News Archive

A Midway firefighter was sent to the hospital while responding to a house fire on the 7600 block of North Shores Drive Tuesday, Feb. 24.

The fire was first reported to Midway Fire District and Holley-Navarre Fire District at 9:52 a.m. The 911 caller observed heavy black smoke coming from the rear attic area of the house.

Santa Rosa County District Schools is close to opening its Center for Innovation.

Katelyn Kent, district public information and family and community outreach officer, anticipates a ribbon cutting for the new facility will be held in the spring.

Pensacon, the annual pop culture convention held at Pensacola Bay Center, was back in full force Friday, Feb. 20, through Sunday, Feb. 22.

At 6:26 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, firefighters from Holley-Navarre, Midway and Navarre Beach fire districts descended upon a residential structure fire at 1735 Villa Vizcaya Drive.

Upon arrival, firefighters from HNFD Engine 41 saw smoke pouring out of the second floor, filling up most of the cul-de-sac with a haze.

Santa Rosa County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is holding a four-part event across two weekends to train county residents how to be prepared for emergencies and help their neighbors out when disaster strikes.

The basic CERT course will serve as an overview of emergency response. The first part of the course will be held Friday, Feb. 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Additional dates are Feb. 21 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Feb 27 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and Feb. 28 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins was in Santa Rosa County Monday, Feb. 9, to talk about the proposed 2026 budget and meet with Sheriff Bob Johnson, who announced he was endorsing the politician to be the next governor of Florida.

Collins, an Army combat veteran who was seriously injured during his time in Afghanistan, entered the gubernatorial race in January. He was previously a member of the state Senate and became lieutenant governor in August 2025, following Jeanette Nunez’s appointment to the presidency of Florida International University.

With the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution Annex in Milton as his backdrop, Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins announced the Governor’s intentions to spend $373.9 million of Florida’s 2026 budget on pay raises for correctional officers and staff.

The pay raise funding is part of a proposed $565.7 million investment in Florida’s prisons as part of the Floridians First Budget. Collins said the proposal will increase per hour pay from $22 to $28 for certified correctional officers, probation officers and inspectors.

The long wait might be over for Fatboys restaurant in Navarre.

The regional burger chain first announced plans to open a Navarre location in 2023. Since then, the question of when the restaurant would open has gone largely unanswered. That is, until now.

Love was in the air Valentine’s Day. A love of pottery.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, Woodstoke Festival, held annually at Holley Hill Pottery, garnered hundreds of visitors, all of whom came to see what latest ceramic art pieces were created. This year was the 21st iteration of the event.

Documents submitted to a federal court in Alabama last month reveal new details about Marcus Spanevelo’s alleged actions the night of Cassie Carli’s disappearance and the days that followed.

Spanevelo is in federal detention awaiting trial in the Northern District of Alabama on a charge of kidnapping resulting in death.