The White House says Florida is set to receive close to 100,000 more COVID-19 vaccines. Jeff Zientz, President Biden’s COVID-19 task force coordinator, told governors the White House is increasing the weekly COVID-19 vaccine shipment by 20%, to 13.5 million doses. The supply of vaccines to the federal retail pharmacy program is being doubled to…… MORE
NEW FLORIDA FLOUNDER REGULATIONS
New flounder regulations in Florida will take effect on March 1st and all Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission flounder regulations will be extended into federal waters. The minimum size limit for flounder will be increased from 12 inches to 14 inches. However, the recreational daily bag limit will be reduced from 10 to 5…… MORE
COVID-19 UPDATE
The Florida Department of Health says 6,297 new COVID-19 cases were added in Florida yesterday, bringing the state’s total to 1,837,285. The state also added 225 new deaths bringing Florida’s death toll to 29,659. Escambia County had 102 new cases and 4 new deaths Santa Rosa County had 41 new cases and 1 new death…… MORE
BAPTIST HEALTH CARE VACCINATIONS
People can now sign up for coronavirus vaccines through Baptist Health Care. Vaccinations are open to people 65 or older, frontline health care workers or those who are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. The number of appointments is limited, but more appointments will be added as more vaccines are received. A spokesperson for Baptist said there…… MORE
NAVAL LIVE OAKS DEATH INVESTIGATION
The National Park Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating after a body was found on a sailboat near Gulf Breeze. The body was discovered inside a 25-foot sailboat on the north shore of the Naval Live Oaks Area at Gulf Islands National Seashore on Sunday afternoon. The National Park Service’s law…… MORE
OKALOOSA COUNTY SEXUAL ABUSE ARREST
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
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. Â 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
