News Archive

Former Air Force pilot John Lewis, who flew in Korea and Vietnam, led fellow members of the now-resigned Navarre Beach Beautification Committee to protest County Commissioner Rob Williamson’s recent labeling of them as “ragtag” volunteers.

Los Angeles (AP) — Nancy Reagan, the helpmate, backstage adviser and fierce protector of Ronald Reagan in his journey from actor to president — and finally during his 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease — has died. She was 94.

Senior Airman Keifer Huhman, a 2012 Navarre High School graduate, went missing on Superbowl Sunday Feb. 7.  After weeks of searching the Dover area, his father Kenneth issued a statement on the Facebook page dedicated to finding his son.  Part of the statement reads, “Based off of all the collected evidence, this leads us to believe that Keifer fell off the C&D bridge into the canal.  Furthermore, the evidence also considers Keifer’s status to be declared as deceased.  Official notification occurred this morning.  This decision was not made or taken lightly by the Air Force and Keifer’s family.”

In a senate vote of 35-5, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 7101 which changes the procedure of the Florida Death Penalty Law.  The law was signed by Governor Scott, and will impact future death penalty cases, and possibly the 13 pending cases throughout the First Judicial Circuit.  The overhaul follows the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the current law is unconstitutional. 

A Gulf Breeze woman with a longstanding history of retail theft and petit theft dating back to 2008 was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Navarre Wal-Mart for theft and battery on a police officer.  In the arrest report, Kimberly Lehman, 29, was being followed by Wal-Mart staff because she was accused of taking an employee’s wallet.  Deputies responded to the call and a subsequent search of Lehman revealed the employee’s missing items.  However, the employee did not wish to press charges.

The push for a Florida law that would overthrow local authority to limit the controversial method of drilling for oil and natural gas after injecting chemicals underground to fracture rock formations has failed despite backing by Northwest Florida legislators.

On Friday, Feb. 26 agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Ivan Jarrett Hendricks, 47, of Jay on 25 counts of possession of child pornography.

On Sunday afternoon Feb. 28 at approximately 1:20 p.m., Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a battery call at the Milton exit overpass of Interstate 10 which was called in by passing motorists. 

When Weeks Marine Inc. postponed its scheduled restoration of Pensacola Beach last week it seemed to signal that the company could start dredging and filling on Navarre Beach as planned on or about April 1.

Seconds after his Black Hawk helicopter took off for a March 10 training mission — filled with seven Marine special operators and three fellow Louisiana Army National Guardsmen — the pilot remarked: “Gee, it’s dark as [expletive].”