30a News March 20, 2023

COCAINE HEADED FOR PRISON FACILITY DISCOVERED FOLLOWING TRAFFIC STOP; TWO OUT OF MIAMI ARRESTED

March 20, 2023 WALTON COUNTY, Fla—A traffic stop for a seatbelt violation leads to the arrest of a pair out of Miami on drug charges. On Sunday morning, a Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy conducting traffic enforcement near Highway 90 and State Highway 285 pulled over a vehicle when he noticed the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. A strong smell of marijuana was coming from the vehicle when the deputy approached the driver’s side door. After speaking with the driver, 25-year-old Taurus Washington of Miami, Florida, it was discovered his license had been suspended indefinitely and no one in the vehicle had a medical marijuana card or a valid driver’s license. Washington also had a non-extraditable warrant out of Arizona. The two other passengers of the vehicle were detained. Washington was searched and 1.2 grams of crack cocaine was found in his pants pocket. During a search of the car, deputies located three tightly rolled packages containing 61.8 grams of cocaine which appeared to be made for smuggling inside a body cavity and 106 grams of marijuana. One of the passengers, Destiny Butler, 21 also of Miami, admitted to the drugs belonging to her and that she was taking them to “Central”. She also provided a fake ID to deputies to conceal her identity. Washington was charged with cocaine possession and driving with a revoked license and was issued a traffic citation for not wearing a seatbelt. Butler was charged with trafficking cocaine, providing a false ID to a LEO,... Read More

General News March 19, 2023

Hemingway Inspires New Menus At Havana Beach Bar & Grill

  Havana Beach Bar & Grill in Rosemary Beach has new Brunch and Dinner menus that are an ode to Hemingway’s Havana, celebrating the joy of living, eating and drinking well. The new menus draw inspiration from Ernest Hemingway’s favorite old town Havana haunt, El Floridita, after which the Havana Bar & Grill itself was modeled.   Read More

30a News March 19, 2023

FIREFIGHTERS KNOCK DOWN FOUR-STORY BLAZE IN FREEPORT

A multi-agency attack leads to the knock down of a four-story house fire, saving multiple nearby homes. At 11:04 p.m. on Saturday, March 18th, Walton County Fire Rescue, South Walton Fire District, and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department responded to a home on Grove Lane in Freeport following a 911 call reporting a large structure fire. Walton County Fire Rescue crews arrived on scene and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the back corner of the multi-story home. They quickly deployed attack lines and began to battle the blaze. South Walton Fire District and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene shortly after and began assisting in fighting the flames. While firefighters were battling the massive fire, heavy winds were attempting to spread the flames to nearby structures. Firefighters fought the flames and wind gusts for several hours before getting the fire under control. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire and firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby structures. Walton County Fire Rescue cleared the scene at 5:19 a.m. The Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Walton County Fire Rescue would like to thank South Walton Fire District and Argyle Volunteer Fire Department for their assistance. WCFR would also like to thank Eglin Air Force Base Fire & Emergency Services and Liberty Volunteer Fire Department for providing coverage while our firefighters worked the scene. The post FIREFIGHTERS KNOCK DOWN FOUR-STORY BLAZE IN FREEPORT first appeared on... Read More
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General News March 18, 2023

The Walsingham Way

  By Amy Harvey, Principal A. Gary Walsingham Academy is committed to offering students unique learning opportunities that are relevant, meaningful, and have a direct correlation to the real world. We believe this is a vital element for increasing student motivation, empowering students to take ownership of their learning, and igniting a passion for exploration. Our teachers are dedicated to providing rigorous and engaging instruction while maintaining a positive school culture in which students feel loved, welcomed, and safe. Teachers at Walsingham Academy collaborate with all stakeholders including parents, colleagues, and community members in order to meet the needs of every learner on campus. Analyzing data to determine specific areas of improvement or enrichment, and then using research-based strategies to deliver instruction are the foundations of what we do academically at Walsingham. In addition to the core subjects, we also place an emphasis on teaching core values and building positive relationships with students. The Walsingham Way is focused on treating others right, making smart decisions, and maximizing potential. Our theme this year at Walsingham Academy is “Making Waves, The Wahoo Way.” We are providing students opportunities to think outside the box, encouraging them to be curious about the world around them, and motivating them to take action to change our world for the better. Our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics), Music, and Enrichment programs are helping students expand their experiences beyond the walls of the classroom. In STEAM, students are using their science knowledge to engineer various projects using... Read More
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General News March 18, 2023

UNwineD March 31-April 1

  UNwineD returns to Panama City Beach on March 31 and April 1 at Aaron Bessant Park. Spend the weekend tasting craft beer, wine, and spirits while sampling cuisine from renowned area chefs and local eateries. At its heart, UNwineD, presented by Publix, is a stylish garden party that showcases the best of the region. Friday Night Kickoff Party hosted by Southern Living and Visit PCB Friday, March 31, 2023 at 6 p.m. This one-of-a-kind night offers custom cocktails, live music, and more! Only 250 tickets are sold to the Kickoff Party and include admission to the entire weekend of events. Grand Afternoon Tasting Saturday, April 1 at 1 p.m. UNwineD officially gets underway with The Grand Afternoon Tasting. Wander from booth to booth while tasting the best craft beers, wine and spirits from around the world, and sampling delectable creations from leading chefs in the Northwest Florida area. Browse through Art & Vendor Row filled with local shops and boutiques, and be sure to also stop by the Southern Living tent for home decor, cookbooks, and more! Tickets are limited to this event. Concert in the Park Saturday, April 1 at 4:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chair and blankets! Following the Grand Afternoon Tasting, join us for a concert in the park with live entertainment by headliner Magic Giant and opening act The Collection. More information at www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/unwined. The post UNwineD March 31-April 1 appeared first on PCB Life | Panama City Beach News, Events and Community Information.   Read More
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General News March 18, 2023

4 Things To Do Now For Glowing Skin This Summer

  By Meg Burns, Blush Beauty Lounge Are you ready for summer? The warmer weather, days at the beach or pool, gatherings with family and friends, whatever your summer season looks like for you…it will be here before you know it. Everyone wants glowy skin in the summer, and spring is the perfect time to get your skin ready! Here are a few tips from our amazing esthetician team at Blush Beauty Lounge. 1: Don’t skip your SPF. The sun is actually good for us. I know we have been told a lot of things over the years, but our body needs Vitamin D for our immune system, our mood, and more. To clarify, we are not telling you to go bake in the sun for hours without SPF. But what I am saying is that being out in the sun for a bit each day is actually really good for you! Simply adding an SPF for your face into your daily routine can help avoid pigmentation and premature aging in your skin. We love a mineral sunscreen that also blocks pollution and blue light (light from our devices). Enjoy your time outside… and don’t forget your SPF! 2: Book your wax appointment. If you want the benefits of waxing (finer hair regrowth, no shaving, fewer ingrown hairs) for the summer, then you need to start now. Book your leg, arm, bikini, or brazilian wax now and get it on your schedule for every 4 weeks. You will be so... Read More

General News March 18, 2023

Let’s Get Growing with Julie: Supporting Pollinator Habitats with No Mow March

  By Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS Extension If you are looking for an excuse to delay firing up the lawn mower for a few more weeks, consider participating in No Mow March! The UF/IFAS Northwest District Horticulture team has launched this initiative to promote pollinator habitats and there are several ways you can participate. I know what you’re thinking – there is no way my HOA would give me a pass on mowing my lawn – and that’s ok because we have other activities you can do to support pollinators. In the late winter and early spring, we start to see a lot of insect activity, but sometimes the flowers are lagging behind limiting pollen and nectar resources. Urban areas lacking large tracts of natural areas with native vegetation also reduce food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. The good news is that gardeners can help fill in those gaps. Here are some ways you can provide resources for pollinators: • Skip mowing areas with wildflowers, limit lawn mowing if practical • Plant flowering plants that bloom throughout the year. For early spring consider pansies, snapdragon, spirea, Walter’s viburnum, azaleas, or saucer magnolia • Limit pesticide use and always follow label instructions Install a pollinator hotel https://go.ufl.edu/11mki2w or leave some areas of soil undisturbed and bare for ground-dwelling bees • Monitor and observe your lawn and landscape for pollinators – be a citizen scientist (see below for details) iNaturalist is a website and app by National Geographic and California Academy... Read More

General News March 18, 2023

New Reefs….Better Fishing and The Season is Open!

  By Pam Anderson March 1, as most locals know, is the start of the fishing season for Federally-permitted head-boats and Charter Boats. We’ve all had our USCG inspections, new coats of paint, and are ready to go fishing. Grand Lagoon watersports are on! Triggerfish season opens March 1 for some really fun and challenging fishing. They are very tasty too! This year we are happy to showcase the artificial reefs built by the local welding students from Chipola College, Haney Technical College, and Wakulla, Port St. Joe, and Wewa High Schools. With the assistance of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, they have put their knowledge of welding to work in a very practical way by helping to provide more habitat for the fishery off NW Florida. In mid-March, the reefs will be on display at Capt. Anderson’s Marina for all to view. Watch for the announcements of dates to come to see the results of their ingenuity. These particular reefs are being deployed through the Bay County Artificial Reef Association’s work with Bay County Commission’s reef program. There are plans in the works for Bay County High Schools to work with Eastern Shipbuilding next year to provide this experience for students and add more reefs. These reefs will be placed about 20-30 miles out from The Pass and their locations will be available to the public for all divers and anglers to use. It usually takes about 4-8 months for algae and other plant growth to begin attracting different species of... Read More

General News March 18, 2023

Will Interest Rates Continue to Climb?

  By Maurice Stouse, Financial Advisor and Branch Manager As we head into March, we are seeing some early trends or patterns for investors. First among these are short-term interest rates. The Federal Reserve raised rates to 4.75 percent in early February. That was a .25 percent smaller rate increase than in its previous meeting. We are seeing short-term savings rates and CDs yielding at or near this level as well. Investors are left wondering if rates will continue to climb. The Federal Reserve is keeping a close watch on inflation which, after the February report, has prices going sideways for now (as opposed to continuing to go down). Digging deep into those numbers, we see that goods are down to 3 percent and wages are now growing at 4.3 percent. The cost of services continues to be resilient in the face of inflation. Wages may continue to wane as the white-collar labor force is seen as over employed and the same for many blue-collar professions. Restaurant and hospitality businesses continue to be seen as under-employed. There has been a lot of news about layoffs in the tech sector. While significant, those workers account for less than 2 percent of the workforce. Many of those returning to the workforce also see being productive and industrious as a key to a happy and fulfilled life. We are also learning more about the Great Unretirement or the growth of the so-called “unretiring.” Many Americans who retired during the pandemic are coming back... Read More