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Month: December 2020

Florida reaches disturbing milesone

On April 1, just weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, 7,773 people in Florida had tested positive for the insidious disease. By July 1, that total was up to 158,997. On Oct. 1, it had leaped to 709,144.

And on Tuesday, Florida reached a milestone that nobody wanted to see: more than 1 million reported cases.

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Lifelong Republican chastises those casting doubt on presidential election

TALLAHASSEE --- Saying he could no longer remain silent, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley issued a rare and lengthy statement this week castigating people he said are imperiling the nation’s democracy by casting doubt on the outcome of the presidential contest.

Corley, a lifelong Republican, did not identify President Donald Trump by name in the roughly 900-word screed released Wednesday.

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God calls retired educator back to classroom

For 12 years, Bill Emerson has been responsible for the curriculum and instruction of tens of thousands of pre-K to 12th-grade students across Santa Rosa County.

His job title was a mouthful: assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment. The work was even more complex, navigating changing state standards, classrooms filled to their capacity and a shifting board of elected bosses.

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Stripes welcomes all for Thanksgiving

In Navarre, there’s always a seat at the Thanksgiving table thanks to Stripes Pub and Grill.

Owner Rob Reyes opens the restaurant annually on the holiday to offer a free meal to anyone, and this year his staff worked alongside members of Encompass Church to make the meal possible.

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Holiday rashes and dry skin during the winter months

The hustle and bustle is upon us and holiday stress tends to spread to the skin. Long to-do lists, extra family to feed and finding the perfect gift all adds anxiety to our lives, which in turn affects our skin. We call these holiday rashes and it’s more than just dry skin.

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. John Phillips of Dermatology Specialists of Florida has seen an influx of skin conditions during winter months.

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Christmas in the Park celebrates ‘Heroes of 2020’

“I remember the early years of Christmas in the Park when I moved here 20 years ago,” said Chanda Ryan, Executive Director of the Navarre Beach Chamber of Commerce. “It really is a gift to the community that the Chamber does. It’s not a money-making event, it’s just a way for us to have something that we can invite the whole community together.”

Christmas in the Park will look a little different this year because of the gathering restrictions in place due to COVID-19.

“This year the theme is celebrating our heroes of 2020 which are our health care workers, first responders and essential workers,” Ryan said.

The day’s festivities will begin with the Chamber Foundation’s Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk Fun Run. The race starts at 8 a.m. at the Holley-Navarre Fire Station. The race will be followed by refreshments and door prizes with a special prize awarded to the most festive participant.  Registration forms are available at www.navarrechamberfoundation.org with the first 200 registrants receiving a long sleeve T-shirt. 
Although the east side of the park is under construction for the park remodel, Christmas in the Park will take place on the west side of the park.
This year’s event will include 20 vendors in the Merry Market where local artists and crafters will be socially distanced in Navarre Park.

A memorable part of this seasonal day in Navarre is the annual Christmas parade.
The Annual Navarre Community Christmas Parade will start at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Navarre Library. The parade route will move south along Presidio, make a left at Esplanade Street and end in the back parking lot of Centennial Bank. 

The festive event has grown substantially over the years.

“The parade started out with just a pickup truck and two vehicles with Santa coming in,” Ryan said. “Now it’s grown up to 25 to 30 entries with a lot of kids, youth groups and community organizations.”
Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive by fire truck at the end of the parade and will be available for socially distanced photos with children. Visits are free and parents are invited take pictures on their phones or bring cameras. Free individually wrapped baked goods will be available at Mrs. Claus’ Bakery.

The iconic 20-foot Christmas tree will be put up in the park and the annual tree lighting ceremony will be held around 4:30 p.m.

“We feel very privileged and happy that we can give this gift to the community,” Ryan said. “Thanks to our sponsors, we can go forward with having this event that everybody in the community can look forward to.”

Voters approved the sales tax, now what?

Santa Rosa County voters handed local officials $45 million of revenue when they approved extending the half cent local option sales tax for another five years.

Now those officials must decide what they’re going to do with cash as it starts to roll in. In a lot of ways, the answer is the same as it was for the last five years of sales tax revenue, said County Administrator Dan Schebler.

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