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Good morning!
Here’s what we’re covering today:
Ferry Park expands its recreation options with an innovative fitness court, while Choctaw and FWBHS celebrate college-bound athletes. Holiday spirit builds with Bikes or Bust’s return and a special waterfront movie night featuring The Grinch. Meanwhile, search efforts continue for a missing boater on the bay.
Let’s get to the news you need to know this Thursday morning.
THINGS TO DO
The Montessori Learning Center (MLC) will host a holiday fundraising event at The Gulf Restaurant on Okaloosa Island on Tuesday, December 10, featuring a showing of “The Grinch” and photos with Santa Claus.
- The event, organized in partnership with Splashboards Media and The Gulf Restaurant, will begin at 3:30 p.m. with food service and complimentary photos with Santa. The 2018 animated film “The Grinch” will be shown at 5:15 p.m. on Splashboards’ 20-by-30-foot LED screen.
Chris Kopechy, owner of Splashboards Media, whose children have attended MLC, said his company is donating all services for the fundraiser. “Even before our kids were going to this school, we almost partnered with them on a Thanksgiving event three years ago,” Kopechy said. “The kids love the boat, they love the screens, and families love these types of movies.”
Splashboards Media, known for coastal advertising and waterfront entertainment events, sees this as an opportunity to expand its community involvement. “It would be really neat if the local community, and all of our schools and organizations, could look at us as a great way to get everybody together,” Kopechy said.
The fundraiser will support MLC’s expansion plans. The school has leased city-owned property at 35 Memorial Parkway SW and plans to construct a new facility in front of the Emerald Coast Science Center. The Fort Walton Beach City Council recently extended the construction deadline to October 11, 2025, for the 2.98-acre parcel.
- Founded in 1978 by local families seeking a secular, hands-on learning environment, MLC has grown significantly over its 45-year history. The school began at First Presbyterian Church on Beal Parkway, later moving to Hospital Drive in 1992, and then to its current location at St. Simon’s Episcopal Church in 2012.
Today, MLC serves 100 students through fourth grade and recently added a French program. The school maintains a waiting list and is considering adding more Pre-K and kindergarten classes at the new location.
Event organizers recommend bringing warm blankets or jackets for the outdoor screening. The Gulf Restaurant will provide seating including chairs, tables, and couches for attendees. A portion of the food and beverage sales during the event will benefit the school’s building fund.
Kopechy hopes this event will be the first of many community collaborations.
“As we close our summer beach season down, we would be opening our doors up to the local community,” he said. “As a young father of a three and a five year old, it’s been so neat… it would be so cool to actually put all this fun, exciting stuff with the kids to good use, especially for education and schools.”
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THINGS TO DO
Bikes or Bust kicks off today in Fort Walton Beach
A local radio host will spend more than four days suspended above ground to help ensure children along the Emerald Coast receive bikes this Christmas.
- Bo Reynolds, morning show host at Highway 98 Country (WHWY-FM), will live on a 30-foot scissor-lift for 98 consecutive hours as part of the station’s 13th annual Bikes or Bust event benefiting Emerald Coast Toys for Tots.
The event begins at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at Uptown Station located at 99 Eglin Parkway NE. Reynolds will remain on the scissor-lift until Monday, Dec. 9, equipped with only a tent and sleeping bag for protection from the elements.
JVC Broadcasting, which owns Highway 98 Country, aims to collect new bikes, helmets, toys and monetary donations for children of all ages during the event. Local volunteers and JVC Broadcasting representatives will be on site to collect donations and assemble bikes.
More information about Bikes or Bust can be found at Highway98Country.com and on social media at @Highway98Country.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Search underway for missing boater on Choctawhatchee Bay in Walton County
A multi-agency search operation is underway in Choctawhatchee Bay for a missing boater who disappeared Tuesday evening after launching from Nick’s on the Bay.
- The search began after a resident near N County Highway 393 called 911 to report a missing person on the bay. Prior to his disappearance, the boater had contacted his wife for assistance.
Responding agencies located the boat in the bay, but have not found the missing individual, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Drone Team joined forces with the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Okaloosa MedFlight, Bay County Sheriff’s Office Air One, Walton County Fire Rescue, and South Walton Fire District in the search effort.
- The FWC and Coast Guard have taken over the primary investigation. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit continues to assist in the search Wednesday morning.
Authorities are asking anyone on the bay who notices anything unusual to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850)-892-8111 or FWC Northwest at 850-265-3676.
SPORTS
Five Choctaw High School athletes sign college commitments on National Signing Day
Choctawhatchee High School celebrated five student-athletes who signed college commitments during a National Signing Day ceremony on Wednesday, with two football players heading to Division I programs.
Linebacker Tristan Jackson signed with the University of Houston on a full scholarship, while teammate Dante Core committed to the University of Mississippi.
- The signing class also included Gabbi Barnowsky (softball, Auburn University at Montgomery), Zackary Radka (swimming, William Peace University), and Aaron Rowell (baseball, Pensacola State College).
“A lot of these kids have been playing since they were 5-years old,” said Athletic Director Andy Thigpen. “Just seeing them be successful and highlight them, their careers and the hard work and sacrifices that the kids and parents have made speaks volumes.”
Jackson, a multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball and baseball for Choctaw, has spent all four years at the school where his mother serves as a coach. He credited the school’s coaching staff for creating a collegiate atmosphere.
- “It’s been great, I feel like it’s a college program in high school,” Jackson said. “We’re getting after it every day in the weight-room. We’re taking on each other every day in practice. We’re just making each other great.”
The school typically holds two signing ceremonies each year, with the first focusing on Division I commitments during the fall national signing period and another ceremony in the spring.
“It just shows the hard work our coaches put in,” Thigpen said. “They try to get our kids recruited and scouted, and it pays off and shows that we’re here for the kids athletically, personally and academically.”
Jackson, who plans to play linebacker at Houston, said he looks forward to getting on the field early to represent his hometown but will miss the relationships he built at Choctaw.
“I just will miss the brotherhood and the friendships that I created here,” he said. “along with all of the teachers and staff that I bonded with the past four years.”
SPORTS
Fort Walton Beach’s Phillip Dillard signs to play football at Naval Academy
Fort Walton Beach High School senior Phillip Dillard signed to play football at the United States Naval Academy during a ceremony Wednesday, marking the next step in his athletic career.
- During the emotional ceremony, Dillard expressed gratitude to his coaches, particularly highlighting Coach Ryan Vandervort’s role in his recruitment. “Coach Ryan Vandervort is a big deal. He’s our PR guy. He knows all the recruiters and he’s the one who got me the offer that I had,” Dillard said.
Dillard, who played left tackle for Fort Walton Beach and will transition to interior offensive lineman at Navy, transferred from Gulf Breeze High School during his sophomore year.
“Coach Clayton has been my guy since freshman year when I was walking out with the freshman team and he told me to go put my shoes back on and join varsity,” Dillard said, crediting his coaches for his development and recruitment.
Fort Walton Beach head coach Bobby Clayton praised Dillard’s character and work ethic. “This kid is going to do everything you ask him to do. I’m not going to hear a whole lot from him, but he’s going to work hard. Probably one of the strongest kids I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching,” Clayton said.
The signing represents more than just an athletic commitment, as Clayton noted. “This is a full time commitment of one of our armed forces,” he said. “It’s not easy to get into one of the service academies.”
- When asked what he’ll miss most about his time at Fort Walton Beach, Dillard’s answer was immediate: “The people. Time moves quickly. I feel like I just got here.”
Dillard emphasized the family atmosphere he experienced at Fort Walton Beach. “The biggest reason I play football would be because of the brothers and the people I have inside of this team,” he said. “It’s not just on the football field. We do stuff outside of school and I’ve practiced with these guys outside of practice.”
Looking ahead to his career at Navy, Dillard expressed enthusiasm about new opportunities. “I’m happy to be able to continue putting the shoulder pads on. I’m happy to be able to be a part of another family,” he said. “I’m mostly excited for the new connections that I’ll make and add on more to the family.”
SHOPPING
Shop our Local Holiday Gift Guide
Get The Coast has unveiled our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide, showcasing some of the best local businesses and unique gifts across the Emerald Coast.
- The curated guide features everything from handcrafted jewelry and boutique children’s wear to premium surf gear and wellness experiences.
We wanted to create something that really highlights the incredible variety of local businesses we have in our community. Shopping local isn’t just about supporting our economy—it’s about discovering unique treasures you won’t find anywhere else.
Shoppers can explore the complete Holiday Gift Guide at getthecoast.com/gifts, making it easier than ever to discover and support local businesses while finding perfect gifts for everyone on their list.
POLITICS
Municipal election qualifying period set for four Okaloosa cities
The Okaloosa Supervisor of Elections Office announced the qualifying period for the 2025 Municipal Election will run from noon on December 30, 2024, to noon on January 3, 2025.
- The election will include races for mayor and city council positions in Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Shalimar, and Laurel Hill.
Candidates can obtain qualifying packets online at www.voteokaloosa.gov or at the elections office locations starting December 9, 2024.
Interested candidates can contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (850) 689-5600 for additional qualifying information. The qualifying period will be held at both Okaloosa County elections office locations.
PARKS+REC
Fort Walton Beach expands recreation options with new ‘fitness court’ at Ferry Park
The City of Fort Walton Beach marked the completion of several park improvements at Ferry Park on Wednesday with an unconventional ribbon-cutting ceremony that pitted two first responders against each other in a fitness challenge.
Officer Howard of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department emerged victorious over Battalion Chief Bobby Anderson of the Fire Department in a race through the new fitness court’s exercise stations.
- The competition required participants to complete 10 burpees, chain push-ups, box jumps, pull-ups, and chain pulls before an agility run to claim the ceremonial scissors.
The $195,000 fitness court was funded through a combination of sources, including a $30,000 National Fitness Foundation grant, $100,000 from the Recreation Department’s budget, and $55,000 from the city’s half-cent sales tax. An additional $10,000 was allocated for a sunshade over the exercise equipment.
City Manager Jeff Peters said the fitness court was part of a larger improvement initiative at Ferry Park that included new pickleball courts.
- “The city’s been very fortunate over the last many years to be able to continue to add on recreation amenities in Fort Walton Beach,” Peters said during the ceremony.
The event also honored two former city officials with commemorative trees. The city planted trees in memory of Carole Jones, a former city administrative coordinator who served for over 25 years, and Mayor Mike Anderson, who served on the City Council for nearly 20 years.
Peters highlighted the expansion of pickleball facilities across the city, noting that with the addition of the new courts at Ferry Park, Fort Walton Beach now offers between 25 to 30 pickleball courts at various locations including Mooney, Jet Drive and Holmes Blvd., the Recreation Center, and the Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center.
- The fitness court installation involved collaboration between multiple city departments. “Our public works department did a lot of the work over there for pickleball courts. Our parks crew did all the irrigation, the sod, everything…and that’s all cleaned up,” Peters said.
Mayor Dick Rynearson praised Ferry Park’s expanded amenities during the ceremony. “What a great day for the city to introduce not only this facility, but pickleball courts, tennis courts, and everything that we have in this park,” Rynearson said.
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