Taco Bell has come down and I’m looking forward to having one of the more modern looking Taco Bell buildings like the ones in our neighboring communities. It will also be great to have more options for local employment. I met several of the young people that worked at the Navarre Taco Bell at the time of the fire and even though they were offered employment at other Taco Bells, they didn’t want to drive to Niceville and Crestview for minimum wage.
One of our long-time advertisers, Pet Nation, is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday! Bring your dog to the store on Saturday at 3 p.m. for a costume contest with prizes! Pet Nation’s ad in this week’s issue gives more information. We know part of their success is advertising in Navarre Press, and we also know that Holly and Abdul put a lot of time, energy, effort and love into the store and the Navarre community. They have obviously discovered the key to staying in business – and keeping so many loyal customers.
Check out our local happenings page for some great Halloween/Fall activities taking place in and around Navarre. Samplings include the YMCA Trunk or Treat this Sunday from 4-6 p.m. The Navarre United Methodist Church ad has a schedule of activities taking place on Halloween, which happens to be the date of next week’s issue of Navarre Press. The Gulf Breeze Zoo has their second weekend of Boo at the Zoo this coming weekend. At the Zoo, you will find an extensive collection of animals, including their newest edition, Cooper, the Hippopotamus. Apparently it was a blast last weekend because I heard several people say they were going back again. You can buy tickets for this weekend ahead of time so you don’t have to wait in line. The lines were very long last weekend, and I’m sure they will be longer this weekend.
The Holley Navarre Senior Center Pancake Breakfast is this Saturday, October 12 from 7 – 10:30 a.m. at their building across from the Navarre Library. Eat up – because you can run or walk it off Sunday.
As of press time there was a weather system, Invest 97L, that is predicted to develop into Tropical Storm Karen by the end of the week. So… be sure you have your supplies ready and your indoor chores lined up. Suggested indoor chores: switch your summer clothes with your fall/winter clothes and get a bag ready for your local church or distribution center for anything you haven’t worn in two years. Do the same with your shoes, reorganize and clean the garage, go through your paperwork and file what needs to be filed, purge the rest, go through closets and put aside old winter coats for a future winter coat drive, start getting your taxes in order for 2013 because it will be January 1 before you know it, go through the books on your book shelves and take down the ones you want to donate to Friends of Navarre Library, organize your cookbooks in your cabinet, pick out your favorite recipes to rewrite neatly on fancy recipe cards, scan and send to family members at Christmas time. This could also be a handy idea list for those of you on furlough. Just cut it out and put it on your refrigerator for your furloughed spouse. That is what I’m going to do.
Navarre Beach Sand Sculpting Festival is this weekend, September 27-29 and it’s the 4th annual competition and Soft Pack National Championship on Navarre Beach. Amateur teams and individuals (limited to the first 20 applicants) will compete for prizes. Ten of the world’s top soft sand sculptors are coming to compete so there is sure to be some sand sculpting that will impress you.
Enjoy the Taste of Pensacola Beach featuring Andrew Zimmern this Saturday and Sunday. It’s a free family event showcasing signature dishes from local chefs, kid’s activities, live music on Sunday, and even a Mermaid Parade! See their ad in this issue and visit TasteofPensacolaBeach.com for the full schedule of events.
Get ready for Navarre’s only 10K! The 2013 American Cancer Society Man Up 5K/10K is at 4:30 p.m. on September 14 on Navarre Beach. Runners are encouraged to dress in the lightest blue and/or wear the funniest beard! There is an after party at Juana’s. You can register now at active.com. See their ad in this week’s issue for more details.
