Okaloosa County consolidates disaster aid centers at Rigdon location

Okaloosa County is consolidating its Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) at a single new location beginning Monday, October 26 at 1 p.m., according to a press release from the county.

The new consolidated MARC will operate at the Destin-Fort Walton Rigdon Center, located at the former NWF Fairgrounds. Two existing locations are closing: the Crestview Community Center closes at the end of business Thursday, October 22, and the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center closes at the end of business Saturday, October 24.

County officials say residents seeking assistance should bring identification, proof of residence, insurance information, and other documentation related to disaster-related losses to ensure they receive appropriate aid. The resource centers have been helping residents navigate recovery and relief resources following recent disasters in the region.

FPL Offers Qualifying Hurricane Victims Up to $3,200 in Financial Assistance

PENSACOLA, FL (NewsRadio 92.3) -- Some Florida Power & Light customers recovering from Hurricane Isaias could qualify for as much as $3,200 in combined assistance for electric bills and repairs to damaged electrical equipment.

FPL has expanded assistance through its Saving Steps and Care To Share programs following the hurricane.

Saving Steps is providing a $200 bill credit to nearly 10,000 previously income-qualified customers in areas affected by Isaias.

The program uses broader income eligibility than many traditional government assistance programs. Eligibility varies based on household size, income, county and the specific program.

FPL says Care To Share can provide qualifying customers with up to $2,000 for repairs to customer-owned electrical equipment damaged by the storm.

That can include equipment such as meter boxes and weatherheads that must be repaired before a home can safely receive electricity.

Care To Share can also provide up to $1,000 toward qualifying customers' electric bills.

Combined with the Saving Steps credit, assistance could total as much as $3,200 for some households.

FPL says the goal is to help customers with expenses that remain after the utility completes repairs to its own electrical system.

Customers have to meet eligibility requirements and should apply through FPL's assistance programs.

Escambia School Board Approves Additional Book Removals After Lengthy Public Opposition

PENSACOLA, FL (NewsRadio 92.3) -- Escambia County School Board members unanimously approved another round of book removals Tuesday night, one day after a federal appeals court ruled board members can be required to testify about earlier decisions to remove books from district libraries.

The board voted 4-0 to approve Superintendent Keith Leonard's recommendation to remove titles covered by the district's June 2025 directive concerning books appearing on the Florida Department of Education's book-removal list.

The action removes affected titles from district media centers, classroom libraries and recommended-reading lists.

The vote followed lengthy public comment from residents, parents and school media specialists both supporting and opposing the district's book policies.

Opponents cited titles including "Harriet the Spy," "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," "Roots" and "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?" while arguing books should be evaluated individually.

One district media specialist told the board that parents already have the ability to limit what their children can check out or prevent their children from accessing school libraries altogether.

Parent Kristen Moschel also argued individual families should decide which books their children read.

Board members did not discuss the removal recommendation among themselves before voting unanimously to approve it.

The meeting came one day after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower-court decision requiring School Board members to sit for depositions in an ongoing federal lawsuit over previous book removals.

Board members had argued legislative privilege protected them from being compelled to testify about their decisions.

The appeals court concluded that the specific book-removal votes at issue involved applying existing School Board policies and were administrative rather than legislative acts.

The ruling does not decide the underlying lawsuit over whether the district's book removals violated the First Amendment.