We have some great advertising to help you shop locally in our Holiday Happenings Gift Guide! We hope you will take the opportunity to visit their businesses and spend a little holiday cash. I l-o-v-e the cover that Dickie Williams’ designed for the guide. He took our new artificial reefs, turned one into a Christmas tree and then put the face of a Navarre “legend” on the scuba diver, which wasn’t a stretch since he is one of our most avid local divers and responsible for most of the reef footage that we have. Yes – it is Mike Sandler.
Politics starts from the bottom up, not the top down. Lawmakers in Washington are elected by the people and have a responsibility to the people. It is an immense honor and privilege for me to represent the people of Florida’s First Congressional District, and it is absolutely vital that I have the opportunity to hear from them so that I can ensure that Northwest Florida’s voice is heard in the halls of Congress. One message that I continue to receive loud and clear from constituents in all parts of Northwest Florida is opposition to and concern about Obamacare.
We are happy to have Stinky’s Fish Camp on our Neighborhood Favorite’s page. They will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. — 7 p.m., so if you don’t want to spend your entire day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, make your reservations now! See their ad in this week’s issue for the menu.
“Where were you, and what were you doing, when you first heard about President Kennedy’s death?” That question will be lofted many times in the next few weeks, as the nation marks the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination. For millions of Americans, the response will be, “Why are you asking me? I wasn’t even born yet.” For those of us in upper age brackets it won’t be difficult for us to recall exactly the moment and our location when the shocking news from Dallas reached our ears.
Thanksgiving is approaching once again, and with it come visions of children’s plays with Indians and Pilgrims, complete with little Pilgrim hats made of construction paper. The story told in these plays and learned by public school students at every grade level is a simple one.
We only have six more issues in 2013. I know – hard to believe. Soon there will be school and office parties, young adults returning home from college for a month of R&R and hopefully earning some money before they return. High School seniors are busy firming up their plans for college next year, scholarships will be announced, then we will have an awards ceremony, prom, figuring out what the kids are going to do this summer and what – if any – job will they have, figure out where we are going on vacation… and then the cycle continues. Of course that is if you have one or more children at your house. Everything has a season, including our lives. However, I can’t imagine ever being bored or not busy – nor do I want to. No matter how hard I try – I can’t get to a place where I can take any significant time off from work so that I can get “caught up at home.” However, it continues to be a goal of mine. Maybe next year since it is only six issues away.
Public input is a key element in the development of governmental policy and community services. We the people, after all, are the government. It is through public input – elections – that we decide who represents us and whether or not we want a tax to pay for something or to fund a service.
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.
To market an area and its events and attractions, a marketing firm needs to fully understand the community. Navarre is a unique location when considering many of its Panhandle neighbors. Marketing Navarre is not like marketing Destin or Pensacola or Panama City, which are well-known destinations that practically market themselves and can easily be marketed from afar.
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.
