The News Bulletin now has more options than ever for sharing your thoughts on the North Okaloosa County stories that you care about.

As of Feb. 23, Viafoura now provides the CNB's commenting services.

Up until today, only Facebook users primarily could comment on our articles. But now, readers with Viafoura, Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Windows Live or Yahoo! accounts can post comments.

In addition, CNB readers will have access to tools they never had before.

For instance, readers now can:

●Vote up and vote down comments

●Follow other users

●Receive instant notifications on commenting activity

●Earn badges

●Flag anything offensive or abusive

"We are excited to make this transition," News Bulletin editor Thomas Boni said. "Our web fans love to comment on their favorite stories, and we think they deserve additional, real-time recognition,  such as Editor's Pick and promotions for being trusted commenters with special privileges.

"However, please be patient. Just as Rome wasn't built in day, our new system may have some hiccups as we all get used to it. Our goal is to better serve you."

Happy commenting! 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Exciting changes for CNB Online comments

One of Choctawhatchee Electrical Cooperative's newest projects, feeder automation, makes the organization's reliability even stronger, according to a CHELCO media release.

"It brings operational and engineering analysis technology together to create a smarter electric grid, which makes our members power more reliable," the release stated.

CHELCO fully activated the feeder automation system earlier this month. North Baker, Laurel Hill West, South Glendale and North DeFuniak are the first areas to receive activation.

The technology automatically detects any disturbance that causes an outage and redistributes the power by remotely activating switches that restore power to as much of the affected outage area as possible. Not everyone will have power, but fewer members would be out of power because electricity is routed on different circuit to some of the members.  Some of the testing showed that the average time to restore power was two and half minutes.

"The feeder automation project is just one way CHELCO works for its members by maintaining the best reliability possible," CEO Steve Rhodes said. "Although this project will be implemented over the next 10 years, the benefits have already begun with the recent activations."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New CHELCO project set to improve power reliability

CRESTVIEW — Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless is accepting donations to purchase a bike for a homeless Crestview veteran.

Anne Sprague, the organization's president, said the bike costs approximately $150.

"He is staying in a tent behind Publix and needs the bike to be able to get to our Helping Hands building behind the First United Methodist Church. 

"He needs to come to us to do his laundry and get a shower.  He has medical issues: bad knees and hip, along with stomach cancer.  He is trying for disability," Sprague said.

If you would like to help, take a donation to Helping Hands, 428 McLaughlin St., Crestview, between 1-4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays, or contact Sprague at 826-1770 to make other arrangements.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Homeless coalition collecting bike funds for Crestview veteran

BAKER — A free quail management workshop will teach attendees ways to improve quail habitat, predator control, restocking and more.

A restoration project that can be applied to private lands will be discussed, and a tour of the Gum Creek Lodge property is also included.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 31 at Gum Creek Lodge, 5899 Buckward Road, Baker, and the workshop ends at 3 p.m.

Lunch will be served free of charge to those who register by March 25. Call Billie Clayton at 850-767-3634 5 to sign up.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker workshop to teach quail management

CRESTVIEW — Drivers will encounter these traffic disruptions as crews perform construction activities. 

Interstate 10 resurfacing: Intermittent and alternating east and westbound lane closures from the Santa Rosa County line to east of County Road 189 (Holt exit), between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 through Thursday, Feb. 25. The speed limit will be reduced to 60 mph in the active work zone.

State Road 90: Eastbound lane closures on U.S. 90 between Summertime Drive and A.L. Gillman Road, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday Feb. 22 through Saturday, Feb. 27.

I-10 resurfacing, Walton County: Intermittent and alternating east and westbound lane closures, from just west of Boy Scout Road to just east of U.S. 331, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22 through Thursday, Feb. 25. 

 I-10, Walton County: Alternating east and westbound lane closures between mile marker 74 and mile marker 90 in Walton County, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22 through Thursday, Feb. 25 as crews trim trees near the roadway.  

U.S. 331 Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge, Walton County: Alternating lane closures across the Clyde B. Wells Bridge, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, and Thursday, Feb. 25 as crews place concrete for the new bridge.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 Okaloosa, Walton traffic disruptions to expect

CRESTVIEW —Construction on a $3.2 million roadway resurfacing project along U.S. 90 is scheduled to begin the week of Feb 22.

The 7.4-mile project will take place between Summertime Drive and east of Old River Road in Okaloosa County.

Improvements include resurfacing the roadway and paved shoulders, resurfacing the park-n-ride east of the intersection with Galliver Cutoff, guardrail upgrades at existing bridges, construction of bicycle keyhole lanes at selected locations, and safety improvements.  

The project should be completed by the summer. In the meantime, motorists can expect alternating and intermittent lane restrictions.  Lane closures will be marked with signs and cones and workers will guide traffic through the work area.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Major U.S. Highway 90 construction project scheduled

MILTON — Following recent storms in the tri-county area, Florida Forest Service officials encourage residents to practice safe burning, whether they are destroying yard debris or blown-down limbs and trees.

FFS, which regulates burning, shares these guidelines to stay safe, stay legal and avoid undesirable effects from smoke.

THE BASICS

●Legal burning hours are between 8 a.m. and one hour before sunset.

●Start any burn as early as possible — within the rules — so the fire has time to die before evening fog sets in.

●Piles greater than 8 feet in diameter require FFS authorization.

SETBACKS

Piles less than 8 feet in diameter must be:

●At least 25 feet from any forested area (grasslands, brush or wildlands)

●At least 25 feet from your home or other combustible structure

●At least 50 feet from a paved or public roadway

●At least 150 from an occupied dwelling other than your own home.

●Clear down to bare, mineral soil around your pile to prevent the fire from spreading

DON'TS

●Do not burn household garbage (including paper products), treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, pesticide, paint and aerosol containers. It is illegal.

●Do not burn green or wet materials. It is illegal and creates excessive smoke.

● Do not burn on windy days.

● Do not leave a fire unattended — even for a moment. Grass fires spread quickly. Be prepared. Keep handy a water hose, shovel or other means to put out the fire.

DO:

●Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving it — no smoke and no heat.

●Call for help immediately if your fire escapes. Several minutes may pass before a fire department or the FFF can arrive on scene.

●Know you might be held liable for the cost of suppression and damage to other properties

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Safety tips for burning Northwest Florida yard debris

CRESTVIEW — Crestview Girl Scouts have additional friends since Valentine's Day.

Nine Scouts and some of their family members delivered Girl Scout Cookies on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 for over 50 residents of Crestview Manor as part of their continued outreach to elderly residents in our community.

The Scouts  would like to say "Thank You!" to Crestview for buying and donating boxes of cookies during booth sales this year and let them know they were delivered, said a spokesperson.

"The residents were very happy about cookies, as well as seeing the boys and girls.

"We delivered cookies as promised and Valentines as well as sang, made new friends in dining area. One part the residents and children both enjoyed … is when they all saw the tree outside of the manor and decided they must climb —(with) all parents present of course."

—

Editor's Note: The article has been updated from its initial version. The Boy Scout troop is 773, not 776. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Scouts make Crestview Valentine's Day deliveries

CRESTVIEW — A local supermarket's shopping carts are disappearing, and customers may soon have to help pay to replace them.

The Crestview Pic-N-Sav received 50 new shopping carts five months ago; as of this writing, just 28 remain, according to store manager Andy Harrelson. At $100 each, that’s $2,200 of the store’s revenue.

Pic-N-Sav carts have been found as far away as Old Betheland Aplin Roads, Harrelson said, adding the U.S. Highway 90 West store's cart problem is the worst he’s encountered among the chain's six locations he’s managed.

Harrelson said he doesn’t believe customers maliciously steal the carts. Many Pic-N-Save shoppers come from lower-income neighborhoods near the store, and need a way to get groceries home.

“I understand that some of them don’t have a vehicle,” Harrelson said, adding he has granted permission to customers who ask to take the carts home, provided they bring them back. “I’ve never told a single customer no."

Pic-N-Sav isn’t the shopping center's only store experiencing such thefts. “Our buggies disappear all the time,” said a Dollar General employee who wished to remain anonymous.

Crestview grocers in less residential locations don't seem to have the same issue.

“We don’t have a problem like that at our particular location,” Winn-Dixie manager Ricky Reeves said. The closest neighborhoods to his store, at the corner of Ferdon Boulevard North and Old Bethel Road, are mainly newer, middle-class developments.

Publix, at the corner of Ferdon Boulevard South and Redstone Avenue West, is in a predominantly commercial and medical area. Further, Publix bagboys take many customers’ groceries to their cars and return carts to the store.

Harrelson said his store on Feb. 14 received 100 shopping carts at a cost of $10,000. If more carts disappear, the added overhead may soon show up on price tags.

“Somebody’s got to pay that expense,” he said. “We don’t have a big enough profit margin to keep buying new ones.

"I’ve been fighting real hard to keep our prices down. But when $100 a pop starts hitting me, that one buggy somebody just took, it’s like they walked in and took $100 worth of groceries and walked out with it.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Shopping cart thefts could force Crestview supermarket to raise prices (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — A ribbon cutting is planned for the Tom Thumb Liquors store opening in Crestview.

The event is 6-9 p.m. Feb. 18 next to the Tom Thumb store, 5150 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview.

The store has a large selection of spirits, wine and craft beer, growler taps and more.

During the grand opening, the company will give free embroidery on Crown Royal bags with purchase, and free engraving of select Woodford Reserve/Gentlemen Jack bottles with purchase, while supplies last.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview ribbon cutting set for Tom Thumb Liquors