It appears that basically overnight, spring has arrived in Northwest Florida. It has warmed up and I turned off the house furnace and turned on the overhead fans.

The grass in our neighborhood is growing like crazy, and the flowering bushes are budding and will soon be ablaze with color. Leaves are beginning to return to the deciduous trees and we can tell that Easter will arriving soon. We have awakened from our winter freeze at last and, as far as I am concerned, none too soon.

I can now put my plants back out on the porch where they'll get regular sunlight and not just light from my overhead house lights. Some of them are looking mighty droopy. As I write this column, the birds are singing sweetly outside my window.

Along with the return of spring, comes inevitable work, both in the yard and the house.

It is time to clean up the yard, trim any shrubs that need trimming, pull any weeds in the garden or sidewalks, get the lawn mower out and get the grass cut, and clean out the gutters.

The fun part is getting some pretty flowers planted. My azaleas are loaded with buds and I can't wait to see them bloom. There are some new varieties of azaleas that bloom several times during the spring, summer and fall. They may be something new to plant in your flower bed.

Other recommended flowers for our area are rhododendrons (azaleas actually belong to the rhododendron family), impatiens, salvia, petunias, and verbena, all of which flower in a variety of colors.

Check with the nursery if you aren't sure how well a certain plant will do in our area. I can kill just about any plant, but I keep trying. If you don't think the plants will do well in the ground, put them in pots and then they can be brought in for the winter. That is what I do for my hibiscus plants.

Thos who attended the Lenten Lunch at New Bethel UMC had a delicious lunch and an inspiring message given by Monsignor Michael Tugwell. The fellowship was delightful.

Try and join with us next Thursday. We'll meet 11:45 a.m. March 1, with the luncheon beginning at noon at First United Methodist Church, 599 8th Ave., Crestview. The speaker is the Rev. Darryl Hooks.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Spring has arrived

In the mid-1960s American education was still among the best in the world. Today, comparative test scores indicate we rank well down the line as compared to other developed nations. Why? The problems are multiple and books have been written that focus on the various problems. Several of these will be examined in future columns. This column is focused on "political" meddling from Washington D.C.

It was 1966 when the first of the massive educational "new broom" programs swept through Congress and landed on our public school system. Since then each new administration that comes to Washington D.C. seems to feel the need to "fix" public education. The results have not been good.

Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos said, "Federally mandated assessments, Federal money, and Federal Standards, all originated in Washington, and none solved the problem."

One approach that is still creating "waves" in the public school system is a George W. Bush program called "No Child Left Behind." Most educators think that "No Child Left Behind" has left many children behind. A key portion of that program seems to say, "Let's reward the teacher when his/her students score well on standardized tests." This approach is designed to motivate the teacher to teach to the test which may develop a nation of really good test takers but not much productivity in more important areas.

President Donald Trump has some thoughts on how to improve our education system too. I suspect his ideas will show up in Congress eventually and our schools will have yet another "new broom" to deal with. Perhaps you will forgive the sarcasm when I say "Oh good, someone else who never spent a day in a classroom or prepared a lesson plan telling the professionals how to teach our children."

Knowing little about the technical aspects of boats and automobiles, I should never try to tell a mechanic how to fix one. The point is that the amateurs in Washington D.C. should leave the education of our children to those who are trained and dedicated to do the job. The educational process is complicated. There is no "one size fits all" in teaching children. Creating a positive learning environment must be done one to one in the classrooms of America not by the politicians in Washington D.C.

The most important aspect of a positive educational system is the involvement of parents and teachers in the process. You can't do that from the halls of congress. It must be done locally, school by school, all across the country.

I am among those who believe it isn't a coincidence that student achievement began to drop at about the same time Congress and the president began to mettle in our education system. As Stan Laurel of the old Laurel & Hardy comedy team used to say, "It's a fine mess you've gotten us into now Ollie."

All involved directly in the education of our children know the process is complicated. Many factors have changed since the mid-1960s when our students topped the comparisons in almost every category. The makeup of our school population is significantly different; the challenges of the 21st century are much greater than ever before, yet our time on task approach is still stuck in the traditions and schedule of an agrarian society; other countries we are compared with have made significant advance in their approaches but we have been slow to change. One might ask, "How does one compare student achievement when we have seven identifiable areas of intelligence and can only test two of them, language usage and math?" Are such tests a good measuring stick for academic competence?

Lest you think I have left out some very important aspects of education in the focus of this column, please note I have word limitations. Thus, to get a broader look at our educational approaches that need remediation tune in next week for the third in this educational series.

Dr. Mark L. Hopkins writes for More Content Now and the Anderson Independent-Mail in South Carolina. He is past president of colleges and universities in four states. Contact him at presnet@presnet.net.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fixing American Education: Politics

On Monday, Feb. 1, 1960, four freshmen from North Carolina A&T State University entered a Woolworth’s in Greensboro, N.C., and took seats at the lunch counter.

As American as baseball, Woolworth’s is where we get the phrase, "five-and-dime." But its nostalgic patina camouflaged the cruelty of a Jim Crow South.

The four teenagers, who knew they were in violation of the city’s segregation laws, ordered coffee and waited until closing time without being served. They did so, fully aware of what happened to Emmett Till five years prior, and how no one was held accountable for it.

They sat, knowing that if things went wrong, no police officers would be coming to their rescue.

In the weeks to follow, the sit-ins grew. Students persisted, even as they were pelted with flour and scalded with coffee.

Their cause was taken up by adults who picketed retailers with "Don’t shop where you can’t work" signs.

Mark Twain was right: History might not repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme. The latest movement born on the campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, reminds us that young people always have been the tip of the spear in fostering change.

The teenagers who survived a Valentine’s Day mass shooting that killed 17 of their classmates have lighted a fire in response to adults’ inability — or unwillingness — to offer little more than thoughts and prayers.

Children’s crusade

Youth embraces what’s possible, even if no one else can see it. Martin Luther King Jr. was not yet 30 when history came calling. His "Children’s Crusade," with its televised images of children and teenagers being stuffed into jail cells and facing down fire hoses and police dogs, landed in American living rooms like a bomb.

Nine months before Rosa Parks, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to sit in the back of a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama. But civil rights leaders deemed Colvin too mouthy, too defiant to serve as a test case.

In other words, she was a teenager.

The Vietnam War’s demise was hastened by the passionate and unrelenting protests led by young Americans who saw it for the quagmire it was. By the way, Hollywood got it wrong: It wasn’t middle-age men who saved the world from the Axis powers during World War II. Most GIs were teenagers, 20-somethings, and young husbands and fathers.

Instead of being dismissive of the protests being led by teenagers in Parkland, Florida, we should be rejoicing that another generation has stepped forward to become more engaged in determining their country’s future.

The young leaders of this latest outburst are the embodiment of the words of Thomas Paine: "We have it in our power to begin the world over again."

No going back

Sometimes, youth forgets to tell you how scared you should be. Rep. John Lewis was 18 when he jumped feet first in the civil rights movement, eventually chairing the Student Nonviolent Action Coordination Committee, and became one of hundreds assaulted on Bloody Sunday in 1963.

Carl Bernstein was 28 in 1972, when his reporting on the Watergate break-in helped to bring down an American president and changed the course of history.

Once people realize they hold the power to make change, there’s no going back, no matter how young they are. The current generation, armed with the power of social media, is leaving us adults in the dust.

Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, David Richmond and Ezell Blair Jr. could not have foreseen how their simple, dignified act of ordering a cup of coffee would change America. Certainly they had faith something would change; otherwise, why take such a risk?

In July of that year, Woolworth’s desegregated. Other businesses quickly followed suit.

Wouldn’t it be something if as a result of teenagers, the most powerful legislative body on the planet found the courage to act in the best interests of the vast majority of its constituents who favor better mechanisms of trying to ensure guns don’t fall into the wrong hands?

There are adults who are dismissing and trying to undermine the student-survivor movement in Florida, believing the teens are being coached or prodded, that they couldn’t possibly organize and lead without help from adults with an agenda.

This year, an estimated 4 million teens will turn 18 before Election Day.

Ignore them at your own peril.

Reach Charita M. Goshay at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Change has always been brought about by youth movements

Here is what has happened so far in Special Counsel Mueller’s collusion probe and how government has spent our $20 million. As the FBI was ignoring specific and spot-on citizens' tips that could have stopped the Florida school shooting, it  continued to chase around political campaign volunteers for not filling out their paperwork just right.

In short, President Trump is now being chased down for obstructing the investigation of a crime that never occurred. Punishment for Trump could range from one to five years in prison to being forced to get an age-appropriate haircut.

The whole thing is as confusing as a Trump family Mother’s Day at Mar-a-Lago, so let me sum it up. Special Counsel Bob Mueller probe's mandate was supposed to be the Trump campaign's collusion with Russia. VP Pence has distanced himself from it because he doesn’t believe in man dates.

Since there was never any evidence of Trump colluding with Russia to begin with, Mueller’s year-long investigation is morphing into anything he can find. Leaks said that Donald Trump Jr. met alone with a Russian lawyer before the election. The media was giddy for a week until they found out that nothing happened and that eleven people were in that meeting room. Now they are looking into getting Donald Jr. for fire code violations.

This whole time the Russians are laughing at us, because all they wanted to do is "sow discord." We really took the bait. Like bin Laden did to us with 9/11, we react by spending money and giving up freedoms to Homeland Security and the TSA; we spend trillions of dollars on wars of choice. We shouldn’t flinch.

Thirteen Russians with fake Facebook accounts? That's it? The Russkis equally supported Trump and Bernie Sanders/Hillary. There was no clear favorite in this de minimus bot campaign. Only $3000 were spent in swing states, mostly after the election. Obama’s State Department spent $300k in Israel trying to defeat Benjamin Netanyahu. Obama hated Yahus.

All this is a stupid waste of money and an unnecessary national embarrassment. It  will backfire on Democrats. They want the verdict now, the trial later.

Trump was sent to Washington to be indelicate. He harvested voters’ frustrations about Washington pettiness like this. His supporters like his firing of entrenched government dolts. He also goes against the PC nothingness diplomacy of his predecessors. We like that, too. He is the wrecking ball we sent there. Wrecking balls have balls and they wreck things. The media and the "deep state" did not elect Trump; we did. He was sent there to drain the swamp.

Democrats’ breathless barrage of baseless accusations paints Trump as a Russian James Bond-type villain, "Gold Hair." They want all Republicans who have ordered a vodka-based drink in the last year to be investigated. Anyone who has ordered a Moscow Mule should be hauled before Bernie Sanders (who honeymooned in Russia) and asked to explain himself. It feels like the McCarthyism they purport to　abhor.

Trump was right about Comey. Saying the government spied on Trump Tower evoked cackles from the media, but he was spot-on. Trump called Comey a "showboat" and a "nut job," and that is proving to be correct as well. 　Comey is proving to be a drama queen, which may not be fair since it sounds like they are describing FBI great J. Edgar Hoover.

Like the Whitewater investigation of Bill Clinton, the only punch Mueller lands on Trump will probably be a "blue dress" indictment. Rob Porter, Trump’s Staff Secretary, had to resign over old spousal abuse allegations that the FBI should have uncovered in his background check. And The Donald faced anger from Melania as details surfaced over Trump’s purported affair with porn star Stormy Daniels. Taking down famous men by women who all-of-a-sudden remember everything has become a fashionable trend.

After the Stormy Daniels news broke, the press made a lot of gossip about Melania not attending the economic summit in Davos, Switzerland; a bold stand, since we all know how much Melania enjoys herself at economic summits in Europe.

In short, the Mueller investigation has produced information we already knew: The Russians like to monkey with other countries’ elections. The media now feigns outrage! They do not like that Russians use their position in the media to misinform, propagandize and only give the side of a story that fits their narrative. That's the mainstream media’s role.

Ron Hart is a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 13 Russians indicted, Boris and Natashia next, Bullwinkle a "Moose of Interest"

We are once again blessed to have weekly Lenten lunches at several of our community churches in Crestview. This is such a wonderful way to get to know fellow Christians in our community and to have fellowship with one another.

This year's lunches start with a gathering at 11:45 a.m. Thursdays, with the luncheon beginning at noon.

Churches will accept a free-will offering to offset the cost of the luncheons. Here is the schedule:

•Feb. 22 — New Bethel United Methodist 5986 State Road 85 N., Crestview. The speaker is Michael Tugwell.

•March 1 — First United Methodist 599 8th Ave., Crestview. The speaker is the Rev. Darryl Hooks.

•March 8 — First Presbyterian 492 N. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview. The speaker is the Rev. Michael Precht

•March 15 — Our Lady of Victory, 550 Adams Drive, Crestview. The speaker is the Rev. Gary Jones.

•March 22 — Mt. Zion AME Church, 502 McDonald St., Crestview. The speaker is the Rev. Mark Broadhead.

Wonderful lunches have always been served, followed by an inspirational message given by the speaker of the day. I can't emphasize enough how much fun it is to get to know believers from other churches here in our area. Please plan on attending. You will be thrilled that you did when you make new friends.

Last week, I wrote about spending more time in the Scripture and in prayer during this Lenten season. The Gospels of Luke and John would make excellent reading this time of year, and here are some specific prayer requests:

•Our police, sheriff's and fire departments, for wisdom and safety

•Our EMTs and emergency room staff, for wisdom and timely decisions

•Our city and county officials and county, state and federal judges

•Our state and federal leaders, elected, and non-elected

•Our pastors/priests, church staff, church council, and deacons

•Our school administration, teachers and students, for safety and wisdom

•That the Lord would meet the daily needs of those facing hardships

•Your children, your neighbors and your friends

You may also wish to pray for the following:

•Safety for people in war-torn countries

•The Lord shield Christians being persecuted around the world and that they would remain faithful

•Missionaries sharing the gospel

•For the homeless, that solutions will be found, as well as shelter, food and jobs

•For those addicted to unhealthy lifestyles, that they would be delivered from their addiction

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lenten Luncheon annual series begins soon

The Olympic Winter Games began, as they always do, with the Parade of Nations — many of which we have yet to invade. By parading like that in those loud outfits, however, they just seem to be asking for it.

VP Mike Pence went, with his wife of course, as there are only Asian massage parlors there. With tensions high between North and South Korea, I was afraid these were going to be the Nuclear Winter Olympics. Yet I knew we would not attack North Korea before these Games. I bet when we leave after the Olympics, North Koreans will have to pay their dry cleaning bills up front.

Men generally only watch the Winter Games if a woman forces them to. If you catch a man voluntarily watching the Winter Olympics, he is just one Oprah Show or Lifetime Channel movie away from getting himself a cat.

The Winter Games seem unnecessary. No doubt many of you love the Games, and I respect that, but I’m not a fan. They seem more like a rich white family’s winter ski vacation in Aspen rather than real sports.

Instead of every four years, I suggest holding the Winter Games every ten, which would be just often enough to remind people why we only hold them once every ten years. Better yet, cancel them entirely and see if anyone notices. I bet even Dick Button wouldn't care.

The Winter Games are like soccer and recycling: Americans act like they are into them, but we really aren’t. If not for NBC’s maudlin biographies of obscure athletes and all they have "overcome" (backed by the theme from Chariots of Fire), few of us would watch. Any event like curling that risks America being beaten by Iceland should be eliminated – or at least not broadcast to the free world.

Apparently, some elitist Northeasterners decided we needed Winter Olympics so they could get their "fair share" of this pillow fight among unimportant Nordic countries. Maybe if the Winter Games had consequences, they might interest me. For example, if Sweden loses to the U.S., we get to award the Nobel Prize. If Sweden beats us, they can have Al Gore and Barack Obama.

The bobsled event, which I think was invented by Robert Sled, is also not really a sport. It is more like a winter activity. How can it be a sport when only white guys do it? Is it really a big deal when a guy gets on a sled, points his toes, and lets gravity take over? I am sure there is more to it, but no reasonable person I know wants to take the time to find out.

At least the Summer Games have some underpinnings of real athleticism. Running, jumping, boxing and basketball all seem like worthwhile international competitions, and, therefore, we field our best athletes. I am going to encourage Harvey Weinstein to enter the broad jumping event next time.

The Olympics date back to ancient Greece, but only in Summer Games form. The Greeks realized they could humiliate the loser of a contest much longer if they did not throw him to the lions, but just gave him a bronze medal instead. The ancient Olympic Games were performed in the nude, with a 50-50 chance that one of the contestants would die if he lost. NBC’s ratings were high back then.

Russia had to sit out the games for doping. Many liberals were horribly disappointed that they could not tie the scandal to Trump. But here's the shocker: If you cannot trust a totalitarian communist regime headed by the former head of the KGB, whom can you trust? Most Russian athletes are banned from the 2018 Olympics, but they should be able to play in the 2020 U.S. elections.

Monday night I caught snowboarding and freestyle skiing. These are the two events where athletes should be tested to make sure they are doing drugs.

These Games are not without other controversies. Olympic decathlon champion and American hero Caitlyn Jenner had to drop out as an announcer when NBC discovered she had been repeatedly touched inappropriately five years ago by Bruce Jenner. All I know is that if another Olympic hero like Caitlyn Jenner emerges, those will be some tough high heels to fill.

Los Angeles will host the Olympics in 2028, so those planning on going had best get on the 405 Freeway in the next couple of days to make it in time.

Ron Hart is a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: The Winter Olympics: Make Them Stop!

Burying the lede is an editor’s pet peeve, so I will practice what I preach and just spill the ink:

This is my last column as the Crestview News Bulletin’s editor. Following several months of prayer and contemplation, I am moving back to South Alabama — home. 

REVISITING ‘MY TOWN’ 

I am grateful for the Hub City home I’ve made these past five and a half years, the people I met and worked with, and the countless stories we have shared in that time.

The Crestview, Baker and Laurel Hill areas are special because of the people in these tightly knit communities. And you — yes, you, dear reader — are why the decision to leave this newspaper was so hard to make. It’s actually something I’ve considered, off and on, for two years.

Reserved, professional exterior aside, deep down, I’m just a sentimental South Alabama boy longing for his hometown, missing friends and family.

Country music fans will recall Montgomery Gentry’s hit song, "My Town." The duo — rest in peace, Troy Gentry — sang, "Where I was born / where I was raised / where I keep all my yesterdays … this is my town."

For me, those lyrics — an anthem for all who want to settle down where they grew up — describe the Eastern Shore communities of Baldwin County, Alabama, particularly the Daphne area.

Crestview has been a great home away from home; I have no complaints. However, I am sure many of our readers can understand the "My Town" mentality. Many of you would never want to leave North Okaloosa County.

You would miss dining at the Tropical Palm, Gator Café, Laurel Hill Grill or other favorite places. You would miss rooting for the Bulldogs, Gators or the Hoboes. You would miss the schools — over the years, I’ve heard many of you proudly say you’re a "product of the Okaloosa County school system." You would miss the churches, clubs and organizations where you have made many friends. You would miss the support system when the chips are down and the fellowship when things are great.   

I will miss all that Northwest Florida has to offer, but there is a time and a season for everything, and the seasons have changed. 

SETTING NEW STANDARDS 

Five and a half years ago, when I accepted this position, Northwest Florida represented a chance to rebuild a six-year journalism career that was halted by a 2011 layoff and was interrupted with a one-year stint selling insurance.

I’d never visited Crestview before, but recalled seeing the name on TV weather maps. The thought of moving here was exciting because I recalled childhood trips to Destin, and the city really didn’t seem so far way.

"From Spanish Fort, turn right on I-10, drive a straight shot an hour and a half, take a right, and you’re there!" I thought. That hour and a half went by fast because I sang along with CDs or the radio, a favorite pastime.

That seems like it was yesterday.

They say time flies when you are having fun, and while the CNB staff had fun on numerous occasions, we often covered serious topics. So, with respect to all the topics we have covered, I would prefer to say time flies when you are staying busy.

Nevertheless, our staff made the most of that time, and I am very proud of their achievements.

The Crestview News Bulletin received the Military Order of the Purple Heart Newspaper designation; numerous Florida Press Association awards; numerous Best of GateHouse awards, national recognition from our parent company, for news writing, opinion and social media excellence; and the News Bulletin made Inner Circle, the company’s production benchmark, all quarters for which it was eligible. 

The CNB set new standards for reporting and local commentary; it reached a record web audience; and our Facebook page became the area’s digital water cooler. Whenever breaking news happens or a North Okaloosa business opens — especially a restaurant — you know where to find the most engaging social media activity — it’s on the News Bulletin’s Facebook page.

In March of 2016, following all the strides the CNB made, I was blessed to receive the opportunity to manage a second office, the Santa Rosa Press Gazette in Milton. The Press Gazette also found success, with a 1,000 percent online readership increase within a year and some Florida Press Association awards.

We have achieved so much, and met all our goals. That is why I knew it was time to let the news career take a backseat. You see, leaving Northwest Florida, for me, also means leaving journalism.

I will be happy to have what some might call a more traditional schedule — and to leave 1:30 and 3 a.m. prepress deadline days behind — but will miss the chance to share North Okaloosa County’s never-ending story.

And I will miss each of you. 

A SIMPLE SUGGESTION 

Before I wrap this thing up, I’d like to thank everyone who supported me along the way: Diane Winnemuller, our regional publisher; Jim Fletcher, the News Bulletin and Press Gazette publisher; Bob Heist, the Northwest Florida Daily News executive editor; Wendy Victora, the Daily News managing editor, and all the Daily News, Destin Log and Walton Sun staffers. Though we all worked in different offices, we were truly a work family. 

Of course, I am very grateful for our CNB and SRPG staffs, past and present — particularly CNB editorial assistant Renee Bell, who everyone says is the glue that holds our office together; Sherrie Stanley and Diana Baker in advertising; office manager Carol Barnes; and front desk associates Barbara Dale and Holly Maneval.

And I appreciate SRPG reporters Alicia Adams and Aaron Little; Debbie Coon and Tracie Smelstoys in SRPG advertising; and front desk associates Jean Schuler and Ashley Abraham.

I also appreciate having worked with those who have moved onto other things, particularly former CNB publisher Skip Foster, former CNB sports editor Randy Dickson, former reporters Brian Hughes and Matt Brown and, of course, I must thank the man who hired me, former Daily News publisher Tom Conner! Thanks to all CNB and SRPG contributors, past and present.

Thank yous aside, here are some parting words.

Traffic and development have remained top concerns in this area. However, sometimes, the related frustration can cause us to lose sight of what we do have.

When I think of North Okaloosa, I recall all the residents who excitedly offered a "big Crestview welcome" for each new reporter we hired; people stopping traffic for town fixture Ms. Sara to cross the road; and #PrayForDrew signs everywhere when a child was critically injured.

Forget the traffic for a second; as long as there is kindness and togetherness, this community will remain strong.

But I’ve read every comment our sites have received these past five and a half years, and some of them raise concerns.

At the end, I’ve learned, the little things matter. So rather than dwell on the big issues that will take decades to complete, might I suggest something — join the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce. Or the Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless. Attend city council and Okaloosa County Commission meetings to stay informed and "hear it from the horse’s mouth," so to speak. Visit the Baker Block Museum or the Carver-Hill Museum; enrich your mind with books from the Crestview Public Library or one of our area's Little Free Library sites. Visit the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial and reflect on the sacrifices so many men and women have made to secure your freedom. Paint a rock with an inspirational message and hide it somewhere around town. Better yet, do it privately.

Please don't brand your neighbors with D's and R's for life. Whether they are Democrats or Republicans (or atheists, Christians, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or of other faiths), the most important thing is to coexist, find common ground and work together to achieve things we can all agree about.

That said, I have felt incredibly privileged and honored for sharing your stories these past five and a half years.

This job has been an answered prayer and a daily blessing.

And with that, I bid you farewell.

Thomas Boni was the Crestview News Bulletin and Santa Rosa Press Gazette's editor. He thanks everyone for reading and sharing their stories these past five and a half years.

Please keep reading and support local news — and be kind to each other.   

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Goodbye, North Okaloosa — but first, some parting words

This year, the first day of Lent is Valentine's Day, which is quite appropriate given that God is the author of Love.

I John 4:7 says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God."

When we love one another, we are obeying the Lord. 

We tend to use the word "love" freely in the United States. We "love" pizza, we "love" someone's new look, we "love" our new car.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines love as, "In a general sense to be pleased with; to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification … In short, we love whatever gives us pleasure and delight, whether animal or intellectual; and if our hearts are right, we love God above all things…"

We know there are many types of love; the love I feel for my husband, Jim, is different from the love I feel for my friends and pets. The love I have for the Lord God is deeper than the love I feel for my parents and siblings.

Love for each other shouldn't be taken lightly. Think of what a wonderful place this world would be if we all practiced love towards each other. The ultimate act of Love was God sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins and redeem us.

Many of our Crestview area churches will have an Ash Wednesday service. During the service, the pastor will take ashes and form the shape of the cross upon one's forehead or hand as a reminder of what Christ did for us upon the cross with the words from Genesis 3:19, "For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Ash Wednesday can be a day of fasting as well as repentance for many.

Lent lasts for 40 days and is a time of preparation, repentance and reflection for those of us in the Christian church. We are to repent from our sins and spend more time in Scripture reading and prayer.

It is always beneficial to spend more time in the Word and prayer.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Thoughts on Valentine's Day and Lent

We have grown an alphabet soup of powerful agencies like the FBI, DHS, NSA, DOJ, IRS, etc.

We give them immense powers to arrest and to ruin lives, with scant accountability.

We allow them to operate in clubby secrecy because they tell us we have to.

Why? 

When Congress (which supposedly has oversight) subpoenas them, they do not respond. Everyone is afraid to speak critically of them, as the critics might become targets.

What have we created?

This "memo," which documents how the Democrats weaponized the FBI for political purposes, is cause for reflection and reform. Thanks to the "Steele Dossier," a best-selling book about him, and these Intelligence Committee memos, President Trump is riding high. Soon he will take credit for Making America Read Again.

My dad was in law enforcement; I have respect for the rank and file. But these abuses were committed by the entrenched political class of swamp-rat leadership at the FBI and DOJ. Most of them were the result of eight years of Democrat influence, padding the appointed management hallways with hyper-political bureaucrats, all pandering for the promotion attention of what they thought was a certain Hillary Clinton presidential win.

The FBI has 35,000 employees and an $8.4 billion budget. That is $240,000 per employee. They were involved in about 10,000 convictions a year. That cost us $840,000 per conviction — before DOJ prosecution and incarceration costs. We probably spend over $1 million per conviction.

In a nation with the highest percent of its citizens in jail, maybe we ought to rethink this.

We are 4.4 percent of the world’s population and we have 22 percent of the world’s prisoners. If you give government this many agencies, money, and vast and unaccountable powers, more of us will be arrested.

It shouldn’t, but it scares me to write that last paragraph.

The stock market cratered soon after the memo about the FBI and DOJ trying to fix the election came out. It makes us seem, ironically, like Russia or maybe Uganda when entrenched government actors employ dishonest tactics to stay in power.

The hypocrisy of the left saying this memo should not have been released is astounding. Leftists pat themselves on the back with a movie like "The Post," which is about the heroic release of the Pentagon Papers detailing the lies of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations that led us into Vietnam.

Lefties also hated it when J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI surveilled Martin Luther King's affairs and Judge Roy Moore’s intimidation of women as a DA.

Watergate and Iran Contra information was good, according to libs. But when today’s Democrat FBI abuses happen, we shouldn’t expose them?

According to an analysis by The Hill, of the 14 major federal agencies whose employees personally donated to presidential politics, "By the end of September 2016, about $1.9 million, or 95 percent, went to the Democratic nominee’s campaign."

Ninety-four percent of DOJ employee donations were to Hillary. Mueller’s lawyers gave entirely to Hillary and Democrats; one gave $33,000. If you don’t think legal outcomes are based on biases or payback, ask the O.J. jury.

A witness at the Mueller grand jury in Washington D.C. said it looked like a Bernie Sanders rally. These are the people rubber-stamping these indictments. 

The reality is that, if you give Ex-FBI Director Mueller $15 million, a big Democrat donor staff, and all our laws-layered-upon-laws in America, he will get 90 percent of us if he wants to. It is like a police officer tailing your car for 1,000 miles: He will eventually find a reason to arrest you.

Neither Hillary nor any political enemy needs to be harassed as a blood sport by this government morass.

The delusional James Comey keeps Tweeting, trying to defend himself.

He said, "Not a lot of schools or streets named for Joe McCarthy," trying somehow to tie Trump to McCarthyism. Weird, because Joe McCarthy ruined countless lives with a witch-hunt about Russia collusion. Who then is really the McCarthy? How could our ex-FBI director be so wrong? Without 35,000 FBI employees covering for him, reality prevails.

Even liberal lawyer Alan Dershowitz says, "Criminalizing political differences hurts democracy." And GOP congressmen are mute as this governmental blunt object is swung.

We must stand up to politically motivated prosecutions. Should America die next week, it would be a shame if the FBI investigation said, "There were no signs of struggle."

Ron Hart is a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.

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"Watergate and Iran Contra information was good, according to libs. But when today’s Democrat FBI abuses happen, we shouldn’t expose them?"

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Why the 'memo' matters — and should scare everyone