Holley Navarre Water System board of directors met Feb. 17 to discuss, among other things, strategic planning options.

Earlier this year, the board told HNWS staff of its desire to create a five-year strategic plan. The plan would lay out a series of goals for the system and how the board could reach them with respect to budget constraints.

Recently, a string of bear depredations has raised concerns among some Navarre residents.

A depredation is the act of attacking or plundering in a destructive assault. The term is used when bears attack livestock, crops, beehives or other property.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were 63 depredations in the agency’s West Panhandle Bear Management Unit in 2025, an increase from 29 reported in 2024 and 21 reported in 2023. Other statistics for the region indicate an increase in bear-human interactions, which could signal a growing bear population.

While South Santa Rosa County may not be the agricultural boon that the north end is, one classroom at West Navarre Intermediate School is working to ensure students grow in their agricultural knowledge.

Fourth-grade teacher Michelle Tucker has introduced plants, chickens and other agricultural subjects to her students for at least the past three years.

With an art career spanning 40 years, Dan Beck has built a name for himself.

Beck, an impressionist painter, has won numerous awards and recognitions for his artwork, which bridges traditional impressionism and contemporary art concepts.

Midway Fire District Station 37 hosted firefighters from multiple departments across south Santa Rosa County late last month.

Over three days, Midway, Holley-Navarre and Navarre Beach fire departments participated in high-intensity firefighter rescue training. The three districts are part of the South Santa Rosa Fire Alliance and work together for training and other events.

Northwest Florida Construction Career Days celebrated a record-breaking sixth year in 2026.

The annual construction and transportation career fair drew more than 1,400 students and chaperones from schools across seven Northwest Florida counties. Counties involved in this year’s event included Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties.

Colton Tucker is anything but average.

An A-grade student, top of his class and a dirt bike enthusiast, Tucker recently added the honor of Sunshine State Scholar to his burgeoning resume.

The mission of St. Sylvester Catholic Church is to make people believers in and followers of Jesus Christ. The reward for such faith is Heaven.

While its parishioners’ focus may be on securing their place in the afterlife, the church is focused on helping them secure a different kind of place of rest.

The Love’s Travel Stop at I-10 Exit 26 near Bagdad is adding a place for RV owners to park their vehicles overnight. The truck stop and gas station is located at 3840 Garcon Point Road.

According to plans submitted to Santa Rosa County Development Services, Love’s corporate is looking to add four designated RV sites, which will include an expansion of 6,000 square feet of additional asphalt.

Holley Navarre Water System board of directors approved a plan to send out Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to a handful of qualified companies for the purpose of bad debt service solicitations.

Since October, the board has repeatedly inquired about pursuing the outstanding debt of current and former customers through a collection agency. The board instructed staff to solicit information from debt collection agencies to give the board a better understanding of process.