South Walton Life | 30A News, Events and Community Information

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Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Covid Available in NW Florida

Governor Ron Desantis recently announced that a monoclonal antibody treatment site is opening at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds in Fort Walton Beach. It will be available seven days per week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. DeSantis says health officials can handle up to 320 treatments per day. The treatment — which is free of charge — consists of monoclonal antibodies being given to patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19. Vaccination status does not matter. Monoclonal antibody treatment saves lives and reduces hospitalization and death. It is intended to be used in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease and/or hospitalization.Gov. DeSantis says the monoclonal antibody treatment will ultimately decrease hospitalizations. “We saw that these treatments were underutilized and folks have now been able to get more access to it,” Gov. DeSantis said. “We’re already getting testimonials from people who have gone in and visited our sites and gotten the treatment. People say they could’ve been in the hospital or maybe even been dead had they not gotten this and so it has a good track record and I think people will be very very happy with the results.”

Dr. Samuel L. Jacobs, physician at the Florida Department of Health said, “The monoclonal antibody sites increase access to this treatment in communities across Florida. Had I not received monoclonal antibodies myself when I tested positive for COVID, it could have been much worse. I had received my first dose of the vaccine prior to contracting COVID and I think the monoclonal antibody treatment saved my life and I’m very grateful. If someone tests positive for COVID and especially if they’re having symptoms, I strongly stress the importance of getting monoclonal antibodies basically as a life-saving measure.”

Monoclonal antibody treatments can be prescribed by health care providers to individuals 12 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are at high risk for severe illness and hospitalization. However, there is currently a standing order in Florida signed by the State Surgeon General that allows patients to receive this treatment without a prescription or referral if administered by an eligible health care provider. Such referrals are not required at any of the State of Florida monoclonal antibody treatment sites and treatments are available at no cost to patients. The antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond effectively to the virus. According to the treatment guidelines, they should be administered as soon as possible after diagnosis. By providing access to these treatments at these new sites, Governor DeSantis is alleviating demand on hospital resources and further making sure that Floridians have access to all potential treatments that can help them recover from COVID-19. Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Health continue to encourage Floridians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

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September 9, 2021
International Coastal Cleanup Slated for September 18th in South Walton

Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles, in partnership with Visit South Walton, will once again host the International Coastal Cleanup in 2020. The Volunteer Beach Ambassador Team invites all community members and visitors to the Emerald Coast to join in the efforts to clean up the beaches of South Walton on Saturday morning, September 18th, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. “We will work with little pomp and circumstance,” says VBA director Laurie Reichenbach, “but rather with a heart for serving our community and our beautiful coastal environment, and to gain the sense of serving for the greater good of Walton County and the health of the marine and bird life that make the Gulf of Mexico their home. Will you join us? Can we count on you?”

History of International Coastal Cleanup
The International Coastal Cleanup began more than 30 years ago, when communities across the world rallied together with the common goal of collecting and documenting the trash littering their coastline. The movement was accelerated by the passion and spirit of two committed individuals: Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara. The Cleanup has grown immensely in the 30 years since Linda and Kathy’s first Cleanup. Volunteers from states and territories throughout the U.S. and more than 100 countries come together each year and participate in a Cleanup event near them. Over the years, this movement has created a family that spans oceans and country borders. It is a network that works together for something bigger than us. To our global network, we thank you.

Harnessing the Power of People to Fight Ocean Trash
In partnership with volunteer organizations and individuals around the globe, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) engages people to remove trash from the world’s beaches and waterways. Thanks to volunteers around the world, the ICC has become a beacon of hope, leading and inspiring action in support of our ocean. Since its beginning, over 16 million volunteers have collected more than 340 million pounds of trash.

If you would like to join in a clean up at a Regional Access, you will find Host Volunteer Beach Ambassadors at the following locations:

– Inlet Beach Regional Access, 139 S Orange St., Inlet Beach
– Santa Clara Regional Access, 3468E Co Hwy 30A, Seagrove
– Ed Walline Regional Access, 4447 W Co Hwy 30A, Gulf Place
– Dune Allen Regional Access, 5999 W Co Hwy 30A, Dune Allen
– Miramar Beach Regional Access, 2375 Scenic Gulf Dr., Miramar Beach
– Big Red Fish, Coastal Dune Lake in Blue Mountain Beach

All participants are encouraged to provide their own trash bags or buckets, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water bottle, etc. There will be limited bags/gloves available for those without. In past years, Walton County residents and visitors have turned out in large numbers to support the cleaning of our beaches and the Gulf during the International Coastal Cleanup. Each piece of debris collected is one more piece of trash saved from our ocean systems. This year can be equally effective with your help and presence in this community cleanup.
For more information please contact Laurie Reichenbach at 214-505-6273 or email lauriereichenbach@gmail.com.

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August 21, 2021
Walton County Launches Virtual Public Comment Process for Public Meetings

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners has approved a process to allow members of the public who cannot attend a County public meeting in person the ability to provide virtual public comment.

This new process was instituted beginning with the August 10, 2021 regular meeting of the Walton County Board of County Commissioners. Following this meeting, this process may be refined and will be available for future meetings of the Board of County Commissioners, Planning Commission, Tourist Development Council, Design Review Board, Technical Review Committee and Zoning Board of Adjustments.

To virtually participate, members of the public will be required to submit a registration form request 24-hours prior to any meetings and are required to submit specific request on which agenda items they would like to comment on. Virtual public comment will not be authorized during Quasi-Judicial hearings.

The guidelines for participation are as follows:
Virtual Participants will need to register by completing a Public Comment Form by going to the County’s website at Virtual Public Comment Instructions. A separate registration will be required for each meeting. Registration must be completed at least twenty-four (24) hours before the start time for the scheduled meeting. Registration must include the agenda item(s) during which the participant wishes to speak. Virtual participants will be limited to five (5) items. Virtual participants will not be allowed to speak on any items for which they have not pre-registered except for the open public comment item at the end of the meeting.

Virtual Participants must log-in to the meeting at least fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled meeting start on the day of the scheduled Board of County Commissioners meeting to comment on items on the Consent and Regular Agenda of the meeting. Virtual Participants providing comments for items listed on the Public Hearing section of the Board of County Commissioners Agenda, or for any item listed on the Planning Commission agenda, must log-in to the meeting at least fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of the Public Hearing portion of the Agenda on the day of the scheduled meeting.

All Virtual Participants will be emailed a participation link and must utilize the link provided to participate. All participants must enable their cameras thus providing an active video connection. In addition, the connection name must be their legal name and the name submitted under the request. Audio only connections will not be recognized.
During the meeting, Virtual Participants will be notified by the Chairman, the Clerk, or a member of County staff, when they will be permitted to speak.

Virtual Participants are subject to the same time limits as in-person participants. Land use applicants with items on the regular Public Hearing agenda shall ensure that at least one person with authority to make binding commitments relating to the application is physically present at the meeting. Because any person can attend the meeting in person, Virtual Participants, when registering to participate virtually, assume the risk of any technology issues that may prevent their comments from being heard properly. If technology issues arise with Virtual Participants, the Board may elect to either disregard their comments, or continue the item until the technology issues have been resolved, or until the Virtual Participant(s) can attend the meeting in person.

Virtual Public Comment Registration Forms can be found in the Form Center on the County’s website at https://www.co.walton.fl.us/FormCenter.

As this is a new process for the County, the County reserves the right to update the process and/or forms to ensure that the program can run efficiently.

For further information, please contact the Office of Public Information at 850-892-8155 or email Walton County Public Information Manager, Louis Svehla, at pio@co.walton.fl.us.

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August 21, 2021
Local Hero Geoff Speyrer Flips for Vets

Don’t Give Up! Give Back

By Lori Leath Smith

While incarcerated, Destin resident and Army veteran Geoff Speyrer never dreamed he’d one day be a champion of bringing hope and awareness to veteran suicide. But now he is!
Sadly, 22 veterans and active-duty members per day take their lives thinking there is no hope.

But Geoff has set out to change this, showing that there IS help and hope, by raising money for Healing Paws for Warriors through his physical endurance—no small feat for a man who sustained injuries from being near explosives while serving in the military.

The medical care he received adversely affected his health, which resulted in a life-long injury due to lower leg trauma and surgery.

He was told his chances of running again were reduced and he began to experience the challenges of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). After leaving the military and becoming a fugitive, Geoff spent the next 13 years in and out of incarceration and treatment facilities. However, Geoff says it was during these darkest years that he turned his life around instead of becoming a statistic and taking his own life. Geoff found health and wellness as a tool to overcome this adversity.

And run again, he did! Geoff races to give back to his community after battling the addiction, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. He uses his strength and endurance to help other veterans facing the same challenges through Healing Paws for Warriors, a local veteran-founded nonprofit that provides trained service dogs at no cost to veterans who are faced with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma.

For the second year in a row, Geoff completed a grueling 24-hour physical challenge and ran 26.2 miles, biked 100 miles and raised approximately $12,000 for vets in one day! The event is called SET 22—the SET stands for strength, endurance and training and the 22 refers to the number of veterans who take their lives every day.

Beginning at midnight Friday, May 21, at Harbor Tavern in Destin, Geoff and fellow cyclist friends made four loops by bike around Destin and Scenic Hwy. 98 for a total of 100 miles! Then at noon on Saturday, he and several other runners made one more loop around Destin by foot, racking up a 26.2-mile marathon. And last, but certainly not least, at approximately 9 p.m., Geoff flipped a 200-lb. tractor tire around the Destin Elementary School track for one mile, where he was joined again by 25 to 30 people who cheered him on in the dark. He finished the challenge at roughly 10:45 p.m. Saturday, May 22. “As the tire continued to flip with each turn of a “thud,” bystanders were reminded that he is an American soldier who sacrificed and proudly served his country,” says Sheila Hale, Healing Paws for Warriors co-founder/deputy director. “Today he served his community by providing awareness to end veteran suicide, encouraging veterans to push through as there are resources for help.” ALL of these amazing feats were accomplished in a 24-hour period!

You might ask why Geoff would go through this grueling ordeal. “I know what it feels like to have no hope. It’s all about giving back HOPE to these men and women who suffer,” he says.

Geoff says his friends are what kept him going. “I have some of the most diverse, amazing, supportive people as friends!” Many flew in and ran with him from all over even as far as New York, New Jersey and Missouri. “I got zero sleep prior to the event taking off and it was all worth it. I truly wouldn’t have it any other way,” says Geoff. “I stayed mindful and present throughout the entire stay. I never wore headphones to get out of pain or get in the zone. I simply just talked to my friends. I’m so grateful for all of you!”

“We couldn’t have done it without community support from businesses such as Okaloosa Gas,” says Sheila. “We had over 15 businesses alone to help support the event shirt which got us started and then held the fundraiser on Facebook.”

“Geoff is representative of Don’t Give Up! He has a huge heart, and wants to give back to his local community,” Shelia says. “He chose Healing Paws for Warriors to support a veteran K9 team and to help veterans themselves. “If I can do this no matter how bad life can be, you can do it, too,” says Geoff. “He is the example of a great American soldier,” Sheila says.

To learn more about Healing Paws for Warriors, visit www.healingpawsforwarriors.org or email info@healingpawsforwarriors.org.

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July 25, 2021
Food For Thought Gets “Fresh For Summer”

On average, a student enrolled in the free and reduced meal program at school will miss access to 110 meals over the summer. Food For Thought Outreach is here to help bridge that meal gap.

The first week of June, Food For Thought started their tenth year of summer services and provide a total of 25 curbside food distributions across five locations in Okaloosa and Walton counties serving over 600 families. Each family will receive 30-50 food items.

Their theme this summer is “Fresh for Summer,” as they commit to provide even more fresh food items within their bags of food including fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, cheese sticks, and Kraft™ Lunchables.

“The number one request from the families we serve is for fresh items – fresh produce, refrigerated items, and more,” says Tiffanie Nelson, Founder & CEO of Food For Thought Outreach. “This past year, we were able to acquire more refrigeration and equipment through generous donors and grants so we have the infrastructure to meet these needs. Through the pandemic, it’s been difficult to get all the shelf-stable items we need, but we’ve had success in ordering fresh items.”

The organization has set themselves a high goal of raising $20,000 to support these needs.
“We purchase 90% of our food items, the vast majority of items are not donated,” adds Nelson. “So this is a big investment in our services, in the community. Our community has always stepped up to help their neighbors, and we have been thrilled with the support so far.”

Ten local businesses have signed on as location sponsors including Beach Baby Crib Rentals, Clean Juice Quarters 4 Kids, Community Bank, The Dish and The Spoon Traveling Chef, Indigo Watercolor, Odd Pelican Beer Company, Pish Posh Patchouli’s, Restaurant Paradis, SpineLife Chiropractic, and Taylor Allen Properties.

You can help Food For Thought fight childhood food insecurity and hunger by donating $40 to support one curbside food distribution for one family in need.

Supporters have multiple ways to donate. Visit fftfl.org to donate, text FFTFRESH to 44321, or stop by one of their pantry locations to drop off a check. Food items are also accepted. Items like individual cereal cups, fruit cups and applesauce, shelf stable milk and juice boxes, pop top chicken, soups, and other individual snack items. A full list can be found on their website. If you or someone you know is in need of support from Food For Thought, you can get information about food services by emailing support@fftfl.org, or calling 850-714-1960.

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July 25, 2021
Protecting One of Our Community’s Greatest Assets: The Choctawhatchee Bay

By Brian L. Underwood, CBEP Executive Director, and Lori Smith, Publisher

One of our area’s most beautiful, coveted and useful resources has been experiencing significant challenges—ones that affect water quality, natural systems and benefits provided by our own Choctawhatchee Bay. And, whether you think about it or not, this massive body of water is woven into our everyday lives as we come and go…to work, to fish, to boat, to play, to receive goods, to experience magnificent views, nature and wildlife, and the list goes on.

A defining characteristic of the coastal reaches of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay watershed has been growth and development in our region. Our population has increased significantly over the last several decades with a projected 21.24 percent growth over the next 20 years. Some of the greatest growth is in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties, which will bring continuing changes in land use and increasing demands on wastewater and stormwater management systems. (source: 850 Business)

Encompassing more than 5,000 square miles, the Choctawhatchee Bay watershed extends through six counties in Northwest Florida and 10 counties in Alabama. Within our region, the contributions from this natural environment to our economy and quality of life cannot be overstated. Ecologically diverse, the watershed, land areas that drain into the Bay, includes one of Florida’s largest alluvial rivers, an expansive riverine floodplain, a 129-square mile estuary, tidal marshes and seagrass beds as well as coastal dune lakes, Floridan aquifer springs, barrier islands and longleaf-wiregrass forests. It also includes some of Northwest Florida’s fastest growing communities, including ours, as well as extensive public and private conservation lands.

The water resources that comprise the Choctawhatchee River and Bay provide numerous functions critical to our quality of life. The watershed’s wetlands and floodplains store and regulate stormwater runoff, protecting water quality, providing flood protection, and recharging aquifers and potable water supplies. Its lakes, streams and coastal waters sustain numerous species of fish, shellfish and wildlife. Its springs provide windows to the aquifer, and its wetlands and coastal barriers provide resiliency against storms and coastal change.

To help preserve the Bay qualities we hold dear, the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program (CBEP) was recently established as a community-based, non-regulatory organization to coordinate stewardship initiatives for the Choctawhatchee Bay and its watershed, aspiring to protect and enhance these valuable assets for our enjoyment and benefit. These include restoring water quality, restoring and conserving its habitat, replenishing and protecting living coastal and marine resources, enhancing community resilience and revitalizing our diverse coastal economy. Grants and funds raised allow groups who have long worked on these assets to coordinate their efforts, educate, steward, strengthen and maintain this vibrant contribution to our economy.

In 2019, the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program was the beneficiary of grant funding from The Nature Conservancy. Additional Program funds have been received through a federal RESTORE Act financial assistance award to the Gulf Consortium and Okaloosa County, on behalf of the Estuary Program, consistent with criteria set out in the RESTORE Act at 33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(3)(B)(i). Governance is provided by the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Coalition Board of Directors, represented by County Commissioners from Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes and Washington Counties in Florida. Other organizations represented on the Board include the State of Alabama’s Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority, the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance and Eglin Air Force Base as an ex-officio participant.

A Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is currently being drafted for the Choctawhatchee Bay, River and headwaters. Consistent with the U.S. EPA’s National Estuary Program standards, the Choctawhatchee’s CCMP will highlight priority resource groups along with strategies to mitigate many of the known challenges. Some of these strategies include best practices for community resilience, water quality protection, natural resources management and land use planning.

Initial planning strategies have been successful, yielding positive stakeholder engagement. Reflecting the National Estuary Program model, the Choctawhatchee program has organized technical advisory, education and outreach committees comprised of regional partners, who provide local knowledge and information on watershed issues. “We are hoping to build our partnerships to include a Community Advisory Committee and a Business and Industry Committee comprised of business owners, land owners or other members of the community interested in becoming involved in the Estuary Program and the CCMP development,” says Chelsea Conley, CBEP Outreach Specialist.

If you would like to learn more about the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program, visit MyOkaloosa.com/cbec/program_overview.html or Facebook.com/ChoctawhatcheeBayEstuaryProgram. For additional information, contact Chelsea Conley, Outreach Specialist, at 850-609-5390 or cconley@myokaloosa.com.

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June 14, 2021
Walton County Accepting Applications For Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board

The Walton Board of County Commissioners is accepting applications for volunteers to serve on the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board. The following positions are currently vacant.

The Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Committee has an opening for their volunteer At-Large position.

The Coastal Dune Lakes Advisory Board is comprised of residents and partners with Walton County, to ensure the protection, health and environmental integrity of the county’s globally rare and imperiled Coastal Dune Lakes and to provide sound recommendations to the Walton County Board of Commissioners. The Coastal Dune Lakes Advisory Board monitors the watersheds and the Coastal Dune Lake Protection Zones of 15 Coastal Dune Lakes for activities that affect the environmental conservation of the lakes.
Applications to serve are available online on the County’s website at https://walton.civicweb.net/Portal/BoardApplication.

The application period will close on Wednesday, June 30th at 5:00 pm.

An application can also be obtained from the Administration office by calling (850) 892-8155. Applicants are encouraged to attach a resume and/or a letter detailing why they would be a good fit on this committee. The Board of County Commissioners will make their selection at a future meeting.

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June 14, 2021
Guest Editorial: In Support of the Tourist Development Council

By Tim Norris,

I am a native, born at Eglin AFB and grew up here in the area and have lived here in Walton County for the last 23 years.

Most of us first came to Walton County as visitors. We came for the beautiful beaches, we fell in love with the area, and as soon as we could we figured out a way to move here. A popular sentiment for some is to now want to shut the door behind them and keep anyone else from discovering what we’ve found, but that would be both selfish and unwise.

We need a more balanced economy in Walton County, and for that to happen we’re going to need better infrastructure and more full-time, working residents. Right now tourism is the major driver of Walton County’s economic engine, and without it we would face economic calamity on every level. In a county of less than 100,000 residents, about 28,000 jobs are created by tourism. Tourists pay more than 67% of all taxes in Walton County, meaning that our public schools, libraries, fire department, law enforcement and county employees derive most of their paycheck in thanks to those tourists. Visitors likewise do 75% of all retail spending, which means that most of our local businesses would not survive for long without the influx of cash that visitors bring to our area.

More directly, visitors pay 100% of the Tourist Development Tax (TDT), which Walton County residents voted to expand to begin collecting in the northern portion of the county as well, starting last March. This makes a lot of sense – the TDT is used to protect and promote tourism to the area, which in turn brings in a supply of cash that helps local businesses prosper, helps create jobs for locals, helps lower the taxes we pay as residents, and also funds the many projects that the Tourist Development Council carries out that benefit not just visitors, but residents too.

The TDC supplies $1.6 million to fund the South Walton Fire District’s lifeguard program, $1.1 million for beach code compliance, builds beach and bay public boardwalks and accesses, and buys land to increase available parking.They also support local events and festivals well-loved by locals, fund the sea turtle nest monitoring program, provide the Cultural Arts Alliance with their building and support the South Walton Artificial Reef Association’s projects. The TDC’s beach operations team cleans and maintains 20 miles of beach in Walton County, as well as 36 miles of public roads and highways. All of these efforts are accomplished without spending a dime of local taxes, because the TDT is entirely funded by visitors staying in short term vacation rentals.

However, it seems that what the Walton County TDC is most known for (and often reviled for) is carrying out their state-mandated task of marketing our area to visitors, in order to help keep our tourism economy strong. It’s often said that Walton County has already been marketed enough, that we no longer have much of an off-season, but what those people fail to understand is the why behind the marketing. It’s not just done to attract more people, or solely done to increase awareness. If that was the only reason, then surely established companies like Coca-Cola (or incumbent politicians) would have no need to spend any money on advertising. But marketing is at least equal parts reputation management, and the Walton County TDC is expressly tasked with building a brand that can target fewer, more affluent visitors who will spend more money in the destination. Their success in doing so can be seen even in how our tourism numbers compare to our neighboring counties.

I began this article by saying that Walton County needs a more diverse economic foundation, and that is very true, but what’s just as true is the importance of maintaining and supporting the economic engine that we run on now. It’s those funds that will help support the future expansion of industry here, provide jobs, and help support local residents building their lives here in Walton County. Without a strong economy, our friends and family would be forced to move away for work, for schooling or even to have the basic entertainment options that enrich our lives.

Tim Norris, a long-time Panhandle resident is past Chairman of the Walton County Republican Party and is the current Republican Party of Florida’s State Committeeman for Walton County. Tim Resides in Santa Rosa Beach with his wife Nancy. The couple have 3 daughters, Calli, Hannah and Piper.

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May 9, 2021
Keep Our Beaches Clean, Dark and Flat! It’s sea turtle nesting season!

Life Media’s own “Theo,” Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles and the South Walton Turtle Watch reminds locals and visitors they can help protect nesting sea turtles by practicing some simple tips.

Each year, thousands of sea turtles nest on Florida’s beaches. Florida beaches are the No. 1 place for sea turtle nests in North America from May to October. Northwest Florida beaches attract many endangered species including Green, Loggerhead, Leatherback and Kemps Ridley. A female will return to the beach where she was born to lay her eggs. “If you’re lucky enough to see it, it’s incredible to watch a 300-400 lb. Loggerhead sea turtle crawl up the beach which is no easy task, dig an 18-20-inch hole with only her back flippers, deposit her eggs, and then cover them back up with sand and pat it all down (all with only her back flippers),” says Beth Coppedge of the Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles (FOSWST). The whole process takes 30 to 60 minutes.

There are many hazards and further complications if a sea turtle hatches during the daytime. For example, a sea gulls’ favorite snack is a baby sea turtle. The nest, also, is at risk of predation by animals as well as of high tides during storms, which can wash out and drown nests. Once hatched, they must make it to the water without becoming disoriented by artificial light or killed by predators. Finally, they arrive at their home in the Gulf where they are at risk of sharks, fish, fishing lines, ingesting debris and trash, boats and pollution. For the females who survive and return to shore to nest, it is a great victory. By the way, once she lays her eggs on the beach, the sea turtle mama never returns.

Because our state is so important to these special animals, beachgoers can help keep our beaches clean and dark, so sea turtles nest successfully. Everyone benefits from clean beaches and, since most of Florida’s sea turtles nest at night, it is important to keep our beaches dark because bright lights can disorient nesting turtles.

Keep The Beaches Clean!

Obstacles on the beach can prevent sea turtles from nesting as they crawl from the water, across the sand, to lay their eggs. They can also prevent sea turtle hatchlings from reaching the water once they emerge from their nests. Beachgoers can help sea turtles by properly disposing of all trash, filling in holes in the sand and putting away boats, beach toys and furniture.

Keep The Beaches Dark!

Bright lighting can misdirect and disturb nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings, leading them away from the ocean and toward potential danger. So, beachgoers should avoid using flashlights or cellphones on the beach at night. Anyone living along or visiting Florida beaches can do their part by turning out lights or closing curtains after dark to ensure nesting turtles are not disturbed as they come ashore and hatchlings will not become disoriented when they emerge from their nests. If lighting could still be visible from the beach, be sure it is long, low and shielded. And use turtle safe flashlights or flashlight covers when on the beach at night.

Keep The Beaches Flat!

Fill in any holes you dig and smooth out sandcastles when you leave the beach each day.

What’s the most important thing to remember if you see a mama sea turtle on the beach? Sara says, “Be respectful, stay quiet and stay back at least 50 feet. Don’t get excited or be loud or take pictures with the flash on your cell phone which disorient the turtles and stress them out. They return to the water unable to lay their eggs.”

To learn more about sea turtles or to attend a class and see a nest, consider becoming a South Walton Beach Ambassador. Visit www.friendsofswturtles.org or email friendsofswseaturtles@gmail.com.

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May 9, 2021
Construction on the U.S. Hwy. 98 underpass at Inlet Beach has begun!

The beginning of construction of a new underpass beneath U.S. Hwy. 98 was announced at a recent groundbreaking ceremony held in March. With expected completion in late 2022, the new underpass will provide a safe pedestrian and cyclist crossing through a lighted tunnel at the busy and still growing area between Inlet Beach and Rosemary Beach. It will also provide easier access to the area’s popular shopping and dining outlets including 30Avenue, The Donut Hole and Shade’s Bar & Grill at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 98 and County Rd. 30A. This $5.6 million project will be the first pedestrian and cyclist underpass to be constructed in the county and will measure 12 ft wide x 8 ft high x 136 ft long.

To complement the construction of the underpass and for extra safety, safe-way lighting will be installed as well as lighted access points at the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection, ADA compliant stairs and ramps, enhanced pedestrian crosswalks and sidewalks, drainage upgrades and a new eastbound right turn lane from U.S. Hwy. 98 to County Rd. 30A going southbound. The Florida Department of Transportation will also install landscaping in the area of the underpass once construction is complete.

According to the FDOT, the first construction activities include installing signage, erosion control and clearing areas for pipe installation. Crews have already removed streetlights at the intersection.

The Scenic Walton organization has been integral during the last several years to coordinate the effort to make this important safety improvement happen, working with several state and county partners integral to the effort including the Florida Department of transportation (FDOT), Visit South Walton, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners and local restaurants Shades Bar & Grill and The Donut Hole.

Scenic Walton is also partnering with the Cultural Arts Association to create a public arts component so that the Inlet Beach Underpass is as unique and special as the National Scenic Byway it connects to. The public art component will be part of the CAA’s Art in Public Spaces program and feature original artwork, including murals and permanent sculptures installed at each of the underpass entrances.

The public art component will include two mid-sized sculptures installed next to each tunnel entrance and murals created on the tunnel’s interior walls. Lighting will be stylistically installed on the ceiling and the floor will remain unobstructed for clear and safe passage.

A national RFQ is being announced this month and finalists will be chosen in July with commissions selected in August. Concepts will be reviewed and chosen by a panel of representatives from the creative, public and private sectors, and the community at large. Two artists/teams will create and install the sculptures, and one artist/team will create the interior murals with collaboration by local students through the CAA’s ongoing partnership with the Walton County School District.

The overall project outcome will be a safe, practical and necessary crossing that also provides enhancement to the surrounding area through indigenous landscaping and beautiful, engaging and thought-provoking artwork. Artistically and conceptually, and in recognition of this underpass being the first in the area, the theme of the art installations will be “connectivity” and “relationship” among and between humans and connection with our built environment through creativity and will be installed in Spring 2022.

The underpass will be an obvious thoroughfare, but will also add value to the practical environment and become an experience for those who live, work and vacation in our community. For more information about the public art project, email Jennifer@culturalartsalliance.com. For more information on the U.S. Hwy. 98 underpass, contact info@scenicwalton.org.

To stay informed on construction, the FDOT has created a Facebook page named “My U.S. 98 Underpass at Inlet Beach” where ongoing information about impacts to traffic and construction updates will be posted.

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April 6, 2021