Watersound Fountains is the kind of place best experienced firsthand.
That’s why short-term stays are part of the story here.

A short-term stay offers the chance to experience retirement living near 30A as it actually unfolds — not during a quick tour, but in real time. A morning routine. A few shared meals. A stretch of days where life moves at an easier pace, without the usual responsibilities.

Whether for a few days, a few weeks, or an entire season, a short-term stay allows guests to step into the rhythm of the community without pressure or long-term commitment. It’s an opportunity to live here — not imagine it.

Mornings begin quietly. Sunlight filters through the windows. Coffee is unhurried. Some guests head to the fitness center or pool. Others ease into the day with a walk, breakfast with neighbors, or time outdoors near the surrounding protected forest.

“I happened to be here spending the weekend,” one member laughs. “And I haven’t left. I just stayed.”

That moment, when a stay starts to feel like everyday life, often comes as a surprise.

During a short-term stay, guests enjoy full access to the community. Chef-prepared meals. Wellness classes. Fitness studios. Social spaces designed for conversation and connection. Maintenance and daily details are handled, freeing up both time and mental space.

By mid-morning, the community hums gently with activity. A balance class here. Coffee with new friends there. Someone deciding, on a whim, to try the golf simulator or join a book discussion. There’s always something happening, but nothing is required.

That flexibility is intentional.

“I like that I don’t have to commit to anything,” a member shares. “Some days I’m busy. Some days I’m not. Either way feels right.”

Afternoons stretch into easy hours. Guests gather in the W Lounge, spend time poolside, or explore nearby favorites along 30A. On Fridays, many discover one of the community’s most loved traditions: dinner at The Mark, where reservations, conversation, and chef-prepared meals turn an ordinary evening into something to look forward to.

For some, a short-term stay is about proximity — spending more time near children or grandchildren and being close enough for everyday moments, not just holidays. For others, it’s about location: enjoying coastal living, escaping colder climates, or simply experiencing a different pace of life for a while.

What short-term guests often mention isn’t just the amenities or the setting. It’s how effortless daily life becomes.

No home maintenance. No property upkeep. Beaches, shops, and local favorites just a short drive away. A new Publix supermarket is right next door.

“It’s life, just with fewer things to manage,” one member explains. “There’s more time to enjoy the day.”

That’s the heart of a short-term stay at Watersound Fountains. It’s not about deciding right away. It’s about giving yourself time to settle in, observe, and see what fits.

Watersound Fountains Refined Retirement Living
Short-term stays available — a no-commitment way to experience life here.

To learn more, call 850-904-3835 or visit watersoundfountains.com.

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce that the Bay County Jail has officially achieved Florida Corrections Accreditation, a distinction that reflects the professionalism, discipline, and relentless dedication of our detention staff.

Earning accreditation in the State of Florida is no small task. Facilities must demonstrate compliance with hundreds of rigorous standards established by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission. These standards evaluate every aspect of jail operations, including:

• Life safety and fire inspections
• Inmate supervision and security protocols
• Medical and mental health services
• Use-of-force policies and documentation
• Staff training and certification requirements
• Facility maintenance and sanitation
• Evidence handling and property control
• Emergency preparedness and response planning
• Internal investigations and accountability measures

Accreditation is not automatic; it requires extensive policy development, documented proof of compliance, on-site assessments by independent inspectors, and a formal review process. The standards are demanding, the documentation process is exhaustive, and the expectations are uncompromising.

This achievement reflects countless hours of preparation, audits, inspections, and teamwork behind the scenes. Our jail staff work in one of the most challenging environments in public safety, and this recognition affirms their commitment to operating a safe, secure, and professionally managed facility for our community.

We commend every member of our detention team for meeting and exceeding these grueling standards. Their hard work does not go unnoticed.

Protecting Our Community as Temperatures Rise

By James F. Clauson, Director

As spring arrives and warmer weather beckons us outdoors, the role of the Beach Mosquito Control District becomes more vital than ever. Increased rainfall and rising temperatures create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, making proactive control measures essential for public health and comfort.

The Beach Mosquito Control District works tirelessly to monitor mosquito populations, implement environmentally responsible control strategies, and educate residents about prevention. Their efforts help reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses and ensure our beaches and neighborhoods remain enjoyable for everyone.

This spring, remember to support the District’s initiatives by eliminating standing water around your home and reporting any mosquito concerns. Together, we can help keep our community safe and thriving throughout the season.

As the Director of the District for the past 16 years and with 36 years of experience in mosquito control, I will retire in April of this year with mixed emotions.  We have worked tirelessly together as a forward-thinking and proactive District to provide the best possible mosquito control measures available.  From the Office Manager to the Lab Director and Lab Technicians to the Field Technicians to the Operations Manager to the Public Relations/PIO to the Mechanic and to the Pilot, we have made a great team, and I am sure the District will continue to provide the best service possible.

Please remember, we are here to provide a service to the taxpayers and visitors of the Panama City Beach area, and I encourage anyone to contact the District if mosquitoes are a problem.  Our phone number is (850) 233-5030.  Our website is www.pcbeachmosquito.org

Board of Commissioners: Larry J. Couch, Sr., Brandon Caldwell,  Dr. John Smith, PhD Director: James F. Clauson

By Michele Hardman

After talking with Doc Vadell for only a few minutes, you immediately see his passion and love for people.  ‘Doc’ was his call sign when he was in the Air Force for 12 years and the name just stuck.  He grew up in Miami and entertained the idea of going to medical school, but after taking a particular class in his Master’s Program, he fell in love with ‘people’ and changed his focus towards the psychology side of things.  Once out of active duty with the military, he worked as a consultant with a Business Development Company and really enjoyed helping people find solutions to their career and business roadblocks.  He’d hear countless circumstances that were holding folks back from pursuing their dreams of opening a business.  Some needed office space.  Or a computer.  Others simply needed internet access.  Doc decided to open his own business so he wouldn’t have any limitations on who or how he could help others.  This led to the opening of Paradigm, where small businesses can share space and resources to keep overhead to a minimum, which allows them to focus more on getting their dream up and running.

Doc also teaches in the Entrepreneur Program at Florida State University.  A few years back, he felt like the students in his technology class just weren’t engaged enough.  He wanted to give them more hands-on experience and bring all the book instruction into the real world.  He gave his students the option of either doing a traditional final assignment or creating a plan to open a coffee shop.  The entire class jumped on board with the shop project.  Their guidelines were that it had to be tech-driven, they had to come up with a name, color theme and logo, and have high-quality products as well as stellar customer service.  Their initial plan called for an estimated cost of $180,000.  Then Doc decided to take this a step further and ACTUALLY open the coffee shop.  Two of the students who were involved in the class plans stayed on board and worked with him to make it happen.  Doc wanted his students to be involved with all the required permits, designs, construction, and of course… making coffee.  The students wanted this coffee shop to be Fair Trade-focused, earthy, a safe place to come and study late at night, go on a first date, or just a relaxed place to read a book and chill.  Being community-focused was also high on the list.

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Under Doc’s guidance, the students learned how to drastically reduce business expenses, and after about a year, Techspresso PCB opened its doors for a fraction of the original estimated cost.  The real-life lessons that were learned were immeasurable.   Doc says, “It’s been such an amazing journey going from an idea in a classroom to ‘let’s put it into practice’”.  He now employs 14 people, offers scholarships, and an intern program. The shop offers a separate Study Room with a whiteboard and TV that can be used for meetings, and an additional Chill Room with no electronics to encourage time to unplug and just be.  His wife and both of his kids have played an integral part in the shop, and Doc is quick to give credit to all the people who have helped make all this work.

In Doc’s spare time, he enjoys traveling with his parents, has written a book titled “Trust In Leadership”, and covers the lower 48 states doing Search and Rescue with the Special Forces Industry.   After his son bought him a Lego set a few years ago, he now finds them very therapeutic.  And with his entrepreneurial spirit, he’s always looking for that next challenge.

Stop by any of the three current Techspresso locations to experience it for yourself, and find out more on their website at techspresso.life, or stop in for a coffee in their Panama City Beach location at 7948 Front Beach Road.

By Helen Petre

Yes, we are! Winter has been cold and dreary, even though there was no snow this year. While wishing for warm weather, I read a book about  Theodore Roosevelt and J.P. Morgan and their solution to the coal strike. I empathize with the cold, wet, mine workers.    I am grateful that I am not a coal miner and I do not live in 1902.

In 1902, in the middle of the coal strike, Roosevelt had a state dinner for the King of Prussia to celebrate his new yacht.  None of them had any idea things were not going to end well for Prussia or Germany, so they all had a great time being rich and spending money. World War I dissolved Prussia and the poor king was not a king anymore, however the state dinner was a fabulous success. They ate terrapin and ice cream,  and Edith Roosevelt decorated the dining room with Smilax species vines (those briar kind of vines that grow up trees and everywhere). Smilax is the reason they make those jeans with the extra layer of jean on the front legs so foresters, and other people who crash through the brambles, don’t tear their jeans to shreds. Edith strung the vines from the chandeliers and light fixtures,  and everywhere she could around her husband’s stuffed bears, elk, bison, and moose heads.

The state dinner was in February, so there was probably nothing else green in DC, however I think Edith is quite the genius, encouraging native plants in an environment of yachts and expensive cigars.

Smilax species.  Edith’s decorative display for the state dinner.

The Roosevelt dining room is minus Edith’s Smilax but complete with Theodore’s moose and elk. Library of Congress. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/white-house-tour/state-dining-room.

What’s Blooming? 

Southern wax myrtle is just starting to produce flowering parts. This evergreen shrub smells like bayberry. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. Fruit forms on female plants and is food for turkeys and other birds. Wax myrtle fixes nitrogen more efficiently than legumes.

Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Male on right. Mature fruit bottom. Wikipedia.

American olive (Cartrema americana)

American olive starting to bloom.

Another dioecious, evergreen shrub that grows well in our sandy forests, American olive is just about ready to produce white, fragrant flowers, which will mature into blue black fruit in the fall.

Choctawhatchee sand pine (Pinus clausa immuginata)

Choctawhatchee sand pine (Pinus clausa immuginata) Male on left.

It is the time of yellow pine pollen from all our pine trees, but especially from our native Choctawhatchee sand pine, which grows on marine, acid, sandy Entisol soils deposited during the Pleistocene.

Choctawhatchee sand pines grow only on the Panhandle between Pensacola and Panama City and nowhere else. All Choctawhatchee sand pines grow within one degree of latitude, on about 100,000 acres.

As with all pine trees, pollen forms on the male structures, which grow on the bottom half of the tree. Pollen is wind-blown up to the female pinecones at the top of the tree. Each scale of the female cone contains a winged seed. The female cones open when mature, without fire, but stay on the tree for what seems like forever.

Sand pines provide food and cover for birds and small mammals and make great Christmas trees.

Pine pollen, like goldenrod pollen, is way too big and heavy to cause allergies. It is advertised on Amazon for men, and you are welcome to buy it, but I am quite sure it does nothing.

Embrace our natives!

There are many other native trees, shrubs, and flowers getting ready to bloom as the weather warms. Here on the Panhandle, we are blessed with native plants and pleasant weather, dune lakes, and the Gulf of America, along with Smilax vines and pine pollen. Embrace nature and the natives. If Smilax is good enough for a White House state dinner for presidents and royalty, it is certainly good enough for us. Enjoy.

If readers have questions or suggestions for articles that concern science, nature, or wild things around the Panhandle, please email petrehelen@gmail.com.

Helen Petre is a retired USDA biologist and college biology professor.  She spends her time volunteering, teaching, and writing science articles to share her interests with future generations.