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Good morning!
The Krewe of Bowlegs is preparing to unmask the new Capt. Billy Bowlegs 71, and we chat with the new captain ahead of time. The boil water notice has been lifted for parts of South Okaloosa, and a Baker Act patient was located after escaping from a Niceville hospital. Perry Avenue SE will close northbound on weekends through Labor Day, and the Okaloosa and Walton Counties Traffic Advisory has updates for area drivers.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Boil water notice lifted for parts of South Okaloosa
Okaloosa County Water & Sewer has rescinded the boil water notice issued last week for certain customers in unincorporated Fort Walton Beach and unincorporated Mary Esther (Florosa), the utility announced June 5.
- “The satisfactory completion of sampling and testing shows the water is safe to drink,” Mark Wise, deputy director of Okaloosa County Water & Sewer, wrote in the rescission notice.
The notice applied to customers of the Okaloosa Main Public Water System, State Water System ID #1460506. It was issued June 4 after a June 2 raw water sample from the Hawkins Well tested positive for E. coli, a potential indicator of fecal coliform. The well was taken offline while additional testing was conducted.
Residents with questions can reach Okaloosa County Water & Sewer at 850-651-7171 during business hours or 850-651-7174 after hours.
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GAMES
WordroW: June 8, 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
Baker Act patient located after escape from Niceville hospital
A Baker Act patient who escaped from HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital on June 4 was safely located and taken into custody after a multi-agency search through Turkey Creek and surrounding waterways, according to the Niceville Police Department.
- Officers responded to the hospital at approximately 4:15 p.m. An OCSO deputy spotted the individual near the north entrance of Turkey Creek, and Sergeant Pond, K9 Kodi, Inspector Teets and OCSO Corporal Biernacki began tracking the individual while a perimeter was established.
K9 Kodi tracked the individual south through the woods toward Highway 20, where the individual reportedly entered the water and was later seen floating under the Highway 20 bridge. With assistance from OCSO’s Drone, K9 and Marine units, the individual was located near the dock behind Dollar General in Bayou Plaza and transported to HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital.
AMERICA 250
America 250 FREE Drone Show
Okaloosa America 250 is inviting the public to enjoy a one-of-a-kind patriotic drone show at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center and Freedom Tech Center on June 12, 2026.
Parking will be available in multiple locations beginning at 7 p.m. along with a shuttle from the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club. View the map below to view parking and drone show viewing locations.
Tune to 100.3 FM from 7-9 p.m. for event information and music during the drone show. Festivities and food trucks will be available to the public at Freedom Tech Center.
TRAFFIC
Perry Avenue SE to close northbound on weekends through Labor Day
The northbound lane of Perry Avenue SE from Brooks Street to U.S. Highway 98 in Fort Walton Beach will be closed on weekends through the Labor Day weekend, beginning Saturday, June 6.
The lane will be barricaded at both Brooks Street and U.S. Highway 98 on Saturdays and Sundays during the closure period. The southbound portion of Perry Avenue SE will remain open.
The closure is intended to reduce vehicle congestion on residential streets caused by motorists cutting through neighborhoods to reach U.S. Highway 98 eastbound via Brooks Street and Perry Avenue.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 0 to 5 mph.
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 77. South wind 0 to 5 mph.
TRAFFIC
Okaloosa and Walton Counties Traffic Advisory
Okaloosa County:
Brooks Bridge Replacement Project – Drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on U.S. 98, from Ferry Road to Pier Road, and on Santa Rosa Boulevard, from east of Amberjack Drive to Ross Marler Park, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11 from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for construction activities.
State Road (S.R.) 85 Resurfacing Project from U.S. 98 to Richbourg Avenue – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related impacts, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.:
- Intermittent northbound outside (right) lane closures on S.R. 85 between Yacht Club Drive NE and the bridge at Cinco Bayou. Crews will be installing drainage structures. As part of this work, the entrance to Laguna Landing Condominiums will be temporarily closed. Residents will access S.R. 85 via Yacht Club Drive NE. Signage will be in place to guide drivers safely through the work zone.
- Pedestrians will encounter intermittent sidewalk closures, between U.S. 98 and Richbourg Avenue, as crews work to install new pedestrian signals along S.R. 85.
- Intermittent and alternating lane closures, between U.S. 98 and Richbourg Avenue, for paving operations.
U.S. 98 Resurfacing from Santa Rosa County Line to west of Josie Road – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Shoulder closures are to be expected throughout the project limits on U.S. 98 on Monday, June 8, through Friday, June 12, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for utility relocation and median improvements.
- Lane closures are to be expected on Sunday, June 7, through Thursday, June 11, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for median improvements.
S.R. 293 (Danny Wuerffel Way) Resurfacing from U.S. 98 to the Mid-Bay Bridge – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures on U.S. 98 from Paraiso Boulevard to Regions Way, and S.R. 293 (Danny Wuerffel Way) from U.S. 98 to the Mid-Bay Bridge, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for milling and paving operations.
Interstate 10 Resurfacing from east of Shoal River Bridge to west of S.R. 285 – Drivers will encounter nighttime alternating lane closures both eastbound and westbound between mile markers 64 and 67, Sunday June 7, through Thursday, June 11 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. for paving operations.
Walton County:
Western Lake Bridge Replacement Project – Drivers may encounter temporary County Road 30A traffic stoppages near Western Lake Bridge, Sunday, June 7 through Saturday, June 13, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for pile driving operations and other construction activities. During stoppages, delays are expected to last less than 15 minutes and intermittent flagging will be in place to guide vehicles and pedestrians through the work zone.
EVENTS
Krewe of Bowlegs prepares to unmask new Capt. Billy Bowlegs 71
The Krewe of Bowlegs will unmask Capt. Billy Bowlegs 71 on June 13 at the annual coronation pageant, capping the reign of Capt. Rique Gwin and welcoming a new captain and top 26 krewe for the year ahead.
- The pageant begins at 6 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College and is open to the public.
Ahead of every coronation, the krewe releases a masked photo of the incoming captain a week or two before the unveiling. The tradition dates back to the 1960s and ’70s with the local newspaper and is meant to give the community a small taste of the year ahead, including the captain’s colors and a hint of the new logo, without giving away who is behind the mask.
This year’s theme is “Whiskey In, Wisdom Out,” a nod to the bourbon-drinking tradition shared by many members of the krewe.
The unveiling follows a strong Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival weekend that drew an estimated 2,500 people downtown both Friday and Saturday nights and earned the krewe national airtime when about 80 members appeared on Fox & Friends from Fudpuckers in Destin.
“This festival has always been focused on locals,” the incoming captain said. “We love the tourists that come and take part, but it’s really a local tradition, and we want locals to be involved.”
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Monday. 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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