TRAFFIC

Eglin AFB to close Highways 85, 285, and State Roads 293, 123 for mission

The 96th Test Wing has announced that it will be conducting a test on the Eglin range complex on March 20, 2024, which will require the temporary closure of several local roads.

Highways 85 and 285, as well as State Roads 293 and 123, will be closed for a period of 90 minutes between 9 a.m. and noon to accommodate the test.

• In the event that the test cannot be conducted as scheduled on March 20, a back-up mission has been planned for March 21, also between 9 a.m. and noon.

Motorists are advised to plan their routes accordingly and expect delays during the affected time periods.

BUSINESS

Cox fiber lines cut in Fort Walton Beach, causing service disruptions

Cox Communications announced that its underground fiber lines in Fort Walton Beach were cut late yesterday, resulting in service disruptions for some customers in the area.

• The incident occurred during underground broadband and utility infrastructure construction, an issue that sometimes happen during this type of work.

Upon notification of the cut, Cox’s teams promptly responded and began making the necessary repairs to resolve the problem. The company apologized to all affected customers for any inconvenience caused by the service interruption.

“We’re working with the other company to prevent such incidents in the future,” Cox said in a statement.

• Cox encouraged customers to log in to the Cox app on their mobile devices for up-to-date information on service restoration.

COMING SOON

Santa Rosa Beach’s first McDonald’s location set to break ground

Costa Family McDonald’s will break ground on the first McDonald’s restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 8:30 a.m.

• The groundbreaking ceremony will be attended by David Costa Jr., owner and operator of Costa Family McDonald’s, along with local dignitaries and members from the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce.

The new 4,000-square-foot restaurant, adjacent to Publix in Santa Rosa Beach, is being built by Stansell Properties & Development. It will feature a large parking area, drive-thru, and ample dine-in space for patrons.

The location will also introduce kiosks where customers can pay cash for their orders, a first for the market. The newest Costa location is expected to create over 60 jobs for the community.

• Construction is projected to be completed by June 2024.

This restaurant marks the first of two Santa Rosa Beach locations Costa plans to open in 2024, with the second location set to open across from the Walmart in Santa Rosa Beach.

With these new locations, Costa aims to give back to the local community, schools, and charities in Walton County, upholding the company’s pillar of community involvement since its founding in 1994.

• Costa operates various McDonald’s restaurants throughout Northwest Florida, including Blountstown, Crestview, Navarre, Madison, Marianna, and Panama City Beach.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 2010 US Highway 98, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459.

SCHOOL

Okaloosa County School District to host 5th Annual Career and College Signing Day

The Okaloosa County School District will host its 5th Annual Career and College Signing Day on Thursday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville.

• The event aims to recognize the efforts of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students in pursuing their education and career goals after high school.

The Signing Day event will feature Dr. Kevin O’Farrell, Chancellor of the Division of Career and Adult Education for the Florida Department of Education, as the keynote speaker.

The Career and College Signing Day supports Governor Ron DeSantis’s goal of making Florida the top state in workforce development by 2030, according to the school district.

• By acknowledging the necessary steps CTE students are taking to further their education and training, the event highlights the importance of ensuring a skilled future workforce for the community and the state of Florida.

The Mattie Kelly Arts Center is located at 100 E College Blvd in Niceville.

THE WEEKENDER

A few things to do around town

March 15, 2024 – Bradley Copeland Featured Artist Show at Maxine Orange Gallery – Free – View

March 16, 2024 – Alaqua Animal Refuge’s Shamrock Stroll 2024 – $5 – View

March 16, 2024 – VOLKSWAGEN FORT WALTON BEACH HOSTS BLOOD DRIVE WITH BIG RED BUS – – View

March 16, 2024 – Zines with Laura Duerrwaechter at Artful Things Niceville – $22 – View

March 17, 2024 – Motorcycle Ride to Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony – Free – View

March 17, 2024 – 4th Annual Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony – Free – View

March 17, 2024 – St. Paddy’s Day Delight — Paint the Village Green – Free – View

March 17, 2024 – Scallywag Sunday – Free – View

March 18, 2024 – Spring Break Workshops – $12 – View

March 18, 2024 – Movie Monday – Free – View

March 19, 2024 – Boomin Tuesday – Free – View

March 20, 2024 – Folk School Classes at Traditions Workshop – Introduction to Blacksmithing – $90 – View

March 20, 2024 – Spring Break Workshops – $12 – View

March 20, 2024 – Kids’ Acrylic Painting with Sheila Mahony at Artful Things Niceville – $38.50 – View

March 20, 2024 – Crochet for Beginners, Part 1, with Eliza Scalia at Artful Things Niceville – $20 – View

March 20, 2024 – Wednesday Night Concert Series at The Village of Baytowne Wharf – Free – View

March 21, 2024 – Animal Tales at the Science Center – $12 – $17 – View

March 21, 2024 – Origami Cranes with Laura Duerrwaechter at Artful Things Niceville – $22 – View

March 21, 2024 – March Business After Hours sponsored by Beach Weekend – The Marina – View

March 21, 2024 – Fly Guy Thursdays – Free – View

March 22, 2024 – Crochet for Beginners Part 2 with Eliza Scalia at Artful Things Niceville – $20 – View

March 22, 2024 – Flowers – Free – View

NEWS

Okaloosa County schedules town halls for North Okaloosa Planning Study

Okaloosa County is progressing to the next phase of a planning study to address the needs of the rapidly growing northern part of the county.

• In addition to the public town hall meeting held in 2023, two more town hall meetings have been scheduled for March 2024.

“We are excited to move forward with the next step of this study that will address how we can responsibly manage growth and progress in the County,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. “We want to ensure that the voices of Okaloosa residents are heard so that we can preserve what is most important to us. With sound planning, we can ensure our quality of life is maintained and enhanced.”

The purpose of these town hall meetings is to allow the consultant, Inspire Placemaking Collective, Inc., to gather public input regarding the issues that concern the citizens of north Okaloosa County the most.

The meetings will also serve to familiarize the public with the study and the consultant. The results of the town hall meetings will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners, who will provide further direction to the consultant regarding the study.

• The first town hall meeting will be held on Monday, March 25, 2024, from 6:01 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Baker Recreation Community Center, located at 5503 Hwy 4, Baker, Florida 32531.
• The second meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, from 6:01 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Crestview Community Center, located at 1446 Commerce Dr, Crestview, FL 32539.

Inspire has created a website for the study, which includes a project timeline and will enable residents to review and comment on draft reports and other aspects of the study once deliverables start. The website can be found at https://www.inspire-engagement.com/north-okaloosa-plan.

PARKS+REC

Fort Walton Beach looks to add new Fitness Court at Ferry Park

The City of Fort Walton Beach is looking to add a new Fitness Court to Ferry Park. The City Council unanimously passed Resolution 2024-5 on Tuesday, approving the application for a $30,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign (NFC) to help fund the project. 

• The total cost of the fitness court is $185,000, with the remaining funds coming from the Recreation Department’s budget ($100,000) and the city’s half-cent sales tax ($55,000).

During the meeting, Recreation Director Tiffiny Corcoran presented the project, highlighting the opportunity to take advantage of the NFC’s initiative to install fitness courts across the country. 

“The recreation department budgeted $100,000 in this year’s budget for fitness stations,” Corcoran said. “They have really cool fitness stations along with a $30,000 grant opportunity.”

The proposed fitness court will be located behind the tennis courts at Ferry Park, in-between the walking trail. Councilman Nic Allegretto proposed an additional $10,000 be allocated for a sunshade over the fitness court, making the project more attractive to users. 

• “When we are talking about grabbing a hold of some metal bars, and things of that nature, it might be a little bit more attractive to people who want to try it if it were shaded,” Allegretto said.

Corcoran said there were no recurring costs associated with the Fitness Court and it does come with a 10-year warranty.

A resident in attendance expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “As somebody who uses the walking trail at Ferry Park, I’m very excited about this and I think it’d be really good. If it’s too hot, I’ll wear gloves. I think it’s a great idea.”

The city will hear back next week on whether they have been awarded the $30,000 grant. If the grant is approved, the project will move forward with a total budget of $195,000, including the additional $10,000 for the sunshade. 

The fitness court is expected to be completed by the end of the 2024 calendar year, providing a free-to-the-public outdoor fitness facility for residents and visitors of Fort Walton Beach.

“This Fitness Court will be a great addition to our community,” said City Manager Jeff Peters. “Our goal is to get as many people active as possible and this just adds to the many great amenities that Fort Walton Beach already has to offer. Ferry Park is already a highly used park and this addition will make it even better!”