WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Last year, Walton County awarded a new contract for its managed beach vendor program. It gave Coastal Parasail the sole rights to rent beach chairs, umbrellas, and footstools on all Walton County public beaches. There was some controversy around the move as it took business away from some small businesses. […] Read More

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Law enforcement, tourism officials, and first responders have been preparing for Spring Break crowds to kick off this year’s tourist season. This week, there is a spotlight on beach safety for Rip Current Awareness Week. “A rip current is an outward flow of water that won’t pull you under; it’s […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of one of their own deputies on Wednesday for grand theft and official misconduct. The sheriff’s office conducted an internal investigation after receiving probable cause to believe that Corporal Carlon Price worked other off-duty jobs while also claiming to be on-duty with […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Tuesday’s search for the remains of Pamela Ray did not sit well with Ray’s surviving sister. Rhonda Bishop says she was left in the dark about Tuesday’s search efforts in Washington County. Bishop organized a team that has been conducting its own searches for Ray for several years, always updating […] Read More

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Just off of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., behind a bail bonds business, lies Josiah’s Southern Cooking. It’s a Panama City staple where the customers are always right, the plates are always full, and every meal is served with soul and a whole lot of love. It all starts with […] Read More

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – 22-year-old Anna Dashchenko’s plane landed at the Apalachicola Regional Airport early Wednesday afternoon. As soon as Dashchenko exited the plane, Franklin County Sheriff’s officials took her into custody on grand theft charges. Back in June, a Franklin County resident reported being defrauded of $17,000 while attempting to purchase a car […] Read More

Tour + your questions answered about Niceville’s new turf field Christopher Saul February 25, 2026 5:33 pm Niceville, Schools and Education, Sports Niceville Principal Charlie Marello says the new turf field, part of a district-wide $5.3 million project, will wrap up and be ready to use by the first week of March.  The new field features a couple of layers of materials. At the base, graded shards of stone keep the surface flat while allowing water to drain. The turf material gets laid on top after that. Each hash, number, and line are painstakingly cut out by the installers and laid into the ground. Lines of string, raised in the air by little sticks cover the field to make sure everything stays in their mathematically correct position on the field.  Lines for the lacrosse, soccer and other sports are inlaid in a orange-gold on either side of the field.  In the northern endzone, ‘Niceville’ is spelled out in block letters. To the south, the word ‘Eagles’ will greet running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs lucky enough to snag a pass and take it back for six points.   Workers apply a thick, gooey green past to the turf that allows it to stick down permanently while im at the field.  After the turf is settled come the millions upon millions of tiny rubber pellets.  While the pieces of turf are pasted into the ground – there are plenty of questions about the field that many around town (at least evidenced... Read More

Tough but Necessary: Okaloosa Will Close Two “Outstanding” Schools Staff Reports February 25, 2026 3:31 pm Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, Okaloosa County, Schools and Education, Shalimar In Brief: Who: Okaloosa County School Board & Superintendent Marcus Chambers What: Unanimous vote to close Mary Esther and Longwood Elementary When: Vote held Feb. 24, 2026; closures effective end of 2025–26 school year Where: South Zone of Okaloosa County, Florida Why: Steep enrollment decline, budget pressures, statewide funding trends Fort Walton Beach, Fla. — February 24, 2026 — The Okaloosa County School Board voted unanimously Monday night to close Mary Esther Elementary School and Longwood Elementary School at the end of the 2025–26 school year, citing long-term enrollment declines, significant budget pressures, and shifting statewide education funding trends. All five board members supported the closure plans under Resolutions 26-01 and 26-02, finalizing months of study and public discussion. The board also unanimously approved Resolution 26-03, which reassigns students from the two schools to six other South Zone elementary schools for the 2026-27 academic year. “Bringing a proposal like this here in this school district … is not easy in any way, shape or form,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers, emphasizing the weight of the decision on educators, families, and the broader community. “School is more than just a building… It’s about togetherness.” Chambers highlighted that the decision is not a critique of school performance. Both campuses have served students well academically. The decision is a response to demographic shifts and fiscal realities facing public education... Read More