A local family is seeking community support after Hurricane Isaias left them displaced when a large tree crashed through their home, causing extensive damage and injuring a 67-year-old woman. According to information shared through a GoFundMe campaign, Wendy Nowell was inside the home when a tree fell onto the structure during the storm. Family members […]
Students at Washington County Christian School recently had the opportunity to learn about a variety of career paths during the school’s Career Day program. Representatives from several local and state agencies visited the campus to speak with students about their professions, daily responsibilities, and the educational paths that led them to their careers. Participating agencies […]
A proposed future land use amendment involving approximately 137 acres along Rolling Pines Road was withdrawn after the applicant removed roughly 80 acres from the request, requiring the proposal to restart the county review process. The Washington County Planning Commission heard concerns from Rolling Pines residents during discussion of the proposal on October 5. Property […]
Residents in Holmes and Washington counties who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and lost food due to Hurricane Isaias may be eligible for replacement benefits through the Florida Department of Children and Families. Current SNAP recipients have until October 19 to request replacement benefits. Eligible households may receive replacement benefits up to their […]
A group of volunteers from local fire departments, the Florida Air National Guard, and school food service partners helped save an estimated two weeks’ worth of refrigerated and frozen food from Vernon schools during an extended power outage following Hurricane Isaias. According to the Greenhead Volunteer Fire Department, 20 individuals came together on short notice […]
The Washington County Board of County Commissioners (WCBOCC) has issued a reminder for residents to properly separate and place storm-related debris for collection following Hurricane Isaias. At this time, the timeframe for debris pickup has not yet been determined. Residents are encouraged to begin placing storm-related debris at the edge of their property while awaiting […]
A Cottondale man was arrested Monday evening after a traffic stop in Washington County led deputies to the discovery of multiple firearms, suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. At approximately 7:30 p.m. October 6, WCSO deputies conducted a traffic stop near Rock Hill Church Road and Rock Circle. The […]
A Chipley man convicted of manslaughter with a firearm in connection with a 2024 fatal shooting was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in state prison. Kyle Michael Porter, 26, appeared in Washington County court Tuesday, October 6, where Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson imposed the 30-year sentence. Porter was found guilty of manslaughter with […]
A Panama City man is facing multiple drug-related charges in Washington County following a traffic stop on Dawkins Street in Vernon on the evening of Wednesday, September 30. At approximately 6:17 p.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on Dawkins Street. The vehicle pulled into a residence and continued moving slowly before […]
Ronald Gene Hawkins, 69, has been found guilty of lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim less than 12 years old following a trial held this week in Washington County. Hawkins was originally arrested in January 2025 following an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office into allegations of sexual abuse that occurred over a […]
A 26-year-old Chipley man has been found guilty of manslaughter with a firearm following a trial this week in Washington County. Kyle Michael Porter was arrested in June 2024 following an extensive investigation into the death of Randy Joseph Lynn, a Panama City man who was fatally shot at Diamond Head Lake on April 27, […]
A Caryville man was arrested on multiple drug-related and other charges following a traffic stop Sunday, August 31, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies initiated a traffic stop on Yates Settlement Road after attempting to stop a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Jeremy Ryan Hewett of Caryville, the sheriff’s office reported. According to WCSO, […]
Florida has redesigned its driver’s license and identification card with new security features and state symbols incorporated into the design. The first redesign in nearly a decade, changes became available Wednesday, Sept. 30 including a background image of the St. Augustine-based Castillo de San Marcos, an orange in the “O” of Florida and a manatee […]
Among the new laws taking effect Oct. 1 are changes to how law enforcement identifies criminal gang members, a new penalty for adults who involve minors in animal fighting and clarification of rules involving license plate frames. The final $1 increase in the state’s voter-approved minimum wage will also take effect Sept. 30, raising it […]
As a little girl, I spent delightful moments singing about the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. I gazed at our small nativity scene. I loved looking at all the characters gathered devotedly around the newborn child: Mary and Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men – even the animals. The scene was […]
Michael Brooks I was rendered speechless—highly unusual for a Baptist preacher. I was in college serving a church in the Birmingham area as interim pastor for what became an eight-month assignment. I enjoyed the experience immensely preaching three times a week, attending deacons meetings and visiting the sick. I learned a lot and had a […]
AMBER PATINO
Staff Report
Ali Moreland
SKYLA CARTER