Traffic on State Road 85 North in Okaloosa County will shift at the S.R. 85N/State Road123 intersection the week of June 22.

Northbound traffic will shift onto a new temporary two-lane roadway; southbound traffic will transition to existing northbound lanes. The speed limit will remain 45 mph, so use extra caution when traveling through the construction zone as drivers adjust to the new traffic pattern.

The new traffic signal configuration at the intersection will cycle through red, yellow and green for all traffic. Northbound travelers should prepare to stop as the continuous green, northbound light will no longer exist.

The traffic shift will allow crews to set structural steel beams for the new flyover bridge. As bridge construction progresses, additional traffic shifts will occur.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: State Road 85 traffic shift scheduled

First, let me thank you for covering a subject so very important to me: hot car deaths of children.

Second, I need help spreading the word about Cooper's Law, federal legislation I'm working on to protect kids and dogs from hot car death. This is in honor of little Cooper Harris, who died one year ago after being left in his dad's hot car in Georgia.

I am a former friend of his father (who was accused of killing the 22-month-year old after leaving him in a car for four hours) and have created a group dedicated to spreading the word about hot car death as well our work toward federal legislation requiring stiffer uniform nationwide penalties. Currently, 31 states place hot car deaths under abuse laws, and penalties are minimal, even when a child or animal dies.

Just Georgia, Tennessse and North Carolina allow someone to effect a rescue of a child or dog without fear of criminal or civil prosecution, and there is no push for federally mandated car seat alarms.

I hope to find sponsorship for the legislation, as well as creating educational materials to be disseminated in veterinary offices, pediatricians' offices and hospital nurseries. 

Finally, I have paired my small crafts company with the Res-Q-Me company to create the Bunky's Res-Q-Me Window Blaster, which safely cracks a car window's glass and allows a child or dog to be rescued.

It can also be used to save yourself or someone else in the event of an accident in which power door locks and windows become inactive and malfunction.

You can learn more at www.Facebook.com/cooperslaw.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Proposed legislation raises awareness of hot car deaths

Some stories require more scrutiny than others.

For instance, "The Whiz Kid," the Crestview Public Library's iconic bronze sculpture, is vandalized and a Baker man steps up to repair it — just because his kids love visiting the library.

It's an uplifting story about one man's decision to give back to the community; there are no holes — all sources are covered — and there's not much more to tell.

Not much, of course, other than learning about who vandalized the sculpture. (And I wouldn't want to be that person, based on comments the News Bulletin's Facebook fans posted about him or her.)

Yes, that story's pretty cut and dry.

But when an editor receives a story about the dangers of leaving a baby in a hot car, it's much different.

After all, lives are at stake.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Brian Hughes' recent report about the Crestview Police Department's efforts to warn parents about leaving children in an unattended vehicle drew plenty of response.

A number of people who commented shared their children's ages, indicating that they successfully kept their kids alive.

Some folks said it all boils down to responsibility or negligence; a woman who carried a child for nine months surely could never forget the little one exists, right?

Still others contended that burdened parents who supposedly forget their toddlers in the car have a more sinister agenda: murder.

If that's what people think of parents who experience this kind of forgetfulness that results in tragedy — like a Bay County teacher who forgot her 18-month-old on June 2 — then the CPD's giveaway of MyCue Streamers seems like a waste of time and money. As Hughes' report noted, "The streamer attaches to the child’s seat. The driver can strap the child in, unclip the streamer and snap it to a key ring to remind them the child is aboard."

When the story first crossed my desk, I had feelings similar to the detractors'. "Parents really need this neon eyesore on their key ring to remember their child is in the backseat?" I thought.

Yes, this was one of those stories that needed extra scrutiny. What I found after researching the matter was shocking. 

'MEMORY IS A MACHINE'

When a Pulitzer Prize winner writes something, that carries plenty of weight.

So Gene Weingarten's 2009 report in the Washington Post about this issue immediately captured my attention.

Particularly this passage:

“Memory is a machine,” he quotes David Diamond, a professor of molecular physiology at the University of South Florida, as saying, “and it is not flawless. Our conscious mind prioritizes things by importance, but on a cellular level, our memory does not.

"If you’re capable of forgetting your cellphone, you are potentially capable of forgetting your child.”

That puts things in perspective. For parents who honestly forget their children in the car, this isn't about loving someone or not loving someone.

It's about a memory failure.

MIND IN 'WORK MODE'

A G.I. nurse helped clarify the matter on our Facebook page:

"Imagine months of broken sleep, stress and lack of proper diet and exercise (all common things to be deprived of with a small child)," she writes. "Now imagine dad takes baby to day care every single day because it's on his way, but one day he needs to go to work early so he asks mom to drop baby off.

"Mom loads everything in the car, including her sleeping baby, and starts her 45-minute drive to work. Most people kick into auto pilot at that time — office thoughts; getting your day started; this afternoon's lunch meeting isn't finalized. Whatever the thoughts may be, they're about work and what you'll do when you get there.

"The ride is quiet (baby's sleeping), the turn comes for daycare and you pass it. You get to work, grab your stuff like you always do and head inside.

"Mind still in work mode."

I also asked my friends about the issue. Many moms my age (in their 30s) said forgetting their child in the car is their worst nightmare.

They championed the CPD's efforts with that key ring I initially considered a "neon eyesore."

Then it hit me: If anyone's memory could fail due to lack of sleep, change of routine or whatever the case may be, then every Okaloosa baby's parents need this key ring.

It's easy to judge others until this type of tragedy befalls you. So please don't take that chance.

Contact community policing Officer Sam Kimmons, 305-7831, for a free streamer, while supplies last.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BONI: Every Okaloosa baby's parents should have this keychain

These featured comments are the most thoughtful or eloquently stated comments from our Facebook page and crestviewbulletin.com and do not necessarily reflect CNB management's views.

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About vehicle break-ins…

This is becoming a major problem in Crestview! We need a plan of action.

Chris King

To deter car break-ins…

How about let's (deter) the crime by locking our doors and making sure we take the keys and any valuables inside?

Shame on these people for stealing what's not theirs, but I'm not going to assist them by leaving things out in the open or giving them easy access to my vehicle by leaving the keys in it.

Those are safety measures I have to take for myself.

Melissa Willcut Woollums

Why don't people lock doors?

I just can't fathom why people still leave their vehicles unlocked in this town! Then to leave valuables in there, too…

Pam Cozad Weidenhammer

Target theft chips at public's trust

Criminals like these people (who allegedly steal for personal gain) … lose the trust in our communities and businesses, and make it harder on the rest of us honest non-profit volunteers to help our local community.

Larry Grisham

Sculpture vandalism childish

Awesome! Destroy your own town, huh? That will show the man — how childish…

Robert Rohlfing

Library needs surveillance cameras

I sure hope the ones responsible are caught. I also hope their punishment includes lots of community service.

It's time to put out cameras — too much stuff to steal or vandalize in the library.

Angie Stevenson Nousiainen

Join the conversation on our Facebook page>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HUBBUB: About Crestview's vehicle break-ins, vandalism and theft

North Okaloosa County's graduates and their families are experiencing a mixture of emotions.

There is happiness that graduates are moving to life's next challenging phase, whether that’s work, family life, the military or more school.

For graduates' parents and loved ones, there is pride from the accomplishment that graduation symbolizes. For some families, graduations are commonplace; for others, this is a momentous occasion.

There might be some sadness — feeling that the last remaining hint of childhood is passing for a son or daughter.

There could be some relief — feeling that the heavy financial burden you and your family faced during a child’s college years is ending.

And, for parents, there is some apprehension. Whatever the future holds for a graduate, there is no guarantee of success.

Finally, there will be some worry, particularly if a graduate is heading to college amid all the uncertainty our state leaders have created around higher education.

Still, don’t let any of the uncertainty, anxiousness or worry mar what should be a joyous occasion.

And don’t let those considerations alter your plans.

There will always be reasons to second-guess or doubt your hopes and dreams, and they won’t come easily.

With hard work, dedication and discipline, though, those goals are within your reach.

You have endured through tough times, maintaining your goal and finally achieving it.

Congratulations.

You have quite a bit of hard work to look back on with pride. And you have exciting choices laid out before you.

Whatever you choose to do with your life, remember to relish the great goals you have already achieved.

Good job and good luck.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: OUR VIEW: North Okaloosa graduates — relish your achievement

TOP COMMENT If nothing changes, nothing changes

This happens a lot to cities that grow. In the beginning, there were churches within a small proximity of each other.

That was normal.

As towns grow and expand, churches and government buildings encroach the business district. Typically, they eventually move to more spacious and strategic areas to serve their audience.

That is not happening naturally here, and the problem with that is it inhibits growth.

The indicators are not there for local investors to feel comfortable to invest in the local area; thus, they go somewhere else.

It's not about maintaining the status quo — who wants that? It is about the future, growth and, by all indications, the economic, cultural and business-type indicators are not there; thus, no investment, no growth.

So the city council is trying to move this natural process along and some people have a problem with it — strange.

If nothing changes, nothing changes.

Okaloosa GoLocal

•••

Amendment would keep Main Street alive

This is simply to make Main Street what it needs to be in order to survive the times.

It needs to have a vast shopping, dining and entertainment atmosphere that keeps everyone's interest going into the evenings, not just 8 to 5.

(The amendment) has nothing to do with bringing down churches. We need help keeping Main Street alive and thriving.

Cheryl Bunyan 

•••

Need to re-imagine downtown Crestview

Ignoring the proposed code change, let's be honest: The Main Street area has never really thrived.

I've lived here all of my life (48 years), except when I was away about 10 years. The only time that it had any semblance of "thriving" died in the mid 80s, when Wal-Mart showed up and effectively put a nail in the coffin of nearly every retail place on Main Street.

Since then, and except for a few places, it has been a never-ending rotation of poorly performing, poorly thought out ventures. 

… The sad thing is that people aren't going to support that area. It's not hip enough. To make that area viable, it would need to be bulldozed and re-imagined. They would need to add an amphitheater, a dining district that would bring in some restaurants and include our favorites. It would need a park or green area and some retail shopping, too. 

Without that, it is going to remain a bunch of dilapidated buildings with rotating owners.

Dean Barrow

•••

Suggestion for Main Street's makeup

Needs to be a mini downtown Pensacola. That would be cool.

Julio Escobar

•••

Churches' location doesn't hurt business

It would be great to have a thriving downtown, but what does a location of a church have to do with that?

Nothing.

So you tell me why that was part of the proposal at all. What does a location of a church have to do with bringing businesses to downtown?

Sarah Campbell Myers

•••

Leave Crestview just for the beach

The only reason we should have to leave is for the beach. We are so far behind it's not funny. 

Chris Foster

•••

Rezoning isn't religious persecution

There's a serious difference between "religious persecution" and attempting to grow our Main Street area downtown.

Right now, the majority of stores aren't open on weekends and close at 4 or 5 p.m. every day, and those are thrift stores and churches.

There's plenty of room in the city of Crestview for new churches, expanding churches and relocating. Get on board with building a better, bigger, newer and more attractive Main Street for the greater good of the city.

This will only bring more people and more revenue.

Breana Carlson Uptigrove

•••

Why penalize churches?

Why should the churches, that have been in that area longer than majority of those businesses, relocate?

Why should they be penalized by not being able to expand and grow?

Mary Henderson

•••

Examples of churches' benefits

How exactly have the churches stifled growth in Crestview? Let me guess: by providing a place of refuge for those who are hurting, by feeding the hungry, by donating school supplies and clothes to needy children, or is it one of the other community services they provide?

Mary Henderson

•••

Increasing shops increases revenue

Churches do not bring in money for the town, nor for shop owners. Stores do. By increasing the shops, you also increase revenue.

Katrina Yant Walker

•••

Bring the buses back

I hope they start the buses back in Crestview and run it through Addison Place Apartments.

Katie Ragland 

•••

Suggestion for Jaws of Life benefit

Make a GoFundMe account and have the entire department share it! We love our Crestview Fire Department IAFF Local 2680.

Ashley Scott 

•••Another firefighter fundraiser idea

Can they set up a table in front of Publix a couple of days on the weekend taking donations?

Luke M. Sheplock 

•••

Flowers is an angel

An angel amongst us. Need more of them, too.

God Bless you, Mr. Flowers.

Gisela Harper 

Join the conversation on our Facebook page>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HUBBUB: Leave Crestview just for the beach, rezoning isn't religious persecution