NEW YEAR, NEW SHERIFF, NEW POLICY Mike Adkinson presents policy changes to deputies FREEPORT TEEN DIES IN CRASH Others injured. SANSOM RESIGNS COLLEGE POST Ethics complaint uncertain. NEW TERMS FOR THE NEW YEAR Constitutional officers sworn-in at Walton Courthouse. NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IN THE OLD CITY St. Augustine lights up for the holidays. COUNTY HEALTH [...]

A 16-year-old Freeport girl died of injuries sustained in an automobile crash that occurred early on the morning of Jan. 4  at SR-20 and CR-83A. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is investigating the accident, which left another teen seriously injured. A third passenger received minor injuries. Meghan Burkhart Smith, 16, of Freeport, was a passenger [...]

By BRUCE COLLIER Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Ray Sansom, speaking on Jan. 5, delivered the following statement to the House, which was meeting in a special budget session: “Members, before we get started I’d like to make a brief, personal announcement. Together with my family, I have decided to resign from my [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD As the clock struck 12:01 a.m. on the first day of January 2009, a new sheriff arrived in Walton County and he and his new team wasted no time in getting down to business. In courtroom B of the Walton County courthouse, close to 100 deputies, family members and well-wishers gathered to [...]

Beginning Jan. 1, 2009 the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) and the South Walton Tourist Development Center (TDC) will no longer fly “beach safety flags” on the 30 public beach access flag poles during the months of December, January and February. During the 2008 end of season review and analysis, one item reviewed was the [...]

By LEAH STRATMANN The only subject people talk about more than the weather is traffic and roads and the ongoing need for improvement to area roads. Road improvements are always limited to the availability of funds, so the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently held a series of public meetings to gather citizen input to [...]

By PATRICK CASEY The Paxton Bobcats defeated Ponce de Leon 60-17 to capture third place in the 2008 Hilton Sandestin Beach Basketball Blowout that was held at Freeport High School last week. The event, which just wrapped up its 14th year, brings in teams from throughout the Southeast to compete in a four-day event on [...]

ADVERTISEMENT FOR INVITATION TO BID ITB NO: 09-010 INTRODUCTION: Sealed bids for the Van Ness Butler Beach Access ADA Ramp will be received by the Board of County Commissioners, Walton County, Florida, hereinafter referred to as “County” at the address shown below: Central Purchasing Glyndol Johnson, Purchasing Agent 176 Montgomery Circle DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435 [...]

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