SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Okaloosa County has launched its America 250 Commission with a year-long lineup of patriotic events celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. Fort Walton Beach and Niceville girls basketball teams roll to opening-round playoff wins while Destin’s historic season ends, Fort Walton Beach and Rocky Bayou boys basketball pick up first-round playoff victories, Shalimar Library & Thrift Shop donates $3,000 to Shalimar Elementary School, and Gannet Creative House captures Downtown Fort Walton Beach in motion. Xy Childres is our Athlete of the Week – not only for what he does on the court, but for his leadership philosophy built on accountability, and get an inside look at how Howard and Brittney Wortman create floral designs with heart and family at the center.
HOW I WORK
How Howard and Brittney Wortman create floral designs with heart, creativity, and family at the center
“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.
Howard and Brittney Wortman are the husband-and-wife team behind Our Greenhouse Florals, where flowers, family, and faith all play a role in their daily rhythm.
- With roots in Philadelphia, Kentucky, and Fort Walton Beach, their journey to the Emerald Coast blended life transitions with a shared passion for creative work.
Their days revolve around processing fresh flowers, designing arrangements, and installing pieces that mark life’s biggest moments. No two days look the same, but one thing stays constant: they build their business around what they love, with their children and home life woven into the process.
Click here to read this week’s HOW I WORK, sponsored by the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
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 18, 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.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
For Xy Childres, leadership on and off the court comes down to one thing — accountability
Athlete of the Week is brought to you by Okaloosa Gas District – supporting the athletes who make our community stronger.
Xy Childres, this week’s Athlete of the Week presented by Okaloosa Gas, has come a long way from the quiet kid watching his older brother’s basketball practices.
- Now a senior captain for Fort Walton Beach High School, Childres has grown into one of the Vikings’ most vocal leaders, helping guide the team to a 21-7 record and a spot in the Sweet 16 of the FHSAA state playoffs. On Saturday, he scored 18 points as the Vikings defeated Rickards to advance.
His path to becoming one of the team’s leaders wasn’t exactly planned. Last year, when the Vikings’ starting point guard tore his ACL, Childres was thrust into the role — and his leadership took off.
“I started seeing his leadership begin to blossom,” Carswell said. “Going into his senior year, he just brought it on in and all the guys respect him. He’s going to get on you if you’re not doing your job, but he holds himself accountable if he isn’t doing his job as well.”
Off the court, Childres is a lifelong member of Beulah First Baptist Church, where he serves as president of the youth usher board and a youth progressive ministry across northwest Florida.
With the Sweet 16 ahead, Childres has one thing on his mind.
“I want to go out with something and have something in the gym to be remembered by.”
BUSINESS
‘The place where it happens’: Gannet Creative House captures Downtown Fort Walton Beach in motion
Before Gannet Creative House landed a national campaign for the GIRLHOOD campaign, they focused their cameras on home.
- The Downtown Fort Walton Beach video came first — a 65-second passion project shot over three days by the same three-person crew that would soon capture national attention. No client. No agency. Just their own vision for a place they call home.
“Fort Walton Beach is so close to my heart,” said photographer Sean Murphy, who grew up here and graduated from Choctawhatchee High School before spending decades building a career in Los Angeles. “With all the changes going on downtown, we thought it would be a great time to do a collaboration with a few of our favorite businesses.”
Those businesses said yes.
Docies Dock scheduled musicians. Jake & Henry’s reserved the VIP section on a busy night. Dragonfly Yoga taught a full class midday. Jayme Nabors at Beach Weekend Coffee called in his best pickleball players. Tom Tona packed out the food trucks.
Every frame was shot handheld — intimate, energetic, capturing moments rather than poses. The same approach Gannet would later use for GIRLHOOD.
But this one never left home. And that was the whole point.
SPORTS
FWB, Niceville girls basketball roll to opening-round wins; Destin’s historic season ends
The Lady Vikings cruised past Paxon 68-20 behind strong performances from Alexis Smith and Aniyah Boyd. Fort Walton Beach opened on a 15-3 run and never looked back, holding Paxon scoreless in the fourth quarter. The Lady Vikings will host Rickards this Friday in a rematch of a regular-season split between the two teams.
Niceville controlled its game wire to wire in a 71-58 win over Forest. Carson Fayard led the charge early, and despite an injury scare in the second quarter, returned in the second half to help the Lady Eagles pull away. A 16-4 run to close the third quarter sealed it. Niceville will host Bartram Trail this Friday after the Bears upset Navarre 48-44.
Destin’s historic season — the first playoff appearance in school history for any sport — came to an end in a 66-35 loss to Providence School, though the Lady Sharks return most of their core next year.
Rocky Bayou fell to San Jose Prep 74-25, and Laurel Hill’s season ended with a 55-36 loss to Jay.
SPORTS
Fort Walton Beach, Rocky Bayou boys basketball pick up first-round playoff victories
The Vikings snapped a 13-year playoff win drought with a 66-63 victory over Rickards — exactly 13 years to the day after their last playoff win, and by the same three-point margin. It was far from easy, as Rickards rallied from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to make it a one-possession game multiple times in the final minutes. Senior point guard Xy Childres was the catalyst, drilling multiple 3-pointers in the second quarter to swing momentum and hitting clutch free throws down the stretch. Calvin Thomas’s 3-point heave that would have tied the game at the buzzer fell short, sealing the win. Fort Walton Beach will travel to play Godby in the Sweet 16 Saturday.
Rocky Bayou trailed San Jose Prep 36-29 at halftime but stormed back for a 69-65 victory. The fourth quarter featured multiple lead changes before Harrison Sanders hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with two minutes left. Calix McCune sealed it with two late free throws. The Knights will travel to Jacksonville to play Providence School Saturday.
GIVING BACK
Shalimar Library & Thrift Shop donates $3,000 to Shalimar Elementary School
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
Shalimar Elementary School received a $3,000 donation from the Shalimar Library & Thrift Shop during a check presentation held Thursday on the school’s campus.
- Members of the Shalimar Library Board of Directors, Shalimar Mayor Mark Franks, Principal Amy Klugh and Shalimar Elementary administrators were in attendance for the presentation.
Of the $3,000 donation, $2,000 will directly support the school library, while the remaining $1,000 has been designated for the principal’s discretion to assist with student classroom supplies.
“Our town library has always been more than just a building with books. It’s a place of curiosity, learning, and opportunity,” Franks said. “This generous contribution to Shalimar Elementary is an investment not just in programs or materials, but in the future of our children.”
AMERICA 250
Okaloosa launches America 250 Commission with year-long lineup of patriotic events
The Okaloosa County America 250 Commission held its first meeting Thursday, Feb. 5, in Shalimar to begin planning a year-long slate of events marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
- The commission, established by resolution of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 20, is charged with providing activities for residents and visitors throughout the 2026 calendar year.
It is made up of 18 members representing organizations including the Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Florida State America 250 Commission, the Florida Historical Commission, Okaloosa County School District, local chambers of commerce, the Okaloosa League of Cities, local military bases, Scouting America Northwest Florida, the Billy Bowlegs Association, first responders, the NAACP and five at-large appointees of the County Commission. Community volunteers interested in serving as support staff also attended.
“We have a rich history that deserves to be recognized both nationally and in Okaloosa County,” said commission Chairman Graham Fountain. “We can all come together, pause and reflect on the contributions made by our patriot ancestors who fought and died to create our great republic and those many heroes that continue to make the United States of America a true example of freedom throughout the next 250 years.”
Several events are already in the planning stages, with additional events to be added and adjusted throughout the process (see here).
Organizations wishing to have their events posted publicly can find submission instructions on the official Okaloosa America 250 website at getthecoast.com/America250. The commission also encourages organizations to add @OkaloosaCountyAmerica250 as a co-host on Facebook to help promote events, and to submit photos, flyers, logos and other assets at https://bit.ly/Okaloosa250Assets.
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!
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