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Good morning!
Here’s what we’re covering today:
- HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital enhances heart care services in the area with an advanced AFib procedure, while Choctaw’s cheer team proves their rebuilding efforts successful with a strong national showing. The Destin History & Fishing Museum marks two decades of preserving maritime history, and Crestview Police prepare to connect with residents through their annual flashlight walk.
THINGS TO DO
Destin History & Fishing Museum is celebrating 20 years of preserving local maritime history
by Ashley Armacost
The Destin History & Fishing Museum will mark its 20th anniversary with a special celebration during its fourth annual ‘A Night at the Museum’ event on March 7, 2025.
- The museum, which opened its doors in 2005, has become a cornerstone of preserving local maritime heritage. The anniversary event will run from 6-9 p.m. at the museum’s location on 108 Stahlman Avenue.
“This museum was not founded on anybody famous,” said Executive Director Vivienne Williams, recalling how a board member once described the museum. “It is founded on ordinary people doing ordinary things and being great for it. Living in Destin was not an easy thing to do, especially in the 1800s, because being at the end of a peninsula, the best way to get here was by boat.”
This year’s event will feature several special additions to honor the anniversary.
- “We’re doing a special 20th anniversary edition scavenger hunt, and event attendees will be the first ones to experience it,” Williams said. The evening will also include a wine raffle and champagne at the doors with popsicles.
The celebration will take place under an outdoor tent where guest speaker Mike Thomin will give a presentation on shipwrecks or pirates. The event will also feature live music and heavy hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants. New this year is a custom martini bar where guests can specialize and curate their own martini.
‘A Night at the Museum’ is the second biggest fundraiser for the museum, slightly behind their 5K event. Williams noted that both events have successfully drawn both new visitors and those who haven’t visited in years.
The Museum holds special meaning in the city, as Destin is home to the largest licensed fishing fleet in the United States. “ We are privileged and excited to be able to continue that on for hopefully another 20 years at minimum,” added Williams.
Ticket prices are $75 and may be purchased online at Night at the Museum. There is an additional processing fee for all ticket purchases.
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SPORTS
Rebuilding pays off: Choctaw Cheer team places 7th at national competition
Choctawhatchee High School’s cheerleading team secured 7th place at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) National Championships, earning the highest placement among all local high school teams competing at the event.
- The competition took place Feb. 7-10 in Orlando, where the team competed in the Small Varsity Coed Division.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Kerri Kriech and Assistant Coach Kristen Davis, the team has shown remarkable improvement over four consecutive years at the national competition.
“This incredible achievement shows the dedication, perseverance, and passion of these athletes,” said Kriech.
The team’s journey began four years ago after a coaching transition when they returned to UCA Nationals after an absence. That year, they finished 13th and missed the finals. The following year, they improved to 11th place, and last year broke into the top 10 with a 9th-place finish.
- This season’s 7th-place result continues their upward trajectory and represents the culmination of months of preparation, including daily practices and overcoming various challenges throughout the season.
For the senior class members, many of whom have been with Coach Kriech since the beginning of this rebuilding effort, the achievement holds special significance.
“They believed in something bigger than themselves, sharing a vision of excellence and pushing the program to new heights,” Kriech said.
In the finals, Choctaw delivered what coaches described as a standout performance, demonstrating the program’s renewed strength and competitive spirit at the national level.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Crestview Police Department to host annual ‘CommUnity Flashlight Walk’
by Ashley Armacost
The Crestview Police Department invites the community to the 6th annual ‘CommUnity Flashlight Walk’ on February 22, 2025.
- This event will begin at 5 p.m. in the Crestview City Hall Parking Lot (198 N. Wilson Street). The walk starts at 6 p.m.
“This event is a great opportunity for us to come together and work towards a safer Crestview,” said Police Chief Stephen McCosker.
This year’s event includes informational booths set up by local organizations, free food, and live music by Josh Davis.
Residents are asked to bring a flashlight and join the walk through downtown Crestview, to ‘shine a light’ on crime.
ICYMI
News you might have missed this week
- SS United States leaves Philadelphia, begins journey to become artificial reef – See story
- City invites artists to create new ‘entrance sign’ in Downtown Fort Walton Beach – See story
- Destin mayor spotlights residents’ priorities in ‘State of the City’, from road repairs to beach access – See story
- Okaloosa airports director joins Jay Odom’s RICO lawsuit against former business partner – See story
- Fort Walton Beach teen’s phone case design could win $25,000 scholarship from Cox Mobile – See story
- Destin-native James Uthmeier sworn in as Florida Attorney General – See story
- Okaloosa’s Larry Keefe tapped to lead Florida immigration enforcement board – See story
BUSINESS
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital expands heart care with new AFib procedure
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital has completed its first cardiac ablation procedure using the Boston Scientific FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation System, establishing itself as the only HCA Florida Healthcare facility offering this treatment between Pensacola and Tallahassee.
- For Bob Webb, a 71-year-old retiree and avid golfer, the procedure meant finally understanding symptoms he had mistaken for acid reflux for years.
“I would feel uncomfortable in my chest area and feel pain and pressure down both arms,” Webb said. “I would get to feeling this way anytime I did yard work or after eating a good-sized meal. I could not exercise and had to stop walking the golf course.”
About five months ago, Webb experienced new symptoms, including sudden feelings of faintness while sitting at his computer. His primary care physician, Dr. Chris Pappas, performed an EKG that revealed Webb was in atrial fibrillation. Pappas quickly referred Webb to Okaloosa Heart and Vascular Center where he saw Dr. John Dudley.
After receiving a loop monitor implanted in his chest on Veterans Day to track his heart activity, doctors discovered Webb’s heart was pausing to reset into sinus rhythm, with episodes occurring every other day and pauses lasting up to four seconds.
Dr. Dudley recommended Dr. Farhat Khairallah, who had recently joined the hospital from Tallahassee, to perform the ablation procedure.
- “Dr. Khairallah explained what was happening to me and it all made sense,” Webb said. “The location of the left ventricle in reference to my esophagus and the nerve endings made all the sense in the world that when my heart would start putting out electrical impulses, it would fire up everything and simulate acid reflux.”
The procedure proved successful, with Webb returning home the same day without requiring pain medication. “After a week, I felt great and have not had any of those previous symptoms,” Webb said. “I actually played golf one week and one day after surgery.”
Prior to the surgery, Webb had given up caffeine, carbonated drinks, red sauce, and spicy foods. “After the surgery, I have actually been able to drink a cup of coffee with cream in the morning for the first time in years,” he said. “Before the surgery, I could not walk to the mailbox and back without something kicking symptoms in. Or, I couldn’t watch an exciting football game without something happening.”
The system is designed to treat atrial fibrillation, particularly paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which causes irregular and rapid heartbeats. The technology enables physicians to deliver safe and effective treatment while reducing complications.
- “It only affects the cardiac tissue; it does not affect the collateral tissue, so there is no damage to the esophagus, no damage to the phrenic nerve,” said Dr. Farhat Khairallah, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital. “We don’t need to monitor these structures, and that was time-consuming, and also adding to the expense of the procedure.”
For more information about cardiology services at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
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