News Archive

Three Veterans Day events will take place in Santa Rosa County on Thurs., Nov. 11. Activities are as follows:

The Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) has updated the flight schedule for Friday and Saturday’s Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show performances. The updated schedule reflects that Airbase Georgia will replace its F4U Corsair with a North American P-51 Mustang, a World War II-era long-range fighter plane, and now includes the addition of a U.S. Navy F-35 Lightning II demonstration to the air show.  

A group of 26 former Gulf Breeze Flea Market vendors has found refuge at the former Iron Gargoyle Antique Mall building in Gulf Breeze.

In the last week, Karenia brevis was detected in varying concentrations across Northwest Florida. Karenia brevis, which causes red tide, contains toxins that can be harmful to humans.

It was found at background and very low concentrations in and offshore of Escambia County (in two samples), background to low concentrations in Santa Rosa County (in three samples), background to medium concentrations in Okaloosa County (in 12 samples), very low to medium concentrations in Bay County (in 16 samples).

During the Oct. 26 meeting, District 5 Commissioner Colten Wright expressed his idea that staff add the resume of any appointee that comes before the board.

Wright’s reasoning is to provide transparency for Santa Rosa citizens, giving them the opportunity to see the prospective appointee’s qualifications to represent them on a volunteer board.

The Santa Rosa County School District has partnered with Cognia, an international education accreditation association, to create a strategic plan for the district’s next five years. In October, a series of surveys were issued to students, teachers, families and the public to garner feedback.

On Oct. 26, Florida’s state delegation that included Sen. Doug Broxson, Rep. Robert Alexander “Alex” Andrade and Rep. Jayer Williamson approved two local bills to be put on the next Florida legislative session.

Many Santa Rosa citizens remember the Navarre Beach RV park that the county commissioners denied in July 2021, and during the Oct. 28 rezoning meeting, the board denied another request to build an RV park, this time in Milton.

James Calkins of District 3, Sam Parker of District 1 and Bob Cole of District 2 denied the RV park that was to be located off Golden Ranch Road near Jakes Bayou in Milton. District 4 Commissioner Dave Piech and District 5 Commissioner Colten Wright opposed the motion, voting in favor of the applicant.

In Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, paramedics and EMTs are getting financial reminders of how valuable they are to the communities they serve.

Last month, Lifeguard Ambulance, which provides service in Santa Rosa County, announced hiring and retention bonuses for their medical staff. Paramedics got $15,000, while EMTs were awarded $2,500 bonuses.

Motorists driving through Gulf Breeze and Navarre on U.S. Highway 98 face an everchanging landscape. New developments are coming to the area and construction is well underway on a handful of them. Other lots don’t look any different but have been discussed as possible locations for a Comfort Inn and a large apartment complex in Navarre.  

Here are some of the changes coming to the area.

In addition to Indigo Townhomes, which open for rentals this month, Gulf Breeze is expected to have a new 222-unit apartment complex ready for move-in in the first half of 2022.