It’s Official!
Congratulations to this year’s new Captain Billy Bowlegs LXIX Michael Castleberry and his Queen Zabrina Horne! Each year a new Captain Billy Bowlegs and his queen are selected to sail the Blackhawk and the Krewe into uncharted seas. The new Billy is selected by the current year’s Captain after receiving the secret nominations from a committee of the last seven Billys. The new Billy remains a secret for several months as he prepares for his year and his many decisions; he will choose the colors, and create a logo and theme to represent his vision for the new year.
U.S. 98 Traffic Shift Near Brooks Bridge on Okaloosa Island
The U.S. 98 travel lanes between Brooks Bridge and Pier Road, on Okaloosa Island, have shifted south onto temporary travel lanes. This configuration is providing space for crews to construct the new westbound Brooks Bridge structure. Two U.S. 98 travel lanes will remain open in each direction. Drivers are reminded that U.S. 98 intermittent lane closures, from Ferry Road to Pier Road, may occur between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
This work is part of the $171 million Brooks Bridge Replacement Project that includes constructing two new, parallel bridges that will increase capacity to six travel lanes from the current four-lane bridge that opened in 1966. Project completion is estimated for summer 2027. All activities are weather dependent and might be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway. For more information, visit www.nwflroads.com or on Facebook at MyBrooksBridge.
Marcus Chambers Appointed to FHSAA Board
Recently, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Schools for Okaloosa County, to the Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors. With more than 26 years of experience in education, Chambers received the First Year Teacher of the Year Award for Ruckel Middle School in 1999, the Okaloosa County Reading Leader of the Year Award in 2010 and the Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Achievement Award in 2013. Chambers also currently serves as Chairman of the Florida School Labor Relations Service Board of Directors and is a member of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Okaloosa County Association of School Administrators. This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Okaloosa County’s New Agriculture Learning Center
Okaloosa County is excited to begin construction on a new Agriculture Extension Office near Miss Ruth’s Farmers Market at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. The new building is replacing a storm-damaged building in south Okaloosa County. It will allow the professional staff within Okaloosa County’s University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF IFAS) Extension to offer a variety of courses, programs, workshops, and meetings. These courses will feature agriculture, family and consumer sciences, commercial and residential horticulture, natural resources, and 4-H Youth Development program areas. The 3,000-sq.-ft. building will feature accommodation for large groups, a full teaching kitchen, a small laboratory, storage, and office space. Construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.
EC Rider Bus Service Makes Modifications
Okaloosa County’s bus service, EC Rider (ECRider.org), has made an exciting modification to one of its routes between Destin and Fort Walton Beach, which includes the elimination of a transfer and also gives riders better frequency between destinations on the route. This service modification includes:
• Destin Route 30 will operate an hourly service between Elder Service, Publix – (Fort Walton Beach), Publix (Shoppes at Paradise Pointe), and Target/Winn Dixie.
• Providing connection from The City of Destin to Okaloosa Island – Boardwalk (Okaloosa Route 20 and Destin Route 30). 1. Connection will be made at the top of each hour.
• Providing increased frequency between Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island, as well as Okaloosa Route 20.
• Provide connection with Destin Route 32, at Winn Dixie (98 Palm Plaza). Connection will be made at the bottom of each hour.
• Provide local service within The City of Destin to key destinations, including Target, Winn Dixie, and Destin Harbor.
• The cost is $2 one way
Okaloosa County BOCC D/b/a EC RIDER assures nondiscrimination and adheres with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the American with Disabilities Act. For additional information, call 850-833-9168 or visit www.ecrider.org.
New My H20 Web Portal Allows City Water Customers to Track Usage in Real Time
City contractor, VEPO Metering, is nearly halfway through a project to replace the city’s approximately 10,000 water meters. The new water meters feature Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology that provides more accurate readings and real-time data.
As part of this project, we’re launching the My H2O website portal. My H2O works with the new meters to allow water customers to view their daily water usage and create alerts to help them detect leaks earlier.
Some of the other benefits of the My H2O portal:
• View and export usage and trends on a daily, weekly, yearly, and billing-cycle basis
• Greater understanding of usage and costs through real-time monitoring and alerts
• Set custom alerts and avoid billing surprises
• View peer comparisons to better gauge normal usage
• Remotely monitor rental and vacation properties
• Modify water usage to save money
• Multiple addresses/accounts can be added to the same MyH20 account
The portal can be accessed from a desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone. To learn more or get started, visit: https://my-fwbfl.sensus-analytics.com/login.html#/signin.
Downtown Design Guidelines Project Holds First Public Meeting
About 50 people turned out for the City of Fort Walton Beach’s Downtown Design Guidelines Community Engagement Workshop at the Gulfview Center in June. Representatives from consulting firm Kimley-Horn described the project and presented a slideshow representing different styles of streets, building architecture, parks, and open spaces. Participants used a scorecard to rank each photo on whether or not it represented what they thought the downtown district should look like. After that slideshow survey, attendees met in small groups with Kimley-Horn staff to share their ideas and sketch out on existing maps some of the ways that the downtown area could be made more pedestrian-friendly. This meeting was the first of several being held for this project, which, when completed, will establish a “toolbox” of architectural components that will achieve a vision of downtown that residents and business owners want while providing flexibility to existing property owners and new developers. For more information: https://www.fwb.org/550/Downtown-Design-Guidelines-Project.
School Summer Food Service Program
Okaloosa County Schools are participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Summer Break Spot offers balanced breakfasts and lunches at no cost for kids 18 and under. Meals are served on site at no cost. A list of sites and service times is available at: https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/article/1616150.
TalkingParents/Bit-Wizards Both Make Inc.’s Annual List of Best Workplaces for 2024
Local companies TalkingParents and Bit-Wizards (eighth year) have been named to Inc.’s annual Best Workplaces list. Prominently featured on Inc.com, the list is the result of a comprehensive measurement of American companies that have excelled in creating exceptional workplaces and company cultures, whether operating in a physical or a virtual facility.
After collecting data from thousands of submissions, Inc. selected 543 honorees this year. Each company that was nominated took part in an employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace, which included topics such as management effectiveness, perks, fostering employee growth, and overall company culture. The organization’s benefits were also audited to determine the overall score and ranking.
TalkingParents was founded to empower co-parents worldwide on their shared parenting journey, no matter their situation. A culture of support and empowerment at the company is essential to ensure the team fulfills its promise to the co-parents who depend on the service to help them focus on what matters most – their kids.
“Creating and maintaining a thriving company culture is done deliberately by design with conscientious effort and buy-in from everyone on the team. You can feel a company’s culture when you walk in the front door and with every interaction. It starts with living the company’s core values while owning a shared mission and vision. Our T-Parenters live it and make it part of everything they do. The team at TalkingParents is excited to receive national recognition as a 2024 Inc. Best Workplaces Honoree. Thank you to the team at Inc. Magazine for recognizing TalkingParents.” – Vince Mayfield, Chief Executive Officer
“Winning Inc 5000’s Best Places to Work for the eighth year in a row is a reflection of the incredible dedication, collaboration, and passion of our team. Our company thrives because we prioritize our people, creating a culture where everyone can excel and feel valued.” – Louis Erickson, Chief Operating Officer
Waste Management Recycling
Waste Management provides recycling services for residents in unincorporated Okaloosa County and they will soon be using its new MRF (Mixed Recycling Facility) in Fort Walton. To maintain low recycling rates, we encourage residents to follow these guidelines to keep the contamination in their bin low.
Please remember to be mindful of what you are putting in your curbside bin. If you’re in doubt, throw it out.
Below are the items that belong in your curbside bin:
• Glass; any color
• Paper newspaper & Inserts
• Cardboard
• Boxboard (cereal, cake & cracker boxes, etc.)
• Plastic bottles
• Plastics No. 1 & 2
• Plastic Milk Jugs; 2-Liters
• Aluminum Cans & Lids
• Tin and Steel Cans & Lids
• Metal Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets
• Pet food cans (no plastic liner)
Main causes of load contaminations, are incorrect items being tossed in the recycling bin. High contamination rates can lead to 100% rejection of truck loads at the recycling facility.
We must work together to educate and spread awareness, as well as recycle items in the correct manner to truly make a difference. Visit: https://myokaloosa.com/pw/environmental/recycling.
