The Okaloosa County Tax Collector’s Office is collecting delinquent business tax receipts in January.

The receipts are required for businesses that provide merchandise, entertainment or services to the public, even if it's a one-person company or home-based business, according to Tax Collector Ben Anderson.

“To prevent the illusion of a scam, agents will only call during business hours, Monday through Friday, and identify themselves as Tax Collector employees. If business owners have questions, they can contact our office at 651-7300,” Anderson said.

BTRs are renewed annually and should be paid by Sept. 30 to avoid penalties. See www.OkaloosaTax.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Delinquent Okaloosa tax receipts due

The details

A Crestview campus for Florida International University has been in the works since about 2009. The campus will build on an existing physician’s assistant program that allows the completion of clinical rotations and residencies for students of northwest Florida.

Rotations permit students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom in a working environment and are required in medical schools. Completion is performed at a hospital or local practice within a student’s field of study.

A provisional accreditation of the program was required before classes could be hosted. This approval was an external peer review conducted by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant to ensure the program’s educational and professional quality.

Completion of this process takes about a year to enact and several more years to be conducted. A provisional approval was granted to the FIU PA program in Apr. 2015. This allows the program to seek a final approval known as accreditation-continued.

The ARC-PA requires five consecutive years of accreditation-continued for a program to be eligible for a satellite campus. Students are still able to complete classes, residencies and rotations without the presence of a physical campus.

Allowing students to complete their education outside the Miami area, where FIU is based, is the program’s goal. Targeting Crestview for the site was partially due to the area’s military presence according to Pete Gutierrez, the associate dean and founding chair of FIU’s physician assistant school.

The program and future campus would allow more individuals to further their education. This will help strengthen a growing medical field, according to Gutierrez.

The PA program is a master’s program requiring applicants to have a bachelor’s degree, complete the Graduate Record Exam and submit letters of recommendation.

The progress

The program accepted its first round of 45 students in Crestview in 2015, followed by another group of 45 in 2016. Second-year students began their rotations January 2017 through the program.

A satellite campus is still years away, despite the program accepting and educating students.

Accreditation-continued takes at least 18 months from where the program is now and Gutierrez expects this to be completed in 2018-19. The ARC-PA requires a program to maintain accreditation-continued for five years before becoming eligible for a satellite campus.

Students can conduct and complete their FIU PA education in northwest Florida, but don’t expect to see a campus in the area until at least 2023.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida International satellite campus still years away

1. SEE DANCERS ONSTAGE as the Eisenhower Dance Company performs "In Power & Passion" 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. Tickets cost $25 each and are available at http://www.mattiekellyartscenter.org/EventItem.cfm?ID=1107 or at the campus box office.

2.  ENJOY CARS AND COFFEE at the Emerald Coast Cars & Coffee meetup. The group of enthusiasts meets once a month to look at each other's vehicles or anything with wheels. Hours are 9-11 a.m. Jan. 14 at Starbuck's in front of Santa Rosa Mall, 340 Mary Esther Cutoff, Mary Esther.

3. ATTEND THE 30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL. It has headline performances and workshops from esteemed artists such as John Prine, Cheap Trick and Dr. John & The Nite Trippers. Workshops and performances begin at 10 a.m. Jan. 13, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 14 and 9:30 a.m. Jan. 15, and continue past 10 p.m. on the main stage at Grand Boulevard, Sandestin and other venues along Scenic Highway 30A. Weekend passes are available for $275 each at http://www.30asongwritersfestival.com/. To see the schedule of performers, go to http://bit.ly/2iVqZMt.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this week in Northwest Florida

FORT WALTON BEACH — Impact 100 of Northwest Florida — a non-profit, all volunteer organization made up of women — has new officers to guide the group in 2017.

Joanna Dean of Crestview will serve as treasurer of Impact 100, a position she also held in 2016. Dean has more than 15 years’ experience in the accounting field and has spent the past 10 years working for Speedee Cash Management Company Inc. She currently serves as the company’s chief operating officer.

Other 2017 board members are: Teresa Bolton of Santa Rosa Beach, president; Lisa Jo Spencer of Mary Esther, vice president/president-elect; Pam Woodall of Shalimar, secretary; Michelle Anchors; Christine Carter; Kay Crawford; Crestview resident Sherry Ensor; Amanda Gordon; Cindy Graham; Dawn Hoffman; Susan Page; Jennifer Poland; Gayle Powers; Mathilda Ravine; Cindy Shanklin; Mari-Helen Skinner; Jo Stewart; and Connie Yarbro.

In the past five years, Impact 100 has contributed $1,290,000 to non-profit groups in Okaloosa and Walton counties. All of these funds come from annual member donations and are provided as grants of at least $100,000.

Recipients include AMI Kids Emerald Coast, Arc of the Emerald Coast, C.O.P.E. Center of DeFuniak Springs, Destin Harvest, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, GRACE Rides, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, the Matrix Community Outreach, Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation’s Silver Sands School, Safe Connections and Shelter House.

See www.impactnwf.org for more information on the organization.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Impact 100 elects 2017 officers

I often hear parents and community members mention that life skills once taught in school or learned from helping Mom or Grandma are missing in today’s youth. Skills like cooking, letter writing and sewing are often not practiced regularly in school or in the home. 

This past week, the Family and Consumer Science program and Okaloosa County 4-H hosted a beginner's level Youth Sewing Day Camp. Participants ages 8 and up learned how to sew using a sewing machine and made two pillows to take home. By the end of the class, students were threading their machines, pivoting to sew corners, and back-stitching. Children also learned how to make a no-sew scarf. 

Volunteers from the Santa Rosa County Home and Community Education Club helped teach the class. The kids left with smiles on their faces and asked when the next class would be held. Look for an upcoming day camp in summer 2017.

Jill Breslawski 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: Students enjoy youth sewing camp

CRESTVIEW — Speaking at the Gordon Martial Arts Jan. 6 advancement ceremony, Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor found similarities between the academy’s guiding tenets and those followed by his police officers.

The 120 students who were promoted to their next belt levels strictly observe a code of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.

“These are the same tenets police officers follow,” Taylor said.

Taylor soon discovered Gordon Martial Arts supporters follow a sixth tenet: generosity.

Following Taylor’s remarks, academy owner and internationally recognized Taekwondo master Thomas Gordon and his staff passed Taylor’s cap around the packed Crestview Community Center, soliciting donations at Taylor’s recommendation to C.O.P.S.— Concerns of Police Survivors.

Taylor explained that the charity provides financial and emotional support for families of slain law enforcement officers. He is a board member of the local Northwest Florida chapter, which has provided benefits to locally slain officers’ families, including those of OSCO Deputies Bill Myers, Tony Forgione, Burt Lopez and Skip York.

After Taylor’s cap made it around the hall, it was overflowing with $444.09 in donations.

“I knew it was a lot, but I wasn’t expecting this much,” Taylor said after the cash was counted. “We really appreciate Gordon Martial Arts’ generosity.”

“It’s what we do to thank our speakers,” Gordon said of the hat-passing tradition. “We don’t pay them, so this is what we do.”

Each year, between 140 and 160 officers are killed in the line of duty and their families and co-workers are left to cope with the tragic loss. C.O.P.S. (Concerns Of Police Survivors) provides resources to help them rebuild their shattered lives. There is no membership fee to join

C.O.P.S., for the price paid is already too high.

C.O.P.S. was organized in 1984 with 110 individual members. Today membership is over 37,000 survivors including spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and affected co-workers of officers killed in the line of duty.

C.O.P.S. is governed by a national board of law enforcement survivors. All programs and services are administered by the national office in Camdenton, Missouri. C.O.P.S. has more than 50 chapters nationwide, including a Northwest Florida one, that work with survivors at

the grass-roots level. For information about the local C.O.P.S. chapter, contact Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor, 682-3544 or taylort@crestviewpd.org.

Source: www.NationalCOPS.org

What is COPS?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Ceremony raises funds for slain officers' families

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa nonprofit organizations that improve our quality of life.

CRESTVIEW — Sharing and Caring is an emergency food pantry that provides food and hygiene supplies to those in need, and it’s been doing so since 1990.

The pantry — located at 298 Martin Luther King Ave., in Crestview — relies on donations and support from local churches and the United Way to supply non-perishable goods, bread, baby food and formula, meats and limited hygiene items.

Sharing and Caring helped 13,072 families in 2016, according to its former president Robin Marston. She spent over nine years operating the center and said she’s seen rising needs during that time.

Families can receive one order per month; the homeless can receive an order every two weeks. Homeless individuals receive an extra order per month because they often have limited space and inability to store some food, Marston said. The products and amounts S&C gives out vary based on the number of family members.

The food at S&C is secured through product donations by local churches, individuals and the United Way. Monetary donations to the food bank are used to purchase additional food. Hygiene items and products such as laundry powder are only available if they are donated to S&C, as the organization doesn’t purchase these items.

At least five churches partner with the food bank, according to Marston. However, more churches make occasional donations when able.

Publix also offers food donations and allows S&C to order bulk items through its food vendor and pick up items upon delivery. This makes large purchases easier for S&C and Publix, Marston said.

Sharing and Caring doesn’t offer clothing, shelter, monetary assistance or meal services (such as a soup kitchen), but Marston said volunteers can refer those in need to other outlets. Occasionally, S&C volunteers have offered budgeting advice to families regarding food, but it’s not the food bank’s primary function, Marston said.

Signs hung in the food bank’s waiting room detail Crestview’s various shelters and information on GED testing. The room also features a library for people to take a book or movie.

Eighteen volunteers, including Marston, help the food bank operate. These people check in families, package orders and receive incoming donations.

The center always needs volunteers or donations, according to Marston. Food items in constant need include canned goods, rice, pasta, bread, baby food and formula, diapers, cereal, powdered milk, dried beans, meat and personal hygiene items.

The facility is open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday and volunteers work as much or as little as they are available. Call 682-1907 for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sharing and Caring: feeding families in need

CRESTVIEW — After standing for more than 60 years, the Okaloosa County Courthouse in Crestview was demolished Tuesday.

The courthouse, at 101 James Lee Blvd. E., opened in 1955 but recently fell into poor condition. Inspectors found mold, asbestos, a leaking roof and a failing heating and air conditioning system.

In October 2015, Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners voted to raze the building and construct a new courthouse on the property. The courthouse closed its doors for the final time in April 2016 and it has further decayed since then.

Several plans were discussed on what to do with the courthouse and property. Ultimately, the construction of a new courthouse on the same plot of land was decided upon. The new project has a set maximum price of about $23.7 million.

"The goal is to achieve a facility that the citizens up here can be proud of and make sure Crestview will be the home of the county courthouse for the next generation," Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles said at the time of the decision.

The county expects the new courthouse to be completed by July 2018.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: County Courthouse demolished in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Punches flew and kicks were delivered at the Crestview Community Center Jan. 6, but nobody was injured. In fact, those who kicked and punched well were rewarded.

As each advanced to the next level of their studies in taekwondo, students at Gordon Martial Arts academy received colored belts attesting to their prowess and signifying where they were on their respective journeys.

While developing physical skills and character, the kids — some as young as 4 years old — also have a great time as they learn the Korean art's techniques, philosophy and discipline demanded of its practitioners.

"He loves it!" Lynn Mayo said of her son, Phenix, 7, who received his blue senior belt at the ceremony.

Gloria Garcia, whose 7-year-old grandson, Chandler Dill, was promoted to orange belt from yellow Friday night, echoed Mayo's sentiment. "He really enjoys it," Garcia said.

The 120 promoted students, including 25 teens and adult martial artists, four of whom also advanced in Korean hapkido, follow a strict observance of the academy's five tenets: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.

The ceremony's guest speaker, Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor, commented on each attribute:

•Courtesy: "Treat people with respect, even if they don't respect you."

•Integrity: "It's one of the most important things you can have in life. It's important in what we do in law enforcement. Always protect your integrity with everything you do."

•Perseverance: "Never give up if you have a goal in life. You can achieve it. With perseverance, you can overcome anything you need to overcome."

•Self-control: "When you have great self-control, it's easy to be courteous to people who aren't courteous to you."

•Indomitable spirit: "Always try your best to be positive, even if you're having a bad day."

Taylor's words stuck with Derek Vegas, 8, who advanced to blue senior belt level during the event.

"I want to be a policeman," Derek told Taylor as he asked his dad to take a photo of him and his little brother, Ethan, 5, with the police chief. That was good news "because we're hiring officers," Taylor told the boy. "Keep up the good work because you're going places."

Academy owner Thomas Gordon said producing such well-rounded, disciplined and confident future leaders is one of Gordon Martial Arts' goals. And it's not just for kids.

"This is something for the whole family," he said. "Anybody can do it."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Skills, discipline part of taekwondo belt ceremony

If you are a "millennial" — a member of the age cohort born anywhere from the early 1980s to the late 1990s — then you're still in the early chapters of your career, so it may be a stretch for you to envision the end of it.

But since you do have so many years until you retire, you've got the luxury of putting time on your side as you save and plan for retirement.

Here are some suggestions for making the best use of that time:

•Invest early — and often. Even if you are at the very beginning of your career, make investing a priority. At first, you might only be able to contribute a small amount each month, but something is far better than nothing — and after a year or so, you might be surprised at how much you've actually put away.

•Take advantage of your employer's retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) or similar plan, contribute as much as you can afford. At the least, put in enough to earn your employer's match, if one is offered. Your contributions can lower your taxable income, and your earnings can grow on a tax-deferred basis.

•Invest more as your earnings increase. As your career advances, and your earnings rise, you'll want to increase your contributions to your 401(k) or similar plan. And if you ever "max out" on your annual 401(k) contributions (the limits change over time), you can probably still contribute to another tax-advantaged retirement plan, such as a traditional or Roth IRA.

Thus far, we've only discussed, in general terms, how much and how often you should invest. But it's obviously just as important to think about the types of investments you own. And at this stage of your life, you need an investment mix that provides you with ample opportunities for growth. Historically, stocks and stock-based vehicles provide greater growth potential than other investments, such as government securities, corporate bonds and certificates of deposit (CDs).

Of course, stocks will rise and fall in price, sometimes dramatically. But with decades ahead of you, you do have time to overcome short-term losses. And you may be able to reduce the effects of market volatility by spreading your dollars among many different stock-based investments, along with a reasonable percentage of bonds and other, more conservative securities.

Here's something else to consider: Many millennials want more from their investments than just good performance — they also want their money to make a difference in the world. This interest in "impact" investing (also known as "socially responsible" investing) has led some of your peers to screen out companies or industries they believe have a negative impact on society in favor of other businesses that are viewed as contributing to a more sustainable world. If this viewpoint resonates with you, then you may want to explore these types of investment opportunities with a financial professional.

But most important, keep on investing throughout your life. As a millennial, you've got plenty of the one asset that can never be replaced: time. Use it wisely.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Investment tips for millennials