This week on Paul N’ Saul, your trusted source for local journalism across Niceville, Valparaiso, Florida, and the 30A corridor, we’re unpacking a packed week in news from Okaloosa County, Walton County, and beyond.

📰 Top Headlines:
• 🚨 Charges dropped against Robert Morris Watson III — what new documents reveal
• 🏖️ Is 30A tourism in decline? We break down year-over-year numbers in Walton and Okaloosa counties
• 🗳️ Nathan Boyles defeats Dondre Wise in the Florida House District 3 special election — what it means going forward
• 🏘️ Affordable housing on the chopping block? A new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) proposal hits the Niceville city agenda

🔎 Also this week:
• Fire chief out in Valparaiso, plus a city commission vacancy
• Okaloosa County School District rolls out new security positions, including a threat management coordinator
• Walton County Commission drama: will Stan Sunday be fired?
• Legal updates on Dylan Deschaine, Isaiah Lamar Luna, and Aaron Craig Gleason
• We sit down with our Walton County reporter — and Saul’s dad — Steven Saul to preview Tuesday’s contentious meeting

📣 Don’t miss:
• A one-on-one on the future of controversial construction along 30A
• Community mailbag on the ADU controversy in Niceville and infrastructure criticism from Robert Murphy
• Strong words from Michele Wilson defending a family fighting to keep their in-law suite

🙌 Special thanks to this week’s sponsors:
• Steve Schutt at Movement Mortgage
• Cindy Zimmermann at Cindy Z Sells Homes

📍Covering everything from Valparaiso to South Walton, we’re bringing you real local news with real local voices.

🗞️🟢🟡🔵🗞️

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CHAPTERS
00:00 INTRO
02:01 Charges of abuse dropped for Robert Morris Watson
05:10 Is Walton County headed for a recession this year?
09:04 Florida's last state legislative race is finally over. Here's what it means for the Florida Panhandle.
11:16 Niceville Accessory Dwelling Unit Update
15:00 Coming up on the Emerald Coast - quick headline updates.
22:30 Interview with Walton County Reporter Steven Saul
37:36 From the Comments Section - We respond to your comments

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Wow. Just Wow.

The Walton County Commissioners decided to fire County Administrator Stan Sunday after just three months on the job.

Plent of people showed up to talk - and opine on Sunday, including his ex-wife.

This follows the firing of Quinn Robertson after a six month tenure as the top unelected official in the county.

But don't miss the things that are REALLY going on that affect your day to day life. There's not a county administrator in the world who would look at this job and think "I could have a good quality of life at this gig," which means serious negative implications for the quality of the applicants. Don't forget the fact that there are claims up and down about nepotism in the local government - from the inside and out. Add on the. fact that there are multiple key positions in Walton that haven't been filled - and you have a real set of issues to overcome.

Christopher and Steven talk about the meeting, what it means for residents and what's next for Walton County.

Chapters

00:00 Emergency Meeting Overview
01:59 Firing of Stan Sunday
05:22 Nepotism and Leadership Issues
12:58 Reflections and Future Implications

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This episode breaks down the surprise-packed special election for House District 3, where Republican Nathan Boyles clinched a decisive win over Democrat DeAndre Wise. The hosts explore what made this race unique—from the historical backdrop to the unexpectedly competitive Democratic performance—and unpack what low voter turnout says about the district. Plus, they look ahead: what could Boyles’ victory mean for the future of Florida politics, and is the political landscape in Northwest Florida beginning to shift?

Takeaways

Nathan Boyles won with 66.2% of the vote.
DeAndre Wise achieved the best Democratic performance in history.
Voter turnout was historically low at around 8.6%.
Democrats are showing signs of increased support in conservative areas.
The upcoming 2026 election could see a closer race.
Boyles is expected to bring Northwest Florida values to the state legislature.
Low turnout may indicate complacency among Republican voters.
DeAndre Wise plans to campaign actively for the next election.
The political landscape may shift if moderate Republicans swing left.
Boyles will have to address budget issues in Tallahassee.

Chapters

00:00 Election Results Overview
02:48 Democratic Performance in Conservative Districts
06:05 Voter Turnout Trends and Implications
09:13 Future of Nathan Boyles in State Legislature

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