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Good morning!
Local tech companies Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents have broken ground on their new headquarters in Fort Walton Beach, while Okaloosa Island’s innovative glowing Bridge-to-Bridge Multi-Use Path officially opens after a decade-long effort. Okaloosa County high school marching bands earn superior ratings at state assessment, a new affordable senior housing community opens in Crestview with 107 units, and check out local events happening around town.
BUSINESS
Bit-Wizards, TalkingParents break ground on new headquarters in Fort Walton Beach
Two homegrown technology companies broke ground Wednesday on a new dual headquarters at Freedom Tech Center, with the owners pledging the project will create more than 100 jobs and solidify the region as a hub for innovation.
- Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for their 50,869-square-foot building at 1900 Lewis Turner Blvd., drawing hundreds of community members, local officials and business leaders to celebrate the milestone.
“Today when I look out at all of you, one word comes to mind: gratitude,” said Vince Mayfield, CEO of both Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents. “I’m filled with sincere gratitude for the many blessings that God has bestowed on me, my family, my fellow co-founders Louis Erickson and Stephen Nixon, our wizards and their families at Bit-Wizards, our T-Parenters and their families at TalkingParents.”
The new building will employ more than 200 people, including more than 100 new positions. The facility will feature a full-building backup generator, state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and an employee fitness center.
Bit-Wizards, a nationally recognized managed IT and software engineering firm, serves hundreds of clients across the Southeast with a 98% customer retention rate. The company ranks among CRN’s MSP 500 and Florida Trend’s Best Companies to Work For. Client industries include healthcare, legal services, government, defense, construction and higher education.
TalkingParents, launched in 2011, provides a legal-tech platform that serves more than 500,000 registered users across the country. The platform offers tamper-proof messaging, recorded calls and secure payments for co-parenting.
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GAMES
WordroW: October 24, 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.
PARKS+REC
Okaloosa Island’s glowing Bridge-to-Bridge Multi-Use Path opens
After nearly a decade of planning and construction, Okaloosa County opened its Bridge-to-Bridge Multi-Use Path on Thursday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Beasley Park, creating what officials say is the world’s largest photoluminescent path.
- The 4-mile, 12-foot-wide pedestrian path connects the Brooks Bridge and Marler Bridge on Okaloosa Island, offering an alternative to the Highway 98 shoulder where numerous cyclists and pedestrians have been killed or injured over the years.
“We can now enjoy a pedestrian-friendly area along this beautiful stretch of Northwest Florida between Destin and Fort Walton Beach,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, who represents District 2. “I truly appreciate the dedication of our Public Works teams as they continue to foster great working relationships with Eglin Air Force Base.”
The path’s distinguishing feature is its use of photoluminescent rocks that allow it to glow at night, creating what Ketchel described as “the largest photoluminescent path in the world.” While the technology has been used elsewhere globally, this represents a first for Florida.
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SCHOOL
Okaloosa County high school marching bands earn superior ratings at state assessment
All five Okaloosa County high school marching bands earned Straight Superior ratings at the 2025 Florida Bandmasters Association Marching Music Performance Assessment on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Steve Riggs Stadium.
- Baker School, Choctawhatchee High School, Crestview High School, Fort Walton Beach High School and Niceville High School each received the highest possible rating across all judged categories.
Okaloosa County was the only school district in FBA District 1 where every high school received Straight Superior ratings. District 1 includes Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.
The FBA Marching Music Performance Assessment evaluates bands on marching execution, general effect, musical performance and auxiliary performance. Adjudicators are trained and approved by the FBA Adjudications Committee.
“Okaloosa County continues to shine in every arena — academics, athletics, and the arts,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “These results reflect the extraordinary talent, passion, and leadership of our music educators and students. We are proud of their commitment to excellence and the joy they bring to our schools and community through music.”
BUSINESS
Affordable senior housing community opens in Crestview with 107 units
A new $28 million affordable housing community for seniors opened Thursday, adding 107 apartments to a region facing a significant shortage of affordable rental units.
- Princeton Grove, located at 475 Aplin Road, is a partnership between Housing Trust Group, one of the nation’s largest affordable housing developers, and AM Affordable Housing, the nonprofit founded by NBA Hall of Famer and Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning.
The four-story community offers one- and two-bedroom apartments reserved for income-qualifying residents who earn at or below 22, 30 and 60 percent of area median income. Rents range from $381 to $1,323 per month. Six units are dedicated to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Limited availability remains for 60% AMI units, with rents starting at $1,048 for one-bedrooms and $1,263 for two-bedrooms.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony drew city leaders including Okaloosa County Commissioner Paul Mixon, Crestview Councilmember Dusty Allison, and Crestview Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman John Feeney, along with Housing Trust Group COO Jordan Tolman.
“Okaloosa County is proud to celebrate this achievement in affordable housing with our community partners,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. “Creating better affordable living options for our seniors has a positive effect on their new phase in life and it opens up opportunities for young and growing familes to transition out of rental apartments and into larger more suitable dwellings.”
EVENTS
A few things to do around town
Saturday, Oct. 25 – Community Day & Storybook Village – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Saturday, Oct. 25 – Sip & Science: Mystery at the Museum – Fort Walton Beach – $30.00 – View
Sunday, Oct. 26 – 5th Annual BrunchFest – Pensacola – $40.00 – View
Sunday, Oct. 26 – The Church At Shalimar Annual Fall Festival – Shalimar – Free – View
Thursday, Oct. 30 – 10th Annual Barktoberfest – Miramar Beach – Free – View
Thursday, Oct. 30 – Planetarium Special Feature: Spooky Secrets of the Stars – Fort Walton Beach – $12.00 – View
Friday, Oct. 31 – Halloween Pet Adoption Spooktacular – Destin – Free – View
Friday, Oct. 31 – Halloween on the BOOlevard – Miramar Beach – Free – View
Friday, Oct. 31 – Family Fall Festival – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Friday, Oct. 31 – 10th Annual Tricks & Treasures – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Saturday, Nov. 1 – Shalimar Library & Thrift Shop Annual Parking Lot Sale – Shalimar – Free – View
Saturday, Nov. 1 – Military Family Appreciation Day – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
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!
p.s. What did you think of this morning’s newsletter? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Jared
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