Jan. 1, 2026, was anything but fun for Monica McBrien, who works for Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Office. While many were ringing in the new year with fireworks, she suffered a seizure.
After coming to, she couldn’t recognize her family’s faces. She knew something was wrong. Shortly after, an MRI unveiled a diagnosis no one wants to hear: “you have brain cancer.”
Each month, a support group for caregivers meets at Navarre Gardens. The common thread among those who attend: They care for a person with Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, and 1 in 3 older adults die with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The organization estimates there are more than 13 million unpaid caregivers of dementia patients in the United States.
Ed Appler, a Navarre resident, has been named state chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida.
The 26-year Air Force veteran had been filling the position following the resignation of the party’s previous chair on March 22. On April 19, he officially became chair through 2027.
Working in education, you can touch many lives, even if you aren’t in the classroom.
Donovan Howard, who recently suffered a stroke, serves as a bus driver for several Navarre schools. With his focus now on his health, a colleague stepped up to help support the family in their hour of need.
Northwest Florida, including Navarre, has a heavy military population, including about 34,000 military retirees, according to Santa Rosa County’s economic development office. Navarre also serves as a bedroom community for several surrounding installations, and many of its residents face unique challenges related to their service.
Trey Olman, who is training to be an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Navarre, said those challenges require a space where veterans can be vulnerable and feel supported by people who understand what they have gone through firsthand.
On Earth Day, held each year on April 22, Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center held a sea turtle release event at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County.
Among the five turtles released was Crater, a 12-lb. juvenile green sea turtle. Crater was rescued off Navarre Beach Fishing Pier earlier this month after getting hooked in the mouth by someone who was fishing.