News Archive

With a population of 200,000 and growing, Santa Rosa County first responders must be as prepared as ever to meet the needs of the community. Add an influx of tourists each spring and summer and you have a serious need to be ready for disasters and incidents.

Spring and summer are the times of year when most wildlife in Northwest Florida are active. With greater activity means a greater chance they might need medical attention. That is when wildlife rescues, such as Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge in Navarre, save the day.

With the growth of sports tourism, as well as a desire from county residents for more recreational amenities, Santa Rosa County officials are looking to add more sports recreational opportunities on the south end of the county.

One place the county is currently planning to add sports recreation is Navarre Beach.

UPDATE: A portion of Sevilla Street has been reopened. Following cross drain work, Sevilla Street, starting at 8304 Sevilla Street, has reopened.

Original post: Sevilla Street in Navarre will be closed at 8304 Sevilla Street beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8, for cross drain work. Weather permitting, the road is expected to reopen on Wednesday, July 9.

The 2025-2026 school year will be a year of change for school cellphone policies, namely for schools with students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This includes primary, intermediate, elementary, middle and K-8 schools.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 June 30 after vetoing line items totaling $567 million, including several proposed Santa Rosa County projects. The final 2025-2026 budget added up to $117.9 billion, less than the previous year’s and marking the second consecutive year of reduced state spending.

Navarre local David Biggar has always been fascinated by weather. Since he was a young boy, you could say his head was “in the clouds” – in a good way, daydreaming about studying weather for the rest of his life. And that’s exactly what he did, retiring this year after working 40 years as a meteorologist.

The Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners reviewed the county’s current funds and revenue at their draft budget meeting on June 23. The board weighed opportunities to limit current construction projects taking place within the county and pull funding to supplement other parts of the budget. The balanced budget must be delivered by July 15, with the final budget hearing in September.

The Holley-Navarre Fire District has seen an uptick in calls related to gas main leaks in the past couple of months, outside of the typical calls for medical emergencies or structure fires.

According to HNFD Fire Chief Kevin Lewis, within the last six months there have been six calls for gas leaks. Lewis says he knows the reason why.

The Gulf Breeze Zoo has announced the birth of Kahlani, a female reticulated giraffe calf.

Born May 9, Kahlani stands six feet tall and weighs 151 pounds. She is the daughter of two other Gulf Breeze Zoo giraffes, Kenya and Gideon. The zoo’s animal care team closely monitored the birth to ensure a smooth delivery and continued health for both mother and calf.