🌱 Runoff Election Results + Panama City Comedy Events This Month

Good morning, neighbors. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Panama City Patch newsletter — here to tell you all the most important things happening in our community.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Thunderstorms, mainly late. High: 83 Low: 68.
• Friday: A morning t-storm in the area. High: 85 Low: 71.

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Here are the top three stories in Panama City today:

1. Following the runoff elections in Bay County, two new officials have been declared winners. Michael Rohan defeated incumbent Greg Brudnicki for the position of Panama City mayor, while Sam Peebles emerged victorious over Brian Gray for Seat 1 commissioner in Lynn Haven. These runoff elections were necessary because no candidate in either race obtained the required majority of votes during the initial municipal elections held on Apr. 18. The unofficial results show Rohan receiving approximately 52 percent of the votes in Panama City, while Peebles secured around 68 percent of the votes in Lynn Haven. (The News Herald)
2. Bay County is purchasing eight additional homes with severe flooding issues using funds from the Florida Rebuild Voluntary Home Buyout program. The homeowners have voluntarily agreed to sell their properties due to frequent flooding, particularly during storms and hurricanes. The county will allocate slightly over $4 million for the purchase of these properties, which will also cover the costs of demolishing the homes and potentially constructing retention ponds to mitigate future flooding. (WMBB - mypanhandle.com)
3. Panama City Comedy, a local and regional comedian group, is actively organizing various comedy shows across different locations in Panama City. Comedian Jason Hedden from Panama City Comedy announced a lineup of shows happening this month. The upcoming events include "Third Thursday Comedy" moving to the Panama City Center for the Arts tonight, May 18, at 7:30 p.m., "Clean Comedy with the Krewe" at the Krewe of St. Andrews Event Center, and a comedy night at Mosey's Downtown. For additional details and ticket information, click here. (WMBB - mypanhandle.com)

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Today and tomorrow in Panama City:

Thursday, May 18

• Black Craft Music And Arts Festival At The Salty Hobo (6:00 PM)

Friday, May 19

• Girls Night Out: Legally Blonde At The Drip Coffee Co. (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Panama City area at the link! (Panama City Patch)
• Airbnb released its summer 2023 outlook, revealing the top-trending U.S. destinations based on search traffic. Panama City ranked No. 5 in the list of top 10 domestic destinations! (WMBB - mypanhandle.com)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Panama City area! Get all the property details at the link. (Panama City Patch)

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll be in your inbox soon with a new update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.