SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Okaloosa County is disputing a school speed camera on Hollywood Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach and asking the city to refund fines collected. The county has approved a dive safety partnership with Divers Alert Network ahead of the SS United States deployment, Crestview will host Okaloosa County’s America 250 grand parade and celebration on May 9, and Niceville softball avenges last week’s loss with a 3-2 win at Crestview. Will Sloan is our Athlete of the Week for chasing a state title with quiet drive, and get an inside look at how CareerSource’s Michele Burns leads workforce development.
COASTAL RESOURCES
Okaloosa approves dive safety partnership with Divers Alert Network ahead of SSUS deployment
Okaloosa County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with Divers Alert Network, a globally recognized nonprofit specializing in dive safety, medical response and research.
- Under the agreement, DAN will contribute $10,000 annually over five years, totaling $50,000, to support dive safety initiatives tied to the SS United States artificial reef project.
Funding may be used for the reefing effort, a future visitors center, and programs promoting dive safety and marine education. A commemorative DAN plaque will also be placed on the vessel prior to deployment.
Natural Resources Chief Alex Fogg said DAN’s expertise in hyperbaric medicine is particularly valuable given the lack of emergency hyperbaric treatment facilities in Northwest Florida.
The partnership adds to a growing list of project supporters as the 990-foot former ocean liner undergoes final remediation in Mobile ahead of its planned deployment as the world’s largest artificial reef.
SPONSORED
It’s the perfect season to tee up and enjoy the ride.
It’s the perfect season to tee up and enjoy the ride.
- With auto loan rates as low as 4.74% APR, Eglin Federal Credit Union can help you go farther—for less.
Shop for your new or used vehicle at any participating dealer to apply for on site financing with Eglin Federal Credit Union, or apply online at eglinfcu.org/auto.
Your best round starts with a great drive.
Eglin Federal Credit Union. Where members matter most.
GAMES
WordroW: April 8, 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.
HOW I WORK
How CareerSource’s Michele Burns leads workforce development with experience, service, and community focus
“How I Work” is brought to you by the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. Join the most influential organization in Okaloosa. Learn more here.
Michele Burns is a Fort Walton Beach native who has spent much of her career serving the local community.
- After briefly moving away following college, she returned home and built a career centered on workforce development and helping others find opportunity.
Today, as Executive Director of CareerSource Okaloosa Walton, her role spans board meetings, state requirements, and community partnerships across two counties. Her days are rarely predictable, but her focus remains the same — supporting her team, strengthening the workforce, and helping individuals move toward self-sufficiency.
(Oh, and read about her connection to Choctaw baseball and her two classic cars!)
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Baker’s Will Sloan chasing state title with confidence, consistency and a quiet drive
Athlete of the Week is brought to you by Okaloosa Gas District – supporting the athletes who make our community stronger.
Baker School junior Will Sloan finished as state runner-up in javelin last year. This season, he’s coming for the top spot.
- Sloan is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A and No. 5 overall in Florida with a personal best of 188ft 10”. Last week, he swept all three meets he entered, with every single throw clearing 180 feet.
“I’ve been very consistent lately,” Sloan said. “I just know it’s coming eventually.”
His coach, Terry Kersey, said the biggest change since Sloan’s freshman year has been his confidence. “When he first got out there, he was kind of shy,” Kersey said. “Now he walks around with a bit of swagger.”
Off the field, Sloan is an honor student, Beta Club member and aspiring civil engineer. He credits his parents, who both work at Baker School, and his sister Shelby, a former Division I softball player, for helping shape who he is.
With districts, regionals and state ahead, Sloan has his eyes on the podium. “I’m just going to give everything I’ve got,” he said.
PROMOTED BY GULFARIUM
Gulfarium’s TurtleFest returns April 18 with all-inclusive celebration supporting sea turtle rescue
The Gulfarium Adventure Park will host its third annual “CARE on the Coast TurtleFest” on April 18, offering an all-inclusive afternoon of live music, local food, animal encounters and family entertainment — all in support of the facility’s sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
- The event, presented by Valparaiso Coca-Cola, runs from 3:30 to 7 p.m., with VIP ticket holders gaining early access at 3 p.m.
“Every ticket that we sell is more that goes to the CARE Center,” said Mary Fomby, Marketing Manager for Gulfarium. “Everything that we raise through this event goes back to rescuing sea turtles in our area.”
This family-friendly festival will be an unforgettable evening, where you’ll enjoy entertainment, unlimited food & drink, fun activities for all ages, meet-and-greets with your favorite Gulfarium residents and opportunities to make a real difference in the lives of endangered sea turtles!
SPORTS
Niceville softball avenges last week’s loss with 3-2 win at Crestview
Danny Hensley’s squad hasn’t lost at Crestview since 2015, and this year proved no different.
- Niceville avenged last week’s 3-1 loss with a 3-2 victory Monday night, holding off a furious seventh-inning rally from the Lady Bulldogs to pick up its third straight win.
“I thought we played well. We made a few mistakes at the end, we hit the ball hard all game, we should’ve had eight or nine runs, we left too many baserunners on base,” Hensley said. “But I was proud of the fact that we hung in there, got the win, we’ve beaten three quality teams, and we’re gaining momentum.”
For the first four innings, it was another pitcher’s duel between Niceville’s Chloe Bailey and Crestview’s Cambell Toolan, as both lineups struggled to get going. But someone was due to break through, and it turned out to be Niceville.
PROMOTED BY UNITED FIDELITY
STOP Missing Out! Your Checking Account Should Pay YOU
Tired of your checking account giving you next to nothing?
Our Elevate Checking account lets you earn up to 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)!
Earn more with a local bank you can trust.
Visit unitedfidelitybank.com/elevate to learn more about how to get started.
AMERICA 250
Crestview to host Okaloosa County America 250 grand parade and celebration on May 9
The City of Crestview will host the Okaloosa County America 250 Grand Parade & Celebration on Saturday, May 9, in downtown Crestview, a countywide event marking 250 years of American independence.
- The event will run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Crestview, at 114 N. Main St.
Crestview native and Olympic speedskater Mia Manganello, who won a bronze medal for the United States at the Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, in February, will serve as one of the event’s grand marshals.
The grand parade will feature floats, marching bands, tributes to veterans and participation from community organizations and cultural groups. Attendees are encouraged to line Main Street wearing red, white and blue or colonial and continental-period clothing.
Beyond the parade, the celebration will include live entertainment, food trucks and patriotic vendors.
TRAFFIC
Okaloosa disputes school speed camera on Hollywood Blvd. in FWB, asks city to refund fines
The City of Fort Walton Beach temporarily turned off two school zone speed cameras last week after Okaloosa County officials raised questions about whether the cameras were improperly placed in county right-of-way.
- Commissioners on Tuesday made a motion to to formally ask the city to refund fines collected from at least one of the cameras, which county staff and the county attorney say was never authorized under state law.
The cameras, located on Hollywood Boulevard near Fort Walton Beach High School and Edwins Elementary School, have been operating since approximately May 2025.
County Attorney Lynn Hoshihara told commissioners she is confident one of the cameras — positioned to capture eastbound traffic near the high school — sits within county right-of-way based on records her office has reviewed. The status of the second camera, which faces westbound traffic near Edwins Elementary, remains under research.
Chairman Trey Goodwin, who requested the Hollywood Boulevard matter be placed on Tuesday’s agenda, said he felt obligated to speak up for residents who may have received citations from a camera that lacked legal authorization.
- He said citations issued from the camera were “void from the minute they were issued.”
Commissioners also voted unanimously to direct staff to begin discussions with Fort Walton Beach about transferring ownership of the Hollywood Boulevard segment to the city.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Wednesday. 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