Connor Rooney’s breakout season leads him to claim Mid Bay News Defensive Player of the Year Collin Bestor January 27, 2026 9:30 am Sports SANTA ROSA BEACH — Connor Rooney’s junior season mirrored South Walton’s resurgence; steady, physical and increasingly hard to ignore. The Seahawks linebacker emerged as the anchor of South Walton’s defense in 2025, piling up more than 100 tackles, making game-changing plays on special teams and helping lead the program to a 7-3 record and a second-round playoff appearance. Along the way, Rooney’s effort in 2025 caught the attention of Mid Bay News readers, as he earned more than 47% of the vote to be named Defensive Player of the Year, capping a season that marked a major leap from his earlier role as a rotational player. “My sophomore year, I was just, you know, just trying to get on the field, wherever I could,” Rooney said. “And this year was like, Okay, now I do something, not just trying to get on the field, but trying to be a guy that makes plays, makes a difference, and really contribute on the defense.” That growth coincided with South Walton’s first true home season in two years after spending the previous year entirely on the road and for Rooney, walking onto the field at the Seahawks’ new stadium as a junior carried extra meaning. “Oh, man, that’s exciting,” he said. “All the way games last year. I mean, I think, I mean, it didn’t really help the way... Read More

NAACP calls Gap Creek flooding an environmental justice crisis as local leaders emand Action in Fort Walton Beach Collin Bestor January 27, 2026 8:00 am Fort Walton Beach FORT WALTON BEACH — It pools in yards. It creeps under homes. It swallows low spots in the street until cars slow to a crawl and some residents decide it is safer to stay put than risk driving through water they cannot judge. For many families, it has been that way for decades, and, in the view of the Okaloosa County Branch of the NAACP, that is far too long. Last week, the NAACP renewed its call for officials to take decisive action on Gap Creek, a drainage corridor that winds through Fort Walton Beach and unincorporated Okaloosa County before emptying into Cinco Bayou. The organization says the creek and the flooding around it have become a long-running example of environmental injustice in a predominantly Black community that has struggled to get the same level of attention and investment as other parts of the county, even as local officials have acknowledged the problem and moved forward with a long-awaited planning study. “Environmental justice is a civil rights issue,” said Sabu L. Williams, president of the Okaloosa County NAACP, in a Jan. 20 press release. “The families of Sylvania Heights have been forced to live with preventable flooding and infrastructure neglect for far too long. This is a systemic failure, and it demands immediate corrective action.” But for Fort Walton Beach Councilwoman Debi... Read More

  Tuesday, January 27, 2026 is National Plan for Vacation Day, and there’s no better time to start planning a getaway to the Real. Fun. Beach. No matter when you visit Panama City Beach, you’ll find endless ways to fill your days, from outdoor adventures and family friendly attractions to standout   Read More

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – What started as a bold idea on 80 acres of inherited beachfront land has become one of the most recognizable towns in the country. Founded in 1981 by Robert and Daryl Davis, Seaside was designed to revive traditional panhandle coastal living. This year, Seaside is marking 45 years since its […] Read More

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A decade-long investigation has come to a close after Walton County officials confirmed they have identified the remains of missing 19-year-old Jacob Lyon. Jacob Lyon was reported missing to the Niceville Police Department in February 2016 by his mother, after she had no contact with him for three months. The […] Read More