Editorial Archive

In Florida, zoning boards are statutorily required and used to ensure controlled land development. They review applications for variances, special uses and rezoning requests and send their decisions and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.  

In 1999, congress declared May would be National Military Appreciation Month so the citizens of our country could publicly thank everyone who puts on the uniform of their branch of service.

The Ibis Road and Makaira Ridge debacle in Milton has spotlighted deeper issues on our county commissioners board.

Emergency communication systems are critical for public safety, enabling swift coordination among first responders during crises. Over the years, technological advancements have made these systems more efficient, reliable, and secure. One such innovation is the P25 (Project 25) communication system—a suite of standards designed to ensure interoperability among various public safety agencies while prioritizing encrypted communication for enhanced security. While encryption undoubtedly bolsters the confidentiality of sensitive operations, it also raises significant concerns for journalists and advocates of government transparency.

For Christians around the world, Easter represents a time of renewal, and a time of remembrance of the death of Jesus and his resurrection. However you choose to celebrate Easter, whether it is in Church or in your backyard hunting for Easter eggs or both, we at Navarre Press wish you a day of renewal. Consider it perhaps a transfiguration of sorts; a shedding of whatever is old and stale and an embrace of new things, habits and ideas. We can all use that in our life, no matter your belief.

Santa Rosa County has an aptly named department for maintaining and repairing county roads and bridges – called ‘Roads and Bridges.’ They have a budget that includes among other things maintenance of county bridges.

It is well known that Navarre Beach is a tourist driven destination for families. We have in years past presented ourselves as “family oriented” with activities offered for both adults and children. We are the quieter, more tamed beach than our neighbors to the east and west. The party crowd usually goes to Destin or Pensacola Beach.

We attended the March 21 meeting of the Land Development Taskforce and were pleasantly surprised by what we heard and saw.

Back in February, we put the county commissioners on blast for selecting a “builder heavy” taskforce. They listened and backed off on some of the choices they made in favor of a more balanced approach. But we were still left with three builders in the end.

In the latest issue of Editor & Publisher Magazine, they tackle the issue of Freedom of the Press and some of the perils that come with it. Leonard Woolsey, a respected publisher of the Daily News in Galveston, Texas, and the 2025 president of Southern Newspapers, had a lot to say about the perils of reporting the truth. The following is a portion of what was published in the February 2025 issue, with Gretchen A. Peck reporting.

Bullying is a widespread issue that lurks in the hallways and classrooms of schools across Northwest Florida. While the silence of it can be deafening, it will leave invisible scars that can last a lifetime. Despite school districts trying to implement increased awareness and initiatives aimed at combating bullying, its effects continue to ripple through our educational system, creating an environment of fear and insecurity for many of our young students.