Mar 10, 2023
Family sues Sheriff’s Office, school board over Baker Act incident
The family of a disabled boy is suing the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, school board of Santa Rosa County, High Road School of Santa Rosa and multiple individuals for a December 2021 incident involving the Baker Acting of the then 8-year-old boy.
The lawsuit, filed Feb. 13 in the U.S. District Court in Pensacola, accuses David Daniels, a former school resource officer at High Road School of Santa Rosa, of unlawfully “manhandling, handcuffing and Baker Acting” the boy, who is referred to as “Little B” in the lawsuit.
Mar 9, 2023
Parker apologizes for slur, insists ‘no intent’ to offend
Sam Parker apologized Thursday for using an ethnic slur attracting international attention while critics continue calling for his resignation from the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners.
Mar 8, 2023
Citizens ask for Parker’s resignation after use of racial slur
A videotape showing Santa Rosa County Commissioner Sam Parker using a term offensive to Jewish people is attracting national attention.
Mar 8, 2023
DOMES plans for legislative session, Santa Rosa site still in works
At the District One Medical Examiner Services (DOMES) board’s meeting in December, legislative funding for a new facility was a big topic of concern. Dan Schebler, director of operations for DOMES, proposed taking the interlocal agreement the counties had put to the wayside and bringing it forward to Northwest Florida’s legislators with a $3 million buy-in from each county as had been discussed in July 2022.
Over the past couple of months since that meeting, the DOMES board has met monthly to try and hammer out a plan for the upcoming legislative session, which is set to begin March 7. The legislative session is important as DOMES is looking for matching state funding for a proposed facility in Santa Rosa County.
On March 1, the DOMES board met to decide what the interlocal agreement would look like and who would be a part of it. They also discussed potential changes to the size and scope of a new facility.
Mar 8, 2023
Questions remain after man jumps off Navarre Bridge
Florida Highway Patrol and others responded Saturday, March 4, to the Navarre Beach Bridge after a 28-year-old Panama City man jumped off the east side of the bridge.
According to a FHP report, shortly before 2 p.m., a trooper was dispatched to a crash on the Navarre Beach Bridge. When the trooper arrived on scene, a male subject was driving a U-Haul in the southbound lane and allowed it to travel into the northbound lane. When his vehicle reached the top of the bridge, the driver exited the vehicle while it was still in motion and ran to the side of the bridge and jumped off.
Mar 7, 2023
Teen arrested in Milton High ‘swatting’ case
At a news conference Monday, March 6, Sheriff Bob Johnson announced an arrest in a swatting case related to a gun threat was called into Milton High School last year.
Brad Parga, 17, of Guttenberg, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with felony fraud for a false report of using firearms in a violent manner and disturbing the peace by interfering with school administration functions, which is a misdemeanor.
Mar 6, 2023
Animal welfare bill drums up conversation around pet safety in vehicles
If you were asking most people about distracted driving, they may tell you about texting while driving, eating while driving, or about the distractions from passengers.
Recently, people have been talking about a different kind of passenger, thanks in part to a proposed Florida Senate bill that caught headlines around Florida and the nation.
Mar 3, 2023
Special operations commander arrested after alleged drunk driving incident
A commander with Hurlburt Field’s 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has been demoted after being arrested Feb. 18 in Shalimar.
Collin Charlie Christopherson, 37, of Niceville, is charged with driving under the influence (DUI), hit and run and a moving traffic violation for reckless driving resulting in damage to property or a person.
The Shalimar Police Department responded to the incident involving Christopherson and made the arrest.
Mar 2, 2023
Preserving history one headstone at a time
When most visit a cemetery, it’s to bury or visit a loved one. For those at Holley Point Cemetery Thursday, Feb. 23, they were there to help keep alive the memory of those who had been buried long ago.
They were there as part of a class put on by the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) to help the public learn more about the work that goes into preserving graveyards and maintaining the memory of the decedents interred there. The class is called the cemetery resource protection training (CRPT) workshop.
Feb 28, 2023
Navarre Beach lifeguards prepare for 2023 season
Coming off a great 2022, which saw zero drownings and 44 rescues, beach safety division chief Austin Turnbull and the Navarre Beach Lifeguards are looking to follow up one winning season with another in 2023.
Before they can do that, the Navarre Beach Lifeguards prepare by honing their skills and knowledge through training. This goes for rookies and returning guards. With the season just over a week and half away, the lifeguards were out on the beach Feb. 18 and 19 to get ready.