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Good morning!
Kaley Lazzaro, widow of Staff Sergeant Tommy Lazzaro of the 7th Special Forces Group, will receive a donated home from NatureView in Freeport through the Hero Homez initiative, nearly a year after he died in a hunting accident on Eglin Air Force Base. Suntex has acquired Two Georges Marina and renamed it Shalimar Harbor Marina, Okaloosa students are honored for speeches and artwork celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, Fort Walton Beach police recover $19,000 from a bank impersonation scam, and Niceville High School’s ‘SIX: The Musical’ wraps up this weekend. Also, check out five Fort Walton Beach homes with upcoming open houses.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
BUSINESS
Suntex acquires Two Georges Marina, renames it Shalimar Harbor Marina
Suntex Marina Investors has acquired Two Georges Marina in Shalimar, bringing the property into its network as Shalimar Harbor Marina.
- The Dallas-based company, operating in partnership with Centerbridge Partners and its affiliates, announced the acquisition Wednesday. The new name pays homage to the property’s history as Shalimar Yacht Basin.
The purchase marks Suntex’s second property along the Emerald Coast, joining Legendary Marina in Destin. The acquisition adds 134 wet slips and 190 dry rack storage spaces to the company’s portfolio.
Located one mile from the Intracoastal Waterway and minutes from Destin Pass, the marina offers fuel dock services, a ship store and on-site marine services.
George and Amanda Fussell will continue operating an independent sales and service business at the marina under the Two Georges Marine name. The business will provide boatyard haul-out services, maintenance and repairs, repowers and retail boat sales for brands including Caymas, Contender, C-Hawk, Mitzi Skiffs and Ranger Boats.
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GAMES
WordroW: January 23, 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.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa students honored for speeches, artwork celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy
Students from across Okaloosa County stepped forward to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through speeches and artwork that reflected his message of leadership, service and unity.
- The Okaloosa County School District recognized winners of the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical and Poster Contests on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Fort Walton Beach High School.
The annual event, hosted in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Sigma Omicron Omega Chapter, brought together students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“These students honored Dr. King’s legacy in a truly meaningful way,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “Their words and artwork reflected not only creativity and talent, but also a deep understanding of Dr. King’s message and its importance in today’s world. I am incredibly proud of each student who participated.”
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fort Walton Beach police recover $19,000 from bank impersonation scam
The Fort Walton Beach Police Department responded to a fraud report on Jan. 17, according to a press release.
- The victim received a phone call from a woman identifying herself as Sarah, who claimed to be an employee of Navy Federal Credit Union. The caller told the victim her account had been compromised and instructed her to transfer $1,200 to Cash App, which she did.
The following day, the victim was contacted again, this time by a man claiming to be with Navy Federal Credit Union. He instructed her to withdraw $19,000 and overnight it to an address in Fort Pierce.
The victim later became suspicious and contacted the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
Through the efforts of patrol officers, the Criminal Investigations Unit, the Evidence Unit and with assistance from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the package containing the $19,000 in cash was tracked and intercepted at the FedEx facility in Mossy Head. The money was returned to the victim.
HOT LISTINGS
5 Fort Walton Beach homes for sale with open houses coming up
If you’ve been casually scrolling listings lately, Fort Walton Beach has had some solid options pop up — especially with open houses happening this weekend and next.
- We pulled together a handful of homes at different price points, all located in Fort Walton Beach, that stood out for their layouts, updates, and overall livability.
These Hot Listings are worth a look whether you’re actively house-hunting or just like seeing what’s out there.
Click here to view all five! (We really like how 834 Holbrook is designed!)
SCHOOL
Niceville High School’s ‘SIX: The Musical’ wraps up this weekend with final performances
Niceville High School Theatre Department presents the final performances of “SIX: The Musical – Teen Edition” this weekend at the NHS Auditorium.
- The high-energy production about the six wives of Henry VIII has three remaining shows: tonight, Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday’s 7 p.m. performance will be a special one-night-only sing-along show.
“SIX” reimagines the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives as a modern pop concert, with each queen telling her story through contemporary musical styles. The teen edition adapts the global sensation for high school performers and audiences.
VIP tickets are $25 and include early seating beginning at 6:30 p.m., a half-hour before showtime, along with a small bottle of water and a small bag of popcorn. General admission tickets are $20, with seating beginning at 6:40 p.m.
The show is rated PG-13.
Performances take place at Niceville High School Auditorium, 800 E. John Sims Parkway. Tickets are available only through gofan.co.
GIVING BACK
Green Beret Tommy Lazzaro’s family to receive donated home from The Jay Odom Group in Freeport
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
NatureView, a master-planned community surrounded by more than 50,000 acres of protected conservation land, has donated a homesite and home to Kaley Lazzaro, widow of Staff Sergeant Tommy Lazzaro of the 7th Special Forces Group.
- The donation through the NatureView Hero Homez initiative comes nearly a year after Tommy Lazzaro died in a hunting accident on Eglin Air Force Base on December 22, 2024. He was 27.
“Today we’re here to present a homesite to Kaley Lazzaro, the widow of Tommy Lazzaro,” said CSM Chuck Labuda of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during a recent gathering at the community. “It’s humbling to see the community come together and support the 7th Special Forces Group.”
The tragedy occurred on Kaley’s birthday, less than 18 hours after the couple learned they were expecting their first child. Their son, also named Tommy, was born in September.
DSLD Builders will construct the home in the Freeport community developed by The Jay Odom Group.
- “She’s going to have a brand-new home to raise our grandson,” said Tom Lazzaro, Tommy’s father. “The financial burden has been lifted from her shoulders.”
Tom Lazzaro described the moment as life-changing for the family approaching the one-year anniversary of their loss.
“This has been a phenomenal blessing,” he said.
Jay Odom, CEO and President of The Jay Odom Group, said NatureView was designed as a place where families can grow and connect on 300 acres surrounded by permanent conservation land owned by the State of Florida and Nokuse Plantation.
“We were fortunate enough to find 300 acres in the middle of a 50,000-acre nature preserve,” Odom said. “We’re surrounded by permanent conservation land. It’s a perfect place for kids to grow up and for families to grow together.”
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!
p.s. What did you think of this morning’s newsletter? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Jared
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124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548