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Good morning!
Mia Manganello, who grew up in Crestview, is eyeing Olympic gold after posting a dominant World Cup season in her sport. Five Okaloosa girls basketball teams prepare for deep playoff runs as postseason brackets are set, a sickle cell nonprofit plans an all-day Valentine’s Day fundraiser in Fort Walton Beach, the Homelessness & Housing Alliance will host a glow party fundraiser, and Destin Rotary Club opens grant applications for local nonprofits. Also, get an inside look at how Eric Brown balances Okaloosa Island Pier management with conservation and community.
HOW I WORK
How Eric Brown balances Okaloosa Island Pier management, conservation, and community
“How I Work” is brought to you by the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. Join the most influential organization in Okaloosa. Learn more here.
Eric Brown has spent his life on the Emerald Coast — born and raised in Fort Walton Beach and now managing one of its most recognizable landmarks, the Okaloosa Island Pier. As General Manager, his role stretches far beyond operations.
- It’s about stewardship, community, and making sure every visitor feels welcome on this “slice of paradise.”
His days begin long before most alarms go off, blending fitness, quiet time, and caffeine before sunrise walks on the pier. From customer service and social media to conservation partnerships and youth fishing events, Eric’s work is rooted in pride for the pier, the environment, and the people who show up to enjoy both.
Today’s HOW I WORK is brought to you by the Greater FWB Chamber of Commerce.
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GAMES
WordroW: February 11, 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
5 Okaloosa girls basketball teams eye deep playoff runs as postseason brackets set
Five Okaloosa County girls basketball teams will open postseason play this week across four different regions, with Niceville and Fort Walton Beach leading the charge.
The Lady Eagles enter the 6A Region 1 bracket as the No. 2 seed after winning their third straight district title. Niceville will host Forest in Round 1 before a likely Sweet 16 rematch against Navarre and a potential Elite 8 showdown with Tocoi Creek, the team that ended their season last year. With Carson Fayard, Audrina Nelson and company playing like Final Four contenders all season, the question is whether this is finally the year.
Fort Walton Beach enters 4A Region 1 as the No. 2 seed and clicking at the right time. The Lady Vikings will host Paxon on Friday before a likely Sweet 16 matchup against Rickards and a potential Elite 8 date with Bishop Kenny that has seemed inevitable all year. A win there would send the Lady Vikings to their first Final Four since 2017.
In 2A Region 1, Rocky Bayou and Destin both face tough roads as low seeds. In Rural Region 1, Laurel Hill will look to avenge Friday’s district championship loss to Jay with a Final Four berth on the line.
GIVING BACK
Sickle cell nonprofit plans all-day Valentine’s Day fundraiser in Fort Walton Beach
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
Melodies of Love for Sickle Cell 2026 will take place Saturday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Emerald Coast Venue in Fort Walton Beach. A portion of the proceeds will benefit We Reign Sickle Cell Corporation.
- The organization is led by Allison Morris, who founded We Reign Sickle Cell Corporation after her daughter was diagnosed with sickle cell hemoglobin SC disease. Morris’s daughter, now 10 years old, has been hospitalized over 30 times for sickle cell related complications.
Morris is a carrier of type C trait, and her daughter inherited the S trait from her father and C trait from Morris.
“Melodies of Love is about more than entertainment,” Morris said. “It’s about creating space for community, celebrating love in all its forms, and supporting a cause that impacts families right here in our region.”
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EVENTS
Homelessness & Housing Alliance to host glow party fundraiser in Fort Walton Beach
The Homelessness & Housing Alliance will host Light up the Night, a glow party fundraiser, March 7 from 6-8 p.m. at Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson in Fort Walton Beach.
Proceeds from the event will support homelessness prevention efforts and housing-focused programs in Okaloosa and Walton counties.
The family-friendly evening will feature live music by local musician Lips Manly and a glow-themed party atmosphere. Guests are encouraged to wear neon and glow-in-the-dark attire.
Click here for the full story
GIVING BACK
Destin Rotary Club opens grant applications for local nonprofits
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
The Destin Rotary Club is inviting applications for grant funding to support local nonprofit organizations working to strengthen the community.
Applications are being accepted through Feb. 13 as part of the club’s commitment to creating positive change locally and globally. The funding comes from annual fundraisers, including the Cajun Crawfish Bash, which supports programs aligned with the club’s priority areas and community needs.
“This grant opportunity is about more than funding,” Destin Rotary Club President Bekah Wagner said. “It’s an opportunity to partner with organizations doing meaningful work and to expand our collective impact by working together to address critical issues in our community.”
OLYMPICS
Mia Manganello, who grew up in Crestview, eyes Olympic gold after dominant World Cup season
A girl who once rolled around on skates inside her family’s Italian restaurant in Crestview is now the top-ranked mass start speed skater in the world.
- Mia Manganello, 36, grew up in Crestview, where her parents, Dominic and Karen Manganello, owned and operated Mia’s Italian Restaurant. She started inline skating at age 8 and won multiple national championships before ever touching ice.
In 2002, after the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Manganello and her father drove to Utah to attend an ice speed skating camp. She was hooked.
Three weeks later, the family closed the restaurant and moved to Salt Lake City so their daughter could train.
- Manganello became a three-time junior national champion but missed making the Olympic team twice. She walked away from skating after the 2010 trials and spent five years as a professional cyclist.
A visit back to Salt Lake City in 2015 changed everything. She stepped on the ice for the first time in six years, moved back to Utah and won a national title within months.
At the 2018 PyeongChang Games, she helped Team USA win bronze in the women’s team pursuit — the first U.S. women’s speed skating medal in 16 years. Crestview celebrated with “Mia Manganello Day” and a key to the city.
Now she enters the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan as the reigning World Cup champion in the mass start, her signature event.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Wednesday! 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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