MILTON — The Santa Rosa Press Gazette staff chose these as the top stories we reported on in 2016. Share your thoughts on the list, and any changes you would recommend, at www.srpressgazette.com.
1. TWO TAX PROPOSALS, TWO OUTCOMES
Two local option sales taxes appeared on the November ballot: a half-cent tax to fund a new judicial center and a half-cent tax to fund infrastructure projects.
County commissioners initially discussed implementing a LOST as a funding mechanism for a new courthouse. However, with other capital needs — such as roads, bridges, public safety equipment, stormwater mitigation and water quality improvement — the board discussed adding items to such a LOST.
In 1992, 1993 and 1996, the county voted for a 1-cent sales tax to fund a U.S. Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Service Center and the jail. The next three times the tax made it to the ballot — in 2002, 2006 and 2014 — it failed.
This year, voters approved the infrastructure option with more than 19,000 votes and 12,806 against the option. The courthouse option came close with 15,458 votes for it and more than 16,000 votes against it.
The primary election provided a win for funding Santa Rosa County public improvements while presenting another obstacle for funding a new courthouse.
Still, County Commissioner Lane Lynchard said he was proud of Santa Rosa County's response.
"This local option sales tax provides tremendous benefits to our county," Lynchard said. "This will serve as a major investment for one of the fastest-growing counties in the state."
As for the courthouse, Lynchard said the board would have to continue to look into the issue at a future meeting.
2. TOUGH MUDDER SAYS NO TO SANTA ROSA
Tough Mudder won’t return to Santa Rosa County in 2017. Officials for the 10- to 12-mile, British military-designed mud run cited an interest in bringing the event to new areas. But there’s more to it than that, county officials said.
Judi Kovacs, marketing communications associate at Tough Mudder Inc., said, "As a company, we are committed to bringing our events to new regions and communities whenever possible, and we will be exploring new venues to bring the event in 2017.”
However, Santa Rosa County Commissioner and Tourist Development Council member Rob Williamson said negative press factored into the decision.
The competition was held April 9-10 at the Ates Ranch. April 14, a discussion forum at Tough Mudder's website (http://bit.ly/2aQ17BV) showed a member saying he received an email announcing the New Orleans location for 2017, well before the July 6 release of the Haas Center's economic impact report for Santa Rosa's event.
During the Aug. 4 Tourist Development Council meeting, TDC Director Julie Morgan said, "It's really disheartening, though, the last several conversations I've had to have with Tough Mudder as a representative of this county when they tell me, 'I'm sorry, but we do not want to come back to your county and one of the main reasons is we do not feel welcome and all the negative press.'"
County officials particularly cited the Navarre Press’ criticisms of the event’s cost.
"We've lost the biggest single, special event in 20 years," said Kyle Holley, a TDC board member who acted as liaison between Tough Mudder and the venue, the Ates Family Ranch.
3. ALCOHOL: TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL (ON SUNDAYS)
To some, restricting Sunday alcohol sales saves lives; to others, it means restricting business growth and freedom.
This year, Milton and Santa Rosa County officials seemed split on the issue.
Milton Councilman Jimmy Messick said city residents should decide whether to allow Sunday alcohol sales. He said the city could act according to a majority vote.
Meanwhile, Milton Councilwoman Patsy Lunsford maintained her anti-alcohol convictions.
Santa Rosa County District 2 Commissioner Bob Cole and District 4 Commissioner Rob Williamson also disagreed on the issue.
Cole suggested Sunday sales across the county be eliminated, citing the Bible's commands to keep the Sabbath day holy. He said changing policy for mainland Navarre to match the beach would be a "slippery slope," leading to the north end of the county asking for less restrictive policy.
Williamson, a recovering alcoholic, said, "I know all too well the negative impact alcohol abuse and addiction can cause. To say that not serving alcohol after midnight on Saturday is the reason why somebody is making those poor decisions is not something I agree with."
At the end, a countywide referendum was never on this year's ballot, but the Milton referendum passed with the city council in December moving to allow retail and on-premise sales of alcohol from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. seven days a week.
4. MEMORIAL TO HEROES UNVEILED
Santa Rosa Leadership Class 29, a Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce program, honored 11 victims of the March 10, 2015 crash of Black Hawk UH-60 helicopter, call sign MOJO 69, with a memorial.
Community members, elected officials, victims' family members and military members in November visited Navarre Park to see the monument. The area recognizes Louisiana Army National Guard members George Wayne Griffin Jr., George David Strother, Lance Jacob Bergeron, Thomas Charles Florich III and United States Marine Corps members Stanford Shaw III, Thomas Saunders, Liam Flynn, Andrew Seif, Marcus Bawol, Trevor Blaylock and Kerry Kemp. Naval Air Station Whiting Field Cmdr. Capt. Todd Bahlau hosted the event.
The leadership class broke ground on the project Jan. 29. On the tragedy's anniversary, with the memorial partially complete, victims' family members received 11 stars cut from the memorial.
The completed memorial includes an eagle atop an American flag, sitting on a tapered pillar with the missing 11 stars, all rested on a pentagonal foundation bearing the United States Navy, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps seals. Five concrete benches surrounding the monument bear the same seals and names of the memorial's platinum sponsors. A sixth bench nearby memorializes prisoners of war and those missing in action.
5. OATH OF OFFICE ON HOLD
Milton politics, highlighted by ethics complaints and changing the city seal, has been tumultuous. The year included discussions on whether the city should buy property owned by a council member’s wife and ended with debate surrounding returning Councilwoman Mary Ellen Johnson.
Johnson's qualifications, particularly her home's location, were questioned before newly elected council members Peggi Smith, Jeff Snow and Casey Powell were sworn in.
Councilman Alan Lowery challenged Johnson's legitimacy as a candidate based on documents he received before the meeting. City Attorney Heather Lindsay said the envelope contained copies of public records regarding where Johnson lives along with a printout from a Facebook page. She said the documents presented to Lowery were not sufficient evidence to substantiate a complaint.
However, Mayor Wesley Meiss suggested opening discussion on the issue.
"This is entirely inconsistent with anything this council has done in the past, Mr. Mayor, and I am at a loss to why you are handling this in this manner," Lindsay said.
Meiss said the action was procedure within Robert's Rule of Orders. However, Lindsay said the council has never adopted Robert's Rules of Order. She said Johnson had the right to take her seat on the council, adding such a complaint regarding Johnson's qualifications should have been raised before the general election.
Video of the meeting went viral on srpressgazette.com and sparked plenty of discussion among readers, with many residents supporting Meiss and others challenging his treatment toward Johnson.
6. SANTA ROSANS GIVE BACK COUNTYWIDE
Santa Rosa County officials and residents learned the area has no shortage of civic-minded residents who want to improve our communities.
Seven-hundred volunteers cleaned yards and homes in addition to gathering food donations, among other tasks, during the first Santa Rosa Day of Service on July 23, according to Daniel Hahn with the Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Office.
The event benefited organizations including the Keyser Street Cemetery and Strickland Cemetery, Blackwater Forest, Santa Rosa County Animal Services, people who are disabled or elderly, the Pregnancy Resource Center of Milton, For The Children, and Feeding the Gulf Coast.
7. CHICAGO CUB INSPIRES HOMETOWN PRIDE
A Pace High graduate helped the Chicago Cubs baseball team break an over 100-year streak of never winning a World Series.
Addison Russell became a part of sports history when the Cubs broke a 108-year streak of not winning a World Series. The team forced a game seven against the Cleveland Indians with a two-run double and baseball's coveted grand slam.
According to MLB.com writer Roger Schluter, Russell's third-inning grand slam was the 19th in World Series history and first in Cubs history during a World Series game.
Following the victory, Russell made a series of homecoming stops, starting Nov. 15 with Pensacola City Hall, where Mayor Ashton Hayward presented the 22-year-old a key to the city.
During Russell’s four years playing Patriot baseball, Pace High Coach Charlie Warner said, the team reached the Final Four three times and won the championship once, in 2010.
Russell's success resulted from a combination of innate ability and hard work, the coach said.
"The ball always went in his glove," Warner said. "He was always able to throw runners out knowing how much time he had. It was very unusual for a high school kid to have. It was ingrained in him."
Press Gazette staff writer Matt Brown contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Top 7 stories of 2016