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Good morning!
Here’s what we’re covering today:
- Concerns about Eglin waterway restrictions appear less severe than initially feared, according to an Okaloosa Commissioner’s update. It’s Election Day for Okaloosa municipalities, while Northwood Elementary’s principal earns statewide recognition. Fort Walton Beach Council prepares to address downtown zoning and boating regulations (see details), I-10 improvements begin, and law enforcement investigates a concerning incident where bullets struck homes in Fort Walton Beach.
ELECTION DAY
Election Day for Okaloosa County municipalities
Fort Walton Beach: The municipal election will determine three seats on the Fort Walton Beach City Council. Seven candidates are competing for these positions:
- Brandon Bishop
- Logan Browning
- Jason Harwell
- Benjamin Merrell
- Debi “Debra” Riley
- Travis Smith (incumbent)
- Sonya Faison-Vazquez
Laurel Hill: Voters in Laurel Hill will decide between three candidates:
- Mike Blizzard
- Shawn D. Cogan
- Amanda Rosen
Niceville: Voters will consider two charter referenda:
- A proposal to eliminate the city residency requirement for the City Clerk. Currently, Section 6.11 of the Niceville City Charter requires the City Clerk to reside within city limits. The amendment would remove this requirement, which is described as “financially burdensome and unnecessary for the proper function of this office.”
- A proposal to grant the Mayor authority to vote to break tie votes regarding City Council vacancies. The amendment to Section 3.07(c) would establish a process to resolve potential tie votes when filling council vacancies.
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- To find out if you’re eligible to join, visit eglinfcu.org/join or apply at a branch.
Membership subject to approval. Must be 18 or older to apply online. Insured by NCUA
SCHOOL
Northwood Elementary’s Dr. Donna Kelley named Florida’s Distinguished Principal
Dr. Donna Kelley, principal of Northwood Elementary School, has been named the 2025 Florida National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal.
- The prestigious honor, established in 1984, recognizes outstanding elementary and middle-level principals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made a lasting impact on their schools and communities.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this recognition from the National Association of Elementary School Principals,” Kelley said. “From a young age, my passion for education has been a driving force in my life, a fact my sister Valerie fondly reminds me of to this day.”
Kelley expressed gratitude to her late parents, Roy and Nancy Kelley, “for their unwavering support and for providing me with the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher.”
- This national recognition follows local acclaim — Kelley was named Elementary Principal of the Year for Okaloosa County in 2022-2023 and again this year.
Superintendent Marcus Chambers praised Kelley’s leadership: “Dr. Donna Kelley is an exceptional leader who goes above and beyond to support her students, teachers, and school community. Her passion for education and dedication to excellence make her truly deserving of this recognition.”
Kelley also acknowledged her colleagues’ contributions to her success. “I would be remiss not to thank Team Okaloosa and especially the faculty and staff of Northwood Elementary for all the support I have been given over the years,” she said.
Kelley will be honored at the Florida Association of School Administrators Discover ’25 Conference and recognized by the NAESP in Washington, D.C., or at the UNITED Conference in Seattle in July.
TRAFFIC
I-10 eastbound rest area improvements to begin in Okaloosa County
The Florida Department of Transportation will begin improvements to the Interstate 10 eastbound rest area in Okaloosa County this March, focusing on expanding truck parking capacity.
- The $4.3 million construction project, located at mile marker 59, includes adding truck parking spaces, enhancing the Truck Parking Availability System, installing new lighting, and updating signage and pavement markings.
FDOT officials said the rest area will remain open to the public throughout the construction period. However, motorists should expect periodic I-10 eastbound lane closures between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
The truck parking area will close for 120 days beginning in mid-2025 to complete portions of the improvement work.
Construction is expected to be complete in late 2026.
TRAFFIC
Interstate 10 resurfacing project set to begin in Okaloosa County
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will begin an $11.5 million resurfacing project on Interstate 10 in Okaloosa County later this month.
- The project covers the stretch of I-10 from the Shoal River bridge to State Road 285. In addition to milling and resurfacing, the work will include drainage improvements, new signage and pavement markings.
Motorists should expect lane closures on I-10 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, during the construction period.
The project is scheduled for completion in late 2026.
SPONSORED
Origin Bank opens new location in Fort Walton Beach
Origin Bank has expanded its presence with a new financial center in Fort Walton Beach.
- Operating from a temporary building at 212 Racetrack Road NW (the intersection of Denton Boulevard NW), the center offers comprehensive banking services including small business and personal banking, home loans, and financial support.
The location currently operates Monday through Friday, with the drive-thru open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and appointments available by calling (850) 904-8613. For more information, click here.
POLICE BLOTTER
Bullets hit two homes in Fort Walton Beach area, no injuries reported
Two homes on Thornhill Road near Fort Walton Beach were struck by bullets Thursday evening, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported in the shooting, which occurred around 8:10 p.m. on March 6.
- Deputies responded to multiple 911 calls from area residents who heard shots. Investigators discovered several bullet casings outside a home on Thornhill Road, along with bullet holes in the house and a vehicle parked in the driveway.
A woman told authorities she and her three children were inside the residence when she heard multiple gunshots and the sound of breaking glass. Her home was hit, as was a nearby unoccupied house.
The incident follows two other shooting reports that OCSO deputies responded to last weekend — one on Shrewsbury Road in Mary Esther and another on Elaine Avenue off Lovejoy Road. No one was injured in those incidents, but multiple vehicles were struck.
- Investigators have not determined if the shootings are connected.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information about these incidents to call 850-651-7400 or contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers.
Authorities remind residents to report any suspicious activity immediately to the OCSO or their nearest law enforcement agency.
NEWS
Commissioner: Eglin waterway restrictions “not nearly as impactful” as initially feared
Eglin Air Force Base’s recently implemented waterway restrictions won’t be as extensive as initially feared, according to Okaloosa County Commissioner Trey Goodwin, who met with base leadership to discuss the security measures.
- Goodwin, who represents District 4 in South Okaloosa County, said the base has developed more precise, scaled maps of the restricted areas that will be integrated into digital GIS format and shared with the county.
“I realized that the zones are not going to be nearly as impactful as what may have looked like from the original maps,” Goodwin said in a social media video released Monday. “We’re going to find that we can live and work and enjoy our waterways just the same and to just the same extent as we did before.”
The restrictions, which took effect Feb. 24, limit access to six waterways around the base to ID card holders and visitors with passes. These areas include Eglin’s main shoreline, north and south sides of Santa Rosa Sound, Camp Pinchot shoreline, Poquito Bayou housing area shoreline and Wynnhaven Beach.
Goodwin explained that the restrictions stem from federal regulations that have existed since 2011 but are only now being enforced due to “new security concerns and issues with the base.”
- “This is part of their effort to make sure that Eglin Air Force Base and its mission and its people stay safe and are able to do their job,” Goodwin said.
The commissioner emphasized the importance of respecting the restricted areas and supporting the base’s security efforts. “Team Eglin and Team Okaloosa are in lockstep on this issue,” he said.
Visitor passes can be obtained from the Visitor Control Center at the Air Force Armament Museum between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Outside these hours, sponsors can secure passes from Airmen at the gate.
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