The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says a 50-year-old Niceville woman is accused of sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl over a seven-month period in 2018. Deputies say a caretaker reported noticing redness on the child during a bath and the victim said that Katrina Puri touched her inappropriately on a number of occasions. Puri was charged…… MORE
Category Archives: Uncategorized
PAWS LAWSUIT SETTLED
A lawsuit filed last year against the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society in Fort Walton Beach has been settled. The settlement between PAWS and former agency employee Manda Moore was reached during a mediation session Friday, but PAWS Executive Director Tracey Williams said the terms of the settlement are confidential. The lawsuit alleged financial malfeasance by…… MORE
FLORIDA TOURISM DOWN
Because of COVID-19, tourism numbers in Florida have dropped 34% compared to last year. There were 86.7 million visitors to the state during 2020, the lowest annual total since 2010. Before the pandemic, the state estimated 1.6 million jobs were supported by tourism. Last week, the U.S. Travel Association reported four in 10 jobs lost…… MORE
COVID-19 UPDATE
The Florida Department of Health says the state added 3,615 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the state’s total to 1,830, 988 cases. The state also added 159 new deaths and Florida’s death toll is now 29,434. Escambia County had 45 new cases and 1 new death Santa Rosa County had 19 new cases Okaloosa County…… MORE
SCHOOLS CLOSED
The cold weather has closed schools across northwest Florida. The University of West Florida will be closed through 5 a.m. Wednesday, but essential employees must report to work, as assigned. Pensacola State College will close this morning and face-to-face classes will be canceled until 1 p.m. Tuesday. All public schools in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa…… MORE
OTHER COLD WEATHER CLOSURES
The Perdido Landfill is closed and will reopen tomorrow morning. As a result, ECUA sanitation collections this week will be delayed by one day. Tuesday collections will be made on Wednesday and the remaining weeks’ collections will follow in the same manner until all collections are completed on Saturday. Escambia County and Century offices will…… MORE
CHUMUCKLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HIT BY LIGHTNING
Chumuckla Elementary School was struck by lightning yesterday. The Allentown Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at the northern Santa Rosa County school about 11:15 a.m., and smoke was reported in the building. The smoke was traced to heat and cooling system as the result of the lightning strike, but no significant…… MORE
COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR KAYAKER
The Coast Guard has suspended their search for an overdue kayaker who went missing near Destin Saturday evening. 61-year-old David Scnick, of Minnesota, was last seen in a blue and green kayak around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, but did not return. He was wearing shorts, t-shirt, and a black and red life jacket and did not…… MORE
OKLAOOSA COUNTY TRAFFIC FATALITY
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 28-year-old Fort Walton Beach man was killed in a traffic accident Monday morning on Highway 98. Troopers say the crash happened around 6:20 a.m. on Highway 98 at Mary Street when the man lost control of his vehicle, crossed the median and collided with a vehicle driven by a…… MORE
COVID-19 UPDATE
The Florida Department of Health says the state added 5,436 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the state’s total to 1,827,373. There were also 96 new deaths bringing that state’s death toll to 29,275. Escambia County had 62 new cases Santa Rosa County had 55 new cases Okaloosa County had 48 new cases and 3 new…… MORE
