NEWS

Destin celebrates 40 years with epic Harbor Bash featuring drone show

The City of Destin will hold a 40th Birthday Bash on Saturday, August 10th at HarborWalk Village. All are invited to the event celebrating four decades of incorporation.

• From 5:30-8:30 p.m., enjoy stilt walkers, live music by Tobacco Road, the City’s first drone show, fire spinning, and much more.

“It’s one of those events where there should be something for everyone, no matter the age,” said Tamara Young, City of Destin Public Information Director. “Our Harbor was recently voted 2nd best in the Nation, so it’s a chance to appreciate the gorgeous view, commemorate 40 years, and join our biggest birthday party yet.”

Parking fees at HarborWalk Village and all City-owned parking lots have been waived that evening for the community-wide celebration.

COASTAL RESOURCES

73 rare Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings make their way to the Gulf from Destin beach

The first sea turtle nest of the season hatched recently in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, marking a successful start to the nesting season for the area’s endangered marine species.

• Jessica Valek, Coastal Resources Coordinator for Okaloosa County and permit holder of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol Team, recalled seeing approximately 30 Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings emerge from the nest around sunrise this past week.

“When we arrived at the nest, we were looking around and saw some people near the water’s edge filming something,” Valek said. “I saw a bunch of little black things on the ground and realized that we had hatchlings on the beach!”

The nest, which was laid by a rare Kemp’s ridley sea turtle in late April, was the first of the season to be laid and the first to hatch. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the most endangered sea turtle species and do not typically nest on Destin-Fort Walton Beach shores.

Valek and her trained team monitored the nest daily throughout the incubation period. Upon evaluation 72 hours after hatching, they determined the nest contained 77 eggs, with 73 successfully hatching — a 95% hatch success rate.

• “Every hatchling we saw, all of their tracks went straight to the water. None of them went the wrong way and we didn’t have any disorientations,” Valek noted.

The successful hatching comes as welcome news for the Sea Turtle Patrol Team, especially considering recent high storm surges that affected some nests earlier in the season.

“There were several days where the water was really high and a few of our nests did get washed over, which is not detrimental to the nest.” Valek explained. “A nest can still hatch after some wash over. But to already have a hatched nest before peak hurricane season is definitely exciting.”

As of July 11, the team has documented 15 nests this season, surpassing last year’s total of 12 nests. Three of this year’s nests are from Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, which Valek describes as “really exciting” given the species’ rarity.

The DFWB Sea Turtle Patrol reminds the public to maintain clean, flat, and dark beaches to support sea turtle conservation. If you encounter a nesting sea turtle, please call the Sea Turtle Hotline at 850-461-2885 or the FWC Wildlife Hotline at 888-404-3922. Red turtle-friendly flashlights are available at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Welcome Center on Okaloosa Island.

• The public is encouraged to follow the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol on Facebook for updates and information about public nest evaluations, which will be conducted 72 hours after nests hatch.

All survey, nest marking, and monitoring activities are conducted under Marine Turtle Permit #251.

Click here to see more pictures of the hatchlings

BEACH

Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center celebrates historic release of adult male Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

The Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center celebrated a historic moment in marine conservation Tuesday with the release of an adult male Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, marking the first time the center has rehabilitated and released a turtle of this species and gender.

• Seven rehabilitated sea turtles were released into the Gulf of Mexico at Topsail Hill State Preserve, but the star of the event was Landon, a 62-pound adult male Kemp’s ridley.

Landon was hooked at Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier on June 30 and underwent rehabilitation at the center.

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are critically endangered, with an estimated population of only 22,000 in the wild. Tabitha Siegfried, Stranding Coordinator for the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center, emphasized the rarity of the event.

“Kemp’s ridleys are the most endangered of all seven species, and male sea turtles are already extremely rare,” Siegfried said. “A male Kemp’s ridley is incredible to be able to see and work with. Male sea turtles rarely come to shore unless sick, injured, or deceased, making encounters like this exceedingly rare.”

In a significant step for research, representatives from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) attached a satellite tag to Landon. This tag will provide data on long-distance movements and behaviors. The other released turtles received acoustic tags to assess fine-scale movements and habitat use around fishing piers.

• The USGS plans to compare the movement patterns of rehabilitated turtles to wild-caught sea turtles. This research aims to aid conservation efforts by reducing the number of sea turtles hooked and entangled in fishing gear.

The release event, organized by the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center Foundation, drew a crowd of locals, tourists, and sea turtle advocates. The foundation expressed gratitude to the community, volunteers, and partner organizations for their support in making these releases possible.

The Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center reminds the public to report any sea turtles in distress, injured, or deceased to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC (1-888-404-3922).

GIVING BACK

Annual ‘Stuff the Bus’ event aims to provide school supplies for local students in Okaloosa

The annual “Stuff the Bus” event, scheduled for August 3, 2024, is set to collect school supplies for students in Okaloosa and Walton counties. The initiative, which helped over 10,000 students across 53 schools last year, will take place at multiple Walmart locations in the area.

• In 2023, the event collected $11,000 worth of supplies, significantly impacting local students’ ability to access necessary school materials.

Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County School District, expressed gratitude for the program, stating, “Any help that you can give to allow our students to have their own individual supplies would be greatly appreciated.”

The upcoming “Stuff the Bus” event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walmart stores in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, and Niceville. Cumulus Radio will broadcast live from the sites as community members drop off donations. The event coincides with Florida’s tax-free weekend, encouraging shoppers to add extra school supplies to their carts or make monetary donations.

• The most needed supplies include crayons, colored pencils, washable markers, dry erase markers, folders, backpacks, pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, binders, erasers, and scissors. Specific brand preferences were noted for some items.

For those unable to attend the main event, several local businesses are serving as donation drop-off locations throughout July and early August. These include Beachside Community Church, Ivy and Ale, Fishbein Orthodontics, Emerald Coast Science Center, Bay Area Awards, and multiple branches of the Okaloosa County Teacher’s Federal Credit Union.

Chambers added, “I want to thank the many community sponsors who make a difference in the lives of our students by giving them the much needed supplies that they need each and every day.”

Those wishing to make monetary donations can do so through the Okaloosa County School District’s website, with the option to specify which school should receive the funds.

For a full list of items and location drop-off dates, click here.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Okaloosa County to host flood vulnerability assessment meeting

Okaloosa County officials are inviting residents to attend a public meeting on July 30 to discuss a new flood vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning project.

• The meeting, scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., will take place at the Okaloosa County Administrative Building Training Room in Shalimar.

County staff and representatives from Jacobs Engineering will present information on the project’s initial stages, including data collection methods and analysis techniques.

Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness. “Preparing in advance for possible disasters is an important part of public safety,” Mixon said. “I encourage Okaloosa residents to take part in this project so they can be better informed about how to protect themselves from any future flood events.”

The Vulnerability Assessment Project aims to safeguard the county against environmental risks, including rising sea levels and flooding. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about potential vulnerabilities and impacts on local communities.

• The meeting will also include a question-and-answer session, allowing residents to provide input on the project’s initial stages.

For more information about the Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning Project, interested parties can contact Ryan Prince at rprince@myokaloosa.com.

POLICE BLOTTER

66-year-old man arrested in Destin bank robbery case

Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the July 3 robbery of a Truist Bank in Destin.

• The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reports that Charles Gallagher, 66, of Destin, was taken into custody on July 5. He faces charges of robbery without a weapon.

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect allegedly used a note to demand money from a bank clerk at the Truist Bank on Emerald Coast Parkway. The robber, described as wearing flip flops, fled with a small amount of cash.

During the investigation, deputies spotted a 2017 black Maserati at a nearby business. The vehicle had no license plate and its insignia was covered, apparently in an attempt to conceal its identity.

• A search warrant executed on the car yielded evidence including a bag containing cash, a light blue surgical mask, and a pair of glasses, according to the report.

Gallagher, a resident of Maritime Court in Destin, denies any involvement in the robbery.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident.

BUSINESS

Massive American flag raised at new Freedom Tech Center development in Fort Walton Beach

One of Florida’s largest American flags now flies over the new Freedom Tech Center in North Fort Walton Beach, marking a significant milestone for the mixed-use development project.

• The flag, measuring 105 feet by 70 feet, was raised on a 200-foot pole at the site on Lewis Turner Boulevard. According to area residents, the flag is visible from as far away as the Shalimar bridge.

Developer Jay Odom, also known for the American flag at Uptown Station in Fort Walton Beach, is behind the Freedom Tech Center project. The flag-raising process took approximately 15 minutes to complete.

The Freedom Tech Center is being built on 50 acres of land leased from the U.S. Air Force, adjacent to the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. The development aims to transform the north side of Fort Walton Beach into a commercial hub, offering a variety of amenities.

Plans for the center include housing, job opportunities, hotel and meeting spaces, restaurants, Class A office space, and a 4-acre recreational park. The project is expected to significantly impact the local economy and community landscape.

Click here to watch the video of the flag being raised