Fort Walton Beach Barbershop Goes Viral for ‘Minecraft Haircut,’ Builds Community One Cut at a Time
Fort Walton Beach Barbershop Goes Viral for ‘Minecraft Haircut,’ Builds Community One Cut at a Time Collin Bestor June 24, 2025 4:00 pm Fort Walton Beach In Brief: 💈 A playful, accidental haircut resembling a Minecraft character brought millions of views and national attention to The Gryms Men barbershop. 🐶 The shop is turning its […]
Okaloosa County School District looks to cut costs as budget deliberations begin
Okaloosa school leaders unveiled a balanced but trimmed-down budget focused on staffing changes and capital reallocation to manage ongoing financial pressure without cutting school-level resources.
Mary Esther officials weigh options after sudden cancellation of animal control contract
Mary Esther officials weigh options after sudden cancellation of animal control contract Collin Bestor June 23, 2025 6:21 pm Mary Esther In Brief: 🐾 PAWS abruptly ends contract with Mary Esther, leaving the city without animal control services. 📈 New contract proposed higher rates, prompting council concerns over fairness and financial burden. 🏛️ Officials weigh […]
Mary Esther unveils park master plan
Mary Esther unveils park master plan Collin Bestor June 23, 2025 12:29 pm Mary Esther In Brief: 🐾 Top community priorities include dog parks, pickleball courts, and a central space for events and farmers markets. 🌳 Five major parks will be redesigned for accessibility, multi-use features, and public gathering spaces. 💰 $28 million phased plan […]
Search for Missing 10-Year-Old Trinity Eslinger Winds Down After Six Days
Search for Missing 10-Year-Old Trinity Eslinger Winds Down After Six Days Collin Bestor June 19, 2025 8:22 am Destin, Okaloosa County, Public Safety In Brief: Authorities have ended active search efforts for 10-year-old Trinity Eslinger, who disappeared in the water near Destin’s East Pass on June 12. Despite a six-day, multi-agency operation covering over 250 […]
Emerald Coast Life Center transforms drug recovery in Okaloosa County
Emerald Coast Life Center transforms drug recovery in Okaloosa County Collin Bestor June 19, 2025 7:30 am Crestview, Holt HOLT — Dana Clah has gone from sitting in a jail cell to shaping what rehabilitation behind bars can look like in Okaloosa County. A former inmate, trauma survivor, ministry leader and now founder of the Emerald […]
Did Valparaiso Break Sunshine Law With Appointment of New Commissioner?
Bryan Griffin was appointed to the Valparaiso City Commission following a contested and potentially Sunshine Law–violating vote process that required a public records request to uncover.
Air Force Enlisted Village’s Chief’s Celebrates a Decade of Service
What started as a short-term role turned into a decade-long mission—how one retired Airman helped shape a growing retirement community for veterans in Shalimar.
‘No Kings’ Rally Draws Hundreds in Fort Walton Beach
Hundreds gathered in a conservative stronghold to protest Trump-era policies—hear what drew them to Fort Walton Beach and what comes next.
Okaloosa Commissioners OK Tourism Money for Shalimar Park
Plans to revitalize a neglected Shalimar waterfront are officially underway, as Okaloosa County greenlights a $3 million park project with fishing docks, pavilions, and more.
