PUBLIC SAFETY

Suspect apprehended after police chase ends in crash in Fort Walton Beach

A police chase of a suspected armed man ended in a crash and an arrest Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

• Police responded around 12:08 p.m. to reports of a man with a firearm making threats at Thai Spice restaurant on Miracle Strip Parkway SW, said Lt. Kendra Stalls of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.

When officers arrived, the suspect, later identified as 38-year-old Charles Emerson of Fort Walton Beach, fled in a white Chevy Avalanche pickup truck, prompting a vehicle pursuit, Stalls said.

The chase ended when Emerson’s truck flipped in the Hardee’s parking lot on Beal after he allegedly rammed an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s vehicle along Memorial Parkway, according to Stalls.

• “Everybody was okay throughout this entire process,” Stalls said, noting Emerson was taken to a hospital for evaluation. “It’s an isolated incident, so there’s no harm to the public. Everything’s safe and okay.”

Stalls commended the response by Fort Walton Beach police and sheriff’s deputies. She said a firearm was recovered from Emerson’s truck.

Both agencies will pursue felony charges against Emerson, Stalls said. The investigation is ongoing.

LIFESTYLE

12-foot wide ‘bridge-to-bridge’ bike path across Okaloosa Island gets final approval

County officials took another big step this week toward finally making the long-envisioned Bridge to Bridge multi-use pathway a reality.

• On Tuesday, the Okaloosa Board of Commissioners unanimously backed a $612,999 contract with Neel-Schaffer, Inc. to handle construction engineering and inspection services as the dedicated bicycle/pedestrian route along Scenic Highway 98 begins to take shape this spring.

The professional oversight work follows last month’s ratification of Eglin Air Force Base easement allowing the project’s hard-won approvals to proceed. Most of the 4.7-mile path traversing from the Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach to the Marler Bridge in Destin falls under federal land controlled by the base.

“We received word last week (Valentine’s Day) that it has been totally approved,” said an enthused Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel.

County leaders have pushed the safety-minded proposal allowing non-motorists to bypass traffic on Highway 98 for nearly five years. Ketchel has been particularly passionate given her brother died in a cycling accident when she was younger.

Public Works Director Jason Autrey confirmed engineering evaluations and bidding can start immediately thanks to securing the easement allowing use of Eglin property. He said the construction solicitation launches next Monday.

• “We’re moving forward…and we cannot wait until we have a groundbreaking and then eventually a ribbon cutting on this,” Autrey told commissioners Tuesday.

The $612,999 contract with Neel-Schaffer tasked the firm with inspecting work on the project running from Beasley Park to the Marler Bridge. 

County leaders in January ratified a long-negotiated easement agreement with Eglin Air Force Base. The agreement requires the county fund the pathway’s construction and ongoing maintenance. It also obligates the county to upgrade access points between the highway and dunes, expand parking capacity at beach access ways, and better controls near the Marler Bridge.

Ketchel said the coastal pathway enables exercise opportunities for everyone from airmen at Eglin to neighborhood families seeking recreation.

• “This is such a game changer, not only for the military, but for the community. The military personnel want it as much as our community wants it. It will be a safe way to get from bridge-to-bridge,” she said.

The project is estimated to cost $4-5 million and will be funded through state grants and Tourist Development dollars.

SPORTS

Six local schools compete in Girl’s Flag Football Preseason Classic at Hurlburt Field

Cheers from friends and family filled the air as athletes from six local high schools gathered to compete in the Girls Flag Football Preseason Classic hosted by the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field last Thursday.

• Col. Allison Black, commander of the 1st SOW, kicked off the tournament by meeting with players to offer encouragement.

“I am honored to serve alongside each of you, and I appreciate the support of our community,” Black said. “I look forward to seeing your talent shine on this field and the bright futures ahead of you.”

The preseason classic provided players from Fort Walton Beach High School, Destin High School, Tate High School, Booker T. Washington High School, Niceville High School and Gulf Breeze High School a chance to prepare for the upcoming season.

• It also gave them, and their friends and families, an opportunity to learn about Air Force careers from recruiters and Airmen at information booths.

Careers highlighted included special tactics, security forces, firefighters, explosive ordnance disposal, mission sustainment and recruiting services.

BUSINESS

City of Destin to offer Free 10-week small business workshop

The City of Destin plans to host a free 10-week small business workshop series at the Destin Library on Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. beginning March 7.

• The workshop will cover topics including business plans, permits, branding, social media, websites, graphic design, marketing and analytics. Library staff will lead the sessions and bring in relevant guest speakers.

The goal of the program is to provide tools and hands-on learning to help participants feel more confident starting or growing a small business. There will be networking and showcase opportunities at the end for participants to connect with the community.

Interested small business owners can register for the weekly workshops at okaloosa.librarycalendar.com. The series will run on Thursdays through May 9.

The Destin Library is located at 150 Sibert Ave. in Destin. More information is available by calling (850) 123-4567.

NEWS

Okaloosa’s Shoal River Ranch Gigasite recognized with ‘Select Site’ distinction by CSX Railroad

Okaloosa County’s Shoal River Ranch Gigasite has joined an elite group of locations across the country as a “Select Site” at the Bronze Level by CSX Railroad, the leading supplier of freight transportation in North America. 

• Shoal River Ranch is one of 19 sites nationwide that received “Select Site” status which positions the County to attract significant economic development.

“We are excited to receive this distinction and are proud of the work One Okaloosa EDC has done to achieve this national recognition,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. “This accomplishment acknowledges Shoal River Ranch’s potential and will help companies realize the opportunities for economic development and job creation in Okaloosa County.”

One Okaloosa EDC applied for CSX Railroad’s “Select Site” industrial site certification designation for the Shoal River Ranch Gigasite in early 2023. While Shoal River Ranch is now located on the Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad, CSX is the mainline railroad that connects with FGA at both ends of the line.

CSX expanded the existing “Select Site” program in 2023 which recognizes strategic locations with a certification that requires rigorous site due diligence and essential factors needed to accommodate rail access.

• Since the program’s inception in 2012, Select Sites have attracted dozens of manufacturers, with capital investments projected to reach $14 billion and create nearly 11,000 jobs.

“With a sizable footprint of industrial-zoned land located on I-10, U.S. Highway 90, and the Florida Gulf & Atlantic rail line, the Shoal River Ranch Gigasite is poised to accommodate leading employers who value multi-modal transportation connectivity,” said Nathan Sparks, Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC. “The CSX Select Site bronze certification provides an industry-recognized validation of our ability to support these businesses.”

The program expansion allowed for a strategic partnership with Global Location Strategies (GLS), a renowned industrial site location advisory firm. As a result, sites certified through the program will be included in a searchable inventory, called Zoom Prospector. Users will be able to access the inventory at csx.com/selectsite.

• The platform provides data-driven analytics that empower CSX and its economic development partners to optimize the marketability of these rail-served sites and identify areas of improvement, according to the county.

Based on the properties’ Site Shepherd score, CSX designates top-performing sites as Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. All sites will receive feedback regarding potential areas of improvement and are encouraged to engage with CSX on how to continually improve their score.

COASTAL RESOURCES

144-ft ‘casino boat’ to be sunk as new artificial reef off Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners has approved a $450,000 contract with Tri-Native Contractors Inc. for acquiring and preparing the 144-foot MV FANTASEA, a retired casino boat, to be sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

• The FANTASEA currently sits in Louisiana but will be transported to Okaloosa County waters pending preparation as part of the county’s 5-Year Artificial Reef Plan. 
• This is the fourth vessel the county has worked with Tri-Native on. They provided, cleaned and towed the MANTA, DOLPHIN and DEEP STIM.

“As with all of our artificial reef deployments, this vessel will provide essential new habitat for numerous fish species and an exciting new dive site for scuba divers and fishermen,” said Alex Fogg, Okaloosa Coastal Resource Manager. “Adding new reefs enables us to continue boosting Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s reputation as a premier fishing and diving destination in Florida.”

The Board approved reallocating a portion of funds originally budgeted for the RV DEEP STIM III artificial reef project, which came in significantly under budget at one-third the projected cost thanks to a tri-county partnership and involvement by other community partners such as Coastal Conservation Association, Emerald Coast Reef Association and the South Walton Artificial Reef Association.

According to the contract, Tri-Native Contractors will fully clean and prepare the FANTASEA to meet all state and federal environmental standards for artificial reefs. This includes removing all hazardous fluids and materials, cleaning tanks and bilges, and scraping flaking paint for land disposal. The hull, propeller, shaft and superstructure will remain intact.

• The company will also coordinate with a specialty marine contractor to cut holes for controlled flooding and even sinking. The total deployment cost is estimated around $65,000, which the county is seeking partnership funding for. 

Walter Marine will complete the deployment adding to their resume of dozens of large vessels and tens of thousands of prefabricated reef modules being deployed throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

“The FANTASEA fits the design we are looking for to create interesting dive sites offshore Destin-Fort Walton Beach,” added Fogg. “With numerous swim throughs and a high profile, we expect this to be another popular site not only for fishers and divers, but also for fish! While this isn’t the first casino boat to be deployed off our coast, this is the largest and a more modern design which will last much longer.”

The FANTASEA is currently projected to be deployed later this year, providing a new diving and fishing site as well as spurring tourism and economic activity for the area.