What is happening in Okaloosa County and along the Emerald Coast. Every story is briefed in our own words, with links to everyone who reported it.
An 18-year-old has been arrested and charged with four counts of attempted murder following a Wednesday shooting that hospitalized a 17-year-old victim. The incident marks the latest violent crime in the Panhandle region.
Jesse Guardado, 64, was put to death Thursday by lethal injection for the 2004 stabbing death of a DeFuniak Springs woman who had been helping him rebuild his life. The execution marks Florida's 19th this year, tying a state record, as the nation grapples with diverging capital punishment policies.
Workers at a Southern Bell facility buried a 760-pound capsule in 1976 to commemorate the nation's bicentennial, which the Central Panhandle Pioneer Club excavated Thursday. The capsule contained telephone equipment, personal letters, a parking ticket and employee mementos, with many former workers attending to reclaim items they had deposited five decades earlier.
Dale Marks, assistant secretary of war for energy, installations and environment, spoke at a Crestview veterans breakfast about strengthening military bases and improving housing for service members. Marks, a former Eglin official, shared stories of his military service with attendees.
Scammers are calling Okaloosa County residents claiming to be sheriff's office employees, including Chief Deputy David Allen, and demanding immediate payment for alleged outstanding warrants. The sheriff's office advises residents to hang up, avoid sending money or sharing personal information, and contact the agency directly using a verified phone number.
Alaina Youngblood, who served as a role player for the Navarre Raiders girls basketball team as a freshman, is preparing for her sophomore campaign after gaining experience last season.
Choctaw defeated Fort Walton Beach 49-13 in their annual rivalry matchup, with head coach Frank Beasley improving to 6-0 against the Vikings. The Indians, now 7-2, will enter the Class 4A playoffs as the No. 4 seed, while Fort Walton Beach finished 3-7 in its second year under coach Josh Pulliam.
Clay 30A is hosting its annual Holiday Open House on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m., offering shoppers 20% off plants and gifts along with live entertainment, food and drinks. The event features seasonal plants, a garden crawl through on-site cottages and activities designed to bring the community together as the holiday season begins.
Twenty teams will compete Saturday at Seascape Resort using ceramic grills to prepare dishes for public sampling. Event proceeds benefit Food for Thought, Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and participating nonprofit cooking teams including Habitat for Humanity of Walton County.
Jay McDonald, a junior golfer for Navarre High School, competed in the Region 1-3A tournament in Gainesville on Tuesday, shooting an 82 at Hawkstone Country Club. The appearance marked her third consecutive year competing at the regional level.
Six homes across Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther are holding open houses this weekend, with prices ranging from $500,000 to $1,090,000. All properties feature fireplaces, with some offering outdoor versions as well, making them appealing for the holiday season on the Emerald Coast.
Lifeguards at Navarre Beach served nearly 2.5 million visitors between March and October without recording a single drowning, extending a streak now in its eighth consecutive year. The lifeguard force performed nearly 2.3 million preventive actions and responded to 810 medical incidents during the season.
The Destin Sharks were defeated by the Walton County Braves on Nov. 4 in a district matchup played in DeFuniak Springs. Quarterback Kellen Ramsey completed 11 of 20 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown, while running back Donnie Couitt scored on a 1-yard run in the second half.
The Walton County Braves defeated Destin High 52-16 in a 2A District 1 football matchup that was moved from October to Wednesday due to Hurricane Isaias. Walton built a commanding 49-0 halftime lead before Destin scored twice in the second half.
A sheriff's office dog and deputy found an 85-year-old woman who had wandered into woods near Mary Esther and later located a 76-year-old woman outside a neighbor's home in Baker, both with cognitive or mobility impairments. The two searches on opposite ends of the county demonstrated the value of K9 tracking in locating vulnerable residents.
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Fort Walton Beach will host a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at Beal Memorial Cemetery, featuring Col. Mark Hamilton of Hurlburt Field as guest speaker. Junior ROTC cadets will place flags at graves of more than 2,000 veterans, and attendees are invited to contribute flowers to a community wreath.
Voters in the Holley-Navarre Fire District and Navarre Beach Fire Rescue District elected new members to their fire commissions in October and early November elections. The results favored challengers over incumbents in the races.
Navarre United Methodist Church hosted one of its largest trunk or treat celebrations in recent years on Oct. 28, drawing more than 300 attendees and 38 decorated vehicles, according to the church's children's ministry director.
Crestview city and county officials are coordinating debris removal and assessing damage to structures following Hurricane Isaias, with storm materials staged at Spanish Trail Park. Officials are also helping residents access available FEMA assistance.
Navarre's boys soccer team squandered a 2-1 halftime lead in its season opener Tuesday, allowing Crestview to equalize for a 3-3 draw. The Raiders could not maintain their advantage as the Bulldogs mounted a second-half comeback.
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Jenkins Engineering donated a $4,400 solar-powered charging station to Chester Pruitt Park after the company's owner heard residents express concerns about device charging at public spaces. The nine-foot station, installed on the park's east side, can simultaneously charge up to 10 devices via USB ports and requires no ongoing costs to operate.
The Niceville Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce hired Skip Alford as President and CEO, effective December 1, replacing Tricia Brunson who led the organization for 30 years. Alford brings 18 years of chamber leadership experience across Florida and Georgia, along with credentials in economic development and workforce partnerships.
Niceville's girls cross country team captured the Class 4A, District 1 championship Saturday in Gainesville by edging Creekside in a tiebreaker after both teams scored 85 points. Rocky Bayou's Dominic Ferguson won an individual district title, while Fort Walton Beach's girls finished as runner-up in their district competition.
Pace High School defeated Niceville 30-25 in the District 1-5A championship game on a touchdown scored as time expired. Niceville had taken a one-point lead with under 30 seconds remaining before Pace's Makael Williams punched in the game-winning score.
Crestview dedicated a new monument at the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial and planted a Liberty Tree outside the courthouse as part of the county's America 250 bicentennial celebration. The ceremony drew local officials and community members Tuesday.
Katie Fein, who teaches physical education at Holley-Navarre Middle School in Navarre, has been named the school's teacher of the year. Fein, a University of West Florida graduate, has taught for a decade, with eight years at the middle school.
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The city and Downtown Fort Walton Beach organization will host a holiday market and tree lighting on Saturday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Downtown Landing. The event features over 100 local vendors, live music, food trucks, Santa visits, and a tree lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m.
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The Fort Walton Beach Police Department's Winter Wonderland returns for two evenings of free family activities including live music, food trucks, and holiday crafts. Attendees who bring unwrapped toys or pet food donations receive raffle tickets, with proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots and the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society.
Twin brothers Caden and Connor Job led Fort Walton Beach's five-golfer boys team to a district runner-up finish and the program's first regional appearance in several years. The brothers' performances at the October district tournament and November regional competition helped the Vikings advance under first-year coach Brent MacDonald.
Where Y'at, a Navarre-area restaurant featuring fresh local catch and Louisiana cuisine, is renovating an adjacent building to expand its seafood market operations. The restaurant currently offers daily specials including fresh mullet, snow crab boils and Sunday beer deals, with plans to significantly grow its market inventory in coming years.
The U.S. Air Force's 96th Test Wing will perform munitions testing over five days in the Gulf, according to an announcement from the base near Crestview. The testing schedule and specific details remain limited.
The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners voted to hold a public hearing and draft a 12-month moratorium on data center construction, citing concerns about water consumption, noise pollution, power demands and thermal effects. The move follows research presented by county planners on the environmental and infrastructure impacts of large-scale data facilities.
Emily Brigman, an eighth grader at Destin Middle School, has earned a spot in the 2027 Florida All-State Middle School Band after competing in a statewide audition process. She will travel to Tampa in January to perform with the state's top middle school musicians at the Florida Music Educators All State Band Conference.
Woodlawn Baptist Church in Crestview celebrated its 70th anniversary in October, reflecting on its growth from a small log cabin congregation in 1956 to a multi-service operation that now supports missions and community outreach. The milestone came just days before Hurricane Isaias damaged the church's fiberglass steeple, which leaders are still evaluating whether to replace.
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The Okaloosa County School District launched its inaugural Intramural Cross Country Contest, bringing together top fourth- and fifth-grade runners from elementary schools across the district to compete for zone titles.
Crestview High School's 18-year-old canned food drive has grown this year to include all North Crestview-area schools, with each principal's office serving as a collection point. The expansion follows last year's successful effort to fill one principal's office with donations.
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Florida's Division of Elections reported that voters rejected a constitutional amendment to create a budget stabilization fund on Nov. 3, 2026, with 59.1% voting no. Two property-related amendments passed: one exempting agricultural equipment from taxation and another expanding homestead exemptions while capping non-homestead assessment increases.
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Okaloosa County voters renewed the half-cent sales tax, chose Jerry Buckman for School Board District 1, and filled council seats in Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Crestview on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Supervisor of Elections.
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Okaloosa County voters approved continuing the countywide half-cent sales surtax for 10 years beginning Jan. 1, 2029, with 68.84% voting in favor, according to unofficial results.
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Jerry Buckman defeated JD Peacock for the Okaloosa County School Board District 1 seat, 51.74% to 48.26%, according to unofficial results.
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Tyler Capelotti, Denise Dierker, Schuyler Black and Matthew Turpin finished as the top four vote-getters in a 10-candidate race for four Fort Walton Beach City Council seats, according to unofficial results.
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Chatham Morgan, John Stephens III and Rodney Braden won the three open Destin City Council seats in a four-candidate race, according to unofficial results.
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Dusty B. Allison won the Crestview City Council Precinct 1 seat and Sylvester L. Echols won Precinct 2 in a three-way race, according to unofficial results.
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Voters approved a Mary Esther charter change moving city elections to November and new Holt Fire District impact fee rates, while Valparaiso voters rejected removing a residency requirement for appointed city officials, according to unofficial results.
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Republican Byron Donalds was elected governor with 50.02% of the statewide vote, and Republicans won the other statewide races on the ballot. Okaloosa County voters supported Donalds with 66.33%, according to unofficial results.
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Florida voters approved Amendment 3, raising the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes, and rejected Amendments 1 and 2, according to unofficial results. Okaloosa County voters supported Amendments 2 and 3 above the 60% threshold.
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Republicans won the congressional and state legislative races on Okaloosa County ballots, and voters retained Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos G. Muñiz and five First District Court of Appeal judges, according to unofficial results.
The Navarre Raiders started strong with an early touchdown but were ultimately overwhelmed by the Tate Aggies in a District 1-5A game Tuesday night. Ben Eberhardt scored on a rushing touchdown to give Navarre a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter before the Aggies mounted their comeback.
Headlines and briefings are written by Emerald Coast Connected. Full articles remain with the publishers linked under each story.