News Archive

Whether it’s working on planes or educating middle school students, Frank Veres feels at home. Veres, who served for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, recently was named rookie teacher of the year at Holley Navarre Middle School. He is in his second year of teaching.

At the special zoning meeting on March 27, commissioners rejected District 3 Commissioner Rhett Rowell’s proposal to extend the Rural Protection Zone. At the following regular meeting on April 7, Rowell said he was taken aback by the 180 the board had done.

The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners is excited to offer the R.I.S.E – Readiness Internship for Skills and Experience program summer 2025, from Tuesday, June 10 to Friday, Aug. 1. The internship is open to all residents of Santa Rosa County aged between 16 and 20 years old. To qualify, students must be a resident of Santa Rosa County at the time of application and for the duration of program participation (proof of address is required).

If you were on the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier April 5, then you caught a whale of a sight.

Two North Atlantic right whales, dubbed “Koala” and “Curlew,” were spotted just off the pier and have been seen numerous times along the Gulf Coast, with sightings from Southwest Florida to Alabama. Most sightings have taken place since January.

Quail Roost Drive in Navarre will be closed between Panhandle Trail and Ranch Drive Tuesday, April 15 starting at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.. The closure will be for drainage work.

For the past decade, Santa Rosa District Schools have been participating in ‘The Amazing Shake,’ a professional communication and soft skills competition geared toward middle school age students. Held in conjunction with local businesses such as Navy Federal Credit Union, the Amazing Shake features several stages of competition, ultimately coalescing into a regional final between nine students from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Each student represents a different school.

Oriole Beach Boat Ramp needs some improvements and Santa Rosa County hopes to have found a solution. The Board of County Commissioners recently approved the submission of the Florida Boating Improvement Program (FBIP) Grant application for boat ramp and parking lot improvements at the Oriole Beach Boat Ramp facility.

Navarre Beach has earned a prestigious nomination in this year’s Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards – Best Beach: Navarre Beach.

A developer tied to Centennial Bank and a proposed 7Brew in Navarre is moving forward with a plan to create a driveway through the southern portion of the bank parking lot, giving 7Brew access to Luneta Street. Members of the Santa Rosa County Zoning Board heard from the developer, as well as some detractors, Thursday, April 10 and ultimately approved of the plan. As the zoning board is merely an advisory panel, the Board of County Commissioners will have final say over the project’s future.

Happy Gopher Tortoise Day. Gopher tortoises are found in all 67 Florida counties and are frequently seen in neighborhoods, along roadways, and in many of Florida’s public parks and forests. Their burrows provide shelter for more than 350 species.