News Archive

Last Christmas, Navarre had a high of 76 and a low of 59 on Christmas Day. The forecast for this Christmas is a high of 42 and a low of 28. So, what’s the deal? Why is it so cold this year? The short explanation – an extreme cold front is heading south from Canada, bringing cold air our way just in time to make it feel like Christmas.

A Gulf Breeze man has been arrested on a first-degree homicide charge following the fatal shooting of a Navarre man on Friday. Robert Steven Schuster, 37, of Reservation Road in Gulf Breeze, was arrested on Friday at the entrance to Holley by the Sea, according to Jillian Durkin, public information officer for the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Plans are in the works for several transportation projects in and around Santa Rosa County, including Navarre.

According to the 2045 Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) update, there are 40 projects currently planned with varying degrees of funding. There are 12 projects in Navarre, including a potential new Navarre Bridge and a two-lane Navarre community access road. The access road, if built, will act as an alternative to U.S. Highway 98.

Several Santa Rosa County offices will be closed Friday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Dec. 26, for the Christmas season. The Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners, including the library system and animal shelter, will be closed for the holidays.

The American Legion Riders Chapter 382 in Navarre is holding their 7th Annual Ride for the Claus benefitting our Navarre and Midway area less fortunate children, special needs children, foster children, Gold Star Military Families, and both the Navarre Gardens Nursing Homes. Each year the list has grown and now they deliver presents to more than 300 children. These rides will take place on Saturday, December 17th and December 18th from 9am to 3pm in the Navarre and Midway community. They also held rides on Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 11.

Weather conditions in Santa Rosa County may become severe Wednesday night. The National Weather Service in Mobile is predicting severe weather conditions late Wednesday starting in the evening and going into the overnight hours. Isolated severe storms are possible as early as Wednesday morning. Santa Rosa County has been placed under an enhanced risk for severe weather. With the severe weather, the main threats are tornadoes and damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour (mph) or greater. The National Weather Service said a strong (EF2+) tornado is possible.

Lawmakers hear a little bit of everything when they hold public hearings in their districts: funding requests, policy concerns, conspiracy theories and political attacks.

Those in traffic along U.S. Highway 98 in Navarre on Thursday, Dec. 8, may have noticed lights, sirens, and the strong smell of gasoline. At approximately 9:08 a.m. that morning, Holley Navarre Fire Department received a call of a fuel spill at the marina near Navarre Park and Mango Mary’s.

A new report from AAA says that Northwest Florida has some of the least expensive gas prices in the sunshine state. According to the report, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach at $2.89, Pensacola and Panama City, each at $2.92, were the least expensive metro markets in the state. Overall, Florida gas prices declined 12 cents per gallon last week. The state average is now on a 31 day streak of declines, falling a total of 41 cents per gallon.

The Florida Department of Transportation announced a traffic advisory for state roads in Santa Rosa County and other areas where crews will be working throughout the month of December. Those roads include: U.S. 98 (Navarre Parkway) Turn Lane Construction at the new Publix – Drivers will encounter intermittent outside westbound lane closures near Rosewood Avenue on Mon., Dec. 12 and Tues., Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for paving operations.