Congrats to our Pigskin Pickin’ and Prognosticatin’ panel winner – and newcomer – Brian Brinsfield. Navarre Press would like to thank all the entire 2014-15 Pigskin Pickin’ and Prognosticatin’ panel for their good sportsmanship and their dedication throughout the season.
The Navarre boys’ weightlifting team won their first dual meet of the season against Pine Forest at home Feb. 19 by a score of 59 – 31. For many of the lifters, the meet served as an educational opportunity. Coaches who doubled as judges made sure that each competitor understood any fouls detected and how to avoid them.
A Gulf Breeze family was instrumental in getting a medical marijuana bill passed in June. The bill, dubbed Charlotte’s Webb, allowed specific patients access to a low THC-strain of cannabis in Florida. Peyton and Holley Moseley advocated on behalf of the strain of marijuana that is high in cannabidiol, or CBD, the ingredient that controls seizures. They said their daughter, ten-year-old RayAnn, who suffers from retractable seizures would benefit greatly from the medicine, dubbed Charlotte’s Webb. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bipartisan bill in June that legalized the use of the noneuphoric strain of marijuana to treat conditions such as epilepsy, Lou Gehrig’s disease and cancer.
Churches, volunteers key in flood recovery in south Santa Rosa (5/15/14)
Churches were key in assisting with flood recovery throughout Santa Rosa County including Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church, Momentum Church and St. Anne’s Catholic Parish by coordinating volunteers, distributing food and supplies and helping with cleanup. Later in the year, the First Baptist Church of Navarre hosted a group of students from High Point University of North Carolina who were in the state to build homes for local flood victims through a West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church program.
Holley Navarre Intermediate School (HNIS) teacher Danielle Clark was named Teacher of the Year for Santa Rosa County, becoming the first teacher to do so for the school. Clark had taught at HNIS for 10 years at the time and had even attended the school as an elementary student. Principal Liz West said Clark received the award because of her leadership, mentorship and heart for students and colleagues.
Lockheed Martin was turned away twice this year by Santa Rosa County as the company searched for hangar space. Shannon Ogletree, SRC Economic Development director, said the short timeframe was the reason for denying the request in January. When Lockheed Martin inquired again in September about hangar options, they were again advised that there were no hangars in Santa Rosa County that would work. Ogletree said they would require a long-term agreement with the company before moving forward with any such projects.
Residents of Navarre Beach fought throughout the year to acquire fee simple titles for their properties on Santa Rosa Island. Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser Greg Brown began levying taxes against leased property and improvements on Navarre Beach in 2001. Residents opposed the taxes as they already paid leaseholder fees and saw it as a double tax. However, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Browns’ actions even after leaseholders asked for clarification.
District 4 Commissioner Rob Williamson invites residents of Holley, Navarre and Navarre Beach to play an active role in developing an improvement plan for District 4 by completing a survey to help identify and prioritize the most important issues facing the community. The four-question survey is available at www.santarosa.fl.gov/bocc/district4survey.cfm. Paper copies of the survey can also be found and returned at any of the following locations:
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, hospital personnel and other emergency responders from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will be honored at a dinner at Pensacola Yacht Club, 1897 Cypress St., Jan. 24.
For some, New Year’s Day would not be the same without coming out to the Penguin Plunge. For the sixth year in a row, revelers gathered at Juana’s to brave the cool weather and dive into the 62-degree water of Santa Rosa Sound.
