Santa Rosa County is planning on a bigger budget for fiscal year 2015 – the second year in a row for an increase after years of declining revenue. The total budget is expected to top $103.7 million. Although that amount includes more than a $2.2 million increase in proposed property taxes, commissioners are not expected to reduce property taxes.
Sara Wall spoke perfect Spanish, as well she should, having been born in Bucaramanga, in the Northern Columbia, South America, and her English, though broken with her strong accent, was really better than mine.
I would like to thank all of the Firefighters and the Forestry Department who responded to the fire in my backyard at 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Without their quick response there is a good chance my neighbors and I would have lost our houses. They were able to not only save our houses but they were able to save our fences as well. Being that close to losing our homes gives me a new understanding of what fires can do and what risks firefighters take to put them out. Thank you again for everything.
An effort aimed to increase local tourism during the off-peak season got a huge boost last week when golf superstar and Santa Rosa County native Bubba Watson retweeted a depiction of his likeness as it will appear in 2014 Sweet Season Farms corn maze in Milton.
Sea turtles, tropical fish, octopus and other marine creatures inhabiting the artificial reef at Navarre Beach Marine Park will soon star in worldwide broadcasts. The effort to install a live-feed underwater camera in the Gulf of Mexico just cleared another hurdle.
A six-foot drop off has washed out beneath the staircase behind Brent Moore’s residence on Navarre Beach. Moore says less than two years ago four of the steps leading to the Gulf were submerged under sand. That erosion prompted Moore and others to drive Monday to Milton in an effort to convince commissioners beach renourishment must be a priority.
Just 11 provisional votes decided whether or not there would be a recount in the tight race between two seated county commissioners. In the end, Bob Cole received enough provisional votes to eliminate the need for a recount against fellow commissioner Jim Melvin, who also had to seek the District 2 seat after redistricting in 2010.
The Raider varsity offense never got in gear at the Kickoff Classic won by Milton 6 – 0 on their home field Aug 21. The Raiders managed only one first down and that was on the last play of the game. Milton completely shut down the running game of the Raiders. Throughout the game, the Panther defense swarmed to the ball and stopped the ball carrier before they could gather momentum. The Raider passing game beat themselves as several first down passes were dropped in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Raiders opted for short out patterns that resulted in receptions for no gain. Pressure by the Panther defense resulted in several passes by senior Matt Webb to be underthrown. Until the last play of the game, the longest pass play covered three yards.
Head Football Coach Jay Walls is looking forward to his third season as the head coach of Navarre High Raider’s team. Walls has been coaching for 28 years, with seventeen years as the head coach. Walls record is 19-7 during his coaching tenure at Navarre. Walls and the Raiders face the Pensacola Catholic Friday night.
