John Frankman didn’t plan on running for Congress. The former Army Special Forces Green Beret says he spent years after leaving the military fighting for service members punished under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, writing op-eds, testifying on Capitol Hill and appearing on national media. What he saw in Washington convinced him that wasn’t enough.

Bar-Celona, a tapas bar and restaurant, has opened in the Pace area, bringing a dining concept its owners say northern Santa Rosa County has never had and one born directly from their own travels across Spain and Europe.

The prolonged dry spell settling over the Florida Panhandle may feel unprecedented to residents, but a National Weather Service meteorologist said drought conditions like these are a well-documented feature of the region’s spring climate.

A proposal to rezone two parcels along the Stewart Street corridor for a revamped Circle K convenience store and gas station cleared the city’s planning board unanimously and is now before the city council, which heard an initial presentation on the item on April 14.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man whose body was found beneath the Garcon Point Bridge in March.

A seventh grader from Avalon Middle School took home the top prize in this year’s Amazing Shake competition, impressing a panel of community and corporate judges with his poise, professionalism and a business pitch; walking away with $250, a crystal trophy and a vision of his future.

Naval Air Station Whiting Field cut the ribbon on a new air traffic control tower at North Field on April 6, marking what installation leadership called a significant step forward in Naval aviation training infrastructure.

Ascension Sacred Heart on April 13 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new freestanding emergency department in the Five Points area, bringing expanded emergency care services closer to north Santa Rosa County residents.

Researchers at Colorado State University are predicting a quieter-than-normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2026, citing an expected shift to El Niño conditions as the primary driver of the subdued outlook.

An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 15-year-old girl last seen in Milton, authorities said.