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Divers removed more than 1,000 pounds of debris from Destin-Fort Walton Beach artificial reefs, adding to a growing local effort to keep the reef ecosystem clean. Fort Walton Beach High School will honor Attorney General James Uthmeier and his father Billy Uthmeier at Friday’s football game, and this week’s Athlete of the Week is Fort Walton Beach’s Lavin McDaniel — right where he always wanted to be as a Viking quarterback. Sunset Market is set for the Freedom Tech Center, and Week 2 high school football schedule is here.
SCHOOL
FWBHS to honor Attorney General James Uthmeier, father Billy Uthmeier at Friday’s football game
Fort Walton Beach High School will honor Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and his father, John “Billy” Uthmeier, during a halftime ceremony at Friday night’s football game against South Walton High School.
The Uthmeiers will also serve as the game’s Honorary Captains.
- The ceremony will recognize Billy Uthmeier for leading the effort to build the Vikings’ on-campus baseball field in 2004 and James Uthmeier for his career in law and public service.
Before Billy Uthmeier took on the project, Viking baseball teams spent 35 years traveling two miles off campus to play their home games at Jet Stadium. Construction of the baseball field came on a similar timeline as the school’s football stadium, spearheaded by Steve Riggs.
“Having the baseball field on campus is really special for our program,” Athletic Director Holly McDaniel said. “Jet Stadium will always be part of our history, but there’s something different about getting to play right here at your own school and caring for your own facility. We also are proud of the continuous work, upgrades and time our coaching staff dedicates to keep it one of the best baseball fields in Northwest Florida.”
James Uthmeier, who grew up in Destin, played on the Viking baseball team and served as Captain of the cross country team during his time at Fort Walton Beach High School. He went on to attend the University of Florida, where he ran varsity track and cross country for the national champion Gators, and later graduated from Georgetown Law.
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GAMES
WordroW: August 26, 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.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Fort Walton Beach’s Lavin McDaniel is right where he always wanted to be — a Viking quarterback
Athlete of the Week is brought to you by Okaloosa Gas District – supporting the athletes who make our community stronger.
Lavin McDaniel used to walk over to his grandfather’s house every morning before school. Breakfast would be ready, his phone would quickly disappear, and the two of them would just sit and talk.
“He never missed a day,” McDaniel said. “Every single day I would walk over to his house and he would just be there.”
His grandfather has since passed away, but McDaniel hasn’t let the tradition go. Every Friday morning before school, he now eats breakfast with his grandmother.
- “You don’t have them forever, and once they’re gone you’ll really miss them,” McDaniel said. “I’m just glad we were able to share those moments, and now I’m able to continue with my grandma.”
That sense of connection (and rooted tradition) runs through everything about McDaniel, a junior quarterback at Fort Walton Beach High School who quite literally grew up on campus and inside the program he now helps lead.
His mother, Holly McDaniel, is the school’s athletic director and became the first female high school athletic director in Okaloosa County history when she was named to the position in 2020. She was a star basketball player at Fort Walton Beach High before returning as a coach and building the Lady Vikings into one of the area’s most successful programs.
His father, Brian McDaniel, is a social studies teacher at the school and serves on both the football and baseball coaching staffs. Lavin has been around the school and its teams for as long as he can remember.
PROMOTED
Sunset Market at Freedom Tech Center
Freedom Tech Center is hosting its Sunset Market this Saturday, August 29, from 5–8 p.m. — a free evening of live music, local vendors, food trucks, and good vibes under the Florida sky.
Whether you’re looking to shop unique finds from local makers, grab a bite from your favorite food truck, or just enjoy a laid-back evening with family and friends, there’s something for everyone.
1900 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach
Interested in becoming a vendor? Contact Event Director Courtney Blackerby at courtney@freedomtechcenter.com to reserve your space.
SPORTS
Week 2 high school football predictions and full schedule
After an exciting, upset-filled Week 1, it’s time for Week 2 of area high school football. Here’s the full schedule and predictions for every game.
(All games at 7 p.m. CT unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, Aug. 27
- West Florida Tech at Niceville
Friday, Aug. 28
- Auburn (Ala.) at Choctaw
- South Walton at Fort Walton Beach
- Destin at Baker
- Crestview at Enterprise (Ala.)
- Walton at Arnold
- Freeport at North Bay Haven
- Joshua Christian Academy at Rocky Bayou
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 0 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
TONIGHT: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
COASTAL RESOURCES
Divers remove more than 1,000 pounds of debris from Destin-Fort Walton Beach artificial reefs
A team of U.S. military veteran combat divers recovered more than 1,000 pounds of marine debris from 10 artificial reef sites off Destin-Fort Walton Beach, including an estimated 12 miles of derelict fishing line.
The mission was a partnership between Okaloosa County’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach Natural Resources Team and FORCE BLUE, a nonprofit that recruits and trains military special operations veterans and first responders as professional divers and pairs them with hands-on marine conservation work. Funding was provided to FORCE BLUE through a Publix cash register campaign.
Divers recovered 1,022.93 pounds of debris from the reefs over the course of the mission. Of that total, roughly 40 pounds was derelict fishing line, conservatively estimated at about 64,000 linear feet. The 12-mile estimate assumes heavier, 100-pound test line. Lighter or braided line recovered in the same haul would represent significantly more linear footage per pound.
“We take the responsibility of being good stewards of the environment very seriously,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “Partnering with FORCE BLUE to maintain our growing artificial reef system is a great collaboration that prioritizes both the marine habitat and the well-being of our veterans.”
Though fishing line made up a small share of the total weight, its ecological impact is disproportionately large. Nearly invisible underwater, the material continues to entangle fish, sea turtles and marine mammals long after it is lost or discarded, a phenomenon known as “ghost fishing.” It can take years to break down.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Wednesday! 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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