GIVING BACK

NFL star Richie Grant to give away 750 backpacks filled with school supplies in Fort Walton Beach

Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant is set to host his second annual Back to School Giveaway at his alma mater, Choctawhatchee High School, on July 13, 2024.

• The event, scheduled from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., will offer free backpacks and school supplies to students of all ages.

Grant, a Choctawhatchee High School alumni, initiated this giveaway last year as a way to give back to his community.

Reflecting on the inaugural event, Grant said that while it wasn’t as organized as they had hoped, it was a blessing because the community showed up and “went with the flow.”

• “It was actually perfect because it made the event so authentic,” he laughed. “I was just trying to bless people with some backpacks, school supplies and it ended up becoming like meet-and-greet among a bunch of other things.”

Despite challenging weather conditions last year, the community’s response was overwhelming.

• “We went through all 500 backpacks within the first hour or so,” Grant recalled. The enthusiastic turnout left a lasting impression on the NFL player. “It’s a blessing. I felt really good the entire day and it lifted my spirits a lot to meet everybody.”

Building on last year’s success, Grant has made several improvements for this year’s event. The giveaway will feature a more organized entry system and additional tents for weather protection. Grant has also increased the number of backpacks from 500 to 750 to meet the higher demand.

New additions to this year’s event include entertainment for children. “I’ll probably have a bouncy house out there for the kids and maybe even a barber out there just cutting some heads for free,” Grant revealed.

Continuing a popular feature from last year, Grant will again raffle off tickets to an Atlanta Falcons home game.

• “Everybody make sure you grab them a ticket because I will be doing a raffle to see who will be coming to a home game this year,” he advised. The winner will be announced via social media one week after the event.

For Grant, returning to Choctawhatchee High School holds special significance. “The nostalgia is crazy. Every time I get on that field, I think about a [football] play,” he shared. He sees the event as an opportunity to inspire current students: “I can go back there and tell those kids that they can do the exact same thing as me, just keep working hard.”

As he prepares for the upcoming NFL season, Grant remains committed to his community work. His message to potential attendees is simple: “It’s free. You’re going to have a good time. The Lord blessed me and I want to bless you.”

BUSINESS

Fort Walton Machining unveils state-of-the-art aerospace milling machine

Fort Walton Machining (FWM) is cementing its position as a leader in advanced manufacturing with the addition of cutting-edge technology that will expand its capabilities to serve major aerospace and defense customers.

• The company recently unveiled a new Makino MAG3.EX 5-axis horizontal machining center at its facility on Jet Drive, making it the first of its kind in Florida. The multi-million dollar machine is specifically designed for high-productivity aerospace machining of complex aluminum monolithic parts.

“We’ve always been known as trailblazers in this industry,” said Tim McDonald, CEO of Fort Walton Machining. “Especially being a family-owned business, taking on that kind of investment and risk is really not common.”

The MAG3.EX builds on FWM’s history of being at the forefront of manufacturing technology. In 2016, the company brought online the first Mazak VHP-160 5-axis CNC machine in the world.

According to McDonald, the new Makino machine dramatically increases FWM’s capabilities for producing parts for space vehicles and larger aerostructures for commercial and military aircraft. It features an automatic pallet transfer and storage system that allows for extended periods of unattended operation.

• “When we took our first test cuts, my jaw was on the floor,” McDonald said. “It’s almost scary fast.”

The MAG3.EX represents a significant leap in manufacturing technology. Built specifically for Structural Aluminum Aerospace Milling, it features a larger X-axis and pallet than its predecessors, allowing for the production of bigger, more complex parts. 

The machine’s precision is so critical that it required the installation of a 39-inch thick, rebar-reinforced concrete pad, which had to cure for 90 days before the machine could be installed.

One of the MAG3.EX’s most impressive features is its rapid pallet change system. “From the time that machine stops cutting and making a part, to the time it’s cutting another part is about three and a half minutes,” McDonald explained. 

• This is a dramatic improvement over traditional setups, which could take hours to change parts. This efficiency, combined with the machine’s ability to run unattended for extended periods, positions FWM to meet the increasing demands of the aerospace industry, particularly in the burgeoning commercial space sector.

The machine’s speed and precision will help FWM meet increasing demand from customers like Blue Origin, which is ramping up production of its New Glenn rocket. FWM has produced over 300 different part numbers in multiple quantities for the New Glenn, which is slated for its first launch later this year.

“We really bought it for them, because they’re ramping up pretty hard,” McDonald explained. “We go to their supplier summits every year, and it’s the same thing – we need to go faster, we need more capacity from the industry.”

In addition to Blue Origin, FWM’s customer base includes major aerospace and defense companies like Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and SpaceX. The company specializes in high-mix, low-volume production of precision parts.

• “We’re not building 100,000 of one part. We’re building 10 of one part, then maybe five of another part, one of another part,” McDonald said. “I like a challenge every day, something different.”

Chris Scalia, Director of Business Development at FWM, emphasized the company’s reputation for quality and reliability. 

“When I was a customer, if I wanted it done correctly and on-time, I’d go to them,” Scalia said, referring to his previous job before joining FWM. “It might cost you a little bit more, but it’s going to be done when they said it’s going to be done. And it’s going to be done right.”

FWM comprises 113,000 square feet of production capacity across two sites in Fort Walton Beach. Its Manufacturing Division houses over 50 CNC milling centers and 12 CNC lathe turning centers, while its Metal Finishing Division offers chemical processing, painting, and non-destructive testing capabilities.

The company’s growth comes as Okaloosa County looks to expand and diversify its manufacturing base beyond its traditional focus on tourism and military. 

• “I wish manufacturing was larger in Okaloosa County,” McDonald said. “But there is a ton between Crestview Aerospace, Crane, DRS, Lockheed Martin, Boeing.”

McDonald sees FWM playing a key role in supporting economic development efforts like the Shoal River Ranch industrial park. The company has even explored the possibility of building a new facility there in conjunction with its customers in the future.

Equally important to McDonald is developing the next generation of skilled workers to sustain the manufacturing industry. FWM runs an apprenticeship program that has been in place for about 15 years, training new employees in various aspects of machining and fabrication.

“There’s a big push for trades and I’m a big pusher of it – college was the focus but we’re losing skilled labor,” McDonald said. “We’re just trying to bring that back.”

The company recently celebrated several graduates of its apprenticeship program, including McDonald’s son – marking the third generation of the family to enter the business. 

McDonald and his team are passionate about raising awareness of career opportunities in manufacturing, particularly among young people. He regularly hosts tours for school groups, from elementary to high school students.

• “I want to bring awareness to this industry and let the individual, if they want to go into trade skills, make that decision for themselves,” he said. 

As part of those efforts, FWM works closely with local educational institutions like Northwest Florida State College and the University of West Florida. The company also supports initiatives through organizations like Florida’s Great Northwest and the Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network (TeCMEN).

Looking ahead, McDonald and Scalia see continued growth opportunities for FWM. The company is already exploring the purchase of another Makino machine to further expand its capabilities.

• “We want to grow with our customers,” he said. “We want to support the community as much as possible and just keep growing this business and hopefully one day hand it over to my children if they want to do it.”

For McDonald, leading the way in advanced manufacturing is about more than just business success – it’s about creating opportunities and securing a prosperous future for the local community.

“It’s my job to figure out how to fix it,” he said, referring to the skills gap in manufacturing. “It’s all of us, part of our job in this industry is to try to figure out how to fix it. I want to be on the forefront of that.”

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PUBLIC SAFETY

Early morning fire destroys Destin home, damages nearby residences

A structure fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning destroyed a home and damaged several others in a Destin neighborhood, officials said.

• The Destin Fire Control District received a report of a fire on Clipper Cove at 3:20 a.m., according to a statement from the department. Crews arrived to find the house at 4463 Clipper Cove fully engulfed in flames.

Firefighters launched an aggressive attack to protect neighboring properties, some of which had already begun to ignite. A second alarm was called, and multiple aerial trucks were deployed throughout the neighborhood to combat the spread of the fire.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reported that residents of the burning home were awakened by the fire. Some occupants sustained minor injuries, with several forced to jump from a second-story balcony to escape the blaze.

• “All occupants escaped,” the Sheriff’s Office stated, noting that deputies worked to evacuate surrounding residences due to high winds carrying ash through the area.

The fire resulted in a total loss of the primary residence. Neighboring homes suffered varying degrees of damage, with some catching fire and others sustaining heat damage.

No serious injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported, according to the Destin Fire Control District.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Authorities have not released further details at this time.

TRAFFIC

Authorities recover body of driver who jumped from I-10 bridge into Blackwater River

Authorities have recovered a body following an incident where a male driver jumped from a bridge on Interstate 10 Wednesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

• The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. on July 10, 2024, on the Backwater Bridge near mile marker 27 of westbound I-10 in Santa Rosa County.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the driver of a sport utility vehicle appeared to have intentionally struck the concrete barrier wall while traveling westbound on the bridge. After the collision, the driver exited the vehicle and jumped off the bridge into the water below.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a search operation following the incident. Officials confirmed that the body of a male subject has been located and recovered.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the driver’s identity or potential motives for the incident.

HISTORY

Four men, shovels, and a storm: The accidental birth of Destin’s East Pass in 1926

In 1926, a storm and a well-intentioned trench dug by local residents dramatically altered Destin’s landscape, creating a new East Pass that reshaped the area’s geography and economy. This act of local ingenuity, born out of necessity, has had lasting impacts on the community nearly a century later.

• Vivienne Williams, executive director of the Destin History and Fishing Museum, recounted the events that led to the creation of the current East Pass, which connects Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.

“In 1926, there was a large storm that passed through Destin that clogged the original East Pass,” Williams said, noting its original location on the east side of Holiday Isle, south of La Paz. The storm raised the bay water eight feet above its normal level, threatening homes and docks along the bay.

The Choctawhatchee Bay, approximately 28 miles long and averaging 5 miles across, was experiencing unprecedented pressure due to the elevated water levels. “That is a lot of pressurized water sitting in one area,” Williams explained.

Many locals in the 1920s had built their homes on the bay side, considering it more forgiving than the Gulf during bad weather. However, this storm proved to be an exception to that rule.

Concerned about the rising water, some locals decided to take action. O.T. Melvin, Dewey Destin Sr., Arn Strickland, and Dolf Weekly, armed with shovels and boat oars, set out to dig a trench from the gulf side to the bay side to relieve the pressure.

• “Knowing what we know about water today, that’s like turning a fire hose onto an anthill,” Williams said. “It’s highly pressurized water and 28 miles of it. That is a heck of a trench.”

The fine, loose sand found in Destin didn’t help matters. As Williams noted, “Our sand here is very fine. It doesn’t hold its shape. So it was going to just streamline through it.”

What started as a six-foot-wide trench quickly expanded beyond anyone’s expectations. “Over the next couple days, it had widened to 500 feet,” Williams explained. “They could hear all the trees crashing, all the sand moving, all the waves going through. It was a very loud ordeal for the next couple days.”

The rapid expansion of the trench created an entirely new body of water, much to the surprise of federal government surveyors who arrived to assess storm damage. “When the surveyors got here, they found an entirely new body of water,” Williams said. “They sat there and they looked at the town of Destin and they went, ‘What happened?‘ And everybody looked at them and went, ‘I have no idea.'”

• The true story of the pass’s creation remained a secret for decades. “Everybody played dumb for about 30 years until they finally fessed up that they were the ones that dug the trench, creating the new body of water,” Williams revealed.

The creation of the new pass had significant and lasting impacts on the area. It closed the old pass where water previously extended from the Bay into the “Old Pass Lagoon,” across what is now Gulf Shore Drive.

The new pass widened and became the primary channel, creating a sheltered harbor in the process. “It houses the largest licensed fishing fleet in the United States currently to this day,” Williams noted, highlighting the economic importance of this geographical change.

The shift in water flow also affected nearby Crab Island. “The currents changed. Instead of going around Crab Island, they slammed into it,” Williams explained. This erosion, combined with hurricane damage, eventually transformed Crab Island from an actual island into a submerged sandbar.

• To maintain the new pass and prevent it from filling in with shifting sand, jetties were installed to stabilize the opening. “I like to joke that these are the only rocks in Florida,” Williams quipped.

The ecosystem of Choctawhatchee Bay also underwent significant changes following the creation of the new pass. Prior to 1926, the bay was primarily fresh water, fed by springs and rivers. The new, more direct connection to the Gulf increased the bay’s salinity, altering its flora and fauna. Fresh water fish retreated upriver, while salt-tolerant grasses replaced the previous vegetation.

The Destin History and Fishing Museum plays a crucial role in preserving this pivotal piece of local history. “We have replicas on display of the Coast Guard charts actually pre-dating 1926, and then we have a few charts after the storm,” Williams said. These charts show both the new and old passes, illustrating how the coastline has changed over time.

• “At one point in time, you could walk from Destin to Pensacola,” Williams added, highlighting how the creation of the new pass separated what is now Holiday Isle from Santa Rosa Island (what we call Okaloosa Island).

Visitors to the museum are often surprised to learn about the pass’s origins. “They always assume that the pass has been there,” Williams said. The story of East Pass resonates with visitors because, as Williams puts it, “It’s a very human thing to do, right? To do the right thing and then have it get out of hand.”

The Destin History and Fishing Museum continues to update its exhibits to better tell this and other stories of Destin’s rich history. Williams mentioned a recently completed 40-foot “fish wall” with interactive displays and immersive lighting. The museum is also working on updating its “captain’s wall” exhibit, which includes the story of East Pass, by the end of the year.

As Destin continues to grow and change, the story of East Pass serves as a reminder of the town’s humble beginnings and the power of local ingenuity. It’s the story of how a single act, born out of necessity, can shape a community for generations to come.