The Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County issued Monday a mosquito-borne illness advisory after receiving a report of West Nile Virus in a Santa Rosa County resident. Health department spokeswoman Deborah Stilphen would not release whether the resident was from north or south Santa Rosa County.

For the second year in a row, county employees are getting pay raises. Commissioners Aug. 14 approved a 5 percent merit raise for employees with five years or less time on the job. Those who have worked with the county for more than five years will receive 2.5-percent raises.

Santa Rosa County Commissioners rejected a request to rezone a 480-acre parcel in south Santa Rosa County that would have allowed higher density and smaller lot lines. The land in question is home to wetlands and at least few endangered or threatened species.

Santa Rosa County Commissioners approved pursuing more defense grant funding at their July 10 board meeting. County staff is preparing a $200,000 request to acquire more land around NAS Whiting Field. Additionally, a separate $73,630 request to fund the county military affairs consultant and provide for military-related economic and community activities is also being sought.

A 39-year-old man from Pleasant View, Tennessee, was taken to the hospital July 14 after suffering a shark bite to his left ankle while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico off Okaloosa Island.