News Archive

Santa Rosa County Commissioners at their regular meeting June 26 are expected to approve a 2-year contract with Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) for transportation and processing of recyclable material.

The Navarre Beach Leaseholders and Residents Association (NBLRA) discussed several issues at their meeting June 21, and most of them dealt with funding on the beach.

Joe Mazurkiewicz, the consultant hired by Citizens to Incorporate Navarre, to complete a feasibility study spent two days in Santa Rosa County last week gathering information from county department heads, staff members and community leaders.

An Air Force F-35A Lightning II from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base caught fire June 23 just prior to takeoff. According to 1st Lt. Hope Cronin, the aircraft was preparing to conduct a continuation training mission at the time of the incident but aborted during takeoff due to a fire in the back of the aircraft.

Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hulburt Field, will retire July 3 after 33 years of service. Fiel has been AFSOC commander since June 2011.

The lone Democrat vying for a Santa Rosa County Commission seat in 2014 has withdrawn from the race. The Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Office reported Kristopher Daniel Long of Milton withdrew June 17 from the District 2 race due to personal reasons.

There was not an empty seat in the Tiger Point Community Center as Santa Rosa County Commissioner Lane Lynchard hosted a town hall meeting June 19 to discuss recent weather patterns, county stormwater retention standards and areas that had been impacted by recent floods.

Before the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners takes action June 26 to begin the search for a new tourism director, the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council (TDC) wants commissioners to know that they want to play a major role in the hiring process. Director Kate Wilkes will make the request on behalf of the TDC Board that met June 23.

Crews have been working since Friday to remove a tar mat that was discovered near Langdon Beach in the Fort Pickens Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. U.S. Coast Guard Public Information Officer Natalie Murphy said about 1,400 pounds of material had been collected by the end of the day Monday.

Jayer Williamson, the youngest son of late Santa Rosa County Commissioner Jim Williamson, was sworn in Monday to the District 1 seat from which his dad retired on the eve of his April 2 death. Governor Rick Scott made the appointment June 18, making Jayer, 35, the third generation of his family to represent the Pace area. His maternal grandfather, W.L. Butler, also served in that office in the 1970s.