Community Archive

For 12 years, Bill Emerson has been responsible for the curriculum and instruction of tens of thousands of pre-K to 12^th-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.

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.

Santa Rosa County’s unemployment rate has reached pre-COVID-19 levels, making it the third lowest unemployment rate in the state, according to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the county dropped to 3.8% in November, the same rate that was touted with excitement back in 2019. The county got down to 2.8% before the pandemic came crashing in.  

On Friday the 13^th, Mavis Ray Fehr struggled with the probability of getting the worst news of her life – for the third time.

A two-time survivor of a particularly dangerous form of breast cancer, the 49-year-old Navarre woman had recently found a new lump. A PET scan had identified it as likely cancerous.

Nearly 300 people packed the parking lot of Palm Harbour Plaza Sunday afternoon in support of Elis Hines. The 22-year old was paralyzed nearly seven months ago in a skateboarding accident, leaving him in a wheelchair.

The Vine Wine Bar, Bistro & Shoppe hosted a Chili and Wings Cook-off Fundraiser Nov. 8 with all proceeds going toward buying Hines a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Some high school graduates move far away from their moms to go to college. They are excited to finally have independence and find their place in this world without mom watching their every move.

That was not the case for 22-year-old Navarre native Aubrey Hedlund. She went through the Pensacola State College registered nursing (RN) program alongside her mother, Holly Bartlett. Both of them will be graduating next month from the accelerated RN program.