CRESTVIEW — Justin Madison and "Flyin' Brian" Dickenson sweated it out Thursday morning from a rooftop in the Carnegie Hills subdivision. The workers — technicians for Pensacola-based Compass Solar Energy — were installing a 12-panel, 5-kilowatt solar electricity system. Soon, the same sun they were braving will help homeowners Kaye and Steven Finney save more than $100 a month in electricity charges.

After arriving in Crestview from North Carolina with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the Finneys wanted to take advantage of one of Florida's most famous resources. "We just moved a couple months ago to the Sunshine State, so we felt we should get solar panels," Kaye Finney said. "We've always been interested in renewable energy."

The couple were attracted by a federal tax credit that will knock nearly $5,000 off their $17,700 system, Compass Marketing Director Amy Vogt said. Also attractive is the potential for the power company to buy excess unused energy from the couple, Kaye Finney said.

The Finneys are one of 25 Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative member families who supplement home electricity use with renewable sources, CHELCO spokesman Mladen Rudman said. Of them, all use solar power except one member, who uses wind. Systems range from 1 kilowatt to slightly less than 13 kilowatts in power, he said.

The solar systems are not powerful enough to completely replace power purchased from CHELCO, Vogt said, but they help offset traditional power’s cost. If there’s a power outage, solar panels keep generating usable power as long as the sun is out, CHELCO energy services supervisor Bryan Gilbert said. "They'd be able to run minor things like lighting, but not major appliances," Gilbert said. "They could probably watch a little television and run some fans."

Sun that beats down on the Finneys' house will also power new attic fans Compass is installing. Kaye Finney said with their black shingle roof, her attic can be unbearably hot. "It's a nice-sized attic, so if the fans can lower the temperature 20 or more degrees, it'll be much more tolerable up there," she said.

What can you run on 5,000 watts?

The Finney family's new solar array provides 5,000 watts (5 kilowatts) of power on a sunny day. Here are some typical monthly residential power draws.

Aquarium: 50–1,210 watts

Clock radio: 10

Coffee maker: 900–1,200

Clothes washer: 350–500

Clothes dryer: 1,800–5,000

Computer:

    Monitor, awake/asleep: 150 / 30

    Laptop: 50

Dishwasher: 1,200–2,400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption)

Dehumidifier: 785

DVD, Blu-ray player: 17–21 / 20–25

Fans

    Ceiling: 65–175

    Window: 55–250

    Whole house: 240–750

Hair dryer: 1,200–1,875

Heater (portable): 750–1,500

Clothes iron: 1,000–1,800

Microwave oven: 750–1,100

Stereo: 70–400

Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet): 725

Television:

    Flat screen: 120

    27-inch: 113

    36-inch: 133

Toaster: 800–1,400

Toaster oven: 1,225

Vacuum cleaner: 1,000–1,440

Water heater (40 gallon): 4,500–5,500

Water pump (deep well): 250–1,100

Source: CHELCO

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New Crestview residents tap Florida sunshine for energy source

TALLAHASSEE— Hundreds of Florida panther sightings have been reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, where people can record when and where they saw a panther or its tracks.

As of August 2013, the public had submitted 790 sightings to MyFWC.com/PantherSightings. Only 12 percent of reports included a photograph and could be evaluated by FWC biologists. Of those with photos, most were confirmed as panthers. Others showed bobcats, foxes, coyotes, dogs, house cats and even a monkey. Verified panther reports were largely confined to southwest Florida. There also were several verified sightings in south central Florida.

The Florida panther population is estimated to be 100 to 160 adults and yearlings, a figure that does not include panther kittens.

The FWC has a new “E-Z guide to identify panther tracks” available. Visit www.FloridaPantherNet.org to learn more.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 790 panther sightings reported throughout Florida

CRESTVIEW — On Tuesday, Healthy Woman, a North Okaloosa Medical Center resource, welcomes author Nicole Johnson for its dinner, "Fresh Brewed Life:  Hope for the Daily Grind.”

"Nicole Johnson is a bestselling author, performer and motivational speaker," Healthy Woman Coordinator Alicia Booker said in an email. "(She) communicates with humor, compassion and wisdom using her unique blend of drama and speaking skills."

Johnson — who has spread uplifting messages to millions of women through speaking engagements, books and DVDs — said Tuesday’s event aims to encourage and motivate women.

"The part I hope I can play … will be reminding women that they are not alone in their struggles," she said in an email. "Through laughter and connection, I try to bring hope in the midst of ‘the daily grind.’"

One way to do that is by encouraging women to make life choices now instead of waiting.

"Every woman can start living a richer, fuller, more robust life today," Johnson said. "It’s about making intentional choices every day to be a participator, rather than a spectator, in our lives."

Copies of her book, "Fresh Brewed Life,” will be available for purchase.

Want to go?

 WHAT: "Fresh Brewed Life: Hope for the Daily Grind," featuring guest speaker Nicole Johnson, presented by Healthy Woman

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce Drive

COST: $25. Order tickets at the door, in advance at http://conta.cc/1517PeJ or in person, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the North Okaloosa Medical Center Marketing Office, 127 E. Redstone Ave., Suite C.  

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Author motivating Healthy Woman attendees tomorrow in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Following months of meetings and evaluations, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has formulated possible changes to deer hunting for the 2014-15 Northwest Florida hunting season.

Antler-point regulations in Deer Management Unit D-1, south of Interstate 10, would require that antlered deer have at least one antler with two or more antler points on one side to be eligible for harvest. DMU D-2, north of Interstate 10, would require antlered deer have at least one antler with three or more points on one side to be eligible for harvest.

Hunters under age 16 would be exempt from the proposed antler-point regulations on private lands and on some wildlife management areas. Zone D stretches from Tallahassee west to the Florida-Alabama state line.

“The purpose of the antler-point regulations, both in DMU D-1 and DMU D-2, is to protect the majority of 1.5-year-old bucks from harvest while allowing the harvest of 2.5-year-old and older bucks,” James Kelly, Assistant Deer Management program coordinator, said.

Other changes under consideration are to shift antlerless deer season on private lands in D-1 from the current seven consecutive days to four weekend days during the general gun season. In D-2, antlerless deer days would increase to eight weekend days. Three weekends would occur during general gun season, and one weekend would occur during the muzzle-loading gun season.

Regulation proposals are based on input from hunters, landowners, farmers and others during public meetings, webinars, surveys and technical assistance group meetings, Kelly said. Proposed changes are FWC staff recommendations and have not been presented to commissioners for consideration and action.

Detailed information and the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposals is available at MyFWC.com/Deer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Changes would affect deer management in Northwest Florida

CRESTVIEW — Two Crestview families who organized benefit fish fries to provide financial assistance for ailing family members have expressed gratitude for the community’s support.

A lunch last Saturday at Old Spanish Trail Park raised $941 for Bruce Akers, 49, who is recovering from bladder cancer. He will receive chemotherapy treatments following his bladder’s removal.  

Bruce's eldest daughter, Rachel, said her father was "humbled" and "appreciative" to everyone who participated and donated to the cause despite rain.

Collected funds will go toward medical expenses and other financial obligations, she said.

The family will have a car wash and auction benefiting Bruce, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 24 at Ace Hardware in Crestview.

Michael Ayers’ family members had an Aug. 10 fish fry that reportedly raised around $700.

The 29-year-old, who is battling leukemia, expressed gratitude for the community’s support.

"I would like to thank everybody that came out and contributed," he said. "I wish I could have been there."

Ayers was allowed to return home for one week after receiving six weeks of chemotherapy treatments at Baptist Health Care.   

See a link to updates on Ayers’ progress at http://on.fb.me/1d5yt8h.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Weekend benefits raise funds for Crestview residents

NICEVILLE — Shelter House and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast Inc. have collaborated to collect items needed by both.

A drive is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 24 in the Niceville Walmart parking lot, 1300 E. John Sims Parkway.

Organizers are collecting trash bags, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, dryer sheets, toilet paper, paper towels, children's snacks, size-4-and-up diapers, bottled water and canned sodas.

Call Fisher House, 259-4956, or Shelter House, 243-1201, for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Shelter House, Fisher House partner for Aug. 24 supplies drive

CRESTVIEW — When Camille Mullis snapped pictures of her son Ricky, 7, preparing to return to Riverside Elementary School, she knew her smart phone would tag the picture with the location where it was taken.

However, Mullis also knew to turn off the tagging feature if she decides to post the photo to Facebook or other social media.

Mayor David Cadle and his wife, Shirley, recently circulated a video report from a Kansas City, Mo., NBC-TV affiliate warning parents to deactivate the smart phone feature.

The report stated potential criminals, like any other Internet user, can easily get hold of geo-positioning data embedded in a cell phone photo.

Crestview Police Department spokesman Lt. Andrew Schneider said misuse of the technology has not been reported in the city, but he encouraged smart phone users to be proactive to prevent it from happening.

"The technology is there," Schneider said. "The best approach is to encourage people to learn how to use their devices."

Photos posted online for family and friends could yield all sorts of clues for criminals, including shots of tempting theft targets such as electronics and valuables, Schneider said. GPS information embedded when the photo was taken tells thieves exactly where to go.

Preventing location information from being attached to photos is as easy as going into a smart phone's settings and switching off the camera phone’s GPS service.

Taking that extra step lets Mullis enjoy sharing photos of Ricky and his little brother Jackson, 3, without the worry about sharing unnecessary information on social media.

"There are a lot of events at the school," she said. "You want to capture the memories and you take pictures and share them. You just have to be careful."

Anything posted on the Internet is there forever, Schneider said.

"If people don't want their families' pictures out there for everyone to see, don't post them on the Internet," he said. "Once it's there it will never go away."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mayor cautioning residents about camera phone GPS tags