Stop me if you've heard this one: A Baker woman and a young boy go to Twin Hills Park and spot a few geese. Next thing you know, the woman…

Sorry, that's no joke, after all. It really happened, and I think we all know how the story ends.

Alyssa Lyon Pack, the 20-year-old woman who taunted and kicked geese in a video that went viral in November, received a suspended 60-day sentence in the county jail and 200 hours of community service. County Judge Jim Ward also ordered her to receive psychological evaluation and take an anger management course.

The punishment, evidently, is not good enough for a number of North Okaloosa residents who expressed their ideas of more fitting consequences on crestviewbulletin.com.

"Throw the book and bricks at her."

"Kick her every hour for 200 hours."

"(She) deserves nothing less than to be shot and (urinated) on."

This is just a sampling of hundreds of similar responses we've received since the story went viral.

At times, readers fought with each other in message threads; occasionally, the talk turned vicious enough that readers wrote directly to us requesting assistance. I had to spend a Friday night monitoring a particularly worrisome thread rife with threats toward another reader.

Being behind a keyboard has a way of making us forget familiar advice: "If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all."

After all, the one you insult online, especially on a local newspaper's website, could be the parent of your child's classmate, the person in line before you at the Publix checkout or the pink bank, or the server at your favorite restaurant.

Awkward…

Seriously, though, this is not how neighbors should treat each other. And yet, this type of hair-trigger response is the new normal. But remember: cool heads prevail.

It's comforting when people take the diplomatic approach.

One reader said, "Perhaps I am alone in hoping this young woman sees the error in her ways and learns to appreciate life."

It's easy to pile on amid adversity, but that just perpetuates adversity. I'm inspired when people show compassion to those who make mistakes, while not letting them off the hook for their crimes.

You'll see a number of local residents' New Year's resolutions on today's Opinion page in the print edition. (They're filling the space of our editorial cartoon, which has been on a three-week holiday hiatus. The cartoons should return in next Wednesday's edition.)

Well, my wish for North Okaloosa residents' resolutions is this: In 2014, we can disagree without being disagreeable, and that if we can't say something nice, we will choose to say nothing at all.

This doesn't mean censoring ourselves; rather, it means taking a fair, civil approach that expresses the view directly and respectfully. Debating the message and not the messenger.

Generally, it means just getting along in our small community, which is the first step toward world peace.

Happy New Year, North Okaloosa.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: Let cool heads, compassion prevail in 2014

My favorite Christmas movie is the 1954 musical "White Christmas," starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.

Oh, I'm old school!

You've probably heard some of the soundtrack's songs even if you haven't seen the film. Hearing the title track on a holiday playlist is no surprise, but "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)" is less likely to be shuffled with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" during holiday parties.

Still, it's the one that grabs my heart.

Blessings — including our family, friends and health — are personal to us; sheep, and gifts, aren't.

We really could live without the latest smart phone or tablet — either of which will be obsolete in a few months — but we'd be lost without our loved ones.

So many people have encountered things we cannot begin to imagine. I was reminded of this on Friday while surfing channels for national news.­­

The CBS Evening News reported­­ on Jackie Turner, a William Jessup University student who posted a Craigslist ad that ultimately "rented" families to orphan adults.

The Sacramento area woman knew, all too well, the need to feel warmth and belonging during the holidays; she had no pleasant childhood memories, she said. "I remember getting locked up and locked in rooms. And I remember getting beatings for stealing food," she told the CBS reporter.

NBC Nightly News reported on some 250,000 civilians in Syrian suburbs who hunger amid civil war. The more fortunate civilians hop on bicycles and pedal quickly to produce enough energy to charge batteries, and they chop firewood to stay warm, Keir Simmons reported.

It's a much different picture from anywhere in the United States.

And it's why, on this day, we should count our blessings instead of gifts.

Evidently, many North Okaloosa residents know a lot about that. They're helping others, and they've inspired me.  

Crestview High School students, with help from Davidson Middle School students, collected 3 tons of food and clothes for needy classmates.

Crestview Amvets Post 35 members are delivering free Christmas feasts to needy North Okaloosa families. (I'm writing this on Saturday, before official numbers are in, but if Thanksgiving's deliveries are an indication, they could be helping more than 200 families.)

Justice Livingston, a local 10-year-old, spearheaded an effort to provide toys for more than 40 families this Christmas. (See "Cops for Kids drive benefits 40-plus families," Page A1.)

Baker student Railey Conner denied herself birthday presents Dec. 15 and collected toiletries and other household staples for North Okaloosa nursing homes.

Chesser & Bar Attorneys, with Crestview and Shalimar offices, raised enough money to provide gift cards for nearly 40 teenagers across Crestview and Fort Walton Beach.

Nathan Boyles' Crestview law office and title company delivered more than 65 bags of useful items to Crestview Manor residents.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Gordon Martial Arts and the News Bulletin served as official collection sites for Sharing and Caring's Crestview office.

And I know this list is just the tip of a generous Northwest Florida iceberg that includes area churches doubling as cold-weather shelters and soup kitchens.

Yet, more is needed, and nonprofits' volunteers gently remind us that giving opportunities don't end with the winter holidays.

We all have encountered struggles at some point in life, but they likely paled in comparison to the experiences of fellow human beings in impoverished areas.

Even current issues may be trivial compared to numerous North Okaloosans' hunger.

Let's be grateful for the gifts we received today, however large or small, and then remember those who lack life's necessities.

Merry Christmas, North Okaloosa County.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: Count your blessings (instead of gifts)

We ran North Okaloosa second-graders' letters to Santa Claus in the News Bulletin's Dec. 18 and Dec. 21 editions, and it's always a treat to hear what kids really want for Christmas.

These wish lists can be predictable and include items like skateboards and rollerblades, which seem as popular today as they were 25 years ago when I wrote letters to Santa.

They also can be brutally honest, such as when children admit they've been bad and explain why they don't deserve gifts.

Then there are letters that inspire us, such as when children thank Santa for bringing them joy, or ask Santa to skip their house and send presents to someone who really needs them.

Whatever the case may be, we run the letters unedited so that the children's innocence shines through. The lists also tell us what North Okaloosa kids want most from Santa Claus. And, perhaps, they remind adults of a time when they had faith like a child and were caught up in the season's excitement.

As Amber Kelley, The Hobo Homefront columnist, and the Rev. Mark Broadhead, From the Pulpit columnist, have said in their recent columns, Christmas seems to become increasingly hectic and distant from its peaceful origin. The more hectic it gets, the less fun it is.

I don't have wish list, but it would be nice to have a food sealing system so I could prepare a month's meals in advance and store them in the freezer.

That or a Chromecast, since I watch plenty of web shows and currently connect the laptop to the TV's HDMI port for a more cinematic experience.

Neither is an expensive gift, but it's the thought that counts. For me, the perfect gift is the one that fills a need and transcends come-and-go trends.

The thought is the true gift.

And I agree with Broadhead, who pointed out that Christmas originated because of a silent night more than 2,000 years ago.

Saturday, I put up a Christmas tree at my place, and pulled out nativity scenes I'd been given over the years.

I switched on the tree's lights and switched off the living room lights. Amid the warm glow in the silent darkness, I felt the Christmas spirit.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: The thought is the true Christmas gift

We revamped the Opinion page — well, resurrected it — in August 2012, but only recently, I believe, has the page reached its maximum potential.

I always envisioned A4 as the place North Okaloosa residents could call their own. We in the newsroom monopolize enough of the A section with our words, bylines and mugshots, which is odd since you, our readers, buy the paper and inspire the stories in it.

So we tried several things to drive that message — that we care about what you think — home. In time, more letters to the editor started trickling in and the page gradually evolved, but something always seemed missing. Something that anchors the page. 

Then, a couple of months ago, we met Crestview resident Ryan Massengill, and things started to crystallize.

Ryan Massengill is the man behind the News Bulletin's editorial cartoons. This week's cartoon depicts the need to give to North Okaloosa charitable organizations when Christmas shopping.

Ryan, a Brunswick, Ga., native, knew his passion — to draw — early on. Our sister newspaper, the Destin Log, published his first cartoon in 1994, when he was 7. The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, S.C., published Ryan's editorial cartoons from 2001-2004.

He took a break after that to focus on college, but now, the 2011 Coastal Carolina University graduate, who has a bachelor's in Communication and Journalism, is contributing to the News Bulletin. And we are so pleased he has shared his talents.  

Each Thursday, the editorial department offers tips on which are the most interesting local news stories and public service opportunities. From there, we all consider ideas that Ryan could sketch commentary on. The department passes notes here and there, but the cartoon's composition and the finished product is all Ryan.

And it makes Monday mornings such a treat! I arrive at work, round the bend to my office and see a folder concealing the latest cartoon resting on my desk. It's like a wrapped present.

"I think editorial cartoons are an excellent medium to reach people in many ways," Ryan says. "They can help drive home the message of a column or editorial piece, or simply provide a smile.

"Amidst the fast-paced and hyper-connected world of today, the simplicity of a cartoon that can evoke a laugh or smile is a great thing."

It's journalism in its fastest form, too. And we greatly appreciate Ryan's contributions, as the Opinion page, after a year in transition, finally has its anchor.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: Visual commentary now anchors the Opinion page

Crestview Main Street Association's annual Christmas Parade should go off without a hitch, based on residents' reactions from our article on new restrictions.

The parade was front-page, "above-the-fold" news last year for reasons that organizers and most readers wouldn't prefer. A Pensacola preacher from Save Me from the Fire Ministry used his platform in the procession as a bully pulpit — pun intended — to shout inappropriate things through a bullhorn.

If you were there, you recall the fire-and-brimstone, anti-gay and anti-Santa Claus remarks, which ignited residents' ire. Neither the comments, nor the tone, were appropriate for a public, non-denominational and family-friendly event.

I had to pen a few columns on this because of the initial incident, which seemed antithetical for a Christian who shouldn't judge; the fallout after some residents bullied the preacher, who had to close his Facebook page; and Save Me from the Fire's seemingly fanning the flames, as its home page displayed disparaging comments about Crestview.

It was a mess; Main Street officers knew that and said they would take steps to ensure things go more smoothly this year.

They delivered.

First, the parade application states, "The only audio to be broadcast by entrants is Christmas music."

That'll help ensure history doesn't repeat. And I enjoy editorial cartoonist Ryan Massengill's depiction of this new rule:

But I digress. (Something I do often in this column, if you're a regular reader!)

Perhaps the next best thing on Main Street's list is coordinating with CSX representatives to ensure no trains interrupt the event.

And organizers are stopping parade entrants from stopping at the reviewing stand and otherwise causing traffic jams.

These steps, among others discussed during a mandatory meeting last night for representatives of parade participants — another wise move — are encouraging.

I'd like to think they ensure that Crestview's 2013 parade will be memorable for all the right reasons.

Find out on Saturday, when the procession begins at 5:30 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Crestview.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: Here's hoping for a Christmas parade without incident

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act will close on March 31, 2014. 

In the meantime, many organizations are working to educate consumers about new health care options, a significant personal decision. Floridians must keep in mind that the plan they choose today cannot be changed until the next enrollment period.   

Floridais participating in the federal exchange, which offers four plan levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Each level corresponds to the portion of health care costs that the plan covers, ranging from most generous to least generous. 

Although bronze plans may have the lowest premiums, they will have the highest deductibles and cost-sharing; whereas platinum plans have the highest premiums and lowest out-of-pocket costs.

While premium support for those between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level applies to all plans, cost-sharing assistance is only available in silver level plans.

Those facing chronic diseases, such as lupus, should pay careful attention to what the health plans offer. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can manifest itself in the joints, blood and kidneys. In most cases, lupus isn’t fatal; but as with many chronic illnesses, successfully managing lupus requires regular treatment and close monitoring by medical professionals. 

When evaluating the health plans to find one that fits your needs, I recommend estimating your predictable health needs and expenses.

Keep a few things in mind when choosing a plan through the health exchange.

First, consider whether your doctor or hospital is in your plan. Access to doctors in a plan network — particularly specialists — may be limited in plans purchased on the health exchange. Knowing which providers are covered is vital for those with lupus and other chronic diseases. 

Next, consider how your prescription drugs will be affected – specifically, whether your prescription drugs will be carried on the preferred drug list, and what they will cost. Unfortunately, some plans will likely impose significant barriers to innovative medicines.

Third, find out what the covered benefits are under the plan and whether they include services that you know you and your family will need.

Although plans offered under the health exchange cover certain key benefits, there will be some variation in services throughout the plans.

Lastly, ensure that you understand your out-of-pocket expenses. These expenses are not limited to premiums or direct medical expenses. They can include deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance and off-formulary prescription drug costs if the insurer has issued an exception.

If you are in the market in Florida for one of the plans offered through the federal health exchange, remember that there is no rush.

To avoid paying the penalty for not having insurance, consumers must enroll in a plan by March 15, 2014.  This leaves plenty of time to make the right choice.

Individuals, particularly those with life-changing and life-threatening diseases, need to closely evaluate their plan choices. Those with chronic diseases such as lupus already face enough day-to-day challenges.

The details provided in your plan could determine your ability to live a normal, productive life through access to quality doctors, therapists and proper prescription regimens. 

Take your time reviewing the plans to ensure that your health insurance plan allows you and your family to live a healthy life. 

Rick McCollum is president  and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of Florida, Inc.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: GUEST COLUMN: Know your options when picking your ACA health care plan

The community garden trend is coming to Crestview.

It works like this: Multiple people maintain one piece of land — an ideal situation for residents lacking a backyard or space to grow herbs, vegetables and foliage.

Saving money growing your own food, controlling the ingredients, eating fresh, and bonding with fellow caretakers are some of the benefits. Fans also say their fresh-grown produce is more flavorful.

I learned about local community gardening efforts through County Commissioner Nathan Boyles’ wife, Crystal’s, “Corner,” which appears in his regular emails to constituents.

A few weeks later, the radio alarm boomed in the morning with an advertisement for the Common Ground Community Garden of Crestview.

That second source made this journalist realize the issue was gaining momentum. So I looked up the group’s website and its Facebook page.

The nonprofit — which announced Friday that it signed a lease for the first garden at 157 Main St., Crestview — relies on donations, payable at its website, to support the effort.

It will be interesting to see how many Hub City residents take to this trend.

I understand the interest; all the benefits aside, it’s just cool — for lack of a better word — to plant seeds and grow something.

About a  month ago, I finished off red and orange bell peppers used for several weeks of various homemade dishes. I noticed the seeds in each and decided to do something I’ve never done: scoop them out and wash them.

Next, I pulled an old ceramic planter from storage, poured potting soil in it, added the seeds and poured more potting soil on top.

After a month, something’s sprouting.

With fickle weather, I've alternated storing the planter outside on the patio and inside under a lamp.

Who knows what will happen next? I'm no University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension agent! (For expert advice, you can read extension agent Sheila Dunning's column on Florida-friendly landscaping.)

But growing something from the earth brings a sense of accomplishment and a connection with nature that’s otherwise difficult to find in such a tech-driven world.

And that was reason enough to bring Common Ground, or your container gardening, to your attention.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: Community garden interest growing in Crestview

Breaking up an otherwise quiet Saturday, I stopped by the Crestview Wal-Mart for groceries and — of course, bringing reusable canvas bags to be green; plus, they're more comfortable to carry — stocked up on ingredients for some weekend stock pot fun. Leaving the store, about four seconds ahead of me, were two 20-somethings who saw a senior citizen — clearly a stranger to the girl who called her "Ma'am — and asked if she needed help putting up her groceries. That reminded me of one resident's recent message on the News Bulletin's Facebook wall. "Is there any way we could help (name redacted) get up the funds for a good wheelchair?" she wrote. "It's really hard on her to get around; hasn't anybody noticed?" It's heartwarming that people look out for others so much around here. And I've seen enough examples to believe such charity is not seasonal; but these occurrences particularly resonate in November and December. We're happy to help spread the word about efforts that can affect so many by giving just a little. Recently, you've read and learned about Sonlight Covenant Church's coat drive; FNBT.com's non-perishable food drive; and Shelter House's food drive that will provide a Thanksgiving meal for domestic and sexual violence survivors and their families, among others. Additionally, the News Bulletin has inserted a packet from the Emerald Coast Rescue Mission, explaining how donating just $2.23 can provide someone a hot meal — "turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, pie and all the trimmings." That packet must have stuck in my mind. After grocery shopping last weekend, I stopped by the Crestview Waterfront Rescue Mission; it was my first visit there. After a half-hour of browsing, my trained eye stopped on a yellow 1.5-liter wine bottle with a hand-painted undersea adventure and the artist's signature. It's an awesome suncatcher for the windowsill. You can find and buy similarly unique items while, in your own small way, supporting ministries that help the sick, homeless and hungry. But I digress. This month, you can help Crestview AMVETS members provide Thanksgiving dinner for needy residents. And there's more to come, as our news and advertisements will continue to spread the word about worthy causes.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: Crestview area observations about the season of giving

Throughout my seven years in local news, one sentence has been a constant, whether I’m in Alabama, my old home, or Florida, my new one.

“That’s why we do what we do.”

Coincidentally, it’s Volunteers of America’s slogan, paraphrased, but the sentiment is genuine.

It typically doesn’t come with general government or crime reporting, or with hotly debated issues — the kinds of stories many readers assume we live for.

Granted, reporting on those issues occasionally elicits positive feedback that unifies the community. And we do enjoy reporting on board meetings for public service.

However, all the publishers, editors, reporters and page designers I’ve worked with said the same sentence when news reflected the community, or a member of it, in a way that compelled readers to give back.

We said it when the news didn’t end with the printed page or web post, and somehow, took on a life of its own.

Six years ago, I reported on a woman’s concerns for her grandchild who had no place to play since an Alabama park was not wheelchair accessible. That wasn’t a concern a year later after some recreation board and city council decisions.

A few weeks ago, a Crestview reader shared that a resident donated something she couldn’t afford because of a quote that reporter Brian Hughes collected. (The details are unimportant, and we’d like to respect the privacy of that situation.)

And over the past week, readers came together to praise and support their neighbor Danny Parker, featured Oct. 26 in our Down syndrome series.

Hearing from Gloria Cottrell, whose full comment appears in today’s Hubbub, was awesome. Hughes quoted Parker as saying, “I used to have Down syndrome,” which sums up how much the genetic disorder hinders the Wal-Mart employee: none.

That inspired Cottrell’s family, who just happened to read about Parker’s story as they welcomed a grandchild with Down syndrome into the world.

“Thank you for writing this story and showing others what these special people can do,” she writes.

Then there were Crestview High School and Baker School’s remarkable wins Friday night. (See, "Bulldogs' first victory over Niceville in 31 years 'a long time coming'" and "Baker head football coach: 'We are back' following district title")

Few things bring communities together like football. And major victories like the Bulldogs’ beating Niceville the first time since 1982, and the Gators earning their sole District 1-1A championship since 2001 are other examples of why enjoy our jobs.

This is a newspaper, so we must report on tough issues, too. Today’s editorial cartoon reflects the possibility that Crestview residents who don’t or can’t drive could lose their sole means of transportation.

Next Wednesday’s edition will focus on William Lundy, whose Confederate flag memorial in Crestview has been the subject of debate at crestviewbulletin.com.

And there’s more to come.

We can’t ignore those issues, but let’s take some of the goodwill we built while covering the other stories, and bring similar compassion and understanding of diverse viewpoints as these debates escalate.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: We enjoy our jobs when the news becomes 'more'

Halloween allows us to face our fears and turn them into fun.

Funny, after 30 years I never thought of it that way.

Growing up on the farm, Halloween was secluded. My brother, Frederick, and I dressed in our costumes — a pumpkin, Dracula, a pirate, Aladdin — and our parents drove us to visit our two neighbors who handed out candy. (One house was my aunt and uncle’s; the other, a family friend’s. There were no strangers, and there were only three “neighbors,” if you can call them that, in all.)

One year, I trick-or-treated with my youngest cousin, Christopher, who lived in a neighborhood. It was more like the trick-or-treating depicted in movies and on television, with excited children shuffling from house to house, collecting candy from God knows whom.

Whether Halloween meant time with my parents and the same two neighbors year after year, or that isolated occasion with Cousin Christopher, the night was about imagination and role-playing. The element of fear never fazed me.

Halloween, at least for me, took a break in high school; I didn’t go to parties or celebrate the season, especially not after Daddy died.

It came back in college, but was more about several volunteers, including me, helping inner city children play carnival games and enjoy Halloween off the streets.

It’s been dormant since then. It probably would return if I marry and have children, but for now, it has no purpose.

Particularly since (as a good communication arts major should), I deconstruct everything.

As the years progress, I increasingly focus on images and their universal meanings, and what they say about people, places or things.

I’ve always strived to live an authentic life. To avoid societal trends and whims. To avoid status quo if it’s for status quo’s sake. To deny the self when possible and practical, so I could feel the pain of those less fortunate, perhaps in other countries. To ignore jokes targeting people with poorer health, means or ability. And to always set a positive example.

During Halloween, it means not wearing a costume that counters my Christian faith or general disposition, whether it’s just to be ironic or because the night supposedly offers a pass for unusual behavior.

Fuddy duddy, I know!

But do you ever look at Facebook photos following a costume party?

The devils with pitchforks, the monsters and goblins, the witches and harlots and their mischievous faces, taken out of context, without audio, send unintended messages.

Perhaps the communications degree forces me to analyze the difference between those more sinister images and video of the same scene that explains, “It’s all in good fun.”

Either way, it’s one of those split hairs that, upon hearing it, either enlightens you or compels you to say, “Geez, lighten up!”

Once you realize the power of visual communication, and universal language, you question everything. Like one reader, who today asks critics of the William Lundy Memorial, with its debated Confederate flag, to consider how sports teams’ mascots and everyday household items also could be offensive.

Now, the News Bulletin has no plans to take a position on this flag debate. It would be difficult to do so because the pro-flag and anti-flag camps are passionate in their beliefs and make points that come from life experiences or racial backgrounds that not all of us share. But I digress.

Noting, as the reader had, that flag critics shouldn’t stop there, and should question, say, any household product that uses the word devil or other sinister names or images is a fair point. Because in all likelihood, that discussion isn’t happening in these households.

It is at the News Bulletin, though. Our advertising team members have routinely suggested how sensitive several North Okaloosa churches are to Halloween’s ghoulish aspects. With respect to them, and because it’s a more inclusive description, since many October events are not Halloween related, we named our fall calendar the “Fall Events Planner.”

I first truly grasped that Halloween is about turning fears into fun from a History Channel documentary I caught late Sunday.

It’s still not my style to go out with a scary costume, even for a day, but if others do it, and that energizes and empowers them, God bless ’em. Leave the overanalyzing to me.

Whatever you do tomorrow night, take editorial cartoonist Ryan Massengill’s advice: “Have fun,” and please add to that, “Be safe.”

Happy Halloween, North Okaloosa County.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: Splitting hairs about Halloween