THINGS TO DO

Sandestin Wine Festival returns for its 36th Annual Celebration

The 36th Annual Sandestin Wine Festival is set to take place from April 13th to April 16th, 2023. The Sandestin Wine Festival has earned the title of the “Best Annual Event” by Destin Magazine and is considered the premier event in the Visit South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival area. 

• This event is the longest-running wine festival on the Emerald Coast, and it’s affectionately called the “Kentucky Derby of Wine Festivals” due to its popularity and grandeur.

The festival’s main events are the Grand Wine Tastings, which showcase over 500 domestic and international wines for guests to savor over a two-day period. The Grand Tastings will take place on Friday, April 14th, and Saturday, April 15th. 

During these tastings, guests can engage with vineyard owners and wine makers, asking questions about their favorite appellations or trying something new. Visitors will be treated to a gourmet culinary experience courtesy of some of the best chefs on the Emerald Coast. 

The festival features food tents, which are spread throughout the festival, allowing guests to pair their current glass selection with bite-sized appetizers. Festival-goers can also enjoy a new addition to the festival – The Bubbly and Boozy tent, returning to the Grand Sandestin Lawn, featuring a vast selection of bubbles and spirits. Local and regional music will also set the vibe for fun days of discovery.

The festival welcomes attendees of all knowledge levels, from wine novices to aficionados. Festival-goers can taste and learn more about wines from all major producing countries, in all varieties, styles, and price ranges. Guests are invited to discover their favorite, or several favorites. 

• Ticket holders will receive a Riedel glass etched to commemorate the event and their tastings.

Rain or shine, the Sandestin Wine Festival promises to deliver a unique, unforgettable experience for all wine enthusiasts. Tickets can be purchased at https://sd.bigtickets.com/sandestinwinefestival2023.

PUBLIC SAFETY

OCSO: 13-year old tourist drowns in the Gulf of Mexico near Destin on Friday morning

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the tragic drowning of a 13-year old tourist in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday morning.

• Deputies were called to 3690 Scenic Highway 98 around 11:30 for a distressed swimmer.

According to the OCSO, surfers had helped rescue several juveniles they spotted struggling in the water about 65 yards offshore, but one child could not be located.

The OCSO, including the Marine Unit, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Beach Safety, EMS and Fire Departments searched for the missing swimmer. The Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife also assisted.

• The teen was located deceased in the Gulf by the OCSO Marine Unit.

Go deeper: Locals and visitors are encouraged to text “BEACH” to 44144 for a consolidated, daily beach warning flag text update for Okaloosa Island, Henderson Beach State Park and City of Destin public beaches guarded by Destin Fire Control District. Read more

TRAFFIC

Okaloosa and Walton County Traffic Advisory

Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Okaloosa and Walton counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.

Okaloosa County:                                  

• State Road (S.R.) 20 (John Sims Parkway) Resurfacing Project – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts the week of Sunday, April 9:
  • Intermittent temporary east and westbound outside daytime lane closures on John Sims Parkway, from Edge Avenue to west of the Rocky Bayou Bridge, Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  These closures are required to deliver concrete for sidewalk, curb and gutter construction.
  • Intermittent east and westbound nighttime lane closures on S.R. 20, from Edge Avenue to west of the Rocky Bayou Bridge, Sunday, April 10 through Thursday, April 13, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. These closures are required for median milling, median widening, and sidewalk construction.

• I-10/Antioch Road interchange: The right lane of I-10 eastbound, between mile markers 52 and 53 in Crestview, will be closed from 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 until 6 a.m. Thursday, April 13. Crews will be temporarily shifting I-10 eastbound traffic slightly south onto new travel lanes so that work may continue for the I-10/Antioch Road interchange.

• S.R. 85 Resurfacing from John Sims Parkway to College Boulevard – Drivers will encounter daytime intermittent, north and southbound outside lane closures Monday, April 9 through Friday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for sidewalk repair and construction.

• Brooks Bridge Replacement Project – Drivers may experience the following traffic impacts Sunday, April 9 through Thursday, April 13, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews perform utility work:
  • U.S. 98 east and westbound alternating and intermittent lane closures between Perry Avenue and Pier Road.
  • Santa Rosa Boulevard east and westbound alternating lane closures from east of Amberjack Drive to Ross Marler Park.
  • Intermittent shoulder closures on Brooks Street, between Perry Avenue and Florida Blanca Place, and on Business Access Road.

• S.R. 85 Improvements from S.R. 123 to Hospital Drive – The week of Monday, April 10, drivers will encounter the following intermittent, temporary single-lane closures on S.R.85 north, from south of Shoal River Bridge to Antioch Road, between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. One travel lane will remain open at all times and access to private property and driveways will be maintained. Signage and traffic devices will be on-site to direct traffic through the work zone.

• U.S. 98 Bridge Rehabilitation over East Pass Bridge – Drivers may encounter intermittent single-lane closures on the U.S. 98 over East Pass (Marler) Bridge, eastbound structure (Fort Walton Beach to Destin), Monday, April 10 through Thursday, April 13 from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The existing 35 mph speed limit will be maintained during construction.

Walton County:

• U.S. 98 Resurfacing from Village Road to East of U.S. 331 – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts the week of Sunday, April 9:
  • Intermittent U.S. 98 east and westbound lane closures between 7:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. for paving operations.
  • Intermittent closures of the U.S. 98 east and westbound outside shoulders and turn lanes may be required as crews construct new sidewalks and widen existing turn lanes between Village Road and U.S. 331.
  • Temporary intermittent U.S. 98 east and westbound outside lane closures, from Village Road to Mack Bayou Road, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to deliver concrete for sidewalk, curb and gutter construction.

All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.

GIVING BACK

Three lucky teachers to receive $3,000 Grants from Step One Automotive Group

Step One Automotive Group has announced the launch of the Learning Legacy Awards, which will recognize and celebrate exceptional public school teachers from Florida, Alabama, and Georgia during Teacher Appreciation Week.

• The awards are designed to recognize teachers who are transforming the lives of their students and promoting innovative classroom experiences.

The inaugural Learning Legacy Awards will offer three $3,000 grants that will be used towards implementing innovative classroom projects. Applications will be accepted from April 1, 2023, to April 21, 2023, and are open to public school teachers in Grades K-12 in the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

Maureen Bierman, the Director of Marketing of Step One Automotive Group, expressed the company’s excitement to support the teachers who are making a significant impact on the lives of their students. “We believe in investing in the future of our communities, and these awards are a way to recognize and support those who are creating positive change in education.”

The Learning Legacy Awards winners will be chosen from each state and announced on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023. The recipients will be selected based on their innovative classroom projects that promote lifelong learning and enhance the learning experience for their students.

• To apply for the award, the projects submitted for consideration must be approved by the appropriate supervisory entities.

In addition to receiving the grant, the Learning Legacy award recipients will be required to provide monthly updates including receipts, photos, and videos of the funded project’s progress until completion. Recipients will have six months to complete the funded project.

For more information on the Learning Legacy Awards and to apply, please visit the official website at https://www.steponeautomotive.com/learning-legacy-awards/.

SPORTS

Destin City Council plans to move forward with pickleball courts at Aquatic Center

On April 3, 2023, the Destin City Council voted in favor of providing $400,000 to the Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation (ECFF) to construct pickleball courts for public use at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center, formerly the Destin Family YMCA. The facility is located at 4345 Commons Drive West.

• Kathi Hippi from the Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation presented the proposal to the council, highlighting the growing popularity of pickleball and the benefits of the new courts to the local community.

According to Hippi, pickleball is quickly becoming one of America’s most popular sports, with professional leagues and numerous successful regional tournaments and fundraisers. The sport is popular among active senior citizens, middle-aged and young people, and provides a healthful, wholesome activity. 

• Hippi noted that school P.E. programs are incorporating pickleball into their curriculum, and she believes varsity sports teams will soon follow.

Hippi told the council that there are a few pickleball courts scattered throughout the community, but their use is often limited due to the small number of courts, restrictions on non-residents or non-pass-holders, and lack of available restroom facilities. Heavy usage and lack of supervision are also issues for the existing facilities. 

This isn’t the first time the council has heard requests from residents for more pickleball courts. Individuals have been requesting the City of Destin to include pickleball courts in its recreational sports offering since at least September 2018.

In response to these requests, the FY 2021 Budget included $30,000 for pickleball courts, which was insufficient to construct more than one court. The FY 2022 Budget allocated $400,000 for pickleball courts, but with no clear plans for their construction. 

The Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation proposed utilizing the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center to construct up to 10 pickleball courts. According to the proposal, Destin Parks & Rec staff obtained an all-inclusive cost estimate on a prepared site of $75,000 per court. $400,000 would build 4-5 courts at that price depending upon engineering and site work costs

• ECFF says they are working to obtain pricing estimates from local suppliers, which they feel will allow them to construct more than 5 courts for the $400,000.

The available space at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center would accommodate the new courts, adjacent to existing ample bathroom and locker room facilities, according to Hippi.  She says the ECFF would manage court usage, providing supervision, lighting, maintenance, and security. 

• Hippi’s proposal asked the City of Destin to provide the $400,000 it currently has budgeted for pickleball courts and commit to an annual support stipend to the ECFF, with 50% allocated to a reserve fund for court repairs, maintenance, and upgrades.

The ECFF aims to offer affordable pickleball participation fees, welcoming guests and snowbirds, and partnering with hotels and condos to offer playing opportunities to their guests. Other areas of the proposal included providing pickleball lessons, organizing teams and leagues, and hosting tournaments that would attract participants from throughout the region and support tourism.

Hippi explained that the proceeds from all fees and rentals paid for participation would go to the ECFF, which will also assume costs related to the operation of the courts. This includes hiring additional staff, providing electricity for lighting, maintaining the courts, and covering additional expenses related to restroom and locker room usage.

Hippi says the the proposed pickleball courts at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center are a “win-win” for the City of Destin and the ECFF. With the City providing the necessary funds and the ECFF offering land, locker rooms, operational support, and safety staff, she says the community stands to benefit across age, gender, racial, socioeconomic, and residency categories. 

• She says the facility will also improve Destin’s attractiveness as a vacation, sports tourism, and residential destination, while supporting the ECFF’s mission and Mattie Kelly’s intended usage of the property for community recreation and fitness opportunities.

Moving forward, the city will bring back an interlocal agreement with ECFF at an upcoming council meeting in order to provide the $400,000 for pickleball courts.