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

FORT WALTON BEACH —Niceville High School senior Madison “Mimi” Taylor is the Okaloosa County Distinguished Young Woman of 2016. She was chosen from 12 teenagers during Saturday's scholarship program at the Fort Walton Beach Municipal Auditorium.

Taylor won a Troy University Chancellor’s Scholarship, and won the Interview, Self-Expression and Talent categories. She was also awarded the Arden Robertson Spirit of DYW award, and was first alternate for the Lydia Clark Fitness Award.

Other award recipients included:

•Colleen Ellis, Niceville: first alternate

•Grace Barton, Niceville: second alternate

•Ellis Daugherty, Niceville; Barton; and Sarah Craig, Crestview: full tuition Chancellor’s scholarships to Troy University, Troy, Ala.

 •Barton, Scholastic Award winner; Mary Claire “MC” Cockrum, Niceville: alternate

•Cockrum, winner of the Lydia Clark Fitness Award; Arden Robertson Spirit of DYW Award alternate and Interview Award alternate

•Cynthia “CJ” McDonald, Fort Walton Beach: The Natalie Lawson “Be Your Best Self” award; Ellis and Carmen Little, Niceville, alternates

•Jessica Gunn, Niceville: Joan Lee Napp Memorial Award: the Okaloosa County 2015 DYW Class member was recognized for supporting the program

Distinguished Young Women (formerly Junior Miss) is the oldest national scholarship program for high school senior girls. The program showcases excellence in academic achievements, physical fitness, on-stage performance skills, interview confidence and communication skills.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Niceville teen named Okaloosa County Distinguished Young Woman of 2016

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

CRESTVIEW — A number of residents love to beat the heat at the Crestview Public Library.

That was certainly one of its patrons' goals the past few days, when the National Weather Service issued a "dangerous heat" advisory. Heat indices across Northwest Florida reached 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NWS. In Crestview, indices reached 109 degrees.

PHOTOS: Seen on Scene: A Day at the Library

Children and adults found a cool repose among the books, films and services Thursday afternoon. They copied recipes, browsed the stacks, did research, thumbed through DVDs or used the Internet.

Crestview's library is a hot spot for many residents seeking information, entertainment and stimulation, according to library staffers.

“Our statistics prove we are the most visited facility in the city,” Library Director Jean Lewis told the City Council at a July 6 workshop.

The library annually averages more than 98,000 visitors, Lewis said.

“We have become the informational as well as cultural center of the city,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview library patrons beat the heat, seek information (PHOTOS)