It’s been a banner year for tourism, both locally and statewide. An additional one-cent county bed tax, levied for Navarre Beach renourishment, also started in June. That added kick has boosted local tourism revenues, which have gradually recovered following the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
Many new jobs been added at the Santa Rosa Industrial Park (SRIP) in East Milton. Navy Federal Credit Union has moved about 200 jobs to the former Clearwire building and is expected to add at least 200 employees at the location during their multiyear lease of the facility.
James Dabny from East River Smokehouse attended the Santa Rosa County Zoning Board meeting Aug. 14 looking for action that would allow him to continue operating a giant inflatable slide next to his business on Highway 98. He got what he wanted, sort of. The zoning board voted to recommend the conditional use permit but put a 24-month review period on it.
All area counties saw increases in their unemployment rates from June to July 2014. For Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa counties, July marked the third consecutive month that their unemployment rates had increased. Unemployment rates in Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties are above the state and national averages, while Okaloosa and Walton counties remain below.
Fabre Engineering has provided services to Holley Navarre Water System (HNWS) for more than 25 years, but two of the company’s long-time engineers made the move Monday to a new location at HNWS. Dale Long and Phil Phillips are now employed by Municipal Engineering Services, Inc. , which is part of HNWS. Water system general manager Ken Walker serves as the new company’s president.
The giant inflatable slide next to East River Smokehouse on Navarre Parkway has been a fixture all summer. After county officials notified the owner in late June that the slides could no longer be operated based on the property’s current zoning, the owner filed a conditional use permit seeking permission to operate the inflatables.
All necessary approvals are in place, and a crew recently began construction on a new dock east of the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge that would serve as the launch point for recreational boat rides.
The Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce and United Peninsula Association will host a candidate forum beginning at 6 p.m., Aug. 11. It will be held at Coastline Calvary Chapel, 1122 Oriole Beach Road in Gulf Breeze.
