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Young entrepreneurs bring businesses to local market

Written by Aubrey Kelley on . Posted in local, News.

Gordon Martial Arts instructor Master Amanda Sanders is the creative mind behind the market. What started out as a way for her own children to grow their business has grown into a communitywide event for others to gain their own experience.

“So, my youngest was 16 at the time, and she wanted to get into photography. Now, she has her own licensed business because we started the market, and she got that confidence. It was just important to me to keep it going so other kids could see the different options as far as being an entrepreneur, and to also make mistakes, to learn how to talk to people, to learn how to run a business, handle money, the things that is kind of challenging as an adult to learn,” Sanders said.

The selling of their product is one thing, but kids also go through the entire creative process of brainstorming an idea and then creating it months before the market is held. Products ranged from paintings and 3D-printed gadgets to baked goods.

“Some of these kids put in months. You’re talking about two to three months to six months. I have kids that bake, so within the first week before the market, they’re spending all their time, day in and day out, preparing for it. So, it’s a lot of work for these guys,” Sanders said.

Kids from all around the Florida Panhandle participate in the Kids Entrepreneur Market, providing a plethora of products for members of the community to purchase.

“On the kids’ side, it’s phenomenal because we usually have anywhere from 80 to 120 kids show up with all their small businesses,” Sanders said. “We get kids from Fort Walton, Niceville, I had people come from Pensacola to participate.”

The market has continued to grow each year, with new and creative products making their way to Gordon Martial Arts’ parking lot, but Sanders wants to cast a broader net across Florida kids.

“One of the things that I truly want for the market is to reach at risk youth kids. So, I want to get enough sponsorships to eventually buy a bunch of different kits that the kids can make and have a day where sponsors from the community, business owners, and community leaders come out and meet one of the kids, and they do the crafts together. And then they come out and sit with them and help them run a booth and help them see that. So ideally, that’s what we’d like to expand it to, to have every kid,” Sanders said.

Thanks to all the sponsors, the market was free to any kids who wanted to attend. All young entrepreneurs received free shirts and free food provided by Killa Kones as they spent the day growing their small business.

Aubrey Kelley is a reporter for the Crestview News Bulletin.

To contact him, email him at aubrey@sandpaperpublishing.com

Celebration of all things French is July 11

Written by Staff Reporters on . Posted in local, News.

On Saturday, July 11, the swords — and crêpes — will fly at the Crestview History Museum, located in the historic Bush House at 198 South Wilson St. as the tricolore flutters overhead. And it’s free!

The occasion is the celebration of France’s National Day, better known in the U.S. as Bastille Day. As a tactical maneuver, the June 14, 1779, storming of the Bastille prison fortress in Paris was something of a flop.

Local chef Mary Richard demonstrates crêpe making for visitors to last year’s Bastille Day celebration.

Revolutionaries expecting to liberate the fortresses’ prisoners found only seven inmates, but the siege quickly became a lasting and endearing symbol of the abolition of the monarchy and the founding of the French Republic. The holiday continues to stir hearts throughout France.

At the Bastille Day Celebration, visitors can meet members of the Sister City Program, learn about the city’s 31-year-old relationship under Sister Cities International with Noirmoutier-en-l’Île, and view a museum display about the congenial island community off the west coast of France.

Members of Unity Fencing Academy will demonstrate the time-honored sport of sword fighting and explain its elegant moves. Visitors may try on the protective gear and take a few practice thrusts, just like the renowned Three Musketeers of Alexandre Dumas’s famous 1844 novel.

Past Bastille Day French food samples include macrons (top tier) and éclairs (bottom.

In the kitchen, samples of various French foods will be served, while the Sister City Program’s favorite chef, Mary Richard, will demonstrate the art of flipping a crêpe and searing it to perfection. Try a sample, smeared with the deliciousness of several fillings, including chocolatey Nutella.

“French food is rightly renowned for its delicious taste, but also for the art of creating and presenting it,” Mrs. Richard said. “We’re looking forward to sharing it with our visitors.”

The June 11 celebration of Bastille Day and all its French culture runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crestview History Museum, 198 South Wilson St. Admission is free. The celebration is presented by the Crestview Area Sister City Program and the Crestview History Museum.

Councilor Allison seeks return to Precinct 1 seat

Written by Gail Acosta on . Posted in local, News.

Allison wants one more term of service for the citizens of Crestview.

“One of my motivations is to give back to a community that gave so much to me growing up,” she said.

Allison grew up in Crestview and has fond memories of playing ball at Twin Hills Park. Her mother graduated from Crestview High School in 1954, and her grandmother worked at the concession stand at the Fox Theatre in downtown Crestview.

“I graduated high school here in 1976 and OW (Okaloosa-Walton Community College) in 1978,” Allison said. “The only time I left was to go to the University of Florida for two years. I graduated in 1980.”

Allison retired from the Florida Department of Corrections with just over 27 years of service working in the probation and parole department. She has a master’s degree in religious education. Her husband is retired military and a retired teacher from Crestview High School.

With all of that history, they are rooted here.

“I don’t do politics,” is what she told friends who approached her about the council seat when Blocker resigned. But she realized it was a way for her to give back to her community.

What did they see in her to suggest the position? “I think my authenticity. I am who you see I am — there are no facades,” Allison said. “I am honest and I love the city and the people of the city.”

She went to her pastor first and then discussed it with a close circle of people. They said it was the right move for her.

“Serving the people of Crestview and getting these projects done has been a blessing,” Allison said.

Since Allison joined the council, the city has purchased the old ROC and renovated it into a recreation center, added improvements to the RC track, renewed the City of Crestview Fire Department’s chaplaincy program and moved forward with plans for a new ladder truck.

But her favorite moments on the council haven’t necessarily been while sitting on the dais. Her heart is with first responders, so any time she gets to spend with them is a bonus.

“One of the highlights is when I rode with Santa on the fire truck for the Christmas parade,” Allison said. “It was so much fun. Jessica (Leavins) and I have also worked with the ladies for May Day. I have enjoyed getting to know those ladies. It has been such an honor and pleasure to come alongside them.”

Allison says the most challenging item coming for the City of Crestview is a budgeted plan forward if the governor’s bill to increase homestead exemptions to $250,000 over two years passes by the voters in the November election. It will require a 60% supermajority approval by voters.

“We (the city staff) are already making preparations,” Allison said. “Every department across the board has to show this is a want and not a need.”

Allison believes the city will be ready for whatever decision the voters make.

“We are here to support our citizens,” Allison said. “So, if that is what they want, we will figure it out. Adjustments will have to be made, but we will do our best to keep the services we have at the level they are at if we can do that.”

And speaking of giving back, Allison also volunteers at the Saving Grace Women’s Home in Baker. She has served them for the past five years and is now the Christian education director for the organization. And at home? She and her husband have two teenagers they are fostering.

Her campaign slogan is, “Serving with heart, leading with integrity, rooted in Crestview.”

 

Crestview to discuss data center ban in city limits

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in local, News.

City Manager Jessica Leavins said other cities in neighboring counties have already drafted similar ordinances, which the city’s attorney is now reviewing to ensure they comply with state law.

“It seemed like there was a general consensus…that is not a development direction we want to go in,” Leavins said.

The ordinance is allowed under SB 484, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. The law allows local governments to enact ordinances banning the development of data centers and establishing guidelines to ensure water and power costs are not offset by the public.

Currently, Santa Rosa County and Walton County are also discussing bans on data centers, with Santa Rosa County considering a 12-month moratorium.

The proposed ordinance will not appear on the July 15 agenda, as that meeting will be reserved for a budget workshop. The ordinance is next expected to be discussed Monday, Aug. 10.

Crestview taps Crestview swim coach to be temporary pool manager

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in local, News.

The city acquired the facility, known as the ROC, in December 2025. The building includes a gym and outdoor pool and will be renamed the Crestview Recreation Center.

Leavins told the council the city’s parks and recreation department lacks the certification and experience needed to run the pool.

Crestview High School swim coach David Hernandez works his team out during a recent practice. The Bulldogs have 45 swimmers in the program requiring them to split the team for practice.

“We are not suited to maintain the pool facility,” she said. “We have partnered with an individual who does have the appropriate certifications and is very used to working with and procuring lifeguards and scheduling swim time.”

Hernandez, who has been the head coach of the Crestview High swim team since 2022 and is a former Navy diver, has previously maintained the pool for several years. Under the proposed contract, he would handle scheduling, swim classes, free swim times, member payments, pool maintenance and staffing.

Leavins described the arrangement as a temporary measure while the city builds out employees to manage the facility. The city said the contract will carry no financial impact to taxpayers, as fees would be covered by pool revenue.

The final contract will return to the council after negotiations are complete. The motion was made by Councilwoman Dusty Allison with a second by Councilman Shannon Hayes.

Okaloosa County Oks dive safety deal ahead of SS United States deployment

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in local, News.

Under the memorandum of understanding, DAN will provide $10,000 annually over five years, for a total of $50,000, to support the SS United States project and related dive safety and marine conservation initiatives. The county retains discretion over how the funds are spent, with eligible uses including safety infrastructure, a potential visitors center and public education.

Alex Fogg, the county’s natural resources chief, framed the agreement as much about expertise as dollars.

“What’s most important about this potential partnership is the knowledge that they bring,” Fogg said. “They have dozens of medical doctors highly trained in hyperbaric medicine who can provide guidance to our facilities, to our staff — and guidance on establishing a hyperbaric chamber in the destination, because they’ve done it worldwide.”

The region has no hyperbaric emergency treatment facility. The nearest is in Mobile, Alabama; if that facility is unavailable, injured divers must be transported to Orlando. Fogg said the county’s public safety department has cut response time from injury to treatment from more than 12 hours to roughly six, which he said was significant progress but not a substitute for a local chamber.

“That still doesn’t satisfy the issue of us not having hyperbaric treatment facilities,” Fogg told the board.

Hyperbaric cylinders exist at facilities in Destin, Niceville and Fort Walton Beach, but commissioners noted those units are not configured for dive accident emergencies. Fogg said the county has pursued partnerships with local hospitals and private practices without reaching a final agreement.

“We’ve gotten very close, but we still aren’t quite there yet,” Fogg said. “We’re hopeful that in the coming months we will have a solution.”

Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, who said she has researched the hyperbaric issue at length, welcomed the DAN agreement as meaningful momentum.

“We really need to work this out if we are to be the nation’s greatest diving destination,” Ketchel said. “I applaud you for taking this step.”

Commissioner Paul Mixon floated an additional proposal: using tourism dollars to seed a startup grant program for businesses willing to establish a qualifying hyperbaric facility locally, without directing funds to any specific operator.

“I think there’s plenty of things we could do to be more aggressive in helping the industry come here,” Mixon said, adding he hoped the concept could be taken up during the county’s upcoming budget workshop.

Ketchel called the grant idea promising but noted funding is only part of the challenge.

“It’s not getting the facility up — it’s the management of a 24/7 operation, all the logistics, beyond the funding,” Ketchel said.

The memorandum of understanding also calls for a DAN-provided commemorative plaque to be affixed to the SS United States before deployment.

Fogg said the county has also been working with PADI Worldwide, a major dive training agency, to push safety information to certified divers, dive shops and charter operators ahead of the ship’s reefing.

“Sometimes a diver gets certified, maybe they haven’t been diving in a while, and they may get complacent,” Fogg said. “Trying to prevent those accidents is really important.”

Okaloosa County bans red-light cameras from county roads

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in government, local, News.

The resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Trey Goodwin, passed in a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Paul Mixon dissenting, after commissioners rejected a proposed amendment that would have narrowed the ban’s application outside municipal boundaries.

The resolution targets two categories of devices: traffic infraction detectors, commonly known as red-light cameras, and speed detection systems deployed in school zones. According to county officials, the county does not currently have either type of camera on county rights of way, but staff have received requests from cities to install them there.

Goodwin said the issue was prompted in part by a ruling from Broward County Judge Steven DeLuca, who found the statutory framework governing traffic camera citations violates constitutional due process. DeLuca ruled in a case involving the city of Sunrise that the camera enforcement system improperly shifts the burden of proof onto the accused.

“The cameras don’t identify a person, they identify a vehicle,” Goodwin said. “Instead of the government bearing the burden to prove the driver, it puts the onus on the accused to prove their innocence, and that violates all fundamental principles of procedural due process.”

He said the ruling does not directly bind the county but called it a likely preview of more legal challenges to come. The resolution applies only to county rights of way and does not affect camera programs operated by municipalities on their own roads or rights of way.

The board also said the resolution is unrelated to license plate reader systems, commonly known as Flock cameras, used by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

During public comment, speakers offered differing views.

Okaloosa resident Tim Bryant told the board he supported the ban, arguing camera-based enforcement bypasses Florida’s driver’s license point system, meaning dangerous drivers are not identified or removed from the road.

“The cameras don’t make us safer, they just collect money,” Bryant said.

Crestview Mayor JB Whitten, who voted against red-light cameras in the past, said he supports speed zone cameras in school zones despite his general opposition to traffic cameras. Whitten said he approved the speed cameras after data showed persistent speeding near schools.

Whitten said a 30-day test phase at a middle school on Old Bethel Road recorded 847 violations, including one driver clocked at 56 mph in a 20-mph zone. He also said 89.1% of drivers issued tickets last year received only one, suggesting the cameras were changing driving behavior.

“The intent is not to make money, the intent is to change driver’s patterns,” Whitten said. He urged the board to vote against the resolution or, at minimum, to table it until the state determines whether to appeal DeLuca’s ruling.

During deliberations, Mixon proposed a “friendly amendment” that would have restricted the ban to county roads outside municipal boundaries, arguing the county should respect the home rule authority of its nine municipalities. Goodwin rejected the amendment, saying the existing resolution already preserved city and state authority over their own roads.

“I will live and die on due process,” Goodwin said. “It is dangerous to use safety as an excuse to override our Constitution.”

The board also noted past incidents in which private vendors working for municipalities placed cameras on county rights of way without board approval, requiring Public Works staff to remove and store the equipment after vendors did not respond to removal requests.

Student stabs classmates, paraprofessional at Walton Middle School; suspect in custody

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in Crime, local, News.

The attack, which lasted less than 45 seconds, unfolded shortly after 7:17 a.m. as roughly 40 students were on campus during early drop-off, well before normal school hours. Two of the three victims were transported to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, a Level II trauma center; one was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. The paraprofessional was also taken to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

“There is no extended risk to the public,” Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson Jr. said at Tuesday’s news conference. “This individual is in custody.”

According to Adkinson, the suspect, a seventh-grade student, was dropped off at the school’s main entrance by a parent, as on a normal school day. The student walked directly into a hallway bathroom, where he remained for about two minutes and 40 seconds.

When he emerged, he was wearing a balaclava, a face mask covering everything but the eyes, and carrying a “sharp implement,” according to Adkinson. He immediately attacked the first student he encountered, stabbing that student multiple times.

The suspect then moved down the hallway and attacked a paraprofessional before contacting a third victim, who was another seventh-grade student, who was also stabbed. The first victim was incapacitated from injuries while a teacher rendered aid. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

Officers from the DeFuniak Springs Police Department arrived within two minutes of a 911 call, Adkinson said. Working in coordination with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, they located and arrested the suspect near the school within approximately seven minutes of the initial attack.

Walton County Schools Superintendent A. Russell Hughes said students still on buses when the attack occurred were not brought onto campus. They were redirected to a pre-planned reunification site where parents could pick them up.

Hughes said the district’s goal is to have students back in class as soon as possible and that school officials view the campus as a safe place for children.

Adkinson noted that a school resource deputy and a school Guardian, a designated armed staff member, were both on campus at the time of the attack, though in different locations. He praised the coordination between the sheriff’s office, DeFuniak Springs Police Department, the school district and the State Attorney’s Office for working together on such short notice.

“This is the worst thing you can deal with as a sheriff, as a school professional, as a police department,” Adkinson said. “This is what we all fear.”

Formal charges were pending Tuesday as investigators consulted with the State Attorney’s Office to determine appropriate charges. Adkinson cautioned that any charges filed initially may not reflect the final charges the state decides to pursue.

Adkinson declined to discuss the suspect’s potential motive or prior history, saying the investigation was still in its early stages. A full press conference with additional details is expected on Wednesday.

“I want to give you answers,” Adkinson said. “The worst thing I can do is tell you something that’s not factually accurate.”

Okaloosa County to consider ratifying $5M grant application for SR 85 widening

Written by Collin Bestor on . Posted in government, local, News.

 

The item is on the board’s agenda for its March 24 meeting. The Community Project Funding Congressionally Directed Spending application was submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation through the office of U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis. Because County Administrator John Hofstad submitted the application under an emergency provision before the meeting date, commissioners are being asked to ratify the submission retroactively.

The project targets the section of SR 85 running from Live Oak Church Road to PJ Adams Parkway, a stretch that has earned the nickname “Miracle Mile” for its role as the primary gateway connecting Eglin Air Force Base to north Okaloosa County.

The proposed improvements would include adding a northbound and southbound lane, multimodal and pedestrian facilities and stormwater management upgrades. County officials say the project would improve daily commutes for residents, reduce risks to military readiness and enhance hurricane evacuation capacity.

If the federal grant is awarded, the $5 million would offset local funding already committed through the county’s Infrastructure Surtax program. The overall project budget carries a match amount of $50 million, a combination of state and county funds, with $13 million designated as a cash match. The county has committed $10 million in direct funding and has transferred ownership of specific parcels valued at approximately $3 million to the Florida Department of Transportation for the project’s execution.

In a letter to Patronis dated March 16, Board Chairman Trey Goodwin outlined the urgency of the improvements and the county’s financial commitment to the corridor.

“The next critical step to improving traffic efficiency is to widen the lone roadway that feeds these segments,” Goodwin wrote, pointing to recent improvements including the widened PJ Adams Parkway and the forthcoming Southwest Crestview Bypass, expected to open this spring alongside a new FDOT interchange between PJ Adams Parkway and Interstate 10.

The board is also being asked to authorize Hofstad to serve as the Authorizing Official for the grant application, a designation that would be formally communicated to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The project is managed through the county’s Public Works Roads and Bridges department under Director Scott Bitterman, with Roy Petrey serving as project manager.

The grant application carries a risk rating of “low” based on the county’s prior experience with federal funding programs, available staffing and the project’s alignment with the county’s strategic infrastructure priorities. The project would run from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, if funding is received.

County officials note that the Miracle Mile widening represents one piece of a longer planned expansion of SR 85 from SR 123 to Interstate 10. Any award of grant funds would require separate board approval before the county enters into a formal agreement with the federal government.

Crestview man gets two life terms in parents’ killings

Written by Staff Reporters on . Posted in Crime, local, News.

In an announcement made on March 13, Jacob Daniel Price was found guilty on March 11 on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of animal cruelty in Okaloosa Conty.

Circuit Judge David Oberliesen sentenced Price after the verdict of two consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole, the state attorney’s office said.

Prosecutors said evidence at trial showed that on Nov. 13, 2019, at about 4 a.m., Price shot and killed his parents while they were sleeping in their bed at their Crestview home. Authorities said Price shot his father, Robert Price, twice in the head and shot his mother, Jolene Price, once in the head.

Prosecutors also said Price shot and killed the couple’s two dogs, Nala and Cooper.

Assistant State Attorney Leah Clisson prosecuted the case on behalf of the First Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Crestview Police Department.

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