Dear editor,

The Florida Legislature recently sent a bill to the governor requiring a woman to endure a 24-hour waiting period prior to having an abortion performed.  

I do not understand why they failed to recognize the father in this case. 

Could it be he was unknown, with numerous possibilities, or that he is incapable or unwilling to accept his role in fatherhood? 

What of the man who is aware, or unaware, of a pregnancy and willing to do the right thing in your eyes? Should he not be given that opportunity?  

What of the man who demands unprotected sex? Should he not be held responsible for fathering an unwanted child? 

What of the man who indiscriminately copulates with multiple women on multiple days without any thought of the repercussions?  Should they not be held responsible?

If my suggestion that a new bill is introduced requiring all men to sign a letter of intent prior to having sex sounds moronic, you're only beginning to understand how I feel about a bill that places all the burden on a woman's attempt to have an abortion while the Florida Legislature witnesses the operation.  

Rescind this moronic bill now or submit a bill holding the father responsible.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Rescind abortion bill — or also hold father accountable

Dear editor,

After reading the letter about garbage pickup, I can't help but think about my own situation. I bought my house in the Crestview area almost two years ago and have had nothing but problems with waste removal.

It started when they refused to pick up construction debris from the remodeling of my house. I dealt with that and disposed of it myself.

After reading their guidelines on the restrictions in length and size of yard waste, I turned to clearing the yard of overgrowth. It sat on the side of my road for a month — and this was after watching the bulk pick-up crew ride by and look at it every Thursday like clockwork.

After calling customer service numerous times, they finally stopped, only to place a tag saying that it did not meet their guidelines. So I called again. Finally they picked it up, but it only took a month to do it.

Who handles the contract with this company for the unincorporated portion of Crestview? Why are they the only option I have as a taxpayer?

I think it is pretty safe to say that if I did not pay my bill, they would not pick up my household garbage and recyclables.

Then why is it OK for me to pay and them not satisfy the entirety of our contract?

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Adding to waste removal concerns

Dear editor,

Trash and recycling services have been very good in the past. 

I've lived in every part of the U.S. and have never seen trash services pick up large bulk items like chairs and couches, rolls of carpet, and other very large items. 

Bravo. 

However recently, these large bulk items have been left on the roadside for weeks — some items for as long as six weeks or more. 

I contacted the city and asked if these items were still being picked up and they stated yes. However, a subsequent conversation with the waste management provider stated these items were not being picked up if they are considered construction waste. 

It appears we have a miscommunication between the city and their contractors, and the residents of Crestview are accumulating trash in the streets, creating homes for vermin, jeopardizing real estate values, and basically making Crestview look like a third-world country.

The Crestview City Council and its waste cleanup  should review their contracts, the work being accomplished and resolve the waste building up on the road sides in residential neighborhoods and other places. 

If the problem cannot be resolved, at least notify residents and inform them that placing bulk items on the roadside for pick-up is no longer permitted and inform the residents of legal dump locations.

If the problem persists, official notification and citations can be issued. 

Crestview already has an unfavorable reputation as seedy and unrefined. Let's change that reputation.

—

Editor's Note: The original letter, as submitted, referred to Waste Management, a company the city no longer contracts with for waste removal. 

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Resolve roadside waste buildup

Dear editor,

 I want to publicly acknowledge and thank Edgar Calderon of the Special Forces at Duke Field for his kindness and example of a Good Samaritan. 

My husband and I were on our way to Pensacola Airport to begin a vacation when we had a flat tire.  Edgar pulled over, took charge, and changed the tire so quickly that we caught our flight! 

Edgar would not accept anything for repayment. He only asked that we support the military, which we whole heartedly do. 

We would like to do something more tangible for him and the Special Forces he represents. We sent emails to the public relations office at Duke Field, however we had no reply.

We would like to know what we can do to support Edgar and the wonderful Special Forces he represents.

Many thanks to Edgar and the U.S. military.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Grateful for Duke Field's Good Samaritan

Dear editor,

It does not take a rocket scientist to see some quick, inexpensive ways to fix some of Crestview's traffic issues. 

Here are some no-brainers:

•First, fix Walmart Road to allow for two lanes of traffic onto State Road 85. Right now, traffic backs up all the way past the entrance of Walmart during peak hours.

•Carve out some road from the Econo Lodge to make two lanes.

•Create a turning lane into the Tom Thumb station on John King Road and S.R. 85.

•Traffic turning left backs up into S.R. 85, waiting for cars to turn into the Tom Thumb. Extend the road to accommodate a passing lane for traffic going straight on John King Road.

•Extend the turning lane on S.R. 85 onto I-10 West. Cars waiting to turn left onto I-10 during peak hours tend to back up into the left hand lane of S.R. 85. Extend the left turning lane south of the light so cars can hold there and not block S.R. 85.

There are many other ways to slowly fix the problem that will not cost much. If I can see this, why can't the city?

 What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: 5 'no-brainer' solutions for Crestview traffic

Dear editor,

I've lived here in Crestview for 28 years, and all this bypass jargon is because of Crestview planners, bureaucrats and management's 20-20 hindsight.

They had the opportunity to scope Crestview out long before any establishments were built by the I-10 corridor or anywhere else. The managers can blame only themselves for allowing people to build without solving the traffic issue first.

Now that the paid managers of Crestview didn't see the forest for the trees, we are stuck with the traffic problem.

The headline was correct: "dream map." This is why we — nor my grandchildren or great grandchildren — will never see any changes, in Crestview.

Because they are dreaming, and nothing will be done.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Crestview should have solved traffic before more development

Dear editor,

The citizens of Okaloosa County — especially those of us off Okaloosa Lane — will never have to worry about it being used for anything other than what it is now: a poorly maintained dirt road, beaten and battered by the daily use of school buses. 

The paved part was just reopened Wednesday from the flood that occurred last April! There's really no excuse for it taking that long.

I just wonder what happened to the money that was allotted to make it a paved road in 1978.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: What happened to Okaloosa Lane's funding?

Dear editor,

It’s Red Cross Month, and we would like to recognize our everyday heroes who reach out to their neighbors in need.

These everyday heroes are our volunteers who help disaster victims get on the road to recovery. They give blood to someone in the hospital. They brighten the day of an injured service member in a hospital far from home. They take our classes and step forward to help someone having a heart attack or to save a drowning child.

March is also a great time to become part of the Red Cross.

Household members can work together on a preparedness plan. People can sign up to take a class or volunteer. They can give blood or make a financial donation.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year in this country. It provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families; collects and distributes about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply; and trains millions of people in first aid, water safety and other life-saving skills every year.

In 2014, your local Red Cross provided disaster assistance to 570 families, assisted 3,280 military families, and trained 9,300 people in life-saving skills.

Red Cross Month is observed in dedication of everyone who supports our mission.

We are grateful for people's generosity, which enables us to continue our work, and we encourage everyone to become an everyday hero during Red Cross Month by helping their neighbors.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Become an everyday hero — support the Red Cross