30A Breaking News

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A Destin man was arrested after a Walton County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Investigator discovered 22 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle during a traffic stop Tuesday evening. According to the WCSO, 60-year-old Mitchell Lee Lunsford was stopped near Highway 98 and Geronimo Street for impeding the flow of traffic. Deputies […] Read More

FLORIDA – The former chief financial officer of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence has asked for a continuance of her scheduled criminal trial after former President and CEO Tiffany Carr pleaded no contest this week to felony charges stemming from allegations of bilking the state out of money earmarked for domestic violence shelters. Attorneys […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The Bay County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Pensacola man on Wednesday after an extensive investigation regarding fentanyl trafficking. According to a news release, 27-year-old Deondre Hightower delivered the narcotic to an undercover investigator on two occasions. Deputies reported that the first transaction contained 29.7 grams of fentanyl, and the second […] Read More

Breaking Barriers: AFWERX Innovators Elevate Opportunity in the Air Force Staff Reports January 8, 2026 11:40 am Aviation, Eglin Air Force Base, Government, Hurlburt Field In Brief: Who: Staff Sgt. Aaron Holmes and Senior Airman Erika Gustafson What: Selection for commissioning programs after presenting the Optical Drone Detection System (ODDS) When: After the Sept. 22–24, 2025 Air, Space & Cyber Conference Where: AFWERX Spark Street exhibit at the AFA conference Why: Their innovation enhances counter-drone detection in contested environments WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — Two Airmen behind an innovative drone detection project have been selected for competitive commissioning programs following a high-profile demonstration at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference. Staff Sgt. Aaron Holmes and Senior Airman Erika Gustafson, members of AFWERX Project Arc, were selected for the Senior Leader Enlisted Commissioning Program (SLECP) after presenting their Optical Drone Detection System (ODDS) during the AFWERX Spark Street exhibit at the conference held Sept. 22–24, 2025. The Airmen briefed senior Department of the Air Force leadership, including Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Troy Meink, on their work. Following the event, the Secretary’s office reached out to recognize the project and extend commissioning opportunities to both innovators. ODDS is a sensor-agnostic application that uses a custom-built YOLO (You Only Look Once) object-detection model to identify small unmanned aircraft systems in environments where traditional radio-frequency-based detection systems may be ineffective. By leveraging computer vision, the system provides a low-cost, adaptable option for counter–small UAS missions. “ODDS... Read More

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – Nine SSA Marine employees were transported to a local hospital on Thursday following a hazmat incident at the Port of Panama City. Port Panama City reported that at its East Terminal, the vessel, Lowlands Luck, had discharged bagged cement cargo. Following cargo operations, the crew for the vessel began to […] Read More

Mary Esther leaders mobilize to fight proposed closure of elementary school Collin Bestor January 8, 2026 11:00 am Mary Esther MARY ESTHER — Mary Esther city officials and residents are mobilizing against a proposal to close Mary Esther Elementary School, warning that the loss of the nearly 60-year-old campus would erode the city’s identity, disrupt families, and leave the community as the only municipality in Okaloosa County without a public school. The issue dominated a special City Council meeting on Tuesday, where officials outlined the Okaloosa County School District’s timeline, and residents, many with lifelong or generational ties to the school, pleaded for intervention before a final decision is made. City Manager Jared Cobb told council members the district met with city staff on Dec. 5 to discuss a plan recommended by Superintendent Marcus Chambers to close Mary Esther Elementary and Longwood Elementary amid sharp enrollment declines in the southern part of the county. “So it opened about 1965, been serving Mary Esther for 60 years,” Cobb said of Mary Esther Elementary. “Their current enrollment is about 400 students, which is down from about 620 [in] ’18.” Under the district’s schedule, the school board is expected to vote Jan. 12 on whether to authorize a public hearing. That hearing is tentatively set for Feb. 23, when board members could vote on the proposed closures. “If this is approved, the potential closure would be for this next school year, and so come August, there would not be school at Mary Esther... Read More

 [[{“value”:” If you live anywhere in South Walton, or drive Hwy 331 north of the bay, you’re hearing the buzz and seeing the progress in Freeport. As commercial and residential land in SoWal gets gobbled up, Freeport has become more popular with open spaces and lower prices. New subdivisions, apartments, restaurants, parks, schools & churches have made Freeport among the fastest growing cities in the country. Progress is in the air with more and more families are moving to Freeport, Florida. “}]]  SoWal.com  Read More

Jim McBride Remembered As “Amazing Tunesmith” “Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, never knew how much that muddy water meant to me, but I learned how to swim and I learned who I was — a lot about livin’ and a little ’bout love.” “Chattahoochee,” a beloved song within Alan Jackson’s body of work, was […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

Okaloosa County Commissioners question license plate reader cameras Collin Bestor January 8, 2026 9:37 am Okaloosa County CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County commissioners took a deeper look Tuesday at a growing network of automated license plate reader cameras mounted along county roadways, debating privacy, data control and recurring costs.   At the same time, law enforcement defended the technology as an essential investigative tool.   Deputy County Administrator Jason Autrey briefed commissioners on the cameras, commonly called license plate readers (LPRs), and stressed that the county itself does not operate any citation-issuing red-light or school-zone systems.   “We have no mechanism on county-maintained and owned roadways where we issue citations,” Autrey said. “Okaloosa County does not have that.”   Instead, the cameras residents see along roadways belong to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, which contracts with the private vendor Flock Safety. Autrey said 28 cameras are installed on 26 county roadways, all by permit.   According to deflok.me, around 100 cameras are currently located within the county. According to county officials, the other cameras are located on state roads or in the other nine municipalities. Crime-fighting claims and investigative examples Autrey described the network as a “manpower multiplier,” saying deputies can query the database to find vehicles tied to an investigation.   “They’ve used it for stolen vehicles, missing persons, even a juvenile that was claimed missing,” he said, noting one case where deputies believed a teen was headed north but later found the vehicle in Ocala after LPR hits plotted... Read More

New Fitness Options Signal Major Shift in Air Force Readiness Staff Reports January 8, 2026 9:26 am Eglin Air Force Base, Government, Health, Hurlburt Field In Brief: The Air Force is updating fitness test options, allowing Airmen to choose between multiple exercises. Diagnostic-only fitness testing will run through June 2026, with official scoring resuming July 1. Fitness scores will again be included in performance briefs beginning in early 2026. ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Air Force has announced updates to its physical fitness assessment standards, including changes to testing options and a revised implementation timeline aimed at supporting Airmen’s long-term health and readiness. According to Air Force officials, the updated Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) will allow Airmen to choose between multiple exercise options while maintaining bi-annual testing requirements. One of the key changes from a September 2025 announcement is a shortened diagnostic testing period, which will now end in June 2026. “We care about the long-term health of our Airmen, and that starts with physical fitness,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said. “The habits Airmen build by working out daily directly impact their quality of life in and out of uniform.” Under the updated standards, Airmen will have flexibility in each fitness component. Cardiovascular options will include either the traditional 2-mile run or the 20-meter High Aerobic Multi-shuttle Run (HAMR). Strength testing will offer a choice between one minute of push-ups or two minutes of hand-release push-ups, while core strength can be assessed through sit-ups, cross-leg reverse... Read More