30A Breaking News

When Is The Finale For Season 28 Of The Voice? The Voice is laying the groundwork for its upcoming Season 28 finale. Season 28 of The Voice premiered on Monday, September 22. The season celebrated the return of a cast of fan-favorite coaches: Niall Horan, Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, and Reba McEntire. RELATED: COUNTRY SINGERS’ […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

Shenandoah And Nickelback Release An Animated Reimagining Of The Music Video For “The Church On Cumberland Road” A lot has changed in 36 years, but a No. 1 song is forever. Back in 1989, the country band Shenandoah released its second album, The Road Not Taken, which went on to have three No. 1 hits […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

Rising Country Musicians Hope To Launch Their Careers On The Road Nine of twelve contestants remain in the running for the grand prize of $250,000 and a recording contract that awaits at the end of The Road. The new reality show puts artists to the test to see if they have what it takes for […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

Season 2 Of Landman Premieres On Sunday, November 16 Sam Elliott and the entire cast of Landman are celebrating the highly anticipated premiere of Season 2. Landman‘s second season debuts on the Paramount+ streaming service on Sunday, November 16. The Taylor Sheridan-created series follows Tommy Norris (played by Billy Bob Thornton) as he navigates the […] More Country Music Nation  Read More

Bishop William A. Wack Directs $50,000 of Diocesan Funding to Food Pantries in Northwest Florida Staff Reports November 10, 2025 12:40 pm Charities and Nonprofits, Religion In Brief: Who: Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, Catholic Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee; Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida; Matt Knee; David Kimbell What: $50,000 in diocesan funds allocated to support food pantries When: Announced following the recent end of the federal government shutdown Where: Northwest Florida — including food pantries in Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, and Tallahassee Why: To address rising food insecurity caused by federal funding shortfalls and increased community need Pensacola, Fla. — As many Northwest Florida families continue to feel the ripple effects of recent federal funding shortfalls and a prolonged government shutdown, Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, of the Catholic Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, has announced that $50,000 in diocesan funds will be directed to Catholic Charities food pantries across the region. The funding aims to provide immediate support for families struggling with food insecurity and to restock depleted food pantry shelves. “Although the prolonged government shutdown has just ended, we are keenly aware of the ripple effects it has caused across the Panhandle,” said Bishop Wack. “So many families and individuals have their financial well-being related directly or indirectly to federal institutions operating with full funding. We have to help our brothers and sisters make ends meet in this difficult moment.” The diocese’s support comes at a time when many food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),... Read More

South Walton’s End of Season Safety Report Steven Saul November 7, 2025 8:38 am South Walton In Brief:  Report Highlights: Beach calls for assistance dropped by 40% and no drownings occurred for the second consecutive year, but beach attendance was down over 10% from 2024.  Marine Life Warning: The number of days purple flags flew for dangerous marine life, like jellyfish, increased significantly, logging 90 straight days.  Yellow is the New Green: Beach Safety Director David Vaughn confirmed that the “Yellow Flag” (moderate caution) is now the baseline condition, as the USLA does not recommend flying the “Green Flag” over an open body of water due to quickly changing surf conditions. Share This Story! Beach Safety Director for the South Walton County Fire District, David Vaughn brought good news with some negative implications for local businesses to the Walton County Tourism Development Council at their last meeting.  The good news: the County’s beaches experienced much calmer waters and had 40% fewer calls for assistance to first responders.  The bad news: overall attendance at the beach was down a little over 10 percent from 2024.  After publication, Tourism Director Matt Algarin contacted us to provide additional context. He told us that attendance was down in the area of South Walton, where the South Walton Fire District provides contracted patrol services at 11 Walton County beach accesses. He noted that the South Walton Fire District also has six additional contracts for beach safety lifeguards at WaterColor, WaterSound, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Sandestin and Seaside.  Algarin added that David Vaughn said attendance at the... Read More

Trinity United Methodist Church Helps Reduce Student Lunch Debt in Okaloosa Schools Staff Reports November 6, 2025 4:17 pm Okaloosa County, Religion, Schools and Education In Brief: Trinity United Methodist Church raised funds to eliminate $906 in lunch debt at Shalimar Elementary. Contributions also helped reduce lunch debt at Pryor Middle School and assisted Trinity Preschool families with tuition. The effort was part of the church’s 65th anniversary Jubilee year, emphasizing community support and giving back. Share This Story! FORT WALTON BEACH — Trinity United Methodist Church celebrated its 65th anniversary this year by giving back to the local community through initiatives aimed at supporting students and families in Okaloosa County. As part of its Jubilee year celebration, a year dedicated to reflection, gratitude, and service, the church set a goal to pay down $906 in outstanding student lunch debt at Shalimar Elementary School. The congregation’s contributions exceeded expectations, allowing the church to also provide over $400 in support to reduce lunch debt at Pryor Middle School. Additional funds were used to help Trinity Preschool families clear outstanding tuition balances, ensuring that children could continue their education without financial barriers. “We are so grateful for Trinity United Methodist Church’s generosity and support of our students and families,” said Amy Klugh, Principal of Shalimar Elementary School. “Acts of kindness like this truly make a difference and remind our students that their community cares about them.” Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers highlighted the church’s ongoing partnership with local schools. “Trinity... Read More

HVAC Give-Back: Local A/C Company Donates New System to Vet During Government Shutdown Christopher Saul November 6, 2025 3:43 pm Military, Valparaiso In Brief: Air Force Sergeant John Demos and his family are receiving a new HVAC system for Veterans Day from Mills Heating and Air. The gift is especially meaningful as Demos’s unit, RED HORSE, is often deployed to hostile environments without modern comforts, and the family is facing financial pressure from the government shutdown. Mills Heating and Air, along with partners Trane and Reme Helo, provided the labor, air conditioning unit, and air purification accessories as a token of thanks for Demos’s service. Share This Story! Air Force Sergeant John Demos and his family of five will have a brand-new HVAC system this Veterans Day, thanks to the team at Mills Heating and Air.    RELATED: HVAC Company Gives Air Conditioning Units to Crestview and Shalimar Families During Heat of Summer   Demos, a sergeant with the RED HORSE (or Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers) squadron, was one of many service personnel nominated to receive the upgrade, but he is one of the few whose job description allows him plenty of time in other countries without creature comforts like air conditioning, which we take for granted in the USA.    “When the air conditioning comes on – that’s usually the time we leave,” he said with a chuckle.   RED HORSE is the unit in the Air Force tasked with building forward bases and other... Read More