State backs city’s challenge to FEMA rule change

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has backed Apalachicola’s appeal of a more than half-million-dollar claim that FEMA had rejected based on a recent rule change regarding roads submerged by flooding. If the Oct. 29 decision by Melissa Shirah, FDEM’s recovery bureau chief stands, then Leo Bebeau. the city’s s finance director, will succeed in…

County slams door on island incorporation

Franklin County commissioners on Tuesday morning put an emphatic kibosh, at least for the time being, to a nearly two-year long effort by St. George Island activists to incorporate as a town. By a unanimous vote, commissioners rejected a request from a member of the working group that advocates for incorporation to place a non-binding…

School board land sought for workforce housing

All eyes will soon be focused on a 26-acre tract of land north of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on State Route 65. That’s because Franklin County’s Community Land Trust, a non-profit group working to expand the stock of housing that middle-income working people can afford, has approached the school board in hopes of securing…

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Nov. 5 tribute to Dr. Humphries planned

On Friday, Nov. 5, a grateful and proud Apalachicola community will come together to pay tribute to Frederick Humphries and thank his family for sharing him with the world. The organizing committee is inviting the community to take part in the exciting events planned for the Friday of Florida Seafood Festival weekend and experience firsthand…

Headed to regionals

Franklin County seventh grader Addyson Paul ran a season’s best 23:53.90 at the Class 1A District 1 cross country meet Tuesday, qualifying her for the regional tournament. Paul’s run placed her 15th overall, the top individual performance outside of runners on teams advancing to the regionals, which will be Nov. 5 at the New World…

NJROTC detachment begins its climb

For the first time in Franklin County High School’s history, the school is taking part in the Navy Junior ROTC program. Still a fledgling group, the 15 or so members, largely underclassmen, are part of “detachment Eastpoint,” a satellite of the existing unit at Wakulla County High School. Superintendent Steve Lanier, himself a retired Navy…

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Murder defendant turns to high-profile lawyer

It will likely not be until the spring when the two defendants  charged with the murder  of 31-year-old Aileen Seiden will get their day in court. And when they do, about four years after the April 2018 killing, one of them., Christina Araujo, 41, of Loxahatchee,  will be represented by one of the most high-profile criminal defense…