News Archive

For the second consecutive year, a visitor to Navarre Beach from Louisiana drowned in the Gulf of Mexico. The body of the most recent victim, 19-year-old Nathan Hughey from Pinesville, La., was recovered May 23. Last July, 39-year-old Jeremy Johnson from New Orleans drowned. In both cases, the victims entered the water west of the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, which does not have lifeguard coverage.

A Navarre man died in a single vehicle motorcycle crash May 20 on Pensacola Beach.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reported a 13-year-old boy was arrested May 20 after taking a loaded handgun onto a school bus and the Crestview High School campus. Jeremiah Murphy of Crestview allegedly fired the pistol after getting off the bus at the end of the school day and was arrested later at his home.

Steve “DR” Gardner resigned from the Holley Navarre Water Board after the May 20 meeting that resulted in the firing of The Club at Hidden Creek’s General Manager Dave Taylor. Gardner cited integrity issues with the water board president as his reason for resigning. “He has no integrity, whatsoever,” said Gardner.

About 50 Gulf Breeze area residents attended the first meeting of the city’s stormwater task force May 22 in the community center. The task force, consisting of more than  dozen Gulf Breeze residents – some impacted by recent flooding, others with engineering and utilities expertise – is chaired by former mayor and school board member Ed Gray.

The Florida Supreme Court May 15 upheld the conviction and death penalty sentence imposted on 43-year-old Tina Brown of Pensacola.

The Florida Supreme Court has denied a motion filed on behalf of Navarre Beach leaseholders seeking clarification of the court’s March 20 ruling that confirmed leased land and structures on Navarre Beach could be taxed. The court ruled May 22, about six weeks after the leaseholders’ attorney, Danny Kepner filed the motion for clarification.

The Citizens to Incorporate Navarre has hired BJM Consulting to complete a feasibility study regarding the incorporation of the community, and according to the firm’s president, incorporation supporters aren’t going to get a sugar-coated report.

The first water well on Navarre Beach was drilled in 1964 and tapped the upper Floridian aquifer, said Santa Rosa County Engineer Roger Blaylock. “Additional wells were drilled into that aquifer and provided water on the beach until 2000, when a line was taken beneath the Santa Rosa Sound providing a different source of water for the island.”

Floodwaters damaged the drainage system along Highway 98 near Orion Parker Boulevard causing the westbound lanes to be closed for part of the day May 20 and 21 to allow for emergency repairs. While motorists could not complain about the need for making the roadway safe, many did share their concerns and frustrations about not having an alternate route.