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Good morning!
Destin Fire and HCA demonstrated a 52-foot ‘floating emergency room’ vessel ahead of the busy season, providing advanced medical response capabilities on the water. Okaloosa NAACP schedules a public workshop on Fort Walton Beach’s district-based council proposal, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office dumps a large underage spring break alcohol stash, FDOT will resurface a 3-mile stretch of State Road 293 near the Mid-Bay Bridge in Okaloosa County, and a temporary Antioch Road closure with detour begins March 16 in Crestview.
POLITICS
Okaloosa NAACP schedules public workshop on FWB district-based council proposal
The Okaloosa NAACP will host a public workshop Monday evening to present a redistricting plan for Fort Walton Beach and gather community input before submitting the proposal to the city council in April.
- The workshop is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the City Hall Annex/Growth Management Office at 105 Miracle Strip Parkway SE.
The proposal would establish four single-member council seats representing specific districts, three at-large council seats, and a mayor elected citywide. The NAACP argues the system would enhance local representation and ensure diverse perspectives are reflected in city leadership.
“Community participation is vital,” said Sabu Williams, president of the Okaloosa County NAACP. “Redistricting determines the representation of each neighborhood.”
- Williams said the workshop will allow residents to review the proposed plan, ask questions, and provide feedback before the proposal is finalized.
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted unanimously in October to form a study group exploring the shift to a hybrid government structure following Williams’ initial presentation. At that meeting, Williams emphasized the NAACP’s recommendation for four district seats and three at-large seats was just a suggestion for the study group to consider.
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GAMES
WordroW: March 9, 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.
SPRING BREAK
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office dumps underage spring break alcohol stash
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says deputies recently seized and destroyed a large quantity of alcohol from an underage group during spring break.
- In a social media post Sunday, OCSO said deputies came across a stash that “looked more like it was stocking a small convenience store than a beach weekend.” A photo shared by the sheriff’s office shows two young men dumping out dozens of cans from a truck bed.
Rather than simply confiscating the alcohol, deputies had the underage group pour out the supply themselves — can by can.
Okaloosa County maintains a zero-tolerance policy for underage possession of alcohol. The sheriff’s office used the incident as a public warning to visitors ahead of spring break season.
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GAMES
Introducing our new Jigsaw puzzle!
Jigsaw is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
We’re adding a new game to the lineup.
Every week, we’ll drop a fresh jigsaw puzzle featuring real photos from around Okaloosa County — from iconic local spots to historical snapshots you might remember. It’s another way to test yourself and stay connected to the coast.
TRAFFIC
FDOT to resurface 3-mile stretch of S.R. 293 near Mid-Bay Bridge in Okaloosa County
FDOT announced it will begin work in March to resurface State Road 293 from the Mid-Bay Bridge to Range Road in Okaloosa County.
- The project spans a 3-mile corridor and includes resurfacing existing travel lanes, ramps, auxiliary lanes, median crossovers and paved shoulders. Crews will also install permanent erosion control, new guardrails and upgraded signage throughout the project area.
The work will also add intelligent transportation system CCTV cameras at the Lakeshore Drive, S.R. 20 and Range Road intersections at the toll plaza.
During construction, no lane closures will take place from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday or from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times through the toll plaza, and access to driveways and business entrances will remain open throughout the project.
Work is scheduled to be completed by mid-2026. Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled due to inclement weather.
TRAFFIC
Temporary Antioch Road closure with detour begins March 16 in Crestview
A stretch of Antioch Road in Crestview will be temporarily closed for one week beginning Monday as crews work to connect the roadway to the new P.J. Adams Parkway alignment.
- The Florida Department of Transportation announced that Antioch Road will close just south of the P.J. Adams Parkway intersection starting March 16. The closure is expected to remain in place through Monday, March 23.
Drivers who need to access Antioch Road south of P.J. Adams Parkway should follow a detour via Wildhorse Drive. Detour signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
The closure is part of the $72.7 million Interstate 10 at P.J. Adams Parkway interchange project in Okaloosa County, which will create future Exit 53. The project is the first new interchange added to the I-10 corridor in decades. Once complete, the new exit is expected to improve safety and reduce congestion by providing an alternative I-10 access point for travelers in north Crestview.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Destin Fire, HCA unveil 52-foot ‘floating emergency room’ vessel ahead of busy season
A new vessel designed to bring emergency room-level care to the waters off Destin made a demonstration Friday morning at the Destin Fire Control District’s Harbor Station.
- Marine 19, a 52-foot coastal fast response boat operated by the Destin Fire Control District, is the largest fire rescue vessel of its kind in the state. HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital joined the fire district for the unveiling, highlighting the partnership between the hospital’s trauma team and local first responders.
The boat is designed to function as a floating emergency room. Trauma teams and paramedics aboard Marine 19 can begin stabilizing patients with complex maritime injuries — such as diving accidents near Crab Island or offshore medical emergencies — before ever reaching shore.
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital is the tri-county area’s only trauma center, treating a wide range of high-acuity injuries. Marine 19 significantly extends the reach of that trauma capability onto the water, where response times and early stabilization can determine outcomes.
The unveiling included a technical tour and on-the-water demonstration near Crab Island. Dr. Cathy Ho, a trauma surgeon at the hospital, and Destin Fire Control District Capt. Doug Kocour were on hand to discuss the vessel’s role.
We will have more information on this story soon. For now, here’s the link to the story
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Jared
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