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Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Walton County locals raise concerns over Freeport asphalt plant proposal
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Residents in Walton County are raising awareness about a proposed asphalt plant in Freeport. The plant is set to go on a vacant lot just off Highway 20 near Crawford Creek but locals say it's too close to residential areas. Back in January, residents in Freeport became aware of an asphalt plant that was set to be put in less than half a mile away from the Hammock Bay community. Hammock Bay is home to over 8000 people. Chipley buzzing with 2025 Panhandle Bee Conference 'The biggest health concerns that I had just from a medical point of view is the particular matter that would be released into the air, into our environment, the soil that it would drench into, and then the water that we goes right into the bay. Because if you do look at any studies on asphalt plants, there's always particulate matter. There's always the asphalt. It's everywhere. It's toxic, and people are breathing it in,' Registered nurse and PECA Board member Cathy Haddorff said. Concerned locals got together to form the nonprofit Protect the Emerald Coast Alliance to help with these kinds of situations. The President of the alliance says they want to serve as a voice for residents. 'People are so busy, they don't know actually what is going on a daily basis. In their local government. And actually, local government is a lot more important than the federal government because that affects us all here locally. So what we can do is we. Can advocate. The position of the people. For the county commissioners,' PECA President Russell Parker said. Parker says they are not against the plant, but against where they want to put it. 'We're not anti-business. We're not anti asphalt. Everybody has the right to have their own business. We just think that they need to have the business in a different area that's not right on top of, you know, a community because as they were saying, somebody said, well,' Parker said. Surfside Academy in Panama City Beach hosts Special Needs Prom 'That's a Walton County issue. Well, free ports in Walton County. And the wind doesn't stop at State Road 20 and State Road 83,' Parker added. The area the plant would be located in is zoned for industrial use, but members of the alliance argue that the zoning was made over 30 years ago, when there were no residential areas around it. To find out more about the project and the alliance, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Washington County marks 200 years with bicentennial celebration
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Florida became the 27th state in 1845, 180 years ago. Washington County beats that by 20 years. County officials and residents are celebrating the 200th Anniversary this weekend. The bicentennial event kicked off this evening in Vernon. The celebration kicked off with the Vernon High School JROTC presenting the colors. There was free popcorn and cotton candy for attendees, as well as a bounce house for the kids. While day one is primarily meant to kick off Washington County's Bicentennial celebration, it is also serving as a way to commemorate the history of the park's namesake, an elementary school for African Americans. Surfside Academy in Panama City Beach hosts Special Needs Prom 'So we are standing on the site of the Shady Grove Elementary School. It ran from 1952 to 1968. So we're celebrating their history here on this site, which is now a public park,' Tourist Development Council Director Heather Lopez said. The schoolhouse was disassembled when Washington County integrated their schools. The celebration continues Saturday all around downtown Vernon. There will be a parade, as well as food, live music, and more. The celebration takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of the events are free. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
