News Archive

Six African pygmy hippopotamuses now have a new exhibit and breeding center along the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast to call home at the Gulf Breeze Zoo.

U.S. health experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 booster shots for all Americans eight months after they get their second dose of the vaccine, to ensure longer-lasting protection as the delta variant spreads across the country.

Among the items on the agenda for the Aug. 19 Board of County Commissioners work session will be discussing how to cover the duties of the county attorney after the end of the month. The Tallahassee-based firm that has been handling the county’s legal affairs announced late last month that they did not wish to continue working in that capacity past Aug. 31.

Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office detectives are looking for help in identifying a bank robbery suspect.

United Bank, located at 3615 Hwy 90 in Pace, was robbed Monday at approximately3:45 pm. A white male exited the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.

Schools will reopen Tuesday on their normal schedules, including all extracurricular activities, according to a press release issued by the district at 12:15 Monday.

Two new COVID-19 testing sites will open in Santa Rosa County this week as numbers continue to rise locally.

All area hospitals are at or near capacity, according to the county’s emergency management director, Brad Baker.

Tropical Storm Fred’s track has nudged to the east overnight, which means landfall is likely between Panama City and Walton County. That track, if it holds true throughout Monday, reduces impacts in Santa Rosa County.

The eastern portion of south Santa Rosa County remains under a tropical storm warning, which means tropical storm conditions are expected in this area beginning in the late morning.

Tropical Storm Fred’s track has nudged to the east overnight, which means landfall is likely between Panama City and Walton County. That track, if it holds true throughout Monday, reduces impacts in Santa Rosa County.

Santa Rosa County Emergency Management officials continue to closely monitor the Tropical Storm Fred. Residents are reminded to follow the National Weather Service and local media outlets for the most recent weather updates.

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center places Navarre at the western edge of the “cone of probability” for Tropical Storm Fred. Fred, which until earlier this morning was in shambles, has reorganized into a tropical storm with sustained winds of about 40 miles per hour.

The storm is heading for the northern Gulf Coast somewhere between Navarre and the Jefferson/Wakulla county line, according to the forecast released at 10 a.m. Sunday. A warning means tropical storm conditions should be expected within 24 hours.

The area just west of Navarre is under a tropical storm watch.