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Good morning!
Gov. Ron DeSantis has set Nov. 3 for the Okaloosa School Board District 1 special election, giving voters a firm date after uncertainty following the qualifying paperwork oversight. Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents were again named among Florida’s best companies to work for, and a Milton man was arrested on an indecent exposure charge after an incident on the Turkey Creek nature trail. Also, Alaqua Animal Refuge will host a bluegrass concert and fall festival in November.
THINGS TO DO
Alaqua Animal Refuge to host bluegrass concert and fall festival in November
Alaqua Animal Refuge will host a Bluegrass Barn Jam & Fall Fest on Saturday, Nov. 14, bringing more than six hours of live bluegrass music, seasonal activities and family entertainment to the refuge’s grounds in a daylong fundraiser for the animal rescue organization.
The event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the refuge, located at 155 Dugas Way in Freeport.
Headlining the concert in the refuge’s Angel’s Arena is Sister Sadie, the Grammy-nominated, three-time International Bluegrass Music Association Vocal Group of the Year winner. The all-female group is known for its roots sound and regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry stage.
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GAMES
WordroW: August 7, 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.
BUSINESS
Bit-Wizards, TalkingParents again named among Florida’s best companies to work for
Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents in Fort Walton Beach have again been named to Florida Trend’s annual Best Companies To Work For list, with Bit-Wizards ranking No. 3 in the best small company category and TalkingParents ranking No. 8 in the best medium company category.
The recognition, featured in the August issue of Florida Trend magazine, marks 17 consecutive years on the list for Bit-Wizards and three consecutive years for TalkingParents. Both companies are led by CEO Vince Mayfield, who has more than 25 years of business experience.
“These are special companies because of the people in them,” Mayfield said. “Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to grow and celebrate success through our team’s hard work, and it’s always been a priority for us to recognize those efforts. Part of acknowledging that is creating a workplace where they embrace collaborating, learning, and achieving the mission every day.”
Mayfield said the annual recognition reflects an intentional approach to company culture.
“When someone joins Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents, they become part of a team with shared values, enthusiasm, and genuine care for one another,” Mayfield said. “Every person here plays a part in shaping what these organizations represent and what we feel inside this building.”
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PUBLIC SAFETY
Milton man arrested on indecent exposure charge after incident on Turkey Creek nature trail
A Milton man is facing an indecent exposure charge after security cameras captured him allegedly removing his clothing on the Turkey Creek nature trail in Niceville last week, according to the Niceville Police Department.
- Bradley Patrick, 46, was arrested the morning of Aug. 6 in Santa Rosa County on an active Niceville Police Department warrant charging him with indecent exposure in violation of Florida Statute 800.03(1)(a).
The charge stems from an incident on July 29, when city security camera footage captured an individual, later identified as Patrick, removing his clothing while on the public nature trail at Turkey Creek, police said. The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 p.m. during the park’s normal operating hours.
Patrick is accused of exposing his sexual organs in a vulgar or indecent manner in a public place, according to the warrant.
He is being held in Santa Rosa County pending extradition to Okaloosa County, where he will be transferred to the Okaloosa County Jail.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
TONIGHT: Mostly clear, with a low around 78. West wind 0 to 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
SCHOOL
DeSantis sets Nov. 3 date for Okaloosa School Board District 1 special election
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed an executive order setting the dates for a special election to fill the Okaloosa County School Board District 1 seat, after both candidates in the race did not meet all qualifying requirements for the August primary ballot.
- Executive Order 26-162 sets a special primary election for Nov. 3, 2026, the same day as the general election. A special election would follow on Jan. 19, 2027, “if necessary,” according to the order.
The order cites the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections’ June 17 declaration that no candidates qualified for the District 1 seat under section 99.061(7) of Florida Statutes. Under section 100.101(1), a special election must be held when no person is elected at a general election to fill an office required to be filled at that election.
The order directs the Secretary of State to work to implement the other scheduling requirements for the special election.
JD Peacock and Jerry Buckman, the two candidates in the race, had both said after the June qualifying issue that they hoped the special election could be held alongside the Nov. 3 general election. School Board races for Districts 3 and 5 are not affected and will appear on all voters’ primary ballots in August.
Both, still actively on the campaign trail, indicated at the time that they would qualify again once a new date was set.
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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