By Gueary Clendening
Many years ago, My wife, Linda, and I lived in Illinois. Memories of driving to southern Illinois to spend Christmas with her family are truly cherished! On one particular Christmas, we left on Christmas Eve, driving down on Interstate 57. We traveled at night and had the...
By Lori Leath Smith
Are you looking for ways to help our community? As always during the holiday season, there is an ongoing need for giving. Many children don’t have enough food to eat over a weekend, much less over Thanksgiving or Christmas, and have to return to school hungry....
By Doug Stauffer
“You don’t lose until you quit trying!” is an oft-repeated quote from Sammy Davis. You might recognize that name, but this Sammy is not an entertainer, he’s a Vietnam War American hero.
I love to meet inspiring people, but there is always more to the story. These two...
By Doug Stauffer
Okaloosa County recently gathered together to celebrate the military, first with the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Anniversary celebration, followed the next day with a salute to several veterans inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame at the Northwest Florida State College Mattie Kelly Arts Center in...
By Michelle Ruschman
Foster parenting helps kids and enriches families. A common misunderstanding about fostering is that foster families are gatekeepers between children and biological parents. April Hight, the Foster Home Recruitment Specialist with FamiliesFirst Network for Okaloosa and Walton County, wants to clarify that a foster parent is more...
Okaloosa County has launched new beach safety measures in partnership with Okaloosa County Beach Safety and Destin Fire Control District. The initiatives include a synchronized beach warning flag selection across all guarded beaches in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, a text alert system and GPS-mapped signage to help first responders reach...
Summer beach days are here, but what is there to do at night? (Especially for families!) PRESTO! at the Magic Parlor is bringing some of the best magical talent from around the world for a show filled with illusion, showmanship and outright hilarity. This 90-minute magical masterpiece is Inspired...
By Doug Stauffer
Okaloosa County was privileged April 18 to host history in the making. Almost 2,000 of us were blessed to say, “I was there to witness this historic event.” This date marked the 80th anniversary of the World War II Doolittle Raiders bombing of Tokyo. Eighty men launched...
Spring Break seems to bring a wide-ranging combination of emotions to residents of Okaloosa County. However, there’s no getting past the fact that our beaches continue to be a major Spring Break hot spot for college and high school students, families and locals. The influx brings an economic boost...
