SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Northwest Florida Water Management District has issued a Water Shortage Warning and is calling for voluntary conservation across the region. Fort Walton Beach High School, Choctaw and Niceville compete for ‘best student section’ in Florida, Okaloosa County celebrates the completion of 2,000 feet of living shoreline on Choctawhatchee Bay, Vikings and Knights bring district championships and momentum into boys basketball playoffs, a Fort Walton Beach teen has been arrested for allegedly threatening a school shooting, and check out the best sunset spots along Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Also, we have a list of upcoming community events.
SCHOOL
FWB, Choctaw and Niceville compete for ‘best student section’ in Florida
Okaloosa County is well represented in this year’s Sunshine State Spirit Showdown, with three local high schools earning spots among just four finalists vying for the title of Florida’s best student section.
- The Florida High School Athletic Association announced Thursday that Fort Walton Beach, Choctawhatchee, Niceville and Oviedo have been selected as participants in the 13th annual competition, which is designed to promote positive sportsmanship across the state.
Fort Walton Beach High School won the title last year.
Fan voting opened Thursday and runs through Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Each finalist’s video submission is featured on the FHSAA’s YouTube channel and shared across the organization’s social media platforms, with a JotForm voting link at the bottom of each video.
SPONSORED
Raise your game
With Mastercard® rates as low as 7.9% APR and no balance transfer fee, it’s time to lower your rate and raise your game.
Eglin Federal Credit Union. Where Members Matter Most.
Apply in person or online at eglinfcu.org/mastercard. Must be 18 or older to apply online.
GAMES
WordroW: February 13, 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.
GUIDES
The best sunset spots along Destin-Fort Walton Beach
Sunsets along the Emerald Coast never get old and there are plenty of places to soak in the stunning sky.
Whether you prefer a quiet stretch of sand, the harbor lined with boats, or a rooftop with a cocktail in hand, Jamie Kamber, editor of Destin Snapshots and local photographer, is sharing her favorite sunset spots in Destin and Fort Walton Beach.
Click here to read the full guide and pick your next spots!
PARKS+REC
Okaloosa County celebrates 2,000 feet of living shoreline on Choctawhatchee Bay
A 2,000-foot stretch of living shoreline along the Choctawhatchee Bay is now complete, capping a multi-year effort to protect parkland and create habitat for marine life on Okaloosa Island.
- Officials gathered Thursday at Ross Marler Park to cut the ribbon on the project, which shields Veterans Park and Marler Park from erosion.
“We are being good stewards to our beautiful area,” said Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel during the ceremony at Ross Marler Park. “These parks preserve the beauty for future generations.”
The $4.6 million project was funded through tourism bed tax revenue, a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and money from the RESTORE Council through the Gulf Consortium. It took years to complete and required coordination across multiple county departments, including grants, coastal resources, tourism development and public works.
SPONSORED
Real people, Real Connections
SPORTS
Vikings, Knights bring district championships and momentum into boys basketball playoffs
Fort Walton Beach and Rocky Bayou are both playoff bound with district titles in hand, and both will host first-round games Saturday.
The Vikings enter as one of the hottest teams in the state, riding an eight-game win streak into their first playoff appearance since 2016. Chris Carswell’s squad hasn’t lost since a buzzer-beater at Choctaw on Jan. 9, and as the No. 3 seed in 4A Region 1, they’ll welcome No. 6 Rickards to the Fort. A deep run could pit Rodric Starks, Xy Childres and Kyle Jones against No. 1 seed Bishop Kenny, with a Final Four berth on the line for the first time since 2011.
Rocky Bayou (21-6) is back in the postseason for the first time since 2016 and will host No. 5 San Jose Prep in 2A Region 1. A win likely sets up a tough second-round trip to top-seeded Providence School.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fort Walton Beach teen arrested for allegedly threatening school shooting
A 15-year-old student has been arrested for allegedly making threats to carry out a school shooting at Choctawhatchee High School, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Joel Bravo-Jaramillo has been charged with issuing a written/electronic threat to commit a mass shooting and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony. School officials were made aware of the threats on Jan. 16 and immediately notified law enforcement. Witnesses told investigators Bravo-Jaramillo had allegedly been making increasingly specific threats between December 2025 and January 2026.
No weapons were found. The OCSO said a forensic analysis of his phone revealed a document titled “List 2026,” containing names of current and former Choctawhatchee students. The teen told investigators the statements were “jokes,” the press release stated.
He was taken into custody on Feb. 9 and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility near Crestview.
EVENTS
A few things to do around town
Friday, Feb. 13 – Valentine’s Dinner for Two at the Gulfarium – Fort Walton Beach – $398.00 – View
Friday, Feb. 13 – Galentines Night Out – Fort Walton Beach – $20.00 – View
Saturday, Feb. 14 – Melodies of Love for Sickle Cell 2026 – Fort Walton Beach – $25.00 – View
Saturday, Feb. 14 – Candle Workshop – Fort Walton Beach – $35.00 – View
Saturday, Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Dinner for Two at the Gulfarium – Fort Walton Beach – $398.00 – View
Sunday, Feb. 15 – BYO(Sweetheart) Dubs – Fort Walton Beach – $20.00 – View
Sunday, Feb. 15 – 66th Annual Beaux Arts Exhibition – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Sunday, Feb. 15 – Valentine’s Dinner for Two at the Gulfarium – Fort Walton Beach – $398.00 – View
Tuesday, Feb. 17 – Lunch N Learn: World of Private Money – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Tuesday, Feb. 17 – Impact 100 February Event at The Gulfarium – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Planetarium Nights: Double Feature – Fort Walton Beach – $12.00 – View
Friday, Feb. 20 – 2026 NextGen United Adult Field Day – Niceville – Free – View
Saturday, Feb. 21 – Charity Pickleball Event – FWB – $35.00 – View
Saturday, Feb. 21 – Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch – Miramar Beach – $50.00 – View
Saturday, Feb. 21 – Dollar Days at DeFrance on Beal – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Love Your Park: Patriot Park Workday – Crestview – Free – View
Tuesday, Feb. 24 – Lunch N Learn: Hospitality Is Not a Service – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Thursday, Feb. 26 – Impact100 February Coastal Coffee Event – Santa Rosa Beach – Free – View
Thursday, Feb. 26 – Business After Hours sponsored by The Venue Beach Weekend – Fort Walton Beach – $40.00 – View
NEWS
NWFL Water Management issues Water Shortage Warning, calls for voluntary conservation
The Northwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board on Thursday issued a Water Shortage Warning and called for voluntary reductions in water use across the district.
- While water supplies are currently meeting demand, the warning is intended to encourage conservation and protect water resources as drought conditions encompass the entire district.
As of Feb. 5, streamflow conditions were “below-normal” to “extremely below-normal,” groundwater levels were declining and the districtwide rainfall deficit over the previous 120 days was 6.2 inches. Drought conditions are expected to persist through April.
Users are encouraged to conserve water and limit landscape irrigation to early morning or evening hours. The order will remain in place until rescinded by the Governing Board.
Okaloosa County Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox said there is no local state of emergency, burn ban or mandatory action at this time.
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
Published with ♥ by Get The Coast.
Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here.
124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548