CRESTVIEW — A Crestview girl has earned one first-place and two second-place finishes in the U.S. Kids Golf Tournament.

Gracie Grant, 10, took second place with a score of 39 on Sept. 25 in Gulfport, Miss.; first place, with 37 on Oct. 2 in Diamondhead, Miss.; and second place with 43 on Oct. 23 at Diamondhead.

Grant will participate in the rest of the tournament, which continues the next five weekends, followed by a championship tournament.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident places in kids golf tournament

CRESTVIEW — A Crestview senior living community will have a public ice cream social — and give away a flat-screen TV.

The event — 5-7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Katie Manor Apartment Homes, 639 Brookmeade Drive, Crestview — includes guided tours of the newly constructed apartments.

It is free to attend, but RSVP is required. Call 306-3559 or email katiemanor@wrhrealty.com to RSVP.

The names of those who RSVP by Oct. 26 will be entered into a drawing for a flat-screen TV. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Katie Manor ice cream social to feature TV giveaway

The Crestview Public Library offers a number of ways to help you with your family history and genealogy research.

Free one-hour workshop classes, followed by one-on-one help sessions, are offered monthly. The next classes are 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 here in the library meeting room. For questions, to reserve a one-on-one spot, or make an appointment, call 849-9468.

The library also subscribes to HeritageQuest Online, which patrons may access free with their library card number. The newly updated site can be used to:

•Search census records. Find ancestors in the complete set of U.S. Federal Census images from 1790-1940, including name indexes for many years.

•Search books. Find information on people and places described in over 28,000 family and local histories.

•Search Revolutionary War items. Search selected records from the Revolutionary War Era Pension & Bounty-land Warrant Application Files.

•Search Freedman’s Bank records: Search for individuals in the Freedman's Bank (1865-1874), which was founded to serve African Americans.

To get started with family research, try these tips:

•List what you already know — start an ancestral chart

•Interview relatives — make family group sheets

•Get death records — death certificates, obituaries etc.

•Follow the death-record clues — time and place of death lead to birth, marriage and other records

•Search census records — learn where ancestors lived.

•Search local sources — newspapers, local histories, property (land) maps, court and church records, tax lists and wills.

•Don’t forget family histories, immigration records, ship passenger lists and military records.

The Baker Block Museum, located at the corner of Highway 189 and State Road 4, is a great source for local history and genealogy research, especially if you have roots in this Northwest Florida Panhandle area.

This living history museum is open 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and the third Saturdays. Don’t miss their annual Heritage Festival held the first Saturday of November. For more information call 537-5714 or email bakermuseum@aol.com.

The Genealogical Society of Okaloosa County is another excellent source for research and searching support. Regular meetings of the GSOC are usually held at the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida in Valparaiso at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month. There is no admission charge, and all are welcome.

An excellent monthly newsletter is usually published on or before the first Friday of each month; copies may be viewed at the library in the local history section of the reference area. For more information you may email the GSOC, gsocokaloosa@yahoo.com.

Sandra Dreaden is the Crestview Public Library's reference librarian. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Resources to research your family tree

CRESTVIEW — Need something to do this weekend? Check out these fun events:

1. CONQUER THE 'DIRTY 30' during the Boy Scout Troop 30 Mud Run, 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 22 at 8131 8th St., Laurel Hill. The 3.1-mile obstacle race includes a hosedown at the finish line, and snacks will be available for purchase. The kids' race starts at 10 a.m.  Tickets are $30-$40. Go to http://bit.ly/2ewGO8G to register.

2. GUESS WHO DID THE CRIME as Act4Murder presents "Mayhem at the Monster Bash," a Halloween costume party dinner theater, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at Samuel's Roadhouse, 114 John King Road, Crestview. The dinner and show start at 7 p.m. General cost is $38 for the dinner, show, tax and tip. RSVP and see VIP packages at www.act4murder.com.

3. SPEND 'AN EVENING IN THE GARDEN’ from 7-10 p.m. Oct. 22 at Northwest Florida State College's Crestview campus, 805 U.S. Highway 90 E. The event includes music by Jones & Company, and gourmet cuisine by Mary Richards' A Grand Elegance. Semi-formal attire is requested. Tickets cost $60 per person at the door. Advance tickets are $45 at www.crestviewsistercity.org or call Janice Crose, 683-1247.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this weekend in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Main Street Suites, which leases executive office suites at its 550 N. Main Street location, is having its grand opening.

The opening is set for 5-7 p.m. Oct. 21, and starts with a ribbon cutting. Business persons may attend the event.

The company offers 140 square feet of space to potential clients.

"My goal is to provide all businesses that can't afford a large office an alternative, and basically to provide them an office with a shared receptions, a shared conference room, and all of the amenities of a large office. I also provide virtual offices for all businesses that need a professional address on Main Street and need somebody to sign for them," MSS owner and Crestview resident John Colby said Oct. 17.

Current tenants at MSS are the Crestview Redevelopment Agency and the Okaloosa County Early Learning Childhood Advocacy. 

For more information on what Main Street Suites has to offer area businesses, visit the website, www.mymainstreetsuites.com, or call 634-2550.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview company offers business site alternative

Drivers will encounter these traffic disruptions as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.

Okaloosa County

State Road 189 (Beal Parkway) between Pelham Road and Mary Esther Cutoff maintenance activities: Drivers may encounter intermittent lane restrictions between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until Thursday, Nov. 3 as crews perform striping operations. Slow-moving vehicles will be used to perform the work.

S.R. 85 at S.R. 123 intersection maintenance activities: Drivers may encounter intermittent lane restrictions south of Crestview on S.R. 85 and S.R. 123 between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until Thursday, Nov. 3 as crews perform striping operations. Slow-moving vehicles will be used to perform the work. 

Walton County

U.S. 98 from east of County Road 393 to C.R. 30A West maintenance activities: Intermittent outside lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 through Friday, Nov. 11 as crews replace curb inlets and sidewalk.

U.S. 98 at Seascape Drive traffic operations: East and westbound intermittent lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24 through Thursday, Nov. 3 as crews install an overhead traffic signal. Law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4 traffic changes to expect in Okaloosa and Walton counties

PACE — Santa Rosa County planners and the West Florida Regional Planning Council will develop a bicycle-pedestrian plan for Pace and Pea Ridge.

The overall objective is to determine area needs and wants regarding non-motorized transportation alternatives or bicycle-pedestrian facilities.

These meetings on the matter are open to all: 

• Oct. 25, 10 a.m. at Benny Russell Park, 5417 West Spencer Field Road in Pace
• Nov. 2, 12 p.m. at Santa Rosa County Development Services, 6051 Old Bagdad Highway in Milton
• Nov. 3, 6 p.m. at Pace Fire Rescue, 4773 Pace Patriot Boulevard in Pace

Each meeting will include a presentation on built and planned infrastructure, health and crash statistics, and economic and health benefits of the "complete streets" concept.

Staff will be available to hear ideas and concerns as well as answer questions. Attendees are encouraged to mark up large maps of the project area, identifying needed projects and safety concerns.

The team has surveyed existing bike-ped facilities and researched crash data in the project area. The plan will encompass communities from Luther Fowler Road on the north to Sterling Way on the south and the county boundary on the west to Tanglewood Road, Suwane Road, Creek Lane and Shell Road to the east.

A survey is available at www.PacePeaRidgeBikePedPlan.org for the public to provide feedback. An opportunity to see updates and comment on posts is available on Facebook @PacePeaRidgeBikePedPlan.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Input sought on Pace, Pea Ridge bicycle-pedestrian plan

CRESTVIEW — Guardian ad Litem officials are hosting  the My Forever Home 5K Run/Walk to benefit children in the state program's Okaloosa County First Judicial Circuit.

All proceeds from the run — set for 7:30 a.m. Oct. 22 at Old Spanish Trail Park Pavilion, Stillwell Boulevard, Crestview — will be used to purchase items requested by children in the circuit's foster care program. Items include clothes, shoes, summer camp fees and athletic gear.

The race route begins on Industrial, goes down the U.S. Post office, to Commerce Drive, Farmer Street, and then back to Stillwell and Industrial Drive.

Cost starts at $25 per person and will increase to $30 the day of the event. To register, go to www.active.com.

Sponsors are also needed.

For more information or to make a donation, call 609-5483.

The Guardian ad Litem Program advocates for the best interests of children who have been abused, abandoned, and neglected, giving them a voice when they may not otherwise have one.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview 5K benefits foster children

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Homeless advocates set annual meeting

CRESTVIEW — The News Bulletin is compiling a list of fall and Halloween activities in Crestview, Baker, Laurel Hill, Holt and Milligan.

To share an event, email the typed information — with the time, date, street address and cost per person — in a text-based document to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

So far, here is what’s coming up:

• Trick or Treat meet and greet for kids is 3-4 p.m. Oct. 28 and 31 at Okaloosa Ophthalmology, 1299 Industrial Drive, Crestview. Dr. Tiffany Kruger and her staff will have candy and treats for all; attendees may wear their costumes.
• Annual Fall Festival, presented by the Main Street Crestview Association and the city of Crestview, is 1-6 p.m. Oct. 29 on Main Street. The event is free to the public and includes a costume contest for people and pets. In addition, there will be booths, vendors and games. See www.mainstreetcrestview.org for a vendor application.
• Halloween trick-or-treating is 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31 in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Trick-or-treating among North Okaloosa fall activities