“We cannot allow the bad stewardship and poor management of this program to continue.” Gaetz demands fiscal controls with passage of SB 318 Christopher Saul January 16, 2026 1:56 pm Schools and Education, State Government State Senator Don Gaetz’s SB 318 passed the Florida State Senate unanimously. Here’s what He said about the future of vouchers, private and public schools, should this bill pass the house and get signed into law by the governor. Christopher Saul interviewed Gaetz about the bill’s passage and what it would mean for students and families if it became law.    Christopher Saul: What does this bill mean for the future of school choice and the voucher program?   Senator Don Gaetz: “Well, it was a very good sign that the Senate passed the bill unanimously. School choice is not typically a topic that you can get unanimity on in the Senate or in the House, so I was very gratified that the Senate passed our bill.    Now what happens is that we began negotiations with our colleagues in the House to see if we can bring you know, bring this issue to some conclusion. We cannot allow the current state of affairs to continue because school districts are being shortchanged. Parents are placed at a disadvantage. They’re not getting their reimbursements in a timely fashion. Private schools are having difficulty. As we’ve discussed before, the current circumstances are untenable. There’s no way that we can continue to operate the school choice program the... Read More

Lawsuit seeks to block Fort Walton Beach Charter Amendments, claims ballot language misleads voters Collin Bestor January 16, 2026 1:00 pm Fort Walton Beach FORT WALTON BEACH— A local political committee has filed a lawsuit seeking to block five proposed amendments to the city charter from appearing on the Mar. 10, 2026, referendum ballot, escalating a months-long debate over a sweeping package of changes that city leaders say would modernize local government. Opponents argue that it is being misleadingly presented to voters.   FWB Watch Group and Travis Smith, a former city councilman, have sued the City of Fort Walton Beach, City Clerk Kim Barnes and Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux on Jan. 14 in Okaloosa County Circuit Court. The verified complaint asks a judge to declare the ballot titles and summaries for the measures unlawful under Florida election law and to prevent them from being placed before voters “in their current form.”   The lawsuit targets Ordinances 2196 through 2200 — five of six charter-related ordinances adopted on second reading by the Fort Walton Beach City Council on Dec. 16 after months of workshops and recommendations from the city’s Charter Review Committee.   Taken together, the complete package of six ordinances would ask voters to weigh in on changes involving election timing, governance rules, administrative operations, compensation for elected officials, and limits on annual budget increases.   At previous meetings, City Attorney Jeff Burns has said voter approval is required before any changes to the city charter... Read More

The Country Star And His Wife’s Donation Has Led To A Special Fund Being Named After Their Daughter, Rosie Every birth is a miracle, but any parent could tell you that doesn’t mean the struggles end when the baby arrives. At the beginning of the year, on Jan. 6, country artist HARDY and his wife, […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bear Creek Feline Center hosted a community-wide event this evening to teach the general public about caring for endangered Florida wildcats. Bertie Braddus, director of Bear Creek Feline Center, hosted the event at St. Andrews State Park.She educated attendees on a variety of subjects like the specialized care required for […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Mexico Beach held an exciting groundbreaking Thursday for the first grocery store in the area since Hurricane Michael. Over the past few years, residents and visitors have had to drive to Panama City or Port St. Joe for groceries. With most construction projects, the first sign of life is usually […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bay District Schools is celebrating a milestone for student success. Over the past ten years, the district has gone from a 78% graduation rate to a now 93.8% rate. They have the second-highest rate in Northwest Florida, just behind Walton County. Bay District officials credit their daily attendance checks, tutoring, […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bay County residents are being advised of a precautionary boil water notice after a water main line was damaged on 23rd St. and Bayview Avenue. The line has since been repaired, but residents in the following areas are advised to boil water used for all drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing […] Read More

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – What started as a routine animal welfare check has turned into a new way to help the community. During one such visit, a Walton County Sheriff’s official noticed the animals weren’t the only ones in need of help. The family at the home was struggling to put food on the […] Read More

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Community leaders and residents gathered Thursday morning for a ribbon-cutting at Historical Henry Park in DeFuniak Springs. “This was sort of the epicenter of the welcoming effort for our tourists and back then, this was the tourist industry of Walton County. You know, it’s since moved to the beach. But […] Read More

JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Panhandle farmers are trying to protect their crops from this weekend’s expected freeze. Workers at Cherokee Ranch in Jackson County are paying close attention to the satsuma trees. Protecting the trees is necessary for cultivating next season’s crop. A freeze can kill the limbs of the tree, making them unable […] Read More