CRESTVIEW — Now that the weather is changing and we are in the month of November, the holidays and cold weather are just around the corner. There are some tasks that we can do now so that we don't feel so stressed once the holidays are upon us. 

Just this week, I had to switch the air conditioning off and turn on the heater. Here are some other things to make the transition to winter easier.

Make sure to replace your old furnace filter with a clean filter as we head into the winter months. It is recommended that our heater filters be changed every 30 to 60 days, depending on how much dust (and fur, for those with pets) your filter collects. As the lady at Lowe's told me, "It is cheaper to buy filters than to replace your HVAC system."

Protect any plants that might freeze when the weather is under 35 degrees. Plants in containers are especially vulnerable to freezing and should be put in an enclosed patio or covered with an old bed sheet or plastic.

Be sure to remove the covering during the day so the plants get sunlight and make sure the plants on the porch get sun. You can also put a heavier layer of mulch on in-ground plants that may be subject to freezing as this will help protect them. I bring my hibiscus plants in and put them in the bathroom for the winter.

This is also the time to plant your bulbs for spring and summer. If you enjoy cooking with garlic and onions, now is the time to plant them. Flower bulbs should be planted from October through December then you will enjoy beautiful flowers in the spring.

Bulbs that work well in our area are: ranunculus, tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, cannas, gladiolus and daylilies, make sure you mulch them. We are zone 8b, according to the US Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone, so choose your plants and bulbs with that knowledge.

Clean, oil and store your gardening tools so they will be ready for spring and make them readily accessible. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to locate one's trowel or rake.

Clean out your fireplace and have it ready for the winter. Have it professionally inspected for cracks or any other problems annually. If needed, have your flue cleaned professionally. Buy or chop some firewood so that you are ready to have a roaring fire once winter comes.

Your rain gutters probably will need to be cleaned out and may even need some repairs. Go ahead and do this now rather than waiting. Another chore checked off the list. Have your roof inspected before the winter storms begin.

Buy and install faucet covers for those below freezing nights so your pipes don't freeze. These covers are inexpensive and the cost is much less than paying for broken pipes should your water pipes freeze.

These are just a few suggestions for getting ready for the winter. Enjoy the cooler weather and let's be ready for winter, Crestview!

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: HAPPENINGS: 6 ways to get ready for winter in Okaloosa County

CRESTVIEW — The Gamma Alpha Upsilon Zeta (GAUZ) Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was given the distinguished honor of being inducted into the Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society Hall of Fame.

The sorority was recognized as the first National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Black Greek Fraternity or Sorority chartered in the city of Crestview. The induction celebration was held on Oct. 29 at Warriors Hall in Crestview.

David Wheeler, Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society President, presented the charter members of GAUZ with a certificate to commemorate the induction.

Among those in attendance to show support and offer congratulations to the chapter on the historic occasion were Mayor Pro Tem Shannon Hayes, members of the Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society and representatives from the Greek organizations that make up the NPHC.

Chartered Oct. 18, 2020, GAUZ is celebrating one year of service in the Crestview community.

The charter members are Mar’Sha Andrus, Adele Barthé, Maria Medina-Blair, Alicia Booker, LaKisha Brinson, Miranda Griffin, Vaneesa Harrington, Darlene Jenkins, Sarah Johnson, Sandra Mims, and Wanda Walker.

The principles of the sorority are community service, scholarship, sisterhood and finer

womanhood.

Its members provide community service through their national initiative- Z-HOPE, which stands for Zetas Helping Other People Excel through mind, body and spirit.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was founded on the campus of Howard University Jan. 16, 1920, and celebrated a milestone in 2020 when the organization reached 100 years of existence.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Carver-Hill society makes historic induction in Crestview

This past Tuesday, Nov. 2, about 70 people gathered at Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach to remember, memorialize, and inter about 40 individuals. These individuals, if not memorialized in this service, would have simply faded into obscurity.

You see, the persons memorialized that day were elderly who had outlived all their family, or young children whose parents could not afford to have their children buried, or veterans who for one reason or another would not be buried in a military cemetery.

But, with the coordination of County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, 22 congregations from around the county provided pastoral leadership to make sure these persons did not fade away. Pastors, rabbis, deacons, and elders provided a very meaningful service. A local choir sang two beautiful anthems. A soloist filled the air with melodic songs of praise.

We were all there because of what unites us – we are all children of God. It doesn’t matter from what tradition we come when it comes to expressing our faith. It doesn’t matter from what socioeconomic strata we come.

Each and every person is a child of God. And as such, each is to be afforded the dignity of which they are worthy – even in death.

“God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness…’ So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7-8)

God created us in God’s image – men and women. God breathed life into us. That is, he gave us a soul. So each person on the face of the earth is created in God’s image. Each person is infused with the breath of life – given a soul.

As Rabbi M. Robert Delcau of Temple Beth Shalom reminded us, we are given a soul and are called to accomplish something on God’s behalf. We are called to make life better – somewhere, somehow, for someone.

How have you been fulfilling your calling as a child of God to help make life better? Have you remembered in the midst of the cacophony of slander, anger, hatred, and division that is swirling around our nation that you and everyone around you is a child of God and worthy of the dignity of that station in life?

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Everyone is a child of God and worthy of that station's dignity

CRESTVIEW — Hoopla offers access to nearly 1 million titles of audiobooks, eBooks, movies, television shows and music at no cost to Crestview Public Library cardholders.

Fans of other digital platforms such as OverDrive and Libby can check Hoopla for availability of titles they have on hold. On Hoopla, there is no wait.

In November, Hoopla offers a selection of titles that patrons can access without deducting from individual monthly borrow limits. Themes included in the November Bonus Borrows are:

• Heroes & Villains.
• Holiday Family.
• Holiday Romance.
• Learn with hoopla! Kids.
• Lifelong Learning Adult Education.
• Sci-Fi.
• Series You'll Love.
• Thrills & Chills.

Jean McCarthy is director of Library Services at the Crestview Public Library.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Hoopla Bonus Borrows return in November

CRESTVIEW — The new 4-H year has been off to a great start, and this will continue to be an eventful year!

4-H Day at Nixon Farms was a great success, with almost 50 children participating and over 170 exhibit entries. The categories that youths competed in were: Amateur Photography, Craft Corner, Poster Contest, Egg Contest and a Poultry Show and Auction that followed.

This event was open to youths ages 5-18, and 4-H members as well as non-members were allowed to compete.

This program would not have been successful without the support of our sponsors, Nixon Farms, CCB Community Bank, Justin Bolen Equine Services LLC., Elk’s Lodge No. 2624, WonderPups, Jeremy McVay and Shot in Focus Portrait Studio.

There are also new clubs rolling into Okaloosa County 4-H this year, including a Drone Club and, coming soon, Shooting Sports. Shooting Sports will offer teams in archery, shotgun and air rifle. Both Drone Club and Shooting Sports are striving to participate in competitions this year. 

There will also be a Holiday Bake-Off with more details to come soon, so mark your calendars for Dec. 9.

If you are interested in being involved with 4-H, contact Ronnie Cowan at rcowan1@ufl.edu, Breanna Wade at bwade@myokaloosa.com or call the office at 850-689-5850.

Breanna Wade is a 4-H program assistant at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Okaloosa County 4-H growing and thriving

CRESTVIEW — Because I am not much of a cell phone user and have an older phone, I don't tend to get the scam texts and calls that my husband receives on his cell phone. One of the latest scams involves an Amazon delivery by UPS or other delivery service trying to get personal financial or credit card information.

Generally, the scenario is that a package you ordered is on hold at the delivery station until you verify the delivery address, and in many instances, you must verify the credit card number used for the purchase.

Of course you won't remember making this purchase because you didn't — it is all a scam. This particular scam aims at getting your address and credit card number so the thief can charge up hundreds of dollars on your credit card.

Another variation on this scam is an old, recycled version. Supposedly hackers have gotten hold of your bank account and have been stealing money and in order to get the package delivered, you must pay for it again with gift cards.

You are instructed to buy gift cards and call the scammers back with the identification numbers on the back of the gift card, along with the PIN number. Once you give the required information, your money is gone. If someone calls, texts or emails requesting payment with gift cards, that is a sure sign of a scam being perpetuated. Remember, neither the Internal Revenue Service nor the court system take gift cards as payment for outstanding debts.

A legitimate business never requires payment through Western Union wire transfers, gift cards or any other sketchy financial means. Also, please don't answer calls from phone numbers that you don't know.

If the call is legitimate, the person will leave a message and you can call them back. If the call is from a financial institution, never use the phone number left on your answering machine or text message. Get out your bank statement or credit card statement and call back using the pre-printed phone number.

Never give out any personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call and are certain that you are speaking with a legitimate employee of the business you are calling.

Don't ever give remote access to your computer to someone that calls and states they can tell you are having computer issues and for a low fee they can fix it. These people are looking to steal your banking and credit card information from your computer. These calls are always a scam.

If your computer is acting up, take it to a reputable computer repair facility.

Has your identity been compromised?

From the website www.identifytheft.gov, here are warning signs your identity has been stolen or compromised. If you feel your identity has been stolen, there are many helpful tips on this website to help. Here are a few of them.

• You see withdrawals from your bank account that you can’t explain.
• You don’t get your bills or other mail.
• Merchants refuse your checks.
• Debt collectors call you about debts that aren’t yours.
• You find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report.
• Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.
• Your health plan rejects your legitimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.
• A health plan won’t cover you because your medical records show a condition you don’t have.
• The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or that you have income from an employer you don’t work for.
• You get notice that your information was compromised by a data breach at a company where you do business or have an account."

Please stay safe and protect your financial identity.

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: HAPPENINGS: Newer scams include Amazon and other package verification, gift card payments

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Main Street Association has issued a reminder that Main Street will be closed from Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to Beech Avenue from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday for the Fall Festival.

The organization apologizes for any inconvenience.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Parts of Main Street to be closed off for Fall Festival

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association is gearing up for the annual Fall Festival, and requests volunteers.

The event is scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 30 along Main Street in Crestview.

"As we are gearing up for our Fall Festival, the need for volunteers is great. We here at MSCA love hosting events for the community and providing joy to everyone who comes out, but it is not possible without help," the association stated in a recent email.

"Each opportunity is broken up into two to three hour shifts, and you get to choose which area you would like help. Even if you only want to help for two hours that's OK! We appreciate any help we can get!"

Volunteers may visit the MSCA Sign Up Genius webpage at https://bit.ly/3BfeaTH to see which shifts remain and choose the ones they're interested in.

For more about MSCA events, visit https://www.downtowncrestview.org/events.

According to the Crestview mayor's office, the city will not have a formal Halloween or Fall Festival observance, leaving that up to area residents, but encourages everyone to attend the annual Main Street event.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some volunteer spots remain open for the Crestview Fall Festival event

There has been a long-standing debate among people. One side says, “You only have to have faith in Jesus Christ to reach heaven.” Others say, “You only have do to good things in your life to reach heaven.”

When someone goes around doing good all the time but does not have faith in Jesus Christ, it is called philanthropy. There are many people who do wonderful things to help out others.

And the question is asked, “Will people who do such wonderful things go to heaven, even if they don’t believe in Jesus?” Good question.

To be honest, I wrestle with this. The human side of me sees such wonderful things being done by people who do not profess any faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and I think that surely their good deeds are pleasing to God.

The Christian side of me reads the scriptures and believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. If the sacrifice made by Christ wasn’t essential to our lives, then why did he come in the first place?

I find some comfort in the fact I am not the one that must make the decision of who is allowed into heaven and who is not. That decision is made by God alone.

At the same time, having faith in Jesus Christ, but not putting that faith into action is cause for another concern.

A man giving another a ride in his rowboat explained why he had “Faith” etched on one oar, and “Works” etched on the other. Using just the “Faith” oar he went around in circles. Then, using just the “Works” oar, he went in circles the other way. But when both were used at the same time, the boat traveled in a straight line and made progress across the lake.

The story illustrates you have to have both. When you have faith, you have to put it into action in order for it to be a genuine faith. When you do acts of kindness and service, it needs to be done in response to your faith.

As is pointed out in the Bible, James 2:14-17 (New Revised Standard Version) says, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”

It is a both-and proposition. In order for faith to have its full expression, it must be put into action. In order for good works to have their full expression, they must be backed up by faith. Doing this gives honor to God.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Back faith with action to honor God

CRESTVIEW — When I was growing up, there were many fall fun activities in which we could participate. There were corn mazes, picking a live pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, going on a hay ride, having a bonfire and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, bobbing for apples, cake walks and more. Sometimes, we'd even go to the beach for our bonfires and hot dog roasting.

I have found some fun, family activities in our area that may be of interest.

MILTON

• Holland Farms, 2055 Homer Holland Road, Milton, will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day through Nov. 6.  Activities include a pumpkin patch, hayride, train, corn maze and children's games. Details at  www.HollandFarmsonline.com or call 850-675-6876.
• Sweet Season Farms, 22560 Horn Road, Milton, will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 7. They have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, and hayrides. Visit www.SweetSeasonFarms.com or call 850-686-9917 for details.

CRESTVIEW

The following locations in Crestview have pumpkin patches.

• First United Methodist Church, 599  Eighth Street, Crestview. Their pumpkin patch is a fundraiser for children's programs and camp scholarships. A Daily Story Time is available, with reservations required. Call 850-682-2018 to reserve a spot. Pumpkins of all sizes are available.

• Lance C. Richbourg School Pumpkin Patch, 500 Alabama St., Crestview. Call 850-689-5089 for details.
• The Crestview Main Street Association Fall Festival is 1-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 on Main Street. There will also be food vendors at the family-friendly event. Call 850-810-6722 for details. Admission is free.

You can also host your own fall block party with your neighbors or have a family time with pumpkin carving contests, other games, an enclosed fire for hot dog and marshmallow roasting. Bean bag tosses, hopscotch and other games would also be fun.

I haven't bobbed for apples in years, but it sounds interesting. Use your imagination and enjoy your own fall festival.

Many churches will also be hosting fall festivals on Sunday evening, Oct. 31. Check around and see what fun opportunities they have to offer.

Have a safe holiday!

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: HAPPENINGS: Fall activities and festivals happening in our area