Out and About Archive

We had a big weekend in Navarre with the annual the Navarre Beach Area Chamber Foundation Jingle Bell Run, the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade and Christmas in the Park.

The area lost one of its founding members this week when Ira Mae Bruce passed away.

Her family had been in the area since the 1800s, and she served on multiple boards, including the Board of County Commissioners, where she was the first female elected to that position and only one of two. Seems to me there needs to be a third or fourth but not because of their gender.

The one thing every business needs is customers, and they are in short supply in Gulf Breeze. Editor Wendy Victora Rudman spent time there last week and talked to a number of business owners struggling to survive. They are not asking for charity, just business. Do it for yourself, not them. It is important to Santa Rosa County and to all of us that we remain vital before and after the bridge reopens.

Remember when it was very cold this winter and we wished for summer?  Me either. It is hot! As I write this – the heat index is 103 degrees. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

The Beacon at Gulf Breeze is now offering a Caregivers Support Group on the fourth Tuesday monthly from 6-7 p.m. with care provided for those who need it in their Memory Care Unit.  Call 934-4306 for more information.

First Baptist Navarre is now accepting registrations for Vacation Bible School held 8:30 a.m. – noon, June 25-29 for kindergarten through sixth grade. Visit fbcnavarre.org for more information. Moms – this is a great way to get a break during the summer. Your children will be occupied in a safe environment learning good values and you can go grocery shopping and maybe even take a trip to the beach! When my children were younger – I had every VBS for the entire summer on my calendar. And, my children had an awesome time and learned a lot of cool crafts. I learned how to do this during the summer from my mom.

Tonight is the first free concert in the Tunes by the Dunes concert series at Navarre Beach Park’s Sand Crab Pavilion, just east of the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier. The concert series is Co-hosted by Okaloosa Gas District, Navarre Press, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office, Navarre Beach Area Chamber and Cat Country 98.7. The summer concert series will offer an exciting line-up of 14 FREE outdoor concerts every Thursday (7-9 p.m.), from May 31 to Aug. 30.

Happy Anniversary! This is the first paper of our 18th year. Thanks for joining us on this journey of chronicling today’s news on the road toward tomorrow’s history.

This Sunday is Mother’s Day and a subscription to Navarre Press would be a perfect gift.  Call 939-8040 and April will be happy to set up your gift subscription.   You could also take her to Windjammers on the Pier for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and treat her to awesome food and live music.   Bella Luna Italian Bistro is taking reservations for Mother’s Day as well. They open at noon on Sunday. Call 396-5090 for reservations.

Congratulations to Juana’s Pagodas for being in the Top 10 Best Florida Beach Bar competition for 2018. They won last year – and we are proud they are in the Top 10 this year. The Rudzkis do so much for our community and they really are the best beach bar. I know this – there isn’t a better place anywhere to see a spectacular sunset on Navarre Beach than Juana’s.