CLEAR AND PRESENT POLITICS Beasley answers questions about Election Day voting. COMING FULL CIRCLE DFS Mayor Carpenter returns to his roots as city takes over DOT yard. PdL SCHOOL ORDERED TO PAY ACLU Judge teaches school the high cost of free speech. BRAUNSTIEN, JONES AND OSBORNE ANNOUNCE Candidates present their platforms and promises. LOCAL POLITICS [...]

By DOTTY NIST Walton County has set the goal of uncluttered evening beaches, with the stated purpose of preventing interference with beach cleaning, sea turtle nesting, and emergency vehicle access. The goal is not a new one, but an amendment has been proposed to an existing ordinance, 2003-07, which deals with the “Leave No Trace” [...]

By LEAH STRATMANN The monthly forum presented by the South Walton Community Council (SWCC) last week was on the topic of energy. Christian Wagley, environmental program manager for Alys Beach, presented the film “Energy Crossroads” to a small gathering. The film dealt with all aspects of energy and how we use it, pointing out the [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD The Walton County School Board discussed decreasing revenue in the first hour of the June 30 meeting. Due to decreasing  property values and state cut backs, the Walton District is looking at a reduction in funds of $1,577,728 from a comparison of estimated revenues for the next budget year. The board also [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD The TCpalm.com, the online version of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, based in Stuart Florida, reported in January 2008 that Walton County was where it all began. What you might ask? The reintroduction of the 1939 obscure law know as the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act law, as enacted, was designed to be [...]

Staff reports Federal Judge Richard Smoak has ordered Ponce de Leon High School to pay $325,000 in legal fees to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after ruling that the school violated student Heather Gilman’s Constitutional rights to free speech. Many civil rights laws have provisions that entitle successful plaintiffs to recover attorneys’ fees. These [...]

“THE WALL” honoring veterans at the office of Walton County Supervisor of Elections. (Photo by Alicia Leonard)

  THE UNIQUE AND EXOTIC hardwood and fossilized mammoth tooth construction of Jerry Partridge’s hunting knives attracted the attention of the Purple Heart Association, who now officially recognizes him as the maker of the organization’s official knife. In this case, the knife handles fittingly feature the rare South American purpleheart wood in addition to the [...]

  BRENDA RADTKE, Susan Mojcik, Dottie Hidell, Mary Elsberry and Didon Comer wear fashionable polka dot swimsuits for their early morning water aerobics workout June 27. The ladies, known as the Polka dot Pool Pussycats, meet several times a week at various pools along CR-30A in south Walton. Members of the group not pictured are [...]