What is happening in Okaloosa County and along the Emerald Coast. Every story is briefed in our own words, with links to everyone who reported it.
A propane tank exploded at JD's Kitchen on Perry Avenue early Tuesday morning, destroying the Jamaican cuisine food truck and leaving its owner to rebuild. The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department determined a broken regulator caused a slow leak that accumulated inside the truck until a spark from the refrigerator ignited it, though no injuries occurred.
Kate Jannazo, a sophomore outside hitter for Niceville High School, has recorded 30 kills and 27 digs through five matches after earning Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman. Coach Karson Jessup credits Jannazo's improved passing and comfort level with teammates for her development as a calm, reliable presence on the court.
Michael Carter, a former Navarre High School football player, was signed to the Tennessee Titans' practice squad one day after being released by the team. The running back will practice with the squad as the NFL season begins.
The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department is inviting the public to ring its ceremonial bell on Friday, Sept. 11, with 343 participants honoring the New York City firefighters killed in the 2001 attacks. The ceremony begins at 7:46 a.m. at Fire Station 6, with a vintage fire truck on display and a large American flag hung from a ladder truck.
The sixth annual Burgers, Bourbon and Beer Festival is moving to the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Cultural Arts Village on September 19 to accommodate growing attendance. The event, which has raised over $200,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast since its inception, will feature burger tastings from area restaurants, craft beverages, live music and a silent auction.
The Destin middle school volleyball team lost to visiting Liza Jackson 25-12, 25-13 on Aug. 31. The Lions dominated both sets in the matchup.
Emma Barry, a former Navarre High School soccer player, was recognized as one of the week's top athletes after scoring two goals and recording two assists in two games for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
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The Fire Department will host a 25th anniversary remembrance on Sept. 11 at Fire Station 6, asking community members to ring a bell in honor of the 343 New York City firefighters killed in the 2001 attacks. The ceremony begins at 7:46 a.m., the moment the first plane struck the North Tower, with a vintage fire truck and large flag display.
The 96th Test Wing will conduct testing Wednesday morning that will trigger intermittent road closures lasting up to 90 minutes between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Highway 85 and State Road 123 near the Eglin Test and Training Complex. Backup testing is scheduled for Sept. 11 during the same timeframe.
The Florida Department of Transportation revoked all permits for automated license plate readers on state roads, ordering local law enforcement agencies to remove the devices within 30 days. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office will comply by removing its Flock cameras from both state and county rights-of-way, citing FDOT's concerns about data privacy and misuse.
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Governor DeSantis awarded the Niceville-based college funding to build a 4,000-square-foot facility offering composite fabrication and industrial pipefitting programs. The center will serve regional shipbuilding, defense and aerospace employers near Eglin Air Force Base and other military installations.
Madeline Haner, 24, was stopped by Oklahoma Highway Patrol last week and found with a homemade explosive device and firearms in her vehicle. Haner is the wife of Antonio Haner, a Crestview man killed during a SWAT incident earlier this month, and Okaloosa County has issued a warrant charging her with manufacturing an explosive device with intent to cause harm or death.
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Fort Walton Beach is shifting its monthly Coffee with the City Manager session to 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the next gathering scheduled for Sept. 3 at the Public Library. The informal event, held the first Thursday of each month, gives residents a chance to discuss city issues directly with City Manager Jason Davis.
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The city is hosting eight weeks of free Friday night concerts at the newly renovated Landing park starting Sept. 4, running through Oct. 23. The series features rock, country, blues and funk bands performing from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the downtown waterfront venue.
Kyra McKelvey, a former Navarre High School volleyball player, was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2025 while playing for Southeastern Louisiana University. The standout is positioned to build on that success in the upcoming season.
Tropical Storm Bertha wiped out loggerhead sea turtle nests on Navarre Beach, eliminating what had been a promising breeding season. The beach had hosted 17 loggerhead nests before the storm struck.
Bennett C. Russell, who led Santa Rosa County District Schools, is commemorated through numerous community landmarks including a school, stadium, park and highway section bearing his name. Russell is remembered by those who knew him as a principled leader dedicated to public service.
Walton County commissioners unanimously approved removing FLOCK automatic license plate readers from county roads, while Santa Rosa County leaders indicated they would retain the surveillance technology.
A chain-reaction crash involving 11 vehicles occurred Sunday afternoon on Interstate 10 near mile marker 46 when a driver lost control in heavy rainfall and struck a guardrail and another vehicle. Six people were hospitalized with minor injuries, and westbound lanes were closed for three and a half hours.
Running back Michael Carter, who has ties to Navarre, was cut by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday as the team reduced its roster to the NFL's 53-player limit before the 2026 season begins.
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A teenage girl was arrested Sunday after investigators traced a threatening TikTok post directed at Pryor and Bruner middle schools. Authorities determined the suspect had no access to weapons and deemed the threat not credible.
Baker High School defeated Destin 35-13 on Friday in the Gators' first victory after an opening-week loss to Jay. The win came after the team had extra preparation time during the week.
The Crestview football team lost to Enterprise, Alabama last Friday in a matchup against one of the state's top programs. After keeping the game competitive through halftime, second-half mistakes led to the lopsided defeat.
The Choctaw Indians lost 31-21 to Alabama's sixth-ranked Auburn Tigers on Friday night, showing improvement from their previous game but unable to overcome the higher-ranked opponent. Quarterback Isaiah Collins performed well in the second half and will remain the starter as Choctaw prepares for upcoming matchups against Pace, Escambia and Niceville.
South Walton defeated Fort Walton Beach 35-0 Friday night to improve to 2-0, with the Seahawks' defense allowing no points through two games while the offense has scored 85 total points. Quarterback JD Brown connected with receivers Treiy Crenshaw and Carter Hawk for first-quarter touchdowns, while running back Max Madden added two rushing scores in the second half to trigger running clock.
The Argos defeated nationally ranked Southern Illinois 34-31 in their first game as a Division I FCS program, drawing a crowd exceeding 6,000 to Darrell Gooden Stadium on Thursday night.
QuionJay "KiKi" Lesaun Monique Gunter of Fort Walton Beach died August 26 at age 33. A gathering of friends and military honors service are scheduled for September 1 at Emerald Coast Funeral Home.
Crestview's swim team competed in the Choctaw Freestyle Invitational in Destin on Aug. 22, finishing eighth out of 11 teams despite limited practice time due to weather conditions.
The Crestview Bulldogs lost to visiting Niceville 3-0 on Thursday night, ending their winning streak after a 3-1 victory over Bozeman earlier in the week.
Baker's boys' and girls' golf teams competed in their season opener Tuesday at Blackwater Golf Course, facing off against Jay and Central in the first high school golf event of the year.
The Crestview Bulldogs lost their first match of the season to Niceville at Blackwater Golf Course, shooting 189 after limited practice time due to recent rain.
Students at Navarre High School decorated their parking spots with painted characters and messages before the start of the school year. The artistic displays transformed the student lot into a gallery of colorful designs.
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A Fort Walton Beach resident lost $20,200 after receiving calls from people claiming to represent Navy Federal Credit Union, who directed her to send money via Cash App and overnight mail. Police tracked and intercepted the $19,000 package at a FedEx facility in Mossy Head before it reached its intended destination in Fort Pierce.
The Navarre Raiders lost to the Booker T. Washington Wildcats on Friday night, with running back Brody Powers scoring two touchdowns in the effort.
The Florida Department of Transportation will close lanes near the Mid-Bay Bridge toll plaza from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3 for milling and paving work during overnight hours. Drivers will experience alternating one-lane traffic Aug. 30-Sept. 1 with tolls waived, while inside lanes close north of the plaza Sept. 2-3.
Headlines and briefings are written by Emerald Coast Connected. Full articles remain with the publishers linked under each story.