1 alert in effect:
  • Rip Current StatementWhat this means

The local desk · Okaloosa County

Everything happening on the Emerald Coast, in one place.

We read the county, the cities and the outlets that cover them, then brief it in our own words with a link to everyone who reported it. Updated every hour.

Could not reach uv. Those readings are blank because they are missing, not because there is nothing to report.

Latest story

Santa Rosa Beach Wildfire 90% Contained, No Injuries

A fire that started Saturday afternoon near Seacrest and Satinwood Drive burned three acres of Point Washington State Forest before crews brought it 90% under control by evening. No structures were damaged and temporary evacuations were lifted by 4 p.m., allowing residents to return home.

1 source

Niceville volleyball advances to Elite 8 with 3-2 win over Gainesville

Niceville defeated seventh-seeded Gainesville 25-18, 20-25, 25-13, 21-25, 15-9 in a Region 1-5A semifinal Saturday, advancing to the state tournament's Elite 8 for the first time since 2020. The Eagles will host fourth-seeded Middleburg on Wednesday for a Final Four berth, relying on contributions from their full roster depth to overcome a five-set marathon.

1 source

Okaloosa County Man Gets 40 Years for Shooting at FedEx Truck

Brian Quinones was sentenced Thursday to four decades in prison for firing multiple rounds into an occupied delivery truck in September 2024, with bullets striking both the passenger and driver-side windshields. A jury convicted the 29-year-old in June after the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office investigation found he had shot inches from the driver's head.

1 source

Niceville High Graduate Killed in Vietnam War Battle

Private First Class Larry Eugene Martin, a 21-year-old from Niceville, died on October 24, 1969, when enemy mortar and machine gun fire struck his unit during a tank-assisted sweep in the demilitarized zone. Martin's B Company unit, part of the Fifth Infantry Division, repelled the North Vietnamese attack with support from American tanks, killing more than 300 enemy soldiers in the engagement.

1 source

Coming up

All events
Wednesday, October 28, 10:00 AMFestival

Halloween Hike (AH)

Bring your preschooler to Trick or Treat through stations full of goodies galore on Wednesday, October 28th at 10am ! The event will take place on the Destin Library front lawn.

Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative

Destin Library (Veranda), 150 Sibert Ave, Destin

Wednesday, October 28, 5:00 PMFestival

Trunk or Treat at Mary Esther United Methodist Church

Mary Esther United Methodist Church NOT SO SCARY TRUNK OR TREAT TRUNK OR TREAT — JOIN THE FUN! October 28th from 5pm-6:30pm on the side parking lot of the church!

Mary Esther United Methodist Church, 703 East Miracle Strip Parkway, Mary Esther

Wednesday, October 28, 6:30 PMPerformance or show

October Storytellers

Our story continues. After years of gathering in and around Santa Rosa Beach, Emerald Coast Storytellers has begun expanding west.

The Craft Bar - Destin Harbor, 541 Harbor Blvd, Destin

Thursday, October 29, 5:00 PMPerformance or show

Documentary of the Month: "Dracula's Hidden Kingdom"

Documentary of the Month: Dracula’s Hidden Kingdom Thursday, October 29 | 5:00 pm | Niceville Library Discover the wildlife and wild places of one of the world’s most iconic locations – Transylvania; a mystical land beyond the Romanian forests hiding some of Europe’s last true wilderness regions. Its soaring Carpathian Mountains and vast ancient forests still provide sanctuary for some of the coun

Niceville

Niceville Library (Conference Room), 206 N Partin Dr, Niceville