ART+CULTURE

Stage Crafters Community Theatre announces 52nd season lineup

Stage Crafters Community Theatre, the oldest continuously running all-volunteer, nonprofit community theater in Florida, has announced its 52nd season lineup.

• Celebrating over 50 years of live theatre, Stage Crafters invites the community to join them for a lineup of productions, showcasing the diverse talent and commitment to excellence that has made them a cultural staple in Fort Walton Beach.

The season kicks off March 8 with Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” directed by Don Goodrum. The coming-of-age comedy set in 1937 Brooklyn runs through March 17.

Agatha Christie’s murder mystery “The Mousetrap” is next. The record-breaking whodunit celebrating 70 years as the world’s longest-running play runs June 7-16. It’s directed by Gail Hurley.

In August, Pamela J. Strecker and Nancy Kruzek co-direct Rich Orloff’s “The Naked Truth,” a comedic play about an Ohio couple who inherit a clothing-optional resort in Key West. It runs Aug. 16-25.

The season closes Nov. 8-17 with the musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” With music by Steven Lutvak and lyrics by Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman, the show follows a man in 1907 London seeking love and inheritance. Douglas Henderson directs.

• “Our 52nd Season promises to be a journey through laughter, mystery, and musical delight,” said David Chancellor, President of Stage Crafters Community Theatre. “We are proud to continue our tradition of providing exceptional theatre experiences to the Fort Walton Beach community.”

Season memberships are on sale at StageCraftersFWB.com. Individual tickets can be purchased online or at the door for performances at Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium. More information on auditions and backstage volunteer opportunities is available online.

GIVING BACK

Florida Power & Light awards $200K in grants to 28 Nonprofits in Northwest Florida

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has awarded $210,435 in grants to 28 nonprofit organizations across four counties in northwest Florida.

• The grants, given through NextEra Energy Foundation, the charitable arm of FPL’s parent company, will fund programs focused on education, food insecurity, senior citizens, child advocacy, and environmental conservation in Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.

The money will support the nonprofits’ operations and programs well into 2024, according to J.T. Young, FPL’s vice president and general manager for northwest Florida.

“At FPL, we are honored to support these remarkable nonprofits that lend a hand to lift up those in need,” Young said. “Our commitment to playing an active role in our communities is unwavering as we support the invaluable missions of these important organizations.”

One recipient, Children in Crisis in Fort Walton Beach, will use its grant money to staff and operate its residential-style foster care facility, which includes homes, a food pantry, therapy center and recreation amenities.

• “The FPL Foundation grant helps us to continue to give all of our foster children a safe environment for them to thrive in, including paying utility bills,” said Operations Director Sarah Traver. “Our electricity does so much more than just heat or cool the homes – it is the light that helps our kids learn to read, it is the stove that feeds our kids three healthy meals each day and it is the nightlight in a bedroom that helps a child to sleep. We appreciate FPL more than words can say.”   

The local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in Fort Walton Beach, which builds and provides beds for children in need, also received funding. Chapter President Mickey Hawkins said the money comes at a critical time.

“We currently have 70 bed requests which when filled will exhaust our inventory to zero. So, we will use this grant to sponsor a bed-build and help kids immediately,” Hawkins said.

The foundation awards grants to Northwest Florida nonprofits quarterly. This latest round announced in December brings the total awards to the region over the past year to more than $200,000.

Okaloosa/Walton Counties recipients:

• Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation – Rip Current survival simulator  
• Healing Hoof Steps Corporation – Expanding Access to Alternative Mental Health Services  
• Children in Crisis – The Children’s Neighborhood  
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Beds and bedding for children and teens  
• Okaloosa Public School Foundation — teacher grant 
• Walton County Public School Foundation — teacher grant  
• Alaqua Animal Refuge — teacher grant  

MILITARY

Hurlburt Field to perform planned detonations on EOD Range

The 1st Special Operations Wing’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team will be conducting explosive demolition training between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Jan. 31, at the Hurlburt Field Range.

During the training, nearby residents may hear loud noise or feel the vibrations associated with the demolition charge detonations that are planned to occur periodically throughout the day, according to Hurlburt Field.

• Base officials advise if the humidity is high or if there is cloud coverage, the effects can seem louder and closer than on clear days.

THINGS TO DO

New Bloody Valentine-themed haunted house comes to the Santa Rosa Mall

This Valentine’s Day, the Wentz Brothers are slashing traditional date night expectations with a bloody twist on the holiday.

• For the first time, the creative masterminds behind the popular Halloween attraction Festival of Fears are bringing screams to Okaloosa this Feb. 14.

The limited-time haunted house follows the success of December’s Holiday Haunts and kicks off the 2024 preparations for the scare factory’s flagship Fright Fest.

“Exes & O’s” leans into the slasher film trope with an original backstory leaving plenty to the imagination as guests walk through the macabre maze inside the former JC Penney at Santa Rosa Mall. And though the brothers say the concept is familiar to most, you won’t find Michael Myers or Ghostface here.

• The brothers promise their bloody Valentine’s twist will appeal to audiences regardless of their feelings toward the holiday dedicated to love and romance.

In addition to the haunted attraction, the event will also feature an escape room, a Lost Souls Tavern bar and a pop-up style gift shop featuring a mix of edgy season must-haves from indie brands and local creatives.

Festival of Fears will open for three nights on Feb. 10, 14 and 17 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets purchased online include express free entry and start at $20 per person. More information can be found at www.wbfestivaloffears.com.

A MESSAGE FROM FWB CHIRO

Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic shows how to properly position your seat in a vehicle

Dr. Scott Smith of Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic advises drivers who want to prevent injuries in a car crash to pay attention to vehicle seat position.

• “Many times people are sitting in their vehicle with the seat back and the head restraint in a poor position where there’s too much gap in between the head and the seat back,” Smith said.

If struck from behind, a principle called “ramping” and improper seat and head restraint positioning put people at greater risk of injury, Smith said.

Proper seat back angle should be 0 to 10 degrees from vertical, according to Smith. Head restraints should sit close to the back and top of passengers’ heads to minimize “back set” and “top set” distances.

• “You want to minimize your back set, your top set for proper seating position or seating posture in your vehicle,” Smith said.

He pointed to one passenger whose head had too much space behind it, contrasting that to a driver whose head restraint stayed closer to the skull.

“To recap, you want your seat back 0 to 10 degrees off of the vertical and your head restraint close as possible to your head to minimize any potential injuries such as whiplash or any other spinal injuries of your neck and your back,” Smith said.

Smith said proper positioning aims to curb whiplash, back injuries and other harm that can result from crashes. He recommended all travelers re-examine how their vehicle seat fits them.

Click here to watch how Dr. Smith positions vehicle seats

SCHOOL

Niceville area schools undergoing major upgrades thanks to Half-Cent Sales Tax Funding

Major transformations are underway at Niceville and Bluewater Bay area schools in the central part of the Okaloosa School District thanks to funding from a half-cent sales tax approved by Okaloosa County voters in November 2020.

• The 10-year sales tax is being used exclusively to fund capital improvement projects for the school district. So far (January 2021 – October 2023), it has generated $91.2 million in revenue, exceeding original estimates by $32.3 million.

And while collections are slightly lower than the previous year, they are 55% higher than originally estimated when the sales tax was proposed. 

The money is paying for a slew of upgrades and new construction to modernize aging school buildings and infrastructure across the district. In this 3-part series, Get The Coast will take a look at the projects happening in the North, Central and South portions of the Okaloosa County School District.

We begin in the Niceville area.

Construction projects in Central part of the District

At Niceville High School, a versatile new multipurpose building is currently taking shape at Niceville High School. The space will accommodate weightlifting/PE classes during the day as well as provide students with a secure area to go to during inclement weather if they are across the street at the football fields practicing/Band practice, etc.

Just down the road at Ruckel Middle School, construction crews are busy building a modern-day “cafetorium” with increased capacity to serve students. Nearby Plew Elementary School is also upgrading its kitchen and dining hall with a new cafetorium as well.

Other schools receiving improvements include Lewis School with a new gym floor and roof, plus a canopy for the front entry. Edge Elementary sports a new roof and secured entrance to manage visitors. Bluewater Elementary also added a secure front entrance and roof replacement. Okaloosa STEMM Academy received a new single point-of-entry.

• Enhanced perimeter fencing now encloses all of these sites as well.

District-wide benefits

By far the most pressing need addressed by the sales tax dollars has been widespread renovations to buildings with leaky roofs, aged HVAC systems, outdated plumbing, and assuring accessibility requirements. For example, new roofs are underway across a number of schools in addition to other site infrastructure improvements such as paving, bathrooms, and new floors.

• “We’re now replacing roof systems all across this district, at multiple schools for the first time in forever,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers in August 2022. “All of those things weren’t able to happen 3, 4 or even 10 years ago. Now we’re able to fix things the right way.”

The sales tax windfall has additionally enabled the district to replace its aging bus fleet after facing the stigma of having the oldest school buses in Florida just a few years ago. To date, the OCSD has spent $12 million to obtain 91 new buses with today’s latest safety features.

• The district currently has 160-165 buses in service each school day, and are getting close to having 100% of their fleet with air conditioning. (15 more to arrive in 2024)

Relieving overcrowded classrooms has also been a priority. Recently finished construction includes an eight-classroom addition at Elliott Point Elementary plus four new classrooms each at Laurel Hill School and Silver Sands School.

Old portable buildings are steadily being removed as well in favor of new permanent classroom wings and cafetoriums. Within two years, a major milestone will occur – the completion of an entirely new K-8 school in Crestview serving 1,200 students by Fall 2026.

• Similarly, Destin Elementary will gain a 32-classroom addition eliminating all portable units on that site when finished. (Serving grades 3-5)

More on Niceville area

Looking ahead for Niceville, a new K-5 elementary school in Niceville and one on Eglin Air Force Base are still in early discussion stages. Expansion possibilities at Niceville High School and Ruckel Middle School are also under consideration to serve future enrollment.

Superintendent Marcus Chambers said the voter-endorsed tax will positively impact generations of students across Okaloosa County for the next decade and beyond.

• “Every school in Okaloosa County is receiving many necessary improvements to include roofs, piping systems, technology upgrades, as well as classroom additions, multipurpose buildings, and cafetoriums,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “When we talk about the next generation of Okaloosa schools, our students and families will reap the benefits of all these different projects happening. I couldn’t be more thankful to the citizens of Okaloosa County for voting this half-cent sales tax in for our schools.”

Schools in the central part of the county undergoing construction projects:

• Lewis School – new gym floor, roof and canopy
• Edge Elementary – new roof and single point of entry
• Niceville High School – multipurpose building
• Ruckel Middle School – cafetorium
• Plew Elementary – cafetorium 
• Bluewater Elementary – new roof, single point of entry
• Okaloosa STEMM Academy – single point of entry
• *All schools listed received perimeter fencing 

To help the public see how these dollars are being used, a Citizens Oversight Committee was established and meets bi-monthly at the School District Central Administrative Complex in Niceville to receive and review reports related to the District’s Half Cent Capital Outlay Sales Surtax Program.

These meetings are open to the public. The District also has an “OCSD Half Cent Sales Tax Capital Improvement Dashboard” where anyone can view the projects taking place – see here.

Click here to see more pics of schools