LAUREL HILL — You could count the number of men on one hand at the Barn at Water Oaks Farm in Laurel Hill Saturday.

The venue was filled with women "in and behind the blue line" as The Ladies of Law Enforcement held their first event under their new name.

The Ladies of Law Enforcement luncheon was catered towards women who work for law enforcement in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, or Walton county, and women who are married, engaged or dating an officer.

Hannah Fortune, the director of Ladies of Law Enforcement, said she spent several months planning the luncheon that was much more than just lunch. The event featured massage therapists, nail technicians, makeovers, a photo booth, lunch, and giveaways.

Fortune did most of the planning herself, which started at the beginning of April. She spent time calling and visiting with various sponsors and collected over time items like drinks and snacks while they were on sale.

Although planning an event this size comes with stress, Fortune's hard work is not without cause.

Fortune said she came up with the idea of a group centered around women of law enforcement a few years ago to say "thank you" to these women.

"My passion for them … it really just hit me. They don't have a support group," Fortune said with tears in her eyes. "… When it comes to law enforcement here on the home front, it seems like you're just law enforcement. You're just a cop. All you do is pull over good people just trying to get to work when the reality is they really have no idea what they're walking up to when they do a traffic stop."

Laurie Ward, wife of a law enforcement officer, attended the luncheon. She said having a support system is important to her.

"Law enforcement doesn't get a whole lot of respect, and we back the blue," Ward said.

Another law enforcement spouse, Amanda Odom, also said having a support system is helpful.

"There's a lot of sleepless nights we don't know if our spouses or loved ones are coming home," Odom said. "The support and friendships we make is wonderful with the community."

Ladies of Law Enforcement underwent a name change recently after being called Blue Wives Matter the last two years.

"There's so much stigma around the Blue Lives Matter movement that we were losing interest from businesses," Fortune said. "Another thing that was a huge factor in going with the name Ladies of Law Enforcement was we had so many women that were in law enforcement themselves … saying 'blue wives' they felt like it didn't apply to them."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: "We back the blue"

CRESTVIEW — Residents continue to plead for something to be done about Colt Drive — the only road from Stallion Drive to U.S. Hwy 90.

About 500 feet of the dirt road has large, deep potholes.

For resident Sabrina Gregg, Colt Drive's disrepair has complicated school mornings. The school bus that once traveled to Stallion Drive now stops at the corner of Colt Drive and Hibiscus Avenue, which means Gregg must maneuver her way around the holes on Colt Drive to drop her son off at the bus, adding about 20 minutes to their mornings.

Colt Drive has become increasingly worse, according to some long-term residents.

Cherish Weeks has lived on Colt Drive since 2009 and says the road is in the worst shape she's seen in four years. She said the road has damaged her car, and her truck is unusable after repeatedly driving the road.

“I understand we get the rain, but this is a little bit ridiculous," Weeks said. "This is making it so that if an ambulance needs to come in, they can’t.”

Residents also worry the problem could potentially be a life-or-death issue.

“Heaven forbid a young infant or a toddler gets out here and falls into one of these puddles,” Stallion Drive resident Scott Beal said. “I’m just telling you, they’d drown, and who’s going to be responsible for it? The county? They said they’re not responsible.”

According to a parcel search on the Okaloosa County website, the county owns land on the east side of Colt Drive. Okaloosa County Public Works Director Jason Autrey said the county does not own the road but the right-of-way.

“It was never an opened or county-maintained road,” Autrey said.

Residents of Eagle and Falcon Way — less than 1,000 feet from the front of Colt Drive — were in a similar situation and set up a Municipal Service Benefit Units fund, which allows residents to have a county-maintained road by requiring them to pay for road improvements. The charge would be similar to an HOA fee.

Autrey said there are specific requirements that have to be met before the county would accept responsibility for maintaining the road. The road would have to be brought to "county standards." Autrey said a paved roadway is the preferred option.

Mare Creek Farms Homeowners Association President Mike Banks said he presented the option of a MSBU to residents at a meeting two years ago, but no one wanted to pay the extra money at the time.

“I don’t know if I have a solution other than money,” Banks said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Colt Drive problem worsens for residents

CRESTVIEW — The City of Crestview's Pee Wee cheerleading squads will have a rummage sale fundraiser.

The sale is  8 a.m. to noon Aug. 25 at the Old Spanish Trail Park Pavilion, 205 Stillwell Ave., Crestview.

The proceeds will be used to purchase shoes, ribbons, megaphones and other equipment and accessories for the season.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cheer team fundraiser is scheduled

CRESTVIEW — Overcast skies weren't a deterrent Aug. 18 for families to get outside.

The Main Street Crestview Association's block party schedule started with a 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. flea market.

A few side streets were blocked off to through traffic near the Hub City Smokehouse on Main Street and four vendors braved rainy, windy weather during the occasion.

Rebecka Philmon, 2, of Crestview, didn't seem to mind. She made the most of toy cars, trucks and rain puddles near the table her family had set up. They sold clothes, DVDs, games and other items to attendees.

Lori Moser of Southern Charmed Wood made several statements without saying a word. Some of the wooden signs she creates carried such sayings as "Sweet tea goes with anything & nobody eats until we say amen." A red one with a Disney theme began with the words, "In this house, we let it go and just keep swimming…" Others were placards with submitted photos from customers: a softball player, a bride-and-groom photo of a relative's wedding day, and like items.

Marie Forsman, a certified herbalist, and her husband Gregory brought essential oils, food seasonings and other all-natural products they'd grown themselves for their company, Valley of Field Herbals. They also sell Celtic-themed accessories and hangings.

The Forsmans, who had a farm by Buffalo, New York, recently moved to Holt when one of their children had to have major surgery, and the cold affected their health.

"Both of them are thriving here. The heat is much better for them," Marie said.

Why Holt? "We wanted to be in Florida but we wanted to be more in a farming and small town community and we moved to this area," she said. "My husband was also able to transfer here." He is a team lead at Tractor Supply in Crestview.

Also among the vendors was Melissa Hanks, owner of the Ruck Up Cup military-themed mobile coffee stand based in south Crestview. She also sells smoothies, frozen hot chocolate and other drinks, as well as snacks.

The association's block party included a Let's Vote Okaloosa Meet-and-Greet from 4-8 p.m. All candidates and those who had rented a booth to provide political information showed up for the event, but few residents took advantage of the opportunity, according to MSCA Program Manager Sandra Wilson.

She said the organization will have a car show in September and an Oktoberfest the following month.

"(They're) more fun so they should draw more people," she said.

Note: This article was updated to correct the location of Ruck Up Cups. The mobile coffee stand is actually located at 4110 Ferdon Blvd. S, between the Chevy and Ford dealerships.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Main Street Crestview flea market, meet and greet opened despite weather

After a summer full of vacations, swimming, and camps, our children have begun school again in Okaloosa County. To keep you and your family stress-free this busy back-to-school season, we’ve created a list of helpful tips.

ORGANIZE: Print out the school schedule for specific holidays and deadlines that apply for your family. Incorporate the school schedule with your appointments, meetings, etc. to create a one-stop shop for all of your family’s important dates, times, and deadlines. With a little bit of time you can create a simple, but efficient family command center.

ROUTINE: Children stayed up late and slept in throughout the summer. Now that school, homework, and sports are back in session, a proper sleep schedule will be imperative for you and your family’s health.

A child’s sleep needs vary depending on their age. School-aged children are recommended approximately nine to eleven hours and teenagers need eight to ten hours per night. To begin the new sleep schedule, begin with setting bedtimes and wake-up times that would be similar to their school sleep and awake schedules. The sooner that your children adjust to their altered sleep schedule, the sooner they aren’t in a bad mood or falling asleep in their classes.

PREPARE: It is important to be ready for the day ahead and the easiest way to accomplish this is to arrange the child’s clothes and figure out their lunches the night before. The lunches do not have to be gourmet, but having an idea if the child will have a packed or paid for lunch will ease you and your family’s stress.

CREATE BALANCE: Homework and grades are important, but their extra-curricular activities allow your children to learn important life skills. Their activities should incorporate leadership skills, communication, teamwork, and patience all while your child is having fun. Throughout the school year our school, community, and the 4-H program provide events and activities for your child to learn, succeed, and have fun.

Our 4-H year is full of events, day camps, and after-school programs.

This fall we are encouraging our Okaloosa County schools to participate in the state-wide public speaking contest, Tropicana. This event teaches and encourages youth in fourth through sixth grade to participate in public speaking and communication.

In the spring, 4-H will once again be providing the embryology program in the Okaloosa County schools and military bases. Students will observe and learn about the life cycle of chickens of multiple breeds while learning the responsibility of taking care of animals. For more information about of school enrichment programs, in-school/out of school clubs, community clubs, or becoming a volunteer please contact us at the information below.

Katie Oakes and Taylor Wilken are agents at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: OAKES & WILKEN: 4 ways to eliminate back-to-school stress

YOKOSUKA, Japan — A Crestview resident is among Americans serving in Japan.

Airman Paris Alexander was recently pictured aboard the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as it pulled into Yokosuka in July after a patrol.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview airman serves in Japan

CRESTVIEW — Guards, threat assessments and concealed-carry weapons training are among security services Trei McMullen offers at SYOTOS, LLC.

He and a staff of 10 have clients including the Destin Yacht Club; Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer; and most recently the Emerald Coast Convention Center.

McMullen was a counter-intelligence special agent in the U.S. Army, and medically retired in 2013 after 10 years with the 7th Special Forces. He started SYOTOS as a military contractor overseas. He began running it from his home in 2017.

"SYOTOS stands for 'See You on the Other Side,'" the Crestview resident said. "It's a company that I dedicated to all my brothers and sisters that I've lost in this battle against terrorism."

SYOTOS also takes on insider threats and vulnerability issues a client may experience. He said criminals may gain access to sensitive company information by connecting with company employees on a social level.

"People may target them in online dating or Facebook or something like that. They need to be aware of these type of things so that they can kind of prevent themselves from falling into a situation where they're wrapped up in a trial because they didn't even know that a person was using them until it was too late," McMullen said.

SYOTOS helped a Destin client end theft and trespassing issues by improving security measures.

"This place was super secure. They had cameras. Every door has a locked code, and somebody still broke into their (business)," McMullen said.

He said companies and high-net-worth individuals who need executive protection should consider their security efforts before they even break ground on a home or business.

"If you had the idea, think about security. A lot of people will get cameras or an alarm … and that's great, but who's reviewing that 24 hours of footage? So you actually don't know if anything happened or not. You just know you have cameras, and since you don't see anything missing, you didn't know it. But really, there was a whole group of people that came up and have been casing your business for the last two weeks every day.

"Plus … violence is kind of going up. Believe it or not. There's been a lot of more … terrorist-like attacks, and this area is not (immune). So I would rather them be more prepared, and it never happen, than be unprepared, and something happens," McMullen said.

McMullen is writing a book, available by the fall of 2018 called "Taking the Hard Rights," about his life experiences and his advice for people undergoing some of the same things he has.

He and his wife, Lesby, have two children.

Note: This article has been updated to list the full name of Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview-based company addresses security threats

CRESTVIEW — Soft sounds of a river resonate throughout room at Grateful Hearts Yoga in Crestview amidst the chatter from “yogis”—participants of the yoga practice—reuniting after their last session.

Gracie Simmons, the owner of the yoga studio, begins the Wednesday morning practice by giving everyone stress relief essential oils to rub on their palms and having each woman in the studio proclaim their energy level from one to 10.

Anna Summers, a returning “yogi,” said her energy level was an 11.

Summers has been coming to the yoga studio since she won a free year of yoga at the open house and said she plans on returning to the “bright and cheery” studio.

During her Wednesday practice, Simmons said yoga was not a religion.

“You can be in a room full of people each with different ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, gay, transgender, bisexual, any sexual orientation. It doesn’t matter. You can all just practice love,” Simmons said. “I think that’s what our country needs right now.”

Simmons grew up in Baker and graduated from Baker School. Although she calls herself a “Baker girl,” she currently resides in Escambia Farms.

Love, Namaste, mindfulness, and grateful—all of these words will be heard at some point during a yoga practice and summarize the mindset Simmons had when she and her husband opened Grateful Hearts Yoga in Crestview.

Simmons' husband of nine years gave her the yoga studio as a gift. Grateful Hearts Yoga is located in a strip owned by Simmons’ father-in-law.

Simmons said she knew there was a need in Crestview for a yoga studio.

“There’s a lot of depth to yoga,” Simmons said. “A lot of people think it’s just headstands or handstands, but there’s much more involved in being present in the moment, calming your mind, letting go of any stress that you may be holding.”

For the Simmons family, yoga is more than just a good form of exercise.

Simmons said yoga has even affected the way her family interacts with each other because they have learned to approach situations with more composure.

“My oldest daughter will tell me, ‘Yoga has changed our lives.’ She even left me a Google review … I cried. It was so sweet,” Simmons said.

In July, Grateful Hearts Yoga hosted a week-long kid’s camp where Simmons’ 11-year-old daughter helped teach some of the classes. Simmons said her daughter will also start teaching a regular class on Thursday afternoon for kids.

“I think everyone should do yoga, but kids especially because they can get some of that extra energy out,” Simmons said. “They can learn some mindfulness and how to love themselves and love others.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'Practice love' at a new yoga studio in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Special Olympics USA Games athlete and gold medalist was awarded a "key to the city of Crestview" during the city council's regular meeting on Aug. 13.

Crestview resident Harrison Mauldin competed in July at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington.

Mauldin explained his medals to the crowd at the city council meeting. He was sporting two gold medals, one bronze medal, and a quartz medal around his neck. He received the gold medals after placing first in the 10,000-meter run and the 4-by-400-meter run.

Mayor David Cadle then asked Mauldin about his experience.

"It was wonderful. To be honest, the weather over there was a bit nicer. It's still nice here," Mauldin said.

After Mauldin spoke about his experience, Cadle then presented Mauldin with the wooden plaque with a large golden key placed at the top. "The key to the city" award is typically given to honor someone of significance to a city.

"You did us proud. The highest award that I can present to you is the key to the city," Cadle said. "The key to the city is presented to Harrison Mauldin … Congratulations."

Mauldin received a roaring applause and standing ovation from the crowd at the city council meeting. According to a Facebook post on the Special Olympics Florida Okaloosa County page, Mauldin and his family members finished out the night with a celebratory dinner at Hideaway Pizza.

Cadle also awarded six firefighters for reaching their 10-year anniversary with the Crestview Fire Department.

"I appreciate you guys very much," Cadle said. "I'm always talking about firefighters. You see a fire. You run towards it. I'm running the other way."

Fire Chief Anthony Holland spoke about his firemen before receiving a 25-year service award from the mayor.

"It's been an honor to work with each one of these guys. They all have contributed to the growth of the department," Holland said.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: USA Games athlete awarded 'key to the city of Crestview'