CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Courthouse records of marriages and divorces from Feb. 6-13 include:

MARRIAGE LICENSES

•Yazdel Fonseca and Joel Dodd, both of Crestview.

•Sofronio None and Alita Rosa, both of Baker.

•Thang Nguyen and Loan Nguyen, both of Crestview.

•Kevin Adams and Brittany Kirkland, both of Laurel Hill.

DIVORCES

•Megan Corder of Cantonment and Tyler Corder, Crestview.

•Phillip Gander, Crestview, and Sara Gander, Fort Walton Beach.

•Mindy Raven Taylor and John Sabor III, both of Crestview.

•Tracy Smith and Douglas Smith, both of Crestview.

•Ashley Arevalo and Eduardo Arevalo, both of Crestview.

•Ashleigh Norris of Crestview and Brandon Norris of Pensacola.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa marriages and divorces

Have a cute photo of your kids out and about? They could be our next The Bulletin Kid! Email the photo with your child's name, age, hometown and a description of the action to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: The Bulletin Kids

CRESTVIEW — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service has scheduled a Feb. 23 workshop on wild turkey management. (See details in the box at right.)

Florida has two out of the five subspecies of wild turkey found in North America: Florida, or Osceola, turkey found predominantly in South Florida and the Eastern wild turkey found here in the panhandle.

Their habitats change with available plants in their region of the state, but here are general facts about Panhandle turkeys:

FOOD PREFERENCES: Their diet is more than 80 percent plant foods; 10 to 20 percent primarily comprises insects. Insects make up the majority of the diet of young poults, while adults will eat anything from acorns and berries to insects, salamanders, snails and small reptiles. Fruits of wild grape, dogwood and wild cherry are favorites. Turkeys also eat numerous seeds, including those of native grasses, sedges, trees and ferns.

WATER. A source of open water is necessary to support a wild turkey population. Creek and river bottoms act like highways for turkeys to move around. The birds drink from spring seeps, streams, ponds, lakes and livestock watering facilities. It's critical to have water as well as foraging, nesting, brood rearing and roosting cover available near each other to support populations.

NESTING COVER. Turkey hens nest in areas that provide cover for themselves and their eggs. Hens nest on the ground in the rough of the pine forest, under a brush pile, in thickets or under downed trees’ branches, and in fallow fields. Their preferred nesting cover is less than 4 feet high and within a half-mile of brood-rearing cover.

ROOSTING COVER. Wild turkeys roost overnight in trees, preferably over or near water to avoid predators. With increased hunting pressure, turkeys may retreat to roosts in remote, dense areas. Hens will roost on the ground after they lay eggs. Hens remain with poults on the ground until about two weeks of age, when the poults begin to roost in trees. Though many different trees may be used for roosting, in Florida pine trees are the preferred roost tree for adult gobblers.

BROOD-REARING COVER. Wild turkeys like open areas of grass and forbs with a thin overstore of trees. A forest opening of one-half acre to three acres is ample for brood rearing. Preferred brood habitat is 1 to 3 feet of tall grass or weeds where newly hatched poults can move about, have access to insects for food as well as dense cover for roosting and to escape predators.

WHAT: Wild Turkey Management Workshop

WHEN: 8 a.m. Feb. 23

WHERE: Ludlam Road in Laurel Hill.

NOTES: Featured topics are turkey biology and management; timber management; prescribing burns; roosting habitat; nesting and brood-rearing habitat; food plot management; tools and equipment for management; and cost-share programs.

Call the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service office, 682-3714, extension 3, or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission office at 767-3634 by Feb. 15 to register.

Visit the NRCS office at 938 Ferdon Blvd. N., Crestview, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Workshop set on wild turkey basics

If you're just starting out in your career, you need to be prepared to face some financial challenges along the way — but here's one that's not unpleasant: choosing what to do with some extra disposable income. When this happens, what should you do with the money? Your decisions could make a real difference in your ability to achieve your important financial goals.

Under what circumstances might you receive some "found" money? You could get a year-end bonus from your employer, or a sizable tax refund, or even an inheritance. However the money comes to you, don't let it slip through your fingers. Instead, consider these two moves: investing the money or using it to pay off debts.

Which of these choices should you pick? There's no one right answer, as everyone's situation is different. But here are a few general considerations:

•Distinguish between "good" and "bad" debt. Not all types of debt are created equal. Your mortgage, for example, is probably a "good" form of debt. You're using the loan for a valid purpose — i.e., living in your house — and you likely get a hefty tax deduction for the interest you pay. On the other hand, nondeductible consumer debt that carries a high interest rate might be considered "bad" debt – and this is the debt you might want to reduce or eliminate when you receive some extra money. By doing so, you can free up money to save and invest for retirement or other goals.

•Compare making extra mortgage payments vs. investing. Many of us get some psychological benefits by making extra house payments. Yet, when you do have some extra money, putting it toward your house may not be the best move. For one thing, as mentioned above, your mortgage can be considered a "good" type of debt, so you may not need to rush to pay it off. And from an investment standpoint, your home is somewhat "illiquid" – it's not always easy to get money out of it. If you put your extra money into traditional investments, such as stocks and bonds, you may increase your growth potential, and you may gain an income stream through interest payments and dividends.

•Consider the tax advantages of investing. Apart from your mortgage, your other debts likely won't provide you with any tax benefits. But you can get tax advantages by putting money into certain types of investment vehicles, such as a traditional or Roth IRA. When you invest in a traditional IRA, your contributions may be deductible, depending on your income, and your money grows on a tax-deferred basis. (Keep in mind that taxes will be due upon withdrawals, and any withdrawals you make before you reach 59½ may be subject to a 10 percent IRS penalty.) Roth IRA contributions are not deductible, but your earnings are distributed tax-free, provided you don't take withdrawals until you reach 59½ and you've had your account at least five years.

Clearly, you've got some things to ponder when choosing whether to use "extra" money to pay off debts or invest. Of course, it's not always an "either-or" situation; you may be able to tackle some debts and still invest for the future. In any case, use this money wisely — you weren't necessarily counting on it, but you can make it count for you.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: What's smarter: paying off debts or investing?

Despite public and private land managers’ efforts, feral hog populations continue to rise in many areas in Florida.

Feral hogs damage crop fields, lawns, wetlands and forests. They can negatively affect native species of plants and animals. Their rooting leads to erosion and decreased water quality.

There are several options for controlling feral hogs. Choosing the right option depends on the situation.

Options include:

•Hunting with dogs

•Hunting with guns

•Using box traps

•Using corral traps

Let's talk about these options.

Hunting with dogs is not very effective for removing enough hogs to control populations. Dog hunting can move sounders — groups of wild hogs — from areas where damage is occurring for a period. This can be helpful when crops need to be protected from hog damage until they can be harvested.

Shooting hogs also is not effective for removing large numbers of hogs. Situations where it is successful include protecting crop fields and taking hogs that will not go into a trap. Shooting success depends on the education level of the hogs and sophistication of the shooting equipment available. Hogs learn quickly to avoid danger. They learn by watching other hogs who get shot or trapped. Hunting pressure can disrupt hog patterns and make them harder to trap or hunt.

Box traps can be effective at trapping young hogs that are not trap smart. A study conducted by a graduate student, Brian Williams, at Auburn University looked at the efficacy of different trap styles. Young hogs entered box traps and corral traps at similar rates. The study also found that adult females were 120 percent more likely to enter corral traps compared to box traps and adult males were more reluctant to enter either trap style but were more likely to enter the corral traps.

Corral traps are shown to be most effective for eliminating complete sounders. By eliminating a sounder at once, populations can be reduced. Corral traps are also more economical. In the Auburn study, the trapping cost per pig for box traps was $671.31 and for corral traps was $121.28.

Corral traps are best for capturing whole sounders. Box traps can be effective for capturing young hogs. When trap-smart adult females or males are in an area, shooting or hunting with dogs are options. Just remember that hunting pressure often moves the hog problem onto another property.

To eliminate hogs from a given area, we must employ several of these strategies. For example, we may be able to trap a sounder in a given area but still have a group of boars that will not go into a trap. In this case, we may set up to shoot them after trapping the rest of the hogs in a corral trap. By using these two techniques, we can drastically reduce the number of hogs in an area.

For more information about feral hogs, go to http://articles.extension.org/feral_hogs.

Jennifer Bearden is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4 ways to control feral hogs

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4 things to do this weekend in Northwest Florida

CRESTVIEW — Golden Buffet recently was closed due to health violations; this was its fourth closure in three years.

The restaurant, at 2680 S. Ferdon Blvd., temporarily closed Feb. 1 following a citation for 20 violations, including six high-priority concerns, according to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s inspection report.

An inspector reportedly found foods held at unsafe temperatures, roach activity and approximately 60 rodent droppings in the kitchen.

This isn’t the restaurant’s first issue with health closures or the presence of rodents.

An inspector found about 75 droppings on Oct. 14, 2016, in addition to food storage violations. Another closure occurred on June 28, 2016, when Golden Buffet  48 violations, 14 of high-priority status. Approximately 230 rodent droppings were found during that inspection.

The business also closed May 16, 2014, when over 50 droppings and about 37 live roaches were found in the kitchen.

The restaurant reportedly has had 25 complaint-driven inspections since April 2014.

Restaurant emergency closures occur “based on an immediate threat to the public” with the intent to “protect the public health, safety or welfare,” according to the DBPR website.

“The division is currently engaged in administrative action with the Golden Buffet and will continue to monitor their compliance with Florida’s safety and sanitation laws,” DBPR Deputy Director of Communications Kathleen Keenan said in an email.

An administrative action can result in fines, business license suspension or license revocation, Keenan added.

The DBPR follows licensing and disciplinary requirements outlined in Florida Statutes, according to Keenan when asked how the restaurant has been able to maintain its license after so many repeat violations and closures.

“An administrative complaint which affords reasonable notice to the licensee of facts or conduct which warrant the [revocation]” is required, according to the statute.

Keenan didn’t comment on which action the DBPR was pursuing or if the company could lose its license.

A manager or spokesperson was not available for comment in several calls to Golden Buffet.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: How does this Crestview restaurant stay open?

SAN DIEGO, California — A 2015 Crestview High School graduate and Crestview native is serving in the U.S. Navy at Surface Warfare Medicine Institute.

Seaman Alexander Hubbard serves as a hospital corpsman at the San Diego-based training center. According to Navy officials, the institute's purpose is providing medical education, operational training and certification for medical, dental and fleet personnel ashore and afloat. 

"I am a student in the medical laboratory technician program here at SWMI," said Hubbard. "I enjoy learning how to be a lab tech and I am looking forward to practicing in the fleet." 

The sailors who are part of Navy medicine are the most highly trained, educated and specialized force in history, Navy officials said. The role of Navy medicine in preserving the healthy and fighting readiness of that force has never been greater or more critical.

"The Surface Warfare Medical Institute teaches 13 courses to over 800 students annually," Cmdr. Steven Parks said. He is the officer in charge of the Surface Warfare Medical Institute. "The training we provide enables our physicians, nurses, Medical Service Corps officers, and corpsmen to directly support the Navy and Marine Corps combat teams. The leadership, mentorship and influence that our staff has on our students are second to none."

Parks added that he is proud that SWMI's mission will have long lasting positive impact and benefits to Navy Medicine for years to come.

Hubbard said he feels honored to be able to serve at a command that is continually raising the bar in healthcare.

"Our instructors are looking out for the students both as med techs but also as sailors," Hubbard said.

Those who serve in Navy medicine understand that they play a key role in meeting the missions of our armed forces, according to Navy officials.

"Serving in the Navy means pride for the country, my family and for myself," Hubbard said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview native gives healthcare to US Navy Sailors

CRESTVIEW — Garden of Eat’en, one of the area’s newest restaurants, offers a homemade taste of Cuban fare.

Owner Jennifer Andrews grew up in south Florida surrounded by Cuban culture, a Peruvian grandfather and, she said, good food. Those experiences sparked a passion for the offerings at her new eatery, located at 971 Industrial Drive.

FOCUSING ON FRESH

“Definitely Miami, Cuban culture,” Andrews said when asked about her food’s origins.

The menu features staple dishes such as a Cuban sandwich, mojo pork sandwiches, French dips and arroz con pollo — a Latin American dish featuring chicken and yellow rice. Garden of Eat’en also serves home-baked guava pastries and Cuban espresso, which has a thick substance and sweet flavor.

“Everyone who’s had one loves a good Cuban,” Anderson said. “If they haven’t had one, they’ll fall in love with them.”

And, no, her sandwiches don’t include lettuce or tomato, a common debate in the Cuban food culture. Those ingredients are available to add upon request, however, Andrews said.

Garden of Eat’en focuses on fresh food with quality ingredients, slicing whole meats in-house, rather than using “deli meats,” Andrews said.

MORE TO COME

The restaurant opened about three weeks ago after family members helped Andrews renovate an existing mobile structure.

“I’ve always kind of wanted to own my own place,” Andrews said. After spending years working in the restaurant industry for “the man,” she decided to purchase a concession trailer already on site.

Eventually, Andrews would like to expand to a brick-and mortar location, but the food truck’s location does allow for some growth.

For now, Andrews is considering adding outdoor seating and sun shades. Those most likely won’t come until spring or summer, when the cold weather has passed. She also plans to install a television with satellite reception, and karaoke is in the works.

DAILY SPECIALS

Garden of Eat’en’s menu will fluctuate slightly during its initial months as the business learns what customers want and don’t want, Anderson said.

The company also plans to grow its menu and provide an additional service.

“We’ll be offering catering soon,” Anderson said. “And I want to have daily specials for seasonal foods.”

She also plans to make appearances at local festivals and events, namely the city’s winter festival, scheduled for Feb. 18 at Spanish Trail Park.

Garden of Eat’en, located at 971 Industrial Drive in Crestview, is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and is closed on Sundays.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New restaurant brings Cuban style

CRESTVIEW—From halftime shows to online deliveries to the backyard, drones are increasingly visible.

However, getting in the air isn’t quite the buy-and-fly process it once was.

RULES OF THE AIR

Even recreational users still have to meet certain requirements and register their drone if it weighs more than .55 pounds.

Operators must keep their unmanned craft within sight and not fly within 5 miles of an airport or within an established no-fly zone, such as the area around a military base. Additionally, flights may not exceed 400 feet of altitude and they aren’t permitted to pass over people or vehicles.

Commercial flying involves a new set of regulations, and commercial operators must have a Remote Pilot Airman Certificate. Even using a drone for advertisements, such as flying a banner for a business, can qualify as commercial use, according to Mario Werth, a pilot and owner of Advanced Aerial Operations.

PURCHASING AND OPERATING

Quality recreational-use drones start at a few hundred dollars and can run as high as a few thousand.

Werth recommends purchasing a cheap drone to practice with before reaching too deep into the wallet. One of these models can be purchased for about $50 online and allow new operators the chance to learn controls and flight with little investment risk, according to Werth.

“You can fly it into a wall, chase the dog with it, whatever,” Werth said. “Once you feel really comfortable with them, you can move on to the big guys.”

Understanding regulations, flight procedures and associated risks is still necessary when beginning a hobby in drones. Additionally, flight classes are available to learners and mobile apps can help drone pilots take their hobby to new heights.

The challenge for some people comes in navigating the drone while operating and positioning the attached camera, according to Werth. He recommends new users learn how the device flies and functions first. After gaining this understanding, drone pilots can focus on learning the camera.

“When I do video work, I focus on where my camera is looking because I already know where my craft is and where I need it to be,” Werth said. “That comes with mastery of the required multitasking, though.”

RISKS

The biggest risk posed by legal drone operation is to medical helicopters, utility infrastructure such as power lines or small, recreational planes, according to Werth.

“A drone can do minor damage to a commercial passenger plane, but it’s not likely to bring it down,” Werth said. “The real threat is with helicopters, Cessnas and ultralights (a type of lightweight one- or two-seat aircraft).”

No reports or incidents could be found of a drone disrupting such a flight in the Crestview area.

Gulf Power hasn’t experienced any drone-related incidents to date, according to Media Relations Supervisor Rick DelaHaya. The company published an article in November that cautions drone pilots “to not fly over critical infrastructure such as power lines, substations and other electrical equipment.”

Bob Sikes Airport did not respond to a voicemail inquiry on the matter as of this writing.

Drones have many uses, but interested operators should remember one thing: “It’s not a toy, it’s a drone; it’s a [Federal Aviation Administration] regulated aircraft,” Werth said. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: How to start a new hobby in drones