Community Partner Spotlight | | Cleanest City on the Emerald Coast campaign | | |
We want to make the City of Fort Walton Beach the Cleanest City on the Emerald Coast, and we’re looking for your help to get us there. Beginning in August, we will be launching a series of initiatives aimed at reducing litter and helping to beautify our city.
We’ll be looking at our city facilities, properties, and parks, as well as streets and medians. We’ll be identifying those areas in need of some TLC. If you’ve got some areas you think need attention, you can let us know by reporting problems via the city’s website. Simply visit fwb.org and click on the “Report a Concern” button. You can also download our “SeeClickFix” app in both the Apple and Google Play app stores.
We’ll be organizing city employee volunteer cleanups and supporting those groups in the community who would like to do trash pickups in their own neighborhoods. We’ll be launching an “Adopt-a-Road” program, where groups or businesses can adopt a half-mile stretch of road and commit to regular monthly cleanups. And we’ll be encouraging local businesses to spruce up their properties and will recognize those success stories on our social media pages.
August is also the month for our Biannual Neighborhood Cleanup. Beginning Monday, Aug. 4, our city trash collection crews will be picking up large, unwanted household items like furniture, appliances, mattresses, and other items too large for normal trash bins. Simply place the items on the curb, away from fire hydrants and above-ground utility boxes. Read more detailed information on our Biannual Neighborhood Cleanup program here.
These are just a few of our ideas; we’re working on more. We’d also like to hear from you. What ideas do you have, and would you like to help us make Fort Walton Beach the Cleanest City on the Emerald Coast?
Want to know more or get involved? Our City Manager will be speaking about the Cleanest City on the Emerald Coast campaign at his next “Coffee with the City Manager,” to be held Thursday, Aug. 7 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Fort Walton Beach Library Conference Room. Bring your ideas and we’ll see you there!
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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! | | July New Member Luncheon: Johnny Earles, Action Restoration, Inc. | Alexander Riggenbach, Home Companion, Inc. | Erick Kern & Chelsea Morgan, Peaden Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical | Frankie Cambria, A2B Plumbing, LLC | Randy Walker, Fort Walton Beach Buccaneers Youth Football & Cheerleading | Josh Ullrich, Restylers Aftermarket Specialist | Becky Moore & Billie Wilson, Willie's Custom Kitchen Cabinets LLC | Vandy Vela, Bit-Wizards | Claudia Caswell & Melissa Watson, The Agency Northwest Florida Beaches | Cindy Carter, Elks Lodge-BPOE # 1795 | Jessica McCormack, McCormack Tax | Chris McCormack, Chris McCormack, Realtor | Bobby Bess, The Arc of the Emerald Coast | Stephen Benton, Harris Business Machines | Jesse Burroughs, Okinawa Kulture Impact | Joshua Bugby & Bailey Sneed, Adams Sanitation | James Higgins, Keith Window Company | | 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! | | |
Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners will appoint up to five individuals to serve a two-year term as a volunteer to the Keep Okaloosa Beautiful Advisory Committee (KOBAC), which may begin immediately upon appointment. KOBAC operates under the guidance of Resolution No. 23-131 (Click to view resolution). Individuals who wish to be considered for appointment should go to https://myokaloosa.com/citizen-councils/home to review the policy, complete an application Packet and begin the background check process. Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM CST, August, 19, 2025 via email to citizencouncils@myokaloosa.com or via mail to BCC Citizen Councils, 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Suite 100, Shalimar, FL 32579.
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Shark Week
Over the years, Northwest Florida and Okaloosa County was the set for movies dating back to the 1940s like Twelve O'clock High (1949) starring Gregory Peck about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany. There was Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) based on the real-life experiences of the pilots and crew of the famed Doolittle Raid. One of the most notable ones was filmed in Shalimar, Destin and Navarre was JAWS II, Starring Roy Scheider, who was known to frequent the local bars when they weren't shooting the film. Listen to an episode of FLASHBACK (Okaloosa) related to the filming of this iconic film at https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-dw5ku-1129db7
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Okaloosa County invites the public to attend an in-person public information meeting regarding the West 98 Collector Road Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study.👇
Project materials will be available at www.myokaloosa.com/west98collectorroad
WHEN: The in-person meeting will be held on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Okaloosa County Administration Building (Board Chambers) - 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar, FL.
WHAT: The proposed West 98 Collector Road Project consists of a PD&E Study evaluating location and design concepts for an approximate 3.25-mile collector road that runs parallel to S.R. 30 (U.S. 98) located west of Hurlburt Field and north of Florosa Elementary and the Florosa Fire Station between Eglin Air Force Base property and private property from just east of Solar Street to Green Drive, an additional roadway connection to support the Hurlburt Field West Gate Project, and an approximately 2-mile utility corridor between Green Drive and the Santa Rosa County Line.
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Fort Walton Beach to host new Citizens’ Academy
The City of Fort Walton Beach invites you to attend our new Citizens’ Academy, an interactive civic and public information program that provides residents with the opportunity to learn more about their city government and how city employees are working to serve the public.
You’ll hear from department directors and city staff, who will lead weekly sessions designed to give you hands-on experience in City government operations.
The 5-week-long Academy will be held each Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. beginning Oct. 8, 2025, and concluding Nov. 5, 2025. Meeting locations will rotate each week. A class schedule can be found here.
We ask that you commit to attending all five of the classes, as each week we’ll be discussing new city departments and building on what you’ve learned. We want you to have a clear understanding of how the entire city works by the time you graduate on Nov. 5.
Participants must be adults and reside within the City of Fort Walton Beach. Class size is limited to the first 20 applicants, so sign up early. To apply, please send an email with your name, telephone number, and address to Public Information Officer Devon Ravine at dravine@fwb.org.
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Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation Kicks Off Annual "Stuff the Bus" School Supply Drive
The Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation is proud to kick off its annual "Stuff the Bus" school supply drive, a community-wide effort to support students in need throughout the district. This year's event will take place on Saturday, August 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walmart locations in Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Niceville. Held during Florida's Back-to-School Tax-Free Weekend, the drive offers families and community members a convenient opportunity to give back while shopping for their school supplies.
In addition to the one-day event, donation boxes will be placed at businesses throughout Okaloosa County to collect supplies in the weeks leading up to the first day of school. As additional drop-off sites are confirmed, updates will be shared on the Okaloosa County School District website and Facebook page. This year's drive is made possible through a continued partnership between the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation, the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, the Okaloosa County School District, and the Salvation Army Florida Division — Fort Walton Beach Corps. "We are grateful for our community's ongoing support," said Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation Executive Director John Spolski. "Together, we can make sure every student starts the school year with the supplies they need to succeed."
For more information, please visit www.okaloosaschools.com/page/stuff-the-bus. Businesses interested in serving as a collection site may contact Debbie Tate at (850) 974-0742 or tated@okaloosaschools.com.
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2025–2026 Bus Routes Now Available for Okaloosa County School District Students
The Okaloosa County School District Transportation Department has officially released bus routes for the 2025–2026 school year. Families can now access route details online and plan for a smooth, on-time start to the school year. This year, we’re excited to introduce Infofinder i. This user-friendly online tool makes it easier than ever for families to locate their child’s bus stop and route information with just a home address. Read more...
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Niceville High School Senior Named Distinguished Young Woman of Okaloosa County for the Class of 2026
Niceville High School senior Avary Ritenour has been named the Distinguished Young Woman of Okaloosa County for the Class of 2026. Avary stood out among 13 high school seniors from across the county, earning top honors in multiple categories and securing a total of $3,750 in scholarships. Participants in the program were evaluated in five key categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). Avary won in four of the five categories: Scholastics, Talent, Self-Expression, and Fitness, and was named the overall winner. Read more...
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