Opinion Archive

Campaign season:  months filled with signage throughout neighborhoods, alongside highways, intersections and atop billboards; mission statements, claims, counterclaims, occasional clarifications and retractions.

My family met near Vero Beach for vacation last week and had a lot of fun. The office never knew I was gone – really. In fact, they said they wished I’d hurry up and get back because they had less to do when I was here – and they got less tasks via email. When I’m on the road, I send email after email because I have time to think. I also think on Sundays, when I’m in church. It is like …Zen. I clear my mind – connect with a higher power and that higher power reminds me of everything I haven’t done that needs to get done – and I’m also reminded of everything everyone else is supposed to get done as well. So, if my staff had it their way – it would be no more vacations or church for me. Well, tough. I went to church on vacation and purposefully ran into relatives that we had never formerly met from my husband’s side of the family. As it turns out, the church we went to was started in a relative’s living room and when we visited the old courthouse, on our own, we found out that our relative had won the “Key to the City.” That started me thinking, of course. If you don’t have a city – you can’t give away keys. I even found myself watching city council meetings on TV. I also found out the Santa Rosa County Courthouse debate is not unique, just the zip code has changed.

Navarre Beach was making headlines and blowing up social media this past week as a video of a hammerhead shark near the shore literally “went viral.” The video, shot by a tourist visiting Navarre Beach, showed the hammerhead heading toward shore and apparently making its way closer and closer to a swimmer. Before getting too close, the shark changed course and went on its way. A Navarre Beach lifeguard had entered the water to make sure all swimmers safely made it to shore. And they did.

This week’s issue includes our popular Back to School Guide. You’ll find profiles on each school as well as messages from the principals. We have also included a school supply list and information on Florida’s Tax-Free holiday (August 1-3) to help everyone save money on their back to school shopping.

Santa Rosa County voters in less than a month will cast ballots for candidates seeking a variety of elected offices. In some cases, the candidate that receives the most votes during the primary will win the office. So, the importance of the Aug. 26 primary election cannot be overstated.

We reported in this week’s issue that Gulf Pointe Academy, a highly successful private school located along Highway 98 in Navarre, was relocating to St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Gulf Breeze. Our characterization of St. Sylvester being located in Gulf Breeze apparently raised a few eyebrows and then prompted comments on our social media sites. We agree. St. Sylvester is not in Gulf Breeze Proper. We know that. We noted in our online response that its street address was Gulf Breeze, so we went with it.

Once again we have a great newspaper chock-full of great information and news that will help you make better every day decisions as an informed citizen. For instance, we have a story about a 480-acre parcel that is proposed to be developed for a neighborhood called “Balley’s Landing.” However, of the 480 acres, 220 acres are designated as wetlands. Regardless of this fact, our Santa Rosa County Zoning Board voted 6-2 to allow the development to have much smaller lot sizes after discussing the matter for less than18 minutes at the end of a 3.5 hour meeting. Really? We need smaller lot sizes for more homes with all of our flooding issues that still have not been addressed. On top of that, the environmental study for the project found Gopher Tortoise burrows, white-top pitcher plants and prime habitat for the reticulated flatwoods salamander. This is the same salamander that stopped an alternative 98 from happening 8 years ago. We sure could have used an alternative 98 Monday evening when it took our residents 2.5 hours to get home from Hurlburt Field – 20 miles away.

The 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star game was played Tuesday evening in Minneapolis. And while “real” baseball fans like a good pitchers’ duel, many fans who occasionally watch baseball get excited by the offense. What’s better than seeing one the big league stars step up to the plate and belt a fast ball over the wall, right?

What is the biggest thing “our country” needs? “Honest people in ‘charge.’”

I had the opportunity to drive to Miami and back last week for a two-day Florida Press Association conference in Miami. I enjoy driving by myself – but I’m not sure my office does. I’m usually listening to an educational podcast which makes me think of everything I should be doing in the office. I call the office and ask them questions conduct brainstorming sessions over the phone. I’ve actually been told that they really have work to d0 – if I don’t mind. I was also listening to 100 things great bosses know – which made me wonder if employees ever listen to 100 things great employees know. I don’t think that there is such an animal. However, there must be – because my staff must have already read that book or listened to that podcast. Whew. Oh, I also learned that Miami is the pits to drive in. However, I did get to eat at a famous Cuban restaurant and stay at a “haunted” hotel. The Biltmore Hotel was built in the early 1900s and spent some time being a VA hospital during and after WWII. There is also a mobster that was killed there. I slept great the first night – however, after reading about the hauntings … didn’t sleep so well the second night.