The 2025 hurricane season begins
June 3, 2025
Hurricane season officially kicks off on Sunday, June 1, and runs through November 30. Emergency management officials are urging everyone to be One Week Ready.
One Week Ready means having enough supplies on hand to sustain your entire household, including pets, for at least seven days without outside assistance.
Report all wild turkey sightings from now until Aug. 31
June 3, 2025
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking Florida residents and visitors to report all sightings of wild turkeys between now and Aug. 31. This includes hens, poults (newly hatched wild turkeys) and gobblers.
Domestic call leads to assault on Milton police officer
June 3, 2025
The Milton Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance on June 1, 2025. The anonymously placed 911 call stated that a male identified as Herbert Dillard was being physically aggressive to his spouse.
Helicopter mishap occurs at NOLF Santa Rosa
June 2, 2025
A Training Air Wing FIVE helicopter incurred a hard landing at around 2 p.m. Monday, June 2 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field’s Navy Outlying Landing Field Santa Rosa near Milton.
Lighthouse wins multiple state championships
May 30, 2025
Over the past 2 years of school, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy (PCA) has been on top of their athletic division in all their sports – baseball, softball, football and basketball.
Santa Rosa LDC Task Force Meeting
May 29, 2025
The Land Development Code (LDC) Task Force will hold their next meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 30 in the Administrative Complex, 6495 Caroline Street in Milton. This meeting will be streamed live online. The agenda for this meeting will be published shortly.
Arrest made in $850,000 grand theft case following business email compromise scheme
May 29, 2025
The Milton Police Department has arrested 22-year-old Mohamed Bakayoko in connection with a large-scale fraud investigation that resulted in the theft of $852,983.06 from the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller. Bakayoko has been charged with grand theft, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.
For God’s Sake
May 28, 2025
Whenever my wife and I visit a restaurant for the first time, we ask our server the same question: what one dish on this menu would make us want to come back? The servers typically smile and cock their heads to the side as they ponder a question they have never considered. Their recommendations rarely fail to satisfy.
To the Class of 2025: The future is yours
May 28, 2025
Graduates, take a deep breath and soak in this moment. You’ve reached the culmination of years of effort, determination, and resilience. Today, as you stand on the cusp of your future, you are not just closing one chapter—you are stepping into a world filled with boundless possibilities, a world waiting for your imprint.
The hidden costs of overdevelopment
May 21, 2025
Growth is a sign of vitality—proof that a community is thriving. But unchecked expansion, often driven by profit rather than thoughtful planning, can wreak havoc on a county’s infrastructure, environment, and overall quality of life. Overdevelopment is a problem that many regions face, as booming populations and business interests push the limits of responsible urban planning.
















