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Good morning!
Okaloosa Commissioner Drew Palmer will host a town hall to gather public input on plans for the new 4-acre park on Holiday Isle in Destin, while Destin High School mourns the loss of Assistant Football Coach Eric Divens. Fort Walton Beach girls basketball defeats Niceville 45-40 to stay unbeaten at 11-0, Dr. John Dudley opens HCA Florida Fort Walton Beach Cardiology, and Fort Walton Beach homebuilder Nathan Harris launches Aroha Builders after two decades learning from his Watree mentors.
SCHOOL
Destin High School mourns loss of Assistant Football Coach Eric Divens
Destin High School is mourning the loss of Assistant Football Coach Eric Divens, a beloved staff member whose dedication to students and passion for the school left a lasting impact on the campus community.
- Divens, who often said he “was a Shark through and through and bled blue,” served as both an assistant coach and a dedicated staff member. He was known as a fundraiser for the school, sharing his passion for the institution’s mission.
“Coach Divens made a lasting impact on this campus,” said Dr. Diane Kelley, principal of Destin High School. “Whether coaching our athletes, cheering from the sidelines, or simply offering encouragement in the hallways, his presence was felt in every corner of our school. His dedication, his laughter, and his love for our students will never be forgotten.”
Click here for the full story
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GAMES
WordroW: December 19, 2025
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.
SPORTS
Fort Walton Beach girls basketball beats Niceville 45-40, stays unbeaten at 11-0
Wednesday night’s matchup between Fort Walton Beach and Niceville was a statement win for the Lady Vikings.
- In a defensive slugfest in front of a raucous home crowd, Fort Walton Beach took down Niceville 45-40 to improve to 11-0 on the season.
Neither team scored for nearly the first three minutes, setting the tone for a gritty battle. The Lady Vikings led 19-12 at halftime and held off a Niceville rally in the second half to secure the win.
Alexis Smith delivered a strong performance in her return from injury, and Harmony Lee and Chloe Burgos also contributed in the victory.
- “We had a bunch of kids that weren’t feeling well today. I didn’t know what I was going to get out of them,” coach Mercedez Clayborne said. “But again, it goes back to the word that I said: resilience.”
Fort Walton is off until Jan. 9 when they travel to Crestview. The Lady Vikings and Lady Eagles will meet again Jan. 23 at Niceville.
Click here for the full story from Travis Espy
BUSINESS
Dr. John Dudley opens HCA Florida Fort Walton Beach Cardiology
Dr. John Dudley found exactly what he was looking for in Fort Walton Beach — a Gulf Coast community that reminded him of his Naples hometown before it became a sprawling metropolis, and a healthcare system willing to invest in his vision for comprehensive cardiac care.
- HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital celebrated the opening of HCA Florida Fort Walton Beach Cardiology with a ribbon cutting ceremony last month at the Emily Odom Institute on Racetrack Road, where Dudley’s practice is now located.
The board-certified interventional cardiologist has partnered with HCA to expand specialized heart care in the region.
“My dream for this place is comprehensive cardiac care where someone can go and really feel like they’re being taken care of by a whole team of people,” Dudley said. “Where I can pick up the phone and call while I’m sitting with a patient to coordinate somebody’s care. It goes so far for patients to just know that their doctors are communicating with each other.”
At HCA Florida Fort Walton Beach Cardiology, Dudley provides care ranging from preventive cardiology — helping patients manage blood pressure, cholesterol, diet and exercise — to advanced procedures like treating heart attacks and performing transcatheter aortic valve replacements, known as TAVR, which allows him to replace heart valves through a small hole in the leg rather than open-heart surgery.
BUSINESS
FWB homebuilder Nathan Harris launches Aroha Builders after two decades learning from his mentors
When Thomas Watkins retired from Winn-Dixie in 2003 after a 24-year career, he approached a young man he’d watched grow up in the grocery business about joining a construction venture.
- Nathan Harris, who had started at the store at age 16, initially said no.
Twenty-one years later, Harris has obtained his contractor’s license and launched Aroha Builders, carrying forward the values and team that made Watree Construction a trusted name among Okaloosa County military families.
His mentors, Watkins and co-founder Brent Acree, aren’t just stepping aside — they’re championing the transition.
- “People say, man, where’d you get him from?” Watkins said of Harris and his wife Chimera, who serves as office manager. “He’s got the field knowledge, he’s got the business knowledge — he’s the complete package. It took two of us, me and Brent, to do it, and Nathan and Chimera are doing it by themselves.”
For buyers considering new construction, Watkins and Acree want one thing understood: the team delivering Aroha homes is the same team that built Watree’s reputation.
Click here to read our full story with Nathan, Thomas and Brent
GIFT GUIDE
Handmade Coastal Pottery by the Stokes Family at Artesano Boutique
If holiday shopping snuck up on you this year, you’re not alone and luckily, you don’t need to rely on shipping deadlines or big-box stores to finish strong.
- This Local’s Gift Guide is all about thoughtful, easy-to-grab gifts you can find right here at home while supporting the local businesses that make our community special.
This beautiful coastal pottery is handmade by the iconic Stokes family, a beloved part of the art community since 1980. Each piece is full of character and makes a heartfelt holiday gift.
At Artesano Boutique, they feature all handmade work from local and regional artists, and are proud to be one of the only galleries in the area where you can find these treasured Stokes pieces.
Head to Artesano today for your last-minute shopping, or shop our local gift guide
PARKS+REC
Commissioner Palmer to host town hall for public input on new 4-acre Holiday Isle park
Okaloosa Commissioner Drew Palmer will host a town hall meeting at 3 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center to gather input on the 4-acre Holiday Isle property the state purchased earlier this month for nearly $84 million.
- “This is an amazing opportunity to create something special on that property for the benefit of Okaloosa County residents and visitors,” Palmer said. “We are committed to keeping this process open to the public and value their input as we move toward finalizing the details of this endeavor.”
County staff will give a brief presentation before opening the floor to public comment.
The state closed on the acquisition on Dec. 11, purchasing the property from Pointe Mezzanine, LLC and Pointe Resort, LLC. The sellers had planned to build a dense, multi-story condominium project on the site but instead sold to the state for public use.
The property includes a new 53-slip marina and sea walls but is otherwise undeveloped. It connects to the adjacent Norriego Point Park, expanding the combined public waterfront area.
Okaloosa County has pledged $5 million toward park improvements and will manage the facility. The county is just beginning to develop concepts for the property.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Friday! 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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