DESTIN — The Junior League of the Emerald Coast's Annual Recruitment Social is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at The Breakers on Okaloosa Island.

All women 21 years old and up in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties may join the event, and learn about the Junior League’s history and the benefits of membership. The event is free; refreshments will be provided.

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast Inc. is an organization of women who promote volunteerism, help develop women's potential, and improve communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Junior League schedules recruitment social on Okaloosa Island

FORT WALTON BEACH — All Okaloosa County parks have passed this week's tests for hazardous bathing water, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County stated this week.

Liza Jackson Park and Garniers Park, Fort Walton Beach, received moderate scores for water quality. Lincoln Park, Valparaiso; Poquito Park, Shalimar; Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, Niceville; Gulf Islands National Seashore, East Pass, Emerald Promenade, Marler Park, and Wayside Park, Okaloosa Island; and Clement E. Taylor Park, Henderson Beach and James Lee Park, Destin received good scores.

The health department's scores are based on EPA-recommended enterococci standards.

Enteric bacteria’s presence indicates fecal pollution from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife or human sewage.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: No Okaloosa parks receive advisories for hazardous water

Author Oliver Chase is the guest speaker for the Crestview Writers Group's next meeting, set 6-8 p.m.  Monday, Aug. 24 at the Crestview Public Library.

Chase has published several short stories and novels, including "Marsh Island" and "Blind Marsh," available for checkout at the library. "Blind Marsh" received the East Texas semifinalist First Chapter Novel Award. His short story, “Mr. Amala’s Soup” won third place in the Gulf Coast Writers Association’s “Lets Write” contest.

See oliverchase.net for more information about the author. Contact Tami Kidd, tamilynnkidd@gmail.com, for more on the writers group.

Marie Garcia is the Crestview Public Library's assistant director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: GARCIA: Author Oliver Chase to speak at Crestview writer's group meeting

CHIPLEY — Traffic on State Road 85 over the Shoal River Relief Bridge, 2.5 miles south of Interstate 10, in Okaloosa County will encounter lane restrictions Aug. 11 as crews perform routine bridge maintenance.

Northbound lane closures will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Maintenance activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.

Drivers are reminded to watch for traffic flaggers, to use caution and to obey the posted speed limit when traveling through the work zone.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Shoal River relief bridge maintenance is Aug. 11

CRESTVIEW — Angela Livingston lives in Rolling Pines Townhomes with her husband, Willie, and son, Antryun Coleman.

Her daughter, Lakaron Thomas, lives in a nearby residence with her 3- and 6-year-old sons.

And both households have no patience for some recent unexpected guests: four black bears reportedly roaming in the Redstone Avenue area.   

Friday, around 12:30 p.m., Thomas returned to her Crooked Pine Trail home to pick up her garbage can. "When she got out her car, the bear came out of the woods and approached her," Livingston said. "The bear took my daughter's entire garbage can into the woods."

Saturday, around 4 a.m., Coleman encountered the animals at his parents' Swaying Pine Court home. "He heard a little huff as he was walking to his car," Livingston said.  "There were two cubs behind my son's car parked in our driveway."

Eyewitnesses said they spotted three cubs and a mother in the southern part of Crestview.

Ashley Hinshaw‎ said Friday on the News Bulletin's Facebook page that her dog encountered a bear.

Janna Brittain said on Facebook that she noticed signs of bear activity in Redstone Estates. "The other day, my garbage can was turned over and a bag of garbage dragged into the woods behind my home."

"I saw (a bear) in Countryview Estates a couple weeks ago," Crystal Taylor  said, referring to the subdivision off PJ Adams Parkway. "It was a cub."

After one sighting, Livingston contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"Don't put anything in your trash, because if (bears) came to your trash and got something out before, they'll continue coming," she said of the advice she received. "Well, what are we gonna do? Keep (garbage) in our houses? Keep it in our garages?"

Bears are considered nuisance wildlife, according to the FWC, which recommends removing the "attractant" — trash or easily accessible food — before taking the last resort : trapping such animals.

"Basically, everyone said the same thing: We can come and scare them out of your yard, but we won't attempt to capture them because we don't want to hurt them," Livingston said. "It came across as if the bears had more rights than we did … that wasn't good enough for us."

But she was pleased with the Crestview Police Department, which on Monday verified the sighting. Shortly afterward, the FWC placed a couple of traps in the area, according to Crestview Police Lt. Edward DeCoste.

One trap is in an area between Crooked Pine Trail and Redstone Avenue, according to FWC spokesperson Bekah Nelson. Another is set near Majestic Prince Court.

Still, Livingston and her family are taking precautions. "We've been trying to get in before dark and keep the porch lights on," she said.

Livingston remains hopeful for resolution.

"I don't want to see (the bears) harmed, but if it comes down to our children and the other residents, then I'm more for our humans' safety."

News Bulletin editorial assistant Renee Bell contributed to this report.

"Presently, garbage is by far the biggest bear attractant in Florida. The calories a bear can consume by picking through one garbage can often surpasses the forage they can find in an entire day."

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website 

Learn more about the Florida black bear

DID YOU KNOW?

33690291007

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview bear sightings — mama and three cubs — raise concerns

CRESTVIEW — No one was more surprised when Mayor David Cadle announced this year’s Mae Retha Coleman Citizen of the Year recipient than the honoree himself.

“I couldn’t imagine why my wife told me to get up here,” Malcolm Haynes said Monday evening when Cadle read his name. “I wouldn’t have guessed it in a million years.”

“He has proven himself over and over and over again,” Cadle said. “I was so pleased when I heard of the committee’s selection of this year’s winner.”

Haynes has served in multiple capacities over many years, including as a driving force behind the annual No Child Without Health Care Fair and community educational programs.

He’s an active member of the Crestview Kiwanis Club, and is a past master of the J.R.L. Conyers Lodge, Third Masonic District, and current deputy district grand marshal of the Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge of Florida.

“What a great individual and gentleman,” City Councilman JB Whitten said. “He knows everybody in town and can get things done.”

“There’s no better choice in my opinion,” Councilman Joe Blocker said.

“He’s so low-key, he doesn't make a lot of humpty-hurrah about anything,” Council President Shannon Hayes said. “He’s such a great organizer; he makes sure the people who should be doing things are doing what they should be doing.”

Hayes encouraged residents to participate in selecting the annual Citizen of the Year by completing and submitting applications to the city clerk each spring.

“The city has great people doing good things all over,” Hayes said.

WANT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE?

Applications for the Mae Retha Coleman Citizen of the Year Award are available at the Crestview City Clerk’s office in City Hall.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Malcolm Haynes named Crestview's Citizen of the Year (VIDEO)

DESTIN — The 4th Annual Paddle at the Porch, featuring a $6,000 cash purse, will take place Aug. 15 in waters behind The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House in Destin.

The event features 1-mile and 3-mile recreational races, a 6-mile elite race, and a kids’ fun race.

A cash purse will be split among first-, second- and third-place racers in the 12'6" Men's Elite and 12'6" Women's Elite races. First place will receive $1,500, second place will receive $1,000, and third place will receive $500.

The kids’ fun race, new to the event, allows 12-year-olds and under to compete on a shorter course. Medals will be awarded to the top three racers.

For the 3- and 6-mile races, the cost is $60 before Aug. 15, and $75 on race day; for the 1-mile race, $48 before Aug. 15; $55 on race day; and for the kids’ fun race, $12 before Aug. 15; $15 on race day.

Some proceeds will benefit Building Homes for Heroes, a national non-profit organization that constructs or modifies homes for people who were injured while serving the country during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The nonprofit gifts mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families.

Registration may be completed on Active.com. The first 200 to register in the 1-, 3- and 6-mile races will receive T-shirts. There is no T-shirt for the kids’ fun race.

Follow Facebook.com/PaddleAtThePorch to learn more about the event.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Destin Paddle at the Porch purse increases to $6K

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council will give the Mae R. Coleman Citizen of the Year award to an area resident next week.

The meeting is 5:30-6 p.m. Aug. 10 in the city hall council chambers, 198 Wilson St., N.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Citizen of the Year award presentation scheduled

CRESTVIEW — Having helped clean a beach themselves, Girl Scouts in Crestview Troop 676 encourage other organizations to help tidy Okaloosa County's top tourist attraction.

“As part of the Girl Scout Law, the girls promise to ‘make the world a better place,’ and that is what they were trying to accomplish" Aug. 1, parent volunteer Amanda Converse said.

Cleanup at the Gulf Island National Seashore’s Okaloosa Area was organized through the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, which provided trash bags and other equipment. 

“We collected and disposed of 20 bags of trash which consisted of glass, cigarette and cigar butts, lighters, batteries, water bottles, soda and beer cans, fishing reel lines, lures and hooks, chip bags and other food item trash, plastic grocery bags, rope, leftover fire debris including coal and cooking supplies, an oar, boogie board, plastic tire tube, as well as other many unidentifiable metal and plastic objects,” Converse said. “Many metals were rusted.”

The girls toted trash bags and wore protective gloves as they combed dunes and vegetation for debris that shouldn't have been there in the first place, Converse said. “Our beaches need help being maintained,” she said.

“Many people are not practicing the ‘Leave No Trace’ concept and leave behind trash that could have easily been picked up if they just brought a little trash bag along with them.”

Groups may organize beach cleanups through Nancy Hussong, Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. Contact nhussong@co.okaloosa.fl.us or 609-5387 for more details.

WANT TO HELP?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview area Girl Scouts help clean Gulf Island Seashore beaches

FORT WALTON BEACH — One Okaloosa County park has potentially hazardous bathing water, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County stated this week.

East Pass, Okaloosa Island failed tests based on EPA-recommended enterococci standards.

Enteric bacteria’s presence indicates fecal pollution from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife or human sewage.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: One Okaloosa park receives advisories for hazardous water