Get The Coast

06/16/2026

RIGHT TURN ONLY: Crews will begin work Tuesday to convert the intersection of Beal Parkway and First Street into a right-turn-only, a safety change city officials say is intended to reduce crashes at one of Fort Walton Beach’s most dangerous intersections.

The turn lane and inside northbound lane of Beal Parkway will be closed near First Street from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17, while a contractor installs traffic separators and re-stripes lane markings. The City of Fort Walton Beach is carrying out the work with permission from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Once the project is complete, drivers on First Street will only be able to turn right onto Beal Parkway. Motorists will no longer be able to drive through the intersection and continue on First Street. Drivers on Beal Parkway will no longer be able to turn left onto First Street. Flexible barrier posts will prevent vehicles from crossing oncoming traffic.

The change is based on a traffic study that documented 35 vehicle crashes at the intersection between 2017 and 2022. Twenty-eight of those crashes were right-angle, or T-bone, collisions, and nine resulted in injuries that required at least one person to be transported to a medical facility.

Full story: https://getthecoast.com/beal-parkway-and-first-street-intersection-going-right-turn-only-this-week-in-fort-walton-beach/

06/15/2026

BOAT RAMP: Okaloosa County crews installed a new restroom Friday at the Cinco Bayou Boat Ramp, the latest piece of an ongoing redevelopment of the site.

The boat ramp closed temporarily Friday morning while crews completed the installation, according to the county.

Remaining improvements at the Cinco Bayou Boat Ramp include 16 to 18 parking spaces for boat trailers, improved access to the boat ramp, landscaping and future dock improvements, the county said.

The county said additional work remains and that further temporary closures may be necessary as the project continues.

Full story: https://getthecoast.com/new-restroom-installed-at-cinco-bayou-boat-ramp-as-okaloosa-county-continues-site-upgrades/

06/14/2026

CAPTAIN BILLY BOWLEGS: Kent Tinsley was unmasked as Captain Billy Bowlegs 71 (LXXI) on Saturday at the Krewe of Bowlegs annual coronation pageant, becoming a second-generation captain and carrying forward a family legacy that began before he was born.

His theme for the year ahead: “Whiskey In, Wisdom Out,” a play on the captain and Krewe’s affection for bourbon and the wisdom they hope to share along the way.

Tinsley’s parents, Herb and Dolly Tinsley, served the Krewe on Honor Guard 23, as First Mate and First Mistress 30, and as Captain Billy 36 (###VI). Both of his parents passed away in the last year, with his father passing in April, just two months before the unveiling.

“I am thankful I was able to talk with him about becoming captain. He encouraged me to find his sword and his medallion,” Tinsley said. “We will celebrate my father’s year and celebrate his legacy. We will honor the traditions of the Krewe as we move forward.”

Tinsley will carry his father’s sword, a gift from his father’s Queen Carlee Foster brought in from Toledo, Spain, and will wear his father’s captain’s medallion in place of commissioning his own.

Queen Tade Wolfe is originally from Eufaula, Alabama, and grew up an Air Force daughter, moving from place to place before eventually calling Florida home.

First Mate Jason Floyd and First Mistress Nicole Floyd are both natives of FWB and Fort Walton Beach High School graduates, bringing deep local roots to the Krewe’s “Top Six.”

Here’s a look at the Top 6, honor guard and the rest of the Krewe.

Kent Tinsley was unmasked as Capt. Billy Bowlegs 71 on Saturday, becoming a second-generation captain and carrying forward a family legacy his father started in the Krewe of Bowlegs decades ago.

06/13/2026

Photos from last night’s America 250 drone show and celebration!!!

06/13/2026

Drone show last night celebrating America 250!!!

06/12/2026

100 HOLES: Fort Walton Beach Golf Club Director Jacob Hill will play 100 holes of golf in a single day this fall to raise money for First Tee Gulf Coast, a youth golf program serving kids ages 5 to 18 in Okaloosa and Walton counties.

Hill will take on the Joe Durant 100 Holes of Golf Marathon on Oct. 19 at the Pensacola Country Club. For reference, a typical 18-hole round takes about three to four hours to complete. Hill estimates he’ll be swinging a club from sunup to sundown.
It’s the first time he has attempted the feat.

“Every day at Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, we see how powerful the game can be in shaping young people’s lives,” Hill said. “Programs like First Tee help teach kids confidence, integrity, perseverance, and respect, skills that go far beyond the golf course."

Fort Walton Beach Golf Club Director Jacob Hill will play 100 holes in one day to support First Tee Gulf Coast, a junior golf program.

06/11/2026

HOW I WORK: Sarah Brock relocated to Northwest Florida from Wellington, Florida nearly a decade ago and quickly found herself drawn to both the natural beauty of the area and the opportunity to build a career in storytelling and nonprofit work.

Today, she serves as Director of Marketing for the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC), helping share the stories of an organization that serves every reported case of child abuse and neglect in Okaloosa and Walton counties.

Her days begin early with coffee, prayer, and time with her rescue pup Phoenix before a commute filled with music or a podcast. At work, no two days look the same, as Sarah might be a videographer, photographer, designer, or writer depending on the project.

Outside of work, she values time with friends and family, her faith, and a deep curiosity about the world, while staying connected to the local business community through organizations like the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Full story: https://getthecoast.com/how-i-work-an-inside-look-at-how-eccacs-sarah-brock-blends-storytelling-creativity-and-purpose-in-nonprofit-marketing/

06/11/2026

EGLIN AFB: The 96th Test Wing will host a change of command and change of responsibility ceremony at 9:06 a.m. June 16 at the McKinley Climatic Lab on Eglin Air Force Base, according to a news release from the wing’s Office of Public Affairs.

Air Force Test Center Commander Maj. Gen. Scott Cain will serve as the presiding official.

Col. Terrance Keithley will assume command of the 96th Test Wing from Brig. Gen. Mark Massaro, who is leaving to become the Air Force Test Center commander at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Keithley, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and command pilot with more than 2,300 flight hours, is arriving from his role as commander of a data masked organization. His career includes various operational, test and staff positions, along with a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

06/11/2026

2,000 EVENTS: The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce will honor longtime Chamber Ambassador Paul Singleton on June 24 as he reaches 2,000 Chamber events attended, a streak that began in 1976.

The Paul Singleton Meet & Greet is set for 3 to 3:45 p.m. at Home2 Suites by Hilton, Freedom Tech Center, 1930 Lewis Turner Blvd. The event will also mark Singleton’s 93rd birthday, which falls on June 21. A short program featuring guest speakers begins at 3:15 p.m. No RSVP is required.

“50 years of attending Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce events is unparalleled, like Cal Ripken’s consecutive games played record in Major League Baseball,” said Ted Corcoran, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. “Paul’s legacy will never be matched. I’m also proud that we’ve had that many new businesses join our Chamber, requiring ribbon cuttings, so he could attend them. We named our ribbon-cutting scissors after Paul about 10 years ago, and he keeps showing up to every single one.”

Full story: https://getthecoast.com/fort-walton-beach-chamber-to-honor-paul-singleton-for-attending-2000th-event-in-50-year-streak/

06/11/2026

DRONE SHOW: Okaloosa America 250 is inviting the public to enjoy a one-of-a-kind patriotic drone show at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center and Freedom Tech Center on June 12, 2026.

Parking will be available in multiple locations beginning at 7 p.m. along with a shuttle from the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club. View the map below to view parking and drone show viewing locations.

Tune to 100.3 FM from 7-9 p.m. for event information and music during the drone show. Festivities and food trucks will be available to the public at Freedom Tech Center.