Valparaiso boy to attend Wounded Warrior kids camp
VALPARAISO — Ben Baltz will kick off his summer vacation by doing what he loves best —playing sports. The 11-year-old Valparaiso boy will attend a kids camp Tuesday through Saturday hosted by the...
View ArticleSome local FCAT scores dip from last year (LINKS)
Local students outperformed the state average but not always themselves, according to the latest batch of test results released by the Florida Department of Education. Students in Okaloosa and Santa...
View ArticleDuke Field reservist rescued teens from Gulf
Maj. Karl Miller doesn’t consider himself a hero. He says diving into the rough surf Saturday evening to save two teenagers was something he was trained to do, something anyone with his training would...
View ArticleVideo shows two suspects in ballot burglary
GULF BREEZE - Video surveillance at the South Santa Rosa Service Center show two people wheeling out the two safes stolen from the facility Sunday morning. Watch the video. >> The door had been...
View ArticleBraving backups on Navarre Beach Bridge
MILTON — It’s a situation most parents face, but when Rob Williamson’s kids asked him repeatedly why they had to wait in traffic to leave Navarre Beach, he decided to do something about it. Williamson...
View ArticleSpain police dog wins British award for bravery
MOSTOLES, Spain (AP) — Ajax has a nose for trouble. The retired Spanish police dog has received a prestigious award by a British animal charity group in recognition of his bravery and skill. The...
View ArticleTexas couple completes bucket list with Maine trip
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Texas couple has fulfilled a lifelong dream by visiting Maine to watch the state Legislature at work. Seriously. The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/18mLCbP ) reports that...
View Article'You’re never too old to pursue your dreams' (VIDEO)
FORT WALTON BEACH — Carol Yessick closed the book of music in front of her and closed her eyes, her fingers knowing which keys to hit as she played her final piece for seniors at Magnolia Manor...
View ArticleTestimony begins in Cozzie murder trial
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS —Toni Wilkes, the mother of Courtney Wilkes, teared up on the witness stand Tuesday as she described the last words she spoke to her daughter: “OK baby, but be responsible.” Courtney,...
View ArticleWoman hurt in crash on U.S. 98
NAVARRE - A woman was injured Tuesday morning when her car was hit by a van turning onto the Navarre Beach Bridge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Rhenda A. Newton, 40, of Pensacola, was...
View ArticleMan sentenced to 10 years for battery
FORT WALTON BEACH - A man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for felony battery with great bodily harm, according to the state attorney's office. Okaloosa County Circuit Judge John T. Brown...
View ArticleFormer Club Overboard property 'not moving forward'
DESTIN — There is once again a "For Sale" sign hanging on the former Club Overboard/Twisted Palm building in Destin. Jimmy Sharpe, who is the Realtor of the parcel, didn't return a message from The...
View ArticleNew tennis courts could be ready next spring (DOCUMENTS)
NICEVILLE — After more than two years of planning and fundraising, officials are ready to break ground on a new tennis complex. The community-funded Eagle-Ram Tennis Courts are set to open next spring...
View Article78-year-old finds niche building sets at Mattie Kelly Arts Center
NICEVILLE — The stage has always been alluring to Audrey Bailey. From a young age she enjoyed watching productions, but as an adult she discovered her true passion was for what happens behind the...
View ArticleDOT to begin U.S. 98 work
A major road project kicks off Thursday along U.S. Highway 98 from the Okaloosa-Santa Rosa County line west to the Gulf Breeze Zoo. The $12.3 million job is projected to be completed by the winter of...
View ArticleWitness: Steven Cozzie said, ‘I just killed this chick’ (GALLERY, VIDEO)
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — Michael Spencer, who spent summers in Seagrove Beach with his aunt, was best friends with Steven Cozzie during the summer of 2011. But two years earlier Spencer had lied to Cozzie...
View ArticleBale filled with $2.5 million of cocaine found in Gulf (VIDEO)
DESTIN — Five fishermen hauled in 25 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $2.5 million Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico south of East Pass, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. The...
View ArticleWeatherford touts education reform
FORT WALTON BEACH — The leaders of the Florida Legislature have big plans to improve the state. Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford are touring Florida this summer to discuss...
View ArticleEarly hearing on seismic surveying in Gulf draws small crowd
OKALOOSA ISLAND —A public hearing on seismic surveying in the Gulf of Mexico drew little controversy from the 10-member audience. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management hosted the meeting Tuesday...
View ArticleMasseuse charged with prostitution
GULF BREEZE - The owner of Zehn Spa on Gulf Breeze Parkway was arrested for prostitution Tuesday, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office. After receiving tips on illicit sexual activity...
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