For the first time in Santa Rosa County history, an African-American will be on the general election ballot for a county post. Kris Long of Milton is running for the District 2 County Commission seat under no party affiliation.

In exchange for faster service and better staffing, developers will be paying more for permits in Santa Rosa County. But the increase still leaves the county well below its neighbors in terms of cost to build.

Construction for the Venetian Way and Coronado Drive drainage improvement project in Gulf Breeze began Monday. The project includes improved stormwater systems and construction of an outfall canal to improve the conveyance of stormwater.

Cats and kittens brought to the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter have a nearly 90 percent chance of being euthanized, based on 2016 data from the shelter. This means that only one in 10 cats will leave the shelter alive.

Tensions regarding the use of parking facilities at the Soundview Plaza shopping center flared again Aug. 23 as patrons of TC’s Front Porch parked in spaces marked for plaza customers only.