CRESTVIEW — When Drew Forehand looks at the Vine.co account for his mother's four pugs he can't believe his eyes.

More than 21,000 followers, it says.

“I would have never thought that they would be that popular,” the 23-year-old said. “They definitely have more followers than me.”

Rise to fame

It all started last December when Drew's mother, Amy, shot a brief video of Taz, Bitsy, Gup and Caesar wearing party hats for her birthday. She posted the clip on an account she named "Four Florida Pugs." 

“It got over 8,000 likes and over 6,000 revines,” she said. A revine is when visitors repost the video on their pages. 

The birthday video really set if off for the pugs, which range from 10 to 7 years old.

 “With the first few vines, they didn’t get many (followers), but with the birthday one, I was surprised,” Amy said. “By January they had like 3,000 followers and now nearly 22,000.”

Business deal

Amy, who set up Four Florida Pugs accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, shoots the six-second videos — 172 to date — with her cell phone.

“I try to do (a new post) every two days,” she said. “I just dress them up and have them do silly things.”

The clips caught the attention of Getpetbox.com, a pet supply company.

“In March, we signed a contract for a year,” Amy said. “We have to video them with a (Getpetbox.com) box and post them to (the company’s) social sites.”

Calling Ellen…

As for the future, Amy wants to see the pugs appear on her favorite television programs including the syndicated talk show “Ellen” and “Cesar’s Way” on the National Geographic Channel.

She also hopes to receive more endorsements — and followers.

“We would like to get in the 500,000 (range) eventually,” Amy said.  

So, why pugs?

The Forehand family has always wanted to have pugs since watching the film “Men in Black." The family got the first pug in 2005.

Now, Amy is just happy that her pets are bringing attention to North Okaloosa County.   

“For someone in Crestview to have 21,000 followers (on Vine.co) is pretty cool,” she said.

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VIDEO: Watch Taz, Bitsy, Gup and Caesar's adventures on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Vine.co.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: POPULAR PUGS: Social media page surprises woman with 21K followers, business opportunity

Fishing is an important part of the Florida lifestyle as well as its economy.

In spite of the obvious benefits, this leisure-time activity, on occasion, can lead to problems for birds and other wildlife such as sea turtles and manatees. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists, monofilament fishing line and fishing hooks can entangle these animals, leading to injury and even death.

The brown pelican is one species that is especially impacted by monofilament line. These birds frequently spend time looking for an easy meal at piers and other fishing hotspots, where they are often hooked accidently when trying to grab bait off an angler’s line. Additionally, discarded monofilament line hanging from trees, piers and other structures can ensnare these birds. Once entangled, pelicans can have a difficult time flying and feeding.

“It is not uncommon to find dead pelicans entangled with fishing line and hooks,” said FWC biologist Ricardo Zambrano. “If they are not rescued, these birds may suffer for days before succumbing to injury or starvation.”

Here are some simple things people can do to help protect brown pelicans and other wildlife:

• Properly dispose of monofilament line. Store unwanted line safely and securely until it can be placed in a recycling bin.

• Don’t leave fishing line unattended, as pelicans may be tempted to steal the bait on the end of the line.

• Avoid casting near trees, utility lines and other areas where line may get caught.

• Check tackle frequently for frayed line that may easily break.

• Do not feed pelicans or other wildlife, since it encourages them to approach fishing boats, piers and anglers. If available, use fish-scrap repositories. If they are not available, discard fish scraps in a garbage can or at home.

If you do accidentally hook a pelican, you should avoid cutting the line. Gently remove the hook if you feel confident you can do so without causing harm to yourself or the bird. If you cannot safely remove the hook and line from the pelican, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. For a list of wildlife rehabilitators in your area, contact any of the FWC’s five regional offices or visit MyFWC.com/Conservation and select “How You Can Conserve” then “Wildlife Assistance.”

For more information on the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, visit mrrp.MyFWC.com/.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Monofilament fishing line perilous for pelicans

NICEVILLE — Northwest Florida State College's Fine and Performing Arts Division will present Camp Glee, musical theatre training scheduled for June 9 to July 3.

College faculty members — including voice professor Allison Everitt; dance professor Uli Dunbar; and Christa Whittaker, drama instructor at Fort Walton Beach High School and adjunct NWFSC professor — will teach lessons on acting, voice, makeup, dance and staging at the college’s Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville.

Enrollment is now open for the classes, which meet 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays. Dual enrollment credit is available for qualified high school students. Certain fees are covered under the dual enrollment program.

No prior theater experience is needed to participate in the program for rising eighth-grade through college-age students.

Students who have never been enrolled at NWFSC should complete admissions online or in person at any NWFSC location. All dual or concurrent students must enroll through the Dual/Concurrent Office in the Student Services Center on the Niceville campus.

Participants will star in the musical “Beauty & the Beast, Jr.” on July 3 in the center’s Sprint Theater. Admission is free and open to the public with performances at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Contact Diana Jernigan, 729-5382, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Summer youth theater classes to teach stagecraft, produce musical

CRESTVIEW — Man's fatal attraction to war contrasted with his aspirations for beauty is the discussion topic of a multimedia presentation Tuesday evening at the Crestview Public Library.

French art historian Marie-Claude Tildach-Bohler presents "Art, Literature and Music in Times of War."

After four years in the 1970s as a diplomat at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., Tildach-Bohler returned 10 years later as an American Air Force officer's wife.

A passion for music, art and history, and being a self-described "museum rat," led her to a position as docent and guide at the Fort Worth Museum of American Art.

"Music has occupied a major and constant place in my life, as have my interests in philosophy, religions, history — with a special focus on Greco-Latin antiquity — and my passion for human voice," Tildach-Bohler said.

She teaches French language and conversation classes in Niceville, where she and her husband, Don, live when not at their Montpelier, France home.

The Tildach-Bohlers are members of the Crestview Sister City Program, and together presented a history of the famed Bayeux Tapestry to participants in last summer's exchange visit to France.

The tapestry, considered the world's oldest graphic novel, is one of the artworks to be discussed during the presentation at the library, which is behind the U.S. Post Office.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: "Art, Literature and Music in Times of War"

WHEN: 6 p.m. June 3

WHERE: Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive

COST: Free

NOTES: Historian Marie-Claude Tildach-Bohler conducts a multimedia exploration of humans' fatal attraction to war contrasting with aspirations for beauty

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: Presentation examines art's place during war

Watch any of the popular wedding reality shows – Say Yes to the Dress, My Big Fat American Gyspy Wedding, Four Weddings – and the common denominator is money.

“The focus has always been on saving, borrowing or budgeting so that the bride can have her ‘perfect’ wedding,” says Eric Gulbrandson, a wedding photographer and author of the new book, “Dream Wedding Secrets: The All Important G.S.F."

“But weddings now cost more than ever for the guests – the average cost jumped 75 percent over the past two years.”

Wedding guests now spend an average $592 per wedding on clothing, gifts, transportation, hotels, etc., up from $339 in 2012, according to a just-published American Express survey.

“If you want people to actually attend, you have to make sure it’s the perfect wedding for them, too,” says Gulbrandson, whose book is a compilation of tips for doing just that based on interviews with hundreds of wedding guests.

Gulbrandson shares four must-haves for achieving a high G.S.F – Guest Satisfaction Factor:

•  Have plenty of food and drink.

If you have to choose between paying for more food versus paying for better food, go for quantity. Nobody will mind if the food’s not stellar, but they will if you run out.

Taste and presentation are important, but having enough food and drink and having it available throughout the event is more important, Gulbrandson says.

“I had one woman who said that, toward the end of one reception, the caterers brought out a nacho bar.  She said, ‘It was cheap … and perfect.’ ” he says.

•  Have details that show appreciation.

“One woman I interviewed talked about being greeted by trays of hors d’oeuvres and champagne as soon as they arrived for the wedding, and how it made the guests feel appreciated,” Gulbrandson says.

“Another went to a wedding in a foreign country. The bride and groom had a welcome bag  filled with helpful items, like a survival translation dictionary, insect repellant and maps of the local area in the hotel rooms for their guests as they arrived.”

When people take the time and expense to attend your wedding, details that show how much you appreciate that go over very well, Gulbrandson says.

•  Have on hand whatever’s necessary to make people comfortable while they wait. One couple Gulbrandson interviewed talked about arriving at the reception venue following the wedding and waiting for more than two hours for the bride and groom. Not only was there no food or drink available while they waited, there was no entertainment or information about when the wedding party would arrive.

“When they finally did arrive, it was clear they’d all been out drinking and joyriding in their limo,” Gulbrandson says. “Many of their guests had left.”

Some delays are unavoidable: Photos taken after the wedding, for instance, can delay the reception.

“Make sure food and drink is available for those waiting, and entertainment,” Gulbrandson says. “It could be an acoustic musician or a disc jockey, and slide shows of the bride and groom growing up.”

•  Have entertainment that almost everyone can enjoy.

Usually, the choice is between a live band or a DJ. Since DJs can usually provide more musical variety than a band, they stand a better chance of giving all of your guests a good time.

“A DJ can play music that appeals to different generations and different styles of music,” Gulbrandson says. “One compromise, if you’d really like a band, is to have live music for an hour or two, then switch to the DJ – although that’s not the most economical choice.”

Gulbrandson also recommends taking the time to choose your own music rather than giving the DJ carte blanche. Be sure to choose songs from a variety of genres and styles. If there are some wedding standards you dislike, create a “do not play” list for the DJ.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Four must-haves to entertain your wedding guests