Air Force shifts into the Joint All Domain environment. In the conflict against a peer competitor, it will be key to provide flexible and resilient formations to meet commanders’ intent–within the Air Force, we call it Agile Combat Employment.

“I love my giant Pokemon card,” Matthew Franklin, 8, told a customer on Nov. 9 at Alyssa’s Kids’ Market in Pace. “I left it at home.”