When the new Love’s Truck Stop is completed and open, it will likely bring in $8 to $10 million in gas tax funds to Santa Rosa County.

Commissioners heard a brief update on the progress of the construction at the Feb. 11 work session.

Although a regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama broke ground this week, there are no updates on an ALDI that is supposed to be built in Navarre.

The last quarter of 2020 showed a strong increase in bed tax numbers over the same time frame in 2019.

Although bed tax numbers didn’t continue the meteoric rise seen in November, the just-released December data shows a solid increase.

Ask Navarre residents what businesses they’d like to see in the community, and they might not say another dollar store is needed.

The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is planning its popular Tunes By The Dunes Free Summer Concert Series, which did not take place in 2020 due to COVID concerns.

The series is held at the Sand Crab Pavilion, which is east of the Navarre Pier.

Navarre Beach draws people with its white sands and small beach town feel. That is why many tourists make it their vacation destination.

Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a Zoom meeting for its Hospitality and Tourism Committee last Tuesday afternoon to discuss ways for tourism to flourish on Navarre Beach.

The pandemic which devastated the hotel industry nationwide has been kinder to local properties.

Navarre, which has several hotels, saw tourism edge back in the summer and rebound heavily in the fall.

The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has named its chair of the board and chair-elect for 2021. Sarah Skelly, DO, a physician at Dr. Bawa and Associates, is now serving as chair of the board and Gretchen Carter, owner of Organized Occasions and Grocery Concierge, has been named chair-elect.

“The Chamber is honored to have such wonderful business and community volunteers in our leadership succession,” said Monica Meyer, the outgoing 2020 chair of the board.

Currently Navarre has four groceries stores within a five-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 98.

That’s about one grocery store to every 11,000 residents. And there’s more on the way with construction and renovation plans expanding Navarre’s options for filling the fridge and pantry.

The Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce has announced its selection of a new Chamber President and CEO

Grace Arneault, who recently graduated from the University of West Florida with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, has accepted the position and will start this week. She will work closely with outgoing chamber president, Kristen Rhodes, over the next 30 days to ensure a strong and smooth transition.