Easter is a time of death and renewal.

For the Catholic Church, this symbolism of Easter was especially poignant this year as Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome, died at 88 years old Monday, April 21.

April 20, 2010, 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana, an explosion on an oil rig would change life along the Gulf of America as we knew it. 

Leased by BP, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig was drilling an exploratory well site when it experienced a ‘blowout,’ or the uncontrolled release of crude oil and/or natural gas from a well after pressure control systems fail. The blowout caused the explosion, killing 11 crew members.

Navarre Park was the place to be Saturday, April 26, as Santa Rosa Kids House and other organizations came together for the annual Norm Crowder Kids Fest. 

The popular saying “you can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” encourages empathy and understanding. For the family of Lilliana Boczar, an 11-year-old Navarre resident with two rare genetic disorders, they found out just how empathetic their community can be when a child is in need. Over the past few weeks Lilliana’s church, Ignite – A free Methodist Community, organized a shoe and donation drive to get Lilliana a new bed. At a cost of roughly $16,000, the Cubby Bed is designed for people with special needs and includes a protective mesh and a seizure monitoring system. Mari, Lilliana’s mom, said the bed will ensure that Lilliana is safe and secure throughout the night.

Plans have been submitted to Santa Rosa County for a new church building at 7484 Autumn Trace Blvd., near Harvest Village in Navarre. The church, Bethel Community Worship Center, has been around in its current form since 2018, meeting at Betty J. Pullum YMCA for services. The 0.674-acre Autumn Trace property has been in the church’s possession since 2020, but it is currently vacant.

A major Burger King franchisee, who owns 57 restaurants throughout Florida and Georgia, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Among the list of franchise locations impacted is Navarre’s Burger King, located at the intersection of Highway 98 and Navarre Beach Causeway.

The Florida State Senate recently passed a bill which will ban fluoride in drinking water supplies across the Sunshine State. The proposed ban, included in the “Florida Farm Bill,” would prevent adding substances to public water supplies which aren’t about “water quality.”

Whether it’s on the baseball diamond or in the classroom, Mycah Daniel is always looking to make a positive impact. Daniel, a 2016 Navarre High School graduate, was recently named rookie of the year at Gulf Breeze High School. He has been teaching and coaching at was once his rival school for two years.

Navarre resident and former State Representative Dr. Joel Rudman’s chances of staying on the Pensacola State College Board of Trustees have taken a hit after he was unanimously voted down by the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education during an April 15 hearing. Appointed by Gov. DeSantis, Rudman still needs to go before the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee before a vote is taken on the Senate floor, which will decide whether he maintains a seat on the board of trustees. The Ethics and Elections Committee meets Tuesday, April 22.

Whether it’s working on planes or educating middle school students, Frank Veres feels at home. Veres, who served for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, recently was named rookie teacher of the year at Holley Navarre Middle School. He is in his second year of teaching.