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Author: Hansen Hasenberg

DOMES plans for legislative session, Santa Rosa site still in works

At the District One Medical Examiner Services (DOMES) board’s meeting in December, legislative funding for a new facility was a big topic of concern. Dan Schebler, director of operations for DOMES, proposed taking the interlocal agreement the counties had put to the wayside and bringing it forward to Northwest Florida’s legislators with a $3 million buy-in from each county as had been discussed in July 2022. Over the past couple of months since that meeting, the DOMES board has met monthly to try and hammer out a plan for the upcoming legislative session, which is set to begin March 7. The legislative session is important as DOMES is looking for matching state funding for a proposed facility in Santa Rosa County. On March 1, the DOMES board met to decide what the interlocal agreement would look like and who would be a part of it. They also discussed potential changes to the size and scope of a new facility.

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Questions remain after man jumps off Navarre Bridge

Florida Highway Patrol and others responded Saturday, March 4, to the Navarre Beach Bridge after a 28-year-old Panama City man jumped off the east side of the bridge. According to a FHP report, shortly before 2 p.m., a trooper was dispatched to a crash on the Navarre Beach Bridge. When the trooper arrived on scene, a male subject was driving a U-Haul in the southbound lane and allowed it to travel into the northbound lane. When his vehicle reached the top of the bridge, the driver exited the vehicle while it was still in motion and ran to the side of the bridge and jumped off.

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Teen arrested in Milton High ‘swatting’ case

At a news conference Monday, March 6, Sheriff Bob Johnson announced an arrest in a swatting case related to a gun threat was called into Milton High School last year. Brad Parga, 17, of Guttenberg, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with felony fraud for a false report of using firearms in a violent manner and disturbing the peace by interfering with school administration functions, which is a misdemeanor.

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Broussard’s says goodbye, Andy D’s says hello

After five and a half years of serving locals and tourists, Broussard’s Bayou Grill on Navarre Beach has officially said goodbye. On Feb. 26, the restaurant, which had Cajun-style cuisine, served its last meal. Carl Broussard, the owner of Broussard’s, said the last five and half years have been an “unbelievable” ride.

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St. Michael’s Brewery hosts Cookies on Tap event to benefit Arc Gateway

People from across the Navarre community gathered at St. Michael’s Brewery Monday, Feb. 27, for a special event, Cookies On Tap, to have fun and raise money for a worthy cause. The cause that benefited from the event was The Arc Gateway, a 501(c)(3) organization that has been providing services to intellectually and developmentally disabled people in Northwest Florida since 1954.

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Special operations commander arrested after alleged drunk driving incident

A commander with Hurlburt Field’s 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has been demoted after being arrested Feb. 18 in Shalimar. Collin Charlie Christopherson, 37, of Niceville, is charged with driving under the influence (DUI), hit and run and a moving traffic violation for reckless driving resulting in damage to property or a person. The Shalimar Police Department responded to the incident involving Christopherson and made the arrest.

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Preserving history one headstone at a time

When most visit a cemetery, it’s to bury or visit a loved one. For those at Holley Point Cemetery Thursday, Feb. 23, they were there to help keep alive the memory of those who had been buried long ago. They were there as part of a class put on by the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) to help the public learn more about the work that goes into preserving graveyards and maintaining the memory of the decedents interred there. The class is called the cemetery resource protection training (CRPT) workshop.

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Sea turtles and second chances: Keith Feldman’s journey to Navarre Beach

If you have been on the pier when a sea turtle gets rescued after a run-in with a fish hook or have spent anytime at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, then you may have seen or met Keith Feldman. Feldman has spent the better part of the past four years volunteering and working with the NBSTCC. He is also a member of the NBSTCC sea turtle stranding team, which is responsible for the rescuing of distressed sea turtles in Santa Rosa County, mostly along Navarre Beach.

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