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The Fort Walton Beach Chamber will honor Paul Singleton for attending his 2,000th Chamber event, capping a 50-year streak of community presence. Crestview Animal Services is joining a statewide MEGA pet adoption event with a goal of placing 2,000 pets in homes, and the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club director will play 100 holes in one day to support First Tee. The FHSAA has approved an Open Division playoff format for the 2026-27 season, and seven rehabilitated sea turtles were released into the Gulf in Walton County.
PARKS+REC
Fort Walton Beach Golf Club director to play 100 holes in one day to support First Tee
Fort Walton Beach Golf Club Director Jacob Hill will play 100 holes of golf in a single day this fall to raise money for First Tee Gulf Coast, a youth golf program serving kids ages 5 to 18 in Okaloosa and Walton counties.
Hill will take on the Joe Durant 100 Holes of Golf Marathon on Oct. 19 at the Pensacola Country Club. For reference, a typical 18-hole round takes about three to four hours to complete. Hill estimates he’ll be swinging a club from sunup to sundown.
- It’s the first time he has attempted the feat.
“Every day at Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, we see how powerful the game can be in shaping young people’s lives,” Hill said. “Programs like First Tee help teach kids confidence, integrity, perseverance, and respect, skills that go far beyond the golf course.”
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GAMES
WordroW: June 12, 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
Crestview Animal Services joins statewide MEGA pet adoption event with goal of 2,000 homes
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
Crestview Animal Services will join nearly 50 organizations across Florida this month for the 4th Annual Petco Love Florida MEGA Adoption Event, a three-day statewide push to find homes for more than 2,000 dogs and cats in shelters.
- The event runs June 19-21 at Petco stores, local animal shelters and other locations throughout Florida. Locally, pets will be available at the Crestview shelter, 715 N. Ferdon Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
All adoption fees will be waived, though some exclusions may apply. All pets will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations.
“We’re really excited to be part of this event and help more pets find their families. There are so many great animals just waiting for someone to give them a chance. Every adoption opens up space for us to help another animal in need, so it’s a win for everyone,” said Lindsay Garrett, City of Crestview civilian operations manager.
SPORTS
FHSAA approves Open Division playoff format for 2026-27 season
The Florida High School Athletic Association board of directors voted 10-0 Tuesday morning in Gainesville to officially create the FHSAA Open Division, a new championship platform that will debut in the 2026-27 school year and reshape the state’s postseason landscape.
Originally endorsed by the board in June 2024, the finalized format was approved June 9.
“This is an exciting step forward for high school athletics in the state of Florida,” FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon said in a statement. “This has been in the works for the past few years, and after today’s board approval, we are excited to officially share it with everyone and look forward to seeing these teams compete in the Open Division Championships.”
AMERICA 250
TONIGHT: 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.
BEACH
Seven rehabilitated sea turtles released into the Gulf in Walton County
Seven rehabilitated sea turtles returned to the Gulf on Wednesday morning at Inlet Beach Regional Access, marking one of the Gulfarium CARE Center’s largest releases of the year so far.
- The group of patients ranged from juvenile green sea turtles to large subadult loggerheads. The release, along with several others scheduled throughout Walton County this year, was held in partnership with the St. Joe Community Foundation, which supports the center’s rescue and rehabilitation work.
“Every release is a reminder of why this work matters,” said Sarah Kamen, stranding coordinator at the Gulfarium CARE Center. “From turtles requiring months of rehabilitation to patients like Luigi who can be released almost immediately, every case represents a collaborative effort between the public, our veterinary team, animal care staff, volunteers, and supporters who make these recoveries possible.”
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind 0 to 10 mph.
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
BUSINESS
FWB Chamber to honor Paul Singleton for attending 2,000th event in 50-year streak
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce will honor longtime Chamber Ambassador Paul Singleton on June 24 as he reaches 2,000 Chamber events attended, a streak that began in 1976.
The Paul Singleton Meet & Greet is set for 3 to 3:45 p.m. at Home2 Suites by Hilton, Freedom Tech Center, 1930 Lewis Turner Blvd. The event will also mark Singleton’s 93rd birthday, which falls on June 21. A short program featuring guest speakers begins at 3:15 p.m. No RSVP is required.
“50 years of attending Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce events is unparalleled, like Cal Ripken’s consecutive games played record in Major League Baseball,” said Ted Corcoran, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. “Paul’s legacy will never be matched. I’m also proud that we’ve had that many new businesses join our Chamber, requiring ribbon cuttings, so he could attend them. We named our ribbon-cutting scissors after Paul about 10 years ago, and he keeps showing up to every single one.”
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Friday! 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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