Month: December 2020

For God’s Sake

Written by Michael Bannon on December 4, 2020. Posted in Faith, For God's Sake, Opinion.

There is a dog food commercial that makes me laugh. It begins with slow-motion footage of a sleek wolf bounding through the woods. The wolf leaps effortlessly over a log but then mid-leap, is transformed into a golden retriever that nails the landing and bounds off.

A voiceover explains that inside every dog there is the spirit of a wolf, so buy this company’s dog food. What makes me laugh is that, nearby, our “wolf,” a 15-year-old, 20-pound snaggle of fur, is laying on the floor snoring loudly and sporting a “male wrap,” which is kind of a doggie diaper.

Out and About

Written by Sandi Kemp on December 4, 2020. Posted in Opinion, Out and About.

The area lost one of its founding members this week when Ira Mae Bruce passed away.

Her family had been in the area since the 1800s, and she served on multiple boards, including the Board of County Commissioners, where she was the first female elected to that position and only one of two. Seems to me there needs to be a third or fourth but not because of their gender.

Brian Out Loud

Written by Brian Lester on December 4, 2020. Posted in Brian Out Loud, Opinion, Sports.

It’s not as if I haven’t seen playoff losses before in football.

Navarre has been through its share of them in the five years I’ve covered the team.

Every memory is still vivid.

Wise Words

Written by Wendy Victora Rudman on December 4, 2020. Posted in Opinion, Wise Words.

About 10 years ago, my husband and I bought a beautiful lot in Holley by the Sea about two blocks from the water. It’s more than an acre, completely wild and unusable – at this point – for anything but animal habitat.

We like it that way.

Senate offers double shot of ‘alcohol to go’

Written by News Service of Florida on December 4, 2020. Posted in Florida News.

TALLAHASSEE --- Two state senators have uncorked proposals to make permanent a coronavirus emergency order that allowed restaurants and other food establishments with liquor licenses to include alcohol with “to-go” orders.

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, separately filed measures that would allow a business holding a state alcohol license to sell or deliver spirited beverages by the package for off-site consumption. The proposals would require the liquid to be in a sealed container and to be part of a food order.

2020 marked by weather extremes; snow unlikely

Written by Wendy Victora Rudman on December 4, 2020. Posted in News.

With overnight lows predicted to hover in the 40s this weekend, Northwest Florida residents might be feeling a bit chillier than usual. But those temperatures, which will rise into the 60s during the day, are more than 10 degrees warmer than they were in the beginning of the week. Pensacola recorded a low of 30 degrees on Dec. 1, according to Jack Cullen, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile.

Confederate holidays targeted by lawmaker

Written by Wendy Victora Rudman on December 4, 2020. Posted in Florida News.

State Rep. Mike Grieco, D-Miami Beach, wants lawmakers to eliminate legal holidays honoring the birthdays of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, along with a Confederate Memorial Day.

Grieco on Thursday filed a bill (HB 6007) to remove the Lee, Davis and Confederate Memorial days from a list of legal holidays on the books in Florida. A similar effort in 2018 was approved by one Senate committee but did not pass the Legislature. It drew objections from people who argued the proposal would erase Southern history. Lee’s birthday, Jan. 19, and Confederate Memorial Day, April 26, have been legal holidays in Florida since 1895. Davis’ birthday, June 3, was added in 1905.

Arrests Nov. 23-29

Written by Staff Reporters on December 4, 2020. Posted in Crime.

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Thankful tourists flock to Navarre Beach

Tourism sees strong shoulder season

Written by Staff Reporters on December 4, 2020. Posted in News.

The numbers are in, and it was a strong October for tourism, according to Santa Rosa County data.

October’s tourist development tax collections were up by nearly 27% from last year, about $340,000 compared to about $268,000 for the past two Octobers. October is the most recent month of data available.

Florida ramps up plans to vaccinate seniors

Written by News Service of Florida on December 4, 2020. Posted in Florida News.

Florida on Thursday ramped up plans to vaccinate seniors for COVID-19 by publishing two emergency rules that require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to allow representatives from the state health department, CVS and Walgreens into the facilities.

The emergency rules from DeSantis’ administration also gave nursing homes and assisted living facilities until the end of Thursday to sign up on state-supported websites to participate in what’s known as the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care Program.