Washington County School Board member recognized by Florida School Boards Association
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Washington County School Board member recognized by Florida School Boards Association

Due to her community work, Cindy Johnson Brown of the Washington County School Board has been recognized as an Emerging Leader by the Florida School Boards Association. The distinction is given to school board members who document a minimum of 48 hours of training in leadership, advocacy, and knowledge, a news release said. Brown is…

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Dunn, other representatives introduce legislation bolstering drug coverage for rare diseases  

A legislative bill allowing Medicare Part D and Medicaid to cover drugs for off-label for treating rare diseases has been introduced into Congress for consideration by Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Panama City) and other congressional representatives. Off-label drugs would be covered “if there is peer-reviewed medical literature that indicates its use is appropriate†for rare disease…

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Florida unemployment numbers released

The latest unemployment numbers for Florida are in. The September unemployment rate for Washington County was 3.5%. With a total labor force of 10,440, the unemployment level is 366. Washington County was ranked 25th out of 67 Florida counties in terms of the unemployment rate.  The September rate is a .1% increase from the August…

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FWC orders halt on seasonal gag grouper harvest

STAFF REPORT Recreational harvest of gag grouper for the 2023 season will close in Gulf state waters starting Oct. 19 at 12:01 a.m. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued the closure during an October meeting. “The Gulf gag grouper recreational season will reopen on Sept. 1, 2024,†a news release said. Monroe County…

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State to step up testing for deer disease

Jim Turner News Service of Florida Some deer killed during two popular hunting days in December must be tested for a contagious disease fatal to the animals as the state expands efforts to limit the spread of the disease. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on Tuesday, Sept. 19, that deer killed on…

Legislative Delegation meetings scheduled for October.
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Legislative Delegation meetings scheduled for October.

Senator Jay Trumbull and Representative Shane Abbott are scheduled to host a series of legislative delegation meetings to hear from constituents and government leaders in Holmes, Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties.   The Holmes County Legislative Delegation will hold their annual pre-session meetings on Tuesday, October 3, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held…

New toll road eyed in Northwest Florida
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New toll road eyed in Northwest Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Transportation officials have started working on a proposal that could lead to a new toll road linking Interstate 10 and U.S. 98 in Northwest Florida, as the state’s Turnpike Enterprise increases its presence in the region. The Turnpike Enterprise, a division of the Florida Department of Transportation, introduced a rough outline last week…

Slowing Deer Disease ‘Best That We Can Hope For’
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Slowing Deer Disease ‘Best That We Can Hope For’

Environmentalists and animal-rights advocates want state wildlife officials to put more restrictions on deer farming and hunting as Florida responds to the long-expected arrival of a contagious disease fatal to deer. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission imposed a management zone covering parts of Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties after the detection last month…

Circuit Court consolidation expected to impact Holmes, Washington
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Circuit Court consolidation expected to impact Holmes, Washington

TALLAHASSEE — The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit – which includes Holmes and Washington counties – is expected to be impacted by a pending circuit court consolidation. After Florida lawmakers in 2022 reorganized the state’s appeals courts, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, is pushing to consolidate circuit courts. A committee appointed by Florida Supreme Court Chief…

Sheriff Tate responds to viral video
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Sheriff Tate responds to viral video

HOLMES COUNTY – A TikTok video capturing a portion of an encounter between aWashington County man and Holmes County Sheriff John Tate is going viral on social media.Chipley resident Eugene Nadery posted the video Saturday, July 1, after he was pulled over by Sheriff Tate while traveling southbound on Highway 79 near Esto.Nadery states in…