The Milton Police Department kicked off their Operation Safety Cone program in style on July 16 with a sweet treat at The Sweet Greek’s new location in Milton. Operation Safety Cone is a new type of enforcement the MPD will be rolling out this summer, during which officers will be on the lookout for children demonstrating positive behaviors in the community, like crossing the street safely, wearing bike helmets, helping others in the community and picking up litter. If a child is spotted demonstrating good behaviors, officers will present them with a ticket to get a free ice cream cone from The Sweet Greek.

In May, the Milton City Council approved phase one of the Locklin Lake restoration project focused on dredging the lake. Residents made rampant vegetative growth concerns with the project clear at a July 16 homeowner’s association meeting, held in conjunction with the City of Milton.

The Wolfe Creek Forest Project has earned the Sabal Innovative Partnership Award from the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, recognizing the collaboration among The Longleaf Alliance, Trust for Public Land, Florida Forest Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Forever program, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Santa Rosa County.

With the growth of Santa Rosa County’s human population comes an influx of pets, such as cats and dogs.

To keep pets, and their owners, in check, the county has leash laws enforced by Santa Rosa County Animal Services. The leash laws pertain to various areas of the county, namely in population centers such as Navarre, Midway, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Pace and Jay.  

The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor an area of low pressure moving through the Florida Panhandle from Tallahassee to Panama City.

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, an 870-page piece of legislation designed to make the tax provisions Trump enacted in 2017 with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.

The Soundside Conservation Project, a movement for Santa Rosa County to purchase a 27-acre plot of land in Gulf Breeze off Soundside Drive and designate it for conservation, has been approved by a unanimous vote of Santa Rosa County Commissioners July 10. The land encompasses 4 acres of uplands and 23 acres of “high quality wetlands” according to an appraisal of the property. The wetlands feed into a creek that empties into the Santa Rosa Sound. 

Santa Rosa County may experience heavy rainfall resulting in flooding from Invest 93L. According to the U.S. National Weather Service Mobile Office, local impacts will be dependent on whether this system stays near the coastline or stays out over the Gulf and may include:

A main break has occurred and/or a loss of pressure has been experienced. 

“That oughta fix you right up!”

These were the words of long-time Milton resident Dr. Rufus Thames at the conclusion of every appointment or house call he had. According to his wife, Gale, these words were his favorite expression. Thames, who sadly passed away in 1990, was a well-loved doctor in the community for several decades. His work spanned generations of residents in Milton with impacts still felt by people today.