SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Gulfarium’s Romeo has been named the oldest manatee ever by Guinness World Records at the remarkable age of 71 years old. It’s election day in Okaloosa County with several items on municipal ballots, nine dogs found forever homes while three more are headed to veteran service training after an adoption event at Freedom Tech Center, Okaloosa County wrestlers make their mark at FHSAA state championships, a Crestview Councilman will host a town hall for Precinct 2 residents on March 25, and Eglin will conduct munitions testing in the Gulf this week. Want to get featured in our ‘Beach Days’ series? (We have the details below)
POLITICS
It’s election day in Okaloosa
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today for municipal elections in three Okaloosa County cities. Here’s what’s on the ballot (see sample ballots):
FORT WALTON BEACH — Charter Referendum: FWB voters aren’t choosing candidates today — they’re deciding the future of how the city operates. Six charter amendment questions are on the ballot:
- Question 1: Move city elections to coincide with November statewide general elections (even years).
- Question 2: Clarify non-partisan council seats, update term limits, establish vacancy-filling procedures, and allow flexibility on filing fees.
- Question 3: Adjust how council meetings are scheduled, change the disciplinary vote threshold, and strengthen attendance/forfeiture rules.
- Question 4: Remove outdated language from charter provisions related to city officers and daily operations.
- Question 5: Allow elected city officials to receive compensation — either monetary pay or city-covered health insurance — at their option.
- Question 6: Repeal the charter section that limits annual budget expenditure increases to 3% or CPI, whichever is lowest.
VALPARAISO — Mayor’s Race: Valparaiso residents are choosing their next mayor. Three candidates are on the ballot:
- Joe Morgan
- Patrick W. Palmer
- Chris Wasdin
MARY ESTHER — City Council: Mary Esther voters will elect two City Council members from three candidates:
- Larry J. Carter
- Bernie Oder
- Julia Thomas
SPONSORED
You can bank with us
If you live, work, worship or attend school within our field of membership, you can bank with us. See more ways to qualify for membership at eglinfcu.org/join.
Eglin Federal Credit Union — where members matter most. Insured by NCUA
GAMES
WordroW: March 10, 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.
GIVING BACK
9 dogs find forever homes, three more headed to veteran service training after adoption event
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
A Saturday afternoon pet adoption event at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Walton Beach at Freedom Tech Center proved to be a huge success, with nine rescue dogs finding permanent homes and three additional dogs being designated for service training to support local veterans.
- The February 28 event, hosted in partnership with Road Dogg Rescue, brought together residents, vendors and animal advocates from across the area for an afternoon focused on adoption, community engagement and animal welfare awareness.
Beyond the nine onsite adoptions, three dogs will be donated to ‘Paws for Warriors,’ a nonprofit organization that trains and pairs service dogs with veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress and other service-related challenges.
“This event demonstrated what can happen when local businesses and nonprofit organizations work together,” said Courtney Blackerby, event director for Freedom Tech Center and The Jay Odom Group. “Nine dogs went home with new families, and three more will go on to serve veterans. That is a meaningful outcome for our community.”
PROMOTED BY ORIGIN BANK
Local People, Real Connections
Your banker should get to know you, and our team of local trusted advisors in Fort Walton Beach is ready to learn your story.
Origin Bank has been proud to support our customers and communities through everyday business and unexpected change.
SPORTS
Okaloosa County wrestlers make mark at FHSAA state championships
This coverage is made possible thanks to Emerald Coast FCA and Bayer & Curtis Orthodontics.
Multiple local wrestlers earned top finishes at the 2026 FHSAA Wrestling State Championships in Kissimmee over the weekend.
Fort Walton Beach senior Eric Stouder entered the 2A 285 final undefeated on the season but fell 1-0 to defending state runner-up Jaxon Newton, finishing as state runner-up with 20 total points. The loss denied the Vikings their first individual state champion since Cedric Fairrow won the 220 class in 2022.
Niceville’s Brooke Arbic finished fourth in the girls 170 class, Destin’s Veronica Madrid took fifth in girls 155 and Choctaw’s Mary McKinney earned seventh in girls 120. Niceville’s Jace Schmidt and Fort Walton Beach’s Rome Kendrick each finished eighth in their respective classes.
Several other local wrestlers qualified for state, including Niceville freshman Brady Gifford, who made the trip in just his first year.
POLITICS
Crestview Councilman to host town hall for Precinct 2 residents on March 25
Crestview City Council Member Sylvester Echols is inviting Precinct 2 residents to a town hall meeting later this month, offering constituents a chance to meet their newly appointed representative and voice concerns on issues impacting their community.
- The town hall is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers at 198 N. Wilson St. in Crestview. The event will begin with a meet-and greet, followed by a question-and-answer session that will be livestreamed on the official City of Crestview Facebook page.
Residents unable to attend in person can still participate by submitting questions in advance through a Survey Monkey form or by posting comments during the Facebook livestream.
“I want the residents of Precinct 2 to get to know me and share their concerns,” Echols said. “I believe that listening and understanding are important before making decisions, so this meeting will be instrumental in helping me fulfill my role as their representative.”
MILITARY
Eglin to conduct munitions test in Gulf
Eglin Air Force Base will conduct munitions testing in the Gulf from March 10-18, with daily operations running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the 96th Test Wing.
- All vessels are required to stay clear of the active hazard zone during testing. The restricted area begins approximately 2 nautical miles south of Destin’s East Pass and extends 18 nautical miles, reaching to Santa Rosa Island.
Residents along the coast may see high smoke plumes during testing hours, visible from the Destin East Pass down the coastline to Tarpon Springs.
Advisories and local notice to mariners will be broadcast on Channel 16 and on HF upper sideband 2182 KHZ by the Eglin Joint Test and Training Operations Control Center.
BEACH DAYS
Get featured in our ‘Beach Days’ series
We’re looking for locals to share their beach day stories!
Whether you’re a lifelong resident with a secret favorite spot or a newer local who’s discovered your own paradise, we want to hear from you.
Tell us about your beach crew, your must-pack essentials, your go-to playlist, and the traditions that make your beach days special. From sunrise swims to sunset hangs, paddleboard adventures to simply soaking up the sun with friends – every beach day has a story worth sharing.
Simply reply to this email, and we will send you over the form
NEWS
Gulfarium’s Romeo named oldest manatee ever by Guinness World Records at 71 years old
The Gulfarium’s 71-year-old manatee, Romeo, has earned a place in the record books.
- The West Indian manatee was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest manatee ever recorded. Gulfarium staff had fun presenting Romeo with his certificate during a special ceremony this week.
Romeo arrived at the Gulfarium’s Manatee Cove last year after spending a year-and-a-half receiving round-the-clock care at Zoo Tampa’s David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center. He was placed at the Gulfarium through a coordinated effort by the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Romeo has spent much of his life under managed care and is classified as conditionally non-releasable.
His exact birth date is unknown because he was born in the wild, but when Romeo was first documented in 1957, he was already considered a subadult — meaning he was likely two to five years old at the time. The typical manatee lifespan is 30 to 40 years.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday. 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