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Good morning!
A Mary Esther Elementary teacher has been surprised with a new HVAC system from We Care after 31 years of dedication to students. Fort Walton Beach is awaiting a title survey before addressing Okaloosa County’s speed camera refund request, Choctaw baseball holds off a Fort Walton Beach rally 6-4 in district semifinals, and check out our preview of what’s ahead for local flag football teams in district tournaments. Also, we preview upcoming community events.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle and jigsaw puzzle.
TRAFFIC
FWB awaits title survey before addressing county’s speed camera refund request
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted Tuesday to wait for a title search before responding to Okaloosa County’s request to refund fines from a school zone speed camera on Hollywood Boulevard.
- The dispute centers on a camera near Fort Walton Beach High School that the county says was placed in the county’s right-of-way without authorization. County Commissioners voted on April 7 to formally request the city refund fines collected from the camera, which the county says were void from the moment they were issued.
City Manager Jason Davis said staff found no evidence the city acted improperly. “If there was a smoking gun that we’ve done something horrible, we would’ve owned it immediately,” Davis said. “But that’s not the case.”
City Attorney Jeff Burns said the city has statutory authority to permit the cameras and is not legally required to refund citations issued before the county’s March 24 resolution banning such cameras from county roads.
Both governments are jointly funding a title search to determine who owns the disputed road segment. The city turned off both Hollywood Boulevard cameras April 3 while researching the issue.
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GAMES
WordroW: April 17, 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.
SPORTS
Choctaw baseball holds off Fort Walton Beach rally, 6-4, in district semifinals
The crosstown rivals weren’t scheduled to meet this season, but Choctaw and Fort Walton Beach got a baseball version of “The Game” in the district semifinals — and the Indians came away with a 6-4 win to advance to Friday’s championship.
- The first three and a half innings played out as a pitchers’ duel before Isaiah Rohn led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run that gave Choctaw the lead.
The Indians kept the inning going with a Jack Marracco double that scored two more, then tacked on three in the fifth to build a 6-1 lead.
Fort Walton Beach nearly rallied back in the seventh, scoring three runs before Choctaw closed it out.
“It’s a rivalry. The atmosphere was really good, it was a fun, electric atmosphere,” head coach David Weber said.
Choctaw (21-5) hosts Escambia in the district championship Friday night.
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!
GAMES
Jigsaw – High Tide
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Ready for this week’s Jigsaw puzzle?
Each week, we use local pictures from around Okaloosa County as part of our puzzles. They’ll include current dated photos to historical ones. This is one of our favorite places!
PROMOTED BY ORIGIN BANK
Origin Bank hosting grand opening for new Fort Walton Beach financial center
Origin Bank is celebrating the grand opening of its new Fort Walton Beach Financial Center on Tuesday, April 28, at 4 p.m. The event includes an official ribbon cutting followed by beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres at 212 Racetrack Road NW.
The event is free to attend. RSVP by Friday, April 24, by emailing Rissa Burge at rburge@origin.bank.
SPORTS
Flag football district tournaments: A preview of what’s ahead for local teams
With the flag football regular season concluding Wednesday night, it’s now districts time, as every area team will compete for the coveted district title and the automatic bid to the playoffs that comes with it.
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EVENTS
A few things to do around town
Friday, Apr. 17 – History Sandwiched In – valpariso – Free – View
Friday, Apr. 17 – 26th Annual Fine Arts Photography Show – ADSO – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Saturday, Apr. 18 – Deer Moss Creek Annual Garage & Artisans Sale – Niceville – Free – View
Saturday, Apr. 18 – Creature Café – Fort Walton Beach – $30.00 – View
Saturday, Apr. 18 – Vertical Oyster Garden – Destin – Free – View
Saturday, Apr. 18 – CARE on the Coast TurtleFest 2026 – Fort Walton Beach – $25.00 – View
Sunday, Apr. 19 – Big Cat Fishin Derby – Baker – Free – View
Tuesday, Apr. 21 – Veterans & First Responders Appreciation Event – Niceville – Free – View
Wednesday, Apr. 22 – The Power Table LIVE – Fort Walton Beach – $597.00 – View
Wednesday, Apr. 22 – Earth Day Celebration – “Walking the Way of Creation” – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Thursday, Apr. 23 – Summit on the Circle 2026 – DeFuniak Springs – $55.00 – View
Thursday, Apr. 23 – The Chamber’s 80th Annivesary Celebration – Fort Walton Beach – $50.00 – View
Friday, Apr. 24 – 25th Annual Musical Echoes Native American Flute Festival – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Friday, Apr. 24 – Ladies Night Out: A Downtown Social – Fort Walton Beach – $10.00 – View
Saturday, Apr. 25 – 50th Annual Saturday in the Park 5K Fun Run/Walk – Valparaiso – $30.00 – View
Saturday, Apr. 25 – Saturday in the Park – valpariso – Free – View
Tuesday, Apr. 28 – Origin Bank Grand Opening – FORT WALTON BEACH – Free – View
Tuesday, Apr. 28 – World’s Greatest Baby Shower – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Tuesday, Apr. 28 – Final Impact100 NWF Enrollment Event at Ruth’s Chris! – Destin – Free – View
Thursday, Apr. 30 – Piano Men: A Tribute to Billy Joel & Elton John – Niceville – Free – View
GIVING BACK
Mary Esther Elementary teacher surprised with new HVAC system from We Care for 31 years of dedication
A Mary Esther Elementary School teacher with more than three decades in the classroom was surprised Thursday morning with a new home air conditioning system, presented during a faculty meeting in front of her colleagues.
- Second-grade teacher Michelle Harris was recognized by We Care A/C, Plumbing and Electric, alongside Okaloosa County Superintendent Marcus Chambers, Principal Dawn Johnson, School Board Member Parker Destin, and members of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Harris has taught for 31 years, all of them within the Okaloosa County School District, including the past 28 at Mary Esther Elementary, where her own children once attended. She is a native of Crestview.
“This is a teacher who goes above and beyond,” Chambers said. “This is a teacher who has impacted countless students for more than 30 years.”
Edgar Jimenez, brand president for We Care, presented the unit and praised teachers for their daily impact on students and families.
“I never win anything,” Harris said. “I can’t believe it’s me.”
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Friday. 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!
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Jared
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