Latest news with #PaulMixon
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Okaloosa County's Lionfish Tournament removes over 20,000 invasive species
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The annual Emerald Coast Open and Lionfish Festival in Destin-Fort Walton Beach successfully removed more than 20,000 invasive lionfish. According to a news release, the annual event has officially removed over 100,000 invasive fish since 2019. Utilizing and inspired by the catch, the festival team created plenty of lion-fish inspired dishes, music, and informational booths for the public for this 2025 event. This was a two-day tournament, including a pre-tournament, where divers from across the country came to participate. The lionfish harvested by divers were measured and weighed behind AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar before heading to the Lionfish Festival hosted by HarborWalk Village. ZooWorld Zoological Park welcomes rare aardwolf pups after 40 years 'This event has brought a lot of awareness to the invasive lionfish species and created a festive atmosphere for the enjoyment of our visitors and residents, while fostering prosperity for our local businesses,' Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said. The divers for this event competed to win nearly $175,000 in cash and gear prizes for categories like smallest lionfish, largest lionfish and most lionfish caught. 'While this event continues to flourish, the opposite is happening for this invasive species,' Natural Resources Chief Alex Fogg explained. The lionfish are an invasive species where hook and line fishing is ineffective. They have few known predators in the Gulf, so events like this with divers armed with spears are more productive. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Okaloosa County invites residents to Vulnerability Assessment Project meeting
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners and Jacobs Engineering are holding a second public meeting on April 30 for the Vulnerability Assessment Project. Where dead fish bring life to the party: Flora-Bama's annual Mullet Toss is back According to a news release, the meeting will happen from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Warriors Hall in Crestview, and anyone wanting to learn more about future flood mitigation in the community can attend. Attendees can expect to hear from county staff and Jacobs Engineering representatives about the methodology. They will also receive the results of the countywide assessment. 'I encourage everyone to learn more about where they live and the potential flood risks they may encounter,' Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said. 'These public meetings give our residents the chance to not only learn about their community but to engage in worthy conversations that can lead to a safer County.' The meeting will allow residents to contribute their opinions on the results from the exposure and sensitivity analysis and to participate in a question-and-answer session at the end of the meeting. Alabama's first dog dies; Gov. Kay Ivey reflects on her 'great friend' The project is aimed at 'safeguarding the unincorporated areas of Okaloosa County against environmental risks, including rising sea levels and flooding,' according to the release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
SS United States arrives in Alabama to be prepped for sinking, world's largest artificial reef
March 3 (UPI) -- The decommissioned luxury liner SS United States, dating back to 1952, completed its final journey Monday from South Philadelphia to Alabama, where it will undergo preparations before it is sunk in the waters off Florida's Gulf Coast to become the world's largest artificial reef. The massive 72-year-old ship, which was retired in 1969, will be submerged after more than six months of work in Mobile to insure that the vessel is environmentally safe, Okaloosa County wrote in an email to UPI. The work will include removing old fuel, paint and wiring and will be done in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection. The ship, which is made entirely of metal, is expected to be submerged about 20 nautical miles south of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Florida. "We are proud to continue the story of this historic vessel as an artificial reef along with the land-based museum," Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said Monday. "I applaud the Destin-Fort Walton Beach team in their efforts to succeed in this important next step and look forward to the immense impact she will continue to have on the lives of those who appreciate her history." The SS United States, which remains the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States with the capacity to hold 1,984 passengers, will provide a "much-needed habitat for a variety of marine species like grouper, snapper, mackerel and tuna." The plan is to cut holes throughout the ship to make sure it lands upright and to provide openings for marine life. It will also become a "worldwide hub for divers." The luxury liner, which measures 990 feet long, will provide diving opportunities for both beginners and technical drivers. The depth of the reef is expected to be 180 feet to the bottom and about 55 feet to the upper deck. "As the World's Largest Artificial Reef, the story of the SSUS will be told to thousands of divers from around the world as they explore her unique design and features," the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department said in a news release last month. "She will also benefit her surrounding ecosystem and become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure." The SS United States, which once held the transatlantic speed record between the United States and Europe at an average speed of more than 41 mph, departed South Philadelphia nearly two weeks ago and was towed by several tugs along the Atlantic Coast and around the southern tip of Florida to Alabama. Its journey was delayed last year after Coast Guard officials questioned its seaworthiness amid storm activity. Among its esteemed passengers during its 17-year run, were comedian Bob Hope, actor John Wayne, Princess Grace of Monaco, artist Salvadore Dali, actress Rita Hayworth and former President Harry Truman. The ship had spent the last 29 years docked on the Delaware River in Philadelphia after falling into disrepair. The SS United States' two smoke stacks remain the world's tallest at 65 feet each, which is about the size of a six-story building. The two funnels will be removed before its sinking and will be placed in an onshore museum, which will also house other artifacts from the ship. The entire project -- which includes acquiring the luxury liner, getting it ready to be submerged and building the museum -- is expected to cost $10.1 million.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Okaloosa County wants residents' opinion on Flood Vulnerability Assessment Project
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — Okaloosa County and Jacobs Engineering are inviting community members to attend the second public meeting for the Flood Vulnerability Assessment Project on Monday, Feb. 10. Pensacola passengers can now take nonstop flight to Muscle Shoals: Airport According to a Board of County Commissioners news release, the project is aimed at protecting the unincorporated areas of the county against environmental risks, which include rising sea levels and flooding. Jacobs Engineering representatives and county staff and will speak on the methodology and results of the countywide vulnerability assessment. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide their opinions on results from the exposure and sensitivity analysis, as well as participate in a question-and-answer session at the end of the meeting. 'I encourage everyone to learn more about where they live and the potential flood risks they may encounter,' said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. 'These public meetings give our residents the chance to not only learn about their community but to engage in worthy conversations that can lead to a safer County.' The meeting is to be held Monday from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Okaloosa County Administrative Building Training Room, 1250 Eglin Parkway in Shalimar. The meeting is open to the community and will focus on mitigating future floods and the possible impacts of flood events. Anyone who cannot attend the meeting in person can watch it on the county YouTube page. Escambia County EMS sets open house More information can be found by contacting the Okaloosa County Emergency Management Chief, Ryan Prince. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
