Editorial Archive

At the south end Tourist Development Council meeting on Dec. 1, Commissioner Rob Williamson’s mantra that he repeated over and over was, “Just because a recommendation is made (by this council) doesn’t mean we (the Board of Commissioners) have to follow it.”  A couple of the council members were heard saying, “Then why do we meet?”  That is a fair question.  Why do they meet?  Do they have no value to the board of commissioners or the tourism director?  Is it just a check mark on a list for Commissioner Williamson and the director Julie Morgan? 

It’s a path the United States has been on for a lengthy time, except now, instead of keeping the danger outside our borders, we are importing it. 

This past Monday our county commissioners voted to enter employment negotiations with Tony Gomillion to replace long-time county administrator Hunter Walker.  Tony has been a department director with the county for 29 years, both as public services director and as environmental control director. 

In the past two weekends, Navarre has seen more than a foot of rain.  When the remnants of Hurricane Patricia swept through Oct. 25 – 26, nearly 7 inches of rain fell.  The rain totals of Halloween weekend were nearly that at 6.41 inches with some areas receiving 7 inches.  Rewind to Sept. 28 and in a flash flood event, Navarre received a staggering  7 inches in merely  six hours.  Total it all up and it equals almost 2 feet of water.  And under the water is muck. 

In this week’s issue we include the findings of the investigation into the Black Hawk helicopter crash in the Santa Rosa Sound in March.  The findings of the report indicate the pilots were to blame for the crash that left 11 service members onboard dead because they disobeyed direct orders by flying into worsening weather. 

Navarre residents never shy away from a sincere call for help.  So many recent events come to mind.

ROLLING FORK, Miss.—The chosen theme for this year’s National Newspaper Week is “Power of the Press,” and that power, it seems to me, is a very relative thing.

A cancer diagnosis at any stage is devastating news.  The questions, concerns and even panic that can set in can throw any life off of a sure path.  In the case of breast cancer, it can affect the sheer essence of who a woman thinks she is.  We have been taught in life that our female body parts are what make us who we are.  And that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Breast cancer survivors will tell you that.

Our hearts are heavy as we heard and reported the events of the day – this day Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Myers was shot and killed in the line of duty.  We heard the scanner traffic after the incident; perimeters being set up, a Comfort Inn being evacuated, command post being set up.  We waited for an update on the deputy’s condition.  He was listed as critical.  We prayed for Deputy Myers and his family.

It sounds like Santa Rosa County is on a track to remove the wildlife which calls Navarre Park home.  The county says the ducks and turtles in the pond at the park are creating a health hazard and the whole thing should be removed, making way for the installation of a stormwater treatment system to enhance the water quality of the Sound….to the tune of $759,000.  Oh, and by the way, it would also make room for a planned amphitheater.