SPORTS

Northwest Florida Track Club donates $28,500 to FWBHS Track and Field Team

Fort Walton Beach High School’s track and field team recently received a significant boost from the Northwest Florida Track Club. The club’s treasurer, Brian McMahon, presented a check for $28,500 to the team’s head coach, Lissette Fields, surrounded by coaches, athletes, and supporters.

Brian McMahon has been with the Track Club for over 25 years and is proud of his organization’s support for area track and field programs like the one at Fort Walton Beach High School.

• The gift will go towards continuing improvements to the rubberized complex, which is the only regulation track of its kind in the area.

Coach Fields explained how rubberized tracks like this one have been proven to minimize injury to athletes.

• “We have teams that come to our facility and say it’s comparable to those at colleges,” said Fields.

Fields also noted that donations like this have a cascading effect, benefiting not only the team but also the local community as it allows the school hold larger meets.

For instance, in February, the Viking Classic season opener welcomed 20 teams from across the Florida panhandle, some of which traveled from out of state and stayed overnight. During their stay, they visited nearby attractions such as the restaurants in Fort Walton Beach and Destin. These tourist interests are an added draw for people attending events at the track.

Jeff Harris, another longtime supporter of area track and cross-country programs, oversaw the presentation alongside his wife, Donna. As the owners of Run With It, they are instrumental in organizing the popular Lucky Leprechaun and Wicked Triple running events held every year that directly support the renovation project.

• “They were so passionate about what they are looking for – they had the vision; they just didn’t have the wherewithal,” Harris said.

SCHOOL

Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation awards 17 scholarships to deserving students

Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation is making a significant difference in the lives of local youth through its Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program.

• Recently, seventeen deserving Okaloosa students were selected to participate in the program, which aims to provide them with a two-year scholarship to pursue post-secondary education.

Take Stock in Children Scholarships are available only to students who meet the standard criteria set by Florida’s Take Stock in Children Program. The initiative is designed to support the education of bright, hardworking students who may not otherwise be able to afford college due to their family’s financial situation.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must sign a contract with their parent or guardian. This contract promises that the student will maintain a good school record, avoid drugs and crime, and meet weekly with a mentor. The students who fulfill their contractual obligations are then awarded tuition scholarships to pursue higher education in the institution of their choice.

The Foundation is thrilled to congratulate the seventeen students who have been chosen to participate in the Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program. Jocelyn Brame, Destiny Cortez-Reyes, Nathan Jucha, Bradley Mastanduno, Allyson Matthews, Lillyan Matthews, Brooke Mignard, Aiden Neese, Caleb Pearce, Sofia Rosell Carreno, Ayanne Tomlinson, Bianca Arevalo, Enrique Boyett, Isabelle Crabb, Taniha Higgins, Jayden Holt, and Jackai Nathaniel are the newest members of the Take Stock in Children family.

Funding for the Take Stock in Children Program comes from several sources. The scholarship funds are generated from private and corporate donations to the Foundation, which are then matched dollar for dollar from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation through a Florida Legislative allocation.

• Additionally, Workforce Florida supports the Take Stock in Children Program by funding scholarships, while the State Take Stock in Children office provides an allocation to the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation for program and student support staffing.

Many of the Take Stock students will be the first in their families to attend college and will face many challenges on their journey. Grants, as well as corporate and individual donations, provide funds for program support. As an agency of the United Way, the Take Stock Program is the recipient of contributions that are designated for the program.

Both students and mentors are provided with materials and activities that focus on the transition from high school to college. Mentors can positively impact a student’s academic, social, and career path and are critical to the success of the Take Stock in Children program.

The Foundation encourages anyone who is interested in becoming a mentor to call 850.833.5879 for more information or visit their website at https://www.okaloosaschools.com/o/opsf/page/tsic.

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 30:
  • Intermittent temporary westbound outside daytime lane closures on John Sims Parkway, from Edge Avenue to west of the Rocky Bayou Bridge, Monday, May 1 through Friday, May 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for 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, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., for median milling, median widening, and sidewalk construction.

• S.R. 85 Resurfacing from John Sims Parkway to College Boulevard – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts the week of Sunday, April 30:
  • Daytime intermittent, northbound outside lane closures Monday, May 1 through Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for sidewalk repair and construction.
  • Intermittent north and southbound nighttime lane closures, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., for median milling, median widening, and sidewalk construction.

• Brooks Bridge Replacement Project – Drivers may experience the following traffic impacts Sunday, April 30 through Thursday, May 4, 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 Sunday, April 30, drivers will encounter intermittent, temporary northbound single-lane closures on S.R. 85, between S.R. 123 and Shoal River Bridge, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. for soil borings along the Shoal River Bridge. Additionally, S.R. 85 drivers will encounter the following intermittent, temporary single-lane closures Monday, May 1 through Friday, May 5 for paving operations, maintenance of shoulder drop-offs and to place sod in the following locations:
  • S.R. 85 northbound single-lane closures, between S.R. 123 and Shoal River Bridge, will occur between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  • S.R. 85 southbound single-lane closures, between Shoal River Bridge and S.R. 123, will occur between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

• U.S. 98 Bridge Rehabilitation over East Pass Bridge – Drivers may encounter intermittent single-lane closures on U.S. 98 over East Pass (Marler) Bridge, westbound structure (Destin to Fort Walton Beach), Monday, May 1 through Thursday, May 5, between 9 p.m. and 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 30:
  • 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.

• S.R. 20 Turn Lane Construction at J. W. Hollington Road – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures the week of Sunday, April 30 for paving operations.
• U.S. 331 Routine Utility Maintenance at Clyde B. Wells Bridge – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures Monday, May 8 through Thursday, May 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to inspect water pipelines.

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

Okaloosa Commission on the Status of Women to host annual Women of Honor event

The Okaloosa Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) is all set to host their annual Women of Honor event at the University of West Florida (UWF) Emerald Coast Campus on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 2:00 pm. The ceremony will be held in the Auditorium.

The “Women of Honor” event was first established as “Wall of Honor” by the OCCSW in 1997, as an idea of its members who thought it would be a nice way for someone to honor the women in their lives whose works might be unknown to most others.

• It could be anyone: a mother, a co-worker, an organization member, a teacher, either living or deceased, who made a difference in the nominator’s life.
• The event is always held in May around Mother’s Day for those who might want to honor their Mom.

Each woman’s name will be added to a plaque that hangs on the Wall of Honor at the UWF Emerald Coast campus library. A letter that includes the honorees photo and brief nomination bio along with the names of the person or people who nominated her will be placed in the Book of Honor below the plaque. At the Women of Honor Ceremony, details about who they are and the impact they had on the nominator or our community will be shared.

The 2022 Women of Honor are:

• Nitsi Bennett
• Maureen Bierman
• Kathie H. Blue
• Kathy Marler Blue
• Rochelle Brown
• Michelle Carmical
• LaShana Douville
• Lija Eldridge
• Cindy Frakes
• Letrich Milligan-Gainer
• Kristen Genrich
• Caralee Gibson
• Sheila Hale
• Dr. Sandra Hansen
• Holly Karr
• Teneka Lock
• Joyce Loughrige
• Mary Bell Lundsford
• L. McCain
• Clara Oates
• Quanda Pace
• Belva Parrott
• Christie Pratt
• Jan Pooley
• Dr. Maxine Reed
• Doris Scaife
• Deborah Stone
• Pam Strecker

The OCCSW also holds the Hall of Fame in August recognizing women who made a significant impact on the community. Unlike the Women of Honor where all nominees are honored, the Hall of Fame nominees go through a rigorous screening and selection process to narrow down to the top few women in specific categories who earn the right to be placed in the Hall of Fame located in the County Administration Annex. Nominations will open for the Hall of Fame May 15.

The Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women was established by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in Resolution 95-09 on February 1, 1995. The purpose of the OCCSW through research, education, and communication is dedicated to the elimination of all barriers to a woman’s achievement of her fullest human potential.

For more information on the OCCSW, you can visit their website at occsw.com. To RSVP for the Women of Honor event, please email Jeanne Rief at jrief2@cox.net.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Texas tourist drowns in apparent Rip Tide at Destin Beach

Tragedy struck in Destin on Friday when a Texas tourist drowned in the Gulf of Mexico after being caught in an apparent rip tide. The 39-year-old man had just arrived in town and was swimming near the Shirah Beach Access when the incident occurred around 1:15 p.m.

According to reports, a lifeguard spotted the man struggling in the water and acted quickly to bring him back to shore. Despite the lifeguard’s efforts to save him, the man was unresponsive and emergency life-saving measures were initiated immediately.

• Okaloosa County EMS arrived on the scene and transported the man to the Destin ER, where he was pronounced deceased despite intense efforts to revive him.

Rip currents can be dangerous and unpredictable, and beachgoers are reminded to heed all warning signs and advisories.

COASTAL RESOURCES

Sea turtle nesting season begins today. Here’s what you need to know.

Sea turtle nesting season has begun in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, and Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism is taking measures to ensure the safety of these threatened and endangered creatures.

• Jessica Valek, Coastal Resource Coordinator with the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism Department, spoke about the importance of protecting sea turtles during this time of the year.

According to Valek, sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1st to October 31st. During this period, sea turtles come up onto the beaches to lay their eggs, and the department will be monitoring the beaches every single day to look for these nests.

• They will be marked off with stakes, flagging tape, and a sea turtle nesting sign, and monitored every day up until they hatch.

Valek emphasized that the public and visitors can also help protect the sea turtles by taking their belongings with them when they leave the beach, flattening sandcastles, and filling in holes. Sea turtles crawl up onto the beach to lay their eggs and can get trapped in holes or become frightened by sandcastles.

“We are really trying to encourage our sea turtles to come up onto our beaches to nest,” Valek said, “because once those hatchlings reach adulthood, they’re going to come back to this same beach and start the process all over again.”

Another way to protect sea turtles is to refrain from using white lights on the beach, as sea turtles are sensitive to white lights. This can disorient them and make it difficult for them to nest or find their way to the ocean. Valek recommended using red flashlights instead, which can be obtained for free from the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Welcome Center.

• The tourism department is also offering a series of “C.A.R.E.ing for Turtles” talks at the Gulfarium every Wednesday during the nesting season. Visitors can learn about sea turtles, the nesting process, and how they can help protect them.

Valek encouraged visitors to enjoy the beach but to also be mindful of the sea turtles and their fragile habitats.

“When you’re visiting our beaches, just remember to leave no trace, keep it clean, flat, and dark,” she said. “We want to encourage our sea turtles to come nest on our beaches, so make sure you follow all of those rules when you are visiting.”

Click here to watch our short video on sea turtle nesting season