HEALTH

Health advisory issued for Santa Rosa Sound

The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County (DOH-Okaloosa) has issued a health advisory for the Santa Rosa Sound from the Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach to Hurlburt Field Air Force Base.

• This is due to a wastewater release entering near Sleepy Hollow Road in Mary Esther. 

Waters contaminated with wastewater presents several health hazards to humans and may contain untreated human sewage with microbes that could cause gastro-intestinal and other diseases, according to the DOH. 

“Anyone who comes into contact with the affected waterway should wash thoroughly, especially before eating or drinking,” they said in a press release. “Children and older adults, as well as people with weakened immune systems, are particularly vulnerable to disease so every precaution should be taken if in contact with the affected waters.”

Jacobs Engineering Group is performing water quality monitoring and testing, and once satisfactory results are achieved, the health advisory will be lifted.

For more information about the potential health effects of wastewater overflow, residents and visitors are encouraged to contact DOH-Okaloosa at (850) 833-9247 or visit www.healthyokaloosa.com.  

MARCHING BANDS

17 high school bands from the Tri-County area set to perform on Saturday at FWBHS

For high school marching bands, this Saturday is what they have been working toward all season.

It’s the District 1 Marching Assessment, which is a marching band festival, and will be hosted at the Steve Riggs Stadium at Fort Walton Beach High School.

• District 1 covers Pensacola all the way through Okaloosa County.

Beginning at 2pm on Saturday, the marching bands will perform their shows for a rating. The rating system is from 1-5, with 1 being Superior and then goes down through 2, 3, 4, and 5.

And while it is technically not a competition, the bands will be competing against a set of standards. And those standards remain strong in Okaloosa County.

With last year’s shutdown, marching bands didn’t perform a normal half-time show and the Assessments didn’t take place. This year, the students are ready.

“The students are absolutely over the moon and excited about being able to do this on Saturday,” said Derek Fields, FWBHS Director of Bands. “We’ve been working since June, essentially trying to get the half-time show put together that has been developing throughout the year, and the students are getting better and better at it. So for us to be able to play in front of our friends and family, and then also other band programs, it’s a really exciting time.”

This year, all of the bands faced a challenge of having an entire class not learn how to march in 2020 due to the restrictions. That meant that instructors would be teaching 2 classes how to march.

“We didn’t make a big deal of the fact that they hadn’t done marching before but they knew that they had a lot to learn,” said Fields. “They’ve been working really hard and holding their own sectionals and extra rehearsals outside of our scheduled practices. The last time we hosted this event the current Senior class were Freshmen. So it’s been a big learning curve but they’re fired up about it!”

Back in July, Crestview High School’s Director of Bands, Jody Dunn, explained that his team has had to take the lost year into consideration when it came to this year’s drill and music. However, they are ready for Saturday.

“We are thrilled to be back at our state marching performance assessment,” he said. “It’s so exciting to see these young people once again doing what they love to do. We hope the audience enjoys our show and that they will come along and row the boat with us as we present ‘Songs of the Sea’!”

In Niceville, Director of Bands Dan Wooten says that 50% of their members have never marched before.

• “We had some significant retrofitting to accomplish,” he said.

As for the Assessment, this is where the bands will get their ratings at the District level and then many programs will go on to compete in the coming weeks.

“Our seniors are the only class who have experienced this Marching Assessment at FWBHS,” said Brad Parks, Director of Bands at Choctaw. “It’s great to be back on the field performing for an audience and introduce the rest of the band to this kind of pay-off. This is the delayed gratification we’ve been waiting for and working towards since band camp. I have every confidence our crew will show up ready to go and excited to perform.”

“It’s a different venue compared to a football game,” explained Derek Fields. “This event is strictly for the bands and everyone is excited to see all the programs going on across the Tri-County area.”

All of the bands will have their own favorite moments of their shows. For Fort Walton Beach High School, Mr. Fields says that the first 30 seconds of their show is his favorite.

“Right out of the gate, I think one of the best moments in the show is the first 30 seconds into the hit,” said Fields. “We start with choreography, the horn-line turns around and just unloads with a huge sound right at the beginning of the show.”

“This event can be considered the launching-off point for the idea that we’re back in business with our band programs across the panhandle,” said Parks. “Bringing together the bands from District 1 is a great way to applaud the efforts of band students, directors, staff members, and parent volunteers for their commitment and dedication to this activity since March of 2020. It will be no small feat and quite an impressive sight and sound to witness when these bands take the field on Saturday.”

Niceville’s Band Director echoed the sentiment:

“Every performance we have this year is exciting, and this upcoming assessment is a great opportunity for us to present the students’ labor,” said Dan Wooten.

Details:

When: October 9th, 2021
Where: Fort Walton Beach High School
Time: 2pm-8pm
Cost: $6 for general admission, $7 for premium seating. Children 6 and under, along with Seniors 65+ get in for free.

3:15pm – Baker School Marching Band
5:15pm – Choctaw High School
6:45pm – FWBHS
7:14pm – Niceville High School
7:30pm – Crestview High School

All of the funds raised from this event will go to help middle and high school bands in the Tri-County area keep their assessment & state fees low.

DESTIN

City of Destin’s Youth Flag Football

Registration for the City of Destin’s Youth Flag Football is running now through Tuesday, October 26th, 2021, at the Destin Community Center.

• The program is for children ages 6 – 13 (age as of September 1st) and a birth certificate is required unless already on file with city staff.

Games will begin in November and will be held during the week at Morgan Sports Center.

• The fee is $85, with a $10 discount offered to Destin Residents with a valid driver’s license.
• In-person registration is Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Volunteer coaches are needed.

For more information, please call (850) 650-1241 or email recreation@cityofdestin.com.

DESTIN

Gas leak shuts down Airport Road

On Thursday afternoon, Destin Fire Control District and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office were on the scene to investigate a gas leak on Airport Road.

• The initial reports stated that a 4 inch gas line ruptured at the Twin Lakes Lane area.

Airport Road was closed in both directions, between Industrial Park Lane & Misty Way. However, evacuations were not planned.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office anticipated that Airport Road would reopen Thursday night at 8:30 p.m.

MO’ READS

What else we are reading

• FREEPORT: Alaqua Animal Refuge announced the opening of its new Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, located on five acres within their original Whitfield Road property in Freeport, according to the Walton Sun.

• FORT WALTON BEACH: The Viva Ciclovia Street Fiesta is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday on Ferry Road in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Festival-goers are encouraged to bike, walk, skateboard, rollerblade or run to the event rather than drive to promote healthy living. Read more.

• SOUTH WALTON: Several local fire departments rolled up to area schools in fire engines this week for National Fire Prevention Week. The Fire District plans to visit 14 schools, stretching Fire Prevention Week throughout October. Read more.

• FORT WALTON BEACH: Former FWB student Sophia Layne makes top 5 on Netflix reality TV show ‘The Circle’. The reality TV show follows contestants who are isolated in separate apartments as they communicate via social media and attempt to become the highest-rated player among their peers, according to the NWFDN.