March 2023

General News March 20, 2023

Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation to Host Second Annual Fundraising Event

 Sip and Splash: An Aquatic Affair presented by Tim Smith Acura The Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation (ECFF) is pleased to announce they will host their second annual fundraising event, Sip and Splash: An Aquatic Affair presented by Tim Smith Acura, on Saturday, May 20 at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center. Located at 4345 Commons Drive West in Destin, The Taj was officially renamed and dedicated during the Inaugural Sip and Splash event in 2022, which raised over $74,000. Those who attended last year’s event are encouraged to attend once again as the food, cocktails, music, and overall experience will be completely new and fresh. “We are so thankful for the support we received from last year’s event,” said Kevin Leibold, ECFF President. “There was no hesitation that we wanted to host this event for the second year to bring even more people to our pool and experience this magical evening.” Upon entry, guests will receive a glass of Good Clean sparkling champagne before making their way into the fully transformed community pool, courtesy of Title Wave Sponsors, including Bitterroot, Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House, Emerald Coast Magazine, Ohana Heating and Air, and Splash RV Resort and Waterpark. A sunset cocktail hour will kick off the evening before guests take their seats for an upscale dinner under the stars. Throughout the night, Better Together Beverage will be pouring whimsical craft cocktails made with local spirits, including Distillery 98 and Campesino Rum, in signature cups sponsored by Hand Arendall Harrison Sale.... Read More

30a News March 20, 2023

Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation to Host Second Annual Fundraising Event

Sip and Splash: An Aquatic Affair presented by Tim Smith Acura The Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation (ECFF) is pleased to announce they will host their second annual fundraising event, Sip and Splash: An Aquatic Affair presented by Tim Smith Acura, on Saturday, May 20 at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center. Located at 4345 Commons Drive West in Destin, The Taj was officially renamed and dedicated during the Inaugural Sip and Splash event in 2022, which raised over $74,000. Those who attended last year’s event are encouraged to attend once again as the food, cocktails, music, and overall experience will be completely new and fresh. “We are so thankful for the support we received from last year’s event,” said Kevin Leibold, ECFF President. “There was no hesitation that we wanted to host this event for the second year to bring even more people to our pool and experience this magical evening.” Upon entry, guests will receive a glass of Good Clean sparkling champagne before making their way into the fully transformed community pool, courtesy of Title Wave Sponsors, including Bitterroot, Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House, Emerald Coast Magazine, Ohana Heating and Air, and Splash RV Resort and Waterpark. A sunset cocktail hour will kick off the evening before guests take their seats for an upscale dinner under the stars. Throughout the night, Better Together Beverage will be pouring whimsical craft cocktails made with local spirits, including Distillery 98 and Campesino Rum, in signature cups sponsored by Hand Arendall Harrison Sale.... Read More

General News March 20, 2023

52-Year-Old Florida Resident Giving Music a Second Chance

 30 Years After Giving Up SANTA ROSA BEACH, FLORIDA: March 21, 2023 – After taking a 30-year hiatus from the music industry to pursue a “normal” career, Wes Herndon is back and ready to give a career in music another attempt. At 52 years old, Wes Herndon is not your typical musician. He has a wealth of life experience to draw from, and his years away from the music industry has only strengthened his passion for playing guitar and songwriting. With a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh perspective… thanks in part to the pandemic shutdowns, Wes is eager to share his new music with fans around the world. Despite stepping away from the industry for a period of time, Wes has continued to write and perform occasionally, perfecting his sound and style. With a lifetime of ups and downs and a few laughs to draw from, his music is both raw and relatable, which resonates with fans of all ages. As he embarks on this new chapter of his career, Wes is both anxious and excited to connect with people and share musical moments with Floridians and the world. He remarks, “Taking a second chance at music while being a ‘responsible’ adult is somewhat dauting, but if I’m being honest, I really can’t help it. It’s in my soul, so I don’t have a choice. I have been truly humbled and feel nothing by gratitude to see that what I’m creating is being received so well.” His newest... Read More

30a News March 20, 2023

Best Places To Eat In Disney World

You can’t go to Disney and not experiment with the food! Let’s break down some of the top places to get a bite to eat, and what food & drink you should be looking for on the menu during your next Florida Vacation and Disney trip. Disney Springs The place where food and drink is plentiful. First and foremost, if you’ve never had cookies at Gideon’s, get ready to have your life changed. The cookies & cream are my favorite. Here’s a tip for you, though: Order ahead. Not just a few hours in ahead, at least 24 hours in advance. If you know anything about my last name, you know it’s Irish. If you’re like me and love Irish pubs, Irish food, and history then checkout Ragland Road. Get a beer flight, sip slow on a glass of whiskey, or grab a Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime cider from Sweden. For an appetizer, get the Whiskey BBQ Lollipop Chicken. It’s covered with roasted corn and bacon crumble. Plates of fish & chips whirred past my table, and boy did they look good. But the hottest menu around our dinner table was the Worth the Wait Beef Sandwich. The beef had been braised for 12 hours and was served with sautéed mushrooms, crispy onions, garlic aioli and smoked cheddar on ciabatta. I ate the Serious Steak, but I can’t recommend that to anyone. The sirloin was average, the mashed potatoes tasted like instant potatoes, and my wife took one bite of... Read More

30a News March 20, 2023

COCAINE HEADED FOR PRISON FACILITY DISCOVERED FOLLOWING TRAFFIC STOP; TWO OUT OF MIAMI ARRESTED

March 20, 2023 WALTON COUNTY, Fla—A traffic stop for a seatbelt violation leads to the arrest of a pair out of Miami on drug charges. On Sunday morning, a Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy conducting traffic enforcement near Highway 90 and State Highway 285 pulled over a vehicle when he noticed the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. A strong smell of marijuana was coming from the vehicle when the deputy approached the driver’s side door. After speaking with the driver, 25-year-old Taurus Washington of Miami, Florida, it was discovered his license had been suspended indefinitely and no one in the vehicle had a medical marijuana card or a valid driver’s license. Washington also had a non-extraditable warrant out of Arizona. The two other passengers of the vehicle were detained. Washington was searched and 1.2 grams of crack cocaine was found in his pants pocket. During a search of the car, deputies located three tightly rolled packages containing 61.8 grams of cocaine which appeared to be made for smuggling inside a body cavity and 106 grams of marijuana. One of the passengers, Destiny Butler, 21 also of Miami, admitted to the drugs belonging to her and that she was taking them to “Central”. She also provided a fake ID to deputies to conceal her identity. Washington was charged with cocaine possession and driving with a revoked license and was issued a traffic citation for not wearing a seatbelt. Butler was charged with trafficking cocaine, providing a false ID to a LEO,... Read More

General News March 19, 2023

Hemingway Inspires New Menus At Havana Beach Bar & Grill

  Havana Beach Bar & Grill in Rosemary Beach has new Brunch and Dinner menus that are an ode to Hemingway’s Havana, celebrating the joy of living, eating and drinking well. The new menus draw inspiration from Ernest Hemingway’s favorite old town Havana haunt, El Floridita, after which the Havana Bar & Grill itself was modeled.   Read More

30a News March 19, 2023

FIREFIGHTERS KNOCK DOWN FOUR-STORY BLAZE IN FREEPORT

A multi-agency attack leads to the knock down of a four-story house fire, saving multiple nearby homes. At 11:04 p.m. on Saturday, March 18th, Walton County Fire Rescue, South Walton Fire District, and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department responded to a home on Grove Lane in Freeport following a 911 call reporting a large structure fire. Walton County Fire Rescue crews arrived on scene and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the back corner of the multi-story home. They quickly deployed attack lines and began to battle the blaze. South Walton Fire District and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene shortly after and began assisting in fighting the flames. While firefighters were battling the massive fire, heavy winds were attempting to spread the flames to nearby structures. Firefighters fought the flames and wind gusts for several hours before getting the fire under control. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire and firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby structures. Walton County Fire Rescue cleared the scene at 5:19 a.m. The Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Walton County Fire Rescue would like to thank South Walton Fire District and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department for their assistance. WCFR would also like to thank Eglin Air Force Base Fire & Emergency Services and Liberty Volunteer Fire Department for providing coverage while our firefighters worked the scene. The post FIREFIGHTERS KNOCK DOWN FOUR-STORY BLAZE IN FREEPORT first appeared on... Read More