CRESTVIEW — Take Off Pounds Sensibly has helped millions of people nationwide lose weight over the past 60-plus years.

Now, the nonprofit's Crestview Chapter 0325 has new officers who can help local members achieve their goals.

Florette Murchison, leader, Jane McConnell, co-leader, Kimberly Cook, secretary, and Grace Bratton, treasurer, will lead the group. Agnes Parker, lead, and Mary Bell, assistant, will record members' weight.

TOPS' network includes thousands of weight-loss support groups across the United States and Canada. These chapters provide a judgment-free zone where people learn how they can make life changes to responsibly shed pounds.

TOPS' two Crestview chapters meet as follows:

•TOPS FL 0325: 8 a.m. Tuesdays, First United Methodist Church, 599 8th Ave, Crestview

•TOPS FL 0504: 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall

See www.tops.org for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview weight-loss group installs new officers

CRESTVIEW — Yoloni Fredericks knows why she’s at Hope House — “I had some school problems” — but she knows she’ll be back home soon and things will be better.

The 13-year-old stays at Hope House, Lutheran Services Florida's Crestview residential counseling center, which serves at-risk youths and their families.

See photos from Hope House's Christmas in July>>

The organization offers screenings and assessments, referrals, a temporary residential shelter, individual and family counseling, intervention, case management and aftercare.

But on July 28, the focus was on fun.

That's when the Salvation Army showed up and helped present Christmas in July for Hope House residents, families and affiliates.

LSF staffers and Salvation Army members provided yard games including beanbag tosses, putt-putt, lawn checkers, and “TP toss” in which rolls of toilet paper were lobbed through a toilet seat target.

As kids played games and made sidewalk chalk drawings, adult supervisors and volunteers grilled hotdogs and hamburgers and made barbecue chicken and ribs. Donated cakes, cookies, cupcakes and chips completed the feast.

SERIOUS MISSION

The festivity belied the seriousness of Hope House’s mission.

“We’re a shelter for runaway kids, truant kids, ungovernable children and if a parent needs a time-out,” dietary specialist Bea Sutton said.

“This is a safe place for kids,” she said. “They’ve been through a lot. Our focus is to take care of them.”

State agencies Children in Need of Services or Families in Need of Services, known as CINS-FINS, place many of the children who stay in the eight-bed facility, counselor Stephanie Walthour said.

Some of the 10- to 17-year-old residents survived domestic violence, but the facility also serves children who assaulted their parents. Hope House can be their last opportunity before going to the juvenile justice system.

“We’re more of a preventative program before they get to that point,” Walthour said. “But we also have kids who are just being teenagers.”

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

The sound of Christmas music interrupted the games. The rear doors of two Salvation Army vans were flung open and nearly two dozen kids flocked to receive festively packaged donated gifts.

“These are toys we collected over the year so we decided to do Christmas in July,” Salvation Army Lt. Camilo Rojas said. “This was the perfect place to do it.”

For Yoloni, the gifts and games helped make her time at Hope House better.

“It’s fun,” she said. “They take good care of me here, but I’m ready to go home.”

WHAT CAN HOPE HOUSE DO FOR YOU?

Lutheran Services Florida offers free residential and non-residential crisis counseling for troubled youths and their families.

Services provided by masters-level professionals and trained staff include:

•Screenings and assessments

•Referrals

•Temporary residential shelter

•Individual and family counseling

•Intervention

•Case management

•Aftercare/follow-up for six months

The facility also distributes food for needy residents.

Contact Hope House Youth Shelter — 5127 Eastland St., Crestview, 682-2374, www.lsfnet.org — for more information

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview at-risk kids, families and friends celebrate Christmas in July

CRESTVIEW — Trust between law enforcement agencies and the public is important when crises arise.

That was the takeaway from Tuesday's Citizens Town Hall at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. A panel including Mayor David Cadle, Police Chief Tony Taylor and Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley addressed key points for dealing with tragedies.

In such times, trust is crucial, Ashley said.

“When the trust is lost, that’s when things break down," he said. "Do we really want to have a battle with our brothers and sisters?”

Checking the police department and sheriff's office's websites — as opposed to reading Facebook friends' accounts of an incident — is important; so is trusting authorities' information, even if all answers aren't given, Taylor and Ashley said.

"We try to be as transparent as possible, but there are some things we cannot tell you right away," Taylor said.

Residents and panel members brainstormed ways to build trust between the community and law enforcement officers.

Ideas included adopting a local National Night Out, an evening when the community can play games and have fun with police officers. Perhaps a water balloon fight with lawmen wearing everyday clothes would help strengthen residents' relationship with them, too, residents said.

Getting along well with police officers and sheriff's deputies is important in uncertain times, such as when local crime or widespread tension occurs, pastors said.

"The past six months have been quite disruptive and quite violent," said The Rev. Mark Broadhead, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Crestview. "We are concerned as a community and we hope to bridge gaps."

The Rev. Sanford Hayes asked about how local pastors could help during a tragedy, what would be the police department's first course of action and what role deputies would play if assistance were needed.

The city wants to increase more communication between citizens and law enforcement; build trust with the community; and, if tragedy arose, see pastors as an additional source of information, panel members said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview, Okaloosa officials: Strengthening relationship with lawmen crucial to weathering crises

Money and investing are on many Americans' minds these days. Though no one has a crystal ball to see the future, these books — new to the Crestview Public Library's collection — will teach you some basics:

'The Coffeehouse Investor: How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street, and Get on with your Life' by Bill Schultheis: The author, a retirement planning consultant and former stock broker, shows why sorting through a financial clutter of mutual funds, stock market experts and investment publications is counterproductive to building wealth. 

He redirects us away from the pursuit of “hot stocks” and “cool funds” and toward our personal goals, passions and the everyday realities of “raising children, meeting deadlines, keeping up with the competition, and giving it all we’ve got.”

'A Random Walk Down Wall Street' (2015 edition) by Burton G. Malkiel: In a time of market volatility and economic uncertainty, when high-frequency traders and hedge-fund managers seem to tower over average investors, Malkiel’s classic (since 1973), gimmick-free investment guide is more necessary than ever.

This life-cycle investing manual, which tailors strategies to investors of any age, will help you plan confidently, whether you're considering your first 401(k) contribution or contemplating retirement.

'The Four Pillars of Investing, 2nd edition' by William J. Bernstein: Bernstein bridges the four fundamental topics successful investors use to consistently generate exceptional profits: the theory, history, psychology and business of investing.

'The Boglehead’s Guide to Investing, 2nd edition' by Mel Lindauer, Taylor Larimore and Michael LeBoeuf: If you read one book on saving, debt management, investing, insurance and financial planning, make it this one.

And, finally, because it’s never too early to start learning:

'The Everything Kids’ Money Book: Earn it, Save it, and Watch it Grow, 2nd edition' by Brette McWhorter Sember: With lots of cool facts, kids can discover the fascinating world of money, saving and investing.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DREADEN: 5 books for investing basics

CRESTVIEW — The red-headed stranger may not be coming to the Hub City on Sunday, but perhaps the next best thing is.

That would be J.T. Willie, a Crestview resident and Willie Nelson impersonator, who tours the southern United States.

He will perform a concert 6:30 p.m. July 26 at Church of the New Covenant, 3191 Newman Ave. N., Crestview.

Learn more at www.jtwillie.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Willie Nelson impersonator sets Crestview concert

CRESTVIEW — After eight years of operating in Dorcas Fire Station 42 west of Crestview, the North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club seeks a home closer to town.

“Our hosts at Dorcas were wonderful,” club President Ron Mahn said. “They’ve taken awesome care of us…"

Mahn said the matter arose in June when the fire district asked the club to enter into a lease for Station 42.

“…If we’re going to go into a lease, something closer to town would make more sense,” Mahn said.

“Most of the members are from Crestview so we’re trying to come back to town and have a greater presence here,” NOARC vice president Alex Barthé said.

Barthé said the club must clear its equipment out of the Deer Springs Road firehouse by the end of the month.

The club has submitted an offer on foreclosed property on North Ferdon Boulevard. Even if their offer is accepted, it will still be several months before the club could move in.

“Right now we need a place to meet,” Barthé said. “We can play gypsy and go to different places, but we really need a place of our own where we can have our equipment and teach classes.”

In addition to providing volunteer communications services during emergencies and community events, the 40-member group offers licensing instruction and education about radio technology.

“We’re trying to develop more of a training environment so we can enhance the skills of those who are already ham operators, and train people who are interested in becoming hams,” Barthé said, using the colloquial term for amateur radio enthusiasts.

Requirements for the new location include a place that provides "opportunities to offer classes, training programs, a place to operate, and a place to put up antennas,” Mahn said.

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WHAT DOES NOARC DO?

The North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club provides training for ham radio licenses, and voluntary communications services to community events or organizations including The Race for Lace, The Crestview Christmas parade, The Crestview Fall Festival, and The Triple-B festival. It also provides radio demonstrations in area schools, supports area Boy Scouts during Jamboree on the Air and ham radio merit badge qualifying, and provides emergency communications through the Okaloosa County Emergency Operations office in the event of storms or other disasters; and provides communications services at storm shelters when cellular service fails.

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The North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club welcomes contributions toward building or buying a new clubhouse. It also seeks people interested in becoming amateur radio operators. Contact NOARC President Ron Mahn, KI5FR@arrl.net, 398-7524; or Vice President Alex Barthé, 791-4517. See www.w4aaz.org for more information.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Amateur radio club seeks Crestview home

CRESTVIEW — The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is considering suing the Okaloosa County School District as allegations of racial discrimination surface at Baker School.

Dale Landry, vice president of the NAACP's Florida Conference, addressed about 75 people Saturday during a town hall meeting to discuss the charges. The NAACP called the meeting after a military family said their teenage sons were subjected to racial slurs and physical intimidation. The family, who are black, also said their home was burglarized and the father was followed in a threatening manner while he was on his way home.

Several people — including two military family members whose children attended Baker — shared their stories.

A woman who is white said her biracial teenage son was subjected to racial slurs and was shown the same photo of a Ku Klux Klan member holding a noose that the boys who made the original charges said they were shown. She withdrew her younger children from the school when the oldest boy was suspended after fighting several others who attacked him. She said she went to the administration to try to solve the problem, and they told her son what to do if he was harassed.

Another man, also a military member, said his daughter, who he said never had disciplinary problems before, was suspended after she got in a fight after another student called her the N word. After the meeting, the man’s wife said their daughter is considering transferring to another school.

“I just want to stress what we’ve said before,” Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson told the Northwest Florida Daily News after the meeting. “Because of privacy issues, we aren’t able to share the district’s side to the story, because we can’t talk about what type of discipline these children or any of the students involved received.

"But we take it very seriously, and the principal at Baker has made it very clear that he is not going to tolerate this kind of racial abuse. The school district has nothing to hide.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa School District responds to accusations of racial tension

When Booklist Online named the Top 10 Science Fiction/Fantasy Books for 2015, I immediately checked our database to see if I had purchased any of the titles.

Happily, I purchased four of the 10! 

This is a major accomplishment for me because it has been years since I actually read science fiction or fantasy. The genres' most recognizable authors to me are Madeleine L’Engle and Anne McCaffrey — neither of them  made the top 10.  

Here are the books that did:

• “The Bone Clocks,” by David Mitchell                            

• “The Magician’s Land,” by Lev Grossman

• “Golden Son” by Pierce Brown                                          

• “The Queen of the Tearling,” by Erika Johansen

• “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood,” by Diana Gabaldon

• “The Oversight,” by Charlie Fletcher                                              

• “The Gracekeepers,” by Kirsty Logan

• “The Fire Sermon,” by Francesca Haig                             

• “California Bones,” by Greg van Eekhout

• “A Crown for Cold Silver,” by Alex Marshall

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Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview library director lists magazine's top 10 science fiction, fantasy books