CRESTVIEW — A seminar will provide information on forestry and wildlife management.

The event — hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview — is 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at 3098 Airport Road.

The agenda for "Managing Your Forests and Farms for Fish and Wildlife" is as follows:

• 8:30 a.m.: Registration
• 8:50 a.m.: Welcome and introduction by Arlo Kane and Roy Lima
• 9 a.m.: Gopher Tortoise Biology and Management with Arlo Kane, wildlife biologist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• 9:30 a.m.: SE American kestrel partnership — a new opportunity for landowners — Jeremy Martin,  FWC wildlife biologist.
• 10 a.m.: “Fire and Wildlife, When and How Should You Burn” — Maria Wilson, senior forester, Florida  Forest Service, and Don Buchanan, FWC wildlife biologist.
• 10:30 a.m.:  Break
• 10:45 a.m.: “Herbicides and Wildlife: Managing for Multiple Uses” — Clyde Smith, field development  representative, United Phosphorous Inc.
• 11:15 a.m.: “The New Wildlife BMPs for State Listed Species on Forests and Farms” — Roy Lima, forester, Florida Forest Service
• 11:45 a.m.: “FORCES — A New Recognition Program for Forest Landowners” — Sonny Greene, FORCES coordinator, and Maria Wilson
• 12:15 a.m.: Cost Share Assistance Program Opportunities — Darryl Williams, district conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Maria Wilson.

The event will adjourn at 12:30 p.m. after a free lunch.

Preregistration by Oct. 15 is required for the lunch. Contact Billie Clayton, 767-3634, to RSVP.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Forestry and wildlife management seminar set

VALPARAISO — "Heritage Alive!" crafting classes on cane weaving, mosaics knitting and pine needle basketry are available.

The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida’s classes include:

Seat Weaving Workshop, 1-3 p.m. Sept. 22 and 29. The cost is $10 per session ($8 for museum members), and a one-time fee of $10 per chair for materials and tool use. Attendees may bring an old chair for a free consultation, and then learn the weaving style necessary to finish it — options include the cane open weave, closed weave and herringbone pattern. Some chairs and stools are available for learning.

Mosaics, 5-8 p.m. Oct. 13 and 20. The cost is $20 ($15 for museum members), plus a one-time fee of $10 for materials and use of tools. All other supplies are included. Participants will create a mosaic design, and may bring a memento or their own materials to incorporate.

Knitting, 1-3 p.m. Nov. 12. The cost is $20 ($15 for museum members). The class is for ages 13 and up. Students will learn basic stitches and begin a project of their choice. They must bring their own yarn and a size 8 circular needle or straight needles.

Pine needle basketry, 5-8 p.m. Nov. 8 and 15. The cost is $55 ($50 for museum members). Learn to weave longleaf pine needles into baskets using Seminole Indian techniques. All supplies are included for the class.

The museum's address is 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso. Call 678-2615 to register for a class.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Heritage Museum offers craft classes

CRESTVIEW — A Northwest Florida company wants to provide jobs for adult addicts, homeless people and former prisoners.

Otero-Cates LLC's four-month-old second chance program provides jobs such as landscaping, construction and housecleaning to program participants. The goal is to help applicants — anyone except for murderers, child molesters or abusers of the elderly — turn their lives around.

The organization has 12 people on its demolition crew, but it needs more.

"We do drywall, we clean houses. It's a little bit of everything. And if one (job) doesn't fit (an applicant), we try another fit," Rosemary Despain, of Otero, said. "We just don't have enough people, and if more people knew about us, more people would come and use us for work”

So, what are examples of the organization’s recent work?

"Whatever we can find, we do it. We have another bid that's here in Crestview and hopefully we'll get that job too," Despain said. That bid was accepted and the Otero crew helped a firm demolish a Main Street building the week of Sept. 8.

The company works with participants and their families to provide housing, transportation and other necessities to complete each job. For the Main Street job, some program members lacked proper work boots or tools for a construction site, so Otero provided those.

A few other Crestview jobs are in the works, but Otero also seeks skilled workers for help assisting flood survivors in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"We just got hired by two major corporations for FEMA in Baton Rouge," Despain said. "We need more people and we'll do the transportation for the jobs.” The work includes gutting houses and installing Sheetrock.

Despain said all it takes for people in the second chance program to succeed is to do their best.

"We do whatever we can to help them, but they have to try themselves,” she said. “They have to show me that they're trying to change.

"The people we've hired, there's been some change for them."

—

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article referred to the group as Otero Construction LLC. 

Also, we added the contact information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents get 'second chance' for employment

CRESTVIEW — Mullet Festival Queens & Kings Pageant signups are under way.

The pageant is 2 p.m. Sept. 24 for 0-5 years and 6 p.m. for ages 6 and up at Niceville High School.

The deadline to enter is noon Sept. 19.

For information and an application, go to www.events-md.com or call 974-0220.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mullet Festival pageant deadline ends soon

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Republican Executive Committee has Trump yard signs available for distribution in Crestview.

The signs are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis for residents who want to show support for presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Residents on the south side of Crestview may call JB Whitten, 305-3890; north side residents may call Joe Loria, 682-3745.

Donations are accepted.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Trump yard signs available for Crestview area

CRESTVIEW — Drs. E.A. Tillman and Larue Curenton welcome Dr. Kaycee Wilcox to their practice.

Wilcox, a Bonifay, Fla., native and relative of Tillman, received a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of West Florida.

She earned her doctorate in dental medicine from the Lake Erie College of Medicine School of Dental Medicine. While there, she received the Exceptional Community Service Award, which honors graduates who demonstrate the desire to offer noteworthy service to community members.

Wilcox is a member of the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association and the Northwest District Dental Association.

"Dr. Wilcox is excited to become a part of the Crestview community and is dedicated to providing the highest quality dental care for each patient," a media release from the dentist's office stated.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Wilcox joins dental office's staff

I can empathize with the dilemma of the voice of “To Bathe a Boa” by C. Imbior Kudrna. Not that I have — or ever will have — a pet snake, but the few times I’ve attempted to bathe my cat, I’ve had a similar disastrous struggle.

Thankfully, the ending was not the same!

The Sept. 30 Library Class for ages 0-2 is about bath time. Classes begin at 9:15 and 10:15 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LIBRARY'S PICK: 'To Bathe a Boa' — or a cat

Gaze at the stars during Family Library Time! We’ll watch the constellations go by (produced by a computerized projection).

The Emerald Coast Science Center is bringing an inflatable dome to the Crestview Public Library. Shows begin at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 27 for the first 25 people per event.

This event is not designed for young children. To enter the dome, children must be able to sit quietly for 25 minutes and must not be afraid of the dark.

Family Library Time is designed for families with elementary and middle-school children. Adults are also welcome.

Thank you to our Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative, who made this star-gazing opportunity free for you!

Registration is not required. Please call me at 682-4432 with questions.

Heather Nitzel is the Crestview Public Library's youth services librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Constellations on view at the library

CRESTVIEW — A crossing guard and four students are injured following two Sept. 16 traffic accidents.

Henry Kelley, the Okaloosa County School District’s Office of Community Affairs program director, said one accident involved a crossing guard at Walker Elementary School.

"An employee — a trained crossing guard wearing proper safety gear — was struck by a car in front of Walker and transported to a hospital."

Kelley did not disclose the employee’s name and current condition.

In addition, a bus crash north of Crestview High School resulted in some injuries.

"Bob Sikes Elementary bus No. 0014 was involved in an accident," Kelley said. "Four students were transported to the hospital with minor scrapes. A second bus was immediately dispatched.

"All parents of students on the bus were contacted by school officials, and they are either at home or were released to their parents at the scene." 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crossing guard, students injured in North Okaloosa accidents