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Okaloosa County is moving toward purchasing waterfront property in Shalimar for $3 million to create a new park, expanding public recreation. Destin and Okaloosa County remain at odds over competing interlocal agreements for the new Holiday Isle state park, Niceville softball beats Fort Walton Beach 9-0 behind strong performances from Bailey and Malley, Crestview baseball likes what it sees through the first month of the season, Niceville baseball earns a statement win defeating Pace 9-2, ERA American Real Estate will host a Super Open House event across Northwest Florida this March, and FPL opens $45,000 in scholarship opportunities for high school seniors in robotics and drone programs.
PARKS+REC
Destin, Okaloosa at odds over competing interlocal agreements for new Holiday Isle state park
A proposed interlocal agreement for the new Holiday Isle state park drew extended debate at the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners’ March 3 meeting, with Destin city officials advocating for their own version of the agreement (with welcomed red lines) and two commissioners distancing themselves from the county’s draft.
- The roughly 4-acre waterfront property, adjacent to Destin’s Norriego Point Park, was acquired by the state in December for $83.3 million. Three months after the acquisition closed, the two governments have yet to determine how they will work together.
However, the board did reach consensus to send Commissioner Drew Palmer and County Attorney Lynn Hoshihara to negotiate with the city’s delegate (Councilman Dewey Destin) and attorney. Neither interlocal was adopted at the meeting.
Chairman Trey Goodwin acknowledged there is still significant ground to cover.
“This will not be the last discussion,” he said. “Nobody’s ready to start building anything right now.”
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GAMES
WordroW: March 5, 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.
SPORTS
Niceville softball beats Fort Walton Beach 9-0 behind Bailey, Malley
It was the kind of matchup that had softball fans across Okaloosa County and beyond circling their calendars — the defending 4A state champion against the defending 5A state runner-up.
- And it was the runner-up that made the statement.
Niceville defeated Fort Walton Beach 9-0 behind a dominant pitching performance from Chloe Bailey and a big night at the plate from Valerie Malley, giving the Lady Eagles a confidence boost as the early season progresses.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” Niceville head coach Danny Hensley said. “We got off to a slow start with our bats this year, but every game we’re taking swings and hitting the ball harder and harder. When we start putting up runs and putting up pressure on other teams, it really gives us a lot of confidence.”
PROMOTED BY IMPACT100
Impact100 NWF sets sights on record-breaking 2026: Six grants, $600,000 for local nonprofits
When Mary Tinsley took the helm as board president of Impact100 of Northwest Florida, Inc. this year, she brought with her a personal mantra that perfectly encapsulates the organization’s mission: making a difference in the lives of others.
- Now, she’s channeling that philosophy into an ambitious goal: reaching 600 members and awarding six $100,000 grants in 2026 — a record for the Northwest Florida chapter.
The 2026 goals were shaped in part by last year’s momentum. Local developer Jay Odom sponsored 29 women, helping Impact100 NWF reach 482 members and fund all five grant categories.
To attract new members, Impact100 NWF is hosting 10 enrollment events across both counties this spring
- March 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Jackacuda’s, Destin
- March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – 3rd Planet Brewery, Niceville
- April 2, 9-11 a.m. – Main Brew Coffee, Fort Walton Beach
- April 12, 1-3 p.m. – Eagle’s Nest at Blackwater, Crestview
- April 15, 9-11 a.m. – 2 Birds Coffee, Miramar Beach
- April 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Ruth’s Chris, Destin
SPORTS
Crestview baseball likes what it sees through the first month of the season
Crestview baseball hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015. Through the first nine games of this season, the Bulldogs are making a case that the drought could end this year.
- Crestview sits at 5-4 after a strong start that includes a statement road win over Niceville and a victory over Tate, which made the playoffs last season. The Bulldogs also split their series with Sweet 16-bound West Florida Tech.
Head Coach Tim Gillis recognizes the weight of the Niceville win in particular.
“We have a lot of respect for Coach Bruce and the Niceville baseball team,” Gillis said. “Anytime you can beat a quality program like that is special. We have to be ready to play every day when you have the quality of opponents that we play.”
The Bulldogs’ four losses have come against stiff competition: Pace, which reached the Sweet 16 last year; playoff-bound Mosley; West Florida Tech; and a March 3 rematch with Tate, a 7-6 loss. Both Pace and Mosley look like state title contenders early in the season.
That difficult schedule has tested a Crestview roster that only has two seniors in key roles.
SPORTS
Niceville baseball earns statement win, defeating Pace 9-2
After opening the season 4-0 before dropping three straight to Crestview, Mosley and South Lake, Niceville needed a bounce-back performance.
The Eagles got one — and then some — nearly run-ruling a Pace team widely regarded as a state championship contender, cruising to a 9-2 victory.
“Pace is a powerhouse program. They’re one of the most well-coached teams we play. Coach McBride does a really good job,” Niceville head coach Justin Bruce said. “For us to come out and execute at the plate is something we haven’t done in the past three games. We lost three games in a row, they’ve been by one run and two runs, we’ve been a swing away, we haven’t been able to get it. And tonight, we put some really good at-bats together, and that’s a really good team to beat, so I’m proud of our guys.”
Click here for the full story from Travis Espy
PROMOTED BY ERA
ERA American Real Estate to host Super Open House event across Northwest Florida this March
ERA American Real Estate will host its Super Open House Event March 26-29, offering homebuyers and sellers throughout Northwest Florida a coordinated weekend of property tours and expanded market exposure.
- The four-day event brings agents together across the brokerage’s footprint through shared marketing efforts, coordinated scheduling and companywide promotion.
Rather than functioning as a collection of individual open houses, the event emphasizes collaboration among agents to create increased visibility for listings and stronger momentum in the local housing market.
“This event represents what makes our company unique,” said Linde Bowman, Vice President of Brokerage at ERA American Real Estate. “It is not just individual agents hosting open houses. It is an entire brokerage working together to create momentum in the market and deliver value to both buyers and sellers.”
GIVING BACK
FPL opens $45,000 in scholarship opportunities for high school seniors in robotics, drone programs
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
Florida Power & Light Company is giving high school seniors passionate about robotics and aviation a chance to turn their extracurricular interests into college funding, with $45,000 in scholarships now available for students across the utility’s service area.
The company announced three scholarship opportunities: two $20,000 awards for students who participated in FIRST, VEX or B.E.S.T robotics programs, and one $5,000 scholarship for a student involved in Drones in School.
Applications are open now through April 13, 2026.
“We’re thrilled to expand our scholarship programs for eligible high school seniors,” said Kate Cotner, FPL Director of Community Engagement. “Robotics and drones offer fantastic opportunities for students to build critical skills in problem-solving, teamwork and innovation — all essential in today’s fast-changing world. By supporting these programs, we’re investing in the future and empowering the next generation of STEM leaders.”
PARKS+REC
Okaloosa moves toward $3 million purchase of waterfront property in Shalimar for new park
Okaloosa County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with the purchase of a 1.7-acre waterfront property at the northeast corner of the Shalimar Bridge, setting the stage for a new public park that would bear the name of longtime county attorney John Dowd Sr.
- The board approved a purchase and sale agreement with the seller for $3 million plus roughly $50,000 in closing costs.
Under the agreement, the property would become “John R. Dowd, Sr. Park” — or “Dowd Park” — and carry a 40-year deed restriction requiring it remain in use as a public park. The county would also install an individual marker honoring Dowd’s legacy, developed in consultation with his son.
The total project cost, including acquisition and park development, is estimated at roughly $6.5 million. County leaders plan to split the bill three ways:
- Approximately $3.5 million from the county using tourist development tax revenue.
- $1.5 million from the Town of Shalimar through an interlocal agreement.
- and $1.5 million from a state legislative appropriation currently being pursued during the 2026 session.
All three funding sources are built into the agreement as contingencies.
Click here to read the full story
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Thursday. 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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