CRESTVIEW — Throughout June, Crestview Public Library patrons will encounter bumbling spies, Inspector Clouseau, a congenial domestic thief, a librarian-turned-gunslinger and some of filmdom's wackiest racers.

Dallas film poster collector Clyde Ponder has a soft spot for Crestview and its public library, where he learned that people like seeing his movie memorabilia.

After exhibiting World War II posters in Crestview in 2010, Ponder began collaborating with the Allen (Texas) Public Library film librarian on regular displays.

Now several of his pieces join those from a local collection in a Crestview exhibition of 1960s film comedy posters.

'A visual treat'

"Film posters are really a visual treat and they bring back so many great memories of when people were kids, or they were on their first date, or out with their friends," Ponder said. "When you walk up and see the poster on the library wall, all those memories come back."

Posters on exhibit represent a film genre that is one the collector's favorites.

"If you watch those movies, you'll sometimes find yourself howling 'til you wet yourself, then you suddenly realize that you haven't heard a single bad word or seen a single naked butt — or worse," Ponder said.

Pictures worth 120 minutes

Exhibited posters' art, some featuring paintings by Jack Davis, a "Mad" magazine founding cartoonist, conveys the humor of classic, larger-than-life comedies in single illustrations encompassing a film's entire spirit.

In Davis' art for "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "You can just stare at that poster forever and try to find all the stars," Ponder said. "Even Stanley Kramer, the director, is in there."

Ponder said he can instantly spot fellow '60s film comedy buffs at memorabilia collectors' conventions.

"They're the ones dropping film quotes like, 'You daydreaming fool' and 'birdie num-nums,'" he said, referring to Peter Sellers' lines in a Pink Panther film and "The Party," both '60s collaborations between Sellers and director Blake Edwards.

"It's so much of a privilege to be able to share these posters with my friends in Crestview, which happens to be one of my favorite towns in the South," Ponder said.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Exhibit of posters from 1960s film comedies

WHEN: Throughout June

WHERE: Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Exhibit's 1960s comedy posters evoke film era of guffaws without bad words

Editor's Note: Each graduation season, we look back on a senior arts student's accomplishments. This year, as has happened in the past, two students stood out.

CRESTVIEW — Before twists of faith pushed each into the limelight, seniors Angeles Alexander and Wesley Barlow never thought about performing in public.

Wesley was a wrestler in middle school, placing at state competition in his native Arizona. When he moved to Crestview, wrestling for Crestview High seemed like a natural continuation.

Then he got bitten by the performing arts bug and joined Crestview High's jazz band, where in addition to playing piano and percussion he performed vocals.

Meanwhile, Angeles' older sister, Alexis, wary of a potential scene-stealer, begged her to avoid the drama program where Alexis had found her niche.

Angeles instead turned to the chorus, inspired by a high school chorus performance she saw while attending Shoal River Middle School.

"There came a part where someone had a solo and everybody went crazy," Angeles said. "I was like, 'I want to do that.'"

She culminates her senior year as the Chanticleer show choir's president.

Confidence boosters

Unable to resist the stage's lure, Angeles and Wesley hit the boards running their sophomore year.

Angeles acted, stage managed and choreographed. Wesley arrived by way of backstage. When friends discovered he was familiar with tech, "I was basically 'voluntold' to get into theatre," he said.

"I remember him showing up and I was like, 'all right!'" Angeles said.

The next thing he knew, he was cast as a Nazi in "The Sound of Music."

Minor roles followed until Wesley — just to see what would happen — auditioned for the 2013 musical "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." He unexpectedly landed a lead role.

"It was a little jarring to see my name on that cast list after auditions," Wesley said. "I was convinced it was a mistake."

"Being in theatre and chorus and band, they're just real confidence boosters," Angeles said. "Every time I would sing … everybody would say, 'I just love your voice' and it felt so good."

The two performed leads together in their senior spring musical, "Happy Days," with Angeles playing Pinky Tuscadero while Wesley portrayed "The Fonz," her love interest.

'Wonderful, weird kids'

While different vocations call the duo — Angeles hopes to become an EMT; Wesley, an electrical engineer — both intend to continue their love of performing arts.

"I would love to go on Broadway, but that's not a very realistic dream," Wesley said.

No matter where life takes them, both agree their fond memories of countless hours on the Pearl Tyner Auditorium stage will last their lifetimes.

"I could just go on and on about how I love the people in theatre," Angeles said. "Everyone involved with the arts, they're trying to express themselves. We're a mix of just wonderful, weird kids."

"It was one of those things you don't know exactly how it's going to be until you get in the middle of it," Wesley said. "You think it's going to be dumb, but instead it lets you get out there and be something you're not."

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Standout Crestview seniors to take love of limelight to college

Free storm mitigation workshops will be available 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. June 9.

The Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies has partnered with the Disaster Resistant Communities Group to conduct the one-hour workshops.

During each workshop, participants will learn how homeowners can undertake one or more windstorm mitigation projects on their homes to strengthen it against Florida’s next wind disaster.

Workshops are provided by a grant from the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

See www.BeReadyFlorida.org for more information. Call Okaloosa County Emergency Management Division at Public Safety, 651-7150, to register. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Online storm mitigation workshop set for homeowners

If you are among the 750,000-plus Florida bass anglers, now is the time to provide your opinion about Florida’s proposed change to largemouth bass conservation by filling out a new online survey.

The change being considered is a five-bass daily bag limit, only one of which may be 16 inches in total length or longer. This means that each person would be allowed to keep up to five largemouth bass less than 16 inches, or four largemouth bass less than 16 inches and one largemouth bass 16 inches or longer each day.

This change would replace current length limits, but would not alter the current statewide bag limit of five bass.

To take the survey and to learn more about largemouth bass, and current and possible future management changes, go to MyFWC.com/Fishing, and select the “Speak out on bass rules!” link under the bass image near the middle of the page. Based on public input and future edits to the proposal, the earliest this rule change is expected to be implemented is July 2016.

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) takes public opinions very seriously,” said Tom Champeau, director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “Combined with the best science and case studies that we have to go on, public input helps us strive for optimal sustained use of these popular and valuable fish.”

In 2011 the Black Bass Management Plan was approved, based on comments from more than 7,500 anglers and a series of Technical Advisory Group meetings involving Florida guides, tournament anglers, marina owners, trophy bass fishermen, outdoor writers and tourism representatives.

The plan encouraged FWC biologists to develop the least restrictive regulations feasible to enhance trophy bass fisheries, maintain healthy bass populations statewide, and provide diverse angling opportunities. Public input encouraged controlling the number of big bass taken from the wild and enhancing angler satisfaction. Based on a review of biological and sociological data that included almost 6,000 public responses to a preliminary survey and open-house events around the state, the FWC is seeking additional feedback on the proposed change to create a basic statewide regulation for largemouth bass.

Currently, south and east of the Suwannee River there is a 14-inch minimum, and in the Suwannee River and north and west there is a 12-inch minimum size limit for bass. Data show that protecting these smaller fish is not necessary, biologically and that the size limit complicates regulations. What is advantageous is protecting bigger fish, which are rarer and take longer to produce – hence the proposed catch limit of only one bass that is 16 inches or longer. This regulation would also be more lenient in the fishing zone in the south (east of Highway 441 and south of State Road 80), which currently allows only one bass over 14 inches.

Limited exceptions for specific fisheries that have special needs or opportunities would still be possible, such as high-profile, catch-and-release fisheries that need such a management approach, or even a few more liberal regulations where bass may be overabundant. Those would be limited exceptions and generally associated with fish management areas.

In addition, it is important to note that there is no intent to alter the simple Bass Tournament Exemption Permit process (see MyFWC.com/Permits then click on “Freshwater” and “Black Bass Tournament”).

Currently, bass organizations holding tournaments may apply online for a temporary exemption to bass size limits. This is done to ensure the health of Florida freshwater resources while encouraging fishing participation from small clubs to major tournaments. Tournament organizers and sponsors must emphasize proper handling and care of bass to their participants and adhere to live-release guidelines stipulated in the permit. Moreover, in return for the temporary exemption to allow weigh-in prior to live-release of the bass, all tournament participants must forego any harvest. Hence, they are not allowed to keep what would otherwise be their five-fish bag limit. Any fish that accidentally die in a permitted tournament must be donated to charity or for research. Tournaments are not required to have a permit if they choose to abide by existing regulations (e.g., currently one bass longer than 22 inches or the proposed one bass over 16 inches).

Besides filling out the survey, those interested in ensuring quality bass fishing can do two other things: Sign up for our TrophyCatch citizen-science program that rewards anglers for catching, documenting and releasing bass heavier than 8 pounds, and purchase a “Go Fishing” largemouth bass tag for your vehicle or trailer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FWC seeks input on proposed largemouth bass-management change