Wed. May 28th, 2025

Local News

Local News | Top Stories

Mongoven moves along

HANNAH COLLINS | The News A restorative project started on the Mongoven Building/First National Bank in Chipley is progressing as it moves along in Phase 2 of its restoration.  Brent Melvin of Melvin Engineering, addressed City Council about its progress and some additional needs the historic building has at their May 6 meeting. According to […]

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McCall accepted to NSDAR

Chipley City Council Member, Cheryl Gainer McCall, was recently accepted as a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Chipola Chapter NSDAR. She worked off and on since 2006 in her mother’s lineage through her Baxley family.  The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in […]

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Local libraries brace for possible program, service cuts

KRIS HARRELL | Contributor Local public libraries are bracing for possible cuts to programs and services, as the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) elimination is felt across the state and country. On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the elimination of non-statutory functions and reduction of statutory functions […]

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Patients swing back with NFCH’s swing bed program

HANNAH COLLINS | The News For patients recovering from surgery or illness, the transition from acute hospital care to home can be challenging. Northwest Florida Community Hospital (NFCH) aims to bridge this gap with its Swing Bed Program, a specialized inpatient rehabilitation service designed to provide short-term, intensive therapy before patients return home. As a […]

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They are going to party like it’s 1825 | Washington County Bicentennial

Washington County officially launched its Bicentennial celebrations on March 12 with a special event that honored the county’s rich history and bright future. Held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Washington County Ag Center, the event brought together local officials, community members, and history enthusiasts to commemorate 200 years of Washington County’s legacy. The […]

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Engine 10 ‘pushes in’

The Washington County Fire Department (WCFD) invited the community to a special “Push-In” ceremony celebrating the addition of their new engine this morning, March 10. The “Push-In” ceremony is a longstanding fire service tradition that dates to the 19th century. Before motorized fire engines, firefighters had to manually push their horse-drawn fire apparatus into the […]

Crime

Crime | Top Stories

Child left unattended in vehicle, mother arrested

Chipley Police Department officers responded to a call at the Cricket Wireless parking lot May 23 after a passerby reported hearing a baby crying inside a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers discovered a five month old infant left unattended in a dark-colored vehicle, parked in direct sunlight with outside temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. According to the […]

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A man set for his murder charge to be decided by a jury instead entered a plea of No Contest Tuesday and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford Announced. Jeffrey Schuller, 53, accepted a plea agreement after a Washington County Jury was selected to hear the evidence in the 2023 […]

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WCSO arrest PCB man on felony charges 

Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies disarm a Panama City Beach man who allegedly threatened to shoot a victim with a handgun. According to the WCSO, at approximately 12 a.m. this morning, WCSO Telecommunications Center received a call in reference to a disturbance. Deputies arrive on scene and claim to have found the victim visibly […]

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Chipley PD urges drivers to ‘buckle up’ for Click It or Ticket Campaign

With Memorial Day approaching, the Chipley Police Department is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to promote seat belt use through a public safety initiative running from May 19 to June 1, 2025. The campaign aims to raise awareness that seat belt use is both a legal requirement […]

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WCSO warns against scam

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) is warning residents about a scam involving individuals posing as representatives from the Washington County Planning Department. The scammers are reportedly requesting payments related to Planning and Zoning via email. According to the WCSO, the Planning Department will never ask for wired funds through email communication. WCSO emphasized in their release, […]


State News

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Abortion rights amendment defeated 

TALLAHASSEE — A ballot proposal that would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution failed Tuesday, giving a major political victory to Gov. Ron DeSantis — and dealing a huge blow to abortion-rights supporters. The measure, which appeared on the ballot as Amendment 4, received support from 57 percent of voters, short of the […]

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Recreational pot proposal falls short

A $150 million-plus effort to allow recreational use of marijuana in Florida fizzled out Tuesday, falling short of the needed 60 percent voter approval and delivering a major victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trulieve, the state’s largest medical-marijuana operator, pumped nearly $144.6 million into the proposed constitutional amendment. The Quincy-based company’s contributions made up more […]

Community & Faith

Community | Faith | Faith Columns | Opinion

Let’s ‘fall on our knees’ this Christmas

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 […]

Community | Faith | Faith Columns | Opinion

Disagreeing without being disagreeable

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 […]