The Milton Police Department has arrested Mohamed Bakayoko in connection with a large-scale fraud investigation that resulted in the theft of $852,983.06 from the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office. Mr. Bakayoko has been charged with Grand Theft – 1st Degree Felony (Florida Statute 812.014(2)(a)1), a charge punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.
Aaron Pinkerton really wasn’t expecting to be the valedictorian of Navarre High’s Class of 2025.
“I had kind of written it off after junior year,” Pinkerton said. “So, to get it, it’s definitely a surprise and it’s a big honor. I’m proud of myself.”
The U.S. economy is on the rise, hitting milestones not seen since the before the Great Recession. But that rise is accompanied by risks and new challenges.
Following months of medical care for long-term intestinal trouble, juvenile green sea turtle Sweet Pea returned Oct. 24 to the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center.
Whenever my wife and I visit a restaurant for the first time, we ask our server the same question: what one dish on this menu would make us want to come back? The servers typically smile and cock their heads to the side as they ponder a question they have never considered. Their recommendations rarely fail to satisfy.
As you can tell by the content of this issue, we are celebrating the Navarre High School Graduating Class of 2025. The transition into adulthood can sometimes be daunting for parents and their children. It is a time of excitement, the culmination of years of hard work on behalf of the students, teachers and parents alike. There is a lot of pressure put on everyone to have it all figured out by the time the graduate crosses the stage, but it is my experience and opinion that that is a false narrative and can lead to a lot of disappointment. Even after college – or at anytime in life, there is no way to know what the rest of your life is going to look like. It is best to have some very basic foundational principles and beliefs and move forward being open to the path that life/God has in store for you. Personally, I turn to the Bible and test that against the proven experience of others.
This year Holley Navarre Water System (HNWS) celebrates its 55th anniversary as a company. Founded in 1970, the system has grown to currently serve over 17,000 members which is a population of more than 40,000 people. The Board of Directors and I thought this would be a good opportunity to update the community on what’s going on at your local water company. HNWS has not been without challenges over the years, as highlighted by a recent election dispute. However, the current board and staff remain focused on the core mission to efficiently provide its members with safe drinking water and to process wastewater in an efficient environmentally sustainable manner. We have a staff of nearly 70 professionals dedicated to this mission. HNWS operates its water and wastewater systems 24/7, providing an essential service often taken for granted.
Graduates, take a deep breath and soak in this moment. You’ve reached the culmination of years of effort, determination, and resilience. Today, as you stand on the cusp of your future, you are not just closing one chapter—you are stepping into a world filled with boundless possibilities, a world waiting for your imprint.
