The Emerald Coast Theatre Company at Grand Boulevard has a schedule for the littles this Summer. The Mini Player Camps (Ages 5 – 7, rising Kindergartners) are designed specifically for the youngest players. These camps focus on activities that allow students to explore acting, singing, and movement in an energetic, nurturing environment that fosters creativity and collaboration.   Read More

  Join fellow SoWal earth-lovers for an Earth Day Town Hall on Saturday April 22nd from 12 – 3PM in Padgett Park off JD Miller Road in Santa Rosa Beach. Hear presentations, enjoy demos and displays from the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Coalition, and get tours of Walton County’s only Community Garden with Satsuma planting by Trees on the Coast. The event is free to attend and family-friendly.   Read More

  By Spencer Angland, Marketing Coordinator, Flooring Depot of Panama City Cooler days are behind us, and warmer days ahead. Spring is here and everyone is ready to spend more time outside basking in the sunshine. If you have been thinking about upgrading your patio or pool deck, then now is the perfect time to breathe new life into your outdoor spaces—and a great option is resin-chip epoxy concrete coating. There are plenty of ways that you can use resin-chip epoxy concrete to make the most of your outdoor space. The possibilities of colors make resin-chip coating a versatile design element that can turn any area into the new center of attention of your house. If you have a pool, then using this on the pool deck is a great pick. The vinyl chips that give this type of concrete its name can come in any variety of colors and can be completely customized to get exactly the color or combination of colors that you are looking for. The possibilities are limitless and can match any preexisting color scheme perfectly. The coloring can be as unique as you. The flakes in the concrete also provide excellent traction around a slippery pool deck. “Nothing is really slip-proof, you can fall anywhere, but the resin chip can reduce slipping and sliding by the pool—helping make it a safer option,” says Rob Morrisseau, commercial and residential installation manager for Flooring Depot of Panama City. “In addition, the resin chip flakes are not abrasive... Read More

  By Sean Dietrich She was trash. At least that’s how she was treated. She was found wandering a rural Mississippi highway. Beneath the stars. It was a wonder the girl hadn’t been hit. This was a busy highway. The kind with transfer trucks. The dog was walking in the center of the road. On the yellow line. Clearly there was something wrong with her. Animals don’t walk open highways. But the black-and-tan dog was moving by feel. Because she is blind. All she knew was that she liked open highway because the surface was smooth, and there were no obstructions. And when you’re blind, no obstructions is a good thing. She was a skeleton. Every rib visible. Every spinal disc showed. There were scars all over her, as though she’d been involved in a host of dog fights. A scar on her face. A scar on her chest. One behind her ear. On her side. Another on her right forelimb. Probably, she had been caged with other hunting dogs. The dogs were probably mistreated and hungry. Hunger makes dogs mean. Nobody knows how the blindness happened. But it didn’t take a rocket engineer to figure it out. “Someone hit this animal with a blunt object,” the veterinarian later said, choking back tears. “Someone beat this poor dog. Maybe with the butt of a rifle. Maybe with rebar.” People say that dogs use smell above all other senses. That’s a lie. A dog doesn’t use her sense of smell to... Read More

  If you had told Yvette in 4th grade that the boy who surprised her with an oversized Valentine’s Day card would one day be her husband, she would have laughed out loud. But sometimes life has a funny way of working out, and that’s exactly what happened. Yvette and Richard (or Butch, as he was known) first met in elementary school. They shared a brief but sweet friendship until Yvette’s family moved away. It wasn’t until a decade later that they ran into each other again, this time at a bowling alley. They hit it off immediately and started dating shortly afterward. The rest, as they say, is history. The couple raised two daughters while jumping from base to base during their 22 years of service in the Air Force. Moving so frequently and changing schools so often was a hardship on the girls. But, Yvette always tried to stay positive through it all. “I always tried to make the best for us all wherever we would go,” Yvette tells me. This kind of resiliency is typical of many military spouses, who often have to deal with unexpected changes and challenges. It was four years ago that Yvette and Butch moved into Bob Hope Village. Butch had been ill for most of his time here and sadly passed away last spring. While Yvette misses her husband of 58 years dearly, she finds strength and support from her fellow residents and the Air Force Enlisted Village (AFEV) staff. Even at... Read More

  By Jamie C. Williamson, PhD This month my husband Larry and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Ours is a second marriage for both of us. And, even though 25 is traditionally thought of as the silver anniversary, we feel “golden” pretty much every day. Younger couples often tell us that they want to know our secret. They are painfully aware that one of every four divorces in the U.S. is a “gray divorce” – a divorce involving people over 50+ ending a long-term marriage. I’m happy to share the secret to our happy marriage. You can protect your marriage against this “gray divorce” phenomenon by adopting these four habits that will keep your marriage golden, even when you’re gray. (1) Treat your marriage as the foundation of your family. If you allow your marriage to erode in the early years, you, your spouse, and your children will feel insecure, unsettled, and tense. Without deliberate care and attention, a once intimate, loving marriage could become conflictual and distant. Even if a distressed marriage survives until children are launched or careers have ended, the kids will likely be troubled, and the couple will likely opt for divorce as a relief from their unfulfilling relationship. When it comes to family priorities, put marriage stability first, whether you are a family with children or without. (2) Create a long-term goal and work toward it together. Young adult couples are less likely to divorce if they are well educated. Older adult couples, however,... Read More

  Pier Park is always hopping, and April is no exception. Beach bunnies are taking over the shopping, dining and entertainment complex on Saturday, April 8 during the Beach Bunny Bonanza & Art Hop. Tourists and residents are invited to the Grand IMAX and the Celebration Tower roundabout from noon to 2 p.m. for free family Easter fun. During the event, visitors can enjoy a free photo op with Pier Park’s Beach Bunny, complimentary prize-filled Easter eggs, an egg hunt on the SkyWheel grounds, free movie popcorn and other treats, a stilt-walking balloon artist plus giveaways and contests including a chance to win a $1,000 Pier Park swag bag! New this year is an “Art Hop” featuring works, demonstrations and a free painting class from area artists. The post Pier Park Hosts Beach Bunny Bonanza & Art Hop April 8 appeared first on PCB Life | Panama City Beach News, Events and Community Information.   Read More

  By Jack Smith I met Jim Corr at the Panama City Beach Senior Center where he was attending a woodworking class. He had just completed an exquisite bowl. He and his wife Judy were kind enough to tell me his remarkable story. Unfortunately, I was not the first newspaperman to conduct an interview with Jim. It seems my predecessor was uninformed about how to interview combat Marines. I learned from my own family that it is not acceptable to ask questions about personal feelings during actual combat. Jim was so upset with this journalist that he offered to demonstrate the art of hand-to-hand combat. Jim warmed up when told that my Grandfather had received his wings at Pensacola prior to World War I. Turns out, Jim received his wings in Pensacola at the start of World War II. Jim grew up in Selma, Alabama, playing football and baseball like most kids his age. After high school graduation he attended Georgetown University until the start of the war. He decided that if he had to go to war, it might as well be with the toughest outfit, The United States Marines. After Pensacola, Jim and his group were sent to North Carolina for Advanced Fighter Training. On leave, he remembers, “I met one of the nicest ladies I ever met.” She invited Jim and two other pilots to Sunday dinner, a tradition that continued for their time in North Carolina. After training, Jim and his squadron VMF 221 were sent... Read More

  By Paul Bonnette Walt Disney World. Just the name conjures up images of exciting rides, hilarious characters, delicious snacks, and fun with family and friends. If you haven’t been to Disney World in the past few years, and are looking to make a trip back to the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” it may be a bit different than you remember. Park Hopping, fast passes, and even reservations have all changed in the past few years after Covid forced many businesses including Disney to change their operating method. Before you gas up the car to head down to Orlando, here are a few things you should know about planning your Disney vacation. My Disney Experience App is extremely important. Wait times, ride and park photos, reservations, and more are all managed on the app called “My Disney Experience.” Whether you want to mobile order from a quick service restaurant, check how long the wait time is for Pirates of the Caribbean, or even use it as a map, this app will help make sure you get the most from your vacation. Park Reservations. Unfortunately, you will not be able to hop down there with a ticket and waltz through the gates to get in line for Haunted Mansion as you might be used to doing. Park reservations are required for each of the four parks such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. The best way to make and manage your park reservation is through the My... Read More