Rain continues to soak region
Rain that began Friday morning flooded and closed roads in Okaloosa and Walton counties Saturday, with more wet weather expected to return late tonight. South Okaloosa had gotten 3 to 4 inches of rain...
View ArticleA different kind of urban travel (GALLERY, VIDEO)
NICEVILLE — The 6-inch-tall vehicle made a turn and traveled a few more inches before sweeping perfectly into a parking space. The students intently watching its progress and grinned at each other...
View ArticleMore rain to pour down on Emerald Coast; Flash flooding possible (SLIDESHOW)
The skies are expected to dump another two to four inches of rain on an already saturated Emerald Coast by this evening. Some areas could see rainfall up to seven inches, which could lead to flash...
View ArticleSocializing in the name of law enforcement
On Pinterest, a surveillance camera shot of a suspect in a business theft in Walton County can appear next to photos of delicious-looking dishes or stylish clothes. Scrolling down a Facebook newsfeed,...
View Article‘True American hero’: Col. Bud Day celebrates 88 years of life and service...
FORT WALTON BEACH — The occasion for Sunday’s celebration that spilled out the doors of Magnolia Grill was one that comes once in a man’s lifetime. With a life like this man’s, it was one that some...
View ArticleBoat captains urge action to keep Destin Harbor open
DESTIN — If the city doesn’t act quickly, boat captains say it’s only a matter of time before the mouth of the harbor and navigation channel become choked up. “Let’s not wait until the fleet is...
View ArticleLifeguards prepare for another season
Beach safety officials across the Emerald Coast are gearing up to have lifeguards back at their towers by the second weekend in March. From Navarre Beach to Rosemary Beach, crews are filling their...
View ArticleCouple's prayers answered in adoption of Ethiopian child
SANTA ROSA BEACH — The moment Kristin and Will Banker saw Tariku, they knew he was their son. Their introduction to Tariku, then a 7-month-old boy in Ethiopia, was through photos and a file created by...
View ArticleP.J. Adams Parkway in line for modest improvements
CRESTVIEW — A safety project for P.J. Adams Parkway will begin to address the road’s notorious congestion sooner than expected, Okaloosa County public works officials have announced. However, it’s not...
View ArticleWoman dies in Milton wreck
MILTON — A 76-year-old woman died after a wreck on State Road 87 at the intersection with Firehouse Road Saturday evening. Lilia Valderama, who lives in Milton, was pronounced dead at Sacred Heart...
View ArticleSevere weather, cold front expected throughout week
The Emerald Coast is expected to have a chilly week as it dries out from four days of heavy rain. A cold front that moved into the area Monday night could bring temperatures as low as the mid- to...
View ArticleEDITORIAL: A roadmap out of the TDC mire
How typical. Okaloosa County commissioners considered last week two actions that would have caused the departures of key officials linked to the long-festering TDC scandal. They debated. They argued....
View ArticleLETTER: Celia's rabid rant
This is in response to Celia Rivenbark’s Feb. 17 column, “NRA mouthpiece a pain in the … guns.” From her statements, Celia is so far to the left that she has fallen off a cliff and suffered severe...
View ArticleLETTER: Only for killing
The stupidity of some gun-rights advocates defies credibility. In “With evil intent” (letter, Feb. 12), the latest genius intoned: “Guns are a tool” — as are an automobile, a hammer, a knife and a...
View ArticleREP. MATT GAETZ: Scandal-ridden Okaloosa needs major surgery
By REP. MATT GAETZ Since age 9, Okaloosa County has been my home. My mother grew up here. Someday my children will, too. I love Okaloosa County — and that’s why our government should be worthy of our...
View ArticleKATHLEEN PARKER: Heads up, RINOs! Time to take back your party!
WASHINGTON — RINO hunting, the long-popular political sport that morphed in 2008 into a sort of hysteria-driven obsession, lately has become a suicide mission. RINO, of course, refers to Republicans...
View ArticleGEORGE WILL: The sequester: Washington's latest phony crisis
WASHINGTON — Even during this desultory economic recovery, one industry thrives — the manufacture of synthetic hysteria. It is, however, inaccurate to accuse the Hysteric in Chief of crying “Wolf!”...
View ArticleDog show starts Thursday at fairgrounds
FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa Kennel Club will hold its spring shows Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Bull Rigdon Fairgrounds on Lewis Turner Parkway. Hours are 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is free. Parking...
View ArticleFlying Needles quilt show Feb. 28-March 2 in Destin
DESTIN — The Flying Needles Quilt Guild presents its 2013 Emerald Coast Quilt Retreat & Show at the Palms of Destin Resort & Conference Center, 4201 Indian Bayou Trail. Show times are 10...
View ArticleDriver crashes into four vehicles
FORT WALTON BEACH — A 61-year-old woman was charged with careless driving after crashing into four vehicles on Beal Parkway on Monday afternoon. Margie Willett, 61, was driving south on Beal Parkway...
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