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Good morning!
Vue on 30a has announced its permanent closure, ending a run at the property that dates to 1971 when it first opened as the Beach Club. Schools across Okaloosa County observed Patriot Day with ceremonies and America 250 tributes, and Hurlburt Field is tracking black bears on base to reduce encounters with people. South Walton Fire District and DeFuniak Springs police joined a countywide simultaneous 911 system, and Fort Walton Beach shut out Milton 28-0 in its district opener.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa schools observe Patriot Day with ceremonies and America 250 tributes
Schools across the Okaloosa County School District observed Patriot Day on Sept. 11 with classroom lessons, student artwork, JROTC ceremonies, pep rallies and moments of remembrance honoring those lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks and those who have served the nation since.
At Niceville High School, a pregame ceremony at Friday night’s football game included a presentation on the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, the families affected and the first responders who responded that day. The presentation also recognized members of the U.S. military who have served and continue to serve.
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GAMES
WordroW: September 15, 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.
MILITARY
Hurlburt Field tracking black bears on base to reduce encounters with people
Hurlburt Field is actively tracking black bear movements on base and training security personnel to respond to encounters as interactions between people and bears increase across Florida.
Desirae Minns, a wildlife biologist with the Center of Environmental Management of Military Lands, is leading the effort at Hurlburt Field. She uses information gathered from tracking and monitoring to understand bear movement patterns and determine how to make the base safer for both people and wildlife.
Minns said bear-human interactions have increased across Florida as development expands and the state’s population grows.
“If bears continue finding food around people, they can become more comfortable around humans,” Minns said. “That can create situations that are unsafe for both people and bears.”
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SPORTS
Fort Walton Beach shuts out Milton 28-0 in district opener
Fort Walton Beach needed this one, and the Vikings delivered.
Elijah Donson set the tone early with a 52-yard rushing touchdown, and the defense took care of the rest, holding Milton scoreless through halftime.
Lavin McDaniel connected with Cannon Wilbur for a 22-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to push the lead to 14-0, and Fort Walton Beach piled on from there. Donson added his second touchdown of the night after Jrue Lee scooped up a failed Milton lateral, and Bryson Gay recovered a fumble for a touchdown to cap the scoring.
The Vikings improved to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in district play. Up next: Walton at home.
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PUBLIC SAFETY
South Walton Fire District, DeFuniak Springs police join countywide simultaneous 911 system
Two more agencies are now plugged into Walton County’s simultaneous 911 ringing system after the South Walton Fire District and the DeFuniak Springs Police Department formally joined the platform designed to speed up emergency response across the county.
The system routes 911 calls to multiple agencies at the same time based on where a call originates. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office serves as the county’s primary Public Safety Answering Point, meaning all 911 calls first enter through the sheriff’s office. Under the simultaneous ringing model, calls now ring to additional agencies when appropriate, depending on the caller’s location.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Sunny, with a high near 90. East wind around 5 mph.
TONIGHT: Mostly clear, with a low around 78. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
BUSINESS
Vue on 30a announces permanent closure
Vue on 30a has permanently closed after after water intrusion and indoor air quality problems were found in the building during routine maintenance, Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club announced Monday.
The closure ends a run that dates to 1971, when the property first opened as the “Beach Club” before eventually becoming the Gulf-front fine dining destination known as Vue on 30a.
Club officials said the problems were discovered during routine maintenance, prompting them to bring in outside professionals for a full assessment. That evaluation confirmed water intrusion and related air quality conditions affecting portions of the building.
The club said the issues could be fixed but would require a significant financial investment and an extended timeline. Because the building was already slated for replacement under the club’s long-range master plan, the Board of Directors opted to close Vue on 30a permanently rather than pour money into the aging structure.
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!
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Jared
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