The Florida Department of Health reported Aug. 1 a confirmed case of Vibrio vulnificus in Escambia County. It is the first confirmed case of the bacteria in northwest Florida this year.
The primary election race for Santa Rosa County Commission District 2 is a bit of an oddity. Two current Santa Rosa County Commissioners are squaring off to represent District 2. Bob Cole currently sits in the District 2 seat, while Jim Melvin represents District 4. When district lines were redrawn based on the 2010 Census, Melvin’s home became part of District 2, so he could not seek reelection in District 4.
A two-term Santa Rosa County School Board incumbent faces a challenge in the Aug. 26 primary from a candidate that until now had never sought elected office. Sandra Nicely from Milton qualified for the race June 20 and will face Diane Scott for the District 1 seat.
Washington (AP) — A major trait that endeared Jim Brady to the Washington press corps was his sense of humor, especially when he made fun of his own boss.
The countdown to the August 26 primary elections has begun. “We’re ready,” exclaimed an enthusiastic Tappie Villane, Santa Rosa County’s supervisor of elections, who attended the Navarre Beach Area Chamber’s candidate forum Monday night. Roughly 65 people gathered at Holley-Navarre Middle School to hear the seven candidates for District 4 county commissioner.
Only 14.62 percent of Santa Rosa County’s 123,472 voters cast a ballot in Tuesday’s primary election. “That’s extremely low,” said Commissioner Lane Lynchard, a member of the county canvassing board.
Picketers stood outside Portofino Island Resort July 12 to protest the decision of the Tower Two Board to trap 12 feral cats that live on the island. Sharon Berg, of Emerald Coast Animal Allies, has worked to have each of the cats that live under and around the Portofino Towers spayed or neutered, micro chipped and vaccinated in order to ensure they were able to remain at the resort.
Dirt bikers and other off-road enthusiasts won’t have to wait much longer to enjoy an off-highway vehicle (OHV) area, which was initially projected to open three years ago in Blackwater River State Forest.
The Santa Rosa County chapter of the national charity Ducks Unlimited (DU) hosted a “Greenwing” event July 26 in Milton. The event targeted aspiring hunters and conservationists.
Longleaf pine restoration efforts in Blackwater River State Forest will continue thanks to a recent multi-million-dollar grant announcement in Washington, D.C. The project includes prescribed fire on 20,000 acres, controlling invasive species on 350 acres, treating 1,100 acres of hardwoods and restoring 330 acres of longleaf pine. The project also aligns with the natural resource and encroachment protection goals of Eglin Air Force Base by expanding potential off-base habitat for protected species, including the flatwoods salamander.
