CRESTVIEW — Newly elected Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles will speak at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 17 at the Crestview Public Library.

“I am going to discuss some of the accomplishments that the county has made which may not have been publicized," said Boyles, District 3 commissioner.

Such achievements include balancing the county budget and improving several county roads, he said.

In addition, he mentioned area airport improvements along with the water and sewer departments' water and sewer installations at Eglin Air Force Base. 

"I will also discuss the challenges facing the county for the new year," Boyles said, adding he will discuss the “lean” budget cycle.

 Another challenge Boyles mentioned was working with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office to place resource officers in area elementary and middle schools.

"We will be discussing (with the sheriff's department) ways to make sure they have the resources without taking any officers off the roads and away from other units within the department," Boyles said.

A question-and-answer session will be included.

Boyles was invited on behalf of the Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization that presents several library fundraisers throughout the year.

A Friends of the Library general business meeting, also open to the public, will follow Boyle's speech.

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: County commissioner will speak Jan. 17 at Crestview library

NICEVILLE — The Emerald Coast Quilt retreat and show, "At the Beach," is 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28, March 1 and 2 at the Palms of Destin, 14073 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin. The Flying Needles Quilt Guild is the host.

Quilters may enter one or two quilts — depending on available space — completed no more than three years prior to Feb. 28, 2013. Submissions must be original to this show. Fee per entry is $15 ($10 for Flying Needles members).

The deadline to enter is Jan. 26. Application forms and quilt show information are available at www.flyingneedlesquiltguild.org.

Email your application and digital image of entry to FNQGquiltshow@cox.net, or mail it with a photograph to Flying Needles Quilt Guild/Quilt show entry, PO Box 1652, Niceville, FL 32578.

Quilts will be judged and cash prizes or awards given in the following categories: pieced; appliqué; hand-quilting (including whole cloth); other techniques (three-dimensional, clothing, embroidery, paint, or photo transfer). There will also be a Viewer’s Choice voted on by show attendees.

Quilters may sign up to have their quilt appraised by Alma Moates, who attended American Quilters Society appraisal classes in Paducah, Ky., and successfully tested to became AQS-certified in Quilted Textiles.

Contact Rosemary, 897-0430, or Donna, 613-6589, for more details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Quilt show entries sought

CRESTVIEW — The city will celebrate civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with a couple of events this month.

Birthday celebration

The Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society on Sunday will present a birthday celebration and panel discussion at 5 p.m. at New Life Missionary Baptist Church.

Seven representatives from local organizations ranging in different political backgrounds will comprise the panel.

"Instead of just having one guest speaker, we wanted to spice things up," said Pastor Sanford Hayes, event organizer.

Representatives from local Republican, Democratic and Tea Party organizations will be part of the discussion. Okaloosa County Commissioner Wayne Harris also is expected to take part in the discussion.

A representative from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, and a student from the Northwest Florida African American Student Association also will be in the panel.

"We try to get the perspectives from the many points of view," Hayes said. "Okaloosa County is a great place to live," Hayes said. The county is trying to live as one nation, which was the goal of Martin Luther King Jr."      

The discussion — which the Rev. Jerry Jones, associate minister of Mercy Seat Ministries in Fort Walton Beach, will facilitate — will focus on Okaloosa’s future job opportunities and population growth effects.

Parade

A Martin Luther King Jr. parade on Jan. 19 will begin at 9:45 a.m. on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Lloyd Street. It will end at the Crestview Courthouse.

Anyone who wants to march may do so, organizers said. Participants are known to sing inspirational songs like "We shall Overcome."

In addition, parade participants will hold signs and banners commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.

"We typically get around two hundred people that participate," said Catherine Dortch, 81, president of the Concerned Citizens Group of Crestview.

King, a clergyman and activist who used civil disobedience in the 1960s to advance civil rights, received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was assassinated in 1968.

"He did a lot of things for us," Dortch said. "He believed we shouldn't be judged by the color of our skin, but by our character."

When the parade finishes at the courthouse, attendees may stay for a program featuring guest speaker Adrienne McKinnie, a businessperson and member of the Crestview Kiwanis club and the Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society.

"I plan to speak about how far we have come (as a nation) and to expand on the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has already established." McKinnie said.

Mayor David Cadle is expected to deliver a proclamation for the event.

Want to go?

"Living the Legacy,” a panel discussion, is at 5 p.m. Sunday at New Life Missionary Baptist Church, 285 Duggan Ave.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will begin at 9:45 a.m. Jan. 19 on the corner of Lloyd Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.

Black history lecture: 10:30 a.m. Feb. 5, Crestview Public Library. George Stakley will discuss the Carver-Hill School and Museum’s history. Coffee and cookies are served at 10 a.m. Call 682-4432 for details.

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: Crestview to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. this month

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VALPARAISO — The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida’s 2013 board of trustees have been meeting as of Dec. 13, the organization announced.

Executive Committee members are Gordon King, chair; Steve Czonstka, vice-chair/finance; Donna Miller, vice-chair/membership; and Diane Plank, secretary.

Newly elected board of trustees members are Frank Berte’, David Jeffcoat, Martha Trau and Vandy Vela-Schneidt.

Continuing trustees are Carole Apfel, Lannie Corbin, Terri Fedonczak, Beverly Gross, Harold Peek, Bill Reeder and Erik Stoer.

The museum's staff, Gina Marini and Ginny Wimmers, presented trustee Bill Reeder with the 2012 Kenneth E. Bailey Preservation and Stewardship Award, which honors board members who exemplify giving of their "time, talent and treasure," as stated in a press release.

Reeder has served on the board for more than 20 years and with every director since the museum's inception. Along with various committees, he also served several years as board chairperson.

“Mr. Reeder’s years of support and dedication are commendable and his efforts invaluable,” Marini said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Museum group elects officers, presents stewardship award

VALPARAISO — The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida (115 Westview Ave.) has scheduled several crafting classes as part of its Heritage Alive! series. Space is limited and preregistration is required. Call 678-2615 to register.

Available classes are listed below.

•basketweaving, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19: $30 ($25 for members). Beginners and advanced weavers will make a heart basket.

•hand quilting class, 10-11 a.m. Jan. 26 to March 2: $35 ($30 for museum members). Students will learn hand appliqué and create a quilted wall hanging.

•pine needle basketry, 5-7 p.m. Feb. 5 and 12: Learn the original Seminole techniques and make a beautiful pine needle basket in this two-part class. $55 ($50 for members).

•chair caning, 5:30-7:30 p.m., March 5, 12 and 19: $55 ($50 for members). Do you have a chair that needs re-caning? Sign up for the museum's three-day workshop.

•fiber rush weaving, 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 7: $55 ($50 for members). Students will learn fiber rush weaving and make their own foot stool.  Register early and stain or paint your stool to match your home décor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hand quilting and more at the Heritage Museum

A fire that kept crews busy until 4 a.m. Wednesday morning appears to have been caused by an "accidental electrical" problem in the attic, according to a press release from the Crestview Fire Department.

The call for 154 Cabana Way in Crestview came in just before midnight Tuesday, according to Crestview Fire Department Battalion Chief Marquis Johnson.

Engines arrived to find flames coming through the roof of the home and the residents safely evacuated, Johnson said.

Firefighters were on scene for four hours, Johnson said.

The fire caused an estimated $75,000 in damage to the structure, with an additional $25,000 in damage to the contents of the home.

The fire was investigated by the State Fire Marshal's office.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fire burns through Crestview home

CRESTVIEW —  Units from three fire departments responded to house fire just before midnight, on Tuesday. No injuries were reported

 In a press release from the department, crews from the Crestview FD, North Okaloosa Fire District and the Dorcas Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a fire call at 154 Cabana Way.

A fire official from the Crestview FD, said the residents were home at the time of the inicident nad were able to exit the home safely until emergency crews arrived.

After the fire was extinguished, fire officials estimated a total of $100,000 in property damages.

The cause of the fire was determined to have resulted from an "accidental electrical (fire) in the attic," by the Florida State Fire Marshal's office, the release stated.

Brown said American Red Cross was on scene to provide assistance to the residents.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Electrical fire damages home

The holly genus, Ilex, offers a variety of plants from which to choose.

There are about 700 species worldwide, some horticulturists estimate. And there is a great number of cultivated varieties. 

Not all hollies have spiny leaves. Many of the Japanese hollies (Ilex crenata) have spineless leaves. They are often mistaken for boxwoods with their small, shiny leaves. But boxwoods (Buxus) leaves are attached directly opposite one another on the stem, while holly leaves have an alternate leaf arrangement along the stem.

Holly plants range from 2 to more than 60 feet tall. Some dwarf types are great choices for foundation plantings. These include Helleri holly, Carissa holly, Dwarf yaupon holly and Stokes dwarf, thought to be the same cultivar as Shilling dwarf.

Don’t let the word dwarf fool you. Many hollies in this category may reach 3 to 5 feet tall. And Dwarf Burford may grow 8 feet or taller.

Some “tree form” hollies can reach heights approaching 60 feet. These can stand alone as specimen plants or may provide a tall hedge. A few hollies that form large shrubs or small trees include many of the American holly cultivars such as Miss Helen, Hedgeholly and Savannah.

Hollies respond well to pruning if needed, but it’s best to know the mature height before planting to avoid future problems of overgrown plants and unnecessary pruning.

Other tree-form holly hybrids develop by crossing two or more plant species within a given genus. A few include Foster, East Palatka, Nellie R. Stevens and Mary Nell.

Hollies with multicolored leaves include variegated English holly. And there are a few hollies that shed annually such as Ambiguous winterberry and Possumhaw holly. There are hollies that produce bright red berries. But berry color varies from red, orange and yellow to even black or white, depending on variety.

Only female plants produce berries. Hollies are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are located on separate plants. Male flowers produce pollen required, in most cases, to pollinate female flowers.

Many dwarf types of holly don’t produce berries because they come from male plants. To ensure that your plants produce berries, ask for female plants when purchasing. If the plant already has berries on it, you know it is a female.

You should consider other characteristics when selecting hollies. There are weeping forms available such as the weeping yaupon holly. There are those that have a very narrow, upright habit such as the cultivar ‘Will Fleming.’

Hollies are not foolproof. They may attract pests and must be planted and cared for properly.

However, for the most part, this group of plants has much to offer. Once established, they require little care and have very good drought tolerance.

Upcoming events:

Free online class: Small Steps to Health & Wealth, Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Practical steps to improve health and finances and tools to help participants reach their goals. Register at http://bit.ly/SmallSteps2013.

Small Steps to Health and Wealth Challenge. Jan. 13 through Feb. 23, open to anyone who enrolls at http://rutgers.ancc.net.

Larry Williams is an agent at the Okaloosa County Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Holly plants in the Florida landscape