THINGS TO DO

City Food Hall launches TopGolf Social Club at Destin Commons

City Food Hall, the culinary hub at Destin Commons, is set to launch the TopGolf Social Club on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, from 6 PM to 8 PM. 

• The weekly event promises to bring the excitement of TopGolf to the heart of Destin every Wednesday evening.

The TopGolf Social Club aims to offer attendees entertainment, camaraderie, and competition, all set against the vibrant backdrop of City Food Hall. Guests can enjoy complimentary TopGolf Swing Suites, exclusive drink specials, competitions, and prizes.

“This is an exciting addition to our lineup of events at City Food Hall,” says Kinsey Hill, General Manager of City Food Hall. “We are thrilled to bring the exhilarating atmosphere of TopGolf to our community, providing a unique and engaging experience for our guests. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just looking for a fun night out, the TopGolf Social Club promises to deliver unforgettable moments and create lasting memories.”

Attendees can expect a lively ambiance, food options from the City Food Hall vendors, and plenty of opportunities to showcase their golfing skills, according to the company.

The TopGolf Social Club will launch on March 13th and continue every Wednesday thereafter at City Food Hall in Destin Commons. 

PUBLIC SAFETY

Texas teen arrested for allegedly firing BB gun at family in Santa Rosa Beach

A 16-year-old visiting from Texas has been arrested and charged with aggravated battery after allegedly firing a BB gun at a family walking home from dinner in Santa Rosa Beach on Saturday evening.

According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Adagio Condos following a report of a dark sedan rolling down a passenger window and firing approximately 20 rounds from a BB gun at a family.

• The BBs struck kids ages 10, 15, and 17 years old.

Deputies utilized FLOCK, a vehicle tracking system, to locate a vehicle matching the description around two miles west of the incident location, bearing a Texas license plate. The black Audi was found parked near Seaside School, with a visible Glock-19, Co2 style BB gun lying in the rear passenger floorboard.

As deputies waited near the vehicle, two individuals returned. Using one of the individual’s Snapchat, deputies were able to locate the 16-year-old suspect nearby. The teen later admitted to shooting his Glock 19 BB gun at people walking on the sidewalk.

The 16-year-old has been charged with aggravated battery, shooting deadly missiles from a vehicle, and child abuse. Additional charges may be forthcoming, according to the sheriff’s office.

This incident is not the first of its kind during Spring Break in Walton County. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office warns that BBs can cause serious harm to those on the receiving end and that this type of behavior is not a game.

• They also caution that a weapon of this kind can be mistaken for a real gun, putting others in fear for their lives and potentially leading to a dangerous situation where the shooter could be shot at in return, possibly with a real weapon.

SCHOOL

Liza Jackson Preparatory School students shine at Annual Van Porter Art Show

Students from Liza Jackson Preparatory School have once again demonstrated their artistic talent, with four out of five submitted entries winning awards at the prestigious annual Van Porter Art Show hosted by the Arts and Design Society of Fort Walton Beach.

The Van Porter Art Show, named after a renowned local artist known for promoting art among young students, is an elite competition open to 8th graders and high school seniors. Each participating school can submit only five students, who must present three pieces of artwork and an essay on what art means to them.

Eden Preston, the art teacher at Liza Jackson Preparatory School, faced the challenging task of selecting the five students to represent the school. 

• “I look at all the students I’ve had this year, their breadth of work that they’ve had, and I try to narrow it down to ten students,” she said. “From there, I’m looking at who is the strongest, who has the most breadth, is anything slightly different, unusual, or exciting!” 

Liza Jackson Preparatory School’s students excelled at the competition, with Kiley Brantley winning the Middle School Van Porter Student Artist of the Year award for her body of work and essay. 

• Kensley McCall received the ADSO Merit Award for her marker piece titled “Beyonce.”
  Julia Anderson secured second place with her oil pastel work “A Change is Gonna Come.”
• Amaya Obenchain took third place with her watercolor painting “To See.”

“It makes me incredibly proud that I saw all of these kids putting in the effort, asking the questions, and coming in during other classes,” explained Preston. “Art is not a core class, but to these kids, it was important. It was the space that they felt safe, that they had a moment where they could express themselves.”

Principal Kaye McKinley emphasized the importance of supporting arts programs in schools, stating, “We’ve excelled in art mainly because we have great art teachers and they put the effort into the kids. The students are shining examples of what just a little effort can do, along with teachers pushing them to be the best they can be.”

Other students from the area also received recognition at the Van Porter Art Show. 

• Ava Harder from Ruckel Middle School won first place with her digital artwork “Madhatter.” 
• Isabelle Imandi and Lexi Schrand from Destin Middle School received honorable mentions for their paper mache pieces “Rainbow Drippies” and “Grey Cobra,” respectively. 
• Lilly Porras from Ruckel Middle School also earned an honorable mention for her mixed media work “Marley.”

The students’ artwork will be on display at the Arts and Design Society in downtown Fort Walton Beach until Friday, March 15, allowing the community to appreciate the talent and dedication of these young artists.

ADSO is located at 17 First Street SE, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32548

Click here to see the artwork

THINGS TO DO

Okaloosa Sheriff’s Star Charity hosts Clay Shoot Fundraiser

Round up your sharp-shooting squad and register for the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches Clay Shoot fundraiser sponsored by the OCSO Sheriff’s Star Charity.

• Team registration is $600 for your 4-person team ($150 per shooter)

Sponsorships are still available as well! All proceeds benefit the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches.

Secure your spot now at ocsostarcharity.com/clay-shoot

BUSINESS

HCA Florida Hospitals appoint Dr. Dan Hagler as Chief Medical Officer

HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital have announced the appointment of Dr. Dan Hagler, M.D., as their new chief medical officer (CMO), effective March 4.

• In this role, Dr. Hagler will oversee clinical and quality initiatives to ensure consistent clinical performance and practice standards across both hospitals.

With over 20 years of senior leadership experience, Dr. Hagler has a proven track record of improving quality and patient safety, as well as developing and growing key service lines.

“Our hospital is known for having a culture of providing safe, top-notch, and empathetic care to our community, and I believe Dr. Hagler’s commitment to excellence will help our hospital continue to build on that tradition,” said Zach McCluskey, CEO of HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital.

Todd Jackson, CEO of HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital, expressed confidence in Dr. Hagler’s ability to lead, stating, “We take pride in our dedicated and innovative medical staff at HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital who embody our mission to remain committed to the care and improvement of human life. With confidence in his ability to lead, I believe that Dr. Hagler will provide exemplary guidance for our clinical leaders.”

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Hagler held vice president and CMO roles at Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord, North Carolina, where he was directly responsible for medical affairs and had programmatic responsibility for quality, safety, performance improvement, infection prevention, and accreditation.

• Additionally, he served as the lead for physician relations, including multiple hospitalist programs, and was the hospital liaison for the Family Practice Residency Program affiliated with Cabarrus Family Medicine.

“It is an honor to step into the role of chief medical officer at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital during a time that both hospitals are substantially growing to serve the healthcare needs of the community,” said Dr. Dan Hagler. “My goal is to guide the clinical care team to advance patient care experience and safety as well as cultivate an environment of continued excellence.”

COMING SOON

Okaloosa Gas District breaks ground on new headquarters in Valparaiso

Okaloosa Gas District celebrated the groundbreaking of their new headquarters on March 5 in Valparaiso, Florida. 

• The modern campus will replace the utility’s existing 70-year-old buildings, consolidating team members into one location and providing much-needed upgrades to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity.

The new headquarters, located at the entrance to Valparaiso on Government Ave. and Valparaiso Parkway, is a result of a 2020 Engineering Study conducted by Okaloosa Gas.

The study revealed several challenges with the current facilities, including storm damage repairs, outdated hurricane and tropical weather standards, unhealthy conditions for employees, and estimated remodeling costs that rivaled the expense of constructing new, modernized buildings.

According to Okaloosa Gas, the challenges with the 70-year-old buildings center around the safety and functionality of the buildings. None of the District’s buildings meet today’s health and standard codes, not to mention wind mitigation standards for tropical storms and hurricanes.

• The District now employs over 200 people covering 2,300 square miles of service territory. And currently, the District’s employees are out of space, which is decreasing production efficiencies.

The project includes a four-story, 152,000-square-foot office building, an 18,400-square-foot operations center, a 7,200-square-foot vehicle maintenance building, and a 23,540-square-foot warehouse. 

• The campus will feature the latest advancements in building technology, utilizing tilt wall construction, brick, and steel.

“Plans are moving forward and we are excited to get this project underway, and some groundwork has already begun,” said Gordon King, Okaloosa Gas District CEO. “We look forward to our ongoing partnership with the community as we continue to grow.”

Okaloosa Gas states that consolidating team members into one location will foster teamwork and servant leadership, improving efficiency and productivity. The natural gas provider said that when office and administration personnel that 100% support the customers and field employees of the District are separated from each other, efficient communication and accurate information are minimized, and timely customer response fails.

The new facilities will also include meeting spaces available for community events, benefiting local organizations such as the Niceville/VALP Chamber. The event space has been designed and will be built to fulfill the needs of the District. 

• Okaloosa Gas will make the Conference Room available for public meetings on both a community donation-based event or a fee-based rental system event depending on the purpose of the event.

Energy-efficient features, centered around clean-burning natural gas, will be incorporated into the new buildings. The campus will utilize Combined Heat and Power, Tankless Water Heaters, and Natural Gas Fired Heat Pumps, minimizing carbon emissions and allowing the entire campus to operate independently of the grid when needed. 

According to Okaloosa Gas, natural gas is the cleanest burning fuel source that is not labeled as a renewable source of energy. The uniqueness of the energy-producing equipment that will be used on the campus allows for the use of condensing features that use the remnants of the fuel burn off as added energy sources to minimize the production of carbon emissions.

The project, funded through low-interest bonds, is designed to accommodate future growth and expansion of Okaloosa Gas District’s services. The headquarters has been designed for lease space today and additional space for Okaloosa Gas in the future.

• The District has designed the building for future company needs while allowing for the opportunity of the community to have a “Class A” facility to lease to fulfill their company needs.

The construction process will be managed to minimize disruptions to the surrounding area, with outdoor work limited to daylight hours. One of the driving factors of a new campus site will allow for the new facilities to be built without interrupting day-to-day work requirements of the District.

• The open concept architectural design incorporates natural light to create a comfortable and mentally sound work environment for employees, according to Okaloosa Gas. The administration building will feature an open-air atrium connecting each floor, supported by stair and elevator facilities.

Okaloosa Gas leadership describes the feeling of breaking ground on the project as much needed and long overdue. Progress and a positive step forward for Okaloosa Gas, the employees of the company, the customers, and the community supported by the District are all beneficiaries of the new project and future home of Okaloosa Gas.

The new headquarters is scheduled for completion in 2025, with Robins & Morton serving as the general contractor and DAG Architects as the architect. The location was chosen primarily for the availability of land and the importance of remaining in the city that has been home to Okaloosa Gas District’s headquarters for the past 70 years.

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