What is happening in Okaloosa County and along the Emerald Coast. Every story is briefed in our own words, with links to everyone who reported it.
The Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women honored eight female leaders at an August 24 ceremony, recognizing their contributions across business, healthcare, education, and public service. Olympic medalist Mia Manganello of Crestview was also recognized as a Hometown Heroine at the event held at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center.
Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies arrested Marcus Jordan after an electronic service provider alerted federal authorities that his computer had uploaded child sexual abuse material to their server in March. Jordan faces three counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and is being held on $125,000 bond; he has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
Jamie Babula's hyperrealistic colored-pencil drawing of an artist's palette will serve as the official poster for the 31st Annual Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Festival of the Arts in October. Babula receives a $750 award and her work will appear on festival materials, with the original piece included in a silent auction benefiting the foundation's arts education programs.
Okaloosa County partnered with Force Blue, a group of military veteran divers, to extract marine waste including tires and approximately 12 miles of fishing line from ten artificial reef sites near Destin and Fort Walton Beach. The debris removal effort marks the sixth collaborative cleanup between the county and Force Blue, addressing hazards that endanger marine life like sea turtles.
A sheriff's K9 from Okaloosa County tracked down a man who fled on foot after abandoning a stolen vehicle in Walton County on Wednesday. Zachary DeWayne Talbot, 44, of Paxton was found hiding near a shed and arrested on grand theft auto charges.
Michael Beedie, who served as Fort Walton Beach City Manager for over a decade and now works as Senior Manager of Government Affairs for WM, set a new fitness goal after turning 50 in January. Inspired by his wife's health transformation, Beedie began training in August for a November half marathon while maintaining his travel-heavy position between Louisiana and Tallahassee.
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The city is rolling out Destin Park & Play on March 1, partnering with LAZ Parking to let visitors pay for spots via QR code or text without downloading an app. Rates stay at $20 for four hours in beach areas and $15 daily in the harbor, while residents with parking decals park free.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and his father, John Uthmeier, will serve as Honorary Captains during Fort Walton Beach High School's Friday night football game against South Walton High School. The school is recognizing John Uthmeier for leading the 2004 construction of the Vikings' on-campus baseball field and James Uthmeier for his legal career and public service.
The Okaloosa County School District published its annual report covering student achievement, district programs and staff performance for the past school year. Superintendent Marcus Chambers called the document a showcase of "tremendous accomplishments" and reiterated the district's commitment to student success, though specific metrics were not disclosed in the announcement.
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The city council voted 4-3 to postpone a decision on whether to allow home-based food businesses to operate outdoor carts and stands, pushing the vote to mid-October while suspending code enforcement on existing stands. A councilman cited concerns about a state law restricting how strictly cities can regulate land use through 2027, saying the council needed more time to gather community input.
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Fort Walton Beach is accepting large household items through Thursday as part of its final week of August neighborhood cleanup, with residents instructed to place furniture, appliances, and mattresses at the curb on their regular yard waste collection day. The city will also conduct a free tire pickup on Friday, Aug. 28, for residential customers who call ahead to schedule collection.
A 73-year-old Mississippi woman was discovered dead in the driver's seat of a disabled vehicle on Interstate 10 west near mile marker 55 Sunday morning. Florida Highway Patrol says the death does not appear to be criminal in nature.
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Destin City Council will hold a public hearing September 8 on four measures including a new transportation corridor management plan, amendments to electric bicycle and scooter regulations, a property tax levy for fiscal 2027, and spending appropriations for the coming year. The council will also consider renaming a portion of Pine Street to Blue Marlin Court.
The Destin Sharks defeated Port St. Joe 53-13 in their season opener, accumulating 393 total yards behind running back Donnie Couitt's 195 yards and quarterback Kellen Ramsey's four touchdown passes. Coach E.G. Green attributed the dominant performance to the team's 24 seniors and their summer preparation.
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The Fort Walton Beach Police Department will hold a free "Drive Sober; Arrive Alive" event on Aug. 22 at the Landing, featuring an impaired driving simulator, safety resources, and community activities. The six-hour event aims to promote road safety through public education and engagement.
The Destin middle school football team defeated Bruner 30-0 and Ruckel 14-7 in a two-game jamboree on August 20. First-year head coach Shaun Arntz said the team moved the ball effectively but noted depth concerns and penalties that need addressing before the regular season begins.
Volunteers discovered more than 200 scallop shells during an annual survey of Choctawhatchee Bay, marking the first physical evidence of the shellfish in the waterway after years of absence. All shells were empty, and no live scallops were spotted, though preliminary monitoring last month had documented living specimens, suggesting a possible die-off occurred between surveys.
Jalen Corey Hardy was arrested after breaking into a used car dealership on Beal Parkway, stealing an $18,000 white Nissan and causing multiple hit-and-run crashes, according to Okaloosa County authorities. Investigators located Hardy inside the stolen vehicle near an Eglin Parkway restaurant, where he confessed and said he needed transportation to Detroit.
Deputies stopped a vehicle near Crestview after identifying a passenger with outstanding warrants and discovered approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of fentanyl during a K-9 search. The driver and passenger were booked into Okaloosa County Jail on drug trafficking and possession charges.
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Fort Walton Beach police stopped three suspects on U.S. Highway 98 following a reported theft at Academy Sports + Outdoors on August 18. Officers recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia during the arrests, with one suspect charged with petit theft and drug possession while another faces a notice to appear.
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The city's Code Enforcement Department will conduct a compliance sweep Thursday morning in the Ferry Park neighborhood as part of its Cleanest City initiative. Officers will focus on common violations including abandoned vehicles, overgrown vegetation, and unpermitted construction, with the goal of encouraging voluntary compliance before issuing citations.
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The Take Stock in Children Okaloosa County program received the Luminary Award at the national conference, achieving a perfect score across all evaluation categories including mentoring, college readiness, program data and compliance standards. The recognition reflects the efforts of staff, mentors, students, families and community partners working to prepare students for post-secondary success.
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The Geographic Information System and My Government Online portal will be unavailable Thursday and Friday for scheduled maintenance work. New permit applications will be delayed until the updates are complete.
Okaloosa County commissioners unanimously approved a $24.7 million contract to transform the county's transit system from daily fixed-route operations to an application-based, on-demand service starting Sept. 1. The shift represents a significant restructuring of how residents access public transportation.
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Local firefighters will gather with community members at Beach Weekend Coffee on Aug. 19 for an informal conversation session. The event, running from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the downtown location, offers residents a chance to ask questions and connect with first responders without formal presentations.
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Electricity was restored to the City Hall complex Wednesday afternoon following an outage that forced the building to close. Normal operations are expected to resume Thursday.
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Fort Walton Beach shut down its City Hall complex on Wednesday, Aug. 19, affecting Customer Service, Growth Management, the City Clerk's office and Human Resources. The power loss forced the closure for the remainder of the day.
A 13-year-old on a bicycle was struck by a school bus Wednesday morning at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and a crosswalk in Crestview. The bus was turning right when it entered the crosswalk where the child was crossing, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The child sustained serious injuries but is expected to make a full recovery.
The city of Crestview and Okaloosa County Commission approved a joint agreement on Aug. 18 to split animal control and sheltering expenses equally, consolidating services under a county program officials say will reduce costs for both parties.
Headlines and briefings are written by Emerald Coast Connected. Full articles remain with the publishers linked under each story.