Latest news with #SantaRosaBeach
The Independent
16-07-2025
- The Independent
Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell sues Florida sheriff's office over beach trespassers
Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell says a local Florida sheriff's office isn't doing enough to protect his multimillion-dollar beachfront property from trespassers and is asking a judge for an order commanding deputies to do so. The petition filed last month by Littrell's company in a Florida Panhandle county touches on a perennial tug-of-war between usually-wealthy oceanfront property owners and beach-loving members of the public, especially in Florida, which has 825 miles of sandy beaches. Under Florida law, any sand on a beach below the high tide water mark is public. Many homeowners own the sand down to the average high-water line, though some counties over the decades have passed local ordinances that let the public use otherwise private beaches for sunbathing, fishing and walking if people have historically had access for those purposes. Property records show that Littrell's company purchased the property in Santa Rosa Beach in Walton County in 2023 for $3.8 million. A spokeswoman for the Walton County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that the office doesn't comment on pending litigation. 'The Walton County Sheriff's Office prides itself on handling every situation, call for service, or interaction with professionalism using a customer service approach,' public information officer Lindsey Darby said in an email. 'This has always been our philosophy and will remain so moving forward.' In the petition, Littrell's company said that chairs, umbrellas and small tables had been put out on the beach, as well as 'No Trespassing' signs, to mark it as private property. But that effort had been in vain 'as numerous trespassers have set out to antagonize, bully, and harass the Littrell family by regularly, every day, trespassing,' according to the petition. The sheriff's office has refused requests to remove trespassers or charge them, and the family has had to hire private security, the petition said. Walton County, which has become home to several famous property owners besides Littrell over the past two decades, has been at the center of a recent fight between private property owners and the public over access to beaches. A 2018 Florida law that stemmed from a Walton County ordinance blocked any local government from passing ordinances dealing with public beach access until affected homeowners were notified, a public hearing was held and a court had determined whether a private beach was historically open to the public. Florida lawmakers this year approved legislation that restored control back to local authorities, and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law last month in Santa Rosa Beach, the beach town where Littrell's house is located. ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Backstreet Boys singer in ugly lawsuit battle after sunbathing 'crimes' on Florida beach
Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell has sued a Florida county - where he and his family have a beach house - over trespassers. In his complaint, filed June 19, the 50-year-old claims the Walton County Sheriff's Office are not helping control trespassers sunbathing on his private Santa Rosa Beach property.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Santa Rosa Beach hosts first AJGA tournament
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – With talk of a potential PGA event coming to the panhandle, Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club hosted an American Junior Golf Association tournament attracting young golfers from around the world. The Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club welcomed the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) by hosting a three-day open tournament that drew top junior golf talent from around the world. The AJGA, based in Braselton, Georgia, is recognized for organizing some of the most prestigious junior golf events in the United States. The organization provides a platform for young athletes to earn status, which can lead to participation in more rigorous matches and increased visibility among college recruiters. Among the standout athletes was South Walton rising sophomore Neely Kight, who tied for second place. 'My short game was pretty good today, except for a few three-putts,' Kight said. 'My drives were strong, but my irons were a little off, so I had to get up and down more than usual. Since the tournament was local, I was able to get in some extra practice rounds, which definitely helped. I love this course, it's beautiful out here.' As it was the first year the golf club had hosted an AJGA tournament, the groundskeepers paid special attention to detail to ensure the course was in pristine condition with hopes of being selected to host again. 'The biggest thing about this golf course hosting the event is supporting junior golf, not just with our members, but across the sport,' a staff member said. 'We renovated the entire course in 2021, so we wanted players and families to experience it and give feedback.' The effort was noticed and appreciated by both players and their families. 'The juniors love it out here,' said Mary Caines the tournament director. 'I've received so many compliments from parents and players, they say it's one of their favorite courses. The atmosphere is really special.' Krishny Elwin, a rising junior from Puerto Rico who resides in Orlando, claimed first place in the girls division and credited the course for complementing her style of play. 'Playing on this course felt like it was built for me,' Elwin said. 'It's definitely challenging, if you don't hit it straight, you're in trouble. But it was in perfect condition, and I played really well.' The event was viewed as a major success and is expected to bolster Santa Rosa Beach's position as a premier venue for future junior golf competitions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mussett Bayou wildfire: 5 years later
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – On the afternoon of May 6, 2020, South Walton Fire District first responders answered a call regarding an illegal burn. In just an instant, the wildfire spread 343 acres. Officials said they had an eye on the red flag weather conditions before the fire erupted. 'The cards were absolutely stacked against us, if you will. You know, so that particular day, we had very, extremely low relative humidity levels, rather uncharacteristic and very dry conditions, and strong winds. All of those things together cumulatively created very challenging conditions for us as fire spread,' South Walton Fire District Fire Chief Ryan Crawford said. 115 structure firefighters and around 50 Florida Forest Service personnel were on the scene trying to control the flames. Young family loses everything in Mussett Bayou Fire That evening, residents across Santa Rosa Beach and the Mussett Bayou area were ordered to evacuate their homes. 'When we showed up on scene, you could tell this fire was going to be a containment issue. It actually jumped 98 well before fire ever got to the north side of 98. It was already south of 98. And it was definitely a fire that was going to have our hands full that day,' Florida Forest Service Forestry Supervisor Walter Bowers said. After three hours of battling flames, it had been contained. Following the fire, damages were assessed. Investigators found that 59 properties, 34 homes, and over 300 acres of land were damaged or destroyed during the wildfire. Officials said the community support is what helped them prosper. 'Here are people losing everything they've ever lived for. And they're the ones that are leading the charge with the supplies and the food, and the drinks. And it was just overwhelming,' Fire Marshal Sammy Sanchez said. Man accused of starting Mussett Bayou fire pleads no contest Since then, the area has been rebuilt. New homes have gone up, trees have grown, and fire mitigation efforts have expanded. 'We enhanced our capacity to be able to respond to these types of incidents here in South Walton. We have predetermined mechanisms in place. It's important that we do what we can to prevent history from repeating itself here because it can happen,' Crawford said. A week after the fire, authorities arrested Santa Rosa Beach resident Allen Boyd Smith and charged him with reckless burning of land, burning illegal materials, and an open burning violation. Two years later he was sentenced to one-year probation and 100 hours of community service. And was ordered to pay $15,500 in restitution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Walton County announces Alaqua Dog Park temporary closure
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Walton County Public Works will temporarily close Alaqua Dog Park at 342 JD Miller Road, Santa Rosa Beach, FL, starting May 27. According to a news release, the dog park will remain closed until some much-needed work is completed. The decision was made with the purpose of alleviating the recurring flooding issues. The plan is to raise the site to direct floodwater more efficiently, which will extensively enhance the dog park's condition during heavy rainfall. Additionally, new fencing and sidewalks will be added to improve the safety and accessibility of the dog park. Sea turtle nesting season begins in Panama City Beach The goal of the construction is to make the park more user-friendly so that everyone can enjoy their time. 'We understand that this may cause some inconvenience, but we assure you that the end result will be worth the wait. We are excited about these improvements, and we hope you are too! We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time,' Walton County Public Works said. All planned construction activities are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. For questions or concerns, please contact Walton County Public Works at (850) 892-8108. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
