Community Archive

Around two dozen people are building and plan to sail a ninth-century Viking ship replica across the Atlantic Ocean using only oars and sails. The destination: Northwest Florida.
According to Blade Handler, a Pensacola native and member of the crew, the ship is planned to depart from Denmark next June and arrive in the Pensacola area either late August or early September 2027.

With Memorial Day approaching, plans are underway for two events in Santa Rosa County honoring servicemembers who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Navarre and Milton will host events Monday, May 25.

Santa Rosa County Animal Services will host a low-cost pet vaccination and microchip clinic on Saturday, May 30, from 9-11 a.m. at Santa Rosa County Animal Services, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. Only cats and dogs are eligible to be microchipped and vaccinated.

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge held their first ever Nature Fest Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event featured vendors and wildlife exhibits.

Navarre High School held its annual Senior Awards Night Thursday, May 14, in the school gymnasium. The event celebrated the academic accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

The Navarre Paddle Classic is back, bringing paddlers, spectators and outdoor enthusiasts together for a weekend of competition and community connection. The fifth annual event will return to Navarre Beach Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17. Start times for the event are 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. each day.

While most Santa Rosa County schools are focused on finishing the 2025-26 school year, Kasie Windfelder is already planning for the opening of Soundside High School in 2026-27.

Windfelder is the principal of Soundside High School, the new high school on the south end of Santa Rosa County. Located in Midway across from the Gulf Breeze Zoo, the school is nearing completion. Construction cost around $115 million.

On May 1, Windfelder gave Navarre Press reporter Hansen Hasenberg a tour of the new school.

Jan. 1, 2026, was anything but fun for Monica McBrien, who works for Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Office. While many were ringing in the new year with fireworks, she suffered a seizure.

After coming to, she couldn’t recognize her family’s faces. She knew something was wrong. Shortly after, an MRI unveiled a diagnosis no one wants to hear: “you have brain cancer.”

From May 1 through the end of October, sea turtles come onto Florida beaches to nest. Navarre Beach has seen its fair share of nests over the years.

At the highest point, the beach had nearly 20 nests in a season. In 2025, there were 18 nests found on Navarre Beach.

A few dozen people crowded into Arc Gateway’s South Santa Rosa Adult Day Center for the grand opening of a sensory room.

Arc Gateway serves adults with special needs across the Emerald Coast. The south Santa Rosa location was started nearly 8 years ago.