Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, a premier destination along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, proudly announces the completion of its extensive $35M property-wide renovation, coinciding with the resort’s 40th anniversary of welcoming guests. This multi-phased refurbishment, which began in the fall of 2022, encompasses a comprehensive upgrade of the resort’s accommodations, amenities and dining experiences. “We are thrilled to reveal the final results of our property-wide refresh,” said Angelina Covington, general manager of Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “Our goa ..read more

Pies & Provisions, a locally owned artisanal pie shop in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, is thrilled to announce its grand opening, offering delivery and pickup options of their sweet and savory pies to Santa Rosa Beach and the coastal communities along 30A. Founded by the dynamic mother-son duo Ryan and Julie Robinson, Pies & Provisions brings a touch of love, tradition and coastal charm to every bite. Steeped in a tradition of love, Pies & Provisions is the culmination of a shared passion for the art of pie-making and a commitment to crafting the finest artisanal creations. With root ..read more

Costa Family McDonald’s opened the first McDonald’s in Santa Rosa Beach on Thursday, June 13, 2024. Located at 2010 US Highway 98, the new restaurant, adjacent to Publix in Santa Rosa Beach, was built by Stansell Properties & Development. It spans 4,000 square feet and features a large parking area, drive-thru and plenty of dine-in space for patrons to enjoy. For the first time in the market, this location also features kiosks where customers will have the option to pay cash for their orders. The newest Costa location has created over 60 jobs for the community. “For years, we have been loo ..read more

With forecasters predicting an “extremely active” 2024 hurricane season, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) encourages Floridians to start preparing for potential storms. The best way to protect yourself and your property during Florida’s hurricane season is to know as much as possible about hurricanes and how to prepare for them. The Better Business Bureau provides a Florida Hurricane Guide to help Florida’s consumers, businesses and nonprofits prepare for hurricane season, which runs June 1–Nov 30. In this hurricane guide, you will find tips on disaster preparedness, recovery and repair, how t ..read more

Watching the world’s fourth-largest commercial aerospace manufacturing city explode with growth just off your doorstep might be a source of envy for many. But don’t count Northwest Florida in that mix. Building upon the ripple effect of this growth in Mobile, Alabama, has become a mission for Jennifer Conoley and her staff at Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW). As president and CEO of the organization promoting economic growth along the Panhandle, Conoley has been laser-focused on building relationships with Airbus officials, sharing the story of what Northwest Florida has to offer. Those relat ..read more

Steve Bornhoft’s executive editorship left a lasting impact on Rowland Publishing and the communities it serves. His artful storytelling and editing brought life to 850 Business Magazine, Emerald Coast Magazine, Tallahassee Magazine and other Rowland Publishing projects.  Bornhoft started his journalism career in 1978 working as a newspaper editor in Wisconsin, then in Illinois. He worked for the Panama City News Herald from 1985–2000 and then in bank marketing for a number of years. Prior to joining Rowland Publishing in 2015, Bornhoft wrote for the company as a freelance contributor fo ..read more

Walking the winding trails of Walton County’s longleaf pine forests, wanderers might look up to find alternating flat and cone-shaped treetops. Those forms tell the story of time, where flat tops are representative of elder pines, and the cone shape identifies a younger tree.  Historically inherent to coastal plains, longleafs have long been part of Northwest Florida’s parks and trails and, therefore, a focus of conservation and restoration efforts.  On Tuesday, June 18, The St. Joe Company announced plans for a new 15-acre nature and art park at Watersound Origins. A design of OLI ..read more

Hotel Effie, the 250-room boutique hotel located at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, announced today that it has become a part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection. As a newly minted member of the Autograph Collection, Hotel Effie enters the brand’s unique portfolio of diverse and dynamic properties, with more than 295 hotels globally. Carefully selected for hotels’ thoughtful vision and passion, each Autograph Collection property creates a singular and special guest experience through its inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality. “We are thrilled to be a part o ..read more

Located on the south side of Leisure Lane within the gated SGI Plantation, The Bluffs stands as a pinnacle of coastal luxury. Just a stone’s throw from the airstrip, this custom four- bedroom, three-bath home exudes elegance and sophistication with sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay. LISTED PRICE: $1,227,000 ADDRESS: 1516 Windy Pass, St. George Island, Florida 32328 HEATED SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,283 BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 3 YEAR BUILT: 1994 FEATURES: As you enter, the first living level welcomes you with a sense of serenity, boasting a master bedroom with chic furnishings and ..read more

The new $40 million biomedically-based research complex constructed by the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) will be more than a striking addition to the Pensacola skyline. It will accelerate the pace of discovery that will drive innovations in maximizing the health span for everyone, from elite military operators and veterans to those with neurodegenerative diseases, musculoskeletal problems, and chronic metabolic conditions. The Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance Research Complex is another step in the evolution of the vision that has been the bedrock of IHMC sin ..read more