Jason Vance moves outside Milton, vacates council seat
Jason Vance was expected to attend his last meeting as a member of the City of Milton Council on Monday, Oct. 30.
Vance told the Press Gazette last week that he has reached an agreement to sell his home in Ward 4 and will be moving outside the city limits. He said he would make a formal announcement at the council’s Oct. 30 executive committee meeting.Smith considers defamation suit against builder Henry
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Kerry Smith is expected to file a defamation lawsuit against local builder Edwin Henry after learning Henry bankrolled a campaign mailer in 2022 claiming Smith had been convicted of domestic violence “several” times.
“Yes, I want to go after him,” Smith told Navarre Press on Thursday, Oct. 19. “I know Edwin Henry; he knows me. He knew this wasn’t true.”Butterflies move into their new home at the Panhandle Butterfly House
The Panhandle Butterfly House and Nature Center celebrated the grand opening of its new butterfly vivarium Saturday during its Third Annual Monarch Madness event.
County adds noncompliance penalties to Lifeguard Ambulance pact
The Santa Rosa County Commission last week voted to change how it tracks Lifeguard Ambulance Service’s contract compliance, going back to a time-on-scene metric but adding fines of up to $20,000 for months that fall below 85 percent compliance.
The Hershey Creamery Company Distribution Center breaks ground in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County officials joined executives from Hershey’s Ice Cream on Oct. 24 to break ground on the company’s planned 30,000-square-foot distribution center located at the new Northwest Florida Industrial Park @ I-10, just south of the interstate.
Legislators hear residents’ concerns
Florida Sen. Doug Broxson and Reps. Alex Andrade and Joel Rudman met with Santa Rosa County residents Tuesday at St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Navarre to preview key bills and hear public concerns before the 2024 legislative session.
Milton Special Olympian swimmers shine
It was a successful first year for the Special Olympics swim program in Santa Rosa County.
Two athletes, Jezrell Dofita, and Alaina Moraino both placed at the state meet.School district employee health insurance plan for 2024 still undecided
After a nearly seven-hour meeting Oct. 12, the Santa Rosa County School Board is still waiting to approve the health insurance program for district employees. The current plan expires Dec. 31.
Vance may be forced to vacate Milton council seat
Milton City Councilman Jason Vance has announced that he expects to move outside the city’s limits by Oct. 30, which would disqualify him from serving on the city council.
Debate on ‘local historic resource’ designation to continue
Milton Councilwoman Roxanne Meiss is asking the council to consider – again – revising the city’s Unified Development Code to allow property owners to apply for a “local historic resource” designation. The council’s agenda workshop meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19.
















