Okaloosa County

Last month, Mark Franks, the Mayor of Shalimar, was elected president of the Florida League of Cities. This is the first time in a decade Northwest Florida has lead the organization.

As Okaloosa County continues to develop its own animal control services, commissioners discussed updating code ordinances during a public hearing on Tuesday.

As local governments wait for the result of November’s property tax amendment, Okaloosa County Commissioners are planning ahead for ways to continue services.

Okaloosa County will be managing animal control services on its own starting this fall. But services will start small as the county waits to see what happens with the property tax amendment on the November ballot.

Earlier this week, the Florida Historical Marker Council approved 15 markers honoring women who have made contributions throughout the state’s history. Two of the markers celebrate women who were born in the Panhandle.

An effort to stop a high-density D.R. Horton

After months of back and forth, Okaloosa County and the City of Destin are working toward an agreement on the Holiday Isle park.

Destin City Council voted unanimously on a resolution requesting the State of Florida to authorize the city as the manager of the proplsed Holiday Isle park.

Eddie Duran’s trial has been set for September 28. The former Okaloosa County deputy is charged with first-degree manslaughter for the 2024 shooting death of Senior Airman Roger Fortson. Duran has pleaded not guilty.

A committee with the Okaloosa NAACP is working to memorialize Augustus “Gus” Tart, a man born into slavery who became a pioneer of what is now Okaloosa County.