LYLE SIEGLER began work as interim county administrator on July 29. “I’m appreciative of this appointment by the Board of County Commissioners and am privileged to serve the people and leaders of this community in this special way,” Siegler commented. (Photo courtesy of Walton County Public Information Office)

  FOR THE south Walton County community of Blue Mountain Beach, neighborhood planning efforts are underway. On July 28, county commissioners opted to move forward with public hearings on a plan known as the “hybrid” Blue Mountain Beach neighborhood plan, the result of mediation efforts to combine BMB-2, a plan addressing the community as a [...]

WCSO DEPUTY FATALLY SHOOTS FREEPORT MAN Sheriff and FDLE investigate use of deadly force. WEDDING DAY SHOOTING SUSPECT CAUGHT Spotted in hospital. WCSO GIVES TO HOLMES COUNTY COLLEAGUES Uniforms, equipment sent to fellow lawmen. LOCAL WOMAN EXPLORES WALTON OUTDOORS Web site a “total resource” for locals, visitors. DFS RESIDENTS INJURED IN SANTA ROSA COUNTY Truck [...]

At 5:03 p.m. on Monday, August, 3, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) received a 911 hang up call from a home located at 533 Pope Street in Freeport. A deputy was dispatched and arrived approximately 5:25 p.m. Shortly after arriving at the Pope Street residence, the responding deputy encountered Jeffrey Stuart Weekly, 39, in [...]

By DOTTY NIST Two months ago, both plans and funding appeared to be in place for Walton County to acquire a small parcel on Natural Bridge Creek containing a locally-famous limestone arch formation. Now those plans have slowed down, but the indications are that the county’s interest in obtaining property in that area for preservation [...]

By DOTTY NIST Last month the Walton County Taxpayers Association (WCTA) raised questions about the propriety of the health insurance premiums for family members of county commissioners and some top county officials being paid in full by the county. According to Karen DeBeauchamp, benefits coordinator for Walton County Human Resources, this benefit was initiated in [...]

By ALICIA LEONARD At a meeting on August 3, the Defuniak Springs Planning Board moved unanimously to recommend denial by the City Council of a request by Frede Lopez for a special approval/change of use within a C-1 commercial restricted district for a proposed bar/tavern called El Charo…. Read the full story in the August [...]

By BEN GRAFTON On July 14, the votes for the open council seat were counted and Elizabeth Brannon was elected to Freeport’s Council Seat 2. For those who don’t already know her, here is a bit more background. Brannon is a Freeport native whose family has lived and farmed here since about the beginning of [...]

By JEFFREY POWELL The Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina offer the resident and visitor alike a countless number of beautiful and interesting locations to see and enjoy. High on any list of these locations would have to be Grandfather Mountain, located near Linville, NC. At 5,946 feet, Grandfather Mountain is not the highest [...]

By DOTTY NIST In wake of Walton County Administrator Ronnie Bell’s surprise resignation announcement on July 14, District 1 Commissioner Scott Brannon recently proposed immediate actions “to lead Walton County into the future.” The proposals took place at the July 28 Walton County Board of County Comissioners regular meeting in DeFuniak Springs. Calling this a [...]