SWFD HOLDS FEBRUARY MEETING Reports $11.4 million in assets. PARKS TO CLOSE? Budget constraints threaten 19 Florida state parks. NATUREWALK BEACH CLUB A NO-GO Circuit judge negates BCC approval on appeal. LOVE AMONG THE SNOWBANKS: “NEW IN TOWN” Movie review. CHAUTAUQUA WINTER ASSEMBLY FEB 20 – MARCH 1 Schedule of events. CAMELLIA FESTIVAL AT EDEN [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD On February 3, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida submitted a petition to the United States Supreme Court over a 2004 Taser incident in northwest Florida. The ACLU is asking the court to make a ruling on whether law enforcement officers’ use of excessive force with a Taser is unconstitutional. [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD Donna Huxhold approached the DeFuniak Springs City Council with a request for possible utility budget billing change, due to citizens’ increased gas use during winter months. Huxhold compared the plan to the budget billing style that Gulf Power offers their customers, where one year’s worth of billing is broken down evenly among [...]

By DOTTY NIST Over six months after being found in violation for operating without a development order, D&H Sand is working toward meeting Walton County requirements in connection with a development order application, although the business’s progress in meeting those requirements was recently described as “a snail’s pace.” Several people at the Feb. 4 Walton [...]

By LEAH STRATMANN At the last meeting of the Coastal Dune Lakes Advisory Board (CDLAB) a member of the South Walton Community Council (SWCC) informed the group the state had slated a number of parks in northwest Florida to be temporarily closed as a means of saving money. The eight parks represent 24 percent of [...]

By JEFFREY POWELL Ask any military personnel that have been deployed to a war zone how they feel about letters from home and most will tell you they are the highlight of their day. This is as true today as it has been since the first man left home to battle an adversary. Recent articles [...]

By ASHLEY AMASON Fort Walton Beach native and Crimson Tide MVP Glen Coffee (better known as Mr. Coffee) spoke at the DeFuniak Springs Civic Center Thursday, Feb. 5, directly after attending an NFL training session in Pensacola.

By PATRICK CASEY Saturday night was a good night to be a girls basketball player or fan of three of our Area 5 teams. The Walton Braves, Paxton Bobcats and Ponce de Leon Pirates all won their match-ups in the district championship games of their respective districts to earn the right to host first round [...]

FOR SALE Now open again! Alice’s Antiques Collectibles & Used Furniture 2374 S. 2nd St. (280A) Hours Tues- Fri., 10-4 and Sat. 12-4. Phone 850-892-4074. —————————————————————————————————– BLUE BIRD HOUSES for sale.$5.  Call 836-4583. tfc 2/28 —————————————————————————————————– 8700 FORD TRACTOR. 2 gravity wagons. 850-956-5090. 3tp 2/12-2/26 —————————————————————————————————– FISH FOR STOCKING-your pond or lake. Coppernose, bluegill, shellcracker, [...]

ADVERTISEMENT FOR INVITATION TO BID ITB NO: 09-013 INTRODUCTION: Sealed bids for the CR 192 Widening and Overlay 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 (850) 892-8176 [...]