News Archive

With Memorial Day approaching, plans are underway for two events in Santa Rosa County honoring servicemembers who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Navarre and Milton will host events Monday, May 25.

A bowling alley is coming to Gulf Breeze.

Oops Alley of Pace plans to open a new bowling alley, arcade and restaurant in The Funplex of Gulf Breeze building.

Santa Rosa County Animal Services will host a low-cost pet vaccination and microchip clinic on Saturday, May 30, from 9-11 a.m. at Santa Rosa County Animal Services, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. Only cats and dogs are eligible to be microchipped and vaccinated.

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge held their first ever Nature Fest Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event featured vendors and wildlife exhibits.

A Navarre man was arrested on May 14 after a warrant was executed because he allegedly trespassed on a neighbor’s property nude and removed a security camera mounted outside her home.

Kimahri Blevins, 15, and Gabriel Williams, 16, are due back in court this summer.

The pair were charged with first-degree premeditated murder or felony murder for allegedly killing their classmate Danika Troy, 14. The two teens were indicted Dec. 19, 2025.

A cyber attack left colleges and universities across the U.S. scrambling to adjust amidst finals. Other nations’ institutes of higher learning were also impacted.

The attack, reportedly perpetrated by a criminal hacker group known as Shinyhunters, was against Instructure, the host company of Canvas. The hacker group claimed it had breached Canvas, getting possession of user data such as names, email addresses, messages and ID numbers.

Next week, the Santa Rosa County Commission will begin to deliberate whether to approve a contract that will bring speed enforcement programs to three school zones in the south end of the county.

A Gulf Breeze man was arrested in Foley, Alabama, after authorities said he held a 71-year-old man at gunpoint and forced him to drive to a bank and withdraw money.
Grant Barrett, 42, is charged with kidnapping an adult for ransom and battery.

Four years after narrowly losing to Kerry Smith for the District 2 Santa Rosa County Commission seat, Jeff Ates IV is back. This go round, he is facing seven other candidates, including Smith.

Ates is a lifelong East Milton resident and ran a dirt pit in the area for around 25 years. The pit has supplied dirt and other earthworks for projects across Santa Rosa County. He also managed hunting land in the 1980s and 1990s and currently consults for North American IPS, LLC.