NAS Pensacola is nicknamed the “Cradle of Naval Aviation.”
In the military, it’s recognized as the birthplace of naval aviation—the home of the first formal naval aviation school, established on base in 1914. The base is also home to the National Naval Aviation Museum, which was established in 1962 and displays the rich history of the very profession it’s named for. In the last few years, the museum has hosted an annual event for Girls in Aviation Day on Nov. 1 to teach young women about the profession, cultivate a love for it, and encourage young women to pursue aerospace careers.
On Sept. 9, after 41 years as a program of the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Santa Rosa announced it is beginning a new chapter as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Higher fire assessments were a hot topic at the Santa Rosa County delegation meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Multiple attendees spoke their mind at the podium, with some stating they experienced hundreds of dollars’ worth of tax increases.
At the Sept. 22 Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners meeting, engineering, surveying, planning and design firm Baskerville-Donovan Inc. presented findings regarding plans for a Santa Rosa County pool.
Plans for the Navarre Beach Boardwalk have been controversial since the project began. At the July 21 Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners Meeting, STOA Architects presented their boardwalk concept. This sparked concern among residents, and Navarre Beach Pier Manager Tamara Fountain spoke out at multiple meetings regarding the issue, stating that the county was wasting money, being careless and destroying Navarre.
This week’s lineup features just one Board of County Commissioners meeting instead of two, with a Regular Meeting on October 9, 2025. Residents have several things to be interested in for this meeting, which includes a Medal of Honor Proclamation, the hiring of an Assistant County Attorney, the approval to move forward with the replacement of the old playground equipment at Benny Russell Park and the Navarre Beach Toll Rate Study Results from Jacobs Engineering.
Jay High School groundskeeper Kevin Dunning, 52, was arrested Monday, Sept. 22, by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office after an investigation revealed he sent inappropriate Facebook messages to a student. An administrator at Sims Middle is under investigation.
The University of West Florida earned its highest position to date the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best College rankings. It placed No. 6 among other Top Public Schools in the Regional South. With this, UWF spends a fourth consecutive year among the top 10 public institutions in the region.
