Opinion Archive

The Holley Navarre Water System, Inc. is accepting resumes for general manager. Longtime general manager, Ken Walker, is retiring at the end of March. The qualifications include a “solid” understanding of all aspects of water and sewer utility to include planning, water resources, budgeting, management and related technology. Engineering is a good degree to have to be a manager of a water department, or business – or both. The full list of qualifications can be found in an ad on the classified page of this issue.

ABC News Feb. 18 highlighted the regret expressed by Paul Cassell, a retired federal judge who was forced to impose a 55-year prison sentence on a 24-year-old male for nonviolent drug bust after prosecutors filed certain charges against him.

We took to our Facebook page and asked readers whether they thought the playground proposed for the Navarre Sports Complex should have an unattended zip line. Here are some of the responses:

It’s Girl Scout Cookie time! Troop #873 will have a “Cookie Drive-Thru” Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Centennial Bank. Go out and support the Girl Scouts and enjoy some delicious cookies.

Jack Wetherell, founder of the Navarre Butterfly House, has passed away. The Butterfly House was first constructed in 1997 with Jack’s dedication and perseverance. Jack and his wife Fonda had previously started a butterfly collection in their backyard. We will write a tribute to Jack in our next issue. If you have some notes you’d like to send to Jack’s family, please email them to editor@navarrepress.com.

As a certified playground safety inspector and a Santa Rosa County taxpayer, I am deeply concerned about the safety of the proposed playground. According to www.ziplinerider.com, ziplines are dangerous and should only be used in expertly supervised environments. Riders should be provided with an array of safety gear and receive specific instruction on use.

If you live in Navarre and need to buy a new suit, you have to drive to Pensacola or Fort Walton Beach. Most Navarre residents prefer Pensacola because there are more choices there. If you need furniture of any kind, you’ll have to drive to Pensacola. Shoes? Pensacola. Maternity wear? Pensacola. Baby clothes? Pensacola.

After the heavy rains in the summer of 2013, I met my newest neighbor Mr. Betty; I had to wear fishing waders to get to his house due to flooding. I introduced myself to Mr. Betty and asked if he needed any help recovering from the 2 inches of water that had invaded his house. He had already started to tear apart the soaked dry wall, and he paused just long enough to say “not unless you know how to work drywall.” I told him I have two hands and am willing to help. We went to work. Since that initial flooding in the summer of 2013, that same house flooded three more times. The last flood brought in more than 4 feet of water.

To say there was a lot going on this weekend would be an understatement.  

Florida has the highest communications tax in the nation, so Gov. Rick Scott has good reason to want to cut it. Lawmakers should go along with his proposal but should take care, as Scott did, to leave alone the local portion of the tax, which is essential to cities and counties.