The overthrow of local authority to limit fracking, the controversial method of drilling for oil and natural gas after injecting chemicals underground to fracture rock formations, is being supported by Northwest Florida legislators.
A “notice to proceed” to replace the aging Pensacola Bay Bridge will be given by end of the year if everything falls into place, says Florida Department of Transportation engineer, Kerrie Harrell. Harrell drove from Tallahassee Thursday morning, Jan. 14 to speak to the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Andrews Institute. “My true day job right now is the Pensacola Bay Bridge,” Harrell told the audience of nearly 50 chamber members and their guests. Gulf Breeze City Manager Edwin “Buz” Eddy was also in attendance as well as Gulf Breeze Councilwoman Cherry Fitch.
The lease fees collected by a developer from the owners of 14 Sugar Dunes condominium units since the late 1980s, but never paid to Santa Rosa County as normally required, total more than $180,000.
The local hospitality industry’s quest to delay the Navarre Beach restoration project may get inadvertent support from Sheila Fitzgerald, director of Santa Rosa County special projects and grants.
The owners of condominium units at the Sugar Dunes complex in Navarre Beach have hired an attorney to investigate why the lease fees they have been paying for years aren’t being been received by Santa Rosa County officials.
Questions about accounting and certain employee expenses are drawing more oversight of Fairpoint Regional Utility System, a collective that is mutually owned by four area water companies.
On March 10, a Black Hawk helicopter with seven Marines and four soldiers crashed into the Santa Rosa Sound during a training mission killing all 11 on board. The UH-60M helicopter was piloted by a Louisiana National Guard Crew. The helicopter took off from the Destin Executive Airport for a routine training mission.
Students lined the halls in their pajamas as the sun set over Holley-Navarre Primary School Jan. 29. The evening dubbed as a “literacy family night” included three different stations focused on reading.
At the annual awards and installation banquet 2014 chamber chairman Jim Taylor passed the gavel to Regina Carter of Gulf Power Company, who served as chairman of the 2015 executive board. The event honored businesses and individuals who had made a difference throughout the year. Ambassador of the Year was awarded to Linda Fusco, All Phase Cleaning; Mentor of the Year to Jan Clark, Made For You Gift Venue; Volunteers of the Year to Cherie Rice, Coldwell Banker United Realtors and Sarah Hasty of New York Life Insurance Company; Director of the Year to Norm Crowder of St. Rosa Sound RV Resort; Spirit of Navarre to James Dabney of East River Smokehouse; Member of the Year to Navarre Area Board of Realtors; Business of the Year to Navarre Drywall; Citizen of the Year to Shirley Brown; Corporate Citizen of the Year to Bill Crouch of Tech Star Systems, Inc.; and the Legends Award was given to Frankie and Barbara Gibbs.
