By Doug Stauffer Champs again! Crowning National Champions in Northwest Florida is becoming habit forming with the NWFSC basketball programs. The college’s women’s basketball team did it again, winning the 2023 National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. This is the second national championship for the Lady Raiders, having been crowned two years ago. The men’s basketball team filled in the 2022 gap by winning the championship. That’s the three-peat: Lady Raiders (2021), Raiders (2022), Lady Raiders (2023). Be sure to get your season tickets for 2024. The Lady Raiders’ two national titles are the first in program history. President Devin Stephenson congratulated the team and their coach, saying, “I couldn’t be prouder of the Lady Raiders and coach Bart Walker. It is an outstanding achievement and a testament to our commitment to excellence at Northwest Florida State College. The best truly is our standard.”The Lady Raiders defeated the dynasty-driven Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals in a 66-63 nail-biter. The game started with Trinity Valley jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the first four minutes of the contest, but the Lady Raiders remained poised, resilient, and determined. “We matured a lot and we had to match their physicality,” Burt said. “That was the biggest thing was we got tougher as the season came on. We found our team’s heart this week and that’s why we won this.” In a game with nine lead changes and eight ties, neither team led by more than five... Read More

  By Doug Stauffer The “Welcome Home” ceremony at the Air Force Armament Museum honored those who were captured in the Vietnam War and returned home 50 years ago. The date was March 4, 1973, when the North Vietnamese released nearly 600 U.S. POWs from their prisons. On Feb. 12, 1973, the first of 591 U.S. prisoners began the trip home, with more flights returning until late March. The festivities hosted a reception and program to honor the POWs now calling Okaloosa County home. The honored include: Brig. Gen. George “Bud” Day, USAF, Ret. Col. Keith Hall, USAF, Ret. Col. Howard Hill, USAF, Ret. Col. Ed Hubbard, USAF, Ret. Col. Ron Webb, USAF, Ret. Lt. Col. Dave Gray, USAF, Ret.“We hope this brings a feeling of strong patriotism and respect for what these men endured in those days,” said Tricia Flaherty, Director of Operations at the Air Force Armament Museum. The words “You are not forgotten” are a constant reminder that we should always remember the sacrifices of these veterans who paid so dearly in defense of freedom and our nation. The United States fought in the Vietnam War for 10 years, from 1965 to the fall of Saigon in 1975. On Jan. 27, 1973, the U.S. signed the withdrawal agreement of American troops from South Vietnam. The agreement included the negotiated release of the nearly 600 prisoners of war held by North Vietnam in various prisons and camps, including the infamous Hỏa Lò prison in Hanoi, dubbed by many... Read More

  Signs of spring – balmy weather, blooming flowers and nesting birds – are occurring. Warmer temperatures also mean alligators are more active and visible. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recommends taking precautions when in and around the water:While serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, the FWC offers the following tips about how to safely co-exist with them: – Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator and never feed one. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. – Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. – Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge and never let them swim in fresh or brackish water. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey. Call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286) if you believe an alligator poses a threat to people, pets or property and the FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. The FWC administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur. Find more resources about living with alligators at MyFWC.com/Alligator. The American alligator, Florida’s state reptile, is a conservation success story. Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population, which is estimated at 1.3 million alligators of every size. They are found in freshwater lakes, ponds,... Read More

  JoJo’s Coffee and Goodness Owner and operator Angela “JoJo’’ Stevenson invites you to enter a cafe and relaxed coffee shop atmosphere for a daily dose of “goodness.” Feel free to work on site (free WiFi) or meet up with friends or family. Stop in for cinnamon rolls, scones (cranberry orange, chocolate caramel and cheddar thyme, strawberry coffee cake), cranberry orange muffin, red velvet cookies, brownies with espresso ganache or caramelitas. Try a breakfast special with a piece of quiche or kolache-hashbrown casserole. Breakfast burritos are rolled and ready daily. Choose from andouille, bacon, chorizo or veggie. Or tantalize your taste buds with a made-to-order breakfast sandwich on croissants or bagel with two eggs and cheese and then choose if you want to add Jojo’s homemade smoked jalapeño beef bologna, bacon, house smoked barbecue or ham. Cinnamon rolls and kaloches still hold the top spot for sellouts. Stop in for featured muffins, coffee cake or pound cake–great with maple cinnamon latte or caramel macchiato. Some of Jojo’s most popular coffees are cold: Nitro, Cold Brew, fruit smoothies and frozen affogatos are the way to go. Of course, there’s always freshly roasted coffee. Order ahead and pick up some for all your celebrations. Hours 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday (850) 737-6194 4652 Hwy. 20 East, Nicevillebigorangehousedesigns.com LJ Schooners Dockside Restaurant Welcome to LJ Schooners Dockside Restaurant located at the spectacular Bluewater Bay Marina Complex. Named after “LJ Schooner” (the LJ is for Lazy Jack), a cherished four-legged icon... Read More

  Jaime Dorsey is a California transplant successfully growing her interior design firm, Dorsey Design Co., in Bluewater Bay and surrounding areas. She has a trained eye in design, after designing and remodeling homes and commercial real estate properties in California. Over the past four years, she has helped create dream spaces that her clients love year over year. When she moved to Florida in 2022 with her family, she found that her true passion is in designing home interiors. Her attention to detail, respect for classic architecture and strong work ethic make her a standout leader in this space. Dorsey Design Co., is a family-owned business and is composed of herself as Lead Designer, her husband, Brian Dorsey, and brother-in-law Daniel Dorsey. Together, the brothers help execute her designs and knock down walls if they need to! With their vast knowledge of construction and hands-on training from their father (who has an extensive history of professional car design and home construction) they are no strangers to dust, remolding and hard work. Supporting roles with other family members help make Dorsey Design Co., a growing success. Many have come to know Jaime and Dorsey Design Co., by their classicism with modern twist designs; a unique and compelling style that is one-of-a-kind, timeless and beautiful. With the use of mix materials, textures and colors, combined with an understanding and expert application of detailing, scale and proportion, Dorsey Design Co. has a bi-coastal resume of projects in both the retail and home... Read More

  By Stacy Lingenfelter Sarikanon, Stunning Spaces – Decorating Den Interiors When it comes to color, I advise my clients to follow their heart. As an interior decorator, my color philosophy revolves around the fact that sometimes color preferences are not always the same as your favorite colors. But when some sound thought is considered when planning for a new color scheme, generally your heart’s color desires will rule supreme! And, as most people have discovered, planning a color scheme is a carefully thought-out process. I suggest that my clients follow five easy steps in assessing their space for a new color scheme. First, decide where your best opportunities are for using color! Will painting one wall in an accent color give your room the spark you desire? Or perhaps a soft blending of similar color hues will give your new room its desired “feeling or mood.”Then, take a critical look at your room’s architectural features. Do you want them to stand out – take center stage – or be minimized? For instance, perhaps you have painted bookshelves flanking a room’s fireplace. Adding an accent color to the back walls of your bookshelves might add just a bit of much-needed color flair to the entire wall scheme. Third, try to define how your space is being used. Reading, relaxing, game playing, watching TV? An important consideration in selecting your new color scheme is how you actually use and enjoy the space. Next, analyze your room’s lighting. How much natural light... Read More

  Join the ladies of Women United for its 2nd Annual Brunch and Bubbly presented by Cox. Sunday, May 7, at 11:30 a.m. at 109 Brooks St SE in Fort Walton Beach. Wear your favorite pink dress (or blouse) and hear from passionate female leaders discussing the work of United Way Emerald Coast and Women United in providing women and girls access to mental health resources and education in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Tickets are on sale now at www.united-way.org/womenunited. General admission starts at $65, Bottomless Bubbly VIP is $75 and a Table of 8 is $550.   The post Join Women United for Brunch and Bubbly May 7 appeared first on Bay Life | News, Events and Community Information.   Read More

  Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) kicked off its highly-anticipated 2023 Concerts in the Village Thursday, April 20. The area’s first live concert series is held each spring on Thursday evenings at the MKAF Dugas Pavilion in Destin. This year’s 28th annual family-friendly series will run from April 20 to June 22. The 10-concert live music series will feature premier regional and national musicians and bands performing everything from classic rock, reggae and disco to modern pop. Here’s a closer look at the lineup: May 5 Ozomatl, cacophony of sounds melding salsa, jazz, funk, reggae and hip hop, takes the stage. This social-minded ensemble rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 to give voice to Latinos, fight for workers’ rights and promote a global unity. After performing around the world, this Latin-pop infusion is ready to rock Destin. Tickets are $25 adults/$20 active-duty military. May 11 will feature Lucky Chops – New Day, New Tour. Lucky Chops has been unleashing high-energy brassy funk on the world since forming in NYC in 2006. The intensity of the band’s energy is fueled by their desire to share the healing and inspirational power of music with others. Tickets are $25 adults/$20 active-duty military. May 18, get ready to chill with Yacht Rock Revue: Reverse Sunset Tour. This top-notch group of musicians, presented by SiriusXM, trademarked the term “yacht rock,” both metaphorically and literally (U.S. Registration Number 3834195). From humble beginnings in a basement, they’ve rocked onstage with John Oates, Eddie Money and... Read More