News Archive

In letters dated three days apart last month, two regulatory agencies offered complementary responses to a proposed change to the Santa Rosa County Comprehensive Plan that would permit more open-pit mining near East Milton water wells.

The wells, which are supplied by a sand-and-gravel aquifer, provide water to tens of thousands of county residents and businesses.

Following resolutions approved Feb. 4, the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners now has rules in place to govern public comment at board meetings.

The matter, first brought up at the Jan. 7 board meeting, initially was strongly opposed by some commissioners and citizens, who argued that it violated First Amendment rights.

Santa Rosa County commissioners will not vote Feb. 25 on whether to repeal key wellfield protections as anticipated. Instead, county staff discussed the matter to the board at the Feb. 9 work session.

Shawn Ward, the county planning and zoning director, confirmed the agenda change Thursday.

A 13-year-old Milton boy was flown to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola with serious injuries after being struck by a car on Mulat Road, according to a Florida Highway Patrol media release.

The Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution Feb. 4 to support proposed legislation that would strengthen resolve for the Second Amendment in the state of Florida.

The resolution was unanimously approved after nearly two hours of debate, mostly over the wording of the resolution.

UPDATE Thursday, 1:39 p.m.: Gulf Islands National Seashore officials will reopen the J. Earle Bowden Way, Highway 399 at 8 a.m. tomorrow to passenger vehicles, according to a press release sent out Thursday afternoon. Opal Beach day use loop D pavilions, restrooms and parking lot will also reopen. Temporary repairs to the road are sufficiently complete to safely reopen the road until the project to implement permanent repairs gets underway later this year.

Here’s the latest from Commission Chair Dave Piech on some hot topics in Santa Rosa County.

Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners unofficially unanimously committed at their monthly work session to vote against the repeal of some key wellfield protections that many felt would endanger the county’s drinking water.

Community efforts to rename portions of the Navarre Beach Bridge or dedicate portions of the roadway continue. 

During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s Board of County Commission work session, resident Tony Hughes updated commissioners on a local group’s efforts to do a memorial dedication for the Navarre Causeway in honor of Air Commandos in general, and specifically Medal of Honor recipient (posthumous) MSgt. John Chapman, USAF.

Forty-two years ago on Feb. 9, someone gunned down a popular convenience store clerk working on Okaloosa Island. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office investigators are still hoping for a break in the cold case.