Community

By Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS Extension Bay County Native persimmon trees can be found throughout our region and when ripe the fruit is delicious, but if you bite into one before it is completely ripe you are in for an unpleasant surprise. Persimmon fruit produce tannins which create astringency that has...

The Northwest Regional Library System (NWRLS) has expanded its sponsored subscription access to all patrons to include Creativebug available with your library card. A library card is free for all residents of Bay, Gulf and Liberty County. Visit your NWRLS location with proof of residency and photo ID to...

Law enforcement is optimizing crime-fighting capabilities in Bay County by using the latest technology and a new approach to addressing criminal activity. This new county-wide project is called the Bay Real Time Operation Center, or BayROC. BayROC went operational in November of 2021 and is a collaborative effort between the...

By David Wesley You can break a bad habit, you can take a break, or you can break a board to help others! What? That last option is what the American Martial Arts students and staff did in a big way. Richard Higgins, the owner and Senior Chief Instructor at...

The Professional Golf Association of America (PGA) is one of the largest and most prestigious sports organizations in the world. The process of becoming a PGA member is no small feat in the golf community. Though the PGA allows up to nine years and most golf professionals average four...

By Laura Laspee If you are new to the area or just looking for a place to meet new people and feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself, look no further than the First Assembly of God in Panama City Beach. Located at 17829 PCB Parkway,...

By Peter Fischetti It looks like a record year for Panama City Beach tourism. If you read somewhere that a survey of visitors who were asked why they come here every year insist it’s because the city allows flossing in public, would you believe that? Or if I told you...

By Matt Pitts, Surfside Principal Ogres in a swamp? Jazz in the air? Yes, all of this and more can be found in the waves at Surfside Middle School. Surfside hosts the most holistic fine arts programs in Bay county of all the middle schools and most of the high...

By Bill Husfelt, Superintendent, Bay District Schools By the time you read this, we will have finished our celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6) BUT it’s NEVER too late to appreciate our amazing educators. The end-of-the-school-year time period is always filled with so many activities, recognitions, celebrations and graduations...

By Ed Offley Panama City Beach City Council this month will have a new face following a stunning election upset in the April 19 municipal election. Retired urban planner Mary Coburn, 70, handily defeated incumbent Councilman Geoff McConnell in the city’s Ward 3 by 1,294 votes to 900, a 58-percent majority....