Located in Holt between Crestview and Milton, this fully-equipped facility can accommodate individuals and groups that range from the everyday shooter to military, law enforcement and government agencies. Element Training Complex is here to serve the shooting community regardless of your experience or background. 

A $35-per-person Day Pass includes: 

• Access to the 25-yard pistol bay. 
• Access to the 25-yard rifle bay. 
• Access to the three 25-yard shoot and move bays. 
• Access to the 100-yard range. 
• Access to the 300-yard range. 
• One cardboard target and one set of target sticks. 

Element Training Complex is open to the public for day-pass use, but if you love shooting, they recommend their cost-effective Annual Memberships of $500 per year. Members get access to the entirety of their 205-acre shooting facility. They also get select discounts on items in their pro shop, advanced notice and registration for classes, training and much more. There is a reduced application fee of $50 dollars for all military, law enforcement and veterans. For all civilians there is a $100 application fee.  

You can purchase a Sporting Clays Only membership for just $150 per year and a Six Month Membership for $300. 

Dion Walker is the operations manager of the facility, while his wife Valerie manages the pro shop. 

“My husband has always been into firearms,” Valerie said. “The opportunity presented itself to work at a range and shoot instead of just selling firearms.” 

Valerie was a stay-at-home mom with their four children and decided to come work with Dion at Element Training Complex. 

“We were out here all the time anyways shooting, and now we get to work here and bring our four kids, who also love shooting. We love it,” she said. 

If your whole family loves to shoot, make sure you ask about the Element Training Complex family membership. There are no age restrictions at the range. It is up to the parent to decide if their child is ready. The range just asks that parents stay within arm’s reach of the child at all times. To encourage learning to shoot responsibly at a young age, children under the age of 16 shoot for free! 

Owners Lauren and Robert Boothe opened the training complex in 2017 under the name Southern Tactical and rebranded to Element Training Complex in 2020 to offer even more than before. 

Element’s Pro Shop is a small gun store that carries a range of products including ammo, firearms, accessories, suppressers, targets, shooting bags, apparel, shirts, hoodies and hats. 

The Oaks Sporting Clays is open to the public. The course sits on 50 acres featuring 5-Stand and 20 stations. 

A day at the range makes for the perfect group activity. Whether it’s a corporate team building event, birthday party, retirement party, bachelorette/bachelor party, gender reveal, or just a fun day with some friends, Element Training Complex is the place to go for your next outing. 

The range is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with cease fire at 4:45 p.m. On Monday, the range is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with cease fire at 3:45 p.m. 

Starting in September for half of the year, there is a night match on the first Saturday of each month and the range remains open until 10 p.m. 

The third Saturday of each month is Training Night, and the range stays open until 10 p.m. This night shoot is open to the public, and people are encouraged to bring their night vision goggles, white lights and thermals. 

“We host a lot of matches at Element Training Complex,” Valerie said. “There is something happening every weekend here.” 

On the first Saturday of the month, USPSA holds a shooting match. The second Saturday of the month is a Steel Challenge and on the third Saturday, PCSL holds a shooting competition. 

Other matches that happen at Element Training Complex throughout the year include Tactical Games, Quantified Performance, and Cowboy Action, where people dress up as cowboys and shoot their revolvers and black powder rifles. 

“We have hundreds of competitors attend some of these events, and people come from all over the world to shoot,” Valerie said. 

Element Training Complex offers a variety of shooting classes year-round. Valerie says shooting all the classes and training is her favorite part of the job. 

The complex is a SIG Sauer Academy outpost, and hosts a lot of their classes such as Rifle Instructor, Concealed Carry, Pistol 101 through 104 and Rifle 101 through 104.  

Many different instructors put on these classes including JBS Training Group and Barrell and Hatchet, who teaches night vision classes and Distance Carbine classes. War HOGG Tactical hosts law enforcement firearm training and pistol classes. Frank Proctor holds pistol and rifle classes at the complex. Whatever firearm instruction or education you are looking for, Element Training Complex probably offers it. 

People leave these classes feeling equipped with the knowledge and training they were seeking, feeling safe behind a gun. 

Element Training Complex 

4418 Cooper Lane 

Holt, FL 32564 

elementrange.com 

850-537-4576 

Nestled in the heart of Crestview, across from Crestview High School in the Hancock Bank building, you’ll find a boutique unlike any other — one that brings elegance, craftsmanship and heartfelt stories together under one polished roof. 

Baron’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts, founded in 2024 by longtime locals Shelia and Gordon MacLean, may be a newcomer to the scene, but it’s already become a sparkling staple for area residents looking for something truly special. 

Shelia, a proud native of “LA” — that’s Lower Alabama — has lived north and south of the state line her whole life. Her passion for fine jewelry started young, but it was the stories behind each piece that truly captivated her.  

“Jewelry is so much more than something beautiful,” Shelia said. “It represents love, achievement, memory. It becomes part of a person’s life story.” 

Her husband Gordon, a native Floridian and a U.S. Air Force veteran, shares her vision. With an eye for detail and a commitment to excellence shaped by his military service, Gordon helps source the store’s luxury Swiss watch collection and carefully-curated inventory for discerning men. 

And the store’s name? It’s a loving nod to their family’s F4 Savannah cat, Baron — a regal feline whose exotic leopard-like appearance inspired the boutique’s branding. The result? A luxurious, inviting space that feels both refined and refreshingly unpretentious. 

At Baron’s, customers will find more than just display cases — they’ll find artistry and intention. The boutique offers: 

• Bespoke jewelry and dazzling diamond pieces for life’s biggest moments.
• A rotating selection of pre-owned luxury Swiss watches including Rolex and Omega.
• William Henry pocket knives and accessories — heirloom-quality gifts for men.
• Corporate and executive gifts, perfect for promotions, retirements or client appreciation.

Baron’s also stands out for its heart. The MacLean’s are passionate about community involvement, sponsoring local school teams and quietly supporting nonprofit causes — especially those that serve military families, veterans and active-duty service members. 

Celebrating its one-year anniversary this November, Baron’s continues to grow by word of mouth — from grateful grooms who found the perfect ring, to retirees marking a milestone, to proud parents choosing a meaningful graduation gift. 

“We’re not here just to sell,” Shelia says. “We’re here to help people find something unforgettable. Something that becomes part of their love story.”  

Baron’s can also design custom jewelry and Shelia has recently started a luxury line of exquisite pieces, created exclusively for Baron’s clients. 

Whether you’re marking an anniversary, popping the big question, or simply treating yourself to something timeless, Baron’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts offers luxury with a local soul.  

Visit Baron’s across from Crestview High School in the Hancock Bank Building. Explore more at www.BaronsJewelry.com. 

Baron’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts  

Retail Boutique Hours: M-F 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Voice/Text: (850) 240-0011 

Located in the Riviera Pointe Professional Building. 

Above the Hancock Whitney Bank across from Crestview High School. 

1301 Industrial Drive, 2nd Floor 

Crestview, FL 32539 

APPLY WINTERIZER TO THE LAWN 

Winterizer is a specially formulated fertilizer that is applied in the fall to promote root growth in the lawn. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU PURCHASE “WINTERIZER” THAT YOU READ THE INGREDIENTS! Many so-called “winterizers” I have seen sold in big box stores are not winterizers at all and if applied to your lawn in the fall will actually do more harm than good! A true winterizer will have a formulation of mostly potassium and very little or no nitrogen. Nitrogen stimulates top growth, something you do NOT want to do in the fall and potassium stimulates root growth. There are numbers on every bag of fertilizer that will tell you the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, in that order, in the bag. A true winterizer fertilizer should have a first number (nitrogen) of 5 or less and a third number (potassium) of 25 or more. We use a 0-0-62 when making our winterizer applications.  

You should NEVER use a high nitrogen fertilizer in the fall! By stimulating top growth in the fall, the grass is using energy it should be saving for the following spring to come out of dormancy, increasing the chance for the lawn to experience winter kill. I’ve seen countless lawns over the years that never greened up in the spring because they had been fertilized with nitrogen the previous fall and never came out of dormancy! 

APPLY PRE EMERGENT WEED CONTROL FOR  WINTER WEEDS 

There are a number of cool season weeds that emerge in northwest Florida during the winter and to help prevent them, it is a good idea to make an application of pre emergent weed control to your lawn in October. Products such as Atrazine, Simozine and Pendimethalin are good for fall pre emergent weed control.  

REDUCE WATERING 

With the onset of cool temperatures, the grass will slow its growth and will need less water. Continuing to water the lawn after it stops growing is unnecessary at best and can be harmful at worst!  Cooler temperatures and shorter days cause the water applied to the grass to linger on the lawn which creates ideal conditions for disease activity. Reduce the opportunity for disease activity by reducing watering frequency to once or twice a week in October and turn the system off completely and drain the pump in November. 

DRAIN YOUR IRRIGATION PUMP 

Two winters ago, we had some particularly cold weather that damaged just about every irrigation pump that had not been drained, a costly lesson for many homeowners! Draining your irrigation pump is simple and only takes about 3 minutes. On the front of the pump, where the large pipe is connected, is a threaded plug close to the bottom. Use a 9/16 box end wrench or socket to remove the plug. After removing the plug, open the spigot at the top of the pump to allow air to enter the pump as the water drains out. After all the water is drained, replace the plug and your pump is winterized!  

WATCH FOR PESTS AND DISEASE 

There is one turf destroying insect pest that remains active through the winter: mole crickets. All other insect pests are inactive through the cooler season. If you had a problem with mole crickets in the spring and treated for them, the residual effects of the treatment are gone by the fall and mole crickets can return! If you see signs of mole cricket activity anytime during fall and winter, be sure to treat them. 

Certain types of lawn diseases are especially active during cooler temperatures in the fall. Be watchful for any declining areas in the lawn that have a circular pattern to them, which could indicate disease activity. Disease activity in the fall should be treated by reducing irrigation and application of proper fungicides. 

ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING YOUR LAWN HEALTHY? 

Call or text Skip at 850-240-7935 for a FREE LAWN CONSULTATION!     

Father And Son Pest and Lawn Solutions  

8373 E Bay Blvd, Navarre, FL 32566 

850-939-9868 

Fatherandsonlandscape.com 

APPLY WINTERIZER TO THE LAWN 

Winterizer is a specially formulated fertilizer that is applied in the fall to promote root growth in the lawn. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU PURCHASE “WINTERIZER” THAT YOU READ THE INGREDIENTS! Many so-called “winterizers” I have seen sold in big box stores are not winterizers at all and if applied to your lawn in the fall will actually do more harm than good! A true winterizer will have a formulation of mostly potassium and very little or no nitrogen. Nitrogen stimulates top growth, something you do NOT want to do in the fall and potassium stimulates root growth. There are numbers on every bag of fertilizer that will tell you the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, in that order, in the bag. A true winterizer fertilizer should have a first number (nitrogen) of 5 or less and a third number (potassium) of 25 or more. We use a 0-0-62 when making our winterizer applications.  

You should NEVER use a high nitrogen fertilizer in the fall! By stimulating top growth in the fall, the grass is using energy it should be saving for the following spring to come out of dormancy, increasing the chance for the lawn to experience winter kill. I’ve seen countless lawns over the years that never greened up in the spring because they had been fertilized with nitrogen the previous fall and never came out of dormancy! 

APPLY PRE EMERGENT WEED CONTROL FOR WINTER WEEDS 

There are a number of cool season weeds that emerge in northwest Florida during the winter and to help prevent them, it is a good idea to make an application of pre emergent weed control to your lawn in October. Products such as Atrazine, Simozine and Pendimethalin are good for fall pre emergent weed control.  

REDUCE WATERING 

With the onset of cool temperatures, the grass will slow its growth and will need less water. Continuing to water the lawn after it stops growing is unnecessary at best and can be harmful at worst!  Cooler temperatures and shorter days cause the water applied to the grass to linger on the lawn which creates ideal conditions for disease activity. Reduce the opportunity for disease activity by reducing watering frequency to once or twice a week in October and turn the system off completely and drain the pump in November. 

DRAIN YOUR IRRIGATION PUMP 

Two winters ago, we had some particularly cold weather that damaged just about every irrigation pump that had not been drained, a costly lesson for many homeowners! Draining your irrigation pump is simple and only takes about 3 minutes. On the front of the pump, where the large pipe is connected, is a threaded plug close to the bottom. Use a 9/16 box end wrench or socket to remove the plug. After removing the plug, open the spigot at the top of the pump to allow air to enter the pump as the water drains out. After all the water is drained, replace the plug and your pump is winterized!  

WATCH FOR PESTS AND DISEASE 

There is one turf destroying insect pest that remains active through the winter: mole crickets. All other insect pests are inactive through the cooler season. If you had a problem with mole crickets in the spring and treated for them, the residual effects of the treatment are gone by the fall and mole crickets can return! If you see signs of mole cricket activity anytime during fall and winter, be sure to treat them. 

Certain types of lawn diseases are especially active during cooler temperatures in the fall. Be watchful for any declining areas in the lawn that have a circular pattern to them, which could indicate disease activity. Disease activity in the fall should be treated by reducing irrigation and application of proper fungicides. 

ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING YOUR LAWN HEALTHY? 

Call or text Skip at 850-240-7935 for a FREE LAWN CONSULTATION!     

Father And Son Pest and Lawn Solutions  

8373 E Bay Blvd, Navarre, FL 32566 

850-939-9868 

Fatherandsonlandscape.com

Learning to swim is an essential skill when you live on the Emerald Coast. Whether it be the beach, the river or a pool, Floridians are basically surrounded by water. Teaching a child or adult how to swim can save their lives. 

Lori’s H2O Skills is here to help teach these life skills to all ages. 

Located at 577 Brookmeade Drive in Crestview, Lori’s H2O Skills is a professional learn-to-swim program for all ages, beginning at three months all the way through adulthood. 

Currently, they are offering ‘All You Can Swim’ for the months of November and December. Enrolled students can swim in daily openings.  

In December you can buy 12 months of lessons for the price of 10 – that is eight free classes.    

By day, the highly maintained pool is used by Crestview Physical Therapy, and from 4 to 8 p.m. weekdays, this two-lane pool is used for private one-on-one lessons with the Lori’s H2O Skills team. On Saturdays, swim lessons are offered from 8 a.m. to noon. 

The experienced team shares a passion and love for teaching and safety. Grace Rosenbaum is the operating manager of the Crestview location and does most of the teaching. Amy Conover is the general manager and splits her time between Crestview and Ohio. Lori Weber and Kyle Weber are co-owners of Lori’s H2O Skills and founded the swimming curriculum they use, which came from Lori’s time spent with the YMCA, American Red Cross and Aquatic Achievers in Australia. 

“I brought back knowledge from all of those programs and turned it into Lori’s H2O Skills,” Lori shared. “We started in Milford, Ohio. It was always a dream of mine to have a swim school to save children in and around the water.” 

Lori fell in love with swimming as a little girl in Milford. She swam competitively growing up and went on to swim for the University of Kentucky. She continued to swim as an adult and in 2015, she started Lori’s H2O Skills to spread her love for safe swimming. 

“My mother and sister live down here, and my sister is purchasing Crestview Physical Therapy,” Kyle said. “They don’t use the pool during the evening hours, so when the opportunity arose, we were excited to expand our swim school and serve the Crestview community.”  

Swim lessons range as young as 3 months and as old as senior adults. They also teach individuals with special abilities and ensure everyone is comfortable in the water.  

“We only teach one-on-one swim lessons so our students can learn how to swim in the most efficient and effective way,” Lori said. “Our program is based on children learning to flip and float and get themselves to safety and learning proper swimming skills.” 

Classes are set up once per week for 15 minutes.  

“I did a study for children and researched the best way for them to listen and learn with their short attention span,” Lori said. 

The conclusion was that children stay engaged for about five to seven minutes. Based on these findings, lessons are capped at 15 minutes to optimize efficiency and retention. 

Lori has always been passionate about swimming. 

“I just love it,” she said. “I think about swimming and the water all the time.” 

The slogan of Lori’s H2O Skills is “Saving Lives One Child at a Time.” 

“My passion is teaching people how to swim so it can save their lives,” Lori said. “We want a child to flip and float and stay above water and have enough seconds for a person or friend to help save them. Just seconds can save lives.” 

Obviously, swimming in a pool is very different than swimming in the Gulf, but the staff understands the different techniques needed in saltwater and around the ocean to combat big waves and rip tides. 

The indoor 40-foot by 12-foot pool takes weather out of the occasion and allows Lori’s H2O Skills to offer swim lessons year-round. The pool is no deeper than 4 feet. 

For more information about one-on-one lessons and pricing, check out their website: www.h2oskillsflorida.com. 

“We just want to keep people safe around pools and the ocean,” Lori said. “We are the place to come for anything water related – that is our love and passion. Safety, safety, safety – that is what we care about.” 

Lori’s H2O Skills 

577 Brookmeade Drive Crestview, FL 

www.h2oskillsflorida.com 

850-333-7014