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Okaloosa County deputies rescued two snorkelers pulled out by strong current at Destin’s East Pass, with video capturing the rescue. Destin and Okaloosa County will cut the ribbon on the new Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Park, and Choctaw alum Bryan Baker was named to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Destin’s Charles “Chuck” Morgan Jr. was also posthumously inducted into the Okaloosa NAACP Legacy Walk of Fame.
PARKS+REC
Destin, Okaloosa County to cut ribbon on new Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Park
A ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 15 will mark the completion of Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Park, a joint project between the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, the City of Destin and the Trust for Public Land that adds 340 feet of public beach access along Scenic Highway 98.
- The ceremony is set for 7:30 a.m. at 3310 Scenic Highway 98, and the public is invited to attend.
The park offers free parking with 49 standard spaces, three ADA-accessible spaces and 29 low-speed vehicle spaces, along with bathrooms and four pavilions.
The project represents a total investment of $16.96 million shared between the city and county, funded through tourism revenue. It is part of a broader initiative between the two governments to expand public beach access in Destin.
Click here to read the full story or leave a comment
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GAMES
WordroW: July 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.
GIVING BACK
Charles ‘Chuck’ Morgan Jr. posthumously inducted into Okaloosa NAACP Legacy Walk of Fame
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The Okaloosa NAACP honored the late Charles “Chuck” Morgan Jr. during Monday night’s Destin City Council meeting, presenting a certificate marking his posthumous induction into the organization’s Legacy Walk of Fame.
- Morgan was one of 10 inductees formally recognized during the opening ceremony of the Fort Walton Beach May Day Festival on May 2 at Chester Pruitt Park. Monday’s presentation offered the opportunity for the NAACP to stand before the Destin City Council, with Morgan’s grandson, Councilman Chatham Morgan, seated on the dais to receive the honor.
Sabu Williams, president of the NAACP’s Okaloosa County branch, and First Vice President Lewis Jennings made the presentation.
“I am here to formally invite the city of Destin to join the NAACP in posthumously recognizing a man whose courage helped shape American history, and whose life and legacy are deeply rooted right here in this community,” Williams said.
Morgan, born in Cincinnati in 1930, was raised in Kentucky before moving to Birmingham, Alabama, at 15. He earned his law degree at the University of Alabama.
He gained national recognition on Sept. 16, 1963, the day after the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Speaking before white business leaders in the city, Morgan challenged their silence on racial violence.
Morgan purchased property on Calhoun Avenue in Destin in the 1970s and retired there full time in the early 1990s. His son, Charles Morgan III, had already been living in Destin full time when he founded Harbor Docks Seafood Restaurant in 1979.
“Such recognition is the least one can do to honor a man who stood for justice at a time when it was dangerous to do so,” Williams said. “His induction into the Legacy Walk of Fame is not only a tribute to his national impact, it is a celebration of Destin’s own history.”
SPONSORED
‘Silver Tsunami’: Realtor Lisa Norton helps local families think through aging in place and downsizing
Many longtime homeowners across Okaloosa County are living in houses that no longer fit their lives, and realtor Lisa Norton said the hardest part of helping them move forward is rarely about square footage.
“Many of the families that I’ve met with, they’re not just deciding where to move. They’re deciding how to let go of this big chapter in their life,” Norton said. “These are homes where they’ve raised their children, maybe grandchildren, held holiday gatherings and built decades of great memories.”
Norton, 67, said she’s seen the need grow in her own neighborhood and has started evaluating her own home’s limitations. Her work focuses on helping families move from a reactive position to a planning one — ideally two to four years before a move is likely.
In our full story, Norton discusses:
- Early signs a home has outgrown its owners.
- The emotional side of letting go of a family home.
- What downsizing looks like across Niceville, Fort Walton Beach and Destin.
- Common mistakes families make when handling transitions on their own.
- What to look for when touring assisted living or memory care communities.
- Why she recommends building a transition plan early.
SPORTS
Choctaw alum Bryan Baker named to 2026 MLB All-Star Game
This year’s MLB All-Star Game will feature a point of pride for the local area.
Bryan Baker, a former Choctaw baseball player and Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher, was named to the American League All-Star roster and will participate in the game July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Baker has deep roots in the area. He was born and raised in Fort Walton Beach and attended Choctawhatchee High School, where he was a member of the Class of 2013. He played both basketball and baseball for the Indians, developing into the team’s staff ace, with his best year at Choctaw coming during his senior season in 2013.
- Baker was drafted in the 40th round of the 2013 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates but chose not to sign, instead opting to play college baseball at the University of North Florida.
In July 2025, Baker was traded to the Rays, and this season he is in the midst of a breakout year as Tampa Bay’s closer.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
TONIGHT: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Mostly clear, with a low around 82. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
PUBLIC SAFETY
VIDEO: Okaloosa deputies rescue two snorkelers pulled out by strong current at Destin’s East Pass
Two snorkelers found themselves in serious trouble on the Fourth of July after a strong outgoing current at Destin’s East Pass pulled them farther and farther from shore.
- The pair — a man and a woman — were tired and unable to make it back on their own when two members of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit received a call for distressed swimmers, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lt. Brian Parkton and Deputy Pierre Batiste were already on the water and were able to reach the snorkelers quickly. Bodycam footage released by the sheriff’s office shows the deputies spotting the snorkelers, yelling to them and throwing a ring buoy before pulling both individuals safely into the boat.
Neither snorkeler was harmed.
As the boat approached shore after the rescue, one of the deputies can be heard in the footage pointing toward the area where the snorkelers had been struggling.
“This…this is very, very bad,” the deputy said, referring to the stretch of water in East Pass. “The water right here rips. It’s a funnel right here.”
He followed up: “You don’t realize how bad that could have been.”
The sheriff’s office urged the public to be aware of the dangers at the pass, warning that currents can be extremely strong and carry even experienced swimmers away from shore.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Wednesday! 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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