OKALOOSA ISLAND, Fla. (WKRG) — Commissioners Carolyn Ketchel, Graham Fountain, the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Okaloosa Island Fire Department and members of the community braved a brisk December day to celebrate the opening of two new public beach accessways on Okaloosa Island.

The accessways were dubbed the ‘Mike Mitchell Beach Accessway #4,’ after Korean War Veteran, Pilot and County Commissioner Mike Mitchell and ‘Jerry Melvin Beach Accessway #6’ after longtime member of the House of Representatives Jerry Melvin.

Both accessways are major upgrades to the previous amenities offered at the access points prior to the improvements. The accessways boast showers, bathrooms and asphalt parking.

Both the Representative and the Commissioner were presented with proclamations honoring their many contributions to the people of Okaloosa County. They shared the blades of the scissors as they cut the ribbon to open the accessway officially.

The accessways were paid for by money from the Tourism Development Department’s bed taxes for improving tourism-related attractions and infrastructure in the county.