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.

On March 4, Midway Baptist Church will introduce its Awana club.

Awana is a global, nondenominational Christian youth ministry mostly known for its club-based programming. Started in 1950, Awana, which is an acronym of “Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed,” has come to work with over 60,000 churches.

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.

Students and families ventured to the Dillon Center in Milton Feb. 5 to learn about Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities in the school district.

When Southern Raceway in East Milton went up for sale, some in the local racing community feared the property would be sold to a developer and that days at the dirt track would be a thing of the past.

That was also the fear of the Joiner brothers, Jonathan, Joseph and Joshua. As Joshua puts it, the brothers were practically raised at the track.

After a recent court ruling, William Brandon Aydelott will move to a less restrictive mental health treatment facility in Tallahassee.

This marks the second time in the past two years Aydelott has been moved to a step-down facility. Aydelott was first placed in Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee in 2016, three years after killing his mother, beloved teacher Sharon Aydelott on Christmas Eve 2013.

A residential structure fire in Navarre Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 3, appears to have been caused by a family pet.