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Good morning!
45 inmates were baptized during a voluntary service at the Okaloosa County Jail last week. The Walton County health department has confirmed a locally acquired case of West Nile virus, and a new health advisory has been issued for Cinco Bayou just days after the previous one was lifted. Week 1 football brought big wins and tough losses for area teams to open the season.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Walton County health department confirms locally acquired case of West Nile virus
The Florida Department of Health in Walton County confirmed a human case of locally acquired West Nile virus disease Friday and issued a mosquito-borne illness advisory for the area.
The department said it is coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts with South Walton Mosquito Control, including ground treatment, spraying and emptying standing water in the area where the case was identified.
The advisory did not identify the patient or provide details about the severity of the illness.
DOH-Walton urged residents to take basic precautions to avoid mosquito bites, including using insect repellent and eliminating standing water around homes.
The state health department conducts ongoing surveillance for several mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, chikungunya and dengue. Residents are encouraged to report dead birds to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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GAMES
WordroW: August 24, 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.
PUBLIC SAFETY
New health advisory issued for Cinco Bayou days after previous one lifted
The Okaloosa Health Department has issued a new water quality advisory for Cinco Bayou in Fort Walton Beach, two days after lifting a previous advisory for the same location.
Tests completed by Okaloosa County’s Natural Resources Department on Thursday, Aug. 20, indicate the water quality at Cinco Bayou does not meet the state’s recreational water quality criteria for Enterococcus bacteria. Sampling showed the level of bacteria exceeds the level established by state guidelines.
The department advises against any water-related activities at the location due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers. The advisory will continue until bacteria levels fall below the accepted health level.
The new advisory, issued Friday, Aug. 21, comes just two days after the health department lifted an earlier advisory for Cinco Bayou on Tuesday, Aug. 19, when sampling showed bacteria levels had dropped below the advisory threshold.
SPORTS
Week 1 football recap: Area teams deliver big wins, tough losses to open the season
Week 1 of high school football delivered a little bit of everything across Okaloosa and Walton counties.
The Vikings opened with a 41-6 rout of Pensacola for its first season-opening win since 2020, while Destin made a statement in its first official game as a full-fledged FHSAA member with a 53-13 win over Port St. Joe.
South Walton shut out Gulf Breeze 50-0, and Walton answered West Florida Tech’s opening kickoff return with 52 unanswered points.
On the other side, Choctaw fell 15-13 to Mosley in a hard-fought back-and-forth game, and Crestview carried a 10-0 lead deep into the second half before Lincoln rallied for a 13-10 win. Niceville ran into a loaded Prattville squad in a 49-7 loss, Freeport fell 27-21 to Arnold and Rocky Bayou dropped its opener 40-6 to Northview.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 89. Heat index values as high as 105. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
TONIGHT: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
NEWS
45 inmates baptized during voluntary service at Okaloosa County Jail
Forty-five inmates at the Okaloosa County Jail in Crestview were baptized Monday during a voluntary service that corrections officials said provides opportunities for personal growth and rehabilitation.
- Pastor Jonathan King of First Apostolic Church and Pastor Grady O’Neal of Calvary United Crestview led the Aug. 17 service, along with volunteers from both churches.
Both men and women participated. The service was voluntary, the county said, and was designed to provide an opportunity for reflection, renewal and hope.
Corrections Chief John Moring said the department’s role goes beyond running a secure facility.
“Our responsibility extends beyond maintaining a safe and secure facility. We also want to provide opportunities that support positive change and rehabilitation,” Moring said. “Restoring voluntary baptism services allows individuals to participate in an important part of their personal faith journey.”
The county said the service is part of a broader effort to support rehabilitation while respecting the individual beliefs and choices of those in its care.
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Jared
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