Opinion Archive

So, an answer concerning the $80,000-plus of taxpayers’ money spent/given to the for-profit Tough Mudder event in April yields no return to the taxpayers. But a bright note, Commissioner Bob Cole thinks the taxpayers may have recouped the monies by the sales of Cokes and peanut butter crackers, really? And we have Rob Williamson who pushed the tax money payment to Tough Mudder. Rob Williamson, like a 10 year old, thinks money grows on trees. Rob Williamson doesn’t realize how hard people work for their money. There hasn’t been one tax proposal that Rob Williamson hasn’t voted for. 

The Betty J. Pullum Navarre YMCA wants to invite you to have some water fun in their zero entry pool with water slides.   First-time visits are always free.

A development company is planning to build a housing complex on a 5.74-acre privately owned parcel in the middle of the county-owned Navarre Beach Marine Park!  The parcel is currently zoned commercial which would allow a marina to be built but developers want to construct 134 residential units consisting of four 4-story buildings and two 6-story buildings on the property 150 feet from the Sound located in the middleof the four pavilions in Navarre Beach Marine Park east of Navarre Bridge on the barrier island.

The developer of the proposed 134 condominium units in East Park has a background that needs further review and would he disclose to potential buyers that treated sewage goes into the Sound?  Some people want the new condominiums for more taxes and revenue but remember, it really costs taxpayers when people who aren’t the most qualified are managing money and projects on our behalf. Someone answered questions concerning additional traffic over the bridge with adding a toll – great. We in Navarre don’t need the problems of condos in the public East Park. Don’t forget we are already saddled with Rob Williamson who isn’t the brightest bulb in the pack.

Arguing that no full-time worker should be paid so little as to live in poverty, Bernie Sanders supports increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020. This is part of his plan for reducing income inequality in the United States. Unfortunately, raising the minimum wage, especially by such a large amount, will reduce the incomes of many low-wage workers by making fewer jobs available.

While we were sleeping, the wolf was at our door in the early morning hours Sunday.  It is being ranked as the deadliest mass shooting in United States history.  An act of terrorism, an act of hate, or maybe both.  The shooting in Orlando at a gay nightclub has left the state of Florida and certainly the U.S. mourning the loss of 49 people.  A single event made up of a hundred tragedies, each with a story, a face, a life, and a family.  All left to mourn, grieve, and for some to heal their physical wounds.  The FBI is investigating this as a terror attack, as the shooter, whose name will not be mentioned here, had both a leaning toward radical Islam and according to his father, a hatred for gays.  He was equipped, according to reports, with a suicide vest and guns.    

Tonight Stevie Hall will be playing Pop, Country and Blues at Navarre Park.   This is part of the Free Summer Concert Series from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday through the summer.

What is the reason for having a leash law in the area if it is not enforced? We have called Animal Control five times and the Sheriff’s Office one time and have been told nothing can be done by either groups. We are both too old to be fighting off pit bulls. I will bet if one of us gets bitten then something will be done. That will be a lot too late. Anyone have any suggestions?

I would really like to know why the leadership of the Navarre High School NJROTC unit disregarded the EMS advice to put all the children under shade after approximately 20 of them were affected by the hot temperatures during the  May 30, 2016 Memorial Day activities. This really concerns me as a father of one of the children that was affected by this, especially when I heard that the captain told the EMS, “No, only one at a time can go in the shade.”

Santa Rosa County commissioners are trying to sell the public on tax increases for the courthouse hoping for a low turnout in August (their words, not mine). This meaning Milton voters say “yes” to a building in a flood zone (presumably on pontoons) and voters in the southern part of the county will stay home. The May 26, 2016 issue of Navarre Press said 65 percent of voters in 2014 said “No” to that site. Suddenly, the cost has dropped from $50 million to $35 million. Don’t worry ‘cost overruns’ will get it to $50 million.