editorials Archive

With no offense to any of the local candidates in this election, I’ve always thought school superintendents should be appointed by an elected school board instead of being elected by the public.

Some counties in Alabama and Florida (not all) elect a superintendent of schools, but the rest of the country allows the school board to make the hire. Santa Rosa County is one of 41 counties in Florida where the superintendent of schools is elected.

Some of you probably woke up last Friday, very surprised to learn that a tornado came right through Santa Rosa County and into Okaloosa County.

Many were left to pick up trees from their homes, out of roadways and to repair property damage following the EF-2 twister. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado through its preliminary survey, estimating its peak winds at 115 miles per hour.

Some studies have shown that moving is ranked as the number one stressor anyone deals with in life.

People have ranked moving above the grief of losing a loved one or a separation or divorce.

The year 2024 is a big election year, not only nationally, but also in Santa Rosa County.

We’re guessing everyone is aware of that, unless you sleep under a rock or somehow drive around town with your eyes closed. At this point, we’re not sure you could throw a rock on most major thoroughfares in Santa Rosa County and not hit an election sign.

The April 25 Santa Rosa County Board of Commission meeting was an example of what an informed public can accomplish when it’s paying attention.

On April 11, award-winning investigative journalist for CBS News and Fox News prior to that, gave strong and compelling testimony on Capitol Hill regarding the Press Act, and the importance – no, the necessity – in journalists protecting the name and identity of sources.

We listen to the residents who speak at the county commission meetings. Growth is an issue. Maybe growth is THE issue. We want the residents to be informed about development and how it works.

We recently published a story about a situation at Lighthouse Private Christian Academy. Most people are familiar, but if you are not, the school came under scrutiny from the Midway fire marshal and fire chief after an inspection. The inspector determined two campus houses needed a sprinkler system and he shut down the houses immediately, displacing 24 students. Things got a little out of hand in how the chief responded.

Residents in the southeast corner of Santa Rosa County regularly debate two evergreen questions: Should some combination of Navarre, Navarre Beach and Holley incorporate? And second, should the county dredge a channel to the Gulf of Mexico?

If the City of Milton decides it can’t build its new wastewater treatment plant, Santa Rosa County will have to step in to provide services for the rapidly growing East Milton area.