News Archive

The quickening pace of population growth in Santa Rosa County is testing law enforcement’s capacity, but meanwhile most crime categories are actually on the decline of late, especially in the fast-growing Navarre area.

About 1500 Navarre Beach residents who are eligible for the new $250 cap on their lease fees have missed the June 30 deadline to apply for them, costing some individuals hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit announced the convictions of two Escambia County Assisted Living Facility employees for abuse and neglect. According to the investigation, Belie Brock Williams, 73, former Administrator for Kipling Manor, refused psychological nursing caregivers entrance to the facility. Due to this refusal, some residents did not receive care for approximately two to three weeks. Adrienne Taylor, 44, former assistant administrator of Kipling Manor, failed to perform as a caregiver by not protecting the residents from abuse and not assuring the residents received the prescribed nursing services.

The new non-profit agency formed to manage Northwest Florida’s share of the $1.5 billion in BP oil spill settlement funding has been formed, but it’s not yet functional.

A Gulf Breeze man died in a house fire on Ramblewood Drive Thursday morning.  Midway Fire District was the lead fire department on scene with assistance from Holley Navarre Fire District, City of Gulf Breeze Fire Department, Pensacola Beach Fire Department and Avalon Fire Rescue.

The challenges in recruiting uniformed police officers that have plagued some major metropolitan areas are new to Gulf Breeze.

Officials at the nonprofit Holley-Navarre Water System are researching a possible merger, acquisition or other combination with Santa Rosa County-owned Navarre Beach Water and Sewer.

Just as Gov. Rick Scott announced last week that Florida tourism hit an all-time record, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Director Julie Morgan announced her department’s tax collections for the month of June – a record $365,614.

Financial estimates by the City of Gulf Breeze show that it could rehab Tiger Point Golf Club’s controversial west course, and also expand its existing wastewater treatment plant there for millions of dollars less than building a new sewage facility at the alternative Bergren Road site.

A 29-year-old Pensacola woman was arrested in Gulf Breeze after police said she drove off during a motor vehicle stop.