The public has until April 3 to submit proposals for RESTORE Act projects in Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa residents can dispose of household hazardous waste for free this Saturday, Milton’s Bands on the Blackwater concert series kicks off next month and the Santa Rosa County Commission March newsletter is available online.

Santa Rosa RESTORE deadline April 3

Santa Rosa County has extended the deadline for the public to submit RESTORE ACT project proposals to Friday, April 3, for inclusion in the county’s multi-year implementation plan.

The complete request for proposals, project guidance and new resources are available at www.santarosa.fl.gov/bocc/restore.cfm.

About $4.3 million is available to Santa Rosa County in the first round of the direct component funding offered through the RESTORE Act. The RESTORE Act requires Santa Rosa County to create a multi-year implementation plan that is submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department for review and approval.

This initial release of funding is a small part of an estimated $20 million to $60 million the county could receive once litigation and Clean Water Act fines against BP are finalized.

Last week, Commissioners approved a list of 10 projects it will submit to be considered for initial funding, including renourishment of Navarre Beach, Whiting Aviation Park construction plan development and the paving of dirt roads on the Navarre/Gulf Breeze peninsula, along with several tourism, water quality and stormwater projects.

The commission’s priority list will be submitted to the Santa Rosa County Local RESTORE Council along with any proposals from the public.

Questions about the Santa Rosa County RESTORE application process should be emailed by Thursday, April 2, to [email protected], or people may contact Santa Rosa County Grants Coordinator Sheila Harris at (850) 983-1848.

South Santa Rosa Amnesty Day this Saturday

Residents of South Santa Rosa County residents have the opportunity to dispose of household hazardous waste at no charge without having to drive to the Central Landfill in Milton during Amnesty day, set for this Saturday, March 21.

Waste will be accepted from 8 a.m. to noon at the Santa Rosa County South Service Center, located at 5819 U.S. 98 in Midway.

Materials which will be accepted include: engine/cooking oil, gasoline, paint, antifreeze, oil filters, lubricants, greases, solvents, pesticides, fertilizers, batteries, helium tanks, propane bottles, pool cleaners, household cleaners, computers, cathode ray TVs, monitors, printers, fax machines, DVD/DVR players, typewriters, copy machines, battery backups, fluorescent lights and fire extinguishers.

Those who bring waste on Amnesty Day will be required to remove any items from their vehicle. Containers larger than five gallons will not be accepted.

Materials which will NOT be accepted include: tires, scrap metal, limbs, yard debris and household garbage. Those items may be taken to the Central Landfill located at 6337 Da Lisa Road, Milton, at a minimal charge.

Hazardous household waste is accepted year-round at no charge, Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Household Hazardous Waste Center located at the entrance of the Central Landfill in Milton.

For more information, call (850) 981-7135.

Bands on the Blackwater kicks off April 10

The fourth season of Bands on the Blackwater is set to begin April 10 and total 19 weeks.

The first part of the concert series along the Blackwater River in downtown Milton will start on April 10 and will be held every Friday night through June. After a short break the concert series will resume on Sept. 18 and will be held every Friday through Oct. 30.

All concerts will be held on South Willing Street in downtown Milton. The concerts will run 7 - 9 p.m.

The season will kick off with the Beatles tribute band, Not Quite Fab, a Beatles tribute band, Also on tap are Santa Rosa’s own Chloe Channell, who appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” as well as the Dusty Sanderson Band from Nashville, Bring on the Benjamins and the Highway 95A Band, among others.

Keep up with the concert series at https://www.facebook.com/BandsOnTheBlackwater, the city’s website www.ci.milton.fl.us or contact the Guy Thompson Community Center at (850) 983-5466.

Santa Rosa crime rate low

Santa Rosa County has one of the lowest crime rates in the state, according to the Santa Rosa County Commission’s March newsletter.

Santa Rosa ranked 65 out of 67 in crime in 2012, according to the newsletter.

“Providing a strong drug enforcement program is a must,” Santa Rosa Sheriff Wendall Hall said in the newsletter.

The March newsletter also includes a letter from District 3 Commissioner Don Salter, a report on building permits issued in the county, details on the recent change of command at Whiting Field Naval Air Station, and more.

The newsletter is available at http://santarosa.fl.gov/news/newsletter/D3MAR2015.pdf.