Love was the biggest winner at Saturday’s Play for a Purpose volleyball tournament in Pace. The event raised about $8,000 to help the families of the Davidson brothers – Khai, 13, Dawson, 11, and Jack, 3 – whose father was killed on New Year’s Day and whose mother is in jail charged with his murder.

Residents have begged Santa Rosa County for months to improve code enforcement to prevent erosion damage and water pollution. Last week, the Board of County Commissioners approved increasing landfill fees, including a $1 per ton impact fee to pay for four new compliance officers.

Richard McCool, 67, smiled broadly before making his final remark to the EMTs, dispatchers, drivers and friends gathered in his honor Friday at LifeGuard Ambulance in Milton. “Really – from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” he said, causing laughter and applause.

Craig Kruse, the Destin developer whose projects are remaking East Milton, died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. He was 74.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Milton Thursday to present a $2.36 million Broadband Opportunity Grant to Santa Rosa County leaders. The popular Republican governor visited the historic Imogene Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 2, to announce the first Broadband Opportunity Grant Program awards to expand broadband internet for Florida’s underserved communities. The Santa Rosa grant will help bring high-speed internet to 791 homes and businesses in the county. Statewide, the program is committing more than $144 million for 58 projects in 41 counties, impacting almost 160,000 unserved residential, educational, business and community locations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited the Historic Imogene Theatre in Milton today to announce the state has committed more than $144 million to expand high-speed internet services.

Some folks in Navarre worry about “Florida’s Most Relaxing Place” becoming another Destin; some in East Milton are pointing to Pace as a cautionary tale of development run amok. Elizabeth Plant is among them.

The turtle’s OK. A conversation with Navarre Beach Pier operator Tamara Fountain convinced Santa Rosa County Commissioner James Calkins to drop his objection to new signs for the facility.

It’s been seven years since Santa Rosa County rebranded Navarre Beach from Florida’s “Best Kept Secret” to the state’s “Most Relaxing Place,” but Commissioner James Calkins still resents the change.

Navarre is rapidly outgrowing its youth sports association. Participation in NYSA programs more than doubled between 2020 and 2022, straining the all-volunteer nonprofit corporation’s resources and limiting opportunities for the community’s children.