Editorial Archive

Hurricane Irma decided Navarre was not for her. She looked at us for a while, taunted us by moving west and west again and again and one last time before she made the turn to the alluring Florida Keys. We are a grateful community.

I will never look at a yellow number two pencil the same way again.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – First Amendment, Constitution of the United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992)

I am proud that I graduated from the University of West Florida and earned a bachelor’s degree, not because it means I’m “smart” or because I had the socioeconomic status necessary to pursue higher education.

To paraphrase John Goodman as Walter Sobchak in the Coen Brothers’ 1998 crime comedy “The Big Lebowski”: “Just because we’re taxpayers doesn’t mean we’re saps.”

We give credit where credit is due. We therefore agree on the merits with Commissioner Rob Williamson’s July 6 statement on policymaking, when he told constituents in Tiger Point that government cannot be run like a business. And this is very true.

The following Santa Rosa County offices will be closed Tuesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Normal hours of operation will resume Wednesday, July 5.  The Central Landfill will be open Tuesday, July 4 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Santa Rosa County 9-1-1 Dispatch, Lifeguard Ambulance Service and fire departments are open daily. For […]

Of the $2,398,948 collected last fiscal year in bed tax dollars in Santa Rosa County, the Tourist Development Office set aside $75,000 to use as grant money for local events that help promote tourism. A criterion was set that had to be met in order to qualify for the grant money.

I’ve been thinking about the Navarre Beach sign this week and the passion behind those that want to keep a part of history of our area and those that are reluctant to speak up about their thoughts on the subject.

In Monday’s county commission meeting, Commissioner and Chairman Rob Williamson put the other commissioners difficult position when he removed the signs from the causeway in the middle of the night Thursday. Quite clearly he undermined the board as expressed by both Lane Lynchard and Sam Parker. He failed to defend county staff for following through with what the board asked of them. He never apologized nor did he fully admit to the severity of what he had done. He villainized the board in an attempt to come out a hero amid the illegalities of his actions.