walton county

Tag

Have breakfast with a Park Ranger at Topsail Feb. 6

Learn about park wildlife at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Location: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on Scenic Road 30A Saturday, Feb. 6 – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Come and join the Rangers of Topsail Hill and ask them all the questions you can think of about park wildlife.  To cover the cost of food please bring $4, which goes to Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to enhance the park or bring your own breakfast. Park at...

Ice builds up along the shores of coastal dune lakes in Walton County

Icy coastal dune lake Freezing temperatures over the last several days have provided frosty conditions in Walton County, as some of the local coastal dune lakes have had a build up of ice along the shorelines. Fortunately, the local weather temperatures are expected to improve. This photo was taken along Western Lake on Jan. 11 by local photographer Brandan Babineaux. Thanks for sharing Brandan! To learn more about Brandan’s photography, go to www.brandanbabineaux.com...

Civil War Declared at Peaceful Eden Gardens Jan. 23-24

Annual School of the Soldier with Civil War Skirmishes at Eden Gardens State Park Sat., Jan. 23rd from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sun., Jan. 24th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eden Gardens State Park will host the 17th Annual School of the Soldier event led by 7th Vermont Company D (Walton Guard). This will be the 146th anniversary of the actual event that took place in the Point Washington area during the Civil War in 1864 between the...

Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week

Scooter a special pup with a miraculous story This irresistible face belongs to Scooter, a very special resident of Alaqua Animal Refuge.  A terrier mix with a soft tan coat, Scooter is about five years old, and has a story that borders on the miraculous.  When he first arrived at the shelter, he had been mercilessly abused.  Besides suffering from bruised ribs where he had been repeatedly kicked, another brutal injury caused him the loss of his right eye. After...

Walton County animal shelter opens in DeFuniak Springs

Grand opening to be held Jan. 26 DEFUNIAK SPRINGS – The Walton County Board of County Commissioners is proud to announce that the Walton County Animal Shelter was opened for use on January 4.  The state of the art facility is located at 365 Triple G Road in DeFuniak Springs. According to Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen in whose district the shelter is located, “This has been a long process and we are glad to have it finished.”  Construction of the building...

Greenway trailhead sporting new improvements

Parking, picnic area and restroom at western trailhead on Satinwood Drive The U.S. Forestry is developing the trailhead on the west end of Point Washington State Forest Greenway Trail on Satinwood Drive in Santa Rosa Beach. Parking is now available for 10+ cars and includes a picnic area pavilion, and bathroom for users of the Longleaf Trail system. Construction should be finished by Jan. 31. ::MAP:: For a related story with the local area hiking trails, Click here For more...

Help reduce power costs by joining CHELCO’s No Peaking Program

Curb your power usage, save costs In late December, CHELCO started the first automated phone messages to residential members concerning a potential cold weather energy usage peak. Members were asked to conserve energy during the hours of 5:30 a.m. through 8:30 a.m. to help CHELCO manage the cost of wholesale power and avoid potential rate increases from our power supplier, PowerSouth. Participation in the program lets members help themselves, their neighbors and CHELCO by lowering the peak demand (which is...

Living alongside wildlife: Searching for the indigo snake in Walton County

Longleaf pine forests and gopher tortoise burrows perfect habitat for threatened species It was Monday morning and Tropical Storm Ida was welcoming us to the new week. As the early chills of fall enveloped us, dark clouds gathered in the distance, ominously blocking out the sun. Perhaps seeing the look of concern on my face, Dirk Stevenson consoled me, “No worries, the indigos won’t mind.” Dirk is the Director for Inventory and Monitoring for Project Orianne, a large non-profit organization...