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Good morning!
The City of Mary Esther held a special meeting on Tuesday to address the district’s proposed closure of Mary Esther Elementary School. Fort Walton Beach Church of Christ is leading an effort to help a couple get a new home after experiencing a health and housing crisis, Choctaw boys soccer advances to 9-2-2 with a rivalry win over Fort Walton Beach, Highways 85, 285 and State Roads 123, 293 will close for military missions, and check out five homes for sale in Valparaiso under $600K
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
GIVING BACK
Fort Walton Beach Church leads effort to help couple get new home after health, housing crisis
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
When Ricardo Morales walked into Karen and Craig Geohagan’s Fort Walton Beach home in late March, he knew immediately the longtime congregation members couldn’t stay there another day.
- The roof, damaged from fallen tree limbs, was covered with multiple tarps that only minimized water intrusion. Inside, black mold had spread throughout the house, creating dangerous living conditions for the couple who were both recovering from serious medical procedures.
“I came home that afternoon and showed my wife those pictures and I said, we have to get them out of that house immediately,” said Morales, Missions Lead at Fort Walton Beach Church of Christ. “They most likely would be dead — just from the amount of black mold that was starting to grow and progressed through the house.”
The Geohagans, longtime members of church on Hollywood Boulevard, had endured a devastating series of health crises over the previous three years. Craig underwent brain tumor surgery, followed by their oldest son’s death about 1.5 years ago. Karen had an emergency quadruple bypass in December 2024, and Craig lost his leg to diabetes complications in May.
“They were at their lowest point and they just had no hope of solutions,” said Deanna Morales, the church’s Outreach Coordinator and Ricardo’s wife. “They had given up.”
The couple’s financial situation had deteriorated alongside their health. Years of medical bills led to collections, credit card debt and three years of back taxes. Neither Craig nor Karen had been taught financial responsibility, leaving them unable to manage mounting obligations.
- On a Sunday in late March, the church congregation gathered and decided to act. By Monday, they were moving the Geohagans out.
With support from the church, congregation members and local businesses, the Geohagans are preparing to move into their new home after spending months turning things around.
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GAMES
WordroW: January 9, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
SPORTS
Choctaw boys soccer advances to 9-2-2 with rivalry win over FWB
Choctaw boys soccer improved to 9-2-2 with a 4-2 victory over rival Fort Walton Beach at Joe Etheredge Stadium on Monday night, completing the season sweep of the Vikings.
Kameron Kestner and Jamaarie Alcide each scored twice to lead the Indians, who took a 2-0 lead into halftime before Fort Walton rallied to tie the game in the second half. Kestner answered with his second goal to put Choctaw back in front, and Alcide added an insurance goal in the final minutes to seal the win.
- “This is a good win for us coming off a loss to Tate,” coach Travis Rivello said. “We knew that coming back and getting a win over Fort would be huge for us and our momentum.”
HOT LISTINGS
5 homes for sale in Valparaiso under $600K
This week, we’re heading into Valparaiso — a laid-back bayside community just outside of Niceville that continues to offer strong value for locals.
- Known for its proximity to Eglin Air Force Base, access to Tom’s Bayou and Choctawhatchee Bay, neighborhood parks, and an easygoing pace of life, Valparaiso blends waterfront living with everyday convenience without the crowds.
These five Hot Listings are all priced under $600,000 and showcase why buyers continue to look here — from fully updated homes and oversized lots to waterfront properties and flexible spaces for boats, workshops, and outdoor living.
Click here to browse the listings and see “what we love” about each
TRAFFIC
Highways 85, 285 and State Roads 123, 293 to close for missions
The 96th Test Wing will conduct testing on the Eglin Test Complex on Jan. 16, requiring the closure of Highway 85 and 285, and State Roads 123 and 293 between 9:00 a.m. and noon.
The road should not be closed for more than a 90-minute period.
Note – the road may be closed for several periods within the time frame.
BUSINESS
City of Mary Esther holds special meeting to address proposed elementary school closure
The City of Mary Esther held a special council meeting Tuesday night to discuss the potential closure of Mary Esther Elementary by the Okaloosa County School District.
The meeting was the city’s first formal discussion since Superintendent Marcus Chambers announced he would be recommending closing Mary Esther Elementary and Longwood Elementary at the end of this school year.
Here’s what was discussed:
- City Manager Jared Cobb and Mayor Chris Stein will attend the Jan. 12 school board meeting and Feb. 23 public hearing to speak on behalf of the city.
- The council directed staff to invite school district representatives to their Jan. 20 regular meeting.
- Cobb noted that no one from the school district had previously reached out to indicate enrollment was a concern — until December.
- A closure would make Mary Esther the only city in Okaloosa County without a public school.
- The city’s comprehensive plan identifies the school as “a primary neighborhood anchor” essential to maintaining community character.
- Mary Esther residents and businesses contribute approximately $2.7 million annually to the school system, plus about $500,000 through the half-cent sales tax.
- Fifth-grade teacher Danielle Parker raised concerns about class sizes jumping from 18-20 students to the maximum 25 allowed if schools consolidate.
- A former Hurlburt Field advisory committee chairman urged the council to engage military leadership, noting “education is a part of military readiness”.
- The roughly 10-acre school property is zoned institutional — any future rezoning would require city approval.
The full story also includes background on why the district is considering closures, enrollment data and what’s next in the process.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Friday! Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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