Page 8 - Mayor Mark Sheldon News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Whitman was selected as manager in March from a pool of more than 90 applicants from across the nation. His hiring came about a month after former City Manager Tony O'Rourke was unexpectedly fired. From then until now, officials worked to hash out the details of Whitman's contract. According to the meeting's agenda, he will be paid an annual salary of $150,000, about $20,000 more than he made as police chief. Whitman worked for PCBPD for about 30 years, climbing the ranks from corporal all the way to chief.  During Thursday's meeting, Whitman named Deputy Chief Chad Lindsey as interim poli...

Area officials ecstatic over plans for new Panama City Beach medical campus © [NATHAN COBB/THE NEWS HERALD] Latitude Margaritaville Watersound begins by-appointment tours of property PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bay County Commissioner Griff Griffitts says officials have discussed the need for a medical facility on the Beach as long as he can remember.  As a third generation resident and someone who's spent his entire life living along the Gulf of Mexico, Griffitts said it's exciting to see the project gain momentum.  The St. Joe Company on Thursday announced plans to build a health care camp...

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Although officials aren't sure what size crowds to expect this Spring Break because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they're preparing for the worst.  Panama City Beach leaders recently added limits to crowd sizes for special events on the beach during March and upped law enforcement. And while the city hasn't threatened to close the beach as it did in March last year to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the option isn't off the table should cases rise dramatically, officials say.  Once known as the Spring Break capital of the U.S., Panama City Beach has attem...

PANAMA CITY BEACH — All special events at the Beach this March will have a 125-person limit because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, city leaders decided Thursday. The decision came at a Beach City Council meeting when Mayor Mark Sheldon said the ordinance was to take a proactive approach at controlling Spring Break crowds amid the pandemic. The new restriction will be in addition to the city's annual March alcohol ban. "We just want to make sure that with COVID and everything else going on, we're being as safe as we can," Sheldon said. "We don't want another situation (like) we had las...

PANAMA CITY BEACH — To give residents something to be excited about, local artwork soon will decorate the Beach.  With dozens of people present, 11 customized statues of sea turtles and dolphins were unveiled Friday at the Panama City Beach City Hall as part of SeeLife, a project overseen by the Sunshine Art Club to celebrate the community and prove art can be for everyone.  "I'd like to see more people get involved with the arts," said Hellen Ferrell, executive director of the group. "We have a large arts community in this area, but it's underutilized, and it really could help be an ec...