SCHOOL

FWBHS Trade Students build, donate Adirondack chairs for local organization

Students in the Building Trades and Construction Design program at Fort Walton Beach High School were recognized on Dec. 4 for crafting Adirondack chairs that were donated to a local organization.

Fort Walton Beach High School Principal John Spolski, the Career and Technical Education Department for Okaloosa County School District, along with staff and administrators from the school attended the recognition ceremony.

The students in James Martin’s Building Trades class constructed 10 Adirondack chairs under Martin’s guidance. The chairs were purchased by an anonymous donor and given to the Fort Walton Beach Alano Organization.

• Mike Griffin, owner of Griffin Carpentry and Painting, and Eric Lewis of Architectural Gutter Systems accepted the chair donation on behalf of the organization.

The Building Trades program prepares high school students for employment or continuing education in construction and related fields after graduation.

NEWS

Juvenile bald eagle being treated in Freeport, suspected lead poisoning

A juvenile bald eagle is receiving emergency care from wildlife staff at the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport, Florida after likely lead poisoning, the animal rescue said Tuesday.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission alerted Alaqua’s wildlife team on Monday about the downed eagle, estimated to be less than six months old. The bird exhibited swelling in one ankle and neurological symptoms, according to Alaqua.

Veterinarians ran blood tests and took radiographs to check for rodenticide or lead poisoning, which Alaqua said affects around 70% of admitted bald eagles. Results showed suspected lead toxicity, although further radiograph results are still pending.

• The eagle is currently perching in an outdoor enclosure while undergoing treatment, the center said.

The Refuge stressed the need for donations to fund medical technology that could allow “more speed and accuracy” in diagnosing and treating wildlife. The center is also requesting bait fish donations to feed the influx of migratory birds arriving with injuries, she said.

“With migration season in full swing, we are seeing a lot more Avian injuries lately,” wrote Alaqua on social media. “If you or anyone you know have any to donate, our feathered friends would greatly appreciate it.”

THINGS TO DO

Niceville cancels Christmas parade, other cities monitoring weather

After rescheduling the Christmas parade from last weekend due to weather, the Niceville Christmas Parade has been cancelled for this weekend also due to inclement weather.

• “After careful consideration of the weekend weather forecast, the Niceville Valparaiso Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, December 9th is cancelled,” wrote the Niceville Valparaiso Rotary Club, who puts on the parade. “We are so disappointed to not be able to proceed with the event.”

In Destin, officials are monitoring the weather but as of now, the Destin Christmas parade is moving forward. The official call on whether or not the parade will continue will be made on Saturday at 7 am.

“Neighboring city floats and families are welcome to join us in Destin,” said Mayor Bobby Wagner.

• The floats will start at Destin Methodist Church (200 Beach Drive), travel down Beach Drive, and travel west down Harbor Blvd. (Hwy 98) to Stahlman Avenue.
• Stand on the north side of Harbor Blvd. to watch the floats.

In Crestview, city officials are also monitoring the forecast but the parade is still planned for this Saturday.

ICYMI

News you might have missed

• The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners elected a new Chairman and Vice-Chairman for 2024 during Tuesday’s board meeting. Current Chairman Trey Goodwin passed the gavel to the new Chairman Paul Mixon. Commissioner Nathan Boyles was elected as Vice-Chairman for his final year on the dais.

• New District One Medical Examiner’s Office: The original project was 32,000 square feet. Now, commissioners in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties are looking at a facility just over 21,000 square feet. Read more

• Bomb threat: A suspect is in custody following a bomb threat at NAS Pensacola Wednesday morning. According to NAS Pensacola, a suspected bomb threat was made on base at 9:35 a.m. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a call about the threat at 10 a.m. Read more

• Beach access work: Okaloosa County will have crews resurfacing and restriping parking lots at beach accesses 4, 5, and 6 on Okaloosa Island on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. These accesses will be closed during this time.

• The Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners has awarded a $1.93 million contract to rehabilitate part of the apron at Bob Sikes Airport. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the bid from Gum Creek Farms Inc. to rebuild the south ramp area used by general aviation aircraft at the Crestview airport. Read more

• After more than two decades, Alan Gieseman is retiring as CEO of White-Wilson Medical Center, the region’s largest independent physician group. Read more

• A segment of Brooks Street in downtown Fort Walton Beach is being realigned as part of the ongoing $171 million Brooks Bridge Replacement Project. Construction crews are shifting part of Brooks Street slightly south to make space for the future foundation of the new Brooks Bridge. Read more

PARKS+REC

Okaloosa Island Pier to undergo offseason maintenance

The Okaloosa Island Pier will be doing upgrades and maintenance now that we have entered the offseason winter months.

The octagon section of the pier will be closed on Wednesday, December 13th and Thursday, December 14th, 2023 for renovations, including replacing the entire fence, repainting, and some minor plumbing and electrical work.

• This closure is weather permitting.

If there is inclement weather or parts delays, the project will be postponed until after the holidays, according to Pier Manager Eric Brown. The rest of the pier will remain open during the octagon closure.

The tentative date for reopening the octagon is Friday, December 15th at 5am, assuming the maintenance goes as planned.

The closure allows the pier to complete the renovations quickly and safely.

A MESSAGE FROM COX COMMUNICATIONS

How much bandwidth does your business really need?

The internet: it’s the superhighway of modern business. And just like a real highway, you need the right number of “lanes” to keep your business humming. That’s the message from Jonathan “JT” Tucker, Director of Sales for Cox Business, who recently provided his take on how much bandwidth businesses really need.

“Whether you’re a small coffee shop or a Fortune 500 company, reliable internet is mission critical,” said Tucker. “The key is finding the internet ‘sweet spot’ – not too much, not too little.”

Tucker says that while we talk about internet speed, what matters most is bandwidth – the total capacity available to move data. Thinking in terms of a highway: more “lanes” means more cars moving smoothly at once.

His rule of thumb for small businesses like cafes or shops: 

• 50-75 Mpbs – 5-10 employees, basic browsing and email activities, downloading/uploading large files, streaming.
• 100 Mpbs – 10-15 employees, basic browsing and emails, IP/VoIP telephone, light cloud application activity. Just a few simultaneous video calls happening.
• 500 Mpbs – Medium sized offices with 20-30 employees, with average amounts of internet usage; regular access to cloud-based applications, and simultaneous video calls are common.
• 1 Gpbs – Larger offices with 30 or more employees; many devices are connected to the internet, and employees are doing bandwidth-heavy activities such as simultaneous video calls, sending and receiving large files via email or the cloud, and regular, on-going cloud computing.

“You want enough bandwidth headroom for growth, without overpaying for unused capacity,” Tucker advised. “Right-sizing your digital lanes just takes a little planning.”

For companies revving their internet needs into overdrive, Tucker says Cox Business offers customizable connections to keep any business soaring down the digital highway.

“All it takes is a little due diligence to find the bandwidth “sweet spot” that’s perfect for your business’ needs,” he said.

THINGS TO DO

Fort Walton Beach Police host expanded ‘Winter Wonderland’ toy drive at NWF Fairgrounds 

The Fort Walton Beach Police Department will host its annual Winter Wonderland event Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9, from 6-9 p.m. at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. 

• For the first time in its history, the free event has expanded to two days at the new location after outgrowing its previous venue at Chester Pruitt Park. 

What started as just six holiday-decorated pallet houses in 2020 has now grown to an impressive 40 elaborate structures sponsored by local businesses and charities.

“It started in 2020 with six houses. We moved it over to Chester Pruitt Park last year where we had 30 houses and this year it’s grown to 40,” said Lt. Kendra Stalls, who has helped organize the event since its inception. “So honestly, it was easier to get it out to the fairgrounds for electricity and size.” 

Stalls said the police department could no longer accommodate the Winter Wonderland at Chester Pruitt Park due to the growth in both displays and attendance numbers over the years. The spacious fairgrounds will provide more room for activities, parking, electricity access and all 40 pallet house displays along “Pallet House Lane.”

Giving Back to the Community 

The Winter Wonderland event asks attendees to donate a new, unwrapped toy on Dec. 8 that will benefit Toys for Tots. On Dec. 9, donors are asked to contribute items from a wish list for two nonprofits: the Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program and Road Dogg Rescue. 

• Donors will receive a raffle ticket for each item or $10 donation.

“We never thought that such a small idea would turn into such a grand vision, and we couldn’t do it without the community,” said Lt. Brandon Chapin. “We are just beyond words that the community is willing to come out, donate, and outreach in this way to make sure that kids who may not otherwise have a Christmas get one.”  

Chapin said one of his favorite parts of Winter Wonderland is seeing local children interact with police officers and community partners in a relaxed, festive atmosphere — giving them positive associations with law enforcement.

“We don’t want them to just think that the only time that police show up is when something bad is happening,” added Chapin. “We want to share the idea with them that giving back to your community is an important thing, and this is the best way we know how to do it.”  

Lt. Stalls said her favorite part of the event is watching the line form before opening the gates to the event.

• “You’ll see people lining up for a mile, waiting for the gates to open to be able to get into the event,” she said. “And that, for me, has really been my favorite part and makes this week that leads up to Winter Wonderland that much easier to get it done.”

What to Expect

This year’s event will feature the aforementioned 40 pallet houses sponsored and decorated by local businesses and charities lining “Pallet House Lane.” Structures will sport elaborate holiday themes and characters sure to impress attendees and compete for this year’s “best pallet house” as judged by a guest judge on Saturday night. 

Other activities inside the B-Building include holiday movies shown by projector, games, bounce houses, the new “wrapping paper hockey” game, vendors, concessions, and visits with Santa Claus and the Grinch.  

• Outside, guests can enjoy music, food trucks, specialty police vehicles, the interactive GellyBall game, giveaways, and photos with officers.

Connection to Community

Both Stalls and Chapin emphasized that Winter Wonderland connects Fort Walton Beach police to the community in profound ways — forging positive relationships, giving back and creating joyful memories.

This year promises to be the biggest and best Winter Wonderland experience yet for residents across the city. The magic begins when the doors open at 6 p.m. this Friday and Saturday night as the police department’s wonderland vision continues growing brighter. 

Admission is free and open to the public.

Major sponsors providing monetary donations for this year’s event include Emerald Air, Four Seasons Heating and Air, Step One Automotive, Gary Smith Honda and Lee Nissan.