Get The Coast, 124 Eglin Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL (2025)

12/03/2025

EAST PASS NAVIGATION LIGHTS: Congressman Jimmy Patronis sent a letter on Tuesday to the Coast Guard urging the agency to replace broken navigation lights at Destin’s East Pass that he said have been out since at least 2021.

The letter comes two months after the Destin City Council unanimously approved sending letters to Patronis and other lawmakers requesting their help addressing ongoing navigation and safety issues at the pass.

The lights on markers three and four in the pass pose safety risks in "one of the busiest boating channels in the country," Patronis wrote to Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday.

Patronis cited vessel traffic data showing more than 1,500 boats enter and exit the harbor on weekdays and more than 2,000 on weekends. He compared that to the Port of Los Angeles, which he said handled 1,807 vessel arrivals during all of 2024.

The Congressman also pointed to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission accident data, saying that when adjusted for population, Okaloosa County’s boating accident rate was 530% higher than Miami-Dade County, which had the most total accidents in the state.

🔗 link to the full story below

12/03/2025

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE DISPLAY NOW OPEN: A family Christmas tradition spanning more than three decades has found a new home in the Fort Walton Beach City Hall complex.

Tim Gibson, the city’s growth management director, has transformed a vacant office off the Growth Management Department lobby into an elaborate Christmas village display featuring hundreds of buildings and figurines, a castle and a functioning railroad train.

The collection began in the late 1980s when Gibson’s father-in-law started buying porcelain Christmas village buildings for his wife. The pieces are from the “Village Square” line sold annually through Mervyn’s, a department store chain that closed in 2008.

Gibson and his wife, Melissa, eventually inherited the collection and have continued the tradition of setting it up each holiday season.

The display includes hidden surprises for visitors, including a “Where’s Waldo” figure, tiny ladybugs and recognizable shapes formed in the clouds hovering over the village.

The village is on display through the end of the year at 105 Miracle Strip Parkway SW. Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

12/03/2025

LOCAL MANUFACTURING: Florida State University’s Institute of Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) workforce development team has designed and launched free virtual tours showcasing advanced manufacturing along the Gulf Coast, featuring Fort Walton Machining as one of two highlighted companies.

The tours are designed in a digital “choose your own adventure” style for an engaging and interactive experience in both additive and subtractive manufacturing. They provide opportunities for students and the broader community to explore advancements in manufacturing throughout Northwest Florida in greater depth.

The Fort Walton Machining tour guides students through subtractive manufacturing processes that are currently creating critical parts for projects like the Artemis rocket, highlighting the precision and expertise required in today’s manufacturing landscape.

Fort Walton Machining is a recognized leader in the manufacturing and assembly of custom designed, precision machined parts. The precision contract machining company specializes in complex, high-tech, high quality, specification intensive manufacturing. Its customer base ranges from defense and aerospace to medical and commercial industries.

12/03/2025

HOW I WORK: Stephen Perkins moved to Fort Walton Beach 11 years ago, leaving a small town outside Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after earning his master’s degree.

While interviewing with public accounting firms, he discovered Warren Averett, LLC and instantly knew he’d found the team, the culture, and the community he wanted to be part of.

Today, he’s a partner in the firm’s tax department, helping clients navigate complex financial decisions and long-term planning. His wife Sloan works in Warren Averett’s Audit Department.

His mornings begin early with coffee, a quick trip outside with his German shepherd Eevee, and a workout before diving into client calls, tax projections, and strategy sessions.

From solving intricate cash flow puzzles to grabbing a smoked cheddar bacon burger at Sax Grille, the past Chairman of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce finds ways to blend precision, practicality, and a love for local businesses into every day. (Oh, he's also big into racing!)

Full Story: https://www.getthecoast.com/warren-averett-stephen-perkins-how-i-work/

12/02/2025

DRURY HOTEL COMING TO DESTIN: Destin City Council approved a major development order on first reading Monday night for a 320-room Drury Plaza Hotel following more than an hour of debate over landscaping, traffic safety, parking reductions and city code.

The council voted to approve the project with two conditions: at least 80% of required landscaping must consist of native trees rather than palms, and the developer must include a designated pet relief area on the property.

Choctaw Engineering, on behalf of Drury Destin LLC, submitted the application to construct the six-story, 225,615-square-foot hotel and conference center at 1001 Highway 98 East, on a site adjacent to Big Kahuna’s Water Park.

The project includes approximately 4,000 square feet of conference space, an outdoor pool, 333 parking spaces, stormwater improvements and pedestrian infrastructure on the 10.27-acre site.

The development order will come back for second reading on Dec. 16.

🔗 link to the full recap of the meeting down below...

12/02/2025

SMALLS SLIDERS OPENING: Smalls Sliders will open its doors at 822 Beal Pkwy on Wednesday, Dec. 10, bringing the cheeseburger slider concept to the former Hardee’s location that has been vacant for years.

The grand opening will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce and a check presentation to Arc of the Emerald Coast.

The first 100 guests will receive Smorange slides as part of the opening day celebration.

🔗 link to the full story below...

12/01/2025

SCHOOL FUNDING: Sen. Don Gaetz filed legislation on Nov. 21 that would fundamentally restructure how the state funds its Family Empowerment Scholarship program, addressing similar concerns raised by Okaloosa County school officials about the program’s impact on district budgets.

Senate Bill 318 would move Family Empowerment Scholarship funding into a separate categorical fund outside the Florida Education Finance Program calculation used to fund public schools.

Gaetz, a former Okaloosa County Superintendent who served as Senate president from 2012-2014, said the bill addresses three primary issues identified in an operational audit of the 2024-2025 school year completed by the Florida Auditor General.

“Today, the state does not know where students are at key points in the school year,” Gaetz said during the Nov. 20 Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education meeting. “Last year, we told you the state couldn’t find 23,000 students. Today, the number is 30,000 students the taxpayers are paying for, but we don’t know where they are.”

According to Gaetz, the audit also found that the state cannot ensure money is following students to their chosen education providers, with more than $270 million unaccounted for “as being in the right place at the right time” on any given day. Gaetz said $100 million that should have been paid to public schools last year was improperly paid for scholarships.

The third major issue Gaetz cited involves the state’s inability to accurately project scholarship costs for budgetary planning because the program is growing rapidly and application deadlines are not aligned with budget calendars.

🔗 to the full story below...

12/01/2025

"WE JUST GOT IT DONE": The 31-28 win on Friday night crowned Choctaw the 2025 Class 4A Region 1 champions and sent them to the Final Four for the first time since 2014.

“It’s big for our kids, our program. We’ve obviously been battling and gotten to this point for the past four years, so it finally kicked the door in and got it done,” coach Frank Beasley said. “We’re extremely excited to have two more games and keep climbing the mountain with our guys and get better and better. Our guys had a lot of guts tonight and character on the road. It’s tough to win a playoff game on the road and we just got it done.”

As Choctaw advances to the Final Four, they will host defending state champion and Region 4 champion American Heritage (Plantation), who defeated Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) 25-20 last Friday.

“That’ll be really exciting for our community and our players,” Beasley said.

The Choctaw-American Heritage game will be held at Joe Etheredge Stadium in Fort Walton Beach on Dec. 5. The winner will face the winner of the Jones (Orlando)-Port Charlotte game in the 2025 FHSAA Class 4A State Championship, which will be held Dec. 10-13 at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in Miami.

📸 Abbey Leigh Larsen

12/01/2025

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMPETITION: Coastal Realty Services is hosting its second annual Shine-Off Competition, inviting South Okaloosa County residents to show off their Christmas light displays for a chance at cash prizes.

The competition is open to residential properties in Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Mary Esther and Shalimar. Entry is free with no restrictions on display size, and there is no limit to the number of participants.

Winners will receive cash prizes: $100 for first place, $50 for second place, $25 for third place and $50 for the Crowd Favorite category. Winners will also receive yard signs.

Entries opened Nov. 25 and close Dec. 14. Judging will take place Dec. 15, with prizes and yard signs delivered Dec. 16-17.

Full Details: https://www.getthecoast.com/coastal-realty-services-brings-back-christmas-light-competition-in-south-okaloosa-for-second-year/

12/01/2025

CHRISTMAS PARADE RESCHEDULED: Due to tonight's rain forecast, the Fort Walton Beach Christmas Parade Christmas Parade has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 2, starting at 6:30 p.m.

11/30/2025

BACKSTREET BOY, WALTON COUNTY: This morning, Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell was on Fox & Friends addressing his $50,000 lawsuit against a Walton County woman accused of trespassing on his "private beach."

"This is supposed to be the American dream," Littrell said on the show. "It is private property. It's been private since 1912."

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2287092058380418

11/30/2025

CHOCTAW HEADED TO FINAL FOUR: The Indians trailed 28-17 with 17 minutes left in the game on Friday night, but did what they've done all year: step up and respond when needed.

The Big Green Indians rallied behind Tamen Zabetakis, who hit Carter Marracco for a 48-yard go-ahead touchdown strike. Zion Legree got the two-point conversion, and the Indians took a 31-28 lead with nine minutes left.

Then came arguably the play of the game.

With a minute and a half left, on fourth and inches, offensive coordinator Matt Pacheco schemed up quite the play. Zabetakis and Von'Tavious Keller looked to the sideline, appearing to look for an audible, which distracted the Yellow Jackets defense and allowed Marracco to discreetly move under center and take a direct snap sneak for a first down, sealing the game.

The 31-28 win made Choctaw the 2025 Class 4A Region 1 champions and sent them to the Final Four for the first time since 2014.

"It's big for our kids, our program. We've obviously been battling and gotten to this point for the past four years, so it finally kicked the door in and got it done," coach Frank Beasley said. "We're extremely excited to have two more games and keep climbing the mountain with our guys and get better and better. Our guys had a lot of guts tonight and character on the road. It's tough to win a playoff game on the road and we just got it done."

As Choctaw advances to the Final Four, they will host defending state champion and Region 4 champion American Heritage (Plantation), which defeated Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) 25-20 last Friday.

"That'll be really exciting for our community and our players," Beasley said.

The Choctaw-American Heritage game will be held at Joe Etheredge Stadium in Fort Walton Beach on Dec. 5.

Link to the full story from Travis Espy below 👇

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