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Good morning!
Okaloosa Gas has unveiled ‘The District,’ marking a new era for both employees and the community with enhanced facilities and services, while officials are monitoring weather models for the possibility of snow Sunday in Okaloosa County. Fort Walton Beach boys soccer continues building toward another playoff push, Pearson’s hat trick powers Niceville boys soccer to a 5-1 victory over Choctaw, and Florida Blue urges residents to enroll in health insurance by the January 15 deadline.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
WEATHER
Officials monitoring weather models for possible snow Sunday in Okaloosa County
Meteorologists are carefully tracking the latest model runs for the possibility of snow on Sunday, according to a message Okaloosa Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox sent Wednesday afternoon.
- The forecast has been inconsistent, swinging from flurries to wintry mix to 1 inch of accumulation, Maddox wrote.
He reviewed the latest GFS, Euro and CMC models — the CMC doesn’t bring precipitation south of the Tennessee Valley, but the GFS and Euro show moisture occurring during freezing temperatures.
“You don’t have to be a genius to add those two factors together,” Maddox wrote.
He emphasized officials will continue monitoring to see if the trend holds, but wanted to ensure no one gets caught off-guard if it occurs.
“We’re not talking Snowmageddon a-la 2025 here, but enough to make driving a challenge if ice or snow decides to stick,” Maddox wrote.
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GAMES
WordroW: January 15, 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
Fort Walton Beach boys soccer building toward another playoff push
Coming off a Final Four appearance, Fort Walton Beach boys soccer hasn’t missed a beat and still looks like a team that will make noise come playoff time.
- After years of strong regular seasons followed by playoff heartbreaks, the Vikings last season did something that hasn’t been done since Ronald Reagan was in the White House: make the Final Four.
And this year, despite some rough patches, the Vikings overall look like a team that can make noise come playoff time.
While this season has certainly had some low points — getting swept by Choctaw and losses to Niceville and Gulf Breeze — the Vikings are sitting at 9-4-2 today. That record might be better than it appears, considering Fort Walton also played Niceville and Gulf Breeze to ties and has wins over North Bay Haven and Pace.
The Vikings are doing well for a team that lost an impactful senior class that was the key to that Final Four run with players like leading goalscorer D’Angelo Sanchez, Esteban Mendes, Brian Chadwell, Jason Reyes and elite goalkeeper Elijah Lacey.
How is Fort Walton continuing to succeed? They simply do what the best programs do: The next players step up.
GAMES
Mini local crossword of the week
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
A weekly crossword featuring local headlines, history, and hot topics. Test your knowledge of our community, and the stories locals are talking about.
PROMOTED
Florida Blue urges residents to enroll in health insurance by Jan. 15 deadline
Today is the final day for individuals and families to enroll in an Individual Marketplace health plan for 2026, according to Darnell Smith, market president for Florida Blue.
- “As we settle into the rhythm of the new year, one of the most concerning issues for our community is the lingering uncertainty around health care,” Smith said. “At a time when so many in our community are having trouble making ends meet, individuals and families are also worried about how to continue paying for their health care in 2026.”
Smith said after the Jan. 15 deadline, the only way to enroll in or change plans is by qualifying for a Special Enrollment Period, which requires a major life change like getting married, moving to a new county or having a baby.
“Missing the upcoming deadline could leave many without the coverage they need,” he said.
The enrollment period closes as many residents face uncertainty about health care costs. Enhanced tax credits that made coverage affordable expired at the end of 2025, though Congress could take up the issue again with a plan to extend subsidies.
Free enrollment assistance is available at Florida Blue Centers or by calling 1-844-396-2597 for English or 1-855-209-2477 for Spanish. Information is also available at FloridaBlue.com/StayCovered or FloridaBlue.com/MantenteCubierto.
SPORTS
Pearson’s hat trick powers Niceville boys soccer to 5-1 victory over Choctaw
After seeing their 12-game winning streak snapped by Colombia on Saturday, the Niceville Eagles boys soccer team responded in emphatic fashion Tuesday night, defeating the Choctaw Indians 5-1 at Joe Etheredge Stadium.
- Eagles Head Coach Wes Nelson praised his team’s response, calling it a crucial win as the squad prepares for postseason play.
“It’s positive to see that we bounced back and played well. Hopefully it’s a game that gets us prepared,” Nelson said. “Choctaw’s always a strong side so it’s someone I like to play at the end of the season to get ready for playoffs.”
The night belonged to Pearson, who overcame an early injury scare to deliver a three-goal performance.
BUSINESS
Okaloosa Gas unveils ‘The District,’ a new era for employees and community
Okaloosa Gas opened the doors to its new headquarters Wednesday, revealing a 160,000-square-foot campus designed to bring together more than 200 employees under one roof for the first time in the utility’s 70-year history.
- The facility, now known simply as “The District,” hosted a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. on Jan. 14, followed by tours showcasing a building that CEO Gordon King described as more than just office space – it’s a home built for the people who serve 2,400 square miles of Northwest Florida.
“Our people, our employees deserve better than what we’ve been able to provide for them,” King said. “We’ve built a building that’s solid, strong, and it’s going to be here for a long time. We have a responsibility to our customers to make sure we’re there to provide service to them 24 hours a day, year round, and this facility will enable us to do that.”
The campus sits on 13.5 acres at the entrance to Valparaiso on Government Avenue and Valparaiso Parkway, replacing a hodgepodge of buildings – some dating to 1953 – that had outlived their usefulness. The oldest structure had its roof replaced four times due to hurricane damage.
The consolidation addresses a fundamental problem that hampered operations for years. Departments worked in isolation, preventing the kind of collaboration essential for efficient service delivery.
- “Our marketing department is isolated, our operations people are isolated, our engineering people can’t communicate with our service people – that will all come together,” King explained. “The communication aspect of things and our employees deserve that.”
The building blends industrial aesthetics with modern workplace design, featuring exposed ductwork and wiring throughout, a design choice inspired by the architect’s own Atlanta office, which uses the same approach.
A grand stairway connects the second through fourth floors, creating what King calls a “social cafe” where employees from different departments can interact naturally. Each floor features its own gathering space with tables, chairs and kitchenettes, encouraging spontaneous collaboration.
“The whole building is set up where you can grab your laptop and go work anywhere in the building you want to work,” King said.
The four-story administrative building makes up roughly 90,000 square feet of district space, with approximately 60,000 square feet designated for tenants. Three wings will house various businesses, from medical offices to architects to defense contractors – turning the campus into a true mixed-use development.
The name “The District” emerged from practical considerations. Prospective tenants didn’t want to direct clients to “Okaloosa Gas” for their own businesses, prompting staff to brainstorm alternatives that would work for the entire campus. The board of directors approved the straightforward name that acknowledges both the utility’s identity and the building’s role as a mixed-use community hub.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Thursday! 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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