Mills Degree of Excellence | NEST Program helps new Eagles soar at Niceville High School
Niceville High School senior Alli Culbertson has spent her high school years helping incoming freshmen find their footing through the NEST Program. As a NEST director and varsity cheerleader, Culbertson helps students connect, learn school traditions and feel more comfortable as they begin their high school journey.
Frustrated Freeport council lashes out at FDOT over infrastructure woes.
Freeport City Council members recently confronted an FDOT representative over ongoing infrastructure delays, highlighting intense frustration regarding congestion on Highways 20 and 331. As the city’s population continues to surge, council members criticized the state’s reactive approach and the lack of funding for critical road improvements to support local growth.
Niceville PD nab the (alleged) Turkey Creek Streaker
A 46-year-old Milton man was arrested on August 6, 2026, following a public indecent exposure incident at Turkey Creek in Niceville. Bradley Patrick was taken into custody in Santa Rosa County on an active Niceville Police Department warrant and is currently awaiting extradition to Okaloosa County to face charges.
HISTORY: Defiant Panhandle Congressman blames media conspiracy for THIS scandal
July 29, 1976, marked a seismic shift for Florida’s Panhandle. U.S. Representative Bob Sikes—the architect of the region’s military-industrial boom—faced a historic reprimand from the House for improper financial disclosures and conflicts of interest. It was a stunning fall from grace that signaled the end of an era of unfettered political power on the Emerald Coast.
America Ascendant – Deft Maneuvers Lead to Peaceful Capture of Florida
The Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, ratified in 1821, served as a pivotal turning point for the Emerald Coast, marking the transition from Spanish-controlled territory to American frontier. By formally ceding Florida to the United States, the treaty ended Spanish rule and unleashed a wave of American migration into the Panhandle, significantly altering the region’s demographic, economic, and political landscape.
These tremendous Niceville grads have THIS huge advantage over other West Point cadets:
Three Niceville High School alumni—Logan Michel, Jace Schmidt, and Jocelyn Wheeler—have all earned appointments to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point’s Class of 2030, an extremely rare achievement for a single graduating class. Though they didn’t start as close friends, they formed a crucial support network to navigate the intense, 12-month-long application process, including securing necessary nominations. Each cadet was drawn to West Point for different reasons—Jocelyn for better medical opportunities, Jace for the balance of academics and athletics, and Logan for the call to Army infantry and service. They now face the physical and mental demands of “Beast Barracks” together, knowing that while the next six weeks will be difficult, they won’t be alone.
Today in History: The Mid-Bay Bridge opens with stampede of runners
On June 27, 1993, 5,200 runners from across the country came to inaugurate the Mid-Bay Bridge with a 5K run across the span. Florida Governor ‘Walkin Lawton’ Chiles pulled the trigger on the starting gun and set the runners on their way to Destin across the 3.6 mile structure above the Choctawhatchee Bay. The bridge, which was built for $81 million and initially cost $2 to cross each way, cut off about 25 minutes of travel time and was finished five months ahead of schedule.
Maney explains his painful vote on controversial property tax proposal
State Rep. Patt Maney warns that a proposed property tax amendment could cause significant revenue losses for local governments, including fire districts and cities in Okaloosa County. He cautions that the measure lacks a clear funding replacement plan and could unfairly shift the tax burden onto renters and small businesses.
Niceville teen battles flesh-eating bacteria from local waters
In Brief: This is a developing story that Mid Bay News will continue to cover as information is released. What should have been a relaxing day turned disastrous for one Niceville family after 17-year-old Joziah Thompson was hospitalized for Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria he contracted in the water at Lions Park, on Wednesday. Tirzah […]
What you want to know about Florida’s controversial property tax idea on the official 2026 ballot.
Voters in Florida will decide on an amendment this November that would significantly increase the homestead exemption, potentially eliminating non-school property taxes and providing savings for long-term residents. However, this change is expected to create “crushing deficits” for local governments, which rely on property taxes to fund essential services like law enforcement and fire protection. Furthermore, a clause requiring five years of residency to receive the new, additional exemptions would place a “heavier load” of increased taxes on active-duty military members and other new residents in the short term, as local governments may be forced to raise millage rates to offset revenue loss.
