-- Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a Sunday morning shooting incident on Beach Drive in Destin Deputies say they responded to reports of multiple gunshots fired around 4:15 a.m and Deputies are urging anyone with information to come forward Individuals can contact the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office at 850-651-7400 or reach out to Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS Tips can also be submitted online or through the P3 Tips mobile application Okaloosa Sheriff's Office investigating weekend shooting in Destin that damaged a vehicleNorthwest Florida Daily NewsDESTIN — Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a shooting that occurred early in the morning on May 4 on Beach Drive in Destin where multiple gunshots were fired and bullets struck a vehicle According to a social media post on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page they discovered shell casings in the area and confirmed that a vehicle had been hit multiple times Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and more details will be released as they become available Anyone with information is urged to contact the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office at 850-651-7400. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS, online at emeraldcoastcrimestoppers.com a longstanding nonprofit serving the Destin community since 1987 announced Monday the permanent closure of its thrift store and temporary suspension of food pantry services at its 300 Mountain Drive location Harvest House has provided essential services to individuals and families in need throughout Destin and neighboring communities,” said Jason Belcher which has been a vital funding source for the organization’s charitable programs “Harvest House remains committed to its mission of serving the community and is in the process of securing a new permanent location,” Belcher said Harvest House has distributed over 343,307 bags of groceries to more than 114,367 working families and individuals in the Destin area The nonprofit has played a crucial role in the social safety net of the coastal community for 38 years.  The organization is asking supporters to follow their social media accounts and website for updates regarding the resumption of food pantry services and progress toward securing a new permanent location For updates and more information, individuals can visit the organization’s website here or contact them at 850-837-2277 Join the best local newsletter read by thousands of locals each weekday morning From eating in the dining hall to getting a ride on the 45-foot vessel members of the Destin High fishing class got treated to a morning tour of US Coast Guard Station Destin on May 1 brought along 27 students as well as a few adults for the tour of the station that sits at the foot of the Marler Bridge The group of 35 was divided into three groups so they could get a more personal tour of the facility as well as a ride on the 45-footer Coast Guard personnel gave tours of the living quarters recreation area as well as the workout gym and home movie theater They explained the work week of the personnel and that Destin station has 30 people who work in 48-hour shifts BM3 Kyle Terashima explained to the students safety gear that people should have on the water while MK2 Braden Rozecki talked of firearms they have available on their vessels More: Destin High reefs go down in memorial head cook Bobby Depaula told them: “We try to make sure people here eat well he fed the students homemade pizza and chicken wings was on hand to talk to the students about some of the diving apparatus More: Fishing class students get front row seat at Rodeo He had a big KM-97 diving helmet on hand for the students to try on The helmet weighed approximately 30 pounds who has plans to enlist in the Coast Guard The fishing class students also got to ride on the 45-foot Coast Guard vessel Fishing student Khloe Sanders got a chance to sit in the driver's seat at the controls When asked how it felt to be in control of the vessel before heading back to the classroom at Destin High Several of the students expressed an interest in joining the Coast Guard after the tour Miles said they plan to make this (field trip) part of the class for years to come A Kentucky family got a close-up look at a great white shark last Thursday while out fishing on a charter boat in Destin Taylor Bankston had taken the family of four out for a fishing trip aboard his 26-foot center console charter boat when something massive caught his eye what I thought I saw in the water was a submarine and I was waiting next for the periscope to pop out of the water,” Bankston said Get the Gaff from 2020: Destin angler jumps into Gulf to get loose rod hooked with cobia and then the submarine turned into something that had giant teeth and a giant eyeball,” he said “I immediately knew I had never seen a fish in the water that big It had to be a great white,” Bankston said who operates his boat out of AJ’s on Destin harbor had four customers aboard the boat from Kentucky Bankston explained that he had the motors off and was using an i-Pilot trolling motor to hold them over a spot They were fishing about nine miles out of Destin “We were just sitting there over the reef catching fish and she popped up and circled us for 20 minutes,” he said the shark came up and “mouthed the back of the boat and realized that we weren’t anything eatable The shark continued to circle the boat for about another 10 minutes “It was just circling us and checking us out,” Bankston said Bankston had gone up in the tower of his boat to get a good look He said when everybody on the boat walked over to one side “I was leaning over the top of the great white .. More: 'Up close and personal': Local captains say catching a shark is a thrilling experience After the shark circled for about 20 minutes “Then five minutes later we saw a dorsal fin about 100 yards away from us going across the surface slow as all get out .. That was her when she swam away,” Bankston said The dorsal fin on the great white was about 2 ½ feet tall “Literally the dorsal fin looked like the fin on Jaws,” he said making mention that the movie "Jaws 2" was filmed in the Destin area dun – was going through my head when I saw that thing,” Bankston said “First thing I thought was ‘captain we’re going to need a bigger boat,’” Bankston said Bankston said the great white was about 14-feet long and estimated it to be between 1,100 and 1,400 pounds “It’s the biggest fish I’ve ever seen,” he said It was as if we were viewing a dinosaur,” he said Bankston said they were never really scared “And I knew we couldn’t short clean the boat today More: 'Definitely not geared up for that': Destin boat hooks 20-foot great white shark “You respect the piece of equipment that kept you separate and safe,” Bankston said “If I would have been hooked up to a heart monitor there would have been some peaking and beeping but we were highly alert and lots of adrenalin flowing,” he said they went back to fishing and caught plenty of mingo "The mingo had no idea there was a 1,400-pound shark swimming above their heads .. and they were still chewing like crazy,” Bankston said Even when great whites venture southward during their migration pattern they tend to stay away from the beaches in continental shelf waters Great white sharks are found in every ocean though they stay away from the colder waters of Antarctica and the Arctic Great white sharks in Florida on OCEARCH shark trackerNorth Atlantic great white sharks migrate as far south as Florida and the Gulf in winter searching for warmer waters and more food sources many of them along the Eastern Seaboard and Nova Scotia You can follow their journeys on the OCEARCH shark tracker website or by downloading the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of multiple gunshots fired on Beach Drive in Destin early Saturday morning discovering shell casings and a vehicle damaged by bullets A vehicle was struck by multiple bullets during the incident Authorities are actively investigating the shooting and have indicated more information will be released as it becomes available The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 850-651-7400 Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS Something fishy happened at a Panhandle press conference discussing red snapper season Gov. Ron DeSantis was interrupted in the middle of his preamble by a protester hollering from the back of the room but the Governor offered a response from the microphone You should be ashamed of yourself for peddling those bogus narratives,” DeSantis said Presumably the demonstration had nothing to do with fishing though it may have revolved around Hope Florida issues “The guy needs to get on his medication That guy’s got some serious issues.” DeSantis has dealt with protesters at various points in his political career In 2024 at the University of Florida he was greeted by pro-Palestinian slogans as he messaged about how encampments wouldn’t be tolerated in Florida the way they were elsewhere “So much of this is just such a farce that it’s just kind of embarrassing to even hear some of this nonsense,” DeSantis said at one point DeSantis said students protesting were “completely fine” with how Hamas “went into Israeli communities and baked babies in ovens assassinated elderly people in very brutal ways.” He was also protested by the Dream Defenders in 2023 As a presidential candidate and led off his remarks with a denunciation of President Joe Biden when people in the front of the crowd began to unfurl Pride flags They’re all of our children,” DeSantis said as Moms for Liberty members tried to yank the flag from the hands of one of the young people holding it a 5- and a 3-year-old … they’re not his children But when he’s sitting here talking about all of our children Why don’t you focus on spending more time with your granddaughter in Arkansas or at least acknowledge she exists before you worry about our children?” DeSantis added a cadre of men in dark jackets approached the kid with the rainbow flag preceding his swift departure from the room which finally earned a direct address from DeSantis “And they shouldn’t be worrying about our children either We don’t want you indoctrinating our children In June 2023, someone calling him a “f****** fascist” briefly derailed a rote speech in Lexington “We’re not going to let you impose an agenda on our kids,” the Governor said In New Hampshire in 2023, DeSantis encountered some women storming the stage chanting “Jews against DeSantis.” with the Governor looking only briefly concerned before offering a quip to return proceedings to normalcy “You’ve got to have a little spice in the speech Why do you want to pay the ticket for that to get in But different strokes for different folks,” DeSantis said A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski Isn’t “The Red Snapper” Ron’s nickname for Casey Reply Well at least this demonstrator shows that the hyperventilating intellectually stunted left is consistent in its performative idiocy You get the pointless moron of the day participation trophy Reply that tops Dee’s hysterical HAMAs “baked babies in ovens” ?- Reply Wow a single loud mouth protestor in Destin Reply DeSantis & President Trump’s popularity are dropping fast maybe they will “get” their laws are Not liked and against us the people who voted for them Neither knows how to Governor “ For the People” only to enrich themselves finally voters are waking up TRUTH MATTERS. Reply by chance were you the person he suggested to get back on medication Reply Sure in polls massively skewed against actual GOP voters – under represented by as much us 16% Just the left in its carefully constructed echo chamber of idiocy Reply not one word about how our $10 M was diverted to fight Citizens attempting to amend Our Florida Constitution so we could use a plant that God provided us without being arrested As for Israel we think that the government is committing genocide Reply Ahh angry that being a pot smoker is not an occupation Incedintally God also gave us milkweed and poison ivy What a trite argument and a disrespect to God to use His name to promote your slothful habit Reply It is none of your business what other people smoke Government’s only legitimate role is to protect your right to smoke whatever you want Reply I am sure that poison ivy has a role in God’s plan I’m quite sure that sloths have a place in God’s creation it was meant to be used for the illegal ripoff of Medicare funds and not to fight we the people Reply just put the $10,000,000 back in the taxpayers’ till Maybe it’s a “bogus narrative” to you but members of your party in the House of Representatives dont think so and subpoenaed two members of your administration to answer questions midwife of the 2025-2026 recession and Sloppy Steve Bannon the Maitre’d of the Stop the Steal rally and ransacking of the Capitol Reply and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN There's nothing like an encounter with a 14-foot-long white shark to get the heart pumping Not to mention the stories you'll bring home from your Florida vacation That's what happened when a Kentucky family headed out for a fishing trip from Florida's Panhandle. Taylor Bankston took a group of anglers from Kentucky — a mother dad and two daughters — out on his 26-foot boat ➤ ‘Giant teeth and a giant eyeball.' Photos show Florida boater’s great white shark encounter While fishing about nine miles from Destin in the Gulf of America “I immediately knew I had never seen a fish in the water that big. It had to be a great white,” Bankston said “It was just circling us and checking us out Bankston said the shark circled his boat about 20 minutes mouthing the back of the boat at one time "to see what we were .. and realized that we weren’t anything eatable." ➤ More photos, videos posted by Taylor Bankston on Facebook like the movie 'Jaws.' That was her when she swam away,” Bankston said Bankston estimated the shark was about 14 feet long, with a dorsal fin about 2 ½ feet tall He estimated it to be between 1,100 and 1,400 pounds “The dorsal fin looked like the fin on 'Jaws,' " he said making the shark just over half the length of the boat there would have been some peaking and beeping," Bankston said Bankston said the anglers onboard were ecstatic Destin is located about 40 miles east of Pensacola or 50 miles west of Panama City White sharks love to visit Florida during the winter months which describes itself as a "data-centric organization built to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean while open sourcing our research and explorations," regularly tags and tracks sharks Record white shark tagged off Florida-Georgia borderIn January 2025, scientists tagged a 13-foot 9-inch shark, nicknamed "Contender," near the Florida-Georgia border The male shark was estimated to weigh more than 1,300 pounds. ➤ 2 great white sharks, one massive at 1,653 pounds, ping off Florida east coast. Here's where After being tagged, Contender headed farther south, exploring the waters as far south as Indian River County before turning to head north His last "ping," when a transponder attached to his dorsal fin sent a signal to a satellite, was Tuesday, April 15, off the coast of North Carolina. Three other sharks — two white and one tiger — tagged by Ocearch have pinged off Florida this week director of Florida Program for Shark Research and curator of Florida Museum of Natural History ➤ Curious about Florida sharks? We asked an expert about things you should know – Florida’s fishing enthusiasts have reason to celebrate as the state announced a record-breaking Gulf red snapper recreational season for 2025.  During a news conference held in Destin on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that anglers will enjoy a total of 126 days of fishing shattering previous records and providing ample opportunities for both Floridians and visitors The season will kick off Memorial Day weekend This extended timeframe includes key holidays such as Father’s Day and Independence Day [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]  Florida families will have more chances to fish in the fall followed by three-day weekends through the end of the year “This includes holiday opportunities on Veterans Day the Thursday through Sunday of Thanksgiving even red snapper on Christmas for those who are so inclined," said DeSantis Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has been managing the Gulf red snapper population allowing the state to extend the fishing season significantly While the Gulf red snapper season is expanding DeSantis is also advocating for the management of Atlantic red snapper the federal government only allows two days of fishing for Atlantic red snapper a stark contrast to the Gulf’s extended season The governor has been in discussions with federal officials including President Trump and the Secretary of Commerce to gain management rights for the Atlantic “We are requesting to manage the red snapper in the Atlantic and expand opportunities for many people,” he stated he might be able to announce similar fishing opportunities for the East Coast of Florida Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group DESTIN — Divers from across the United States will descend on Destin-Fort Walton Beach from May 16-18 to compete in the Emerald Coast Open known as the world’s largest lionfish tournament with more than $100,000 in prizes on the line The annual event aims to curb the spread of invasive lionfish in Gulf waters more than 100 divers removed nearly 12,000 lionfish and organizers expect to surpass that number this year Prizes will be awarded for categories including most lionfish “Marine conservation is a key component of Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s tourism initiatives.” A weeklong "Restaurant Week" will precede the tournament showcasing lionfish dishes prepared by local chefs restaurant week will begin May 9 at the Crab Trap Destin The free Lionfish Festival will be held at HarborWalk Village in Destin from May 17 to 18 The event will feature conservation exhibits Tournament winners will be announced May 18 at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar “Each year the Emerald Coast Open demonstrates the very best in how our businesses and diving community collaborate to create an exciting atmosphere for residents and visitors,” Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said in the release More information and registration details are available at www.emeraldcoastopen.com. For travel and destination info, visit www.destinfwb.com Christian Carlee honored as Destin Chamber's Business Person of the QuarterThe Destin LogChristian Carlee was honored with the Business Person of the Quarter Award at the April 11 Destin Chamber’s Business Before Hours gathering This award is presented directly from the chamber’s board of directors to a Destin area business person showing vision for his or her business and leadership in our community “I’ve known Christian for many years, watching him grow professionally and become a great businessperson and community leader. Those two things go hand-in-hand,” said Shane Moody, Destin Chamber CCE, FCCP More: Destin Chamber awards outstanding members a longtime volunteer and board member of the chamber and someone who makes sure he and his employees stay active in the community It’s a well-deserved recognition for him,” Moody said “I can't begin to tell you how Christain has proven to be a leader in our Miramar office Even while not knowing many of the customers personally he goes out of his way to introduce himself and make everyone walking in the door feel welcome Definitely community banking at its best.”  With 20 years of banking experience in the market Carlee has been in his current role since July 2024 he was with Trustmark National Bank for many years He is a past Destin Chamber chairman of the board immediate past president of the Destin Rotary Club and past vice president of A Bed 4 Me Foundation and diving and has been a local youth coach for baseball For information about the Destin Chamber or to nominate a business leader for this award This information was provided by the Destin Chamber of Commerce The 77th annual Destin Fishing Rodeo may still be five months out but plans are already being made with a few changes in the lineup the Rodeo wowed a lot of folks with some big amberjack hitting the scales at the 76th annual event In 2024 the Rodeo had 166 amberjacks to make the leaderboard at one time or another throughout the month-long fishing tournament in October And 15 of those were big amberjacks weighing 75 pounds or more 'I love my community so much': Meet Bella Riggs, Miss Destin 2025 Allen Staples of the 100 Proof finished in the top three spots in the AJ’s Bonus Division with a 96- The 100 Proof also had the top two amberjack in the Ladies Division with an 83.6 and 82.6-pounder and first in the Junior Division with an 89.8-pounder the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order that modified the greater amberjack 2024-25 open recreational season in Gulf state waters to be closed during the May season This harvest closure is consistent with the closures in Gulf federal waters and is meant to reduce harvest and improve the stock it looks as though the amberjack fishery will not reopen this year who serves on the NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee as well as the Rodeo board More: Rodeo royalty: Six captains named tops in their field for Destin Fishing Rodeo Gag grouper is another fish that has been overfished and most likely will not be available for the Rodeo will still be available to catch during the Rodeo the lineup of fish in the major divisions of the Rodeo will be king mackerel the Rodeo is looking to replace the amberjack with wahoo the Rodeo will still have a Billfish Division with blue marlin as well as an Offshore Division with species like barracuda Deep Drop Division will still be available with species such as barrelfish In the Inshore Division anglers will be able to enter flounder More: Destin fishing | Jump back 'jack: Big amberjack get on the board in final days of Rodeo This is just a sampling of some of the fish and divisions available in the Rodeo 1 and goes throughout the entire month with daily weigh ins from 10 a.m on the docks behind AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar on Destin harbor Tina Harbuck is a member of the Destin Fishing Rodeo board of directors Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1 along Destin-Fort Walton Beach with local patrol teams preparing to monitor the beaches daily through October 31 “They typically do this in the middle of the night to help protect them from predators The patrol team will be on the beaches every morning looking for new nests marking them and monitoring them until they hatch Valek outlined several ways locals and visitors can help protect nesting sea turtles flattening sandcastles and removing all belongings from the beach at the end of the day Keeping beaches dark is also critical for sea turtle protection Valek advises shutting off external lights for beachfront properties and avoiding white flashlights on the beach at night “If you do have to use a light on the beach at night we ask that you use a red sea turtle friendly flashlight,” Valek said Red sea turtle friendly flashlights are available at any Destin-Fort Walton Beach Welcome and Adventure Centers Valek encourages anyone who spots a nesting sea turtle sea turtle nest or hatchlings to call the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle hotline at 850-461-2885 After the second round of play in Destin’s Upper Division Coed Softball Tournament Reissue remains undefeated in the double-elimination tournament Hooters and Destin Commons will play at 6:45 p.m on May 7 with the winner advancing to play Reissue at 8:15 p.m Here is how the action shook out in round two Sultans took an early 10-3 lead in the first two innings and led 13-5 at the end of four Pitch Please scored six runs to close the gap at 13-11 finished strong with seven runs in the sixth and five in the seventh Pitch Please picked up three runs in the seventh More: Legendary Marine and Eighty-Sixed win in first round of Destin's coed softball tournament Corbin Carroll hit a shot out of the park as well as an inside-the-park home run Kat Mortenson doubled and hit two singles for an RBI Cameron Buckley was tops for Pitch Please with four singles for three RBIs Eden Yanez hit two doubles and a single for two RBIs and Tony Barnett cranked one out of the park scoring the 10-run limit in the first inning Hooters scored three more runs in the fourth for a run-ruling on the game Drew Graham led Hooters with a triple and two doubles for four RBIs Jesse Santos hit two doubles and a single for four RBIs and Jen Phillips connected for two singles Josh Barnes was the big stick for Ship Shoppe with a home run and a single for two RBIs Lynda Tanner a single for an RBI and Rolando (Panama) Walters hit a home run Sultans of Swat 17By the end of three innings scoring the 10-run limit for a 28-14 advantage Hooters came in and scored one run for a run-ruling on the game More: Reissue and Destin Commons win big in round one of softball tournament Colten Kilpatrick hit two doubles and two singles for three RBIs and Jen Phillips tripled and singled for three RBIs Neil Barlow belted a home run and three singles for three RBIs for Sultans and Corbin Carroll hit two doubles and a single Reissue rallied the bats and scored the 10-run limit and then held Destin Commons to only three runs in the bottom Dewayne Gray knocked in seven RBIs for Reissue on two homers Jason Little ripped a home run and four triples for three RBIs and Adrienne Vaughn doubled and hit three singles for two RBIs Chris Lawton led Destin Commons with two doubles and two singles for three RBIs Jen Robbins doubled and singled for an RBI and Zac Smith doubled and hit two singles for an RBI Following a fatal crash last Wednesday at the intersection of US 98 and Regions Way Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner is urging citizens to support safety improvements at the dangerous crossing a tragic crash at US 98 and Regions Way took a life,” Wagner wrote “This intersection has seen 60 crashes According to the FDOT study conducted by Florida Transportation Engineering the intersection has been the site of 60 documented crashes over a five-year period with 14 crashes resulting in injuries requiring medical transportation The study points to several factors contributing to the dangerous conditions including significant traffic queuing issues frequent backup from nearby traffic signals and “good Samaritan” gestures where drivers wave others through traffic – which accounted for 17 crashes Wagner noted that FDOT has already proposed the safer design at no cost to the city through an existing resurfacing project the city must provide a letter of support to move forward with the improvements “I’ve brought this to the council before but the support wasn’t there,” Wagner stated The mayor encouraged residents to email the city council and attend the upcoming council meeting on April 7 at 6 p.m at the Destin Annex Building to show support for the safety improvements “This is about protecting our neighbors and preventing the next tragedy,” Wagner concluded Drive by that intersection on my way to my shift at Home Depot Vehicles coming from Lowe’s and going east on 98 think they can clear the outside west bound lane on 98 Sometimes east bound traffic is too heavy.Contractors pulling trailers get hung up on the west bound lane and that stops traffic They should close that intersection and modify the intersection with a light at Bass Pro If someone is being courteous and waiving you on you still need to check both ways to make sure it’s safe to go Just don’t pull out because someone is being a nice guy – they’re not traffic cops stopping traffic to let you go This past accident was due to over speeding My name is Mike G on May 8 2023 .i was on my trike motorcycle in the far left turning lane going west the lane was open to the light at Bass Pro I was doing the speed limit and some women trying to squeeze between cars hit me on the right side.i was in the hospital for 3 months then I went to a nursing home for rehab for another 3 months I didn’t walk until December of 2023 CLOSE THE INTERSECTION How do we send a letter to support this redesign Most of the traffic lights are on Highway 98 Why aren’t there more traffic lights when one needs to turn East or West onto 98 Those who try to turn left to go into the shopping center where Dick’s is located will block the traffic if they are turning into Silver Shells Then people who are leaving that shopping center and want to go East of 98 (turning left) really complicate matters with 3 vehicles blocking each other Just marking lines would alleviate lots of congested there or forbidding left hand turns Doing things differently is not new for Destin High School which opened in August 2021 as a charter school Since then, the school has grown from 300 students to nearly 600 and has offered fishing classes and been innovative in the classroom the “something different” it is considering is going to a four-day school week in 2025-26 (This story has been revised to make two corrections.) In recent weeks, the school sent out a survey asking teachers parents and students their thoughts on the idea of the four-day week the school took it a step further and held a town hall-type gathering at the school teachers and staff came out to ask questions and express their opinions on the idea Destin High Governing Board President Heidi LoCicero welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming She explained that “hours and hours research” has gone into the idea of the four-day week to see what it would be like for students and staff “At Destin High we listen and learn,” she said and then decide what to do next for the students Before they opened the floor for questions and comments Assistant Principal Jill McNamara presented a slide show that went over some of the benefits of what research says about a four-day week The advantages covered everything from increasing attendance of students to costs savings of having the lights on The four-day week would be Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m More: Destin High students get apprenticeships aboard charter boats “This is not much different than other schools around this area are doing,” Executive Director Donald “Willy” Williams said about the start time Williams explained with the four-day week the students would have six 70-minute classes which would be an increase of 10 minutes to what they are currently doing “We are not the first school to do this,” Williams said There were a couple of people in the audience that spoke up and said the Collegiate High School in Niceville has a four-day week Williams said he’s also had inquiries from Franklin County about considering a four-day week LoCicero said if they decided to do the four-day week it could change if data showed it didn’t work McNamara explained it could be a work day for staff or an opportunity for students to work in the community or do internships high school football — would still be taking place “We’re not taking instruction time away .. Some expressed concern about transportation to and from ball games while others were concerned about the 70-minute classes being too long to hold the students' attention “I’m a big supporter of the school,” said Daniel Frankfurt He was concerned about the effect it would have on learning He cited research where students who had a four-day week had lower test scores “Even just one day is a gap in learning,” Frankfurt said I’m concerned about the impact on learning But it's a lot to consider on the mental health side,” he said Destin psychology teacher Jennah Gordon spoke on behalf of the mental health side of the four-day week The extra day could be a time for rest and to be with family advocating on the positive effects of the shorter week The four-day week idea has drawn more interest in the teacher market “Where we were looking for applicants last year applications have gone out the roof since talking about going to a four-day week,” Williams said about teachers A businessman in attendance spoke of how he has gone to a four-day week with his business Another person in the crowd talked about maybe going all Fridays in December and May when it is time for testing this is something that will benefit more than take away I see it as a positive,” said teacher and cheer coach Samantha Ruppel We want to do what’s right for the kids in Destin.”  Administration will present their final poll results and recommendation to the governing board in March so people can start planning and making decisions for the next school year A billboard at the foot of the Destin Bridge was being removed Wednesday morning following the city’s enforcement of its billboard prohibition policy they will not be allowed to be repaired or replaced,” Mayor Bobby Wagner said The removal comes six months after the Destin City Council voted 5-2 to deny an ordinance that would have allowed agreements between the city and billboard companies to replace static billboards with digital versions in exchange for removing others emphasized preserving Destin’s aesthetics “When you’re at the top of the Destin bridge… you don’t want to see billboards that make you think you’re in Vegas You want to see the world’s luckiest fishing village,” Bagby said Lamar Advertising had offered to remove six billboards as part of a potential agreement and argued that state statute already authorized such agreements without requiring a code amendment The billboard at the Marler (Destin) Bridge is Lamar’s and the lease ended December 2024 Good it was an eyesore i hope they take down all there tacky billboards Destin used to be nice but its grown out of control now in there zest for trashy tourist they cant build fast enough its sad What about the wooden billboard on the south side of the highway on the west side of the bridge that faces west that says welcome to Destin the luckiest fishing village That does not belong to a billboard company I grew up there and I can’t even stand the place anymore But calling it a “fishing village” is like saying Hitler was an ok guy It’s so far off base it’s just not ok to say but now there is not a house there for less than 800k they qre all rich retired northerners that have put Prada stores up Calling it a fishing village is like saying trump is a good president “good” is the wrong superlative in reference to Trump Great or Excellent would be closer to the truth… I’m guessing that you’d have preferred Biden or Kamala had won the 2024 election I came to Destin in 1988 and I was so happy to have made the decision to raise my children here ever since Peter Boss started building at the first traffic light across from Mcguire’s I left in 1991 for about 5months and when I came back I couldn’t believe how things changed It was through the Grace of God that I found a 1 bedroom apt and me with my 2 young sons lived in that apartment for about a year Then I had NO Choice to find a place in FWB I said it years ago and I will say it again They won’t takedown the emerald grand either but hopefully a hurricane will eventually… They didn’t even drill down to bedrock when they built that pos… It’s straight up on shifting sand How can we be a fishing village when we can’t even fish off our own dock Destin High School announced Wednesday that it will transition to a four-day instructional week beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year with students attending classes Monday through Thursday “I am delighted to announce that our school will be transitioning to a 4-day school week,” said Principal Dr “This change reflects our commitment to enhancing student learning The decision follows what administrators described as “careful planning and feedback” from the school community Officials emphasized that the four-day model will maintain required instructional time standards while creating additional opportunities for teacher professional development school hours for students will be from 7:30am-3:30pm Governing Board President Heidi LoCicero called the approach innovative saying it “supports the whole child and the entire community.” Student Council President Hannah Baxley expressed enthusiasm for the change suggesting it will improve work-life balance for students “I think this will provide students a much better balance between home and school,” Baxley said “Students can spend more time with their families and have more time to engage in their extracurricular activities or work.” Teacher Therese Sweeney also voiced support referring to the new schedule as “Shark Week” – a reference to the school’s mascot School officials plan to continuously monitor and evaluate the new schedule for effectiveness toward student success Additional implementation details will be shared with families in the coming weeks Executive Director Donald Williams said the schedule change “cements Destin High School’s commitment to provide unique educational opportunities” for students on the Emerald Coast The school is still accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year, but noted that seats are limited. Interested families can apply here In my town the school day started and ended later Parents were home when their scholars were home And scholars aren’t about getting up early It’s official: Destin High School will be going to a four-day school week — or “no school Fridays” — at the start of the 2025-26 school year After nearly 400 responses from a public survey with an 84 percent approval rating Destin High School has adopted a four-day instructional week “This decision was made after careful planning and feedback and reflects the school’s continued focus on academic excellence and commitment to providing a high-quality innovative education for families,” according to a news release from the school The students will go Monday through Thursday “This change reflects our commitment to enhancing student learning, supporting staff well-being, and fostering a positive school culture,” Principal Diane Kelley said in a news release “We believe this new schedule will provide more opportunities for meaningful instruction and valuable time for teach collaboration and professional growth We are enthusiastic about the positive impact this shift will have on our school community and look forward to working together to make this transition smooth and successful,” Kelley said in the release The school received 32 responses back from staff 315 responded and 81% were interested in the move to the four-day week Here is what some of the students have to say"I like it because of the longer weekend It’s worth it to have a three-day weekend,” said Caroline Campbell “It helps out with sports and helps us focus Extra class time is good for students and bigger weekends are better for teachers.”  A new day at Destin High? The school might move to a four-day instruction week "I’m super-duper excited,” said Stella Scoma “I think it’s going to be great and beneficial to a lot of people,” she said but I’ve got to see how it is first,” said Josiah Whitfield  More Destin H.S. news: Basketball standout Trace Williams signs to play at the next level “I honestly think it has some advantages and disadvantages,” said Briana Demeter Elleanorah Remm said she’s all in favor of the four-day week because I think it will be good for the sports programs,” Remm said “We will not miss as much school as we usually do,” Remm said “This innovative approach to education supports the whole child and entire community,” said Governing Board President Heidi LoCicero in the news release This decision relects the totality of how we educate The four-day school week will be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness toward student success Destin High School is still accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year. For more information, contact info@destinhighschool.org When my husband's military assignment brought us to Destin I never imagined I'd fall in love with it so much We'd previously never visited the Florida Panhandle before or even considered living on the Emerald Coast the military gave us three weeks to find a home Moving away from the familiarities of the Midwest was scary but we've learned to love our slow-paced life in Destin it's growing — and our county has a population of about 200,000 people Even though I appreciated my small-town upbringing I missed the luxuries of living in a bigger city we'd have to drive four hours to Minneapolis if we wanted to do some real shopping at the Mall of America or attend a bigger concert downtown I was surprised by the abundance of big-city amenities right at my doorstep we have access to multiple shopping centers with everything from well-known retailers to adorable local boutiques Our favorite shopping centers include the open-air Destin Commons These lively spots often host weekly farmers' markets The Destin area is also filled with restaurants My husband and I love getting to enjoy the sunset with a happy-hour cocktail in hand When announcing our move to Florida one of my best friends said I was so lucky to be near 30A Turns out, it's a picturesque highway along the Gulf of Mexico lined with idyllic seaside towns that's been nicknamed "the Hamptons of the South." Having 30A just a short drive away has been one of the best parts of living in Destin — especially in the offseason It's now one of my favorite areas to visit Living in a city where others vacation was an entirely new experience for us Our first visit to 30A was anything but smooth as we waited for hours in summer traffic and circled endlessly for a parking spot During our first Labor Day weekend as Floridians we were naively surprised by the sheer number of boaters at our iconic Crab Island sandbar we quickly learned to make the most of Destin's offseason Late spring through early fall is packed with tourists Most vacationers choose Orlando or Miami in the winter for sunny beach days our offseason is relatively calm because of cooler weather This quieter time allows us to try popular restaurants and visit attractions that are often overtaken by tourists in the summer Having a strong sense of community is incredibly important to us especially since my husband is a military pilot who travels often for work there's no shortage of Southern hospitality on the Emerald Coast multiple neighbors greeted us with homemade goodies and even a quick grocery run comes with friendly conversations at the checkout line Preparing for our first hurricane truly showcased the kindness of the locals Our neighbors helped us prepare by giving us much-needed guidance on preparing our house and running our generator I'm not sure where the military will take us next but we hope to stick around Destin for a while As a travel enthusiast, I've visited some of the world's best beaches in Croatia Destin's sugar-white sand and emerald waters surpass them all We still can't believe we live 10 minutes from the ocean, let alone some of the best beaches in the US Whether it's a winter walk on the beach or a stroll through the enchanting side streets of 30A with a warm coffee in hand we never take this coastal paradise for granted With temps dipping into the 50s earlier this week but spring breakers have arrived on the Emerald Coast Jason Fulghum of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office gave the Destin City Council a "spring break preparation" briefing during Monday night’s meeting we are following the same blueprint we have followed the last several years,” Fulghum told the council “We have five guys dedicated just to spring break enforcement Two will be on ATVs on the beaches in Destin and one that bounces back and forth,” he said The roving patrol person can get on an ATV and go out if needed More spring break prep: Rotary Club of Destin installs public rescue tubes along Destin beaches More spring break prep: Your guide to Destin beaches: Where to go and what to know before you go “Depending on how spring break unfolds throughout the night which is what they have to do when we have high schoolers in town,” Fulghum said “We don’t have a lot of people on the beach after the sun goes down,” he said the dedicated officers will move up into the problem neighborhoods March 2023: With spring break in full swing, Okaloosa County says arrests are slightly below last year Spring break started Sunday and goes on until April 20 10 of which were in Destin,” Fulghum said Monday night Council member David Schmidt asked where the funding comes from for the five officers Fulgham said any overtime funding comes from the TDD DESTIN — The Federal Aviation Administration has found Okaloosa County violating multiple federal grant assurances tied to its management of Destin Executive Airport potentially jeopardizing future federal funding for the facility In a director’s determination issued on March 20 the FAA concluded that the county violated three key grant assurances required for the receipt of federal funds: grant assurance 23 (exclusive rights) grant assurance 22 (economic nondiscrimination) and grant assurance 5 (preserving rights and powers) The FAA’s findings stem from a complaint filed by Robert V who alleged that Okaloosa County allowed a single fixed-base operator to monopolize airport services The agency’s investigation revealed that the county enabled lease assumptions despite past warnings from the FAA Southern Region staff Smith is involved in a lawsuit with Jay Odom and Okaloosa County Airport Director Tracy Stage which alleges he engaged in activities to gain control of operations at DTS through extortion interference with business relations and malicious prosecution The situation began when Destin Jet owner Odom allegedly acquired a controlling interest in Regal Air — the only other FBO at the airport — without the county’s knowledge the acquisition effectively granted Odom exclusive control of all aeronautical services at the airport Despite having previously received concerns about exclusive rights Okaloosa County ratified the consolidation of the two FBOs the county cited benefits such as resolving unpaid debt from the previous operator and increased fuel flowage fees the FAA determined that the move improperly created a monopoly lasting through 2049 The agency found the county acted against its obligations by approving lease extensions and consolidations in favor of Destin Jet and its successors despite being aware that other parties were interested in operating at the airport The FAA said this action “locked up the Airport for the benefit of one operator,” excluding competitors for more than 25 years the FAA rejected several of the county's procedural defenses the county argued that Smith lacked legal standing to bring the complaint stating he had not been a tenant or user of the airport since the early 2000s and had no current contract with the county the FAA determined that Smith had standing as a user of aeronautical services and was substantially affected by the alleged violations The county also argued that Smith’s claims were time-barred under the statute of limitations and the legal doctrine of laches which allows a court to deny a complaint if the plaintiff waited unreasonably long to assert it The county said Smith had raised concerns about exclusive rights as early as 2014 but waited until 2024 to file the formal complaint clarifying that its review is focused on the county’s current compliance with federal obligations The FAA found the delay in filing not unreasonable FAA policy prohibits airport sponsors from granting exclusive rights to promote fair competition and benefit the public users of federally obligated airports the FAA has ordered Okaloosa County to submit a corrective action plan within 30 days of the determination Until the plan is approved and implemented the agency will withhold approval of any application for federal airport funding submitted by the county the Okaloosa County Commission voted to appeal the FAA's ruling during a closed executive session with Commissioner Trey Goodwin absent because of "personal matters," according to an Okaloosa County spokesman When asked why the commissioners voted to appeal the ruling Okaloosa County officials told the Daily News "Commissioners have directed our legal team to proceed with an appeal Thinking outside the box is not unusual for Destin High School It was the first in the area to offer a fishing class which has been quite successful in the past three years Now Destin High is looking at a four-day school week for 2025-26 In recent weeks the school sent out a survey asking teachers “I’m getting tons of positive feedback from students and parents,” said Destin High Principal Diane Kelley 95 percent of the faculty respondents are strongly in favor of the four-day week The mission statement of Destin High includes “the goal of being innovative,” said Heidi LoCicero president of the Destin High Governing Board “Making the four-day school week an idea worth exploring because of its potential to enrich students’ lives both inside and outside the classroom,” LoCicero said LoCicero noted that a year and a half ago one of the teachers suggested the school investigate the benefits of a four-day school week That option was recently brought to the attention of the governing board again “Our school leadership team took the suggestion and began conversations with our staff parents and students to see if the interest and benefits showed value to our school,” LoCicero said “The momentum behind the idea gained traction and school-wide surveys are underway to determine feasibility,” LoCicero said “It’s always exciting to introduce new ways to enhance our students' academic experience and provide additional time for teachers to lesson plan partake in professional development and enjoy more personal time,” LoCicero said If the school decides to go to the four-day week Some people have expressed concerns about what kind of effect that would have on Friday night football or other activities on Friday evenings “I don’t see it as interfering with the Friday Night Lights events at all,” Kelley said “Players and coaches could even take Fridays as an extra prep day have more time prior to the game for pep talks “I see it as a good thing for sports programs,” she said the school pointed out some of the advantages of a four-day school week Improved Focus and Reduced Burnout: A shorter school week can help students maintain focus and energy reducing fatigue that negatively impacts academic performance Increased Attendance: Studies have shown that four-day school weeks often lead to improved attendance rates among both students and teachers Enhanced Time Management Skills: With slightly longer class periods in a four-day schedule students can better engage in project-based learning and hands-on activities Operational Costs: Reducing the number of school days decreases expenses related to transportation Staff Savings: Fewer days can lower costs associated with substitute teachers and support staff overtime Work-Life Balance: Teachers report higher job satisfaction due to an extra day for lesson planning Recruitment and Retention: Schools with a four-day week often attract and retain more qualified teachers due to the appealing schedule Reduced Stress and Improved Mental Health: Students benefit from an extra day to rest Opportunities for Enrichment: The additional day off allows for extracurricular activities or part-time jobs that develop real-world skills Flexibility for Families: Families can schedule appointments or childcare more conveniently with the additional day Community Integration: Partnerships with local businesses and organizations can provide enrichment programs on the fifth day many districts that adopt a four-day week address these by offering community programs or extending after-school care options Research into case studies of districts that have successfully transitioned can provide additional evidence and strategies for implementation  “I’m excited to see the results of the survey and what our Sharks have in mind,” LoCicero said “I’m most intrigued by the student’s suggestion of using the day off to explore their passions --The city of Destin is asking for help to improve safety along US 98 The city wants to eliminate crossovers to reduce traffic accidents along the highway One of those crossovers is on "Region's Way." Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner says the Florida Department of Transportation has identified dozens of locations that need to be addressed " I think there are 45 or 47 intersections that aren't signalized that they recommend closing and it's really about stopping the left-hand turn which is the main problem of safety concern and traffic flow," Wagner said The state will need a resolution from the city and county before any changes can be made at "Regions Way." For the other crossover locations identified by FDOT the state will need to consider those changes when they repave US 98 in the fall  After 13 years of serving the Destin community with home furnishings and interior design services the owner of Ethan Allen of Destin is announcing his retirement "It's been an incredible journey being part of this vibrant community," said Ryan Disher “I just love this community and everything about it To celebrate this milestone and thank the community for their loyalty and support over the years Ethan Allen of Destin is offering once-in-a-lifetime discounts on their extensive collection of furniture The retirement sale includes huge savings on all items making it the perfect opportunity for customers to invest in timeless pieces for their homes at unbeatable prices "We're so grateful for the relationships we've built and the opportunity to help make homes more beautiful for over a decade This retirement sale is our way of saying thank you to the wonderful people of Destin and the Panhandle."  which has become a staple in the area for its high-quality furniture located at 36062 Emerald Coast Parkway in Destin More: Destin Chamber of Commerce installs new board and chair for 2025 Disher said they will be taking special orders on items if the customer likes a particular end table they can get different finishes or leg styles “We are still taking special order,” he said They are still offering free interior design “Designers will go out and help the customer put their rooms together,” he said has been in the retail business since 1996 “I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said sitting in one of the showrooms at the Destin store Disher had an Ethan Allen store in Ohio before making the move to Destin “I’m a third-generation owner of an Ethan Allen store,” Disher said In 2011 there was talk of looking for Ethan Allen dealers to go into different areas “I came down and was blown away,” Disher said I jumped at the chance and everything just kind of fell into place,” he said He opened on Emerald Coast Parkway in 2012 Disher said trends in furniture styles are “constantly changing.”  “Down here is much different than it is in Ohio,” he said Along the Emerald Coast the trend is “more beachy type stuff,” Disher said Disher said they will close when they “get rid of everything.”  He said they will be there “until it comes down to maybe a room left .. but the idea it to get rid of everything,” he said From 2024: After 43 years, this retail mainstay in Destin is holding one last sale and then closing And the Destin store is the only one in the area noting he has customers coming from Pensacola to Panama City to buy furniture “This is the last time they can buy Ethan Allen in this area,” he said For more information about the retirement sale or to schedule a private design consultation Ron DeSantis stopped in Destin on Monday to announce that the 2025 Gulf red snapper recreational fishing season will be the longest in the state’s history The season will span 126 days from summer through fall The summer season will open during Memorial Day weekend It will then reopen daily from June 1 through July 31 The fall season will open daily from September 1-14 and then shift to weekends only (Friday through Sunday) through the end of the year even red snapper on Christmas for those who are so inclined," DeSantis said The fall season will include the following dates: The season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters Check back here for updates from the press conference the ship showed a bit of spunk in her final days arriving two days ahead of schedule and traveling between 4 and 12 mph She will remain there for up to 12 months while crews from Coleen Marine readies the ship for one more voyage somewhere about 20 miles off Destin-Fort Walton Beach in the Florida panhandle where it will be sunk to become the world’s largest artificial reef The Okaloosa County Commission has allocated $10.1 million to cover the cost of tugging the ship the 1,800 nautical miles here from Philadelphia and readying it for sinking to the Gulf bottom in 120 feet of water One million dollars of the allocation will also go to the SS United States Conservancy to build a Destin area museum honoring the ship said while the vessel is in the Port of Mobile plastics and other material that is not metal will be stripped from the ship “We want it to be beneficial to the environment There are 120 fuel tanks on board the ship and all of them contain various amounts of liquid that must be removed Its prominent smokestacks will also be removed When the SS United States is at rest on the bottom of the Gulf it will still rest only 50-55 feet from the top of the water That will allow beginning divers to enjoy the artificial reef as well as the experts Fogg said that it will also attract popular game fish like red snapper and grouper The beloved SS United States launched in the 1950s setting the trans-Atlantic speed record and wowing passengers with its innovation and elegance it was the most efficient and fashionable way to travel between America and Europe (and later the Caribbean) through most of the 1960s It was retired from service when air travel became common Many hoped the SS United States could be developed like the RMS Queen Mary, which is now home to a hotel, restaurants and retail stores in Long Beach, California. In fact, the SS United States Conservancy tried for years to do just that all of them unsuccessful in repurposing it It was docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia that year and remained there for almost 30 years until Penn Warehousing sued the conservancy and a judge evicted the ship It was eventually purchased by Okaloosa County in Northwest Florida for use as an artificial reef Shannon Marvel McNaught of the Delaware News Journal contributed to this report Sasha and Malia Obama surprised social media when they showed up at the listening party for Destin Conrad’s debut album According to The Shade Room. Their appearance stunned social media users since many people still see the siblings as little girls. Social media was stunned to see how much they’ve grown up. Malia showed off her ginger-colored hair with loose waves while rocking a brown leather jacket. Meanwhile, Sasha showed off her midsection while posing in a cropped white tank and low-rise jeans. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) Some social media users couldn’t believe their eyes after seeing Malia and Sasha They are much younger,” one person tweeted (Editor’s note: Malia and Sasha are not twins.) Many folks joked that they feel old after seeing Malia and Sasha all grown-up Although the sisters are not often seen in public She took a gap year after high school but graduated from Harvard in 2021 In a rare public appearance in September 2024 Malia attended the 50th edition of the prestigious Deauville American Film Festival — making her directorial debut with The Heart I’ve never done anything like this … so of course [I’m] a little bit terrified but mostly just excited,” she said in a red-carpet interview with the French news outlet Paris Match who will celebrate her 24th birthday on June 10 She earned an undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Southern California in 2023 Get relevant content delivered to you once a week Ready to dive in Select your preferences and get ready for an experience tailored just for you *by clicking Subscribe you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDESTIN (WJHG/WECP) - The City of Destin Government took to Facebook to inform the public about pretty blue blobs on the beach that should not be touched Destin officials said they had been asked what the bubbly-appearing creatures on the beach are According to the City of Destin they are Portuguese man o’wars According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration they are closely related to jellyfish and rarely deadly to people they do pack a painful punch and cause welts on exposed skin This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page -- Destin High School announced Wednesday it will adopt a four-day school week for the 2025-26 school years WEAR News previously reported the school was considering making the change from a typical five-day school week "This decision was made after a careful planning and feedback and reflects the school's continued focus on academic excellence innovative education for families along Florida's Emerald Coast," the school said in a press release Governor Ron DeSantis announced a record-breaking 126-day Gulf red snapper season during a press conference at Legendary Marine in Destin on Monday morning “This is the longest combined season that’s been available for anglers in Florida history since state management began,” DeSantis said The 2025 Gulf red snapper recreational season will include: DeSantis contrasted the expanded Gulf season with federal management of Atlantic red snapper which allowed just two fishing days last year “We’ve asked the President himself Let us manage the red snapper in the Atlantic,” DeSantis said and we’re going to be able to expand opportunities for a lot of people.” The governor highlighted fishing’s economic impact noting Florida has over 7,000 marine businesses supporting more than 100,000 jobs The state leads the nation in boat registrations with over 920,000 recorded in 2023 and is home to more than 4 million licensed anglers Local business leaders praised the announcement as a boost for the region’s tourism and hospitality sectors who oversees nine waterfront restaurants in the area as part of Saltwater Restaurant Group emphasized the cultural and economic significance of red snapper fishing for visitors and businesses alike maintains its own commissary to process fresh seafood Rogers noted the announcement provides valuable marketing opportunities for the destination “Our local TDC is absolutely phenomenal This gives them more ammunition to put out there in our marketing to bring families to our area,” Rogers said DeSantis also announced his support for a vessel fuel tax holiday from Memorial Day to Independence Day and referenced the state’s existing $5 combined freshwater and saltwater fishing license program The governor attributed the expanded season to improved data collection through the State Reef Fish Survey which gathers information directly from anglers to better manage the species Three days after the Florida Legislature spurned Gov Ron DeSantis' proposals on immigration and passed a wide-ranging bill of its own the governor continued his rhetorical war against legislative leaders during a stop in Destin “We need to deal with illegal immigration once and for all,” he told the more than 100 people gathered Friday at a hangar at Destin Executive Airport telling you they are going to be tough on it to make sure the people of this state are protected,” DeSantis said The governor talked about how he ran strong on immigration and that President Donald Trump won big because of his stance on a strong boarder and against illegal immigration noting the president has done his part by changing policies "Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy," or the TRUMP Act it mandates the death penalty for immigrants who entered the country illegally and are convicted of a capital offense and it penalizes government officials who do not comply with federal immigration law with a $5,000 fine More: Jimmy Patronis wins Republican Primary in race to replace Matt Gaetz in Congress It requires a maximum sentence for any immigrant who entered the country illegally and is a member of a gang and convicted of a crime And it requires the "chief immigration officer" to approve and enforce agreements between local law enforcement requiring they aid federal immigration officials But legislative leaders rejected the idea of giving DeSantis authority to suspend heads of law-enforcement agencies “who They also refused to ban money remittances from undocumented immigrants to their home countries And the bill places immigration enforcement under Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson rather than the governor Republican leaders said the bill was crafted with consultation from the White House House Republican Leader Tyler Sirois of Merritt Island called it "the most aggressive immigration package ever considered by this chamber or the 49 other states.” you can tell your constituents you answered the president’s call,” he said you can tell them you did your part to stop this invasion.” DeSantis said the special session on illegal immigration has been “called a stunt.”  “We’ve been waiting four years to address this issue,” he said DeSantis explained that he wanted to wait a week after the president’s inauguration before moving forward but the voters demanded they act,” DeSantis said “They (the legislators) thought they could do some window dressing” and get it passed “They thought if they put Trump's name on a weak bill that it would pass because Trump is popular .. As in his previous stops around the state this week DeSantis said that what has happened is they created a piece of legislation “that not only didn’t answer the call and help deliver on the mandate that we have for the American people.”  “They did things that are going to make it worse to combat illegal immigration than we are even doing now,” he said DeSantis said the reaction from voters on the legislation is not good “I’ve never seen voters act so negatively to a piece of legislation,” he said The governor said he wanted to be “first out of the gate” to end illegal immigration once and for all “We’ve saved a lot of lives by preventing them from coming to the state of Florida,” he said And the bill the legislature has pulled together “terminates the state of emergency that’s unlocked our ability to do all the things we’ve been doing “If you were really serious about ending illegal immigration why the hell would you stop the things that we are doing that’s been effective,” he said DeSantis said putting immigration enforcement under the auspices of the commissioner of agriculture was akin to "the fox guarding the hen house."  “How often is agriculture viewed as leading in the fight against illegal immigration He went on to point out that the bill would prohibit state and local agencies from talking to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement without the approval from the commissioner of agriculture “Who the hell do they think they are that they need a ‘mother may I’ from the commissioner of agriculture,” DeSantis said He pointed out that Florida has a great response record and has done well with crisis management “Why would they want to knee-cap that?” he said He said some don’t want to remove undocumented immigrants from the state because of cheap labor DeSantis pointed out that “we’ve got to be a rule of law “I have a problem when you bring in the illegal foreign labor .. DeSantis also complained that the bill passed by the Legislature doesn't make it an enhanced crime for undocumented immigrants to register to vote “We want to make sure we are very tough on illegal alien voting we want a duty for all state and local law enforcement agencies to cooperate and participate with the Trump administrations effort,” he said Information from the Tallahassee Democrat of the USA TODAY Network-Florida contributed to this article From hot-tub boats in Seattle to chartered yachts in Croatia I am always seeking out unique and fun boating experiences While in Florida I cast off on an adventure aboard a small boat with a bar on it to Crab Island in Destin although it's not actually an island at all — it's a submerged sandbar A watercraft of some kind is required to access this popular spot, where bachelorette parties and tourists bob around the clear waters together with bumping beats blasting from the anchored boats Although there are a few different boats available to rent in the area my friends and I booked our excursion through Tailfins Tiki Tours for just $60 a person the price appears to have increased to $70 a person.) but our group chose a shared excursion since there were just four of us We left on time and were able to enjoy great views of Destin as we cruised out of the small but busy harbor which included two crew members and 14 guests Each of us sat on our own ornately designed stool and all passengers had great views of the surrounding waters The boat also seemed thoughtfully designed and the bar area included hooks for hanging bags and built-in cup holders to keep beverages steady As we sailed under the Destin Bridge and crept into an open space on Crab Island we listened to the captain's choice of music through the boat's speakers It took us only about 20 minutes of sailing time to reach the sandbar Passengers are allowed to bring their own beverages (including alcohol as long as it's not in glass) so we'd packed cold drinks in our backpack cooler It was nice to crack them open while enjoying the dazzling emerald waters around us After lathering on some sunscreen and moving on to our next round of drinks we descended the boat's ladder into the chilly waters The cool salt water was refreshing in the warm sun and we spent a bit of time walking around the sandbar the crew set up floating tables and a lily pad for guests to use there were also tons of options had we forgotten to bring floaties We swam past a full floating general store and vendors on small vehicles selling alcoholic jelly shooters Even on a sunny Saturday in shoulder season, we saw hundreds of watercraft anchored to the sandbar or cruising around it. Pontoons with slides, kayaks, Jet Skis and tiki boats mingled with giant unicorns and flamingo floaties After a fast three hours of sipping and people watching in the shallow water The captain guided everybody back onto their barstools I felt $60 per person was a reasonable price for the transportation and service provided We also chose to tip the captain and other staff member in cash as they'd worked hard to ensure we had a fabulous time After getting reports of snow falling to the north, and many eyes checking out windows, the snow began to fall in Destin about 2 p.m 21 — a day the likes of which many locals have never seen and will not soon forget “This is the most snow I’ve ever seen in Destin “It’s amazing and I’m so glad I got to see it and play in it with my family,” he said The Atwells made videos of making snow angels Live updates on Wednesday | Winter storm in Okaloosa County: Roads, schools, forecast and more “The snowstorm is unprecedented in the memories of any of the Destin old timers,” said Parker Destin the great-great-great grandson of Leonard Destin “There was snowfall in Destin in the 1980s and 1960s but nothing like the volume we received in this storm,” said Destin who is also on the Okaloosa County School Board “The previous snow record in Northwest Florida was 3 inches in 1895 and we far exceeded that so lot of rare factors of weather and timing had to line up for this to happen I’m just thrilled I got to experience it because I don’t think I’ll see it again,” said the 40-year-old It's a record! Winter storm brought 8.8 inches of snow to Milton “There was a smile on every face in our community yesterday,” Destin said Wednesday morning Niemiec went down to the beach Tuesday for a family photo while the snow was falling to commemorate the day “All three adults have been here just about all of our lives,” Brandy said he’s never heard of anything remotely close to this,” she said he began to pray for it to snow hard so his grandchildren could experience snow with him “When talking with my children about how rare this experience is one of them said ‘I never thought the first time I played in snow would be Destin,’” Brandy said “In the late 70s there was one day we had some flurries This is just truly beautiful,” Kersanac said Wednesday morning “I ain’t never in 46 years seen nothing like this nonsense,” said Capt Allen Staples Wednesday morning as he woke up to temps in the teens the fish are probably frozen,” Staples said “It snowed when I was a kid but nothing like this,” Staples said “This was the most snow I have ever seen in Destin,” Jarvis said “I think the last snow that was even close to this was in 2014 but was mostly ice and before that “I think this was a dream come true for many Destin local kids and a day all of us will never forget,” he said Tim Broom of Half Hitch Tackle says he loves living in “paradise.”   Most of us have never seen or ever will see this again,” Broom said Florida man is dead after an early morning crash on Friday in Destin the 50-year-old driver of a black Dodge Charger ran off the road around Scenic Highway 98 and Emerald Coast Parkway crashing down an embankment and colliding with several parked cars outside the nearby Hampton Inn & Suites The vehicle caught on fire as a result of the crash Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies who arrived on the scene shortly after 5:20 a.m attempted CPR on the driver and also attempted to extinguish the blaze resulting from the crash The Destin Fire Department eventually arrived and put out the flames but the Navarre man involved in the crash was pronounced dead on the scene by Emergency Medical Services personnel No other injuries were reported as a result of the crash and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps -- Destin High School is potentially switching out five-day school weeks for four-day school weeks Schools around the country have made the switch as roughly 2,100 schools across 26 states have four-day weeks Destin HS recently released a survey to the school community to get their thoughts The results are overwhelmingly positive from teachers and we proposed it to our board," said Destin HS Principal Dr "We are now in the process of collecting survey information from our parents So far more than 350 people have shared their opinions on the survey The latest data shows more than 80 percent of responders say they support transitioning to a 4-day Only 11.6 percent of people say they do not support the change "The students are really excited," Dr "I like the fact that I'll be able to have more time in class," junior student Colby Labno said It would be really nice to work on homework or other things." Labno says it won't only give students more class time but it will also give students more time on their day off so I get to choose when I do and don't work," he said "So it would be nice to have that extra day and spend more time with clients." says Fridays could be used for things like workforce development "Some kind of informed extracurricular activities or internship opportunities on Fridays," he said "Those are certainly being explored -- what might we do to pour people back into the community." He says Fridays can also be used for clubs to meet and sports teams practices One benefit the school lists for the change is teacher retention Advanced placement teacher Wendy Gill says she believes the 4-day work week would not only help prevent burnout in students but in teachers too She says it gives teachers more time to get more done then I don't have so much to worry about that night," Gill said Williams says this would also reduce absences in school due to appointments and travel sporting events When it comes to students who rely on school to give them healthy meals school leadership says the "Backpack Program" would provide students with food for Friday on Thursday Kelly says they'll know if the schedule will change by the end of February or early March The school will continue accepting responses to the survey through Feb and Okaloosa school districts to ask about a possible four-day school week Escambia and Okaloosa each said they are not considering the possibility at this time Santa Rosa County Schools stated they work diligently to ensure they meet the needs of families and students while maintaining high performance and an "A" school district rating they are not considering a four-day school week "We remain committed to providing a schedule that best supports the academic growth and increased student achievement for all students," Santa Rosa County Public Information and Family and Community Outreach Officer Nadia Colin said "We will continue to evaluate and explore ways to enhance learning opportunities for all as needed." If you have a hankering for some fried catfish with cheese grits and collard greens there is still time to stop by the Big Red Cafe at the corner of U.S 98 and Airport Road and get one — but not for long The Big Red Cafe will be closing at 2 p.m “We have enjoyed this location and seeing so many familiar faces over the last couple of years,” said Jami Jones in an email “This time is bittersweet because we know that it’s necessary opened the Big Red Cafe in the summer of 2022 The cafe has thrived in the silver train car but the time has come for the building to retire The decision has prayerfully been made to let this unique train car building retire with some dignity and class,” according to the Big Red Cafe Facebook page The Big Red Cafe in the last couple of years has become a family friendly place “It truly turned out to be a local spot,” said Tracy McCraw “It’s where people come by see friends and have lunch,” McCraw said as he enjoyed his favorite Atwell worked in the silver diner building for about five years when it was known as Mary’s Kitchen The Joneses are not new to the restaurant business, and they are certainly not done. Earlier this year, they opened CJ’s Hangout across from the harbor in Destin and in 2019 they opened The Wharf 850 in Niceville “We look forward to a future location for the Big Red Cafe when the right location presents,” Jami said “We will keep everyone posted on the cafe and our Big Red Fam on our social media,” she said Casey and Jami started the Big Red Truck in 2014 and set up at various places around town serving fish and chicken tacos as well as grilled lettuce wedges They named the Big Red Truck after Casey’s grandfather’s trucking company They brought a lot of the dishes they served on the truck and more to the cafe From 2015: ORDER UP: Destin Diner open for business (PHOTOS) The iconic Destin Diner opened its doors in 1992 after the family of former state Sen More: Order Up! The iconic Destin Diner set to return The building was vacated in 2008 and sat empty until 2015 when Oli Petit of the Red Bar in Grayton Beach revitalized it and brought back The Destin Diner In 2017, Mary’s Kitchen of Fort Walton Beach opened a Mary’s Kitchen in Destin in the silver train car until early 2022 From 2017: Popular Fort Walton Beach restaurant coming to Destin Big Red Cafe took over the diner and served up “red plate” specials DESTIN — Every day more people are visiting the beaches along the Emerald Coast In just the first 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks) of spring break law enforcement dedicated to patrolling Destin beaches and Okaloosa Island have arrested 185 people Jason Fulghum of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office 90 percent of those arrests were made in Destin Spring break started on March 2 and goes on until April 20 The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has five deputies dedicated to just spring break enforcement Two will patrol by ATVs on the beaches in Destin and two on the beach on Okaloosa Island and then the other officer bounces back and forth between the two areas Spring break 2025: Destin and the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office are ready “It hasn’t been very busy on Okaloosa Island yet,” he said noting it’s just a matter of time before it picks up on the island Have there been more arrests this year during spring break as compared to last year?“It’s hard to say,” Fulghum said He explained you do not have the same groups on the same weeks every year “You don’t have the same weather patterns on the same weeks every year,” he said The temperatures March 10 through 14 were very mild with temperatures in the low 60s in morning and warming up to mid-70s by noon Alabama and North Carolina took advantage of the sunshine Fulghum also pointed out you don’t have the same events happening across the region every year “If they have a big concert over at Orange Beach we may not have anybody on a couple of days “We expect we are probably going to end up about the same as we have the last couple of years.”  Photos! Spring break 2025 beach fun in Destin Fulghum said the majority of the arrests are for “possession of alcohol under the age of 21.”  He also noted they have made arrests for DUI Prime time for abuse of the law appears to be in the afternoon “It seems that a little bit later in the afternoon is when it fires up,” Fulghum said but it does seem to pick up the later it gets in the afternoon .. The answer is simple: wherever there is a problem “It’s a combination of the beach and any of the areas where you have a condensed population of short-term rentals,” Fulghum said noting those arrested for DUI and narcotics go straight to jail How does law enforcement approach a person?There are several different procedures that take place “If you drive by and see a beer can in their hand we will make contact with them,” Fulghum said “Sometimes we just walk up randomly and just start talking to people A lot of times we just talk to people and we’re not looking for alcohol or a crime .. because the guys are out there riding the ATVs,” he said Other times you see someone impaired and underage Spring break started March 2 and goes until April 20 Law enforcement will patrol the beaches of Destin and Okaloosa Island and into the troubled neighborhoods Privacy Policy | About Our Ads Hisako Film Lab is now accepting applications for their annual Summer Lab Founded by Maui-raised filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton this advanced filmmaking program offers an in-depth immersion for motivated high school students eager to elevate their storytelling and production skills in an exciting Maui-based students from all schools entering grades 10-12 for the 2025-2026 school year (ages 15 and up) and graduating seniors (class of 2025) are eligible to apply Students will work together to create original short narrative films They will go through the whole process of researching while receiving detailed guidance from a team of filmmaking instructors and film industry professionals Prior guest mentors include Maui-based Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks (creators of Golden Globe and Emmy-sweeping series “Shogun”) O’ahu-based screenwriters Jordan and Aaron Kandell (“Moana”) Aunty Pua Case (“Standing Above the Clouds”) and Hisako founder Destin Daniel Cretton (director of Marvel Studios’ upcoming “Spider-Man 4”) “Our goal is to really nurture the students that are right in front of us and to give young people on Maui specifically an opportunity,” said Hisako Film Lab founder Motivated students eager to elevate their storytelling and production skills in an exciting project-based setting are encouraged to apply Applicants will ideally have previous filmmaking experience and understand basic digital camera settings and editing software serious applicants with less film experience are also welcome to apply Program dates are June 10 to July 24 with registration deadlines of May 2 (early deadline) and June 2 (late deadline Classes will be held three days a week from 9 a.m at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College in the Media classroom with various filming locations around the island during production.  Completed student films will be showcased at a premiere on island while also being entered in film festivals around the country Last year’s 2024 Summer Lab student films were accepted into Hawaiʻi International Film Festival’s ʻŌpio Festival on Oʻahu and the filmmakers were flown over for an unforgettable weekend with other student filmmakers from across the state The films have also been accepted into the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival taking place at Comic-Con International Stay tuned for the latest Hisako x Huliau Showcase of their Spring Lab films coming up later in May For more details and application, visit Hisako Film Lab’s website: hisakofilmlab.com.  Hisako Film Lab is a nonprofit founded to educate the next generation of Hawaiʻi’s storytellers and filmmakers It was founded in 2023 by Destin Daniel Cretton a Maui-raised filmmaker known for directing Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and the upcoming “Spider-Man 4.” Local operations for the film lab on Maui are co-directed by Brad Kester a costume designer also Maui-raised who has worked on major films and television series including “American Born Chinese,” and Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” Green found out Tuesday he'd been selected as the next head football coach at Fort Walton Beach High the former All-American at Florida State University and NFL alumnus called it "a dream come true "My dad (FWB Hall-of-Famer Ernie) was at Fort Walton Beach for 30-something years and always wanted to be head coach," said Green who helped lead the 1991 Vikings football team to a 39-14 win over St Thomas Aquinas for the 4A state championship "It was a surreal moment being told I was hired to be just that." his loyalties didn't rest with his alma mater freedom and the financial stability he saw fit to operate the program ready to finish what he started three years ago as the Sharks embark on their first football season with FHSAA postseason eligibility Region QF Soccer: Johnson, defense lead Niceville girls into Sweet 16 matchup with Navarre AOTW voting: Vote for the NWF Daily News Athlete of the Week for Jan. 27-Feb. 1 I wholeheartedly believe that my mission at Destin High School is to continue building the football program that I founded into a legacy football program," Green released through a statement from Destin High School "I made a commitment to the young men and women at Destin High to continue laying the foundation and I am excited to see the program grow into something the Destin community can be proud of for generations to come." Green's coaching chops have taken him all over Florida — Freedom High as offensive coordinator American Heritage Plantation as wide receivers coach and the latest Destin's first-ever head coach beginning with its inaugural year in 2022 Green has ushered in a series of firsts for the upstart program: first win (28-21 over North Bay Haven in just its second game ever) and first winning season the Sharks going 7-3 in just his second year The transfer portal — all-area quarterback Hugh Boudreaux left for Choctaw — and lack of FHSAA playoff eligibility hindered the program's progress in 2024 as the Sharks went 1-8 but FHSAA eligibility this season should only help Green's crew rebound this season "I love Destin and I love what we've built," Green said "Destin is a great community filled with great people Bobby Clayton was hired at Fort Walton Beach in 2023 The Gulf Breeze native went 8-12 over the last two seasons as the Vikings took Niceville and Navarre off the schedule and focused on setting up a schedule full of winnable games Whomever is the next Fort Walton Beach head coach will look to bring stability to a program that's gone through five head coaches in 10 years and will welcome a sixth before spring football Tommy Johnson's run lasted just a season after failing to pass teaching certification requirements Phil Dorn went 9-29 over the next four seasons and then Chip Petree began his three-year tenure promisingly with a 2-1 start to the pandemic-ravaged 2020 whose promise of being competitive didn't land the Vikings any playoff trips His departure for Pensacola Catholic earlier this year surprised no one It was Mike Owens who led the Vikings to their last true playoff trip in 2012 although in 2020 the pandemic made playoff admittance automatic for every team advanced to the playoffs nine times and finished with an 81-76 record Only time will tell if the next hire can right the ship and return to those days This story is part of our weekly Hidden Gems feature series as the USA TODAY Network-Florida takes readers around the state to highlight some of our most interesting attractions DESTIN — Just off the main road through Destin and nestled under the oaks the Destin History and Fishing Museum holds countless photos fish mounts and all things that have made Destin what it is today Located off Harbor Boulevard at 108 Stahlman Ave. the Destin History and Fishing Museum is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit run by a board of directors The museum is celebrating 20 years at this location this year “but we are celebrating all year long,” said museum Executive Director Vivienne Williams The museum features the history of the early pioneers from the 1830s the history of the fishing industry from seine boats to the boats that moor in Destin harbor today The museum may be small at 5,500 square feet (about the area of a basketball court) but it is jammed packed with “all things Destin.”  “Everything here in the museum has been donated .. and a lot has been donated from the descendants of the founding families .. it’s a lot of Destin history,” Williams said What makes the museum special?“One of the things that makes the museum special is it is not based on any one person who is famous It is based on everyday people doing everyday things and being great at it,” Williams said And one of the things that Destin has done great that it earned the moniker of “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.”  “We have over 100 fish mounts here in the museum that have been caught in the Destin area And over 10,000 photos in our collection,” Williams said The museum holds “tens of thousands artifact .. which include everything from blue marlin to dolphin can be seen hanging on the 40-foot-long fish wall Along this wall are interactive touch screens that tell you about the fish and a little about the Gulf and the surrounding areas in Destin The museum also has a room dedicated to the Destin Fishing Rodeo which is one of the longest running fishing tournaments in the United States “This year in October will be the Rodeo’s 77th tournament Williams normally recommends an hour for people to go through the museum and check out the exhibits “But I’ve seen people spend three hours here and I’ve seen people spend 30 minutes here it totally depends on what they are looking for or what they want to do,” she said the museum offers a scavenger hunt and hands-on activities “There is plenty to see and plenty to read,” Williams added The oldest artifact in the museum is a scraper which is an arrowhead that breaks the point off “The Native Americans would use it to scrape the scales off fish or hides to make sure they are clean for leather,” Williams said The most recent donation to the museum was a large collection of photographs from the Marler family from the 1950s and 60s The Marlers are one of the founding families of Destin with the Destin bridge coming into Destin bearing the name of William T Another recent addition is the “Killer Wail” guitar that has an Orca whale on the back “The image of the Orca is from a book that was here when this was Destin’s first library,” Williams said The building that houses the museum was Destin’s first public library The Destin Library can now be found at 150 Sibert Ave Hours: The Destin History and Fishing Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday More info: www.destinhistoryandfishingmuseum.org/