Want to make your Saturday in the Park an extended day trip? Try these nearby outdoorsy getaways not far from North Okaloosa County:

1. Bear Lake

Bear Lake Fish Management Area in the Blackwater State Forest has a boat ramp, handicapped-accessible fishing pier, bath/restroom facilities, camping and picnic areas.

Bear Lake Road off State Road 4 west of Holt, 957-6175 or 265-3676, myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/sites-forecast/nw/bear-lake/.

2. Blackwater River State Forest

Whether canoeists and kayakers launch their own vessels or rent them, the Blackwater River offers a scenic and enjoyable getaway. State park amenities include two nature trails, picnic areas and 30 campsites.

Information: 7720 Deaton Bridge Rd. off SR 4 west of Holt; 983-5363, www.floridastateparks.org/park/Blackwater-River.

3. DeFuniak Springs

Chipley Park surrounds the almost perfectly round Lake DeFuniak. After a picnic in the park, stroll over to Museum Depot and explore regional history in the town’s restored train station. Museum information: 951-2127.

4. Krul Lake

Krul Lake State Recreation Area in the Blackwater State Forest “has a swing (suspension) bridge and an amazing trail all the way over to Bear Lake,” J. Denise Ford stated, adding she enjoyed the 1.3-mile hike and the “picnic area at the middle.”

Information: Division of Forestry, 11098 Krul Lake Rd., off SR 4, Munson, 957-6140, www.outdoorgulfcoast.com/krul-lake-state-recreation-area/.

5. Lake Jackson

Next to historic downtown Florala, Ala., “Beautiful Lake Jackson,” as the signs say, has lakeside campground, swimming, bike and walking trails.

Florala State Park, 439 Victoria Lane, Florala. 334-858-6425, www.alapark.com/florala-state-park. Take State Road 85 about 15 minutes north of Laurel Hill over the state line.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 fun day trips from North Okaloosa County

CRESTVIEW — A Laurel Hill man is doing everything he can to help veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, and horses in need of rescue across the U.S.

Jim Bryan, a retired U.S. Army first sergeant, will present information on the Haven for Heroes program from 6-7 p.m. tomorrow at the Crestview Public Library, 1447 Commerce Drive, Crestview.

Bryan and co-owner Rhonda Bryan operate the Safe Haven Horse Rescue Center at 8321 Stokes Road, Laurel Hill.

Through their equine therapy program, veterans care for abandoned mares and colts 6-8 weeks old that were separated from their slaughtered mothers. In a recent CNB interview, Bryan said, ""Here's what happens … pregnant mares, they'll have their babies, and the mothers will be taken to slaughter and the babies are abandoned in a lot to fend for themselves."

The group also rescue horses that can no longer be cared for by their owners, or are unwanted.

"We pick the trash up (from places such as Oklahoma and Texas) and we get 'em back to health and we get 'em adopted out," he said. The horses are veterinarian checked, vaccinated, de-wormed and cleared for interstate travel.

WANT TO HELP?

Safe Haven Horse Rescue Center is located at 8321 Stokes Road in Laurel Hill. Contact 652-3350 to donate to the nonprofit organization or volunteer services.

Click here for their Facebook page>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bryan to discuss Haven for Heroes program tomorrow at Crestview library

CRESTVIEW — Kristen Forehand is celebrating the rewards of lengthy research and composition.

The Florida State University graduate's thesis, "Cool but Correct: Humanitarian Discourse and the U.S. Justification for Intervention in Chile," earned her FSU's Edward H. and Marie C. Kingsbury Undergraduate Writing Award, which comes with a $2,000 bonus.

Robinson Herrera, an FSU Department of History associate professor, helped the Crestview resident pick the topic and nominated her for the award.

"Kristen's thesis investigates the poorly understood historical process of how the U.S. adopted the discourse of human rights as justification for foreign intervention (in 1970s Chile)," Herrera stated via email.

"She worked with a large corpus of sources, many of them in Spanish, and she formulated original arguments and thoroughly grounded her conclusions in original documents."

Deciding to use Spanish-language sources was easy, Forehand said.

"I have studied Spanish for about seven years now, and I wanted to pick a topic that would allow me to use Spanish sources," she said.

But completing her thesis was a challenging process.

"I worked on that thesis for nine or 10 months," Forehand said. "It was a very stressful process, so getting that award and getting acknowledged — it was also very worthwhile.

"I had friends and family who were very supportive, and there was a lot I had to sacrifice (to accomplish that)."

So, what's next for Kristen?

Well, she is working on certification to become a Florida teacher and preparing for graduate school in 2016.

"If I do teach, I'd like to teach high school, just because (the students) are getting ready to go to college and I'm interested in one day working at the college level of education," Forehand said.

FAST FACTS

•Kristen Forehand's parents are Amy and Todd Forehand of Crestview. She has an older brother, Andrew.

•The Florida State University graduate's thesis, "Cool but Correct: Humanitarian Discourse and the U.S. Justification for Intervention in Chile," earned her FSU's Edward H. and Marie C. Kingsbury Undergraduate Writing Award, which comes with a $2,000 bonus.

•She is working on certification to become a Florida teacher and preparing for graduate school in 2016.

Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident wins prestigious award after 9 months' research

CRESTVIEW — A summer morning's stillness once again reflects in Grandview Pond as the water level rises to its previous height.

The north Crestview pond, one of several in the Grandview Heights neighborhood, drained when its dam collapsed in the aftermath of an April 29-30, 2014 storm.

Just less than a year later, workers from Westerra Development began restoring the breach on the dam’s south end, including replacing the spill pipe.

Construction began April 28. The project start date was critical, Grandview Heights Homeowners’ Association President Gary Johnson stated in a message to members on the organization’s website.

“If the construction is not started within a year, the state Environmental Protection Agency may recover the lake area as wetlands area,” his message stated. “This means we would not be able to reestablish the lake, which would affect everyone’s property value regardless of if you live on the lake.”

The subdivision’s 172 lot owners were each assessed $350 per lot in January when a 1993 dam repair fund established by an assessment of $100 per home owner was insufficient to fix the breach.

“Sadly, the inflation of our economy has caused this fund to fall short of the required funds to implement required repairs,” Johnson stated.

His web posts stated that the homeowners’ association tried to find federal, state and county grants before assessing homeowners for the dam repair.

"The lake is full of water and the dam is working as designed," Johnson said in an email to the News Bulletin.

Since the pond started refilling more than two weeks ago, properties lining its banks once more overlook a body of water rather than a grassy wetland. 

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: With dam repaired, Grandview Pond refills after April 2014 storm

CRESTVIEW — The library seeks a sculptor or welder skilled in bronze statue restoration.

Someone recently vandalized “The Whiz Kid,” and Crestview Public Library staffers and patrons aren’t happy.

The bronze-coated sculpture, one of the few pieces of public art in the city, was donated to the library by the Friends of the Library and sits on a brick base near the Commerce Drive building's main entrance.

Reference librarian Sandra Dreaden said the vandalism  included removal of the open book the mortarboard-wearing boy with oversized spectacles was reading.

“I’m very sad about this,” Library Director Jean Lewis said. “He’s just perfect for what we want to represent our library.”

The book was found in landscaping near the library, Lewis said, and was turned in to library staffers.

Now, it's time to fix the statue, but that could be challenging.

“We need to find a welder who can weld with bronze to put it back in place,” Lewis said.

Dreaden said closer inspection shows someone may also have chipped at the sculpture, resulting in damage to the bronze finish in spots, allowing rust to form on the underlying metal.

Library staffers are inquiring at the Northwest Florida State College Humanities Division to find someone skilled in sculpture restoration.

The sculpture in The Circus at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center was vandalized several years ago and was restored, and Dreaden said she hopes the college can put the library in touch with the restorer.

While the library hunts for an artist to help restore the sculpture, library patrons mourn the damage to a piece of art that has charmed residents since its 2010 installation.

“It's too bad that a bunch of thuggish hoodlums make it impossible for us to have nice public places,”patron Salome Otterbourne said.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Welder wanted: Sculpture vandalism disappoints Crestview library staffers, patrons

Mr. Mac is bringing music and movement to the Crestview Public Library.

Michael J. McCartan, an educator who teaches kids to get in shape with music, will entertain 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 at the library, 1445 Commerce Drive.

This is usually our time for Summer Stories, which are for ages 6 and up. But we will open the library up to all ages as we:

•Move to original Mr. Mac Says children’s physical activity music

•Perform hand drumming with wooden Tiki drums

•Review a brief history of drumming with cadences to today's popular patriotic songs

•Sing patriotic songs

•Work as a team to perform a variety of parachute activities

•Conclude with Fourth of July beach activities such as the limbo and hula hoops.

We’d like to thank the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative for funding this event, so it is free for you!

Visit www.mrmacsays.com for more details about Mr. Mac. Call Heather at 682-4432 with questions.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NITZEL: Children can move to the music June 30

CRESTVIEW — When a new county suddenly appears on the map, leadership is also needed. Such was the situation in 1915, when Okaloosa County was created.

To lead the 52nd county, Gov. Park Trammell appointed a slate of officials who would serve until elections could be held and the new county's residents could choose their own leaders.

Leading the officials as the appointed county judge was John Thomas Mapoles, father of state Rep. William H. Mapoles, known as "the “father of Okaloosa County."

Other officials, as documented by Baker Block Museum Director Ann Spann in “The Heritage of Okaloosa County,” were: Sheriff B.H. Sutton; Clerk of Circuit Court James L. Clary; Superintendent of Public Instruction William C. Pryor; county surveyor W.D. Locke; tax assessor George H. Webb; tax collector J.A. Richbourg; county treasurer P.J. Steele; and Board of County Commissioners members John H. Givens, J.W. Baggett, W.J. Davis, R.A. Rosier and B.P. Edge.

W.J. Jones, W.F. Wilkinson and W.H. Spivey were appointed Board of Public Instruction members. J.F. Richbourg, W.L. Culberson, R.J. Diamond, J.C. Hicks and Allen J. King were appointed justices of the peace.

A sixth justice of the peace and three constables were also appointed, Spann stated. The county treasurer’s position was never filled after Steele’s initial appointment.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: OKALOOSA CENTENNIAL: Gubernatorial appointments constitute county's first leaders

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Public Safety and the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County offer these hurricane preparation options:

•Ready Okaloosa app. The app, available at www.okaloosafl.com, allows users to easily access a plan, get evacuation zone information, get a supply list, and retrieve other hurricane preparation information.

•Robo calls. Okaloosa has a computer-based warning system with the ability to call 1,000 homes a minute with emergency information. 

•Special needs shelter. DOH-Okaloosa staffs the special needs shelter during evacuations and storms. The shelter is for people who need more medical supervision than a general population shelter can provide due to special medical needs, but they do not require hospitalization.

Visit okaloosa.floridahealth.gov for more information on the shelter. See https://snr.floridadisaster.org/okaloosa to register for it. Registration expires after one year and must be updated on the registration's anniversary.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County offers 3 ways to prepare for hurricanes