News

PKA Annual Membership Meeting with Zoom

The 2025 PKA Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 10 AM until Noon at the Eden Condominium. The guest speaker will be Escambia County District 1 Commissioner Steve Stroberger. If unable to attend the meeting in person, please attend online at the following Zoom invite link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86951816507?pwd=rVeAOpKsiJu1caapZzikJ6SHzw0xE0.1

Tornado Hits Escambia County!

A tornado with up to 95 mph winds swept through portions of northwest Escambia County near Copter Road. According to the weather service, “the tornado had a width of approximately 30 yards, traveled a total of a half a mile and dissipated at 4:22 p.m. about a minute after it began.” Metal roofs, doors and siding were damaged while a number of boats were overturned or pushed aside. For more on the storm, see the February 12, 2025 Pensacola News Journal article “EF-1 tornado with 95 mph winds confirmed to have struck Ferry Pass” at https://www.pnj.com/story/weather/2025/02/12/pensacola-tornado-at-ellyson-industrial-park-confirmed-as-ef-1/78468843007/.

Feb 25 Meeting on Dune Enhancement

Escambia County and engineering firm Baskerville-Donovan will co-host a public meeting on the “Escambia County Dune Matrix Enhancement project” on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church, 13660 Innerarity Point Road. “The goal of this project is to enhance critical dune habitats on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key, which will strengthen resilience to coastal storms and enhance habitat for protected coastal wildlife, including the Perdido Key Beach Mouse and nesting sea turtles.” “The project area includes private gulf-front lands on Perdido Key, which will require landowner permission to conduct restoration activities. Perdido Key landowners are encouraged to attend the public meeting to learn about the project design and right of entry agreement needed for restoration activities to occur.” For more on the project, go to https://myescambia.com/news/news-article/2025/02/14/escambia-county-dune-matrix-enhancement-project-public-meeting-feb.-25.

More on OLF 8

The remaining development group of the three participating in recent OLF 8 selection discussions withdrew its offer on February 7, 2025 so moving forward with developing the several hundred acres of Beulah land continues to be difficult. For more on recent activity, see the February 07, 2025, Pensacola News Journal article “We’re done”: Third developer withdraws OLF 8 offer over Escambia Commissioner’s actions” by Mollye Barrows at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2025/02/07/olf-8-developer-beulah-town-center-withdraws-offer-in-escambia-county/78336738007/.

Volunteer Workdays at the Demonstration Garden

Escambia County has scheduled three 9:00 to 11:00 AM volunteer workdays for the Perdido Key Coastal Demonstration Garden at the Perdido Key Visitors Center, 15500 Perdido Key Drive: February 21, March 28, and April 25, 2025. For more information and to register, go to https://Spring2025GardenWorkdays.eventbrite.com.

Perdido Key Leadership Class Graduates

Leadership Perdido Key is “designed to empower individuals with the skills, knowledge, and networking needed to become effective leaders in their communities.” “Through a series of workshops, seminars, and experiential learning activities, participants have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Perdido Key area and hone their leadership capabilities.” The 16 graduates of the 2024-2025 Perdido Leadership Class included Connie Walker, Vice President of the Perdido Key Association. For more on the program, go to https://business.visitperdido.com/events/details/leadership-perdido-key-class-24-25-01-02-2025-35724.

SS United States Move to Mobile Delayed

As of February 18, 2025, the retired ocean liner SS United States remained berthed in Philadelphia because of unfavorable weather. The sea worthiness concerns that had had previously prevented the ship from moving to Mobile, Alabama where it will be prepared for sinking off Okaloosa County, Florida have been cleared. When placed off Ft. Walton Beach/Destin, it will be the world’s largest artificial reef. For more on the SS United States, go to the February 18, 2025 Philly Voice article “Inclement weather further delays SS United States departure to Wednesday” by Michaela Althouse at https://www.phillyvoice.com/ss-united-states-departure-delayed-wednesday-winds/ and the October 16, 2024 USNI article “SS United States Getting Towed to Norfolk Ahead of Planned Sinking off Florida Coast” by John Grady at https://news.usni.org/2024/10/16/ss-united-states-getting-towed-to-norfolk-ahead-of-planned-sinking-off-florida-coast

New Pensacola Beach Dune Walkovers

Work was recently completed on two new dune walkovers on Pensacola Beach at Avenida 16 (25A) and 18 (25B) off De Luna Drive. Both crossovers have ramps for beach access while 25A offers some off-street parking. For more on this issue, see the February 11, 2025 Pensacola News Journal article “New dune walkovers added to Pensacola Beach” by Edward Bunche III at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/2025/02/11/pensacola-beach-dune-walkers-are-ada-assessible/78295058007/.

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Santa Rosa Approves Impact Fees

Santa Rosa County Commissioners recently approved impact fees to help fund road construction in the fast growing county. The vote was unanimous in part because two newly elected commissioners had campaigned in favor of the fees. Some discussion on impact fees or concurrency in Escambia County has taken place to help infrastructure keep up with development. For more on this issue, see the February 04, 2025 Pensacola News Journal article “‘The juice is worth the squeeze’ Santa Rosa Commissioners vote to implement impact fees” by Tom McLaughlin at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/milton/2025/02/04/santa-rosa-commission-votes-to-impose-impact-fees-on-new-construction/78182529007/.

Navarre Bridge Tolls

Santa Rosa Commissioners are considering establishing tolls for the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge to raise money for replacing the bridge. The current bridge was built in 1960 and originally required tolls. If implemented, tolls would likely be $.50 to $1.50 per crossing. For more on this issue, see the February 12, 2025 Pensacola News Journal article “Santa Rosa considering adding tolls at Navarre Beach Bridge” by Tom McLaughlin at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/navarre/2025/02/13/navarre-beach-bridge-tolls-being-considered-by-santa-rosa-commissioner/78469520007/

Snow on the Beach!

A historic amount of snow fell on the Gulf Coast in the period January 21-23, 2025 leaving up to 10 inches in Pensacola and even down to the Gulf of Mexico waterline. Low temperatures kept the white stuff around long enough to close roads, cancel schools and slow down many private enterprises. Government Emergency Management personnel worked tirelessly to keep citizens safe and restore normal activities as quickly as possible. The young of course made the most of the unique weather with snowball fights, snowmen, snow angels and sledding adventures. For reporting on the snowstorm, see the Pensacola News Journal January 23, 2025 article “Escambia, Pensacola first responders work around the clock in historic snowstorm” by Mollye Barrows at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2025/01/23/escambia-emergency-crews-answer-hundreds-of-calls-during-snowstorm/77906039007/ and the January 23, 2025  Pensacola News Journal article “Pensacola snow photos: The Pensacola area saw historic snow. Here’s what it looked like” by Brandon Girod, Tony Giberson and Gregg Pachkowski at https://www.pnj.com/story/weather/2025/01/23/florida-snow-photos-sledding-snowboarding-snowmen-and-more/77907047007/.

75 Ft Easement Decision Accepted by BOCC

On January 9, 2025 the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners affirmed the Honorable Jan Shackelford’s decision to grant the County’s motions “to dismiss for failure to join indispensable parties…” in the litigation by six affected Perdido Key condominium Boards of Directors to invalidate the 75 ft public access easement on beach property from the Perdido Sky Condominium to Perdido Key State Park. A discussion of the case is available in the January 2, 2025 Rick’s Blog entry “Escambia County wins dismissal of Perdido Key lawsuits” at https://ricksblog.biz/escambia-county-wins-dismissal-of-perdido-key-lawsuits/ noting the opinion that all affected lot owners must participate in litigation “challenging shared easement rights.”

Gulf Shore’s Little Lagoon becomes Natural Sanctuary

Gulf Shores has received a total of $6.4 million to complete the “Laguna Cove Little Lagoon Natural Resource Protection Project” to “transform 53 acres of coastal habitat on Little Lagoon’s south shore into a protected natural sanctuary. “It will feature 6,100 feet of shoreline and contain “vital wetlands and critical habitat areas.” For more on this issue, see the January 21, 2025 Mullet Wrapper article “Gulf Shores receives another $2 M for Laguna Cove Project” at https://mulletwrapper.net/gulf-shores-receives-another-2m-for-laguna-cove-project/.

PPBEP now part of National Estuary Program

The Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) achieved an honor and key objective when on December 9, 2024 the US House of Representatives passed the “Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act” and directed the Environmental Protection Agency to enroll PPBEP into the National Estuary Program as an “Estuary of National Significance.” The bill was signed into law by President Biden on December 17, 2024. According to PPBEP Executive Director Matt Posner, the designation allows the organization to receive “a direct annual federal allocation and be eligible for millions in grant funding from such entities as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior” and be eligible for funding “in some cases from agencies like FEMA or the Federal Department of Transportation.” For more on this issue, see the December 11, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “National Estuary Program status could open floodgate of funds for Pensacola-area waters” by Tim McLaughlin at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/pensacola/2024/12/11/national-estuary-program-designation-pensacola-and-perdido-bays-estuary-program/76888465007/.

Offshore Drilling

The US Interior Department received no bids from energy companies to acquire leases for gas and oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis said “Arctic wildlife refuge reflects what we and they have known all along – there are some places too special and sacred to put at risk with oil and gas drilling.” In a related matter, Christian Wagley of Healthy Gulf stated by January 6, 2025 e-mail that the Biden administration had withdrawn the eastern Gulf of Mexico from future offshore oil and gas leasing but the western Gulf remains without protections. He noted “offshore drilling continues to pose severe risks to communities, ecosystems, and economies across the region.” For more on Alaska drilling, see the January 8, 2025 Reuters article “Alaska wildlife refuge drilling auction yields no bids, US says” by Richard Valdmanis and Timothy Gardner at https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alaska-wildlife-refuge-drilling-auction-yields-no-bids-us-says-2025-01-08/.

Siguenza Cove Resurfacing Project

The Siguenza Cove Resurfacing Progress is complete. The cones at the corner of River Road and Don Carlos Road are in place to help ensure drivers do not run off the edge of the newly repaired roadway and will be removed in the near future.

SS United States to Okaloosa County via Mobile

The SS United States saga has ended for Escambia County. “Okaloosa’s Board of County Commissioners has approved a contingent contract to acquire the ship and convert it into the worlds’ largest artificial reef, a record that is currently held by the Oriskany off Escambia County.” According to recent news reports, the ship is currently berthed in Philadelphia but will be towed to Mobile, Alabama where it will remain while preparations are made for its transformation into a submerged artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico near Fort Walton Beach and Destin. For more on this issue, see the October 1, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “SS United States to be sunk off Okaloosa County after Escambia came up short for bid” by Mollye Barrows at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2024/10/01/okaloosa-county-wins-bid-for-ss-united-states-and-will-sink-as-reef/75473484007/; October 16, 2024 USNI article “SS United States Getting Towed to Norfolk Ahead of Planned Sinking off Florida Coast” by John Grady at https://news.usni.org/2024/10/16/ss-united-states-getting-towed-to-norfolk-ahead-of-planned-sinking-off-florida-coast; and, October 28, 2024 Fox News video “SS United States to dock in Mobile before becoming artificial reef off Florida coast” at https://www.fox10tv.com/video/2024/10/28/ss-united-states-dock-mobile-before-becoming-artificial-reef-off-florida-coast/.

Controlled Burn Season

With some rain and other favorable conditions, controlled burns are likely in the weeks ahead at Big Lagoon State Park and Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. This can result in some smoke in surrounding areas but the burns remove unwanted underbrush and help preserve forest health for the future.

Big Lagoon Campground to Close for Maintenance

The Big Lagoon Campground will be closing in February 2025 for significant maintenance. The work will take several months with no completion date currently available.

SLAM PROJECT CONTINUES…

Local researchers have been collecting dead snakes in sufficiently good condition for analysis to determine if the invasive snake lungworm (pentastome parasite) has reached the Panhandle region of Florida. According to a November 6, 2024 Sea Grant Note from Rick O’Connor, no parasites were found in the 15 samples collected thus far. But the project continues so residents are asked to be on the lookout for dead snakes that are not flattened by traffic. Here is the guidance for collection and delivery:

 

If you find a dead snake in good condition and want to participate, you should…

1. Place the snake in a large ziplock bag, inside another large ziplock bag. 
2. Label the outside of the bag with the following information

• Your name
• The location where the snake was found (GPS is best, but a home address will work – or description – will work)
• What type of snake it is (if you know)
• Date

3. Bring the snake to the Escambia County Extension Office

 

NOTE: DO NOT PICK UP A DEAD VENOMOUS SNAKE WITH YOUR HANDS.  USE A RAKE (ETC.) OR CONTACT Rick O’Connor AT roc1@ufl.edu

“Friends” Awarded Impact 100 Grant for Big Lagoon Playground!

The Friends of Pensacola State Parks, one of our area’s active non-profit organizations, was recently awarded a $100,670 Impact 100 grant to develop an “inclusive playground for children of all abilities and disabilities” at Big Lagoon State Park. “The idea behind IMPACT 100 involves recruiting at least 100 women to donate $1,000 each and pooling those resources into one big grant for a qualifying nonprofit. In the 21 years since the Pensacola chapter began, this organization of philanthropic women has donated more than $17 million in 165 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Escambia/Santa Rosa area.” For more on the “Friends,” go to https://friendsofpensacolastateparks.org/; for more on Impact 100, go to https://impact100pensacola.org.

River Road RV Park Proposal

Old River Resort is proposing an RV park to be built on River Road just north of the Florencia condominium. The park may have 26 RV sites, 12 bungalows, various amenities including a pool and restaurant and a parking area on the other side of River Road. The proposal has not yet been reviewed by the Escambia County Development Review Committee. For more on this issue, see the article October 9, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “RV park and restaurant could be coming to Perdido Key” by Edward Bunch III at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/2024/10/09/rv-park-and-restaurant-old-river-resort-coming-to-perdido-key/75457922007/.

Gulf Islands Discovery Trail to be Rebuilt

Gulf Islands National Seashore has announced the “Perdido Key Discovery Trail” near the entrance to the Johnson Beach/Perdido Key Area of the Park will be completely rebuilt. The boardwalk trail was heavily damaged by Hurricane Sally in 2020 and has been partially closed since then. The project will begin in October 2024 and should be completed by April 2025. During reconstruction, the kayak launch parking lot will be closed for staging. Information on the project drawn from October 11, 2024 e-mail from Stephenie Wade, GINS Public Information Officer.

More Repairs to Perdido Key State Park

The Florida Park Service has approved funding to complete repairs to the West Use area of Perdido Key State Park, to include restroom renovations and boardwalk repairs.

Fish Farm

The off-shore fish farm proposed for the Gulf of Mexico about 26 miles south of Pensacola is in the permit approval process. US agencies including NOAA and important interest groups support its creation while some environmental and other groups are opposed. It would be the first major finfish farm in US federal waters though a small scale operation is approved for the Sarasota area but delayed by legal challenges. Concerns about off shore finfish farms include likely increase in nutrient levels in surrounding waters, possibility of disease spreading from fish farms to native species and dangers to whales and other sea life from the apparatus. The Perdido Key Association has joined the “Don’t Cage Our Oceans” coalition that opposes the fish farm. For information on the opposing initiative, go to Don’t Cage Our Oceans | STOP INDUSTRIAL OCEAN FISH FARMING (dontcageouroceans.org); for the website of the group proposing the fish farm, go to Florida Offshore – Manna Fish Farms; for an early report on the proposed fish farm, go to the July 20, 2023 Pensacola News Journal article “Pensacola may get one of Florida’s first offshore fish farms, and some are already worried” by Colin Warren-Hicks at Manna Fish Farms seeking to open Gulf of Mexico farm near Pensacola (pnj.com).

PKA Holiday Party 2024

Perdido Key Association held its annual Holiday Party on December 12, 2024 at the Palacio Resort-Perdido Key on Perdido Key Drive. Though a slim turnout this year, all who attended enjoyed wonderful decorations, great food and drink and best of all good company!

A Great Perdido Key Beach and Road Cleanup!

Perdido Key celebrated International Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 21, 2024 with a terrific turnout that helped cleanup our beaches and major roadways. Working from 8 AM to Noon, 65 volunteers hit the beaches and 40 took to the roads collecting trash they then deposited in containers provided by ECUA. Event sponsors included Florida State Parks Rangers, Perdido Key Association, Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce, and Friends of Pensacola State Parks with many additional donors funding the commemorative t-shirts provided to cleanup volunteers.

World Ocean Day 2024

World Ocean Day was held on June 8, 2024 at Escambia County Beach Access #4. Beginning with beach yoga, the event featured presentations by Escambia County’s Sea Turtle Ambassadors, Friends of Pensacola State Parks, Southwest Public Library and the Perdido Key Association as well as offerings from several vendors. While enjoying a beautiful day at the beach, the event provided those attending a great opportunity to learn more about the importance of the ocean and the fascinating sea life it supports. For more information on our oceans and the threats to them, please access the several Power Point slide presentations that follow:

PKA Annual Membership Meeting!

Approximately 30 people attended the Perdido Key Association Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the Eden Condominium, with others joining on Zoom. Featured speaker Christian Wagley, the coastal organizer for Healthy Gulf, gave a terrific presentation on several issues including potential threats from a proposed industrial fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico offshore from Pensacola and the status of and efforts to help the rare Rice’s whale. PKA President Stan Capua followed and addressed Perdido Key issues such as continued work to restore Perdido Key State Park and the Perdido Key Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore (Johnson Beach) from 2020’s Hurricane Sally damage, progress on the Perdido Key Multi-Use Path and other construction and development related issues. Other Board members provided information on the Perdido Key Drive/Johnson Beach Road roundabout and changes to Beach Access #2; “We Are Perdido” leader Steve Brendtro added an update on the Perdido area incorporation initiative. The meeting minutes will be posted shortly on the Archive page of the PKA website.

Protozoans are “Before Animals”

In his latest article on microscopic life forms in the Gulf of Mexico, Rick O’Connor introduces us to protozoans. They are “single celled creatures that lack a cell wall and chlorophyll” so they cannot produce their own food like plants. Though they must “consume foods” like animals, protozoans are not animals either because they are single celled. For more on these interesting in-between creatures, see the December 20, 2024 UF/IFAS Panhandle Outdoors article “Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Amoeboid Protozoans” at Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Amoeboid Protozoans | Panhandle Outdoors.

Protection for Monarch Butterflies

As proposed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the iconic monarch butterfly will receive protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as a threatened species. The number of butterflies wintering over in Mexico habitat is a common measure of the health of the species and has been in decline. In addition, “… monarchs across North America face significant challenges, including habitat destruction, pesticide exposure, and extreme weather exacerbated by climate change.”For more on this issue, see the December 10, 2024 Xerces Society article “Monarch Butterflies Have Been Proposed for ESA Protection. What Does This Mean?” by Deborah Seiler and Emma Pelton at https://xerces.org/blog/monarch-butterflies-have-been-proposed-for-esa-protection-what-does-this-mean.

Albatross and Plastics

As stated in an Ocean Conservancy February 4, 2025 e-mail, “Every year, after wandering far and wide across the ocean, albatrosses will return to the same partner, perform their same secret dance and start nesting.” But the serenity may not last because plastic ingestion is one of the leading causes of death in albatrosses – another very good reason to help prevent plastic pollution in our oceans. For more on albatrosses and plastics, go to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife article “Albatross: Lifetime at Sea” at https://alaskausfws.medium.com/albatross-7ca275b86f64.

Copepods

In his January 17, 2025 UF/IFAS article “Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Copepods,” Rick O’Connor discusses the copepod – a multicellular but mostly “too small to see” creature. Copepods are an important part of the ocean food chain and feed on phytoplankton; they may then be consumed by the ocean’s many plankton feeders. They are mobile and can swim at a comparative speed of 50 mph if human in size while their total biomass may be among the largest of all the creatures of the sea. For more information on these bug-like inhabitants of the Gulf, go to https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2025/01/17/marine-creatures-of-the-northern-gulf-of-mexico-copepods/.

How to Tell Stingrays and Skates Apart?

Stingrays can be dangerous while skates not so much. A good way to tell them apart is by their tails: “Stingrays typically have long, whip-like tails; skates’ tails, on the other hand, tend to be short, thick and fleshy.” For more on these interesting creatures, see the Pelican Post February 2025 at https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Pelican-Post-February-Newsletter.html?soid=1134175614329&aid=Tt1ZLFfnR8g.

Right Whale Visitors and World Whale Day February 15

As if to emphasize World Whale Day on February 15, 2025, two female right whales were recently sighted off the Alabama Gulf coast. The visit was surprising because female right whales rarely travel together and do not typically venture into the Gulf of Mexico. Right whales have been listed as endangered since 1970 with only about 370 individuals remaining today. As pointed out by Ocean Conservancy, World Whale Day is a reminder that warming waters, melting ice, and noise pollution can impact whales. For more information on this issue, see the February 12, 2025 USA Today article “A pair of whales are making a baffling journey along the US Gulf Coast” by Dinal Voyles Pulver at https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/06/two-right-whales-make-a-baffling-journey-along-the-us-gulf-coast/78235551007/ and the NOAA Fisheries Species Directory article “North Atlantic Right Whale” at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale.

Seen any Tegu Lizards lately?

The tegu lizard is a large invasive species from South America. As with some other creatures that can threaten native species, tegus are in the United States as a result of the pet trade. Prevalent in several parts of Florida and recorded in the Panhandle, tegus can grow to 4-5 ft long and weigh 10 pounds. They are “opportunistic predators” and eat almost anything – dead or alive, including the eggs and young of crocodiles and tortoises. For more on this issue, see the UF/IFAS askifas article “Florida Invader: Tegu Lizard” by Steve A. Johnson and Monica McGarrity at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW340.