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Good morning!
Niceville’s Edge Elementary prepares to celebrate 100 years of public education, while Fort Walton Beach approves a 12-acre expansion of Preston Hood Athletic Complex. The ‘Child Clothing Project’ will provide free clothing and STEM activities for underserved children, Fort Walton Beach plans to end its VPK program after the current school year while keeping aftercare fees unchanged, and the city will explore mixing district-based and at-large city council seats.
PARKS+REC
Fort Walton Beach approves 12-acre Preston Hood Athletic Complex expansion
The Fort Walton Beach City Council on Tuesday approved a $7.5 million bank loan to expand the Preston Hood Athletic Complex, two weeks after postponing the decision over concerns about how the city would pay for it.
- The project became financially viable when the Tourist Development Council on Tuesday morning approved $400,000 in annual funding toward the loan payments, Finance Director Nicole Nabors told the council.
Combined with $300,000 annually that became available after the city paid off an irrigation loan early in 2025, the city can cover the estimated $710,000 in annual debt service on the 15-year loan, Nabors explained.
The 12-acre expansion site at 203 Hollywood Boulevard once served as the city’s field office complex. Public Works Director Daniel Payne said the project will include a 2,000-square-foot recreation operations building to replace an existing structure that is not suitable for current operations, along with a restroom building, multi-purpose turf fields, pickleball courts and more than 200 parking spaces.
The additional parking will address deficiencies at the existing complex on Jet Drive and consolidate parking to the front of the facility on Hollywood Boulevard and Martisa Road, Payne said.
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GAMES
WordroW: October 30, 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.
GIVING BACK
‘Child Clothing Project’ to provide free clothing, STEM activities for underserved children
Hundreds of elementary school children in Walton and Okaloosa counties will receive new wardrobes and participate in hands-on learning activities during the Junior League of the Emerald Coast’s annual Child Clothing Project on November 4 and 5.
- The two-day event, hosted by the HSU Educational Foundation, allows underserved children to “shop” at no cost in a pop-up boutique for essential items including pants, shirts, shoes, a jacket, bag, book, underwear, socks, toiletries and a toy.
The program also features enrichment activities focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math provided by the HSU Educational Foundation and other community partners.
“Child Clothing Project was started in 1979 with 36 children and has grown and evolved tremendously over the years to become one of the most respected public outreach programs in the area,” said Bethe Manning, president of the Junior League of the Emerald Coast. “While providing the children with essential clothing items is fantastic, it is so much more than that.”
Junior League members design and build the pop-up boutique to create an authentic shopping experience, with area high school and middle school volunteers serving as “shopping buddies” for the children.
GAMES
This week’s mini local crossword
A weekly crossword featuring local headlines, history, and hot topics. Test your knowledge of our community, and the stories locals are talking about.
BUSINESS
FWB to end VPK program after current school year, keeps aftercare fees unchanged
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to discontinue its VPK program at the end of the current school year while keeping fees unchanged for aftercare and summer camp programs, despite staff recommendations to raise rates.
- The decision came after city staff presented data showing the combined VPK, aftercare and summer camp operations at the Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center were losing approximately $100,000 annually. The VPK program currently serves four students.
Davis said staff explored recommendations from the Early Learning Coalition to address the financial losses, including expanding services to include extended hours, holiday care and specialized programs, but determined those changes would require additional staff with specialized training that the city cannot accommodate under current 3% operational constraints.
The Early Learning Coalition offered to assist in relocating the four current VPK participants to other programs in the area.
SHOP
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- The vintage coastal design with weathered palm tree, wave, and gulls works on every style. Regular tees in classic cotton, women’s heavyweight crop tees, and sun hoodies that actually perform. Now available in youth sizes with fresh colorways including Dusty Rose and Light Blue.
Whether you’re layering up for cooler mornings or need sun protection for those fall afternoons, there’s a style that fits how you live on the coast.
POLITICS
Fort Walton Beach to explore mixing district-based and at-large city council seats
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to form a study group exploring a shift to a hybrid form of government, following a proposal from the NAACP Okaloosa County Branch that argues the change would improve representation for underserved neighborhoods.
- Sabu Williams, president of the NAACP’s local branch, presented the proposal during the Oct. 28 council meeting, emphasizing that the request was not about race or party politics but about ensuring all city neighborhoods have dedicated representation.
The city currently operates under a council-manager system where all seven council members and the mayor are elected at-large, meaning every voter in the city casts ballots for each seat. The NAACP’s written proposal suggested one possible configuration of four district-based seats and three at-large seats plus the mayor, who would continue to be elected citywide, though Williams emphasized this was just a recommendation for the study group to consider.
“There’s different ways that you can form a hybrid system. It could be a three-four, it could be five-two, it could be all seven,” Williams said. “We may have a suggestion that says it’s three-four, but that suggestion, it’s just a suggestion on our part.”
Williams said a hybrid model would balance neighborhood advocacy with citywide strategy while preserving the city’s professional management structure through an appointed city manager. Williams pointed to nearby cities that have adopted similar structures. Crestview switched to a system combining precinct-based and at-large council members in 2018, while Apalachicola uses a hybrid model with two district seats and three at-large positions.
Click here to read the full details
SCHOOL
Niceville’s Edge Elementary to celebrate 100 years of public education
Lula J. Edge Elementary will open its doors to the community for a centennial celebration on Monday, November 10, from 4 to 7 p.m., honoring 100 years of public education in Niceville.
- The celebration commemorates the 1924 land deed when George Nathey conveyed seven acres to the Okaloosa Board of Public Instruction, establishing what would become the community’s original neighborhood school.
Originally known as Niceville High School, the institution has weathered numerous challenges throughout its history, including a fire in 1926 and a hurricane in 1936. Each time, the school was rebuilt with community support and assistance from the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
The Centennial Celebration will feature live music under trees planted by teachers and students over 50 years ago, refreshments in the cafeteria, and local food vendors. Visitors can explore historical displays including vintage yearbooks and class photos.
- Former students, faculty and staff will share oral history presentations throughout the evening. Each grade level and department has prepared displays highlighting a specific decade in the school’s history through research, timelines, photographs, articles and artifacts.
The school made history in 1943 as the first county school to offer a nine-month school term to accommodate military families from Eglin Field. It became Niceville Elementary in 1952, and was renamed Lula J. Edge Elementary in 1962 to honor Lula J. Edge’s commitment to preserving the school. A Florida Heritage Marker commemorating this history was unveiled at the school in May 2024.
The Okaloosa County School District invites community members to attend the free celebration.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Thursday! 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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124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548