Ted chats with the Mount Rushmore of Fort Walton Beach. | | Community Partner Spotlight | | |
With 25 years of experience, the Managed IT Services (MITS) team at Bit-Wizards has a time-tested recipe for ensuring its clients succeed. After solving business problems using technology for over 500 companies and organizations, we know how to support businesses in industries like manufacturing, legal services, hospitality, and many more.
From helping Linn's Prestige Kitchens & Baths take advantage of the cloud to supporting the Shalimar Police Department through an FBI audit, our MITS team has a collective 200+ years of technical experience that enable our clients to take advantage of special projects and reliable day-to-day support.
Above all else, we strive to align our efforts with each client's definition of success, ensuring each partnership is as unique and productive as the organizations we serve. Here's our MITS team's commitment to honoring your time and communicating openly and honestly:
Every ticket, every call, every "small" problem - that's a person trusting us to make their day easier.
They're not a disruption to our work. They're the reason we have work.
We're not doing them a favor by fixing an issue - they're doing us a favor by choosing Bit-Wizards.
They're not outsiders. They're part of our mission.
Click here to learn how you can build a better future for your business with Bit-Wizards!
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Click on event below to register NOW for our Upcoming Chamber Events.
Don't forget to apply your discount, Click here
(Discount only applies to First Friday Coffee, Nothing But Networking, & Business After Hours)
| | Upcoming Committee Meetings: Are you seeking opportunities for professional development and personal growth. Come to one or all eleven of our chamber committees to see what the buzz is about! | | Check out these short tutorial videos that provide a step-by-step guide on how to navigate through the online Member Information Center (MIC). These instructional videos will show you how to update your profile, add keywords, add job postings, register for chamber events/add your benefit discount, add events to chamber community calendar, pay invoices and much more! | | |
Two New Statues to be Unveiled at Annual Women Veterans Day Event
Okaloosa County will hold the 3rd Annual Women Veterans’ Day ceremony on June 12, 2025 at 8 a.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center. A wreath-laying ceremony will follow at Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park. Col. Kristen Wood, Commander 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group will be this year’s keynote speaker.
This year, two new statues of women veterans will be unveiled, with placement into the existing park to take place at a later date. The new statues recognize the following women veterans:
• Captain Linda Bray
Linda Bray, a Captain in the U.S. Army, led her company during a firefight in Panama in 1989 and was recently awarded the Bronze Star with V Device for her actions. At the time, it was illegal for women to engage in combat, but Bray acted when the situation deteriorated.
• Florence Ebersole Smith Finch
Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, who was half Filipino, worked with the Philippine underground to smuggle supplies to POWs during World War II. After being imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese, she joined the Coast Guard in 1945 and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon and the Medal of Freedom.
In 2021 Okaloosa County unveiled the Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park where this year’s wreath laying will take place. A total of eight women who served in combat, during various U.S. military conflicts, are honored at Veterans Park with life-sized bronze statues strategically placed along a quarter-mile path. It is surrounded by native wildlife that includes a nearby great blue heron rookery.
Learn more about the women honored at the park at https://myokaloosa.com/bcc/women-veterans-memorial.
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Are You Storm Ready?
The Atlantic Hurricane Season began June 1. The Okaloosa County Public Safety Team would like to remind all of you not to be complacent about planning for potential storms. Please plan now so you do not have to panic later.
Are you Storm Ready? Remember>> Prepare Now >> Do Not Panic Later
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CRA DOWNTOWN FWB SIGN COMPETITION WINNER ANNOUNCED
The City of Fort Walton Beach congratulates Christina Donahoe of Christina Custom Art on her winning design for a new Downtown Fort Walton Beach entrance sign. For her design efforts, Donahoe was presented with a check for $5,000 during Tuesday night’s Fort Walton Beach City Council meeting.
The entrance sign will be placed at the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and Eglin Parkway SE, just west of the historic Gulfview Hotel Center, providing a visual welcome to the downtown district. The sign will be part of a larger beautification project that will include landscaping.
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Donahoe’s artwork depicts a paddleboard and wave, reflecting the importance of the local area’s waterways, and features a variety of visual elements, ranging from the 1200-year-old Indian Temple Mound to the fighter jets that fly our skies.
Donahoe’s sign proposal was among a field of 46 entries in a competition organized and funded by the City of Fort Walton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
“We had a lot of wonderful entries that were deserving of the award,” said CRA Administrator Alisa Burleson. “We thank all those who participated for their efforts and great ideas.”
A committee of nine judges narrowed the field down to five entries before meeting in person in late April to select the winning design.
Donahoe is a prolific artist, and her murals can be found at several locations in downtown Fort Walton Beach, including a large five-panel mural on the back of the Fort Walton Beach Library.
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NOTICE OF TURN LANE CLOSURE:
Beginning Saturday, May 24 (Memorial Day Weekend) and continuing through Labor Day, the right turn lane of Perry Avenue on the south side of U.S. Highway 98 will be closed on Saturdays. The effective hours for this closure are 12 am. Saturday morning THROUGH 11:59 p.m. Saturday evening.
During this period, motorists will not be able to turn eastbound onto U.S. Highway 98 from this intersection.
The turn lane closure is meant to reduce impact and vehicle congestion on residential streets.
A Message board has been placed on Hollywood Boulevard alerting motorists of this closure. We have notified navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze of the change, but please note the apps may not accurately reflect this closure.
Motorists trying to access U.S. Highway 98 are encouraged to do so at the Eglin Parkway (SR 85) intersection."
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Destin Middle School’s Noah Finkler Wins Florida State Civics Championship, Advances to National Finals
Okaloosa County is proud to celebrate an outstanding accomplishment by Destin Middle School 8th grader Noah Finkler, who has been named the Florida State Champion of the 2025 National Civics Bee. Noah earned first place at the Florida State Finals, held May 31 at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and received a $1,000 prize. His victory secured him a spot in the National Civics Bee Championship this fall in Washington, D.C., where he will represent Florida against top students from across the country. Read more...
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Okaloosa County School District Celebrates Okaloosa UP Graduates
The Okaloosa County School District, along with families and friends, proudly celebrated five outstanding Okaloosa Unique Professionals (Okaloosa UP) program graduates on Thursday, May 22. William Shoebrook, Ken Edwards, Paul Wade, Lindsey Trippe, and Miranda Rouissin completed the program, gaining invaluable career training and earning occupational completion points, career certificates, and industry certifications. Each student completed the Specialized Career Instruction course, earning a Unique Professional Certificate. They also pursued additional certifications through Career and Technical Education (CTE) coursework. The program provided hands-on experience in Carpentry and Culinary labs, helping students build employability skills. Read more...
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Okaloosa County School District Celebrates Project SEARCH Graduates
For the third consecutive year, five Okaloosa County School District students graduated from the Project SEARCH High School Transition Program. This groundbreaking initiative equips young adults with disabilities with essential job skills and workforce training. The graduation ceremony occurred on Friday, May 23, at the Hilton Garden Inn on Okaloosa Island. In a heartfelt ceremony, each graduate shared their journey and growth, filling the room with pride and emotion—not just from families and mentors but also from past Project SEARCH graduates who returned to support their peers. One graduate took the stage, sharing how the program helped launch their career. Today, all of them are thriving in the workforce, a powerful testament to the program's lasting impact. Read more...
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Okaloosa County Schools Participating in the 2025 Summer Food Service Program
Okaloosa County Schools is proud to announce its participation in the 2025 Summer Food Service Program, ensuring that children in the community continue to have access to nutritious meals during the summer months. Through Summer Break Spot, balanced breakfasts and lunches will be available at no cost for children 18 and under at designated school sites. Meals will be served on-site, in accordance with USDA and FDACS guidelines, and must be consumed at the designated location. Grab-and-go meals will no longer be available. Read more...
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Okaloosa Students Explore Career Pathways at TeCMEN Industry Day
On Wednesday, May 14, students from Baker School, Laurel Hill School, Choctaw, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, and Crestview High School participated in the 8th Annual 2025 TeCMEN Industry Day at the Emerald Coast Conference Center. This incredible event allowed students to gain hands-on exposure to various industries, connect with professionals, and explore future career opportunities. By engaging with engineering, manufacturing, technology, and aerospace experts, students developed a deeper understanding of the diverse careers available and the skills needed to succeed in them. Read more...
| | Calling all small business owners in and around Okaloosa County! 📣 Join the Florida APEX Accelerator at UWF this June for a special event to connect with local government agencies. You'll foster relationships, unlock potential projects, and get your questions answered by purchasing officials in a panel moderated by our Florida APEX Accelerator expert, Chip Wells. Stick around for networking opportunities after the panel! Don’t miss out, register now: tinyurl.com/biz-okaloosa | | | | |
