Community

NWFSC Ranks Among the Top 10 Safest Colleges in Florida Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) has ranked among the top 10 safest college campuses in Florida, according to Niche.com. The rankings for campus safety were established after evaluating campus and community crime rates, rates of violent crimes, and student surveys...

By Mary Chris Murray Alaqua Releases New Episodes for “Laurie Hood’s Difference Makers” Podcast Series The podcast series “Laurie Hood’s Difference Makers,” now in season two, is hosted by Alaqua Founder Laurie Hood, and celebrates the work of advocates from around the world—the “difference makers” who have dedicated their lives to...

The price of gasoline is affecting all of us who must rely on our vehicles to get us to work, to school, doctor appointments and the grocery store. But you might not realize how gas prices are affecting the elderly and disabled senior citizens in our community who are...

By Doug Stauffer On Sunday, August 7, 2022, K9 Officer Blue of the Niceville Police Department was killed in the line of duty. He and his handler, Sergeant Phillip Ritcheson, were traveling on Hwy. 85, south of State Road 123. At 5:51 p.m., their police pickup truck was struck in...

Save the date and your seat for the Annual Freeport Mayor’s Ball, Oct. 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hammock Bay Lake Club. Having originated in 2013 by Mayor Russ Barley, the Mayor’s Ball is designed to benefit Freeport families. As a Freeport native, Mayor Barley has a...

By Michelle Ruschman Foster parenting helps kids and enriches families. A common misunderstanding about fostering is that foster families are gatekeepers between children and biological parents. April Hight, the Foster Home Recruitment Specialist with FamiliesFirst Network for Okaloosa and Walton County, wants to clarify that a foster parent is more...

The 28th annual Oktoberfest and Arts & Crafts Festival at Winn Dixie Plaza in Bluewater Bay is looking for artists and craftsman interested in selling their work. Sponsored by the Mid-Bay Rotary Club, the festival will be held on Fri., Sep. 23rd from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sat.,...

By Shane Abbott The Florida Wildlife Corridor stretches across our state and covers around 17.7 million acres of land. Here in Walton County, we are in the heart of the Panhandle’s portion of the corridor. Governor DeSantis has done a phenomenal job in protecting the environment and conserving this corridor which...

By Jamie Zimchek It’s nearly midnight. Suddenly, there’s the sort of crash outside that gives a person heart palpitations. Prowling cautiously around the corner, you spot the furry culprit lumbering leisurely down the back road with a trash bag in tow: it’s your friendly neighborhood Florida black bear, and he’s...

One Woman’s Mission to Destroy Niceville’s Drug and Alcohol Problems By Christopher Saul, midbaynews.com Freedom Life Compass serves as a bridge between active rehabilitation like you see when someone decides to get clean from drugs or alcohol – and when they are able to live fully independent lives. The organization’s leadership...