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Good morning!
Here’s what we have today…
- Our region achieves a remarkable 14th place in national economic performance rankings, while Marler Park welcomes visitors to its new playground on Okaloosa Island. Fort Walton Beach Council discusses short-term rental regulations, Dr. Lee Thigpen marks 40 years of healthcare service in Crestview, and LuLu’s Destin prepares for Easter celebrations.
PARKS+REC
New playground debuts at Marler Park on Okaloosa Island
by Ashley Armacost
Okaloosa County officials cut the ribbon Thursday morning on a fully renovated playground at Ross Marler Park, completing a $1.3 million transformation project funded entirely by tourism tax revenue.
- The new playground features rubberized safety surfacing, multiple slides, play structures with a coastal theme, and educational elements focused on local marine life.
“It’s a great asset that we get to have right here in the beautiful District 2,” said Paul Mixon, Chairman of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, during the ceremony. “This is going to be a great home to some of those memories that are being made by families to come.”
The playground includes several accessibility features, including ADA-compliant equipment for the 5-7 age group, a spinning area for wheelchair users, and sections that teach sign language.
Jennifer Adams, Tourism Director, emphasized that tourist tax dollars benefit both visitors and residents.
- “Our mission at the TDC is to make time spent here, whether living, working or visiting, more valuable to all,” Adams said. “Everyone thinks it’s just heads and beds and it’s not.”
Educational elements include features about invasive lionfish, sea turtle nesting, and beach safety. Musical instruments were also incorporated to provide an interactive sensory experience.
The playground’s coastal-themed design includes custom features like a whale shark, sail shades and benches.
District 2 Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel noted the playground is part of broader improvements in the area.
- “We have the new bike path going in, which I’m very excited about,” Ketchel said. “We have Santa Rosa Boulevard, which will be transformed, and the new Brooks Bridge.”
The park is named after Ross Clinton Marler, the last “Marler” postmaster in Destin who retired in 1972. The Marler family played a significant role in Destin’s early development.
“This is such a wonderful time to be part of the county. I am excited to have this for our children,” said Ketchel. “We do take those wonderful tourism development dollars and put them back into the community.”
Ketchel noted the transformation of the area creates a recreational hub just a “stone’s throw” from the recently improved Women’s Veterans Park.
Officials highlighted that the playground design allows for use by people of all abilities and ages.
- “Every structure is designed to be played on,” including features that parents can climb and play on with their children, according to project documentation.
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HEALTHCARE
A Hometown Healer: Dr. Lee Thigpen’s 40-year legacy of healthcare in Crestview
In a corner pharmacy on Main Street and Woodruff Avenue, a young boy stood behind the cash register, watching his father fill prescriptions in the middle of the night for sick children.
- That boy was Lee Thigpen, who would grow up to become one of Crestview’s most dedicated physicians, serving his hometown for four decades before his retirement this week.
“I think growing up in a home where I saw what people needed and my dad filling prescriptions for sick children in the middle of the night… I think that influenced me as much as anything else,” Dr. Thigpen reflects on his path to medicine.
After graduating from Crestview High School, he attended the University of Florida for his undergraduate and medical degrees, followed by a residency at the University of South Carolina. Despite opportunities to practice elsewhere, Dr. Thigpen’s heart pulled him back to his hometown in 1985. “I told my wife that we have to come home,” he recalls.
Together with Drs. George Barrow, David and Wayne Campbell, he founded Crestview Medical Clinic, starting with nothing more than a folding table in an unfinished building. With no established patient base, he worked emergency room shifts to make ends meet while building his practice.
Over his four-decade career, Dr. Thigpen has treated five generations of some Crestview families—from great-grandparents to their great-grandchildren. “It’s the hardest thing to leave,” he says of these multi-generational relationships. “That’s my extended family.”
His commitment to Crestview extends far beyond individual patient care. He has been a persistent advocate for expanding medical services in the area, helping to develop the medical community off South Ferdon, including the four-story Physicians Medical Plaza and Crescent Park assisted living facility.
- “I’ve always felt that we need to not travel out of town to get what we need,” he says. “I’ve been pushing that all my life.” His advocacy has helped bring critical services to Crestview that once required long trips to other cities, including interventional cardiology that has saved countless lives.
When asked how he would like to be remembered by the Crestview community, his answer is simple but profound: “That Crestview is a better place because I was there.”
Now, Dr. Thigpen and his wife Cathy (who herself served 16 years on the school board) are setting sail on their boat to travel the Great Loop waterway, an adventure they’ve been planning for a decade.
POLITICS
Fort Walton Beach Council discusses proposed short-term rental regulations
The Fort Walton Beach City Council reviewed a draft ordinance Tuesday night that would establish new regulations for short-term vacation rentals, with officials aiming to balance property rights with neighborhood compatibility concerns.
- The proposed 20-page ordinance, presented at the March 25 meeting by City Attorney Jeff Burns, combines elements from both Walton County and Destin’s existing short-term rental regulations, which have withstood legal scrutiny since being passed in 2022 and 2019 respectively.
Burns stated that “by total sheer luck, Airbnb actually reached out to us and sent us something they approve of. And it actually happened to be very much in line with what we have here.” He explained that the ordinance’s format is recognized as standard around the state and has generally been acceptable to the short-term rental industry.
The ordinance would require short-term rental owners to register properties with the city annually, display a city-issued decal, and post signage showing contact information for the responsible party and the property’s maximum occupancy. Owners must designate a local responsible party who resides within 30 miles to respond to issues within one hour.
Maximum occupancy would be limited to the lesser of three options: one person per 150 square feet of heated space, two persons per bedroom plus four additional people, or a total of 24 persons per rental. The ordinance also sets minimum parking standards of one space per 2.5 occupants and requires fire safety measures including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and emergency lighting.
- The draft explicitly prohibits commercial special events, such as weddings or company retreats, in residential zoning districts and bans charter bus services from transporting individuals to rental properties.
Councilman Bryce Jeter expressed support for the regulations while emphasizing enforcement concerns. “Anything we do up here comes back to enforcement. It goes back to code, it goes back to us regulating and reporting what we see,” Jeter said.
Some council members raised questions about specific provisions. Councilman David Schmidt expressed concerns about requiring signs at rental properties, suggesting it might create a negative environment for investors.
- Councilman Payne Walker questioned the enforceability of occupancy limits. “It’s cat and mouse,” Walker said. “This all looks really good, but I don’t think we have the staff, I don’t think we have the police force.”
A resident who spoke during the public comment period noted his own experience with short-term rentals, mentioning he had received “over 60 calls for noise” at his property but “not a single citation,” suggesting current noise ordinances may be sufficient if properly enforced.
Councilman Nic Allegretto recommended getting additional feedback from short-term rental owners and neighbors before finalizing the ordinance.
“I want to make sure that we factor everything in to say, this is the best ordinance that we can craft as a municipality based on all of the rules that exist through the state,” Allegretto said.
The ordinance will undergo further refinement before its first reading at the April 8 council meeting. It will also be reviewed by the Local Planning Agency next week.
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Join the women making $100,000 impacts on our local community
Changing lives in our community one woman at a time. The idea is simple: 100 women donate $1,000 each to form a $100,000 high-IMPACT grant to help transform local nonprofit organizations.
- Since 2012, Impact100 NWF has given away $4.9 million dollars in grants to local nonprofits in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Area nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for these grants.
Impact100’s goal is to have at least 500 members so that they are able to give away one $100,000 grant in each of the 5 categories: Arts and Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness.
The organization is also very grateful for their business sponsors who assist with events as well as sponsoring memberships. If you are not a woman in the local area but want to help, please reach out as well!
Upcoming membership enrollment events:
- March 31st: Join Impact100 for an Immersive Art Experience at BeachWorx Destin 5:30 – 7:30
- April 17th: Join Impact100 at The Pavilion at Eagles Nest, Blackwater Golf Course, Crestview from 5:30- 7:30 pm
- April 22nd: Join Impact100 for our final membership event of the 2025 enrollment period at The Beach House in Miramar Beach from 5:30- 7:30
They also have numerous Pop Up Events in March and April throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Join today and make an IMPACT in your local community! You can also email them at Impactnwf@impactnwf.org with any questions.
THINGS TO DO
Easter Bunny and Egg Dash held on Easter Sunday at LuLu’s Destin
by Ashley Armacost
LuLu’s Destin will host its annual Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Dash event on Sunday, April 20 from noon to 2 p.m., offering families a free afternoon of holiday festivities.
- The Easter Egg Dash is the highlight of the event and begins promptly at 1 p.m. at the restaurant.
A “tropically clad” Easter Bunny will be available throughout the event for visits and photos.
Children attending should bring their own baskets to collect eggs during the dash, which will be divided by age groups. Select eggs will contain special prizes.
Families interested can find additional information here or call 850-710-5858.
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Origin Bank opens new location in Fort Walton Beach
Origin Bank has expanded its presence with a new financial center in Fort Walton Beach.
- Operating from a temporary building at 212 Racetrack Road NW (the intersection of Denton Boulevard NW), the center offers comprehensive banking services including small business and personal banking, home loans, and financial support.
The location currently operates Monday through Friday, with the drive-thru open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and appointments available by calling (850) 904-8613. For more information, click here.
BUSINESS
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin climbs to 14th in national economic performance ranking
The Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin metro area has climbed to No. 14 in the Milken Institute’s 2025 Best-Performing Cities index, continuing its upward trajectory from No. 17 in 2024 and No. 22 in 2022.
- The ranking establishes the area as the highest-ranked Northwest Florida metro on the Large City list, outperforming Pensacola (No. 46) and Tallahassee (No. 85). It also claims the position as Florida’s second-highest ranked metro overall, behind only Melbourne at No. 9.
“This climb to 14th nationally reflects the dedication and innovation of our business community, workforce, and local leadership here in Okaloosa County,” said Okaloosa Chairman Paul Mixon. “We’ve been strategically investing in economic development and crucial infrastructure that creates sustainable growth and quality jobs for our residents.”
The metro area outranked several major urban centers including Orlando (No. 17), Jacksonville (No. 22), Atlanta (No. 61), Miami (No. 64), San Diego (No. 71), and Boston (No. 119).
Key performance indicators driving the area’s strong showing include ranking 18th nationally in job growth over the past five years and 21st in wage growth over the last year.
The region’s high-tech sector has been particularly strong, ranking ninth in high-tech GDP over the past five years.
- Housing affordability in the metro area has also shown improvement, rising from 108th to 80th in the rankings.
“We are obviously thrilled to see our community’s overall economic performance being recognized by a well-respected and objective third party like the Milken Institute,” said Nathan Sparks, Executive Director for One Okaloosa EDC. “While some may be surprised to learn that our area is considered a “large metro” in this report, the fact is that we continue to punch well above our weight class thanks to the hard work of many.”
The Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities index evaluates the relative economic performance of 403 metropolitan areas using 13 key metrics that combine labor market conditions, high-tech industry growth, and access to economic opportunities.
- According to the Milken Institute, as inflation eases and the U.S. economy continues to grow, metropolitan areas remain critical drivers of economic activity, collectively contributing over 91 percent of the nation’s economic growth in 2023.
The institute’s report and interactive online tool provide policymakers, government officials, and business leaders with actionable insights for developing strategies to foster sustainable growth in metropolitan economies.
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