Sand tilling will take place beginning Mar. 19 on Navarre Beach. Tilling is required to lessen the impact of compacted sand on sea turtle nesting and hatching activities. Turtles prefer soft sand for digging nests and the 2018 nesting season begins May 1 for the gulf coast. Operations will be conducted between dawn and dusk. […]
When Cristina and Josh Harty launched the search for their new nest back in July, they did so in the limelight. This family of seven, and their house hunting, will be featured on the HGTV show “Beach Hunters” Sunday. Beach Hunters documents the search for a waterfront home at beaches around the world and in […]
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has withdrawn his support for legislation that would give Navarre Beach residents fee simple title ownership of their property. Nelson initially agreed to cosponsor the bill with senator Marco Rubio earlier this year, but formally withdrew that support Oct. 23 amid criticism of possible development of the beach. In a statement […]
Children are heading back to school in droves, meaning the window of time for a summer vacation is closing fast for many families. On Navarre Beach, it also means the end is approaching for the most profitable time of year in the tourism industry. While Santa Rosa County Tourism Director Julie Morgan points out that […]
A man drowned Friday afternoon, Aug. 5, on Navarre Beach at beach access 7. Navarre Beach Fire Department responded to the call at 2:06 p.m. According to the department, civilians pulled the elderly man from the water before the department arrived and had begun administering CPR. The man was a visitor to Navarre. A Life […]
Bring blankets, chairs and your family for a sunset movie next to the pier on Navarre Beach. Lagerheads on the Gulf will host a movie Wednesday night. This week’s movie is “Cars”.
Former Air Force pilot John Lewis, who flew in Korea and Vietnam, led fellow members of the now-resigned Navarre Beach Beautification Committee to protest County Commissioner Rob Williamson’s recent labeling of them as “ragtag” volunteers. “I’ve never been called ‘ragtag’ before,” said Lewis, a retired lieutenant colonel, speaking to the commission at its meeting Monday. […]
When Weeks Marine Inc. postponed its scheduled restoration of Pensacola Beach last week it seemed to signal that the company could start dredging and filling on Navarre Beach as planned on or about April 1. That’s because some of the same equipment and crew members used in filling in Pensacola Beach with sand dredged from […]
Weeks Marine won the bid for the Navarre Beach restoration project and operations are expected to commence in March with completion in mid-June. Weeks Marine is the same company that performed the Navarre Beach restoration in 2006 and was the low bidder coming in at $14,920,300 – $3 million less than the original estimate. The […]
The Rotary Club of Navarre, inspired by fellow Rotarians in Hawaii, proposed “rescue tubes” at the western walkovers on Navarre Beach in April. Then-Rotary President Ed Carpenter said the Hawaiian effort aimed to mitigate a lack of lifeguards, which is also an issue on Navarre Beach. “They have 140 (tubes) which have saved 100 lives,” […]
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) asks the public to help protect beach-nesting shorebirds across the state this holiday weekend by giving them space and keeping personal fireworks off the beach. Shorebirds are nesting on beaches along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida, with many still watching over flightless chicks during the […]
Legislators on Friday are expected to approve Florida’s budget, and Santa Rosa County is set to receive partial funding for some requests, including $2.75 million for Navarre Beach renourishment. District schools are also in line for an $8.2 million increase, according to a press release distributed Thursday evening by Senator Don Gaetz. Among other requests, Santa […]
Earlier this afternoon Kenny Peterson, 22, of Milton caught a 10-foot 7-inch mako at Navarre Beach Fishing Pier. The shark had a 61-inch girth and its estimated weight was 680 pounds. Peterson is the younger cousin of Joey Polk and Earnie Polk, of the Harold community. The Polks attracted an international spotlight to the Florida panhandle last […]
The Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners Aug. 28 passed a resolution to transfer $8.2 million from unrestricted county reserves to a restricted fund for an upcoming Navarre Beach renourishment project. The move reduced the county’s general reserve balance from $25,101,665 to $16,901,665 – less than one quarter of the board’s $100 million annual budget. Commissioners […]
Gulf Islands National Seashore Superintendent Dan Brown says proposed plans to charge a fee to use the sole beach road connecting Navarre and Pensacola Beaches are unlikely in the wake of public comments on the issue. “If the public comments do not support charging an entrance fee on J. Earle Bowden Way, the park will not consider it […]
A Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council member is questioning what she calls premature use of a newly established fund designated for Navarre Beach renourishment projects. Laurie Gallup voiced concern during the Nov. 19 meeting, stating revenues collected from an additional one-cent bed tax, which went into effect June 1, should not be utilized for […]
Santa Rosa County Commissioners Nov. 13 are expected to delay the deadline for payment of residential beach lease fees until March 31. The board hopes by that date to know more about pending federal legislation which could completely eliminate lease fees on Santa Rosa Island. Santa Rosa County Commissioners discussed the matter at their Nov. […]
Navarre Beach lifeguards ended their season Oct. 31 in a brand new lifeguard stand that replaced a wind-damaged Tower 3. “In the beginning of the year we lost three towers,” lead lifeguard Greg Matechik said. “And then when that cold front came through a few weeks ago, it blew the roof off the other tower.” When Tower 3 was damaged, […]
The cost to maintain Navarre Beach facilities were up this year due to the winter freeze and the need to rebuild three lifeguard stands due to high winds. Pier restrooms were also renovated bringing the 2013-2014 season’s current maintenance expenses to $59,702. That number is up $25,106 from last year and $32,579 from two years ago. Read more in the Oct. 30 issue of the Navarre Press or subscribe online […]
The Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center has a new attraction aimed to promote education and awareness of local reefs and marine ecosystems. The center launched five clear-bottomed kayaks at its Oct. 11 Sea Turtle Extravaganza. Cathy Holmes, project director for the center, was joined by a group of volunteers at the event, which also featured children’s activities, such as face-painting and arts and crafts. The landbased fun took place at […]
The Navarre Beach Marine Science Station Octobus made its local school debut Monday, Sept. 8 at West Navarre Intermediate school. Exceptional Student Education preschool students got first dibs on feeling shark teeth and skin as well as handling live animals hanging out in a touchtank. The 1972 Volkswagon bus is currently scheduling outreach dates and looking […]
Gulf Islands National Seashore has closed the Fort Pickens Area to all incoming public use due to the winds and high surf from the Monday night weather event, effective Tuesday, November 26, through Friday, November 29. The park has begun removing sand from the road to allow existing campers to come and go. The campground […]