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Good morning!
Sorry for the delay this morning. I had a major tech issue on our end that prevented me from sending out, and began troubleshooting at 5:30 a.m. These are the aspects of running a local news outlet that aren’t glamorous.
Okaloosa Commissioners took action on two parks Tuesday, formalizing the Dowd Park partnership with Shalimar and voting 3-2 to send a joint delegation to Tallahassee with Destin over the Holiday Isle park. Destin’s council appointed Chatham Morgan to fill Torey Geile’s vacant seat and learned Jim Bagby will leave July 21 for a Walton County Commission run. Plus, a program-best softball win for Crestview, Athlete of the Week Penelope Gordon, and the Chamber’s ‘Above and Beyond’ honor for Peter Daniel.
POLITICS
Destin appoints Chatham Morgan to fill vacancy left by Councilmember Geile’s resignation
The Destin City Council voted on Monday night to appoint former Councilmember Chatham Morgan to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Councilmember Torey Geile earlier this month.
- Morgan will be sworn in at the May 4 council meeting and serve until a permanent member is elected Nov. 3.
Morgan served on the Destin City Council from 2016 to 2021 and previously filled an interim role for former Councilmember Skip Overdier.
“I have served five years. I’ve filled the interim role before,” Morgan told the council. “I love Destin. I like the work we did when I was up here from 2016 to ’21.”
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GAMES
WordroW: April 22, 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.
POLITICS
Jim Bagby to vacate Destin City Council seat July 21 ahead of Walton County Commission run
Destin City Councilmember Jim Bagby will vacate his seat effective July 21 to pursue his run for Walton County Commissioner.
- Bagby, who qualified for the 2026 Walton County Commission ballot through Florida’s petition process in March, disclosed his plans during the council’s April 7 meeting. He told fellow council members he intends to register as a voter in Walton County ahead of the Aug. 18 primary, which would make him ineligible to continue serving on the Destin City Council.
“The primary is August 18th, and I will be an elector in Walton County and no longer eligible to serve,” Bagby said.
The city is expected to go through another round of applications for an interim appointment to fill Bagby’s seat closer to his departure date.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
FWBHS tennis player Penelope Gordon worked her way to No. 1 and isn’t slowing down
Athlete of the Week is brought to you by Okaloosa Gas District – supporting the athletes who make our community stronger.
Penelope Gordon was 3 years old when her grandfather put a racket in her hand for the first time.
- Now a junior at Fort Walton Beach High School, she’s the Vikings’ No. 1 singles player with a 13-1 record and an undefeated 14-0 mark in doubles alongside partner Reese Armstrong.
Gordon spent 20 hours a week on the court during the offseason to earn the top spot, then turned her only loss of the season into a turning point. She studied film of the defeat, retooled her strategy and played what she called the smartest match of her life at districts.
Off the court, she was named one of Okaloosa County’s 2025 Sunshine State Scholars and is exploring college programs where she can play tennis and pursue her love of STEM.
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SPORTS
Crestview softball tops South Walton 5-1, clinches program-best 18th win
With the regular season winding down and playoff seeding on the line, Crestview softball delivered when it mattered most, defeating South Walton 5-1 on Monday night at Crestview.
- The Lady Bulldogs needed the win to keep hopes alive of hosting a home playoff game, while the Lady Seahawks saw their slim No. 1 seed hopes come to an end.
In what could be the final home game for Crestview’s seniors, Cambell Toolan shut down South Walton’s lineup from the circle.
“It was just a great game. It took us a while to get the bats going, but pitching kept us in it, and when the bats got hot, we opened up,” Crestview Head Coach John Toolan said.
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BUSINESS
Fort Walton Beach Chamber honors Peter Daniel with ‘Above and Beyond’ Award
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce presented its ‘Above and Beyond’ Award to Peter Daniel of BELFOR Property Restoration of Fort Walton Beach, recognizing his volunteerism and leadership in support of the chamber and the community.
- The recognition happened during the First Friday Coffee breakfast.
The award is presented only two to three times each year to individuals who demonstrate exceptional service and commitment to the Chamber.
“Traditionally, at the conclusion of our events, Chamber staff remain to manage breakdown and final logistics,” said Ted Corcoran, President and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. “In recent months, Peter Daniel has been there alongside our team — staying until the very end. His commitment and volunteer spirit exemplify the intent of this award.”
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Musical Echoes celebrates 25 years with free Native flute festival at The Landing
Musical Echoes is marking a quarter century with its 25th Anniversary Native Flute Festival, running April 24-26 at The Landing in Fort Walton Beach. The three-day celebration features performers, concerts, Native American flute music, dance and cultural exhibits — all with Santa Rosa Sound as the backdrop.
The festival is free and open to the public, with events running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.
PARKS+REC
Okaloosa County, Shalimar formalize partnership for new ‘Dowd Park’ with interlocal agreement
Okaloosa County Commissioners unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the Town of Shalimar on Tuesday that lays out the framework for acquiring, designing, building and operating a new waterfront park at the northeast corner of the Shalimar Bridge.
- The agreement is the next step in a process that began on March 3, when the board approved a $3 million purchase and sale agreement for the 1.7-acre property at 901 Eglin Parkway North, owned by John R. Dowd Jr.
The property is slated to become “Dowd Park,” named for longtime county attorney John R. Dowd Sr., and would carry a 40-year deed restriction requiring public park use.
The interlocal agreement, which the Shalimar Town Commission approved at its April 14 meeting, formalizes the funding split for the estimated $6.5 million project. The state legislature would contribute $1.5 million through an appropriation currently being pursued during the 2026 session, the Town of Shalimar would contribute up to $1.5 million using its allocated tourism development tax dollars, and the county would cover the remainder at an estimated $3.5 million.
The sketch shows a trail system winding through the property’s mature live oaks, multiple pavilions, a stormwater retention pond in the low area where a house once stood, a small playground, parking, restrooms, a waterfront observation platform, a shallow wading area with a floating barrier, and a residential buffer along the southern boundary.
PARKS+REC
Destin asks county to back its bid to manage Holiday Isle park; commissioners vote to send joint delegation to state
The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday directed Commissioner Drew Palmer, the board’s liaison on the Holiday Isle state park property, to travel to Tallahassee with a City of Destin representative to meet jointly with the state about the future management of the parcel.
- The 3-2 vote came after the City of Destin formally asked the county to support the city’s Resolution 26-05, which requests that the state authorize Destin as the lessee and managing entity for the approximately 4-acre waterfront property, with a financial commitment of up to $5 million.
Commissioners Palmer, Paul Mixon and Chairman Trey Goodwin voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners Sherri Cox and Carolyn Ketchel voted against it; both indicated they were prepared to support the city’s resolution directly.
The motion, made by Mixon, does not take a position on which entity should manage the park. It asks Palmer and Councilman Dewey Destin to meet with the state together and report back to their respective boards.
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!
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Jared
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