By Kenneth Books Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay, it’s natural for local residents to take to the water and try to land that trophy fish. But there’s more to fishing than baiting a hook and casting a line. No one is born with fishing skills. And, as the saying goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life. Into the breach steps Capt. Rob Hansill, an engineer who retired from the Marine Corps after 22 years, with a penchant for teaching. Four times a year, Rob runs the Get Hook’d Academy at Bluewater Bay Marina, providing young people with techniques that will serve them for the rest of their lives on the water. The four-session classes take place in early spring, May, August and September. This will be the fourth year the Academy has operated. So far, there are 94 graduates of the Academy. “We base it on school holidays, so we can get four consecutive Mondays in a row,” Rob, 51, says. Each class runs three hours, from 4 to 7 p.m., which Rob admits is “kind of a stretch for a kid who goes to school all day, but it works.” Rob’s teaching method includes quick demonstrations followed by hands-on training. For example, he’ll show a knot, then the students will work toward mastering it. The students are provided videos of the classwork, which they can take home and... Read More

  A Gift to our Community that Keeps on Growing By Kelly Murphy-Redd, CEcd Marlayna Goosby, founder and director of Grow Your Gift Conservatory of Music uses her gift to grow the gifts of others. Born in Louisiana and a military “brat,” Marlayna lived in England, Alaska and Alabama before moving to Fort Walton Beach in 1995. Her father was Command Chief at Hurlburt Field and her husband is a retired reservist Chief Master Sergeant from Duke Field. She attended Fort Walton Beach High School and was appointed to the All-County Honor Band all four years and the Florida All-State Honor Band one year. Marlayna received a music scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi. As First Clarinet in the university symphony, Marlayna played alongside Doc Severinsen and the original cast of Les Miserable and graduated with a degree in music. Marlayna has wonderful memories of her 32 years as a musician. She remembers practicing in her basement, on a stool, on the concrete floor when she was very young, and being taken to group lessons in Anchorage, Alaska when it was ten to twenty degrees below zero. She lights up when talking about playing in the Viking Band at Fort Walton Beach High School under the tutelage of Mr. Randy Folsom and Mr. Ernest Hebson, who still mentor her today. Marlayna insists the years spent with these gentlemen also helped make her and her fellow students into good adults. Coming home from college, Marlayna worked as a mail clerk... Read More

  By Dr. Richard Chern, M.D. If you haven’t heard already there is a new weight loss medication available at a reasonable cost. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist which means it activates the GLP-1 receptor. Still confused? It doesn’t matter. It has several important actions in the body. Semaglutide ultimately helps your body lose weight by improving the regulation of sugar levels and insulin levels in the body. If this sounds like a medication for diabetes instead of weight loss then you would be correct. This class of medications was developed to improve diabetes. Astonishingly, in studies, many of my patients lost significant weight. In fact, up to 30% of their body weight. And, much of the weight stayed off after stopping the medication. This medication also slows the stomach. Food stays in the stomach longer so you feel full longer. And your stomach gets full faster so you eat less. These medications help people lose significant weight and you lose weight without feeling hungry! Sounds like magic, right? I have been seeing patients for over 30 years. I have seen so many weight loss drugs come on and go. This is the first time I have ever been excited to tell people about a weight loss medication. So how is it possible this medication is available? Well, this medication was initially Ozempic. The FDA allows a new medication to have a patent, or monopoly, on the medication for many years. They say this gives the company enough time... Read More

  What is Preserve Bluewater Bay? Preserve Bluewater Bay (PBWB) is a not for profit organization created by community members to save the greenspace in Bluewater Bay. PBWB is working to garner a true non-profit 501c3 status, but it is still in the works with the State of Florida and the IRS. The magnificent greenspace in Bluewater Bay is the defining characteristic of our community, and we want to keep it that way. Why is this community ripe for development? Bluewater was originally built as a golf community. The golf course has been slowly losing clientele over the years and is not as profitable as it once was. As the demand for housing increases and interest in golf decreases, residential and commercial development companies see an opportunity for profit and are interested in purchasing the golf course to build new homes and multi-tenant units. We’ve witnessed neighboring communities struggle with over-development and infrastructure shortages (roads, schools, etc.) and we want to prevent this from happening in Bluewater Bay. Are you trying to save the golf course? Today, much of our greenspace is still primarily used as a golf course. The golf course helps pay for the maintenance and upkeep of these greenspaces. PBWB would like to continue to use the land for a golf course, because it is the most cost effective way to maintain the land. Although the golf course financial picture is improving, it is yet to be seen if it can return to profitability. If golf gets... Read More

  By Kenneth Books Ground is being broken for Addie’s Place, a 40-home, gated community off Bluewater Boulevard in Bluewater Bay. The homes, which will range in price from about $700,000 to $900,000, will have a footprint from 2,100 to roughly 4,000 square feet. “The first move-ins will take place in the fall,” said Craig Harley, area manager of developer Randy Wise’s Classic Homes Division, which is developing the community. “We expect a full complement of sales within two years.” Addie’s Place is named after Randy Wise’s grandmother, Addie Willingham, Wise said. Another Randy Wise Bluewater Bay development, Fate’s Landing, is named after his grandfather, Lafayette, nicknamed Fate. The homes at Addie’s Place will each have a unique look, rather than the cookie cutter format used in many developments. Some will have amenities such as outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, pool baths, libraries, bonus rooms and accent walls. “The vast majority of our homes are personalized,” said Harley. “No two will be alike.” So far, 10 homes have been presold, Harley said. One of the couples who have reserved a home for themselves are Rich and Linda Toliver. The couple, who live in Huntsville, Ala., fell in love with the Emerald Coast during the 14 years Rich worked at Eglin. At the time, they lived in Fort Walton Beach.“In Niceville, you can still have a family,” Rich said. “We wanted dogs, a yard and people. We wanted our own community. This is a real town.” Randy Wise has built homes in Niceville... Read More

  By Lori Leath Smith Niceville local Brad Buinicky’s mantra is, “Learn from the past and cling to good memories. Plan for the future and hope for the best. But live in the present and maximize your potential there.” As the local Emerald Coast area owner of Heroes Lawn Care, Brad has definitely started a business with maximum potential; Heroes Lawn Care is fulfilling a great need in our area and Brad says he’s excited to serve our local communities. For example, “Many people don’t realize they need to set their soil up for success. But, with the proper soil structure and fertilization, the lawns we care for reap benefits such as higher water retention, soil nutrition permeability and improved drainage. We provide the specific structure for your grass roots to grow strong.” The company, based in Valparaiso, launched locally with a Grand Opening event at 3rd Planet Brewery in March, attended by as many as 200! It provides lawn care services such as fertilization, “Doody Duty” and irrigation. Fertilization programs include an 8- or 10-step system with seasonal pesticides and pre-emergent fertilizers scientifically selected to be applied at the correct times of the seasons, customized to our area to make the biggest difference towards a green lawn. Irrigation services include yearly and mid-season inspections, turn on, sprinkler and irrigation repairs, winterization, and system and controller upgrades. Eco-Conscious Lawn Conservation can include pet waste packages such as monthly, one-time, weekly or bi-weekly service, Doody Deodorizer Plus brown patch treatment and... Read More