GIVING BACK

Okaloosa School District launches first Angel Tree program

Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers announced Thursday the launch of the district’s first Angel Tree program to ensure students in need receive gifts this holiday season.

• The new initiative invites community members to sponsor specific students by providing Christmas gifts.

Members of the public can visit the district’s website at www.okaloosaschools.com and complete an online form requesting to sponsor a child. Sponsors will receive the gender, age and gift requests for their assigned student within 24 hours via email.

Members of the public can also visit the district’s office at 202A Hwy 85 North in Crestview between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays beginning Dec. 4 to select a paper angel tag from a tree with student gift requests.

• All donated gifts should have the corresponding angel tag attached and be wrapped. Gifts must be returned to the district office by Dec. 15.

“Every day, our schools take care of our families and we as a district want to add a layer of support by asking our community to join us in making sure our students have a happy holiday,” Chambers said in a statement.

For more information on the Angel Tree initiative, contact district spokesperson Catherine Card at catherine.card@okaloosaschools.com.

TRAFFIC

Destin City Council approves 2 new flashing stop signs at Kelly Street intersection

The Destin City Council on Monday approved installing flashing stop signs on Kelly Street at its intersection with Spring Lake.

• The decision comes after Councilman Dewey Destin requested the city look into converting the T-junction into a four-way stop. 

According to City Manager Lance Johnson, installing traditional stop signs to make the intersection a four-way stop would cost around $1,000. Using newer, illuminated signs would cost around $5,000.

• Councilman Dewey Destin made a motion to install flashing stop signs on the Kelly Street side only, cutting costs to around $2,000. Councilwoman Teresa Hebert seconded the motion.

Councilman Kevin Schmidt said that while some residents argue against more stop signs, he was in support making the roadway safer. Schmidt suggested also putting responsibility on the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office to crack down on those still speeding through intersections.

Captain Jason Fulghum of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said a recently approved state grant will provide additional overtime funding specifically for speed enforcement within Destin city limits.

“I drive down Kelly multiple times a day and more often than not, there’s people everywhere, especially around school hours,” Councilman Johnny King said. “I think going back to the Main Street and Kelly intersection when that tragedy happened initially, we had approved regular stop signs and I think there were people who were missing them and it was dangerous.”

• King then asked if the city had performed a traffic study at the location, to which Public Services Director Michael Burgess responded that a study done Aug. 17-21 found the 85th percentile speed — typically the threshold for traffic calming measures — was 37 mph at the 30 mph posted limit. The maximum recorded speed was 90 mph.

Mayor Bobby Wagner suggested the city should explore wider infrastructure changes that prioritize pedestrian safety over vehicle speeds.

“I would like to see, especially on our main corridors that we want to be more walkable, that we start by even just restriping to reduce lane widths,” Wagner said. “This could be a good first step to making drivers slow down.”

The motion for two flashing stop signs was carried unanimously.

PARKS+REC

Valparaiso approves nearly $1 Million bid to improve Lincoln Park Boat Ramp

The Valparaiso City Commission has approved spending nearly $1 million to improve the boat ramp and docks at Lincoln Park.

• During a Nov. 13 meeting, commissioners awarded a $996,585 bid to Loftis Marine LLC of Pensacola to replace the deteriorating boat ramp facilities. 
• According to the city, the current ramp and docks are in poor condition and need extensive repairs in order to remain usable.

The project will be partially funded through a $414,000 grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that was awarded in January 2022. 

• The city plans to make up the nearly $583,000 funding gap through other available sources like American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, county boating improvement grants, the city’s parks reserve fund, and potentially its half-cent sales tax revenue.

As part of the grant, the city will have to dedicate the boat ramp as a “boat access facility” for the benefit and use of the public for no less than 20 years.

The boat ramp is in big need of repair and without moving forward with the improvements, the city runs the risk of having to close the boat ramp and dock area. There are large slab separations in the water that cause issues with trailers, in addition to the sand accumulation.

• With the pouring of all new concrete, the boat ramp will go from a single lane to a 27ft double lane allowing two boats to launch at once. There will also be new boat parking.

With the awarding of the bid, the city said contractors plan to begin construction shortly, with a deadline to finish by June 30, 2024 due to grant requirements.

ICYMI

News you may have missed

• ‘Bikes or Bust’ returns to Fort Walton Beach, collecting new bikes for local kids. Scott Mallory, an afternoon radio personality at Highway 98 Country, will spend 98 consecutive hours suspended 30 feet in the air starting this Friday as part of the station’s 12th annual “Bikes or Bust” charity event. – Read more

• Odom Hotelz, a new hospitality group owned by real estate developer The Jay Odom Group, plans to open six hotels in Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties starting in 2024. The hotels will operate under the IHG, Hilton and Marriott brands but aim to provide an elevated guest experience that goes beyond typical brand standards, according to details from The Jay Odom Group. Read More

• Get The Coast spoke to Fleet, Smith & Freeman’s estate planning lawyer, Whitney Smith, about the biggest mistakes parents make when it comes to Estate Planning. Located in Shalimar, Florida, the attorneys at Fleet, Smith & Freeman have represented clients throughout the Florida Panhandle for more than 60 combined years. Here’s the biggest mistakes they often see

• After 20 years with the city, Destin City Manager Lance Johnson and the City Council have mutually agreed to part ways effective January 2, 2024. The Destin City Council held a special meeting on Monday night. One item on the consent agenda was the Separation Agreement and Mutual General Releases between Johnson and the city. – Read More

• Repairs to the Casino Beach Fishing Pier on Pensacola Beach are set to begin in December 2023. Work is estimated to be completed by May 2024. See details

• The Crestview City Council discussed two ordinances related to a proposed 94-unit townhome development on North Avenue East. The proposed Patriot Park development, a collaborative effort between the city, Eglin Air Force Base, and a private developer, aims to provide affordable housing for military members. Read more

THINGS TO DO

Christmas Parades across Okaloosa County

The holiday season is fast approaching, and cities across Okaloosa County are gearing up for beloved annual traditions – Christmas parades! Bundle up the family and check out these festive community events happening in December.

• City of Destin’s 39th Annual Christmas Parade – “A Christmas Vacation” – Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 10am. The parade kicks off at Destin Methodist Church (200 Beach Drive) and winds its way down Beach Drive before heading west down Harbor Blvd. (Hwy 98) to Stahlman Avenue.

• Fort Walton Beach Christmas Parade – Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6:30pm. The parade theme this year is “That’s What Christmas Means To Me.” The parade starts at First Street and runs north on Eglin Parkway to Hughes Street.

• City of Crestview Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade – “Santa’s Workshop” – Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 5pm (although inclement weather could change this.) The parade begins at Main Street and MLK Jr Ave and ends at the north end of Main Street after the Courthouse.

• 2023 Niceville Valparaiso Christmas Parade – Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 10am. Parade Route – South on Palm Boulevard from Old Coastal Highway to SR-20. West on SR-20 to SR-285. Northeast on SR-285 to Palm Boulevard.

THINGS TO DO

37th Annual ‘Holiday on the Harbor’ Lighted Boat Parade

The Destin History and Fishing Museum’s 37th Annual Holiday on the Harbor Lighted Boat Parade, sponsored by The Edge Seafood Restaurant and Sky Bar, will set sail Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. along the Destin harbor.

• This year’s boat parade begins at Harbor Docks and travels to HarborWalk Village, where fireworks will cap the evening’s festivities.

“The first museum in Destin was the Destin Fishing Museum and they actually started it,” said Vivienne Williams, executive director of the Destin History and Fishing Museum. “Eventually that museum closed and a lot of their stuff dispersed. We opened in 2005 and actually carried on their legacy.”

More than 40 boats registered for last year’s lighted boat parade, and organizers hope to exceed that number this year. Boats can enter in one of eight categories, with category winners receiving gift cards and awards. All entries are also automatically registered for the “Best Overall” and “Harbor Heritage Award” at the end of the judging.

The parade offers entertainment along the harbor for spectators, who can view the lighted boats from area docks and restaurants.

“We’ve always taken the approach that the boat parade is like our gift to the community that supports us all year and our city, and we just want to give something back,” Williams said. “So it’s very much a gift from us to the city of Destin.”

Boat parade registration costs $25 per boat and is open at https://destinhistoryandfishingmuseum.org/boat-parade/.