Restaurants on Pensacola Beach could soon see some new patrons of the four-legged variety. The Santa Rosa Island Authority voted Feb. 12 to green-light pursuing the adoption of a state ordinance called the Dixie Cup Clary Act, which would give restaurants with outdoor eating areas the option to allow patrons to bring their pets with them as they dine.

Local deaths from the H1N1 have resulted in an increased number of residents protecting themselves against the flu virus recently.

Recently Escambia County Interim Administrator Larry Newsom sought on behalf of county staff to amend criteria proposed to rank certain Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) projects funded by the federal gas tax. Instead of adopting or amending the proposed ranking, the TPO voted instead to refer the matter to committee for further review.

Every year, heart disease accounts for one in every four deaths in the United States. That is about 600,000 people who die from the disease each year.