Good morning, Panama City.

Topgolf hosted a VIP event Thursday for local leaders at its new Panama City Beach facility—today it offers free play from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. along with regular hours to celebrate its grand opening.

The Gulf Coast State College Foundation partnered with STEM Origins to launch the Rising Star scholarship program to support aspiring STEM students from Bay County elementary schools.

Originally planned for three students—fundraising helped expand the program to support 10 students in its first year with future plans to award one student from each school annually.

Panama City is investing nearly $500M to overhaul its aging water, sewer, and road systems while the $21M MLK Rec Complex nears completion with major facilities built — field lighting, concrete work, and landscaping will be finished in the next 30 to 45 days.

City Manager Jonathan Hayes said the modern upgrades will transform the city’s essential systems — long overdue for improvement.

At Thursday morning's city council meeting, members voted to leave the fire assessment unchanged while raising the stormwater management fee by 4% and the CRA assessment by 2%.

Officials said the increases were needed + they will fund road maintenance and support new construction projects.

Earlier this week the Tarpon Dock drawbridge closed for several hours as extreme heat expanded its aging metal locking mechanism—crews sprayed water to cool it and detoured traffic onto East 4th Street.

City officials are seeking grant funding to replace the locking components and upgrade the water main from the bayou.

Open House at 129 Malaga Place

2-4 p.m. — 129 Malaga Place — $990,000 — Discover this fully furnished beachfront duplex perfect for rentals or family fun.

Color Our World: Music

2-3 p.m. — Bay County Public Library — Free entry — Experience an interactive musical adventure with local performer Miss Calliope focused on how music shapes our world.

July 4th Salute to Freedom Festival

4-9:30 p.m. — Panama City Marina — Free entry — Celebrate the 4th of July with patriotic festivities and family-friendly activities.

Fleetwood Mac Tribute by Will Thompson Band

7-9:10 p.m. — Captain Anderson's Event Center — Tickets from $0.88 — Relive the magic of Fleetwood Mac with an unforgettable tribute performance.

Back to School Bash: Backpack and School Supply Giveaway

4-5:30 p.m. — Keller Williams Success Realty — Free entry — Enjoy a grill out and pick up a backpack filled with school supplies for the first 100 students.

US 5K & Half Marathon

8:00 a.m. — Conservation Park — Registration needed — Lace up for a fun-filled active day in Panama City Beach's scenic park.