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A Fort Walton Beach teen built a butterfly garden at Fresh Start for her Eagle Scout project. A Niceville pediatrician explains the new ECG requirement for incoming high school athletes, Eglin Parkway sees drainage-related lane closures this week, and Niceville police traced a Rocky Bayou Christian School shooting threat to a fifth-grade student. Plus, Memorial Day fireworks at The Boardwalk, free CTE summer camps, Dog-Harmony’s library reading program, and Kids Tag Art’s 13th-year winners.
SPORTS
Niceville pediatrician explains new ECG requirement for incoming high school athletes
A new state law is adding a requirement for student-athletes in Florida, and for families across Okaloosa County, the clock is ticking to get it done before the upcoming school year.
- Under the Second Chance Act (SB 1070), all incoming ninth-grade student-athletes and students in grades 10 through 12 who have never participated in an FHSAA-sanctioned sport will be required to obtain an electrocardiogram — commonly known as an ECG or EKG — prior to athletic participation beginning with the 2026-27 school year.
Dr. Lynn Keefe, a pediatrician in Niceville and a member of the FHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee that helped develop the guidelines, said the new screening addresses a gap that traditional sports physicals alone cannot fill.
“The standard sports physical might get about 1% of catching the heart issues, but doing the ECG can detect up to 95% of the conditions that can cause sudden cardiac arrest,” Keefe said.
An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart over a brief period and can identify abnormal signals between the upper and lower chambers — the atria and ventricles — that may be linked to sudden cardiac arrest during physical activity.
- “It’s a 10-second screening,” Keefe said. “Kids shouldn’t be nervous.”
Keefe described the process as quick and non-invasive. In her office, a strip with electrodes is placed on the patient’s chest, with one sticker on each shoulder and one near the left hip bone. The patient lies down, the recording is taken, and results are sent off — typically returned within 24 to 36 hours.
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GAMES
WordroW: May 19, 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.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Rocky Bayou Christian School shooting threat traced to fifth-grade student, Niceville police say
A reported shooting threat at Rocky Bayou Christian School that prompted lockdowns and days of heightened security at both Niceville campuses was fabricated by a fifth-grade student, the Niceville Police Department announced.
A cleaning crew discovered a handwritten note in a school bathroom on May 13 alleging a shooting would occur the following day. Police implemented a comprehensive safety plan that included metal detector screenings and increased officer presence.
On Monday, detectives obtained a confession from the juvenile responsible. Investigators identified no known motive. School officials said there is no ongoing threat, and all school functions will resume as normal.
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TRAFFIC
Lane closures planned on Eglin Parkway this week for drainage work near Cinco Bayou
Drivers on Eglin Parkway will encounter intermittent nighttime lane closures this week as crews install drainage structures near Cinco Bayou.
- The Florida Department of Transportation said the northbound outside lane on State Road 85 between Yacht Club Drive NE and the bridge at Cinco Bayou will close intermittently Tuesday through Thursday between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The entrance to Laguna Landing Condominiums will be temporarily closed during the work. Residents will access Eglin Parkway via Yacht Club Drive NE.
The drainage work is part of FDOT’s $11.6 million resurfacing project on Eglin Parkway from U.S. 98 to Richbourg Avenue.
MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day Weekend fireworks at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island
The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island is throwing a Memorial Day Weekend fireworks show on Sunday, May 24. Free admission, free parking, live music starting at 4 PM with Robbie Paynter at Al’s Beach Club, and a fireworks display over the Gulf at 9 PM. Family-friendly and open to everyone.
The event is sponsored by Coca-Cola, The Island Resort, Al’s Beach Club, Rockin’ Tacos, Floyd’s Shrimp House, The Crab Trap, and The Boardwalk.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation offering free CTE summer camps for students
The Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation is offering free Career and Technical Education summer camps for rising 6th through 9th grade students across the district.
The hands-on programs are designed to introduce students to high-demand career fields including artificial intelligence, engineering, construction, criminal justice, web design and emergency medical response.
Camps will be held at locations including:
- Fort Walton Beach High School
- Niceville High School
- Meigs Middle School
- Baker School
- Shoal River Middle School
- Davidson Middle School
- Crestview High School
The foundation’s sponsorship covers camp supplies and snacks. Space is limited, and registration is first-come, first-served. Transportation will not be provided.
SCHOOL
Kids Tag Art program celebrates Okaloosa County student winners in 13th year
Students, parents, teachers and community leaders gathered last Monday evening at the Okaloosa County School Board meeting to celebrate this year’s Kids Tag Art winners.
- Tax Collector Ben Anderson, Superintendent Marcus Chambers and Sheriff Eric Aden presented awards and certificates to students recognized for their artistic talent and creativity.
Now in its 13th year, the Kids Tag Art program combines art education with community support. The program gives elementary-age students the opportunity to design a personalized specialty license plate that can be displayed as artwork or mounted to the front of a vehicle. Family members and supporters may purchase the custom plates, with proceeds returning directly to the participating schools.
The program is a partnership between the Okaloosa County Tax Collector’s Office, the Okaloosa County School District and the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, through its longstanding support of School Resource Officers across the district, has served as the primary sponsor for the past decade. This year, each participating school will receive $500.
GIVING BACK
Dog-Harmony brings animal-assisted reading program to four area libraries
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Okaloosa and Walton County students have new opportunities to build reading confidence this summer through Dog-Harmony’s animal-assisted literacy program, Paws and Pages, offered at four public libraries in Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview and Freeport.
The program pairs children with registered therapy dog teams trained through READing Paws, an affiliate of R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), which Dog-Harmony describes as the nation’s first comprehensive animal-assisted literacy program. Sessions are held monthly at each branch and are open to children of all reading levels.
“Paws and Pages is about more than just books — it’s about the connection between the child and the dog that opens the door to a lifelong love of reading,” said Nancy Bown, founder of Dog-Harmony. “We see children who were once hesitant to read aloud suddenly blossom when they have a dog by their side.”
GIVING BACK
Fort Walton Beach teen builds butterfly garden at Fresh Start for Eagle Scout project
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Reagan Cornish has moved more times than most people her age can count. The 17-year-old daughter of an Air Force family has lived in Hawaii, New Mexico and twice in Northwest Florida, uprooting her life each time her father, Chris Cornish, received new orders.
- But if there’s one thing all that moving has taught her, it’s how to walk into a new place and find a way to make it better.
On Saturday, Cornish and a group of volunteers gathered at the Fresh Start for Children and Families campus in Fort Walton Beach to plant a butterfly garden, install a 100-gallon water barrel and build a fence around exposed AC units near the organization’s playground and community center — all part of her Eagle Scout project.
“I’ve become very passionate about this project, and I’m so excited to help make Fresh Start a more welcoming space,” Cornish said.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday. 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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