Drone Espionage Act Hits Home on the Emerald Coast Staff Reports February 23, 2026 2:26 pm Aviation, Eglin Air Force Base, Emerald Coast, Hurlburt Field, Military In Brief: Who: Sen. Ashley Moody and bipartisan Senate co-sponsors What: Drone Espionage Act, updating the Espionage Act of 1917 When: Advanced Feb. 5, 2026 Where: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, D.C.; local relevance on the Emerald Coast Why: To address rising drone surveillance threats and protect sensitive military installations WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation aimed at closing what supporters describe as a dangerous gap in federal law cleared a key hurdle Thursday as the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the Drone Espionage Act to the full Senate for consideration. The bill, introduced by U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, would update the The Espionage Act of 1917 made it a federal crime to take unauthorized videos of U.S. military installations. While certain forms of espionage and surveillance are already prohibited under federal law, videography of sensitive national defense sites is not explicitly criminalized under the century-old statute. Moody, whose home state is home to 21 military installations and three combatant commands, said the legislation reflects the rapid evolution of drone technology and the growing threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems flying over sensitive sites. “Florida is home to 21 military installations and three combatant commands—we must keep our bases protected and secure,” Moody said in a statement. “The Drone Espionage Act modernizes our laws to meet technological advancements and will protect against bad actors wishing to collect intelligence... Read More

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – Panama City Beach Government officials have announced that a prescribed burn will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Conservation Park. Officials say trails near the burn will be closed off, but Conservation Park will remain open to the public. Residents who have questions or concerns regarding the prescribed […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – All beach schools will be under a precautionary boil water notice on Tuesday, February 24. According to BDS officials, this will affect Surfside Middle School, Arnold High School, Hutchison Beach Elementary School, and West Bay Elementary School. School officials said they will have plenty of free bottled water available for […] Read More

Knives out for this government agency in DeFuniak Springs Steven Saul February 23, 2026 12:23 pm DeFuniak Springs The DeFuniak Springs City Council took over the Community Redevelopment Agency after a tense meeting in which the Council attempted to fire the CRA director and settled on firing the CRA board instead.  City council members and CRA commissioners tersely argued over whether to fire the CRA Executive Director, who was hired without a background check, whether or not the CRA itself was a “parasite” and an “albatross” around the city’s neck, and members called one another “toxic and embarrassing.” By the end of the meeting, the City Council had dissolved the current CRA Board and replaced it with itself.  RELATED: ‘Mudslinging’ says mayor in latest round of City/CRA talks in DeFuniak Springs.    More Below The DeFuniak Springs City Council took over the Community Redevelopment Agency after a tense meeting in which the Council attempted to fire the CRA director and settled on firing the CRA board instead.  City council members and CRA commissioners tersely argued over whether to fire the CRA Executive Director, who was hired without a background check, whether or not the CRA itself was a “parasite” and an “albatross” around the city’s neck, and members called one another “toxic and embarrassing.” By the end of the meeting, the City Council had dissolved the current CRA Board and replaced it with itself.  RELATED: ‘Mudslinging’ says mayor in latest round of City/CRA talks in DeFuniak Spring The CRA hired... Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – On Monday, Stretch Zone Owner Kim Crowell was in the studio with News 13’s Chris Marchand to discuss the benefits of stretching. According to Stretch Zone, members reported improved circulation, decreased muscle tightness, enhanced range of motion, reduced discomfort, improved sleep, and more energy. Stretch Zone reports its method is […] Read More

Security Failure Exposes Sensitive Data at Major Hotel Chain Staff Reports February 23, 2026 10:58 am Business, Tourism, Travel In Brief: Who: Choice Hotels franchisees and applicants; Edelson Lechtzin LLP; Marc Edelson What: Data breach involving unauthorized access to sensitive personal information When: Discovered on or about January 14, 2026; investigation announced February 20, 2026 Where: Choice Hotels system; company headquartered in North Bethesda, Maryland Why: Potential exposure of names and Social Security numbers, prompting a class action investigation A national class action law firm has launched an investigation into a January data breach involving hotel franchisor Choice Hotels International, Inc., according to an article posted by GlobeNewswire. Edelson Lechtzin LLP announced on February 20 that it is investigating potential data privacy claims after Choice Hotels learned on or about January 14, 2026, that a hacker had gained unauthorized access to a system containing sensitive franchisee and applicant information. The company, headquartered in North Bethesda, Maryland, reported that the attacker used deceptive methods to bypass security safeguards — including multifactor authentication — before accessing certain internal files. Choice Hotels said it detected the intrusion and took steps to restrict further access before launching an internal investigation. According to the law firm’s statement, compromised files may include personally identifiable information such as names and Social Security numbers. Edelson Lechtzin LLP said it is exploring a potential class action lawsuit to seek legal remedies for individuals whose sensitive personal data may have been exposed. The firm is encouraging anyone who has received... Read More