By Jamie Gentry on June 21, 2019
Audubon Florida, Bird babysitters, Bird stewards, black skimmers, Caroline Stahala, Least Terns, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre Beach Marine Park, shorebirds, Snowy plovers, SpringHill Suites, White Sands Boulevard
Beach, Local, Science/Environment
With the nesting season for Navarre Beach’s shorebirds moving along, Audubon Florida is in need of volunteers for its bird stewardship program. Shorebird Program Manager Caroline Stahala said these volunteers act as bird babysitters, keeping an eye out for the handful of colonies that call this beach home. Read the full article in the […]
By Jamie Gentry on December 6, 2018
Audubon Florida, black skimmers, Bulldog Beach Volleyball, Florida, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Statute, Jason McLarty, Judd Smith, Julie Morgan, Kim Larson, Least Terns, Marilyn Hess, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Sports and Recreation LLC, Rebekah Nelson, Rockwell Tour, Santa Rosa County, shorebirds, SpringHill Suites, Tourist Development Council, volleyball
Lifestyle/Leisure, Local
Bulldog Beach Volleyball held its inaugural tournament Sunday for new volleyball courts built alongside the Springhill Suites on Navarre Beach. The successful beach volleyball program is an arm of Navarre Beach Sports and Recreation LLC, owned by volleyball professional Judd Smith and Kim Larson. Read the full article in the Dec. 6 issue of Navarre […]
By Jamie Gentry on November 17, 2018
Alicia Bowman, Emerald Coast Exceptional Families, Give Mom a Break retreat, Kim Demoss, Kristen Schuping, Navarre Beach, northwest florida, special needs, SpringHill Suites
Local
From breathing exercises to essential oils, 27 moms of exceptional children in Northwest Florida took a break from endless appointments and 24-hour childcare to relax at the Emerald Coast Exceptional Families’ Give Mom a Break event. This therapeutic retreat was held at Springhill Suites on Navarre Beach Friday through Sunday. Read the full article in […]
By Jamie Gentry on September 22, 2018
Bags Bubbles and Bling, Carol Stevens, Emerald Coast Exceptional Families, Give Mom a Break Special Needs Moms Retreat, Kendra Booth, Kevin Goolsby, Kim Demoss, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Conference Center, SpringHill Suites, VFW Post 4407
Local
From the moment Riley was born, doctors did not give him a good prognosis. With muscular deformities, issues of the hands and feet, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism, he had quite a battle ahead. Doctors did not think he would live, said his mom, Carol Stevens. But he did. Read the full article in the Sept. […]
By Jamie Gentry on September 8, 2018
Audubon Florida, Audubon Florida Panhandle, black skimmers, Caroline Stahala, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Least Terns, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre Beach Marine Park, Shorebird nesting, SpringHill Suites, Tropical Storm Cindy, Tropical Storm Colin, Whitesands Boulevard
Beach, Local
After two years of dwindling nest numbers, shorebirds along Navarre Beach produced nearly 100 chicks that reached fledgling status. Audubon Florida Panhandle Shorebird Program Manager Caroline Stahala said this has been a good year for black skimmers and least terns, both listed as threatened species by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Read […]
By Staff Reporters on July 14, 2018
Down Home Boutique, fireworks, fourth of July, Hometown Fourth of July, Independence Day, Kayla Lopez, Lucy Villanova, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Area Chamber or Commerce, Reesha Ghosh, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office, SpringHill Suites, Victoria Swirble
Events & Festivals
The Independence Day celebrations on Navarre Beach were rounded out by the fireworks show put on by the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office. As seen in the July 12 issue of Navarre Press. Click here to subscribe for as little as $38 per year!
By Jamie Gentry on July 10, 2018
Audubon, Bird babysitting, black skimmers, Caroline Stahala, Chick-sit, Gulf Coast, Least Terns, Moria Conley, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Causeway, shorebirds, SpringHill Suites, Stewardship program, Tropical Storm Cindy, Tropical Storm Colin, volunteers
Local
Along the shoulder of the Navarre Beach bridge, roughly 100 threatened shorebird chicks have started to emerge from their eggs. Audubon Florida needs volunteers to help chick-sit. The causeway has served for many years as a nesting area for both black skimmers and least terns, said Audubon Florida Panhandle Shorebird Program Manager Caroline Stahala. Read […]
By Jamie Gentry on June 28, 2018
Angie Lee, Art of Local, Chamber Brew, Chris Mullery, Connie Thomsen, Dorothy Edens, Fred Brownell, hand-made art, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Chamber, Sand Dollar Cottage, SpringHill Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Ye Olde Brothers Brewery
Events & Festivals, Local
Navarre Beach vacationers were joined by locals in shopping hand-made art and sipping Navarre’s own craft beer June 20 at the Springhill Suites second Art of Local event. The Gulf beachfront hotel plans to host the events quarterly. Read the full article in the June 28 issue of Navarre Press. Click here to subscribe for as […]
By Jamie Gentry on May 3, 2018
Audubon Panhandle Shorebird, Bekah Nelson, Bill Roberts, Bird nesting, Caroline Stahala, Cathy Johnson, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gulf Boulevard, Judd Smith, Maggi Roberts, Marilyn Hess, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre Beach Sports and Recreation LLC, shorebirds, SpringHill Suites, Volleyball courts
Beach, Local
Navarre Beach’s feathery migrators have returned for another nesting season. Black skimmers with their long, snap-trap-like beaks and squeaking, scissor-winged least terns have flown the hundreds of miles from South America to once again lay their eggs in colonies along the beaches of Navarre Beach. Audubon Panhandle Shorebird Program Manager Caroline Stahala led a team […]
By Jamie Gentry on December 14, 2017
Assistant County Administrator Dan Schebler, bed tax collections, Chandler Robbins, Coldwater Gardens, Emerald Coast Warrior Run, Emerald Coast Warriors, Joseph Farley, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Linda Tutt, Liz Horton, Monica McBrien, Navarre Beach Visitors Information Center, Nick Phoenix, Paradise Advertising, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Santa Rosa Fairgrounds, SpringHill Suites, Tourism Development Event Marketing Grant, Vernon Compton, Warrior Run
Local
Emerald Coast Warrior Run has been approved for a $15,000 Tourism Development Event Marketing Grant to bring a 5k obstacle course run to the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds in April. This is the first year for the event put on by the Okaloosa County-based Emerald Coast Warriors. Event lead Chandler Robbins said his group hopes to […]
By Jamie Gentry on November 2, 2017
Beach House Bar and Grill, Career Source ESCAROSA, economy, Eric Flora, Florida, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Navarre Beach, Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, unemployment
Business
Unemployment is on a downward spiral. For several months now the United States and the state of Florida have been seeing a trend downward in the unemployment rate. And, according to a report from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Santa Rosa County is ahead of the curve. The local rate, 3 percent, is more […]
By Staff Reporters on October 5, 2017
Angela Cash, Cape Coral, Florida, Gulf Breeze Hampton Inn, Guy Fogel, Hurricane Charlie, hurricane damage, Hurricane Evacuees, Hurricane Irma, Interstate 95, Lighthouse Point, Linda Fogel, Miami, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Olga Fabat, Port Charlotte, Roy Watson, Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, Teresa Focaracci
Local
A day after Irma had cleared south Florida, Teresa Focaracci, her son, his girlfriend and their friends headed back home from the Springhill Suites on Navarre Beach. They were six people, five large dogs and a cat crammed into two cars, and rode out the storm in the hotel. For roughly 14 hours they made […]
By Staff Reporters on June 22, 2017
hotel, Jim Melvin, Marilyn Hess, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Ribbon cutting, SpringHill Suites
Business
Hotelier Marilyn Hess and former District 4 Commissioner, Jim Melvin cut the ribbon celebrating the grand opening of the beach hotel. Melvin said the finished project was more the he could have imagined. Hess credits Melvin for making the hotel possible during his term as commissioner. Featured in the June 22 issue of Navarre Press. […]
By Jamie Gentry on June 8, 2017
Ancient Civilization, Anna Mitchell, education, history, Jacob Roberts, Janet Bryan, Jessica Teague, Navarre, Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Neon Navarre, Santa Rosa County School District, Scarlett Ferguson, SpringHill Suites, STEAM Education, Student projects, Tommy's Sno Balls, west navarre intermediate school
Education
West Navarre Intermediate School students in Janet Bryan’s and Jessica Teague’s classes closed out the school year with a hands-on project to wow their parents. Bryan’s class created Neon Navarre. This underwater –themed display glowed with black light paint turning the students’ classroom into a foreign looking nightscape. Read the full article in the June […]
By Jamie Gentry on June 8, 2017
Angie Lee, April Sarver, bed tax collections, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Days Inn and Suites of Navarre, Julie Morgan, Kristen Iversen, Kyle Holley, Navarre Beach, Norm Crowder, Paradise Advertising, Resort Quest by Wyndam, Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, Tom Merrick, Tourism marketing, Tourist Development Council, Vacation destination
Local, Santa Rosa County
While bed tax collections are up for another month, the board responsible for making recommendations on how to spend that money is shrinking. Attendance at Tourist Development Council board and committee meetings has been spotty. Nearly half the board is absent at any given time, and Commissioner Rob Williamson, who serves on the board, has […]
By Staff Reporters on May 10, 2017
Beach House Bar and Grill, bed-tax dollars, hotel, Judy Morehead, Julie Morgan, Laruie Gallup, Lazy river pool, Man on the Street, Mike Sandler, Navarre, Navarre Beach, restaurant, Santa Rosa County, Shannon Ogletree, Sheila Walker, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, SpringHill Suites Navarre, tourism, Yvonne Harper
Beach, Headlines
Springhill Suites on Navarre Beach will feature a lazy river pool, an indoor heated pool, outside jacuzzi, gift shop, food market and workout room. The restaurant, Beach House Bar and Grill will be open to the public and seat 130 patrons. The hotel is expected to open in early June. Featured in the May 11 […]
By Jamie Gentry on March 22, 2017
Angie Lee, Beach House Restaurant, Ben Harris, design alterations, gulf of mexico, hotel, Kristen Iverson, Memorial Day Weekend, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa, spring break, SpringHill Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Stuart Contracting Company Inc.
Headlines
The opening of Navarre Beach’s newest hotel has stalled again. Though previously expected to open in March, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott is not likely to see its first guest until at least Memorial Day weekend, Director of Sales Angie Lee said. Read the full article in the March 23 issue of Navarre Press. Subscribe […]
By Brian Lester on February 16, 2017
Alyson Moulding, Arbys, Dakota DeMars, Employment opportunities, Flounders, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Job applicants, job fair, John Mirra, Lowes, Navarre, Navarre High School, Navarre High students, SpringHill Suites, Val Johnson, Wal-Mart
Business, High School
Dakota DeMars sat at a table in the Navarre High School cafeteria Tuesday morning filling out job applications. A senior at Navarre, DeMars was taking advantage of school’s fifth annual job fair, which continues to grow and presents students with a chance to land a job. Read the full article in the Feb. 16 issue […]
By Staff Reporters on February 9, 2017
Angie Lee, Cayo Grande Suites, Dominic Buompastore, Gulf Boulevard, gulf of mexico, Hampton Inn & Suites, hotel, Hotel Equities, Jackie Edmonds, Kristin Iversen, Navarre Beach, SpringHill Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Navarre, TTN Inc., University of Central Florida
Beach, Companies
Atlanta-based Hotel Equities named Kristin Iversen as the general manager and Angie Lee as the director of sales for SpringHill Suites by Marriott Navarre located on Navarre Beach. Read the full article in the Feb. 9 issue of Navarre Press. Subscribe online at navarrepress.com for as little as $38 per year.
By Jamie Gentry on January 19, 2017
April 2017, bed taxes, bed-tax revenue, Ben Harris, Business, gulf of mexico, hotel, Kristin Iverson, Lazy river, Navarre, Navarre Beach, restaurant, Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Stewart Contracting Company Inc., tourism, Tourist Season, tourists
Beach, Business
Finishing touches are underway at the Springhill Suites by Marriott on Navarre Beach as construction winds to a close. Ben Harris is the project manager with Alabama-based general contractor Stewart Contracting Company, Inc. Harris said though it still does not look like much from the outside, the next two weeks will bring quite the transformation. […]
By Brian Lester on October 20, 2016
ARuswnra, charity, dental products, donations, Giving back to the community, good cause, Gulf Breeze, Hotel Equities, Hygiene bags, Michelle Abrams, Mike Loera, Navarre, NYSA, Pensacola Beach, Rotary Club of Navarre, South Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, TJ Goulet, Tonia Smith, Weekend Food Program, www.foodprogram.org
Local
Hotel Equities’ Revenue Manager Mike Lorea didn’t hesitate to jump into action when he was approached about helping out with the Weekend Food Program in South Santa Rosa County. At the Springhill Suites on Pensacola Beach Tuesday afternoon, he and members of his staff were on hand participating in a regional training conference and they […]
By Rob Johnson on October 19, 2016
condominiums, Davis South Barnette and Patrick Advertising and Public Relations', Hoteliers, Hotels, Julie Morgan, Laurie Gallup, leisure industry promotions, Liz Horton, Lynn Myers, Mary Jane Kolassa, Meredith South, Navarre Beach, Navarre Days Inn, Navarre Properties, Nick Minerd, Occupancy rates, Paradise Advertising, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Office, SpringHill Suites, STR, tourism, Tourism analytics company, Tourist Development Council, tourists, Wyndham Resort Quest
Headlines
Most hotel managers balk at sharing details of their occupancy rates without assurance those figures won’t be made available to competitors, yet Santa Rosa tourism officials are about to mount a new effort to obtain that data. The month-to-month figures are considered important in the planning of leisure industry promotions, but the Santa Rosa County […]
By Rob Johnson on October 5, 2016
bed taxes, gulf of mexico, hotel bills, Julie Morgan, Kristin Iversen, Laurie Gallup, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Properties Inc., Santa Rosa County, SpringHill Suites, Tough Mudder, Tourist tax, tourist tax collections, tourists
Headlines
Although growth in Santa Rosa’s tourist tax collections slowed this summer compared to last year, leisure industry leaders say the new Springhill Suites on Navarre Beach will provide a needed boost. The 161-room hotel is projected to add $250,000 to the county’s 2017-2018 revenue from bed taxes – the 5 percent fees on hotel bills […]
By Sandi Kemp on August 3, 2016
bar, beach side activities, business meetings, gulf of mexico, hotel, indoor pool, Kristin Iversen, Lounge, Luxury hotel, Marriott, Marriott Springhill Suites, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre wedding, outdoor pool, receptions, resort, restaurant, social gatherings, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, tourism, tourist destination, weddings
Headlines
When it opens in the spring of 2017, SpringHill Suites will feature resort-style amenities including the indoor and outdoor pools, full-service restaurant, bar and lounge and numerous beach side activities. The hotel will have a 4,000-square foot meeting space with sweeping views of the Gulf designed to accommodate social gatherings, receptions, business meetings and weddings. […]
By Rob Johnson on April 14, 2016
2010 BP Oil Spill, annual bed tax revenues, bed-tax dollars, blip in tourism boom, County Commission, dredging, DSBP, economic impact, Gulf Coast, leisure industry leaders, Liz Horton, lodging receipts, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach leisure lodging, Navarre Beach restoration, North Santa Rosa, promotional spending, Rick Harper, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County tourism collections, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, TDC, Tough Mudder, tourism budget, Tourism growth, Tourism taxes, tourist, Tourist Development Council, Tourist Development Director Julie Morgan, vacationers
Local
The rate of Santa Rosa County tourism tax collections, while still on the rise from recent years, has slowed a bit during the past four months and caught the eye of area leisure industry leaders. Although the county’s share of lodging receipts, the so-called bed tax, totaled about $93,000 in February, the latest figures available, […]
By Rob Johnson on April 7, 2016
American Fidelity Life Insurance Co, Casey Bobe, General Manager Joe Farley, Gulf-front, high winds, hiring, Holi Corp, Holiday Inn, hotel, Hotel staff, Hurricane Ivan, indoor pool, Marilyn Hess, Marriott chain, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Opening delayed, outdoor lazy river, Rain, restaurant, safety, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Commission, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Brand, SpringHill Suites, SRC, Wood Pilings
Beach
Completion of the $30 million SpringHill Suites on Navarre Beach has been delayed until sometime in the first quarter, perhaps as late as March, because of occasional rain and high winds that have slowed construction. Read the full article in the April 7 issue of Navarre Press. Click HERE to subscribe online.
By Brian Lester on February 25, 2016
area businesses, Board of Education, community, East Bay Crab House, education, Employees, Employers, Hotels, Jason O'Hara, Jersey Mike's, job candidates, job fair, John Mirra, Navarre, Navarre High School, NHS, perspective employer, restaurants, Scott Donovan, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, stores, students, Walter Latour, work experience, Zamir Jones
High School
Zamir Jones is eager to find a job and took full advantage of the opportunity to speak with potential employers at the Navarre High School Job Fair Thursday morning in the cafeteria. With 24 area businesses in attendance, Jones had plenty of options. Read the full article in the Feb. 25 issue of Navarre Press. […]
By Rob Johnson on February 4, 2016
bed tax collections, Commissioner Rob Williamson, economic impact, escambia county, Florida Sports Foundation, Gulf Breeze, Julie Morgan, Laurie Gallup, lodging locations, lodging managers, military-style obstacle course, Milton, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Properties, North Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Comissioners, Spring Break guests, SpringHill Suites, SRC, TDC, TDO, Tough Mudder, Tough Mudder enthusiasts, tourism industry, Tourist Development Council, Tourist Development Office
Headlines, Tough Mudder
Every hotel and motel room in Santa Rosa County would have to be filled for an entire week in April by Tough Mudder enthusiasts to achieve the economic impact of the two-day event as estimated in a request for state funding filed by the Tourist Development Office. That’s because while there are 695 such rooms […]
By Rob Johnson on January 28, 2016
American Fidelity Life Insurance Co, Casey Bobe, construction, Construction obstacles, Crowne Plaza, December 2016, financial incentives, financial struggles, gulf of mexico, Holi Corp, Holiday Inn, hotel, Hurricane Ivan, Joe Farley, Marilyn Hess, Marriott, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa Couny Commission, seven-story hotel, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, water and sewer impact fees
Business, Lifestyle/Leisure
Construction of the $30 million SpringHill Suites on Navarre Beach has resumed after overcoming some obstacles, and the 161-room hotel is tentatively scheduled to open in December. Originally planned to open 15 months after breaking ground last June, the hotel was hampered by the discovery of about 200 wood pilings from the site’s former occupant, […]
By Sandi Kemp on January 21, 2016
Beach leaseholders, beachgoer fines, Board of County Commissioners, Coast Guard, Commercial businesses, commercial property, Condominium, fire department, fire tax increase, firefighters, Florida Statutes, Holley Navarre Fire Department, Hotels, Independent Special Fire Control District, leaseholders meeting, lifeguards, mainland, more fire calls, MSBU, Municipal Services Benefits Unit, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Board of Fire Commissioners, Navarre Beach Fire Chief Mike Howard, Robert Coley, Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa, SpringHill Suites, tourists, tourists versus residents, Uniform Method of Collection
Local
The Navarre Beach Leaseholders approved an increase in the amount of commercial property taxes for fire protection at their monthly meeting Saturday. The current commercial rate is $900 for up to 10,000 square feet and $3,600 for more than 10,000 square feet. The new rate for commercial is $900 for the first 10,000 square feet […]
