The Pullum Family YMCA After School Care program has partnered with the National Inclusion Project for the third-consecutive year to create an inclusive environment where children with and without disabilities can play, learn and laugh together.
Justin Deese, owner of Rooter Man in Navarre, has been selected as the new Holley-Navarre Fire District commissioner for Seat 4. Deese will serve out the remainder of the term William Painter vacated in October. The seat will be added to the ballot in the general election in November.
Many changes have taken place in Navarre during the last decade; the number of households has doubled, the population has soared, and schools are bursting at the seams. New home construction rates are up and two new apartment complexes are set to join the market in 2016. One of those communities, The Sound at Navarre Beach located on U.S. Highway 98, will add more than 300 units to Holley-Navarre Fire Department’s district. The other, The Reserve, will add 148 units to Midway Fire Department’s district. The growth of the area, it seems, is outpacing the infrastructure or any planned improvements. But traffic patterns and utilities aren’t the only concern. One of the most-depended upon services is fire protection. The growth of Navarre and Midway are forcing at least one of the departments to take a look at how the needs of the population are increasing and how they can continue to meet them.
United Way of Escambia County is offering free online or in-person tax filing options for those with a household income of $62,000 or less in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties. Last year, the impact of United Way’s tax programs exceeded $5.1 million.
With so many of our country’s vital military personnel working and living inside of our local area, citizens in Santa Rosa County have long been involved in programs dedicated to giving back to our local veterans. The families and friends of these American servicemen and servicewomen have in fact been some of the most active participants in veteran-focused activities. As a community, citizens of Santa Rosa County have shown an extensive record of heartfelt pride and support for all of our veterans and military personnel.
The I-10 corridor flows through Santa Rosa County, and unfortunately, that means illegal drugs may as well. The proximity of the corridor and other criteria led to Santa Rosa County being added to the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. There are 32 such programs across the United States, including Hawaii, and in the case of Santa Rosa County, the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office requested to be part of it.
The University of West Florida received the largest gift from a living donor in its history on Jan. 19. Longtime supporter Harold E. ‘Hal’ Marcus allocated $5 million to the College of Science and Engineering. The college will be named the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering in his honor, marking it the university’s first named college.
The real estate management company that operates Santa Rosa Mall is planning an exterior facelift, new restaurants, redesigned retail space and the addition of residential development on a 10-acre parcel within the property’s footprint.
