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Good morning!
Today is Primary Election Day. Locally, we have two Okaloosa School Board seats up for grabs. In District 3, we have incumbent Linda Evanchyk and Mitch Reed. And in District 5, we have incumbent Brett Hinely and Cynthia West. Remember…you do not have to live in these districts to vote. This is a countywide election. The polls are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. today. You can find your sample ballot and precinct here.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa School District cuts ribbon on new Pineview School in Crestview
The Okaloosa County School District celebrated its newest campus Friday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony at Pineview School, capping a construction effort that took just 18 months from groundbreaking to completion.
- The K-8 school, located at 5200 Enzor Road along the Southwest Crestview Bypass, welcomed its first students on Tuesday before hosting Friday’s ceremony in the campus’s media center. It is the district’s first new school since 2008.
“Today marks the beginning of something truly special as we open the doors to a brand-new campus and welcome our inaugural students and families,” Principal Dr. Donna Kelley said. “Pineview was designed with a vision of innovation, technology, student engagement, and critical thinking at the center of learning.”
The campus sits on 40 acres of an 80-acre parcel the district purchased, with the remaining acreage held in reserve for future growth. Superintendent Marcus Chambers said the decision was strategic, given the pace of development in the area.
The two-story campus includes three classroom wings, an administrative building with a media center and cafeteria, a gymnasium with band and chorus facilities, and a Career and Technical Education wing. The cafeteria is designed as an Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area. The school has capacity for 1,200 students.
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GAMES
WordroW: August 18, 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
Fort Walton Beach City Council gives initial OK to cottage food stands
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted 5-1 on Aug. 11 to advance an ordinance that would let home-based cottage food businesses sell goods from a cart or stand, a use the city’s code does not currently allow.
Under the ordinance, a qualifying stand could be no larger than 20 square feet and no taller than 8 feet, could operate only between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., and would have to be stored out of sight outside those hours. It would need to sit within 10 feet of the home and at least 15 feet from the front property line, and the property would need at least two off-street parking spaces on a stabilized surface. Operators would have to register with the city.
Operators are also required to hold a city business tax receipt, which many did not have before code enforcement became involved.
The second reading is scheduled for the council’s Aug. 25 meeting.
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FAITH
Niceville’s Generations United Church renames itself One Church
Generations United Church has a new name, One Church, opening a new chapter for the congregation after 80 years in the community.
The change became official Sunday, Aug. 16. The church’s mission, identity and commitment to Niceville remain unchanged.
“This is not a new church coming to Niceville. This is the same church beginning a new chapter,” said Tommy Brown, lead pastor of One Church. “Generations United Church describes who we are—a church of generations united. One Church describes not only who we are, but also why we are here. We are one church seeking to reach just one more.”
The new name reflects the church’s vision of seeing one more person encounter God, experience belonging and make a difference, according to the church. It also expresses the conviction that people from different generations, backgrounds and life experiences can find unity and purpose together through Jesus Christ.
MILITARY
Eglin to conduct munitions testing off Santa Rosa Island starting Tuesday
Eglin Air Force Base will conduct munitions testing off Santa Rosa Island beginning Tuesday and running through Aug. 28, temporarily closing a section of the Intracoastal Waterway to vessel traffic during testing hours.
Testing is scheduled daily in two blocks, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and again from 1 to 4 p.m., according to the base. All vessels are required to remain completely clear of the active hazard zone during those windows.
The closure will affect an approximately 5-nautical-mile stretch across the Intracoastal Waterway, situated about 13 to 18 nautical miles west of the Destin East Pass. Boaters are advised to plan routes accordingly to avoid delays or safety risks.
The U.S. Coast Guard will post a notice to mariners, with advisories broadcast on Channel 16 and HF upper sideband 2182 kHz.
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WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 109. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
TONIGHT: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 82. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
TRAFFIC
Military, government leaders discuss Highway 98 congestion solutions at Hurlburt roundtable
Military leaders, elected representatives and transportation officials met Monday at a roundtable hosted by Air Force Special Operations Command to review progress and explore new projects aimed at reducing congestion along U.S. Highway 98.
The meeting, held at the Freedom Tech Center in Fort Walton Beach, brought together participants to assess work completed since the first roundtable in 2023 and to identify future improvements along the highway.
As the primary route serving Hurlburt Field and surrounding communities, Highway 98 plays a critical role in supporting daily military operations and emergency response.
Participants reviewed several short-term initiatives designed to ease traffic and improve coordination during emergencies. Those efforts include increased Florida Highway Patrol presence during peak traffic periods, the Warrior Road Act and coordination between Hurlburt Field and the Florida Department of Transportation to reduce the effects of roadway construction projects.
Long-term projects discussed at the roundtable included:
- Force protection improvements at Hurlburt Field’s front gate.
- The proposed West Gate military construction project.
- The Okaloosa County West Highway 98 Collector project.
- FDOT’s planned widening of Highway 98 between Hurlburt Field and State Road 87.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday! 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!
p.s. What did you think of this morning’s newsletter? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Jared
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