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Good morning!
ALDI will open in the former Winn-Dixie space at Uptown Station on February 26. Cheers Pub in Shalimar suffers significant damage in an early morning fire, a Pryor Middle School sixth grader is honored after saving a student who fell into a pool, Cox Communications opens applications for 2026 Community Grants to Gulf Coast nonprofits, Vikings and Knights advance in boys soccer as the Indians’ season ends, and FDOT brings ‘Construction Career Days’ to Milton offering hands-on experience for 1,800 area students.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Cheers Pub in Shalimar suffers significant damage in early morning fire
A fire early Sunday morning caused significant damage to Cheers Pub in Shalimar, according to the Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District.
- Crews responded to the structure fire and found an active fire in the kitchen that had extended into the attic space, the district said. Firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack to knock down the kitchen fire while additional companies worked on ventilation and access.
Once conditions in the attic changed, operations shifted to exterior aerial master streams from Ocean City-Wright Truck 2 and Fort Walton Beach Fire Department Truck 6 to fully extinguish the remaining fire.
No injuries were reported.
“While we are grateful everyone is safe, it’s difficult to see a long-standing local gathering place suffer significant damage,” the district said in a statement. “Cheers Pub has been a staple in our community, and moments like this remind us how important it is to support our neighbors as they recover.”
- Assisting agencies included the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, Okaloosa Emergency Medical Services, Eglin Air Force Base Fire Department, Okaloosa Island Fire Department and Valparaiso Fire Department.
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GAMES
WordroW: February 17, 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
Pryor Middle School sixth grader honored after saving student who fell into pool
Okaloosa Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers visited Pryor Middle School last week to honor a sixth grader who jumped into a pool to rescue a student who could not swim after falling into the deep end near the Boys and Girls Club late last year.
- Aiden Trigo, 12, was near the apartment complex pool adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club when another student fell into the deep end. Trigo saw the student struggling underwater and realized the boy could not swim.
“I dropped all my stuff, I jumped in the pool and pulled him up, and then I got him out the water,” Trigo said.
Trigo said the decision to act was pure instinct.
“It was just instinct and I didn’t know what to do at that time. So I just acted,” he said.
The incident occurred on Dec. 16, according to Pryor Middle School Principal Jason McClelland, who said the school didn’t receive the full details until after Christmas break.
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Cox Communications opens applications for 2026 Community Grants to Gulf Coast nonprofits
Local nonprofit organizations across the Gulf Coast have until March 2 to apply for funding through Cox Communications’ annual community investment grant program.
- Cox Charities, funded entirely through employee payroll donations and one-time gifts, awards grants each year to nonprofits working in three focus areas: youth innovation programs centered on science, technology, engineering, arts and math; conservation and environmental sustainability initiatives; and efforts advancing equal opportunity.
“What makes these grants special is that they are both employee-funded and awarded based on selections made by an employee committee,” said David Deliman, market vice president for Cox Gulf Coast. “The significant impact of Cox Charities reflects the dedication to our communities and the strong partnerships we’ve established with local nonprofits.”
The grants supplement Cox’s ongoing sponsorship support to Gulf Coast nonprofits throughout the year.
According to the company, the employee-driven program aims to strengthen local communities and support younger generations in leading healthier, more connected and more sustainable lives.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying can submit applications at www.coxcharitieseast.org before the Monday, March 2 deadline.
SPORTS
Vikings, Knights advance in boys soccer; Indians’ season ends
The Vikings are moving on. Fort Walton Beach earned its third trip to the Elite 8 in four seasons with a 4-1 win over Vanguard on Thursday night. Isaiah Esparza, Juanma Cotes, Brian Velazquez and Oscar Gallardo all found the net for the Vikings, who will host a rematch with Wakulla on Tuesday — the same team that beat them 1-0 in the district championship. Coach Mario Rodriguez and his squad believe that loss only made them better heading into the next round.
Rocky Bayou put together its best performance of the season in an 8-0 mercy-rule win over Redeemer Christian on Tuesday. Seven different Knights scored, led by Dominic Ferguson’s two goals. The Knights travel to Jacksonville to face University Christian on Friday.
Choctaw’s season came to an end with a 4-1 loss to Beachside on Thursday night.
SCHOOL
FDOT brings ‘Construction Career Days’ to Milton, offering hands-on experience for 1,800 area students
More than 1,800 high school students from across Northwest Florida will trade textbooks for heavy equipment this week as the Florida Department of Transportation hosts the 6th Annual Northwest Florida Construction Career Days at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds.
- The two-day event, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 18, and Thursday, Feb. 19, offers students an interactive introduction to careers in transportation and construction industries — complete with the chance to operate excavators, learn bridge inspection techniques and explore fields from paving to engineering.
With billions of dollars in construction activity planned across the region over the next decade and a growing demand for entry-level workers, FDOT District Three has made workforce development a priority. Construction Career Days serves as a key part of that effort, connecting students with meaningful career paths that offer long-term benefits while positively impacting their communities.
Students from seven Northwest Florida counties will participate, including those from Okaloosa and Walton counties along with Santa Rosa, Escambia, Holmes, Washington and Jackson counties.
BUSINESS
ALDI to open in former Winn-Dixie space at Uptown Station on Feb. 26
A new ALDI grocery store is set to open Feb. 26 in the former Winn-Dixie space at Uptown Station, giving Fort Walton Beach its third ALDI location and continuing the chain’s pattern of converting Winn-Dixie stores across the area.
- The Winn-Dixie at 99 Eglin Parkway NE closed in August 2025. ALDI will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. on opening day, with the store opening to shoppers at 8 a.m.
It’s the second Winn-Dixie-to-ALDI conversion in Fort Walton Beach. The city’s first ALDI opened in December 2023 at 427 Mary Esther Cutoff, next to Publix, in what had been a former Regal Cinema location. A second location on Beal Parkway followed, also a Winn-Dixie conversion. Crestview and Niceville each have an ALDI as well.
Shoppers who arrive early may want to bring their patience. The first 200 customers in line will receive goody bags filled with ALDI merchandise and a “Golden Ticket” worth a $10, $25 or $100 gift card. Free ALDI tote bags will also be handed out while supplies last.
Those who prefer to skip the opening-day rush can visit the store the day before, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, for a sneak peek — though the giveaways will only be available Thursday morning.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday! 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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