Lighthouse Private Christian Academy on New Hope Rd. in Gulf Breeze has come under the scrutiny of Santa Rosa County officials, Midway Fire Department, and Department of Children and Families in recent days as a result of a fire safety inspection.
The empty lot between the Navarre Publix Shopping Center and Elevate Navarre Apartments won’t be so empty in the future. According to plans submitted to Santa Rosa County Development Services, the site, which is located on Frontera St., will be home to a Holiday Inn Express.
The Escambia Consortium, comprised of Escambia County, the City of Pensacola, and Santa Rosa County, will host a public hearing on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 9 a.m. concerning the development of the Escambia Consortium’s 2024-25 Annual Housing and Community Development Plan. The public hearing will take place at the Santa Rosa County Housing Department, 6051 Old Bagdad Hwy., Suite 201, Milton, FL 32583.
Saint Patrick’s Day is this Sunday and the Shamrock Stroll 5K Fun Run/Walk and Pet Parade and Costume Contest is this Saturday on Navarre Beach from 8-10 a.m. There is a registration fee, but you can get there as early as 7 a.m. the day of the event and register. The next holiday is Easter. Easter Sunday is the last day of March on the 31st. Santa Rosa County Schools (and UWF) are out for Spring Break the week before Easter. There is a large concert, Spring Jam, going on at Juana’s on March 24, the Sunday before Easter. Okaloosa Schools have Spring Break March 15-22.
In February, Santa Rosa County commissioners approved letting RaceTrac install underground fuel storage tanks in a wellfield zone that supplies clean drinking water to about 100,000 residents. On Monday, Commissioner Colten Wright, who voted to approve the variance allowing the tanks, proposed updating the wellfield protection ordinance to address issues raised during the RaceTrac debate – including what to do about existing underground tanks in the area.
On Thursday, the Santa Rosa County Commission will vote whether to lower the speed limit on the Navarre Beach Causeway from 35 to 20 miles per hour through Sept. 20 to protect nesting seabirds.
On Dec. 30, 2022, Pace High School unexpectedly lost a valuable long-time staff member and former student. Bridget Hall Head was a member of the first graduating class at Pace High School and an employee at the school for 24 years. Over the last two decades, she served as the principal’s secretary.
Now the principal, Stephen Shell wants to honor her in a permanent way. On March 7, he attended the Santa Rosa County School Board meeting to request a building, currently known as Freedom Hall, be named for Head.
Navarre’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) held a training session Sunday, March 3, at Holley Navarre Fire District Station 45. The training session was part of a six-session training course to prepare residents of Santa Rosa County for emergencies and how they can help their community.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office recently announced the formation of a new nonprofit organization called the ‘Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Star Foundation,’ which will work to support the agency and charitable organizations throughout the county and first responder communities.
Trust the science. That was the message shared by Santa Rosa County commissioners who voted last month to allow underground fuel tanks in the county’s water wellfield protection area.
