Latest news with #DustyArnold
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Rural Renaissance' bill to benefit counties in the Panhandle
LIBERTY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Florida Senate leaders are pushing a revitalization of rural communities, and the Panhandle is set to be the main beneficiary. Senator Corey Simon's 'Rural Renaissance' bill passed Wednesday afternoon. The bill includes nearly $200 million in funding and would redirect nearly another $100 million from general revenue in the state budget. It aims to increase partnerships with rural communities, enhance rural transportation and broadband infrastructure, expand rural housing options, improve education opportunities, and make health care more accessible. Join Panama City Police Department bicycle rodeo for fun and safety tips Many local counties fit the bill's requirements. 'For a community like Liberty County and our surrounding counties, we need all the help we can get. You know, Florida is growing at a rapid pace, but up here in the panhandle, we're seeing a decline. And, with some of these bills that are coming out that could possibly help us grow our tax base and help our schools, help our law enforcement, help our emergency management, and EMS. We need it. We have to have it,' Liberty County Sheriff Dusty Arnold said. Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Walton, and Washington counties are set to benefit from this bill. On Thursday, representatives from each county will be in Tallahassee for 'Rural Counties Day' showcasing their communities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Law enforcement agencies turn communication into prevention
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A multi-agency collaboration in Hartford, Alabama on Wednesday will turn communication into prevention. Florida and Alabama agencies will increase traffic interdictions through March and April in a proactive measure to improve roadways and deter narcotics crime. 'It's a meeting where we all just kind of get together and share. It might be with people that are known to, you know, transport narcotics. It's people that might have active warrants and just we share information like that. So it's just something that we do. We found that it works and we're going to continue that,' said PCBPD Lt. Anderson. Florida boaters' rights to be protected with Boater Freedom Act Anderson says around 40 officers met for several hours to discuss enforcement tactics not only for spring break but for the busy season that continues through fall. The annual meeting connects agencies from several different areas. 'It's our agency with multiple other agencies around our jurisdiction. Like Bay County sheriff's office. You go up a little north, like Washington County, Holmes County, and then we get into Alabama agencies, maybe Houston County Sheriff's office and the Dothan area law enforcement, Dale County and different agencies like that,' added Anderson. The Panama City Beach Police Department hosts the meeting to promote intelligence sharing. You may already see some of the department's strategies in effect, with more coming. 'Starting tomorrow, 5 a.m., a small portion of pier park, the roadway in there is going to be closed. So South Pier Park drive from LC Hilton South to Front Beach road will be closed up until May 5th. And we do that because there's such a high volume of pedestrians in that area.' Anderson says open communication with nearby agencies is a constant. Many of the people they'll encounter are heading to Panama City Beach, and their activity along the way, can put those counties at risk. 'Between Tallahassee and Panama City, and then all the all the universities and colleges that are letting out from the north, coming down here they travel right through here. You know, they might not stop in Liberty County, but they fly trying to get down to the beaches,' said Liberty County Sherriff Dusty Arnold. Prepare your boots and hats for the Shaddai Shriners rodeo Arnold says they'll also be ramping up enforcement to keep his citizens safe. 'We just see a lot of a lot of speeders. And we're also going to have our canines out there because we do interdict a lot of drugs that are trying to make it down to the beaches and especially on State Road 65 going to St. George Island and SR 20 going to Panama City Beach.' Those barricades are out and ready to be used to close the south Pier Park, Front Beach Road intersection. Anderson says it's the only major road closure the beach has during the spring break season. That closure will begin tomorrow at 5 a.m. and continue through May 5th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
