In spite of a county ordinance prohibiting registered sex offenders from entering any county park, a registered sex offender has been working at the Navarre Beach Pier. Current pier operator Dorothy Slye confirmed on Oct. 8 that Walter Kirk McLaughlin was working at the county-owned facility she manages and stated knowledge of his background.

Advances in technology have made it possible for lost dogs and cats to make it home safely to their owners — with the help of a device the size of a grain of rice.

Florida black bear sightings are on the rise recently in the Navarre area, as multiple calls have reported that the furry mammals are out in force in the Holley by the Sea area.

Locally, sexually transmitted disease rates in Santa Rosa County are below state average. However, Escambia County STD rates remain one of the highest in Florida, with an outbreak of syphilis continuing since 2010.