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Fort Walton Beach’s City Council will weigh school speed cameras, the budget cap, and a dispatch outsourcing proposal at Tuesday’s meeting, with several more items on the agenda. Reps. Patt Maney and Nathan Boyles are voicing concerns over the property tax amendment approved for the November ballot, and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast earned Primary Stroke Center certification. Also, Okaloosa County students raised thousands for foster children through their Change for Children Campaign.
FROM THE STATE
Reps. Maney, Boyles voice concerns over property tax amendment approved for Nov. ballot
State Reps. Patt Maney and Nathan Boyles voted against Gov. Ron DeSantis’s property tax constitutional amendment during a special session of the Florida Legislature last week, with both lawmakers issuing public statements explaining their reasoning.
- The measure, CS/HJR 1F, passed both the House and Senate on June 2 and now heads to Florida voters on the November ballot. The constitutional amendment requires at least 60% voter approval to take effect.
If approved by voters, the amendment would raise Florida’s homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 on Jan. 1, 2027, then to $250,000 on Jan. 1, 2028. The increased exemption would not apply to school district levies.
The proposal would also lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead residential and commercial properties from 10% to 5%, require new Florida residents to maintain residency for five years before claiming the increased exemption, and restrict counties and municipalities to using property tax revenue for core services such as public safety, education, infrastructure and natural resources.
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GAMES
WordroW: June 9, 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.
GIVING BACK
Okaloosa students raise thousands for foster children through Change for Children Campaign
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
Okaloosa County students have collected thousands of dollars to support foster children and others served by Children in Crisis through the 2025-2026 Change for Children Campaign, the Okaloosa County School District announced.
For more than two decades, students across the district have gathered spare change and organized fundraising efforts to support foster children and help provide safe, stable and nurturing environments for children in need.
“The Change for Children Campaign is a wonderful reflection of the character and generosity of our students,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “Year after year, our students demonstrate that even small acts of kindness can have a tremendous impact. We are proud of their commitment to helping children in need and grateful for the partnership with Children in Crisis that allows our students to support such an important cause.”
The 2025-2026 Change for Children Campaign winners are:
- Plew Elementary School, $3,100.39
- Choctawhatchee High School, $1,857.00
- Southside Primary School, $1,404.50
- Okaloosa STEMM Academy, $1,106.77
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.
BUSINESS
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast earns Primary Stroke Center certification
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has earned Primary Stroke Center Certification, a designation hospital leaders, first responders and community members celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, May 28.
- The certification was awarded by The Joint Commission, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. The designation ensures Walton County families have access to specialized, around-the-clock stroke care close to home.
The event, coordinated with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, brought together local leaders, community members and medical personnel.
Data shows nearly 5% of adults in Walton County have experienced a stroke, a rate higher than the Florida state average. Between 2021 and 2023, nearly 650 local residents were hospitalized due to strokes.
When a patient experiences a stroke, a lack of blood flow deprives brain cells of vital oxygen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States, and an estimated 1.9 million brain cells are lost for every minute that passes without intervention.
“When someone has a stroke, time is of the essence to ensure the best possible outcomes,” said Trey Abshier, president and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. “Our team has taken important steps to provide access to life-saving care to everyone in our community and surrounding region.”
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
TONIGHT: Mostly clear, with a low around 76. South wind 0 to 5 mph.
POLITICS
FWB council to weigh school speed cameras, budget cap, dispatch proposal Tuesday
The Fort Walton Beach City Council meets Tuesday night (tonight) with school speed cameras, budget cap, commercial shipping containers and a possible Sheriff’s Office dispatch proposal among major items. Here is a quick look at tonight:
- School speed cameras: Staff is recommending the council keep the school speed zone camera program and deny Okaloosa County’s request to refund speeding fines previously assessed.
- Shipping containers for commercial use: First reading of Ordinance 2215, which would amend Land Development Code Section 5.01.07 to allow commercial uses of shipping containers. Restrictions on containers used for storage would remain in place, and staff is proposing an exemption to existing standards for primary structures on commercial property. Growth Management Director Tim Gibson wrote that staff researched other jurisdictions and found multiple commercial projects using shipping containers already in operation. Staff reports no direct financial impact on the city.
- Possible Sheriff’s Office dispatch proposal: Council Member David Schmidt is asking for direction for staff to request a proposal from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office to provide full-time dispatch service for Fort Walton Beach. The proposal would come back during the budget process for council consideration.
- Consolidation and budget cap discussion: Council is set to identify city operating sections to be reviewed for possible consolidation or outsourcing at the June 16 budget workshop. The discussion will also cover budget cap logic, including operating caps, a capital project moratorium and millage rate caps. Topics for the workshop are due to the city manager and city clerk by 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, for inclusion in the agenda packet.
The Fort Walton Beach City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at Council Chambers, 107 Miracle Strip Parkway SW.
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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Jared
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