SCHOOL

Okaloosa Superintendent welcomes students back, talks academic success and continued safety

Ahead of the first day of school, Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers sent a letter highlighting academic achievements from the previous school year and outlining priorities for the upcoming year. 

• The 2022-2023 school year was marked by strong standardized test results, with Okaloosa students ranking 5th out of 67 Florida districts in English Language Arts and Math proficiency. This continues an upward trend from 8th and 7th place rankings in the previous two years. 

“In a year that brought new, more rigorous statewide assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics to Florida, Okaloosa students once again outperformed almost every other school district in the state in their proficiency rankings,” Chambers wrote.

Safety has been a major focus. Chambers credited the district’s partnership with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, along with use of funds from a half-cent sales tax, with improving school safety measures.

While students were on summer break, staff and administrators worked to identify areas needing improvement and fine-tune best practices, Chambers said. 

“We’ve updated our ‘playbook’ that outlines a student-centered approach to academic excellence and continuous learning for students using researched-based best practices,” wrote Chambers. “I’m thankful for everyone who spent the summer diving into data, reviewing policies and procedures, and planning for a great start to what I know will be a fantastic year for our students!

The superintendent emphasized the importance of communication between the district and families. “We will continue to utilize multiple means of communication to keep all stakeholders up- to-date on what’s happening in Okaloosa. It’s a winning strategy,” he wrote.

In the letter, Chambers expressed excitement about the new school year and his appreciation for the community’s support. 

• “Being your Superintendent is more than a job for me; it’s a calling. I’m thankful for your trust and support in educating those you hold near and dear, and I approach this position with all the enthusiasm and attention to detail such an important task demands,” he stated.

POLITICS

Larry Patrick resigns from Fort Walton Beach City Council due to health concerns

During Tuesday night’s Fort Walton Beach City Council meeting, members of Council-member Larry Patrick’s family spoke before the council and announced his resignation effective immediately.

Patrick was absent at both Monday night’s budget workshop and Tuesday night’s meeting. According to his son Jeremiah Patrick, his absence was due to recent health issues.

• “We ask that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers during his recovery,” said Jeremiah Patrick. “We also ask that our privacy is respected during his time of healing.”

Jeremiah then read a letter from his father to Mayor and fellow council members:

“It is with much regret that I must resign my seat on our Council. My resignation is in no manner related to the recent allegations regarding my residency, as I always have been and hope always to be a resident of this great city. My decision is solely based on very recent health-related events that preclude my participation at the level needed to perform the office to which I was elected.”

“I do hope that once my health is restored, that I can again become an active participant in the ongoing effort to provide our citizens with a form of government which is representative of the majority, is fiscally conservative, and provides a great quality of life for our residents,” Patrick continued. “I will forever be thankful for the many friends and supporters that once again entrusted me with the opportunity to serve on this council.”

“I am also very appreciative of the cooperation and assistance that staff has provided to me during my brief tenure. I have also greatly enjoyed the camaraderie with my fellow council members,” he added. “My resignation is to be effective upon your receipt of this letter.”

Residency controversy surrounded Patrick last month as an election complaint accused the newly elected council-member of falsifying residency documents. Patrick dismissed the complaint in an interview with Get The Coast and claimed it was politically motivated, denying any wrongdoing.

What happens next

According to the city’s charter, if a vacancy occurs on the city council with more than 60 days remaining before the next primary election, then that vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the current council.

According to City Manager Jeff Peters, nominations will be accepted during the next two council meetings on August 22 and September 12. The council can nominate any current city resident. The city council will then select one of the nominees to fill the vacancy at the third regular meeting on September 26. 

• Voting will be confined only to those who were nominated and discussed at either or both of the public meetings at which nominations were accepted, according to the city’s charter.

The newly appointed council-member will fill the seat only until the next general election for the city (2 years on council, not 4). The vote would take place with 6 voting council-members with the Mayor being the tie-breaker.

NEWS

Fort Walton Beach City Council discusses options for new City Hall location

Also on Monday night, Fort Walton Beach City Council members held discussions on potential options for constructing a new city hall or relocating to a different existing building. 

• City Manager Jeff Peters provided an update to the council on some of the possibilities that had been explored. 

One option was moving into the old Northwest Florida Daily News building at Hollywood Boulevard and Eglin Parkway, but this was recently purchased by another party so it is no longer available. 

The other main option discussed was moving to the United Fidelity Bank building, the former First City Bank location, at 135 Perry Ave SE. Peters explained they could potentially do a short or long-term lease here, or even purchase the building for around $11-14 million and then lease back space to United Fidelity for their employees. 

• He estimated leasing the upstairs space would cost around $300,000-350,000 per year, with another $100,000 to also lease the downstairs area.

A third option Peters outlined was constructing a new scaled-down City Hall at the current location, demolishing the existing building. He said this could likely be done for $12-13 million, a significant reduction from what was discussed in October 2022. The new city hall would be built on the athletic fields behind the current building, which would then be relocated to the planned athletic complex expansion off Hollywood Boulevard.

Councilman Nic Allegretto asked whether removing the athletic fields would still meet the terms of their lease agreement with the Liza Jackson Land Trust, which specifies having an auditorium on site. Peters confirmed that maintaining the auditorium would satisfy this requirement. 

Councilman David Schmidt inquired about the current maintenance costs for the existing city hall and how leasing and renovation expenses might compare. 

• Peters explained that they allocated less funds this year based on previous discussions about pursuing a new city hall option rather than pouring more money into upgrades for the current aging facility.

Peters noted that Monday’s discussion was intended to be an informational update, but said he plans to revisit the topic at a future meeting and get council consensus on how to move forward. He said that staff will gather more details on potential costs to construct a new city hall and meet individually with council members prior to a formal vote.

SPORTS

Josh Sprinkle Memorial 5K Race continues to unite the community 19 years later

The 19th annual Josh Sprinkle Memorial 5K is set to take place this Saturday, August 12th at The Landing Park in downtown Fort Walton Beach. 

• This annual race has become a beloved community event and serves as the traditional season opener for area high school cross country teams, despite its tragic beginnings. 

Josh Sprinkle had recently graduated from Choctawhatchee High School when he was killed in a car accident in June 2005. Wanting to honor Josh’s memory and support his family, a friend of Josh’s organized the first 5K race as a way to help with funeral expenses.

The race was so successful that it continued for two more years as a way to support local track clubs before being taken over by Fort Walton Beach High School. 

• Now in its 19th year, the event has grown into a highlight of the local running calendar, according to Lissette Fields, Fort Walton Beach Cross Country Coach. 

“It’s become such an amazing event for young folks,” said Coach Fields in an interview on Monday. “You don’t usually see road races that involve a lot of high school or middle schoolers, and with this race, you will.”

In addition to the 5K run/walk, there are also fun runs for kids aged 1-11. Coach Fields said the event regularly draws over 300 participants from schools across the area. Major sponsors include the Northwest Florida Track Club and Run With It.

Proceeds from the race support two scholarships, one in Josh Sprinkle’s name to help graduating seniors with college expenses and another scholarship honoring Cheryl Phillips. According to Coach Field, Cheryl was a dedicated sports parent and close friend of Josh’s mother, Pat Bailey. Phillips passed away from cancer two years ago.

• “Cheryl was a very vital part of the planning, and the execution of the race from the beginning,” added Fields.

For Coach Fields, continuing the race is about honoring Josh’s memory and legacy. 

“We always try to make it so that it’s something that his parents are very proud of,” she said. The race has become a reunion for many alumni who ran with Josh in high school and now return with their own families to continue to honor him and support the local schools.

The 5K kicks off at 7:30 AM on Saturday morning. Coach Fields invites everyone to come out and be part of this special community tradition honoring the lives of Josh Sprinkle and Cheryl Phillips.

Looking to register? Click here

TRAFFIC

State Roads 85, 123 to close for test mission on Friday, August 11

The back-up mission for Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to be employed.

• Highway 85 and State Road 123 are scheduled to close on August 11 between 9 a.m. and noon.

The roads will not be closed for more than a 90-minute period, according to Eglin. However, the roads may be closed for several periods within the time frame.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation and FPL join forces with new rip current simulator

A new partnership between the Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation and Florida Power & Light Company aims to prevent rip current tragedies through hands-on beach safety education. 

• The rip current model and beach safety program was made possible by a collaboration between ECFF, Diane Fraser, director of the Emerald Coast Science Center, and science display creator, Jeff Wheat, with funding from Florida Power & Light Company.

FPL recently awarded ECFF grants totaling $6,500 to purchase portable rip current simulators for the foundation’s safety presentations and the Emerald Coast Science Center. The grants, funded by the NextEra Energy Foundation and FPL’s Community Connectors program, will allow ECFF to expand its beach safety program to its Crestview aquatic center.

The portable simulators feature a tabletop-sized model that uses a rubber duck to demonstrate how rip currents flow through sandbars. Over 2,000 individuals have experienced the revolutionary tool at ECFF events since May. 

• “I’ve been teaching water safety for years, and when we demonstrate how rip currents work with the simulator, it makes the concept more tangible,” said ECFF community outreach coordinator Wendy Rudman, who conceived the idea. “Thanks to FPL’s support, we created a realistic tool that enhances water safety education.”

The new technology gave Lisa Cooley’s visiting grandchildren hands-on experience before hitting Destin beaches in July. “Our grandsons are old enough to swim without us, so we’re trying to teach them about rip currents so they’ll be safe,” said Cooley.

So far this year, the ECFF reports that 65 swimmers have lost their lives to rip currents on U.S. beaches, including 15 in the Florida Panhandle. Rip currents prove fatal to those who don’t understand how to escape by swimming parallel to shore until out of the current.

FPL external affairs manager Bernard Johnson, who nearly drowned in a rip current while swimming off the Southern California coast as a teen, has been a big supporter of this mission. 

• “Safety for our employees and customers is a primary focus at FPL,” said Johnson. “We are grateful for organizations like Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation for their innovative approach to rip current safety. The rip current simulator provides a great visual of what it takes to be safe, so our beach visitors will be able to swim another day.” 

Beach safety sessions featuring the new simulator occur Saturdays at 1pm at the Taj Renee Community Aquatic Center in Destin.