Here’s a roundup of our top stories from the past week.
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Investigation finds evidence Santa Rosa School administrator stole thousands from employer
An investigation launched July 30 into “possible educator misconduct” has concluded that Kelly Short, a high ranking Santa Rosa County School District employee and treasurer of the Santa Rosa County Association of School Administrators, had been stealing from her employers for at least two years.
District investigators, working with an outside agency, determined Short, the district’s director of in-service and instructional technology, had committed three violations of Florida’s Administrative Code along with violations of School Board ethics and anti-fraud policies to include 10 actions constituting fraud.
“Your actions and inactions constitute immorality, misconduct in office, gross insubordination and willful neglect of duty as defined in the Florida Administrative Code,” School Superintendent Karen Barber told Short in an Oct. 24 letter notifying her she’d been placed on unpaid suspension pending a recommendation of termination.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement continues to investigate Short’s actions for possible criminal violations.
Keep reading:Investigation finds evidence Santa Rosa School administrator stole thousands from employer
5 Santa Rosa residents dead following two murder-suicides in 24 hours
Five people were killed in two murder-suicide events in just 24 hours this week, compelling Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson on Wednesday to urge community members to reach out if they’re in a domestic violence situation.
The first call to dispatchers came in after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. A woman was on the phone with dispatchers when her boyfriend fatally shot her and then turned the gun on himself at a home on Majestic Palm Street in Pace, Johnson said. The couple had a previous domestic dispute resulting in physical harm to the woman in May of 2024, but she dropped all charges against her abuser. She did not have an active domestic violence injunction against her abuser when she was killed.
Roughly 18 hours later at a home on Cypress Point Circle in Navarre, Johnson said a 52-year-old man fatally shot his parents before turning the gun on himself. A family member discovered his parents with gunshot wounds in the dining room and his brother – who had been living with their parents − nearby, also with a fatal gunshot wound.
Keep reading:5 Santa Rosa residents dead following two murder-suicides in 24 hours
Santa Rosa County approves plans to build Pace’s second Walmart location
Walmart has been approved to begin construction of a new store and gas station on the corner of Berryhill Road and West Spencer Field Road in Pace.
Santa Rosa County approved a development proposal to build a new Walmart on Oct. 24, five months after it was initially filed in May.
The incoming grocery store will have over 60,000 square feet of space as well as 263 parking spots, according to its site plans approved by the county.
Keep reading:Santa Rosa County approves plans to build Pace’s second Walmart location
Andy D’s Roadhouse slated to open in the former Grover T’s BBQ building in Milton this year
While Milton’s Grover T’s BBQ closed in February, the restaurant is once again off the market. Restauranteur Andy DeMartin and his wife and co-owner, Lacey DeMartin, are ready to bring a new restaurant to 5887 US-90 by the end of the year.
The DeMartins have coined the new venture Andy D’s Roadhouse, as a sister restaurant to Andy D’s Beachside Restaurant and Deck Bar on Navarre Beach that opened in the former Broussards last spring.
Andy DeMartin transformed the Navarre location into a lively, but laid-back community hotspot and hopes to do the same with Andy D’s Roadhouse for the Milton community. Since providing excellent hospitality remains a core pillar of all his businesses, he coined the slogan for the Roadhouse, “Welcome to my house.”
Keep reading:Andy D’s Roadhouse slated to open in the former Grover T’s BBQ building in Milton this year
Catch up on national, state, local and amendment election results
Last week was a long month, so we don’t blame you if you still need to catch up on the latest election results.
You can find all of the results for state and local races on our live election results page below.
2024 Florida General Election Results:See Escambia, Santa Rosa counties and amendment results here
