Happy Birthday, Navarre! Last week was Navarre’s 100-year birthday according to county records and plat maps. The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce held a birthday party last week complete with birthday cake and blowing out the candles. Thankfully there were only three candles, a 1, and two zeroes. I felt privileged to be able to blow out one of the zeroes. Cindy Davidson with Centennial Bank blew out the number 1 – which is very appropriate since the bank is Centennial, and we are celebrating 100 years. Her company also is a sponsor – also very appropriate. Frankie Gibbs, who has been working on the centennial for more than two years also blew out a zero. We have some exciting plans for the paper in the coming months leading up to the Gala on June 21. Can’t wait to hear when the tickets are going to be on sale. You will definitely see an announcement in Navarre Press.
Word to the wise with all our spring chores out in the yard. If you are blowing anything with a blower, wear eye protection. If you are cutting limbs above you or next to you, wear eye protection. My brother was out blowing leaves one evening recently. He wasn’t wearing even sunglasses – because it was evening. The next morning, he woke up and his left eye was glued shut from eye gunk. He went to the urgent care, and they told him he had scratched his eye and it was healing. Turns out, it was probably from blowing leaves without eye protection.
I’m very honored to be on the board of Main Street Crestview Association (MSCA) as their Vice President, and together we have accomplished a lot of positive changes. However, the board has never seen the kind of “trouble” that tends to follow me. Luckily, they are very astute and have seen this as an opportunity to learn what slander and libel looks like and how to address very negative social media posts – that are patently untrue. Also, they have learned how to resist the urge to address every accusation on social media. Crestview isn’t used to having a real newspaper that reports the news, no matter who might be the subject.
We are happy a judge decided to dismiss the case local community agitator, Romi White, filed against the Holley Navarre Water System to try to stop the election at the annual meeting. I wouldn’t be surprised if she files something else in the future just to keep the drama going. I’m fairly sure she is filing these injunctions on someone’s behalf and with someone’s credit card or check book. I didn’t miss-type the “s” on the end of injunctions. She filed two but didn’t file the first one correctly and was told to try again, and that will be an additional $410. Actually, $410 is pretty cheap to file an injunction just so you have something to write about. Because, otherwise, she wouldn’t. The funniest part is she writes blogs and interviews herself. It is quite comical.
Navarre is 100 years old this year, 2025, and Navarre Press turns 25 years old in May of this year. We wish we had been here to record the entire 100 years or more of history. However, we have the next best thing. When we purchased the Santa Rosa Press Gazette, we also acquired the archives of the Milton Gazette which has been around since 1910. That is a lot of history. A huge part of our job is to preserve local history. Each issue is a snapshot into the life of our community. Today’s news is tomorrow’s history. We record celebrations, challenges, and the everyday events that shape our collective identity.
I think it is awesome that DOGE is looking into waste, fraud and abuse of our federal dollars. It is way past time that someone is doing this. Technically, it should have been the media looking into waste, fraud or abuse. If they had, that is the kind of work that should win Pulitzers, not writing fake stories about fake hoaxes. The IRS has always had the ability to look into our bank accounts and had no issue whatsoever asking for receipts. I think it is about time that there is someone looking into how our federal government is spending our hard-earned money we have to pay as “income tax.” As one newscaster said the other evening, “It is about time the government is having a cavity check.” With all the spending that has been going on, especially since COVID, there is no way it would be sustainable. And I’m sure our president is looking for every way possible to not have to raise our taxes – as much as it is probably needed. I really don’t think there is any way around it – but at least if we can save a few billion dollars here or there, we won’t have as much of a tax increase. Every time the federal government came up with a new program during COVID – I always said out loud to the TV, “Who is going to pay for that?” And every time we gave billions of dollars to Ukraine, I would say the same and add, “Who is making sure they are spending the money on what they said they would spend it on?”
As far back as I can remember, I have always loved Valentine’s Day. I send my children gifts on Valentine’s, where they use to be waiting for them at the breakfast table. I give gifts to my team members at the office, one year I gave them all dinner and a movie. This year, spoiler alert to whomever is proofing my column, I have a few options, and I’m not saying. Ha ha. I guess I’ve always loved love. And, I’m not talking about romantic love…I’m talking about the best love of all – Agape or Phileo LOVE…but I’m not going to get into the Greek words – right now.
Senator Don Gaetz gave us a little scare last week during the Broxson Parkway dedication. Thankfully, according to his son Matt, he is out of the hospital and in Tallahassee this week. I believe I will be in Tallahassee in a few weeks and I’m going to stop in and say hello.
I am not a fan of snow. I have occasionally purposefully travelled to areas where I know there is a good possibility I will encounter snow, and I am OK with that because I know it is very temporary. I’m also prepared mentally, and I bring proper attire and equipment.
We are working on finishing up all three of our newspapers on Monday while wondering if the driver is going to be able to bring them to us from Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday evening like he normally does. We attempted to print earlier to get ahead of the storm, but the company that owns the press prioritizes their own papers first – of course – and no can do. They were really nice about it – but the facts are the facts. And we would do the same if we owned the printing press. There is a good chance you are reading this – at best on Thursday, but probably on Friday.
