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Good morning!
Three Okaloosa County high schools have earned national honors for their Advanced Placement programs. Okaloosa Commissioners issue a proclamation recognizing America250 ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday, Cynthia West shifts her School Board campaign from District 3 to District 1, Fort Walton Beach defeats Choctaw 55-52 in a second-half comeback, and the first F-35 joins the test wing fleet at Eglin Air Force Base.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
AMERICA250
Okaloosa Commissioners issue proclamation recognizing America250 ahead of nation’s 250th birthday
The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a proclamation Tuesday recognizing America250, the nationwide initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel presented the proclamation during the Jan. 20 meeting, with members of local patriotic organizations in attendance, including the West Florida Daughters of the American Revolution, the Choctawhatchee Bay chapter of the DAR, the Emerald Coast chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and costumed reenactors portraying Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross.
- “We’re so blessed to be able to have a public forum like this,” Ketchel said before reading the proclamation. “I’m so patriotic. Many of you know that I have many ancestors who fought for the American Revolution. I love this country dearly.”
America250 is the official nonpartisan initiative established to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026. The initiative encourages communities to reflect on the nation’s history, honor contributions of all Americans, and inspire civic participation.
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GAMES
WordroW: January 26, 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.
POLITICS
Cynthia West shifts Okaloosa School Board campaign from District 3 to District 1
Cynthia West has shifted her Okaloosa County School Board campaign from District 3 to District 1.
- West, a mother of four and mental health professional, announced the change Thursday, citing her background as a substance abuse counselor in Shalimar and existing relationships with families in the district.
“My family and I are proud to call Okaloosa County home, and over time, new opportunities have opened that make it clear District 1 is where I can best serve,” West said in a press release. “This shift isn’t about politics or positioning — it’s about service.”
West announced her initial candidacy for District 3 in December. Mitch Reed, a U.S. Army veteran and business consultant, also announced a campaign for that seat in August. The District 3 seat is currently held by School Board Member Linda Evanchyk, who has not announced whether she will seek re-election.
Current District 1 School Board member Dr. Lamar White announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election. Former Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts JD Peacock has also announced his candidacy for the District 1 seat.
Jerry Buckman, who ran against White in 2022, has prefiled for the race according to the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections website.
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SPORTS
Fort Walton Beach defeats Choctaw 55-52 in second-half comeback
In front of a standing-room-only crowd on Friday night at The Fort, the Vikings rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat crosstown rival Choctaw 55-52.
- Choctaw raced out to an 8-0 lead and extended it to 23-12 by halftime after a 13-0 run in the second quarter that saw Fort Walton go seven minutes without scoring. The Indians pushed their lead to 13 early in the third quarter before the Vikings began chipping away.
Xy Childres hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to end the third quarter, cutting Choctaw’s lead to six heading into the fourth. The Vikings finally took their first lead of the night at 47-45 when Rodric Starks hit a basket with under two minutes remaining.
The drama continued in the final seconds. After Childres hit two free throws that appeared to ice the game, Fort Walton was charged a technical foul. With .4 seconds remaining, technicals were handed out to both teams (FWB student section was excited with the toilet paper).
- Choctaw had one final possession to tie the game, but Sean Simon stole the inbound to secure the 55-52 win. But make no mistake, both teams played their hearts out.
Childres set the pace with a season-high 21 points, supported by Christian Coley’s 13 points and Starks’ 10 points. Simon scored seven points and Memphis DeLong added four.
“It’s a rivalry game. It doesn’t matter what the record is, it’s been going on for a long time,” Vikings coach Chris Carswell said. “They didn’t give up. They kept fighting.”
MILITARY
First F-35 joins test wing fleet at Eglin Air Force Base
A new era of testing is on the horizon at Eglin Air Force Base following the October arrival of the 96th Test Wing’s first F-35 Lightning II.
- The aircraft, designated AF-3, will belong to the Cyber Systems Integration Lab under the 48th Cyberspace Test Squadron.
The lab, currently working toward official standup, will focus on risk mitigation associated with all aspects of the joint strike fighter program.
AF-3 currently resides at the 33rd Fighter Wing but will eventually be located and maintained by the 96th Test Wing.
SCHOOL
Three Okaloosa County high schools earn national honors for AP programs
Three Okaloosa County high schools have been named to the 2025 College Board AP School Honor Roll, a national recognition honoring schools that expand access to Advanced Placement coursework while supporting student success.
- Choctawhatchee High School earned Gold recognition, while Fort Walton Beach High School and Niceville High School each received Silver honors.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes high schools that deliver high-quality AP programs by meeting rigorous benchmarks tied to college readiness and student achievement. Schools are recognized at four levels — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum — based on performance from their most recent graduating class.
Schools earn recognition by meeting benchmarks in three key areas:
- College Culture: which measures the percentage of graduating seniors who take at least one AP exam.
- College Credit: which tracks the portion of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams to qualify for college credit.
- College Optimization: which evaluates whether students take multiple AP exams throughout high school, including in earlier grades.
“Recognition on the AP School Honor Roll is a testament to the dedication of our students, teachers and school leaders,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “Choctawhatchee High School’s Gold distinction and the Silver recognition earned by Fort Walton Beach and Niceville High Schools reflect our district’s continued commitment to academic excellence and preparing students for future success.”
The honors highlight each school’s ability to expand broad access to advanced learning opportunities, support student success in college-level coursework and build a strong foundation for college and career readiness.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Monday! 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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