As temperatures climb into the upper 80s and August draws near, finding ways to cool off from the Florida summertime heat has become a losing battle.Ice cream melts before our children have a chance to take their first lick and the beautiful white-sand beaches are almost impossible to walk across without burning the bottoms of your feet. Nevertheless, melted ice cream is better than no ice cream at all. And the feeling of soaking your burned bunions in the cool, salty Gulf [...]

EGLIN AFB — Several years ago, items placed in the lost and found area at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport might have totaled about half a dozen per month, says Okaloosa County Airports Director Tracy Stage.“Now, we often see up to about 250 items a month,” Stage said. “It’s a tremendous amount of items.”The items include iPhones, toys, credit cards, children’s and adult’s clothes, hats, seat cushions, sunglasses and [...]

CRESTVIEW — Drivers who travel on U.S. Highway 90 in Crestview should be aware of changes to the road's speed limit.Officials have increased the speed limit between Lee Farm Boulevard and State Road 4 from 45 to 55 miles per hour, according to Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Tanya Branton. The limit rose after an area [...]

SANDESTIN — Local artist Mary Hong is bringing a "pop-up shop" concept to Baytowne Wharf, but fans and art enthusiasts only have until the end of September to experience it.Hong, who currently has permanent locations open in Destin, Grayton Beach, New Orleans and Nashville, has opened a temporary shop in the popular shopping and dining destination in Sandestin as part of her efforts to bring her "Shard Shop" concept to a wider audience.“I’m really trying to [...]

DESTIN — When the city of Destin started charging people to park in its public lots last May, they were among the first. Now, many of the surrounding business are following their lead.Destin's decision has been profitable for the city.Between May 20 and July 16, 2017, the city made $4,935 from parking. But since May 20 of this year, the lots have generated a substantially higher revenue of $20,577.Last year, the 147-space Marler Street lot was the only lot that [...]