CRESTVIEW — Crestview Kiwanis Club members and city officials invite the public to share ideas and suggestions for refurbishment of the John McMahon Environmental Center.

The Kiwanis Club received City Council approval to spearhead master planning and fundraising for the project, which could result in the city-owned park's first major refurbishment.

The center's landmark, unused fire tower and former ranger's cottage have been slated for demolition under a preliminary refurbishment plan suggested by the Kiwanis Club with local CH2MHill officials providing engineering services.

An education facility housing the park's natural history museum and classrooms would replace them if the recommendation is approved.

Other suggestions include adding a children's playground in what is now a little-used storage area and replacing the current museum with an outdoor amphitheater.

The public can attend a Feb. 22 open house to visit the park and its local natural history museum and offer recommendations for improvements, Kiwanis Club member Betsy Roy said. Complimentary hamburgers and hotdogs will be served.

The McMahon Center, which opened in 1979, was the brainchild of retired forester John McMahon and was facilitated by a $5,000 Florida Department of Education grant.

It is located on land donated by the state Forestry Division, and contains examples of nearly 100 trees and shrubs native to Northwest Florida.

The site is a regular destination for area student groups for nature and environmental studies, as well as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts  undertaking Eagle and Gold rank projects.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Open house and community input session with complimentary lunch

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 22

WHERE: John McMahon Environmental Center, 130 Butler Circle, Crestview

DETAILS: Kiwanis Club members and city officials welcome public ideas and suggestions for refurbishment of the environmental center. Contact Jim Lundy, jimlundy3742@yahoo.com, or Betsy Roy, emmiller@cox.net, to give input

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Public input requested for environmental park refurbishment

The Crestview Public Library will be closed Monday, Feb. 17 for Presidents Day, but we'll return with plenty of free activities for all ages.

You'll want to get your dancing shoes ready for Feb. 25, when David and Anna Sandlin demonstrate Irish dancing and teach lessons from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview.  

For a toe-tappin’ good time, come see the Pelican Pickers perform from 10-11:30 a.m. March 29 at the library. They play 19th-century Appalachian, old-time and Gospel music on Appalachian Mountain lap dulcimers. Group members augment their sound with a banjo, mandolin, guitar, Irish penny whistles, fiddle, harmonica, Native American flute, recorder and silver flute.

We’d like to thank Cub Scout Pack 799, Webelos Den 11 and Wolf Den 4 and our Friends of the Library for providing refreshments.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Irish dancing, Pelican Pickers performance scheduled

CHIPLEY — The Florida Department of Transportation will host a public information meeting concerning proposed improvements to State Road 30 (U.S. Highway 98) from Emerald Bay Drive in Okaloosa County to Tang-O-Mar Drive in Walton County. The meeting is 6-7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Seascape Resort Conference Center, Oak Room, 556 Seascape Drive, Miramar Beach.

The multi-lane reconstruction consists of widening 3.37miles of U.S. 98 from four to six lanes. This portion of U.S. 98 is a designated hurricane evacuation route and Strategic Intermodal Systems highway facility. Additional right-of-way will be required for stormwater retention ponds and intersection improvements. Construction is not currently funded within the department’s Five Year Work Program.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Feb. 20 public information meeting set for U.S. 98 widening project

CRESTVIEW — Cub Scouts from throughout Okaloosa County will compete in the district Pinewood Derby runoff March 8 at Santa Rosa Mall.

And area scouts saw plenty of excitement on Saturday, when they saw many hours of work go hurtling down the tracks.

PHOTOS: View photos of Pinewood Derby action >>

VIDEO: Watch Pinewood Derby video >>

Cub Scouts and Webelos from two Crestview packs and one from Holt raced wooden cars down tracks set up in the Crestview Elks lodge and Bob Sikes Elementary School's cafeteria. .

Webelos Garrett Lingenfelter, 9, anxiously watched as his car zoomed down the track, placing third in one heat and fourth in another.

"Mine wasn't very fast, I guess," he said, though his car attained the equivalent of nearly 130 mph. Still, he cheered fellow scouts in the spirit of sportsmanship.

'A lot of work'

Each boy puts in six or more hours of work on his car after adult leaders help cut a block of wood to the boy's design specifications, parent volunteer Don Snyder said.

"We encourage them to do most of the work themselves, but obviously we don't want a bunch of first-graders handling power tools," Pack 530 Cub Master Chip Corbin said.

Caleb Bergstrom, 8, of Pack 530, said "a lot of work" went into creating his green car, emblazoned with a big "1."

Other fanciful races included a bus, a Volkswagen Beetle, a pencil, a log truck, a Hershey bar, a police cruiser and a car carved to look like it was assembled from Legos.

And at least six boys submitted a Batmobile among 101 vehicles racing at the Elks lodge, Snyder said.

Weight conscious

Scoutsaffixed fishing weights and coins to their cars to attain the maximum 5-ounce weight. One racer had two stones hot-glued in the driver and passenger seats.

Holt Pack 532 Cub Master Pam Lehman brought her pack to the Elks lodge to race while Pack 530 took its lunch break.

"Our track is kind of old," she said. "They're (Pack 530) very generous for hosting us."

Cooperative efforts also were displayed at Bob Sikes Elementary.

There, Boy Scouts Jackson Kiewiet of Troop 30 and Nathan Behr of Troop 773 positioned the cars at the head of the track, releasing them on Pack 799 Cub Master Ryan Kilian's order.

"Anything to help the Cubs," Jackson said.

Hot chili goes with hot wheels

Ten Crestview Cub Scout Pack 799 parents participated in a chili cook-off following Saturday's Pinewood Derby, Tiger Den leader LeAnn Fairfield said. Four judges selected winners, and the boys and their families voted for their favorites.

Winners were as follows:

First Place: Jeff Kiewiet

Second(tie): Jennifer Stewart and Viviana Lasher

Third: Amanda Rodriquez

Crowd favorite: Jeff Kiewie

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Derby Day: Cub Scout packs vie for Pinewood Derby runoff (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Breen and Ms. Rene’ Bunch would like to announce the forthcoming marriage of their children, Callie and Ronnie.

Callie’s parents are Craig and Beth Breen of Crestview. Ronnie’s parents are Rene’ Bunch of Atmore, Ala., and Dana Bunch of Okeechobee.

Callie’s maternal grandparents are Elizabeth Carlson and the late Winthrop Carlson of Harwich, Mass., and her paternal grandparents are Carolyn Brodette of Rhome, Texas and the late Kenneth Breen of Medford, Mass.

Ronnie’s maternal grandparents are the late Teddy and Oleda Steege of Atmore. His paternal grandparents are Virginia Bunch and the late Ronald Bunch of Sylacauga, Ala.

Callie and Ronnie graduated from Crestview High School in 2004. Callie is a Northwest Florida State College graduate. Ronnie is a Faulkner State Community College graduate  and attended Auburn University.

Callie is employed by Nalley Honda in Union City, Ga. Ronnie is employed by Kia Motors Manufacturing in West Point, Ga.

The wedding will be a spring affair at the Tiger Point Golf Club in Gulf Breeze. The couple will make their home in Newnan, Ga.

The News Bulletin publishes north Okaloosa County residents' “Special Occasions”— birth, centenarian, engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements— at no charge. We may edit submissions for length and style. Call 850-682-6524 or email  for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Breen and Bunch announce engagement

One topic I’ve learned to avoid with new acquaintances until I know them better (along with politics and religion) is where they stand on the treatment of pets. Some people, when their dog gets sick or badly injured, say, “It’s an animal – that’s just part of the circle of life.” Others consider Rover a close family member and would take out a second mortgage to save his life.

Pet owners from both camps probably see the barrage of ads for pet insurance and wonder whether it’s worth the expense, which might be several thousand dollars over the life of your pet. I did some research and the best answer I can come up with is, it depends.

First, ask yourself: Do you regard pet insurance as a financial investment, where you expect to get back more in benefits than you paid out in premiums over the pet’s life? Or, is it more like auto or homeowner’s insurance, where you hope nothing ever goes seriously wrong, but you want coverage in case there’s a catastrophe?

Either way, here are some basic facts about pet insurance that may help you decide whether it’s right for you:

Pet insurance shares many features with human health insurance: Policies typically have annual deductibles, copayments and exclusions, and some limit which veterinarians, clinics and hospitals you can use.

But there are numerous differences as well. For example, pet insurers are allowed to refuse coverage for preexisting conditions and to set annual and lifetime payout limits. Among the many other restrictions you should watch for when comparing plans are:

•Premiums vary greatly depending on where you live and may increase based on your pet’s age, breed, veterinary cost inflation and other factors.

•Typically you must pay the vet or hospital bill out of pocket and get reimbursed later.

•Many plans deny or restrict coverage for congenital or hereditary conditions (like hip dysplasia in dogs or kidney failure in cats) and preventable conditions like periodontal disease.

•Along with annual and lifetime maximums on benefits paid out, there may be a limit on how much it will pay for treatment of an individual illness or accident.

•If your pet suffers a particular disorder one year, don’t be surprised if that condition is excluded at renewal – or if you’re required to pay an additional fee for future coverage.

•Pets over certain age limits frequently are denied coverage.

•Certain breeds are often excluded or only eligible for restricted coverage.

•Some carriers let you augment your accident and illness policy with optional “wellness care” coverage for things like spaying and neutering, annual physicals, vaccines and routine tests. Make sure the additional premium is worth the extra cost.

Perhaps the biggest challenge when choosing pet insurance is trying to compare plans, apples to apples. There are about a dozen carriers in the U.S. Each offers a variety of plans with varying deductible, copayment and maximum coverage amounts, as well as different covered benefits and exclusions.

You can go directly to their websites for plan details and to request a quote, or use an independent comparison website to pull quotes from multiple carriers. I’d recommend creating a spreadsheet to compare benefits and costs side by side, just as you would when shopping for auto insurance.

Bottom line: If you decide pet insurance isn’t right for you, at least be sure you’re setting money aside to cover expected – and unexpected expenses.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To participate in a free, online Financial Literacy and Education Summit on April 2, 2014, go to www.practicalmoneyskills.com/summit2014. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PRACTICAL MONEY SKILLS: Should you buy pet insurance?

BAKER —  Jeanette Henderson is happy to see years of research and hard work pay off.

The long-time resident is responsible for bringing a historical marker to Baker School, establishing that the former Baker High School was Okaloosa County's first state-accredited high school in 1923.

Growing interest

Henderson, 82, was Baker Block Museum's first curator for 18 years and worked as the school's secretarial bookkeeper from 1956-1988. Her love of history and collecting reference material for the museum eventually put her on a mission to put a historical marker at the school.

"The more (information) that I saw and the more that came in (to the museum) on the school, my interest continued to grow," she said.

 The school's history dates back to 1914 when property for Baker High School was purchased. The Florida Legislature formed Okaloosa County during the school's construction in 1915. The original two-story building, which opened in 1916, was heated by a wood stove in the building's basement. The school's first graduating class in 1924 had three students.

Marker granted

The research process led Henderson to the Florida Historical Marker Program with the Florida Department of State's Historical Resources division.

Using evidence she collected over two years, Henderson attained the aluminum-alloy marker through the application process.

Henderson said she "couldn't help but shed a tear" upon receiving notice that the marker was approved.

Baker School's historical marker, which cost more than $2,100 to produce, is now one of 800 historical markers found throughout the state, Michael Zimny, the program's coordinator, said.

An anonymous Baker graduate funded the marker, Henderson said.

Now, with school officials' assistance and help from Baker School alumni, Henderson invites area residents and school alumni to a Feb. 23 unveiling ceremony at the school.

"It's something that means a lot to me. I have a lot of precious memories from the school," she said. 

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Baker High School historical marker ceremony

WHEN: 2 p.m. Feb. 23

WHERE: Baker School, 1369 14th St.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Long-time resident, anonymous donor bring historical marker to Baker