Fourth of July celebrations conjure up a familiar image for most of us: Luminescent streams of red, white and blue bursting overhead at dusk. Fireworks have been an integral part of many cultural celebrations around the world and in the U.S. since colonial times. Many historians believe that fireworks first originated in China as early as 200 B.C. Bamboo would be put over a fire which would cause it to explode.

Four states impacted by the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill have already received a draft of the much anticipated RESTORE Act implementation regulations from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Santa Rosa is not among those, and fingers are being pointed at the state’s open government laws.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Holley resident Linda Chepult, regarding the four-laning of SR 87, the main north-south corridor for residents in the south end of the county. Chepult has lived near the traffic artery since 2010, the same year the second phase of the road-widening project began. The $15 million phase, which included bridge construction over Dean Creek, is expected to be complete by mid-summer.

The Navarre area’s main thoroughfare will be undergoing a facelift beginning this week. Work is scheduled to begin on a resurfacing project of U.S. Highway 98 (also referred to as SR 30) on June 13.  The target area of the project is an 11-mile stretch that will begin at the Gulf Breeze Zoo to the west and will extend to the Santa Rosa – Okaloosa county line to the east, encompassing the communities of Navarre, Midway and Gulf Breeze.