A free event aimed at empowering teenage girls through mental wellness activities is set for Saturday Participants will hear from several speakers including Crystal Morgan of CMorgan Coaching The event will also feature a high-energy dance session led by Natoya Pitts Activities throughout the day include a glitter bar The event will take place at Niceville High School with sign-up available at united-way.org/empowHER Join the best local newsletter read by thousands of locals each weekday morning Niceville softball celebrated a three-peat and Fort Walton Beach made it back-to-back district titles as the pair of area powerhouses ready for hosting playoff games Niceville's 6-1 win over Milton captured the District 1-5A crown and marked the Eagles' eighth straight win to bolster a playoff résumé that includes an 18-6 mark and a No That should guarantee home-field advantage for Danny Hensley's crew headed into this weekend's regional bracket release extra-inning win over Arnold to capture the District 2-4A title was more stressful as it marked four straight wins for the Vikings who rank sixth in 4A with home-field advantage guaranteed for at least the first two rounds Empire State of Mind: Niceville alum Azareye'h Thomas drafted by Jets, joins bro in NFL 'Locked in': Choctaw flag football routs Stanton, a win from 4th straight region title The extra-inning win featured three comebacks for the Vikings who trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning and then 3-2 headed to the eighth and 4-3 going into the ninth Anna Abernathy delivering two of the team's five hits and an RBI Alyx Hall producing a pair of sacrifice flies Macy Borgen another sacrifice fly and Anna Abernathy an RBI single The junior allowed just one earned run as she scattered eight walks and seven hits while striking out two over 10 innings Briana Noles did it all to back a gem by sophomore ace Chloe Bailey stole two bags and reached in three of four plate appearances with a 2-for-3 effort with two runs and an RBI Emma Sites and Natalie Miller added a pair of solo homers Anabelle Shackelford delivered an RBI triple Valerie Malley had an RBI base knock and Bailey chipped in a sacrifice fly who struck out 11 and allowed one unearned run after giving up seven hits and walking a pair Now the teams wait to find out their respective draws -- A 34-year-old man was arrested Monday after two dogs were found dead inside a locked vehicle in Niceville Sampson Matthew Graham of Crestview is charged with two counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty (3rd degree felony) for the incident Niceville Police say officers were called to Northwest Florida State College around 1:20 p.m after receiving a report from a concerned citizen about animals in distress inside a parked car officers located the vehicle and observed one deceased dog and another receiving CPR from other first responders," police say both animals were declared deceased at the scene." preliminary investigation indicates the dogs had been left inside the vehicle for an extended period with windows closed and no apparent ventilation Outside temperatures at the time were approximately 85 degrees while the estimated interior temperature was 130 degrees Fahrenheit Graham was located on the Northwest Florida State College campus and placed under arrest He's also facing an unrelated charge of using a communication device to solicit a child Graham is being held in Okaloosa County Jail without bond The Okaloosa County School District is thrilled to welcome community partners and members of the media to the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of Niceville High School's new multipurpose building Initially postponed due to last week's unprecedented winter weather These new facilities are part of a series of improvements funded by the voter-approved Half-Cent Sales Tax The ceremony will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. with guests encouraged to arrive by 8:45 a.m Parking will be available on the driver’s education pad located off Old Coastal Road To confirm your attendance, kindly RSVP to Catherine Card Niceville High School800 E. John Sims ParkwayNiceville, FL 32578Phone: (850) 833-4114Fax: (850) 833-4267 We're thrilled to announce the graduation dates don't worry - we'll be live streaming these special events Okaloosa County School District Recognized as a 2024 Florida Purple Star School District Although the conditions for additional snow have passed Okaloosa County Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox has informed us that the snow and ice are not expected to melt sufficiently in time to reduce road and travel hazards for school buses to operate on Thursday Though temperatures are expected to warm on Thursday freezing temperatures are expected to return Thursday evening into Friday potentially impacting a Friday morning commute Due to the current road conditions in Okaloosa County travel is not recommended unless absolutely necessary OCSD schools and district offices will remain closed on Thursday https://www.okaloosaschools.com/article/1974712 •💧 What: Niceville will end the practice of adding fluoride to the city’s drinking water •❓ Why: Concerns about overexposure to fluoride and potential health risks highlighted by a National Institutes of Health study Niceville will stop adding fluoride to its drinking water system starting January 15th after the council voted to end its introduction to the City’s water system Niceville was the last city in Okaloosa County that continued to put the element into the drinking water “My recommendation to you [is] that the need to do that [add additional fluoride to the drinking water in Niceville] no longer exists my recommendation to you is that we cease that practice of putting fluoride in our drinking water,” Deitch said The four council members present voted to end the practice immediately A study by the National Institutes of Health reported findings, with moderate confidence that the population – specifically pregnant women may be exposed to too much fluoride in their daily life which could possibly lead to lowered IQs for their children fluoride has been a successful public health initiative for reducing dental cavities and improving general oral health of adults and children that some pregnant women and children may be getting more fluoride than they need because they now get fluoride from many sources and the combined total intake of fluoride may exceed safe amounts,” the study noted in its abstract The National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health uses four levels of confidence: high A moderate confidence level means “An association indicates a connection between fluoride and lower IQ; it does not prove a cause and effect Many substances are healthy and beneficial when taken in small doses but may cause harm at high doses More research is needed to better understand if there are health risks associated with low fluoride exposures,” according to the National Institutes of Health If you want to read a scientific report about fluoride in drinking water, here is the link. Consider making a monthly supporting donation to Mid Bay News so that we can continue to create meaningful local journalism for our community 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who we are ✝️ Our Patron Saint, St. Francis de Sales 🌆 Merge Our Cities 📲 On Social Media 🗞️ Through our Newsletter 👨🏻‍💻 Email Us 💥 Advertise With Us 🫱🏾‍🫲🏻 Our Advertisers 🔼 Support Us 📎 Terms and Conditions 🌀 Hurricanes ✏️ Niceville Area Schools NICEVILLE — Richard Morgan has developed NFL players two at Oscar Smith High in Virginia and another at Marietta High in Georgia In his resume, Niceville High School Principal Charlie Marello and the hiring committee saw a greatness they deemed peerless among the seven finalists whittled down from the 70 applicants applying to be Grant Thompson's successor And it's greatness Morgan sees in this Niceville football program Addressing his players for the first time Monday after the Eagle Pride band introduced him as Niceville's new head football coach Morgan told them: "One word we're striving for: Greatness Niceville baseball: FWB transfer Tarchalski could be "the missing piece" for Eagles If greatness is measured by player development Niceville has long been a leader in the Panhandle with alums like Azareyeh and Juanyeh Thomas lineman Kimo Makane'ole and Deonte Sheffield Morgan's pedigree of coaching 185 college football players 21 All-Americans and two Gatorade National Players of the Year fits into that reputation If greatness is measured by Final Four trips Niceville has six in the past 20 years as they welcome a man who's been to eight himself who are dealing with circumstances Morgan has never had to navigate before Chief among them is Florida's transfer portal which last season both rejuvenized and depleted depth charts across the Sunshine State The good news is Niceville's coaching staff likely will remain consistent Morgan didn't mention any specific names or say any new hires (outside of a void at offensive line) were pressing This is good news for continuity on Niceville's sideline after the defense shined last year under Kody Martin and excelled in specific phases behind Adron Robinson Morgan commended the coaching staff and players for last year's Final Four effort He understands he's walked into a good situation and noted that has a lot to do with the tireless work of Thompson who went 64-10 in his six seasons at the helm before his resignation this offseason sent shockwaves through the area But there's work to be done to build on improving the Flyin' N's winning culture "Our goal is to focus on the day-to-day operations of getting better and better," Morgan said “Obviously every year the goal is to play in the last game for the whole thing and that begins by focusing on the kids and developing a great culture Morgan is no stranger to taking over a program looking to erase a state title drought In 2019 he led Marietta to its first state football championship since 1967 ending a 52-year drought for the Blue Devils That was easily the high point for a nine-year tenure at Marietta that concluded with a 42-64 record and a 2-8 2024 campaign causing Morgan to step down in the offseason Morgan said he's had 4,000-yard quarterbacks and 2,000-yard running backs it's "players over plays" that'll decide how he leads Niceville into this new chapter He'll have the benefit of an offense returning the likes of Robert Stith Max Roche and Jay Galindo and two-way linemen Dalton Perras And he'll have a defense led by the likes Harper Campbell "What we call will be based on your strengths," Morgan told his players Monday We'll get a better look at Niceville's roster come Spring football time -- The city of Niceville is putting speeders on notice cameras are now in place to beef up enforcement in two school zones on major roadways Nobody's happy to see drivers speeding through school zones Now the city of Niceville is taking action with speed enforcement cameras in two key locations It comes after a traffic study at Ruckel Middle School showed how bad the problem is "1034 drivers exceeded the speed limit during the school hours," Police Chief Mark Hayse said "908 violations occurred while the flashing school zone lights were active indicating that the drivers ignored the posted speed limit." Chief Hayse says the cameras have been installed on Partin Drive near Ruckel and on Palm Boulevard near Niceville High School Florida law specifies the cameras can be used on the state highway system Neighbors say they like the idea of catching speeders but have some reservations about surveillance technology in general "I think all things can be used for the good but I also think they need to be careful about overreach," Warner said "I like it during the school hours," Niceville resident Stevie Christian added "I guess I'm not a huge fan of it after hours or before hours; but definitely when school is in or when there's children about." Chief Hayse says that's exactly how they'll be used The cameras will be active during the school day only from 30 minutes before classes begin through 30 minutes after dismissal Speeders going more than ten miles over the limit will get citations in the mail "The citations are lesser than a normal citation," Chief Hayse said "We're just trying to prove a point that you need to slow down to save the lives of these kids and their families trying to get them to school." only warnings will be mailed during a 60-day education period driving home the simple message expressed by Stevie Christian "Slow down when you're around kids There's no cost to the city to install the cameras; it's paid by the vendor The city of Niceville will keep 60% of the fines collected More details about the cameras and procedures can be found at The City of Niceville is putting speeders on notice WEAR reached out to other cities in Northwest Florida to see if they're using school zone speed cameras Crestview is currently doing studies to assess the need Fort Walton Beach is planning to install cameras and Pensacola said there are no plans at this time The Okaloosa County School District proudly announces that Niceville High School Principal Charlie Marello has been named the Northwest Florida Regional Director for the Florida Association of Secondary School Principals (FASSP) a Florida Association of School Administrators (FASA) division is dedicated to supporting and empowering secondary school leaders across the state FASA's mission is to enhance Florida's education quality by equipping administrators with the tools and resources needed to foster student success Marello brings 15 years of experience as a secondary school principal to this leadership role He is in his ninth year as principal of Niceville High School following three years as principal at Destin Middle School and three years as principal at Emerald Coast Middle School in Walton County and school-wide leadership has marked his tenure "After 15 years as a secondary school principal I've been fortunate to gain lots of experience trying to effectively lead and survive all different types of situations," said Marello "If I can be of service to the FASSP by sharing or helping others through the knowledge I've gained I'm more than happy to do so." Superintendent Marcus Chambers commended Marello on this prestigious appointment "Charlie Marello is an outstanding leader who has made a tremendous impact on students His dedication to excellence in education and his ability to mentor and support fellow administrators make him the perfect choice for this role We are incredibly proud to have him representing Northwest Florida at the state level." Marello's new role with FASSP will allow him to collaborate with school leaders across the region and contribute to the professional development of fellow administrators 📣 Fire Chief Tommy Mayville announced his retirement after 43 years of service to the Niceville Fire Department who began working with the city as a teenager will retire on September 25 after more than 50 years 🏛️ The retirements mark a shift in leadership as only one long-serving department head from the former city manager’s era will remain After 43 years at the City of Niceville – Fire Chief Tommy Mayville announced he will retire on July 17 announced she will end her career with the city as well on September 25 Former Niceville City Manager Lannie Corbin hired Library Director Sheila Bishop to help run the new Niceville Library program when she was still in her teens She soon proved herself as a city employee and began to move up the ranks “I will tell you it has been a privilege and an honor to serve the city of Niceville,” Bishop said Longoria has served with the city’s library for five years Her retirement in September will mark the end of an era – as many of the department heads hired by former City Manager Corbin who had more than 20 years experience with the city will have moved on Public Works Director Jonathon Laird will be the only remaining veteran with significant experience in a department head capacity There is no immediate word on who will replace Mayville after almost a half-century of service Chief Mayville grew up in Valparaiso and joined the fire service after high school and other family members were at the ceremony to celebrate his impending retirement from the fire service and that number one I go to is a drop to my knees I’m acknowledging my Lord and Savior for keeping me safe 43 years,” Mayville said to the Niceville City Council and the members of the public at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting Mayville also thanked his wife with a bouquet for her sacrifices while he served the City’s residents but she was the one I always woke up in the middle of the night with pager for 43 years and she was that person I came home to and had a bad call Chief Mayville leaves the department in a much different place than he found it When Mayville began his career at the fire department the unit had many volunteers on the roster there are no more volunteers on the rolls – the department is a fully professional staff RELATED: Former Niceville Firefighters Sue City, Allege Rights Violation Mayville’s emphasis on improving the Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) for the department has resulted in the current fire department staff earning additional certifications NICEVILLE — After a unanimous vote by the Niceville City Council on Tuesday no municipality in Okaloosa County will be using fluoride in its water supply According to Niceville City Manager David Deitch the issue of fluoride in the water supply has recently come to the city's attention Deitch believes that fluoride is no longer needed in the water system Deitch explained that fluoride has "historically" been added to the water supply; however the current levels of fluoride in Niceville's water supply are due to where the city gets its water from — the Floridan aquifer which has fluoride in it because it is a naturally occurring substance Deitch explained that the current level of fluoride in the water supply is below the state's recommendation Deitch believes the need for fluoride is no longer needed Thus came the recommendation for the city council to vote on the issue What did the council say before the vote?Nothing As soon as the issue came before the council for consideration no member of the Niceville City Council offered thoughts on the matter With a motion made by Councilman Doug Stauffer and a second by Councilman Bill Schaetzle Only three members of the public spoke on the issue, with only one being a Niceville resident. The others were from Escambia County and Santa Rosa County. Those speakers weighed in on the public health risks of fluoride in the water supply, echoing comments made by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo in November A woman in attendance asked the council when fluoride would be removed from the water supply stating that removing fluoride from the Niceville water supply was as simple as "turning the machines off." Why is there fluoride in water supplies?While fluoride isn't needed in drinking water the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocate for it saying its main benefit is preventing cavities “Community water fluoridation is so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century,” the American Dental Association says -- Niceville High School has a new head football coach Richard Morgan will coach the Eagles for the upcoming season He's the former head coach for Marietta High School in Georgia Morgan has 224 wins and 3 state championships He replaces Niceville's former head coach Grant Thompson Thompson coached the Eagles for the past six years and led them to two state semifinal appearances It's interview week at Niceville High School following the stunning resignation from Grant Thompson as Niceville head football coach on March 5 following a 64-10 tenure over six seasons the creme of the of crop has emerged in seven finalists who'll interview in person this week for one of the most prep football jobs in the Sunshine State “The NHS Steering Committee had an incredibly challenging task narrowing down the final interview list," Niceville Principal Charlie Marello said "We had nearly 70 applicants from all over the country with unbelievable track records of success and championships.” More: Thompson resigns as Niceville football head coach From state champions to former collegiate coaches and analysts these are the seven finalists (in alphabetical order) in the running Fox led the Fighting Irish to a MHSAA Division 5 state championship this past season its first ever as he was named MHSFCA State of Michigan Coach of the Year and Detroit Free Press Coach of the Year he's been named the MHSFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 1994 2023 and 2024 and has a career record of 239-140 former Marietta HC and Oscar Smith HCMorgan is no stranger winning the big games leading Marietta High School in Georgia to a state title in 2019 and Oscar Smith High School in Virginia to two more prior Morgan has 224 Career Wins (.716 winning percentage) 15 Elite Eights and is 3-for-5 in his state championship trips He has coached 185 college football players and seven NFL players and produced 21 All American selections five State Players of the Year and two Gatorade National Players of the Year Tohopekaliga HCParadiso is no stranger to being a finalist for this role having previously made the short list in 2019 when legendary John Hicks stepped down Paradiso is currently the head coach at Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee with previous head coaching stints at Lake Nona High School Cypress Creek High School and Crystal River High School Paradiso has previously won the 3A and 5A State Coach of the Year Awards and coached seven NCAA Division I quarterbacks currently the HC at Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville with previous head coaching stops at Mandarin High School and Yulee High School led Mandarin to an 8A state championship in 2018 and was named Florida Dairy Farmer's Coach of the Year that year Ramsay has a career record of 104-71 and was also named FACA 4A District Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2012 has deep roots with the program after helping lead Niceville football to its lone state title in 1988 In that 5A state championship he delivered two TDs and an interception he's served multiple roles on the coaching staff most notably working with running backs and being the recruiting coordinator Robinson was named the Mickey Andrews Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021 by the Northwest Florida All Sports Association and he's also the head coach of the girls' flag football team and teaches World History and Constitutional Law at NHS Cleveland HCTygard has both college and high school ties He's currently the head coach at Cleveland High School in Cleveland after head coaching stints at Blackman High School in Tennessee and North Jackson High School in Alabama He is a national clinic speaker and football analytics consultant with 20 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I Tygard was an assistant coach for Lane Kiffin and Phillip Fulmer at the University of Tennessee from the collegiate ranks to the prep stadiums He is currently the head coach at Westmoore High School in Moore after previous head coaching stints at Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming Ridgeland High School in Mississippi and Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas White coached collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nevada and his references include Bob Stoops (Florida) Brent Venables (Oklahoma) and Josh Heupel (Tennessee) “What was different from the applicant pool in 2019 is how hooked in these guys are at the college level," Marello said I talked to some big-name college coaches that we’ve all seen on ESPN I offered my services as the future Director of Football Operations to James Franklin at Penn State but he didn’t seem very interested Niceville plans to recommend their selection at the April 14 School Board meeting -- A waterfront park is in the works for the people of Niceville It's in a beautiful area on Bayshore Drive next to the Boggy Bayou Renderings show how the city is planning to bring a stage a splash pad and maybe even a tiny beach area to Old Town Landing It isn't much to look at right now with a couple of picnic benches and a paved walkway "That vision is to redevelop this area into a vibrant urban space that citizens of Niceville can enjoy," says Deputy City Manager Kristen Shell "A place they can do life together." Shell says this project is a long time coming The city of Niceville is partnering with AVCON INC. "There really isn't a lot of places in Niceville where public has access to water," says Virgil C "So we have a good opportunity here to take advantage of the city-owned property on the water and provide amenities to make it a place where families you can expect to see construction going on above the water: seven boat slips Then a developer will come on board to build up the inland portion "We don't have a lot of room." "We're hoping to have a little area for a band a lot of different activities," Lewis says As plans start to solidify over the next few months city leaders want you to know one thing about the future of Bayshore Drive there started an urban myth that Bayshore was going to be closed permanently That has never been approved by city council so I'm just here to say there is no plan to permanently close Bayshore," Shell says there are plans to enhance it and make it a truly special place with brick pavers Now what exactly is going to be a part of the upland section of Old Town Landing will have to be an agreement between the city and the developer The renderings WEAR News looked at had suggestions like an area for food trucks -- a few local restaurants and LAKELAND — Niceville had the 12th-ranked team in the nation and the top-ranked team in all of Florida beaten in Friday's 5A state semifinal at Bryant Stadium The Eagles led 12-0 midway through the third quarter their defense with eight straight stops to begin the Final Four They led 20-13 with 2:56 left to play and the ball after a Justus Donahoo interception only for a blocked punt and a Kavon McKinney recovery for the touchdown to knot things up They had a 45-yard field goal chance to win it at the end of regulation They had a 26-yard field goal chance to win it all in the first overtime after the defense forced a missed field goal off the right upright broken play touchdown from Zander Smith to force extra football in the third overtime after a 14-yard touchdown from Kane Lafortune to Tim Smith on fourth down to bring them within 34-33 three yards separated them from the program's first state championship appearance since 2013 as they went for the 2-point conversion looked for the jump pass and then tucked it and went to his left The Troy-bound senior absorbed contact and was tackled one yard shy of the end zone will bid for a public-school record 10th state title Thursday when they face St Niceville heads home wondering what could have been if that one kick one yard would've led the Eagles to the Miami and a bid for the program's first state title since 1988 the Eagles outgained Lakeland 420-174 and had 18 first downs to the Dreadnaughts’ five "You couldn't have possibly played any better," Niceville head coach Grant Thompson told his team in the postgame huddle The Eagles traveled 430 miles south and dictated the game from the start Logan Karwacki kicked two field goals before the three eventual misses and Kody Martin's Eagles defense allowed nothing turning away six Lakeland drives and three that started on Niceville's side of the field for zero points a 29-yard Jon Bocchino touchdown extended the lead to 12-0 The ensuing drive Niceville's defense delivered another stop but Connor Mathews fumbled at midfield on the next set of downs and Jermichael Gillis scooped up the ball and ran 56 yards to paydirt Lakeland's defense did what its offense couldn't do for 39 minutes of play But Malik Morris struck in the fourth quarter with a 54-yard touchdown up the right side to give the Dreadnaughts a 13-12 lead Andy Bocchino recovering a fumble two drives later and Johnny Lewis scoring on a 9-yard keeper to give the Eagles a 20-13 lead in the waning minutes Lakeland answered like powerhouses are supposed to do Like the top-ranked team in Florida is supposed to do wished and prayed on a 24-yard field goal and then scored twice Niceville finishes the season 12-2 with seven ranked wins a region title and the ninth Final Four appearance in program history But that's little solace for a team that had it won -- A Niceville High School student got a huge and heartwarming surprise Monday as a local auto body shop put her life in motion with a new set of wheels IT started like just another ROTC drill -- everyone in uniform Then principal Charlie Marello stepped in to make a special announcement "There's actually another reason why we brought everybody out there today," he said He introduced a special guest: Amber Carter She was about to change somebody's life "We are here to donate this vehicle to a very well-deserved young lady today." Mullins Auto Body bought it from a customer all with the goal of donating it where it would make a difference Zikeara is a senior who wants to serve in the Army and go to college Principal Marello says he often sees her and her brother trying to catch rides with others "That's your car," he tells her says this community is near and dear to her heart is to give back as much as I can," she said "So what I can do in this community to give back and to love on every person that's here in this community? Zikeara's mom Iris Vaughn says her heart is full to see her daughter's hard work pay off in this way "It's not every day you get a car coming out of high school "She definitely deserves it and I'm just thankful she can be the one to offer a friend a ride "It was the last thing I would have ever expected so I'm very thankful for everyone tied into this." Carter says this is the second car that Mullins Auto Body has donated they gave one to "Caring and Sharing." FTW NICEVILLE — The shock from Grant Thompson's resignation has only increased since the Daily News broke the news March 5 Now the biggest question remains: Who'll be his successor Niceville High principal Charlie Marello revealed a bit of clarity Friday concerning that timeline "The head football coach position is currently advertised and will close on March 20th," Marello said "In accordance with Okaloosa County School District policy all applications will then be reviewed by the NHS Screening Committee with interview opportunities extended to roughly 8 to 10 applicants Before finalizing the list of candidates to interview the top candidates will be referred to the OCSD Human Resources Department for an employment eligibility review to include a preliminary background check and a certification eligibility check a candidate will be selected and recommended for the position at the April 14th School Board meeting." Softball: Niceville heads into spring break 6-2 behind its ace, Bailey That'll give the new coach a couple of weeks to prepare for the start of spring football That'll also give the hiring committee ample time to make the right hire “The timing of Spring Break and the Board meeting schedule slows us down a little fully research our candidates and find the right coach for our team," Marello said "Currently we have over 50 applicants in just the first few days of it being advertised with candidates from Florida While the team loses quarterbacks JJ Lewis and Kane Lafortune running back Connor Mathews and defensive leaders Jon Bocchino and Maddox Hayles to name a few linebackers Harper Campbell and Owen Atkins and defensive back Justus Donahoo return as the transfer portal promises to reveal a couple of additions The program also has a storied track record, coming a yard short of a 5A state title appearance last year and making a Final Four appearance in 2020 as well the Eagles went 64-10 over a six-season run his replacement will have big shoes to fill the Fort Walton Beach girls tennis program is headed to state is looking for a repeat of 2014's state title run The old rivals skirted doubles play Thursday as they dominated their respective region championships the Vikings beating North Bay Haven 4-1 in singles play for the Region 1-2A crown at Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center and the Eagles downing Chiles 4-1 for the Region 1-3A title at Eagle Ram Tennis Center Audrey Hill improved to 21-1 on the year at No Regional baseball roundup: Choctaw, South Walton sweep their way into semifinals Region baseball: Niceville sweeps Milton, gears up to host Columbia in Region 1-5A semifinals Reese Armstrong and Penelope Gordon easily handed business in the top two spots and Kinley Driver clinched the region title with a 10-7 third-set tiebreaker victory State begins Monday for Niceville at Sanlando Park in Seminole County and Wednesday for Fort Walton at Red Bug Lake Park in Seminole County NICEVILLE — Grant Thompson has always said the "Flyin' N is bigger than me." Those words carried added weight Wednesday when we he announced his resignation as Niceville's head football coach following a six-year run where the Eagles went 64-10 and made two Final Fours this was Thompson's decision and his decision alone The Eagles were 1 yard from advancing to the 5A state championship this past December when a two-point conversion was stuffed at the goal line in a 34-33 Thompson said he was "kicking around a bit" the next chapter of his life Final 4 thriller: Niceville denied 1 yard short in triple overtime, season ends in state semifinal but he said he will not be coaching at Niceville or anyone else next season "It's all pretty new and pretty raw," Thompson said Charlie is of course Niceville principal Charlie Marello who in 2019 faced the unenviable task of replacing a living legend in John Hicks the 2001 Niceville High alumnus calling this his "dream job." "I don't even know if that describes it enough," Thompson said of the label Like the perfect 10-0 regular season in 2019 Or the "Nike Special" play from 2020 at Buchholz that propelled the Eagles to the first of two region titles under Thompson Or the six Okaloosa County titles and unbeaten record against Choctaw There's honestly too many to name here for a man who helped navigate the program through the pandemic his loyalty to the program and his love for the community shined "Someone will step in and continue the winning tradition that was built long before I arrived," he said The girls tennis programs at Fort Walton Beach and Niceville are on the precipice of going to state The District 1-2A champion Vikings swept District 2-2A runner-up Suwannee 7-0 in their region semifinal at Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center and the District 1-3A champion Eagles swept District 2-3A runner-up Leon 4-0 in their region semifinal match at Eagle Ram Tennis Center Callie Delemarre and Aspen Baker didn't drop a game in 6-0 Now the defending region champion Eagles are set to host longtime foe Chiles for the region title Thursday at 3 p.m The Vikings will also play hosting duties again Thursday versus District 1 runner-up North Bay Haven which beat Eastside 4-2 in their region quarterfinal Losing Tuesday in the Region 1-3A semifinals were the Niceville boys who fell 4-1 to Leon after tiebreaker losses in the Nos Niceville's Ben Converse pulled down the only win in the no while Zavier Barbary and Andrew Roberts lost in straight sets at No 2 and Cole Hawkins and Sean Wingenbach split sets before losing in tiebreaker action in their respective 3/4 matches Doubles play was not needed after singles play eliminated the Eagles but where Azareye'h Thomas' name would be called in the 2025 NFL Draft The New York Jets came calling Friday night with the 73rd pick in the third round the Niceville and Florida State University alumnus celebrating with family and friends as they broke out in Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind." That family included older brother Juanyeh who'll enter his third season with the Dallas Cowboys after signing a one-year Now it's Azareye'h's turn to get that well-deserved paycheck The selection comes as no shock to those who watched Thomas star on both sides of the ball at Niceville The 6-foot-2 cornerback/wide receiver was named both Large School Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year for the Daily News and helped Niceville advance to the Final 4 his senior year He didn't allow a touchdown all year on his side and his 9.6 percent target rate was the lowest in the nation leading to his announcement in the offseason that he was declaring for the draft So where does Thomas rank among the area's highest draft picks Niceville head football coach Grant Thompson stepped down from his position in a shocking move Wednesday afternoon Thompson had been with the Eagles for six years leading the team to a 64-10 record and was a foot short of a Class 5A state championship appearance With the resignation just two months before spring ball wondered whether Mosley football head coach Tommy Joe Whiddon would be approached or would consider throwing his hat in the ring for the position played quarterback with Thompson as his center Local high school sports Arnold softball ace Bre Clark eclipses 800 strikeouts, inching toward millennium milestone More local sports Mosley football's Tommy Joe Whiddon declines Lincoln job, will lead Dolphins in 2025 Whiddon joined the Eagles' coaching staff in 2013 as a quarterbacks coach and later on as an offensive coordinator So it's no secret that the ties are already there not to mention also being the son-in-law to legendary Niceville coach John Hicks The News Herald contacted Whiddon about the Niceville vacancy and got a response Thursday This isn't the first time Whiddon's name has been connected to other jobs having turned down the head football coach position at Tallahassee powerhouse Lincoln late last year Whiddon is set to return for his fifth season leading the Dolphins 15 for the Kickoff Classic and open up the season on Aug Banji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X Mid Bay News is calling a win and a loss for city hall in their two referenda to change the city charter Voters decided by a ten-point margin to deny a city clerk the ability to live outside city limits Previous City Clerk Dan Doucet retired at the end of 2024 – leaving Deputy Clerk Wendy Farmer the heir apparent to the job a thirty-year employee of the city and graduate of Niceville High School would have to move into the city limits of Niceville to take the job she has on an interim basis permanently City Hall did get a victory on their request to end the practice of using a game of chance to break a tie if the city council comes to an impasse about who should replace a resigned city council member Residents cast 740 ballots to win the first measure – 738 were cast for the second measure The Supervisor’s website counted an eight percent turnout among the about 22,000 voters who were able to cast a ballot in Niceville As of 7:51 on March 11, The Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections had eight vote-by-mail ballots and 25 that they had not counted due to issues at the polling place reported Tuesday morning. Wawa is coming to Niceville – according to Niceville officials Niceville City Manager David Deitch and Mayor Dan Henkel revealed that the Wawa Pennsylvania-based convenience store will open up shop across from the CEFCO at the corner of Rocky Bayou Drive and John Sims Parkway They discussed the new business at their regular Town Hall meeting that was hosted on Monday Paul N’ Saul co-host Paul Sjoberg first reported the news on Mid Bay News’ weekly show “The city just has a relationship with Mr Byrne and knew what was going in [to the location],” Sjoberg said on the show Niceville Planning and Zoning Department employees told Mid Bay News on Jan. 27 that no permits have been pulled just yet for the building. The plot of land is currently zoned C2 Commerical and would not have to seek approval to place a store on the property – other than applying for building permits There is no completion date for the project that has been made publicly available there are two Wawas in the western Florida Panhandle One is in Pensacola and another is in Tallahassee A second Tallahassee location is set to open Jan Wawa is a Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain known for its made-to-order deli selections The business was founded in 1803 as the Millville Manufacturing Company before transitioning into dairy farming in 1902 under George Wood who named Wawa Dairy Farms after the local area in Pennsylvania Initially specializing in home-delivered milk the company adapted to changing market trends in the 1960s under Grahame Wood opening its first Wawa Food Market in Folsom They introduced gasoline services and surcharge-free ATMs to enhance convenience and operate most stores 24/7 Customers can access Wawa products through in-store purchases The company continues to expand while emphasizing teamwork which we will update as we get more information Eight students and four chaperones from Niceville High School's NaGISA program recently returned from an extraordinary 11-day journey to Japan over Thanksgiving break Representing the only high school in the United States affiliated with the NaGISA program the group attended the 2nd World Congress of Marine Stations in Shizuoka where they presented their groundbreaking work on marine biodiversity which stands for Natural Geography of In-Shore Areas is a Japanese-based international collaboration aimed at inventorying and monitoring the biodiversity of in-shore areas NaGISA means "where the land meets the sea." Niceville High School's NaGISA program has been at the forefront of this initiative with over 20 years of contributions to marine science Their presentations at the World Congress were designed to showcase their achievements and inspire other high schools around the globe to join this critical effort The students departed on November 21st and arrived in Japan the following day visiting historical and cultural landmarks and Sasha McCraine participated in a "poster session," presenting the NHS NaGISA program's collection and analysis protocols they engaged with attendees from top universities worldwide Jacob Milz and sophomore Julia Milz delivered the main presentation titled "The Northwest Florida NaGISA Program as a Blueprint for Scientific Outreach." Their presentation highlighted the history and success of the NHS NaGISA program detailed their innovative "Sandy Beach" protocol and encouraged other high schools to contribute to marine biodiversity research Teacher of the Gifted at NHS and NaGISA advisor a former NHS NaGISA student who is now an adjunct lecturer of Japanese culture at the University of Florida Mikus served as the group's interpreter and tour guide enhancing the cultural and scientific experience for the students "This trip offered these students the rare opportunity to present alongside counterparts from some of the world's leading universities," said Richard Hernandez "Our students' contributions left a lasting impression on the eminent scientists in attendance and they showcased their scientific expertise demonstrating the excellence of Niceville High School and the Okaloosa County School District." Niceville High School has since been accepted as an entire World Association of Marine Stations member joining a prestigious network of over 800 marine stations worldwide The school's program has also been invited to the next World Congress of Marine Stations in two years and asked to contribute to the Atlas of Marine Stations Superintendent Marcus Chambers praised the students' accomplishments: "This trip exemplifies our students' incredible opportunities to engage in world-class learning experiences The NaGISA team's dedication and passion exemplify the excellence we strive for in Okaloosa County I am so proud of their achievements and the way they represented our district on an international stage." Through months of preparation and hard work these students brought global recognition to their program Their journey is a testament to the power of education and the impact of students who dare to dream big (Pictured above Left to Right: Lillian Suttlemyre Download press release here! •🏈 Former Marietta head coach Richard Morgan will lead the Niceville High School football program after Grant Thompson’s resignation •🏆 Morgan won a state championship in Georgia in 2019 and has coached numerous college and NFL players •🔥 His first task includes continuing Niceville’s 23-season playoff appearance streak following a Final Four finish last year Former Marietta (Georgia) Head Football Coach Richard Morgan will take over the Niceville High School Football Program after Grant Thompson’s resignation earlier this year “Coach Morgan’s list of achievements and accomplishments in high school football is incredible,” said Niceville High School Principal Charlie Morello he was the unanimous number one choice of the NHS Football Steering Committee and we are lucky we landed him Morgan has a Georgia High School Football Title to his name and was unemployed after announcing his resignation at the Metro Atlanta powerhouse in November 2024 According to Niceville High School’s social media, Morgan posted a 48-57 record in eight seasons at Marietta, according to On3 Sports. Morgan stood on the mountaintop as a state champion in 2019 It was the school’s first title in football since 1967 After earning his state title with the Blue Devils in 2019, Foster and his team compiled a 20-36 record, according to MaxPreps According to stats posted on Niceville High School’s social media has helped 185 players compete at the college level and has seven NFL players who played for him Niceville hasn’t missed a playoff appearance since 2001 – meaning Morgan’s first duty will include extending the streak past the quarter-century mark Niceville made it to a triple-overtime loss in the Final Four to Lakeland Their only other loss in 2024 came to District Rivals Mosley which former Niceville Assistant Tommy Joe Whiddon led This is a developing story and we will update it here as we get more information -- A city in Northwest Florida is now without animal control services The city of Niceville did not renew a contract with the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society The organization increased their service fees to the city by 20% City officials say that increase doesn't fit in its budget PAWS is known for intake and animal control the city is now trying to find a new solution to animal control in the area "I think the contract ending was just suddenly," said City Councilman Doug Stauffer "We did not anticipate an increase." Niceville has had an ongoing partnership with PAWS for years "I think the numbers were about $105,000," Stauffer said "I think the contract now is $125,000 Went from $650 per capita to about $750 and that's more than Okaloosa County City officials say they didn't understand the need for increase in service fees Stauffer says the Niceville city manager even attempted to negotiate around the increase Interim executive director Tracey Kinsley with PAWS says raising their prices is right in line with the times "Because I don't know one thing in the entire United States that has decreased in cost," Kinsley said Kinsley says animal care and control doesn't come cheap PAWS charges the city based on their population She says more people in the area means higher cost for their services "We get about 170 dogs and cats every year," Kinsley said "So just like every community of the city of Niceville has gained populations so there's more household," she said That's more chances that these animals are going to be brought into our facility." Kinsley says one less community partner means less animals in the shelter and more pets in harm's way A similar situation happened in Crestview just two years ago PAWS introduced higher service fees for the area They started taking animal control into their own hands Stauffer says there's a chance that Niceville might do the same "If he feels bringing in house is the best thing then that's what we probably do," said Stauffer there is no go-to solution for animal control in Niceville Stauffer says anyone with animal troubles is advised to call the city directly Stauffer says there is a chance the contract will be discussed along with other future options for animal control in the city Kinsley says she'll be there front and center What seemed like a routine morning formation for JROTC cadets at Niceville High School turned into a life-changing moment for senior Zikeara Flowers I’ve never had an opportunity like this before,” said Flowers who was called out during what she believed was a regular inspection with her fellow cadets explained that the business acquires damaged vehicles and occasionally donates them to deserving recipients who attended Niceville High School herself She purchased the company from her father about three and a half years ago after he started it 35 years ago “I didn’t want the legacy that he created to go to corporate,” Carter said Principal Charlie Marello worked with guidance counselors and District staff to identify a student who would benefit from having a vehicle who attended the surprise with Flowers’ older sister Alexandria the donation means more than just transportation These kids have been through enough,” Vaughn said “They work three different schedules right now They are all using the same vehicle.” Okaloosa County School Superintendent Marcus Chambers attended the surprise presentation “Today is a shining example of our community partners’ incredible impact on our students,” Chambers said “Thanks to the generosity of Mullins Auto Body Zikeara Flowers now has a reliable vehicle that will help pave the way for her future.” who plans to join the Army after graduation and eventually study marine biology unaware that her brother Antonio had been keeping the surprise a secret for two weeks while participating in the same JROTC program A hardworking and deserving family being blessed by another local hardworking family •Heath Rominger and Doug Tolbert will join the Niceville City Council in March after running unopposed for open seats •Niceville voters will decide on two charter amendments addressing council appointment methods and residency rules for city clerks •Mayor Dan Henkel is unopposed for re-election to his second full term and Niceville will have two candidates for City Council to replace outgoing elected officials Sal Nodjomian and Carl Donahoo Former Councilman Heath Rominger and Planning and Zoning Chairman Doug Tolbert will represent residents starting in March after municipal election day previously served on the Niceville City Council for two terms Tolbert will also join the council in March. Tolbert was the other finalist for the open seat vacated by Abner Williams when he resigned last February. He lost a coin toss to now-councilman Doug Stauffer which ended in Stauffer’s appointment with the council to fill Williams’s seat Stauffer has since led the charge to end the making of such decisions based on a ‘game of chance,’ which the charter currently requires Niceville Mayor Dan Henkel was also up for re-election He is unopposed in his bid to serve his second full four-year term Any resident of the City of Niceville can run for any group seat regardless of the location of their homestead inside of city limits Elections now occur in March to align with other municipal elections around Okaloosa County and are run by the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections In past elections – Niceville held them in the middle of August and performed their elections without help from the Okaloosa Supervisor of Elections office While the contest for city council seats two and four are effectively decided at this point residents can change the charter in at least one way Residents will vote on whether or not to allow a person employed as the city clerk to live outside of city limits who took over after the retirement of Dan Doucet Doucet served the city for more than thirty years after a more than decades of service as a member of the United States Air Force The other charter amendment will let voters decide whether or not a ‘game of chance,’ like the one that decided between Dougs Tolbert and Stauffer for an open council position should continue to decide the case of a split vote between council members on appointments – or if the mayor should be given a vote in that case Both amendment proposals would need a simple majority to pass •🏈 What: Thompson resigns as head football coach •❓ Why: Thompson is stepping down after six successful seasons and the school is looking for a leader who can uphold its tradition of excellence Niceville High School Head Coach Grant Thompson has resigned from his job The Head Ball Coach for the Eagles announced on social media Wednesday that read in part “These past six years have been some of the best of my life Having the opportunity to lead this program-the same one I grew up cheering for- has been an absolute honor Calling it a dream job doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Thompson amassed a 63-11 record with the Eagles overall and an 11-6 postseason record His Eagles had a State Runner-Up finish in 2020 and a Final Four appearance in 2024 Thompson replaced longtime head coach John Hicks after the 2018 season and helped the Eagles to extend their playoff appearance streak that started in 1999 to the quarter-century mark In addition to wins and losses on the field Thompson helped prepare players to play Division I college football The ultimate decision-maker on the next head football coach for Niceville High School is Principal Charles Morello, Who notes that his phone has been buzzing off the hook since the announcement was made the process has not begun to search for a replacement But Marello says a committee will inform his decision to find a replacement Even though kickoff is five months away – Marello does not have the luxury of time Spring football is right around the corner it’s gotta go through the process and protocol.” But Marello has the archetype of the next head Eagle mapped out [the next head coach will be] someone who understands the tradition of excellence that we have in football and athletics and academics at Niceville High School and wants to be as big a part of that as as I do Niceville is a high-cost living area, and it’s chased away coaches in the past That means bringing in a high-caliber coach isn’t as easy as you might want to believe for a squad that just made a triple overtime sources with the Niceville Quarterback Club say there’s a legion of coaches lining up to put their name in the hat for the gig Here are four options (of many) who might be in the mix to replace Thompson at Niceville High School Current Associate Head Coach and Head Flag Football Coach Adron Robinson Coach Robinson has been a mainstay on the Niceville staff for years – and has a Niceville Football State Championship ring to boot Sources with the team say Robinson wants the job Perry also played at Niceville High School before heading to Florida State for his undergraduate degree and Florida Atlantic for his postgraduate work Perry currently teaches at Niceville High School Former Niceville Assistant Coach David Hedges Hedges left to colorful Colorado to take on a coaching gig at Pine Creek High School He’s since moved back to Florida to Coach the Vernon Yellowjackets though – he is married to the daughter of Niceville City Councilwoman Cathy Alley and was instrumental to Thompson’s early success on the gridiron and their State Runner Up performance in 2020 Current Mosley High School Head Football Coach Tommy Joe Whiddon Whiddon is the son-in-law of former Niceville High School Head Football Coach John Hicks and a former Niceville Assistant Coach Whiddon has a 31-12 record with the Dolphins over the last three years – and a 2-3 playoff record Washington in Pensacola before he took the job at the Panama City-area school — The Air Force is investigating an incident involving an F-16 fighter jet after a fuel tank detached and landed in a neighborhood in Niceville Tuesday morning Eglin Air Force Base says it is unclear whether the tank was carrying any fuel at the time The 500 pound tank landed within feet from a few homes "I got a call yesterday morning for my daughter She said something blew up at the house," said homeowner Gene Lowe "Jumped in my truck and came back on over here and I was about the first one on the scene You could smell fuel and of course you could see the debris there I didn’t know exactly what it was at that time." "Another 20 foot and it would’ve been in the house," he added Eglin Air Force Base says the fuel tank was from an F-16 with the 96th test wing Sources at the base believe the tank detached from the jet shortly after takeoff The neighborhood where it landed is just over a mile from the end of the runway then seconds later watched as the tank fell to the ground Christian Snowden said the impact shook his house "It really sounded like a plane dropping out of the sky." he said "You could feel the foundation shaking and everything just startle The smell of jet fuel was still present on Wednesday Crews were using drones to analyze the impact area Environmental contractors from the base were also looking over the fuel spill so we definitely need to go get that tested." "I know there’s an investigation going on We just wanna get to the bottom of to see what was going on," he added "Again we’re just thankful no one‘s lives were affected or harmed." The base could not say how much fuel was in the tank when it impacted More information will be released when the investigation has been completed Niceville always had the feel of a Final Four football team with linebackers Maddox Hayles and Harper Campbell safety Jon Bocchino and lineman Nathaniel "Nunu" Krider reliant on a stout line featuring four-star prospect Jakobe Green Then the Eagles brought in quarterback Johnny Lewis to run the wildcat and Connor Mathews to be the bell cow back behind college-bound gunslinger Kane Lafortune and a track star at wide receiver in Robert Stith It all made this team the favorite to represent The Panhandle hierarchy But only through adversity can you learn about a team evolved into a regional champ not because of transfers and not because an FHSAA playoff formula that flummoxed everyone Friday's 31-10 rout of Lincoln for the Region 1-5A crown was a complete team effort built on the humility of district defeat and lessons learned through countless injuries It also affirmed that this team belongs among the greats of Niceville's storied gridiron history right alongside the eight Final Four teams that came before them Now these Eagles are looking to join the 1988 2009 and 2013 Eagle teams in making the state championship game Florida high school football scores: Recap 2024 FHSAA playoffs regional championships this is a Final Four team," said coach Grant Thompson who last led the Eagles to a Final Four in 2020 but we did nothing but stay resilient and get better all of them for getting us to the Final Four.” travels to second-seeded Lakeland (12-0) on Friday for a Final Four matchup Thomas Aquinas (10-3) in the other 5A state semifinal Friday's win over Lincoln showed how the Eagles can climb the 5A mountaintop Harper Campbell and TeRay Geiger each had sacks as Lincoln mustered just 39 rushing yards (1.8 per carry) and couldn't find anything open over the top completing just 12 of 23 passes for 90 yards The 10 points Lincoln scored came directly off a scoop-and-score and a fumble recovered at the Eagles' 18-yard line which only resulted in a 22-yard field goal It was a far cry from the Trojans' team that pushed the Eagles to the brink in a 38-35 loss last month so moving forward it's the same mentality: If they can't score on us We've been fighting the injury bug all year but you could totally tell tonight we were all there." Jon Bocchino returned to the heavy-package and scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards sandwiched around a 40-yard touchdown from Lewis to Stith who took some time off from offense with an ankle injury as he continued to shine defensively "I love my teammates getting me down there A Logan Karwacki 27-yard field goal gave the Eagles a 24-3 halftime lead and they tacked on a 3-yard Lewis touchdown run in the third quarter to put the game out of reach "We did really well running the ball the last time we played them so we wanted to lean on that but also be more balanced this time," Lewis said "So in the heavy package we threw the ball more." Lewis finished with 30 rushes for 218 yards while completing all seven of his passes for 91 yards and the 40-yard touchdown to Stith who has 19 receptions for 222 yards and four touchdowns in the playoffs alone after practice we always get extra reps in throws in to make sure our chemistry is there," Lewis said "I believe that's just what happened there." following a third-quarter injury to Connor Mathews whose left ankle was iced heavily to indicate an injury that could keep him out next week or at least hinder the explosiveness that's helped him pile up 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns win it for him if he can't play," said Lewis who transferred from Fort Walton Beach in the offseason to a family atmosphere "It was good because when I came here they welcomed me," Lewis continued I loved it even though I didn't have a starting spot because we were still a team And I did anything I could to get on the field." •📖 What: A military aircraft’s fuel pod fell •❓ Why: The cause of the pod’s detachment is under investigation by Eglin Air Force Base A fuel pod from a military aircraft dropped from the sky and miraculously missed people it landed between two houses,” said Niceville City Manager David Deitch The incident occurred at a home on Monette St., about 600 meters from Edge Elementary School, and left the shredded wreckage of the fuel pod on the ground feet from a home and a strong smell of jet fuel wafting through the air Eglin Air Force Base confirmed on the scene that no one was hurt the pod didn’t destroy any property in the impact and they were investigating the incident Residents who live next to the site said they heard a loud crash outside of their homes and went outside to determine what happened they say a small army of first responders from Eglin Air Force Base descended on their home Kenneth Lowe lives next to where the fuel pod fell He said his daughter called him and told him there was an explosion in his yard a fuel tank was lying in his property’s driveway “There’s a lot of people standing around wringing their hands about what they are going to do – as far as hazmat and so forth.” Other neighbors said the jet fuel had also begun to seep onto their property Lowe said the incident didn’t make him rethink living where he does near the line of the Jet Noise Zone designated APZ 2 by the Air Force on their maps of the area “No,” he said when asked if this would make him move “They fly over my house every day.” and we will have more updates as we get them -- Deputies are still searching for the driver of a hit-and-run that left a local teacher with serious injuries Sarah Carnello is a teacher and softball coach at Ruckel Middle School She was hit by a car on October 14 and suffered serious road rash and head injuries The community is raising money to help with her medical bills Carnello is exemplifying a forgiving nature that is almost unheard of She has always been known for empowering others she works daily to be a strong role model for kids She says this accident is just another way to do that "I plan to lead by example and show the kids that I don't need to know anymore about the accident "I just need to live and drive for a better tomorrow for myself but more importantly for them." WEAR News had a conversation with Carnello through text due to her jaw being wired shut preventing her from talking Carnello was walking her bike home with her dog when she was hit by a car "I remember walking my bike down a darker stretch of Bluewater Boulevard between the tennis center and the clubhouse," Carnello said "I've walked there a hundred times before I know there were headlights but what kind I stopped trying to make a memory of what I don't have," she added "The next thing I remember is being in the ICU," Carnello said " I don't remember the ride or how I got there I wouldn't be coach Sarah if I didn't power on the best I could." Carnello says the community has rallied behind her in ways she couldn't have imagined They've raised more than 15 thousand dollars to help pay for her medical bills "That has impacted my family in a way that leaves me with a reverence I can't describe," Carnello said "The initial discussions about finances and the tens of thousands it will cost are completely unattainable." but I can't let that control me," she added "I have too many good people and growing adults around me that need me to show them what they are capable of it's just a bit bumpier right now." As the search for the driver who hit her continues "I can continue to pray for whoever is dealing with what they did to me," Carnello said The Florida Highway Patrol says they are still searching for the driver A GoFundMe has been created in support of Carnello. NICEVILLE — The Okaloosa County Commission has taken the next steps in developing a 2.486-mile multi-use pathway in Niceville by allocating $2.1 million in surtax funds for construction According to documents provided by the county for Tuesday's commission meeting the planned pathway will run along College Boulevard and Forest Road from Palm Boulevard and College Boulevard to the intersection of Forest Road and Rocky Bayou Drive The proposed pathway dates back to 2022 when the county commission approved a $1.5 million multi-use path project grant agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation which includes a county match of $1.5 million for construction In a 2022 Daily News article, Public Works Director Jason Autrey said the idea for a multi-use path began due to the number of requests from the public for a path in that location. He noted: "The county got input from citizens and from the city of Niceville. It was pretty obvious this was a desired area for a path." Autrey added that the project could benefit apartment residents in the area and students at Northwest Florida State College and could also be used by the track and cross-country teams at Ruckel Middle School and Niceville High School. According to Autrey in meeting documents, the project design for the pathway is completed, with an estimated construction cost of $4.452 million, including a 15% contingency. Any remaining funds not used for the project will be returned to the county's surtax reserves. Florida got thrown a complete spit ball on Wednesday afternoon Grant Thompson posted on X Wednesday afternoon that he will be stepping down as the head football coach at Niceville High School The move comes as a stunner after Thompson led the Eagles to the Class 5A state semifinals in 2024 Per the Northwest Florida Daily News' Seth Stringer there’s no extenuating circumstances surrounding Thompson’s exit as the Eagles’ lead man though it will leave many to wonder if there’s more behind his departure Thompson leaves the Eagles with an overall record of 64-10 during his time at Niceville including two Final Four appearances over the span of six seasons pic.twitter.com/38mANbVGRg I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Head Football Coach These past six years have been some of the best of my life Having the opportunity to lead this program-the same one I grew up cheering for-has been an absolute honor Calling it a dream job doesn't even begin todescribe it and workedalongside some truly incredible people It has been a blessing to be part of this journey To our incredible administration and teachers: Thank you for your unwavering support Okaloosa County is home to some of the best educational leaders in the state Marello for their mentorship throughout my time here To my coaching staff: You are the heart of this program and commitment to these young men inspire me every day There is no better group of coaches outthere and I am forever grateful to have worked alongside you To my players: Thank you for this wonderful experience and passion for the game have made every moment worth it Watching you grow as athletes and as young men has been the greatest privilege of my career and my parents: Thank you for your endless support and sacrifice throughout this journey Though my time as head coach is coming to an end the Flyin' N will always be a part of me.Niceville Football will forever have my heart Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App -- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi ANDY VILLAMARZOAndy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007 writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Congratulations to the Niceville High School Cheerleaders for winning their sixth straight Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 2A Large All Girls State Championship Coach Tanya Herndon explained to the School Board and audience that this win was probably their hardest fought win out of all six of the championships They had to overcome the challenge of being moved up to Class 2A and competing against one of the best teams in the State “This was by far the best performance Niceville has ever put on at State and was the best routine we could have done,” stated Herndon Okaloosa County School District202 A Highway 85 NNiceville, FL 32578Phone (850) 833-3100Fax (850) 833-4237 Okaloosa County School District has been recognized as a district-wide AdvancED accredited agency since December 9 with previous accreditations occurring at each school View agenda here: https://www.boarddocs.com/fl/okaloosa/Board.nsf/Public The Okaloosa County School Board’s Sales Surtax Citizens’ Oversight Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday at the School District Central Administrative Complex The purpose of the meeting is for the Committee to receive and review reports related to the School District’s Half-Cent Capital Outlay Sales Surtax Program This meeting may be attended by the members of the Okaloosa County School Board and is open to the press and public Any person requiring special accommodation at this Meeting because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the Superintendent at the School District Central Administration Complex at (850) 689-7185 Okaloosa County School District has been recognized as a district-wide AdvancED accredited agency since December 9 Registration Information View the 2023-2024 OCSD Annual Report! Talking to your Child after a Lockdown or Secure Event Apply at  www.myschoolapps.com OCSD Earns High Performing School District Designation OCSD Named a Worldwide School System of Distinction View our Safety Protocols Now if you're the visiting Niceville Eagles traveling quite a ways from the Florida Panhandle they're looking to play the role of spoiling Lakeland's party of reaching another state championship game the two programs clash in a Class 5A state semifinal that will decide who goes on to the state title game Winner will face the winner of the opposite semifinal between Manatee and St Follow along at High School On SI for live updates throughout the afternoon between the two programs at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland Niceville at Lakeland set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m Lakeland is vying for a third consecutive state championship Niceville is 12-1 while Lakeland enters 12-0 and riding an 18-game winning streak Niceville is led by senior quarterback Kane Lafortune who has thrown for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns this season had rushed for 1,117 yards and 13 touchdowns Niceville won the coin toss and elected to defer until the second half Lakeland received and sets up at the Niceville 49-yard line after a nice kick return by Jaysean Pritchard Lakeland goes three-and-out after three running plays and punts away The punt rolls all the way down to the Niceville 1-yard line Niceville is forced to punt after its first possession and Lakeland will take over on the Eagles 32 Lakeland is alternating quarterbacks between North Dakota State signee Zander Smith and junior Chad Williams The Dreadnaughts are on the Niceville 33 with a timeout for the first water break Niceville takes over at their own 27-yard line breaks loose for a big first down run puts the Eagles at midfield Lakeland takes over at its own 25 with two minutes remaining in the first quarter Calum Muldoon connects on a ridiculously long punt that pins Niceville all the way back to their own 2-yard line Muldoon hit the game-winning field goal last week with three seconds remaining Niceville is forced to punt in a first quarter that is filled with punts and still no scoring Manatee winner for the Class 5A state championship next week Malik Morris runs the ball through a mob all the way down to the Niceville 15-yard line Lakeland fumbles the ball away at the Eagles 17-yard line Niceville dodges a bullet and takes over at their own 22 Niceville completes a couple of passes and has moved into Lakeland territory It’s first down for the Eagles and the Lakeland 34-yard line Niceville is moving effectively utilizing a hurry-up offense FIELD GOAL: Logan Karwacki connects on a 45-yard field goal to put Niceville up 3-0 The Eagles are down to the Lakeland 16 with a first down Lakeland defensive back Kavon McKinney makes a leaping interception in the end zone just before going out of bonds McKinney just signed his letter of intent with Mississippi this week Lakeland punts away and the ball is fumbled away twice in the process but Niceville recovers and takes over at the Lakeland 40 with just over a minute to play in the first half Niceville’s JJ Lewis rushes the ball down to the Lakeland 7-yard line Timeout on the field with10 seconds left in the first half FIELD GOAL: Niceville placekicker Logan Karwacki connects on a 24-yard field as time expires in the first half Niceville junior tight end Max Roche hauls in a big catch giving the Eagles a first down at the Lakeland 32-yard line TOUCHDOWN: Niceville scores on a 32-yard run by Troy State commit Jon Bocchino The 2-point pass comes up short but the Eagles now lead 12-0 Lakeland punts away and Niceville will take over at its own 44-yard line TOUCHDOWN: Niceville fumbles and Lakeland senior defensive back Jermichael Gillis picks it up and returns it for a touchdown with 5:36 left in the third quarter Calum Muldoon adds the point-after kick and the Niceville lead is cut to 12-7 Lakeland had a huge touchdown run called back because of a penalty But the Dreadnaughts are driving and are in Niceville territory at the 46 That's the end of the third quarter: Niceville 12 Malik Morris breaks loose on a 59-yard touchdown run  Niceville hooks up with a huge pass play to move the ball down to the Lakeland 21-yard line with 8:34 left in the game Logan Karwacki misses on a 27-yard field gaol attempt for Niceville Lakeland takes over leading 13-12 with 6:34 left in the quarter Malik Morris fumbles away the ball for Lakeland Niceville recovers at their own 27-yard line Niceville has moved the ball down to the Lakeland 19-yard line with 4:46 left scores with 3:03 left to put the Eagles back in front The 2-point pass is complete and Niceville leads Lakeland 20-13 Thomas Aquinas leads Manatee 16-13 in the fourth quarter The winner will play the winner of this game for the 5A state title next week TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland blocks the Niceville punt and returns it for a touchdown Muldoon kicks the PAT and the score is tied 20-20 FIELD GOAL: Logan Karwacki misses a 45-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining that would have won the game and given the Eagles a berth in the Class 5A state championship game Calum Muldoon misses a 24-yard field goal in overtime Niceville place kicker Logan Karwacki misses a 24-yard field goal and now we are going to a second overtime tied 20-20 TOUCHDOWN: Niceville scores on a post route pass to the tight end and the PAT is good Lakeland will now have a chance to match it TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland quarterback Zander Smith scrambles and scores a touchdown Calum Muldoon delivers the PAT and we are tied at 27-27 TOUCHDOWNLakeland gets a touchdown run and the point-after kick to take a 34-27 lead TOUCHDOWN: Niceville gets a touchdown pass but opts for a 2-point conversion which fails Lakeland wins 34-33 and will play for the Class 5A state championship against St State semifinal is slated to kickoff at 7:30 p.m Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships Niceville defensive back Justus Donahoo recognized Friday's Region 1-5A semifinal against Ponte Vedra would be decided on defense held Niceville's potent run game to just 128 yards and forced the Eagles (12-1) to erase a 14-7 halftime deficit through the air Niceville's defense answered by deflecting countless short fields and forcing Drew Price out of the pocket as the Eagles pitched a second-half shutout to force overtime at Eagle Stadium So as the visitors answered Kane Lafortune's 10-yard touchdown strike to Robert Stith with an 8-yard touchdown toss of their own in Niceville's north end zone in it was only fitting for the game to rest on Kody Martin's crew's shoulders For the promise of partying like it's 1988 — the last time Niceville won it all it appeared to be a broken play as Ponte Vedra's whole line jumped the snap But the flags never came as Price rolled out of the pocket to his right and found himself all the way back at the 16-yard line off-balanced and lofting a throw to the front corner of the end zone stepped in for the pick to seal the 21-20 overtime win "At first I was surprised they went for two," Donahoo said saw the quarterback look his way and I knew I had to finish this win off for my team "We brought max pressure and it looks like something funny happened with the snap and Justus made a good play," Niceville head coach Grant Thompson added The Eagles are now onto the Elite Eight and another home tilt — this time with second-seeded Lincoln coming to Eagle Stadium to try and do what Middleburg and Ponte Vedra couldn't do before them: end Niceville's dominance at home now reflected by their 7-0 record in the 'Ville 18 and won 38-35 on the final drive spearheaded by Connor Mathews This time the winner is bound for the Final Four It doesn't get much better than that," Thompson said but they've won six straight following a 37-28 loss to Mosley The last time the Eagles hosted a game this big was 2020 when Edgewater won 30-28 in the Final Four on a last-second field goal that hit off the crossbar which staved the Eagles off from elimination with Connor Mathews running for 85 of his 93 yards and scoring in the first half and Kane Lafortune throwing for 206 yards and two scores Both touchdown tosses were to Robert Stith the first a 70-yarder late in the third quarter to knot the score at 14 and the last a 10-yard touchdown in overtime to give Stith a career-best 10 catches for 184 yards and two scores "That's what you have to do in the playoffs be able to attack multiple ways," Thompson said NICEVILLE, Fla. -- Heavy machinery was brought in Thursday to clean up a Niceville yard after a fuel tank fell off an F-16 fighter jet on Tuesday. WEAR News reported about the incident on Wednesday The Air Force confirmed it happened when the jet took off from Eglin Air Force Base Homeowner Gene Lowe says an environmental company contracted with Eglin told him crews would be removing 18 inches of dirt from his entire yard This is in an effort to remove the hazardous waste from the fuel tank WEAR News cameras captured those crews out Thursday with excavators digging up Lowe's yard The tank was believed to be carrying 300 gallons of jet fuel when it detached from the jet Lowe says jet fuel also got onto some of the plants The Air Force is still investigating how this happened Lowe says he's been in touch with an attorney about potential next steps He also says he's concerned about how this could impact the value of his home "I’m gonna consult an attorney to see if we can do something about it or not," he told WEAR News on Thursday "Would it hinder the price of the home if we decide to sell it Would we have to disclose that in the sale The environmental team said the cleanup should be done by Friday The contractors told Lowe that workers will re-landscape the yard once the cleanup effort is complete Neighbors say the incident could have been much worse •🌏 Niceville City Manager David Deitch plans to travel to Taiwan in May to pursue a sister city agreement with New Taipei City •🤝 The opportunity was made possible through Deitch’s military connections and a referral from a former commanding officer contrasts significantly with Niceville’s 17,000 residents Niceville’s City Manager David Deitch will make an international trip to Taiwan in May to attempt to establish a sister city relationship with a town in the country Deitch said the opportunity came about thanks to his military service A captain he served with on two tours of duty attended the University of California That captain met a classmate who is now serving in the Taiwanese government of the city of New Taipei City The captain told his friend from Berkeley that he knew someone – and recommended David Deitch and the city of Niceville “I’m hoping to go over there and establish a sister city relationship that is mutually beneficial where we can grow and learn together and learn from each other to share cultural experiences with them,” Deitch said As of Wednesday, for those of you who are dying to know, the cost of a plane ticket to the island off mainland China is a relatively reasonable $1,000 That is 23 hours and 50 minutes of travel time from Destin Fort Walton Beach to Taipei City RELATED: French Students Arrive in Crestview for Cultural Exchange According to Sister Cities International a group that helps facilitate sister city relationships between cities Sister Cities Relationships are a “broad-based long-term partnership between two communities in two communities in two countries A relationship is officially recognized after the highest elected or appointed official from both communities signs off on an agreement to become sister cities.” and other relationships between the two groups of residents in order to improve both cities and relationships between the members of two countries According to cities-today the sister cities idea started after World War II to foster the reperation of relationships damaged by the war and to build cultural and economic ties our main aim has consisted in helping citizens to reconcile after the war through town twinning partnerships,” says Georgina Mombo Press Officer at the Council of European Municipalities and Regions in Brussels Brookings and JPMorgan Chase launched the Global Cities Initiative (GCI) aimed at helping US cities strengthen their regional economies by becoming more competitive in the global marketplace “We believe that cities need to get back to their roots which is to be centres of trade and commerce,” says Amy Liu and co-director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program New Taipei City is the largest city in Taiwan located on the northern tip of the island of Taiwan The city has more than four million people living there Niceville has roughly 17,000 residents and 11.3 square miles New Taipei City has many people from other parts of the island More than 70% of the city’s residents were born somewhere else Almost four in ten residents have more than an undergraduate degree People indigenous to Taiwan have lived near or in the city’s current boundaries for millennia Chinese settlers arrived on the island in 1620 – followed by the British in 1850 when they set up a consulate on the island The region has a subtropical climate with seasonal monsoons and lots of yearly rain January is typically the coldest month of the year – and averages 53º July is the hottest month – and residents expect averages around 91º Niceville High School celebrated the opening of its new multipurpose building Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by district officials “We test a lot of kids a lot of times throughout the year,” Principal Charlie Marello said “Having this space under our umbrella the lockdown procedures… is a huge relief.” The building addresses several operational challenges at the school sports teams had to schedule practice times from 6 a.m The new facility allows for expanded physical education classes while maintaining dedicated training times for athletic programs A key benefit of the new facility is enhanced security during testing periods the school had to conduct some testing at off-campus locations requiring additional security measures and disrupting normal school operations The new space allows testing to occur on campus without displacing regular classes and without additional fees that come with renting space Superintendent Marcus Chambers said the half-cent sales tax initiative has transformed facilities across Okaloosa County about 75 percent of our buildings are 45 years of age or older,” Chambers said “This has been a game changer for Okaloosa Schools.” they’re paying the lion’s share of this tax,” Chambers said noting that visitor spending contributes significantly to the revenue The funds have enabled the district to replace aging infrastructure including roofs and air conditioning systems Senior cheerleader Leah Tate spoke about the facility’s impact on student athletes “Getting that practice and training time is the most important reason we have been able to have the successes we have,” said Tate representing the school’s six-time state champion competitive cheer team a Niceville High School graduate whose three daughters attended the school offered a personal perspective on the district’s financial landscape he described his learning curve about school financing as “vertical.” He highlighted the community’s substantial financial support noting that the district receives over half a million dollars in donations annually from community members and businesses.  “When the community decided to do this and we’re going to use it for these things which every good funding system from the government should,'” he said he emphasized the importance of future community involvement in determining next steps The ceremony included performances by the school’s JROTC and band with the cheerleaders welcoming guests The event concluded with attendees touring the new facilities which students and athletic teams began using in January Niceville High Principal Charlie Marello takes leadership role with statewide principals groupNorthwest Florida Daily NewsNICEVILLE ― Niceville High School Principal Charlie Marello has been named the Northwest Florida regional director for the Florida Association of Secondary School Principals the Okaloosa County School District announced a division of the Florida Association of School Administrators supports and empowers secondary school leaders statewide FASA aims to enhance Florida's education system by providing administrators with resources to promote student success Marello will collaborate with school leaders across the region advocate for secondary education and contribute to the professional development of fellow administrators Marello brings 15 years of experience as a secondary school principal to his new leadership role He is in his ninth year as principal at Niceville High School after previously serving as principal at Destin Middle School and Emerald Coast Middle School in Walton County His tenure has been marked by a strong commitment to academic excellence and survive all different types of situations," said Marello in a news release Okaloosa County Superintendent Marcus Chambers praised Marello’s appointment in a news release We are incredibly proud to have him representing Northwest Florida at the state level." PANAMA CITY — For the second straight year Niceville Tommy Oliver Stadium was the house of heartbreak for Niceville football Last season was all about Sam Freitas engineering a fourth-quarter comeback as hometown Mosley scored 15 unanswered points and shocked Niceville in a 29-28 win On Friday it was Lo'Kavion Jackson exploding for 264 yards and five touchdowns and a controversial fourth-quarter spot leading to a 37-28 Mosley victory over now what," Niceville head coach Grant Thompson said "That's a good football team and we'll probably play them again High school football: Niceville, Choctaw sitting pretty in recent FHSAA rankings Other football results: Choctawhatchee inches closer to district crown, home-field advantage in region More specifically, Jackson played well, scoring on runs of 31, 5, 4, 44 and 67 yards. "Coming into the game I knew I needed to take over. My team needed me," Jackson said. "Ever since I've gotten here, they've been talking about Niceville, Niceville, Niceville. This team really wanted this win and it meant a lot to coach Whiddon. That's why we wanted to do what we did tonight." Niceville (6-1) has been the talk of The Panhandle all season. Four ranked wins and being ranked first in Region 1-5A, second in the class and eighth in the state will create that word of mouth. But Mosley (7-0) was no underdog. They entered the night ranked second in Region 1-5A, fifth in 5A and 28th in the state. They also had the luxury of hosting Niceville for the second straight year. Jackson took Mosley's first play 67 yards to the house for the 34-21 lead. Niceville answered with a 69-yard pass from Isbell to to Mo Seck to make it 34-28, but the ensuing onsides kick was fielded by Mosley and Maverick Wright drilled a 28-yard field goal in the waning seconds to clinch the win. Johnny Lewis finished with 104 rushing yards and two scores, one a 47-yard completion to Robert Sith and the other a 42-yard touchdown run to give Niceville a 14-13 halftime lead. A Jon Bocchino 4-yard score gave the Eagles a 21-20 lead in the third quarter, but again, an Eagles defense missing linebacker Harper Campbell had no answer for Jackson. Freitas, who entered the night with 1,258 passing yards and 16 touchdowns compared to only two interceptions, completed just 8 of 16 passes for 89 yards with no touchdowns while rushing for 99 yards. Niceville running back Connor Mathews, who entered averaging 10.5 yards per touch with 817 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, was also held in check with a season-low 43 rushing yards on nine carries. Niceville must move on as it hosts Lincoln, ranked third in the region, next Friday. Mosley, meanwhile, plays Arnold as it looks to continue the perfect run through the regular season. The Eagles have named former Marietta (Georgia) lead man Richard Morgan as the next head football coach Morgan guided the Blue Devils to a state championship in 2019 ending what had been a 52-year drought for Marietta Morgan comes a well decorated head coach from the Peach State as the former Blue Devils' head coach compiled 224 victories (.716 winning percentage) along with eight final four appearances and three state championships overall Now Niceville will look to pickup where they left off after reaching the Class 5A state semifinals last season but will have to do so without a key piece on the offensive line in Jakobe Green who just recently transferred back To Gadsden County The Eagles moved in quickly to replace former head coach Grant Thompson who owned an overall record of 64-10 during his time at Niceville volunteers weekly in multiple organizations across Niceville 🛒 She helps families in need at Sharing and Caring and supports literacy as part of Plew Elementary’s Grand Readers program 🙌 Milton was selected as April’s “Good Neighbor” by the Ryan Cabaniss State Farm Agency for her continued service to the community Niceville’s Good Neighbor Award is sponsored content brought to you by Niceville’s Good Neighbor for Insurance A retired teacher who continues to spend her time helping others has been named the Niceville Good Neighbor for the month of April The Ryan Cabaniss State Farm Agency selected Aleta Milton a Choctaw Beach resident and retired Okaloosa County school teacher for her volunteer work in the Niceville community Milton said she was surprised to learn she had been selected for the recognition “I just try to stay involved so I don’t get bored,” she said Congratulations to Aleta from Mid Bay News and thanks to the Ryan Cabaniss State Farm Agency for supporting this program to highlight local community servants  If you want to nominate someone for next month’s ‘Good Neighbor of the Month’ Award – click here! The Niceville High School Theatre Department will present the Broadway musical comedy Hello Directed by NHS Theatre Director Ritchie Jackson the production follows the story of Dolly Levi as she sets her sights on Yonkers’ wealthy bachelor Horace Vandergelder while orchestrating the romantic lives of those around her The musical features a score by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart has led the school’s theatre department for nine years and has directed 15 productions the department has garnered significant community support with past performances of “A Chorus Line,” “Chicago,” and Disney’s “Newsies” breaking Okaloosa County high school box office records “We continue to set the bar high at NHS Theatre,” Jackson said “Auditions for our shows bring in close to a hundred students each time and our actors put in extensive work to develop their characters With recent upgrades to lighting and sound Jackson has assembled a team that includes Choreographer Nicci Fahle and Vocal Director Michael Walker Fahle previously worked on NHS productions of “A Chorus Line,” “Chicago,” and “Newsies,” while Walker served as vocal director for “Newsies.” The cast features Jaiden Rae Strange as Dolly Levi Performances are scheduled for May 2, 3, 9, and 10 at 7 p.m., with matinee performances on May 3 and 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets go on sale April 1 at Gofan.co VIP seating is available for $20 and includes early admission and concessions Concessions will be available for purchase with cash only is presented through arrangement with Concord Theatricals of New York The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved $2.1 million in additional funding Tuesday for a multi-use path project along College Boulevard and Forest Road addressing increased construction costs for the transportation initiative The project has a current construction cost estimate of $4.45 million with contingency building upon the initial $3 million budget that included a $1.5 million Florida Department of Transportation grant matched by $1.5 million in county funds but construction requires final coordination with Eglin Air Force Base since College Boulevard runs through federal property under an easement agreement “We continue to work with Eglin to get the final little dots on the agreement for constructing out there,” said Public Works Director Jason Autrey during Tuesday’s meeting “We just have to make sure that we comply with their rules.” The Infrastructure Surtax Advisory Committee recommended the additional funding at their January 9 meeting Any unused funds will return to Surtax Reserves The project originated in August 2022 when commissioners approved initial funding for design and traffic studies The path aims to enhance safety at intersections around Northwest Florida State College while providing alternative transportation options for students and residents -- Saturday in Niceville is the fourth annual charity Fire Truck Pull at 3rd Planet Brewing It's a test of strength and teamwork for a very worthy cause Teams will grab a rope and play the ultimate tug-of-war game Proceeds benefit twin cities Pavilion and Crestview Manor They're the only low-income assisted living facilities in the Okaloosa area providing comfort and care to elderly adults in need To register, scan the QR code on the flyer, or click here NICEVILLE — Justin Bruce realized there was something special brewing this season when his Eagles beat Pace 5-2 on The Hill district-title run that ended in a Sweet 16 loss at state runner-up Buchholz the reigning Daily News Player of the Year who transferred in from Fort Walton Beach limited the Patriots to two runs on three hits while striking out four over five masterful innings He then helped out his own cause with two hits and an RBI and Nick Gates drove in a pair in the victory Niceville senior Reilly Six struck out eight Gulf Breeze batters over 4 2/3 frames of two-run ball and Ryder Hodgkinson delivered a three-run triple in a 4-2 road win teammate and fellow senior Brady Martin took the bump at Crestview this past Tuesday and was unhittable striking out nine over four perfect innings and picking up the 4-3 win when Tarchalski stranded the tying run at second with one out in the bottom of the seventh That's three aces featured and three big-time wins against programs Niceville was a collective 1-5 against last year "It shows that we can win close games early on," said Bruce whose Eagles are 7-1 following a Thursday's 7-4 win over Mosley "We weren't able to get over that hump last year but this year we're taking much tougher at bats and the arms are delivering in big spots." A peak into collective team stats paints the picture of a crew who's unaffected by the program's lack of postseason success over the last decade-plus one where those tougher ABs are translating to outstanding offensive metrics Vote now: Wrestlers, baseball and soccer stars up for Daily News FPL Athlete of the Week The Eagles' 35 walks and 14 hits by pitch have helped bulk an on-base percentage of .445 and the 18 extra-base hits in the early going have fueled an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .910 last year the Eagles hit .252 with a .728 OPS en route to finishing 14-12 and falling short of the region playoffs And it's from top to bottom the Eagles are delivering a junior manning left field who's reached base in 12 of his 27 plate appearances (.444 OPB) a junior who moves between shortstop and third has been "huge in the two-hole" with a team-leading 10 hits "He's just so good in putting the ball in play," Bruce said a senior who splits his time between shortstop and the hot corner is in the three-hole batting .405 with a team-best five extra-base hits a 6:2 BB/K ratio and a slash line of .536/.636/1.172 "always seems to be a part of what helps the team win" in the four hole .400 batting average and .556/.550/1.106 slash line reflect that Meanwhile centerfielder Yahir Burgos has "come on strong of late" with a .455 on-base percentage and six runs and four RBI and at catcher Gates started strong against Pace and leads the Eagles with seven RBI has made the most of his early-season at-bats and "come in and fought" for an everyday role while Rocky Bayou transfer Remington Crum has "added value" as designated hitter there's no need to place an ace label between the rotation of Six Bruce is "letting it all play out" as he feeds them starts and uses Tarchalski primarily as the closer "The biggest thing is all of them have really good arms really good fastballs that generate swings and misses," Bruce said "Most important has been their ability to land the offspeed stuff." Martin (2-0) and Tarchalski (3-0) are a combined 7-0 with Tarchalski adding two saves and Hawkins another Martin has yet to allow a run over seven innings of one-hit ball with 14 strikeouts and Hawkins has a .95 ERA with nine Ks in 7 1/3 innings Tarchalski has a 1.02 ERA with 21 Ks over a team-best 13.2 innings and Six has a 2.33 ERA with 19 Ks over 12 innings Opponents are hitting an anemic .174 off the staff overall The Eagles are in the midst of a five-game road trip but after seven of their first nine games away from Niceville they'll return home in March for seven games on The Hill "The atmosphere at Niceville and the way they support baseball is the best," said Bruce who noted the early road slate has been been affective in testing the Eagles "You can feel the excitement brewing around the program." FORT WALTON BEACH — Area's best pitcher versus area's best hitter: This was the kind of at-bat that puts butts in the softball bleachers Down 7-1 to Niceville in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs and no one one in front of a packed home crowd Niceville ace Chloe Bailey had struck out 12 up to that point with just three four hits and a pair of walks allowed but two fieldable balls bounced out of gloves and a deep fly ball by Rilyn Douglas hit off the right field wall to drive in a run and put runners on second base and third for Alyx Hall Not when Hall is hitting .571 with five homers and an insane .667 OBP/1.333 slugging percentage/2.000 OPS So out from the dugout strolled Niceville skipper Danny Hensley to talk to his sophomore right-hander 'This kid is the best hitter in the area and we got a battle right here,' " Hensley said "We don't want to put her on because we get closer to the tying run coming to the plate She's a great hitter and the only way we're going to get her out is to keep her off-balanced We can't do the same two pitches in a row because she is so hard to get out.' " Prep baseball: FWB transfer Tarchalski could be "the missing piece" for Niceville More Niceville: Gates' bat, leadership behind plate a key part of Eagle baseball's 10-1 turnaround After starting Hall with an outside fastball and a breaking ball high for 2-0 Bailey painted the inside corner for a strike Hall didn't offer on an offspeed pitch outside make it 3-1 but Bailey got her to foul off a high fastball to bring the count full Bailey buckled down and threw a fastball that cut in on Hall's wrists and tied her up Hall couldn't even get the bat off her shoulders "You just got to take a deep breath and let all your nerves out and trust your pitch and feel it," Bailey said I'm just going to let it go and see what happens." The result was postseason-esque win and a 6-2 record headed into spring break Niceville blessed with a 12-day break before traveling to Navarre on March 25 that mentality that you can get anybody out in a key situation Hopefully it'll pay dividends down the right going through that matchup right there." Not only did the win improve Bailey's record to 5-1 it bolstered her 0.72 ERA and 0.81 WHIP and padded her swing-and-miss stuff to 88 Ks in 48 innings a figure Niceville's staff hasn't seen since the days of hoisting state trophies It just has really good break," said Bailey who noted it was Hensley her taught her how to pitch Fort Walton Beach had more than 45 swings-and-misses Thursday night Some didn't even get the bat off their shoulders Hensley praised Bailey's work ethic off the mound "Her offseason preparation and the work she's put in has put her confidence sky high right now," Hensley said "She feels good about what she's doing out there and she's throwing the ball harder and make it break better than she ever has we were running sprints and she's out in front of the pack and challenging everyone to better she's celebrating her teammates every time they make a play for her and that makes them want to play for her and make even more plays You have sophomore Briana Noles and junior Anabelle Shackelford shining at the top of the lineup five stolen bases and a .467/.964/1.431 slash line and the latter with a team-best .450 batting average and .500 OBP to accent eight runs 3 long balls and fellow sophomores Quinn Graham (two walks Thursday and a .600 OBP) and Molly Mayfield (.440 OBP) are finding ways to get on base "There's a lot of youth in them," Hensley said "We're starting six or seven sophomores and only two seniors in the lineup with only one batting The biggest thing that is unique about them and it's fun to coach but can also drive you a little bit crazy That's good in a way in getting each other fired up." But it also means there's nightly teaching moments like misplayed balls in the seventh inning or chasing pitches early out of the strike zone "I try to talk to them about being better students of the game," Hensley said and we finally stopped doing that in the middle innings and later on the word's going to get out: Just don't throw them strikes For now the Eagles will enjoy this win against a program that's ranked seventh in 4A and coming off back-to-back Sweet 16 runs "They got a quality ball club," Hensley said "You gotta bring your A-Game or they'll knock you off."