Navarre United Methodist Church held a Christmas musical performance Sunday, Dec. 7, featuring over two dozen children from the church’s youth ministries.

A new law in Florida bans drivers from having “license plate obscuring devices.”
Passed during the 2025 Legislative Session under HB 253, the new law increases the penalty for knowingly altering a motor vehicle registration certificate, license plate, temporary license plate, mobile home sticker, validation sticker or obscuring a license plate from a noncriminal traffic infraction to a second-degree misdemeanor.

Col. Mark Hamilton, who is the commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, stopped by Santa Rosa County school board Dec. 11 to celebrate the district’s purple star designation.

Kadie Moretz has been named assistant principal at Navarre High School. The appointment was announced and approved at the Santa Rosa County School Board’s Dec. 11 meeting.

Around 20 years ago, Karen Naquin and her family relocated from New Orleans to the Emerald Coast following Hurricane Katrina.
“We did lose everything except for holiday decorations, which were in the attic,” Naquin said. “We came here with what we had evacuated with and our holiday decorations.”

With the help of a $5,089 grant, two Gulf Breeze area residents are helping curb the local stray cat population by spaying and neuter strays in the 32561 and 32563 zip codes.
Sarah Kawell, one of the residents who received the grant, said cat overpopulation has become an issue in those area codes.

On Monday night, Dec. 8, a few hundred people braved cold temperatures to remember the life of Danika Troy. The 14-year-old was killed earlier this month in what has become a highly publicized murder.

Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office alleges a Pace man failed to report a death to law enforcement and stole a scooter belonging to the person, later identified as Danika Troy.

Holley-Navarre Middle School’s media center was filled to the brim with science fair posters and projects Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Santa Rosa County District Schools is in the process of zoning which students in Navarre and Midway area will attend Soundside High School, which is set to open in the fall of 2026.