By BRUCE COLLIER
Walton County spent Monday clearing its schedule and preparing to receive an unexpected guest in the form of Tropical Storm Ida. Originally a lower-category hurricane, the storm was on-track for the Gulf Coast, with a predicted strike zone stretching from Pensacola to east of Panama City. Such late-season storms are a rarity, but have occurred occasionally over the past years.
As it crossed the Gulf of Mexico headed toward landfall in the Panhandle, Ida weakened in intensity and was downgraded to a tropical storm, but was still considered an unpredictable and therefore formidable threat to the coastal area. On Monday morning, Walton County Board of County  Commissioners Chairman Sara Comander signed Resolution 2009-96, declaring a state of local emergency in Walton County. The county’s Emergency Operations Center went on alert, with emergency, rescue, law enforcement and other government officials gathering to monitor conditions and coordinate shelters and other necessary facilities in the event of wind and water damage.
At noon on Monday, all non-emergency county functions were closed down, to remain closed through Tuesday. A voluntary evacuation of low-lying areas and mobile home parks south of SR-20 went into effect, and Freeport High School’s gymnasium was put into service as a shelter and a special-needs shelter. County schools remained open normal hours on Monday, but were closed Tuesday. A number of scheduled Veterans Day observances were canceled or postponed,  along with city council and county commission meetings scheduled on Monday and Tuesday. Business, social  and church activities were likewise rescheduled.
Law enforcement and emergency services officials advised motorists to stay at home, and posted notice that the Clyde B. Wells Bridge (U.S. 331) would be closed to traffic if sustained winds reached 40 mph. At least one road, Fort Panic Road on CR-30A in the Santa Rosa beach area, was temporarily closed due to water over the roadway.
Gulf Power issued a report stating that at the height of the storm (Monday night), approximately 5,000 of its 429,000 customers lost power. At 6 a.m. Tuesday, some 2,000 were still without power, with 175 contractors brought in to make repairs.