PUBLIC SAFETY

Fire at downtown Fort Walton Beach Waffle House quickly extinguished

Firefighters responded to a commercial fire at the Waffle House near the Brooks Bridge in downtown Fort Walton Beach on Thursday night, August 8, 2024.

• The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department dispatched multiple units to 263 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE after receiving reports of a fire at the restaurant. Engine 4 arrived on the scene and confirmed a working structure fire.

According to a statement from the fire department, crews “quickly extinguished a large fire that started in the kitchen area.” Truck 6 was deployed to the roof to vent and extinguish fire that had extended to that area.

The units responding to the incident included Engine 6, Truck 6, Battalion Chief 6, Engine 4, and Engine 3.

This Waffle House location is one of the few remaining in the Fort Walton Beach area. Two other Waffle House restaurants previously located on Highway 98 (Miracle Strip Parkway) have since closed.

• One near Liza Jackson Park is now occupied by Lost Pizza Co., while another on Okaloosa Island was demolished as part of the new Brooks Bridge construction.

Currently, there are two other Waffle House locations in the vicinity: one on Racetrack Road and another in Shalimar.

TRAFFIC

Okaloosa County approves $1.1M study for West Highway 98 collector road

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved a $1.1 million study Tuesday for a proposed collector road aimed at easing traffic congestion on U.S. Highway 98 west of Hurlburt Field.

• The board voted to approve Task Order 1 with HDR Engineering, Inc. for $1,106,522.38 to conduct a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study for the West 98 Collector Transportation Improvement Project.

The proposed 3-mile road would run parallel to Highway 98, providing an alternative route for local traffic and potentially alleviating congestion on the busy highway, which currently handles about 50,000 vehicles per day.

“Highway 98 in the West County area, it’s way over capacity. There’s a lot of crashes out in that area. A lot of delay,” said Scott Bitterman, Okaloosa County Engineer, during the meeting.

Bitterman highlighted the urgency of the project, noting that while the Florida Department of Transportation has plans to widen Highway 98 to six lanes, even that expansion may not be sufficient. 

• “A six lane highway, it can handle about 55,000 cars per day. So if-and-when Highway 98 gets widened out to six lanes, it’s still going to be almost at capacity when it’s open day one,” Bitterman explained.

The project aims to create a collector road from Solar Street to Green Drive, just west of Hurlburt Field. In addition to the roadway, plans include a utility corridor extending to the Santa Rosa County line.

Bitterman emphasized the project’s potential benefits, including improved traffic flow, enhanced safety, and support for Hurlburt Field’s mission readiness by providing better access for military personnel.

• The project involves partnerships with several entities, including the Air Force, Okaloosa Water and Sewer, Florida Department of Transportation, Okaloosa Public Schools (due to Florosa Elementary), and the Florosa Fire Control District.

Commissioner Trey Goodwin, whose district includes the project area, expressed strong support for the initiative. “This is definitely in my district, and this is a portion of my district that suffers greatly from traffic congestion,” Goodwin said.

County officials stressed that the project would primarily utilize federal property and is not expected to require taking private land. The PD&E study will help determine the best route for the road while minimizing environmental and residential impacts.

• Funding for the study includes a $375,000 match from a Florida Department of Transportation grant, with the remainder coming from county surtax funds approved in November 2023.

While the project has garnered support, officials acknowledged it would take years to complete and requires continued cooperation between various stakeholders, including Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field.

Jason Autrey, Okaloosa Public Works Director, emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum and leveraging resources like the surtax to keep the project moving forward. “We will continue to fight the good fight because we believe in this having such value to the community,” Autrey said.

EDUCATION

Okaloosa School District urges families to apply for free, reduced meals

Join us as we celebrate Education Month, sponsored by Youth Village Inc. We will explore local school district updates, back-to-school preparations, and innovative educational initiatives. Discover how our community is shaping the future of learning.

The Okaloosa County School District is encouraging all families to apply for free or reduced-price school meals for the upcoming 2024-25 academic year, which begins August 12.

• District officials emphasize that even families who were approved for the program last year must reapply. Applications can be submitted online at www.myschoolapps.com.

“Many families qualify without realizing it,” the district stated in a press release.

The program offers several benefits for eligible students, including nutritious meals provided free or at a reduced cost, discounted fees for SAT, ACT, and AP exams, and reduced fees on college entrance exams.

According to the school district, the free and reduced meal program also supports the broader community by helping determine school funding, securing discounted internet and technology services, and establishing eligibility for grants.

While a 30-day grace period will be in effect, the district urges families to complete their applications as soon as possible to ensure uninterrupted benefits.

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COMING SOON

Okaloosa approves schematic design for new tax collector building in Crestview

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved the schematic design package for a new Tax Collector/County Government Service Building in Crestview on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. The board also authorized moving forward to the Design Development Phase of the project.

• The new facility, planned to be over 36,000 square feet, will house all Tax Collector and Property Appraiser functions for the north county area. It will be located on county-owned property near the Crestview Community Center, library, and Chamber of Commerce.

Jason Autrey, Public Works Director, presented the project to the commissioners. “It’s about a 30,000 square foot facility that the tax collector will occupy in the Crestview area,” Autrey said. He noted that the current space in the Brackin Building is cramped, with lines forming outside the door each morning.

The first floor, approximately 20,000 square feet, will be dedicated to the Tax Collector’s office. About 6,300 square feet will be available for the Property Appraiser, with an additional 5,300 square feet of open space for future assignment. The remaining area, roughly 4,400 square feet, will be used as public, maintenance, or mechanical space.

• Autrey emphasized that the property has a restriction allowing only government use. “It can only be used for government purposes. So it’s not like the tax collector or the county can take that open space and lease it to a private company,” he explained.

While funds have been allocated for the design phase, Autrey noted that the exact funding for construction has not yet been determined. “We have not identified exactly how we’re going to pay for construction. That’s something we’re going to know more down the road once we get a better feel for the construction costs,” he said.

Commissioners expressed support for the project, with Chairman Paul Mixon stating, “I think the future of Crestview is moving further north. The future of the North End seems to be becoming more centric upon this area, so I think it’s going to be a great location.”

Commissioner Nathan Boyles, while supporting the motion, emphasized the importance of Crestview’s historic downtown. “I continue to believe that historic downtown Crestview is still the center of Crestview and will continue to be the center of Crestview,” Boyles said. He clarified that his support for the new facility was due to the growth of services provided by the Tax Collector’s office, rather than its northern location.

The commissioners unanimously approved the schematic design and authorized proceeding to the Design Development phase. No additional funds were required for this stage of the project.

EDUCATION

WM and Okaloosa County School District offer back-to-school safety tips

As the new school year approaches, Waste Management (WM) and the Okaloosa County School District are reminding the public about the importance of road safety, particularly around school buses and waste collection trucks.

WM, emphasizing that safety is their top priority, has issued a set of truck safety tips for the community. Mark Noel, WM Gulf Coast Area Director Environmental, Health and Safety, stated, “At WM, our professional drivers approach each and every day with a safety-first mindset. Let’s work together to all do our part to help maintain a safe environment for students traveling to and from school.”

• The company advises maintaining a safe distance of at least 15 feet from their trucks and being alert to back-up alarms and white back-up lights. They caution that service vehicles can take twice as long to stop as passenger cars and make frequent stops, often backing up.

Meanwhile, the Okaloosa County School District, preparing for the start of school on August 12th, has alerted residents to expect increased traffic around schools during intake and release times.

• The district is asking drivers to allow extra time for their commutes and to be cautious around students at bus stops or walking and biking to school.

“We appreciate your patience as bus routes will also take longer than normal,” the district wrote. “It usually takes a week or so for everything to become routine.”

In addition to road safety, WM is encouraging environmental stewardship as the school year begins. They suggest using reusable lunch containers and beverage bottles, opting for whole fruits and vegetables as snacks, and considering eco-friendly school supplies made from recycled materials.

Both organizations stress the importance of community cooperation in ensuring a safe start to the school year. As WM puts it, “Working together, we can make it a safe and green school year.”

COASTAL RESOURCES

Air Force sinks 360-foot old cargo ship near Destin-Fort Walton Beach with new weapons

The Okaloosa County Artificial Reef Program expanded its underwater attractions last week with the addition of a 360-foot vessel to the Gulf of Mexico, offering new opportunities for fishing and diving enthusiasts.

• The MV MONARCH COUNTESS, a former roll-on roll-off vessel, now rests upright in 180 feet of water off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. The ship, which has 100 feet of relief, was sunk as part of a U.S. Air Force demonstration of a new maritime threat neutralization capability.

Col. Matthew Caspers, Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate Director, highlighted the significance of the demonstration. “The development of this technology helps deliver technological superiority to ensure the United States can defend our interests, maintain freedom of action, and seize the initiative over large maritime areas,” Caspers said.

The vessel’s deployment as an artificial reef was originally approved in the county’s 5-Year Artificial Reef Plan in 2023. Prior to its sinking last week, local anglers reported sighting the ship offshore for about two weeks.

This latest addition to the artificial reef program continues a tradition of repurposing vessels for marine habitat enhancement in the area and marks another deployment involving the military. In April 2022, a similar operation saw the destruction of an old cargo ship as part of the QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.

The Air Force Research Laboratory, in partnership with the U.S. Navy, has been developing the QUICKSINK program to explore new methods of neutralizing maritime threats using air-launched weapons. The recent demonstration, which involved a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, took place in July as part of the second RIMPAC SINKEX.

• “QUICKSINK is an answer to an urgent need to neutralize maritime threats to freedom around the world,” Caspers explained. “This program is unique in that it can provide capabilities to modify existing and future DoD weapons systems, giving combatant commanders and our national leaders new ways to defend against maritime threats.”

The MV MONARCH COUNTESS is expected to become a popular spot for fishing and diving, contributing to the area’s marine ecosystem and tourism industry. Coordinates for the new artificial reef are available on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach website.