CRESTVIEW — Northwest Florida State College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 27 at the Robert L.F. Sikes Education Center in Crestview.

The ceremony dedicated a new North Okaloosa office for state representative Mel Ponder. It was also a showcase of the Bob Sikes exhibit, which flanks Ponder’s new office and is curated by the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.

Devin Stephenson, president of Northwest Florida State College, introduced Ponder at the event.

“We’re welcoming representative Mel Ponder, who is just a phenomenal servant, a servant leader to our area, to this campus by providing him an office and the technology that he needs to do good work and to bring home the bacon, which he’s done so well,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson praised Ponder for his efforts in shepherding a bill that would reduce or eliminate college tuition fees for active duty service members in the state of Florida. The bill, sponsored by Ponder, cleared both houses of the Florida legislature by unanimous vote and was signed into law March 13 by Governor Rick Scott.

Ponder spoke about the need to have an office in the north end of the county as well as the south.

“Our office is in Fort Walton, and although I was mayor formerly of Destin, we felt Fort Walton was where we were supposed to put that office,” Ponder said. “But Dr. Stephenson always had an idea of what could we do on the north end.”

Ponder praised the city of Crestview and Mayor David Cadle specifically, mentioning the city’s growth over the past few years.

“I’ve really loved the city of Crestview, and as I got to know it better – Main Street, downtown, the history of the city – you leave with a little bit in your soul,” he said. “And getting to meet the people here just made it that much better.”

The new office, on the second floor of the education center, is adjacent to the exhibition of Bob Sikes memorabilia, and is only a few feet away from Sikes’ former office.

Barbara Palmgren, chair of the board of trustees of the Heritage Museum, gave a brief summary of Sikes’ career. She spoke about his two terms as a state representative, drawing a parallel to Ponder’s career. Sikes went on to spend 38 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Palmgren then talked about the exhibit, including Sikes’ former office, which she says has remained untouched.

“Around the back, you will see his office as it has been preserved,” Palmgren said. “We did not touch the office. It is not to be entered into lightly, because (Sikes) is still there.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWFSC dedicates Crestview office for Rep. Ponder

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Master Gardeners held their 17th annual awards program March 28 at the Gerald Edmonson County Extension Building.

The ceremony honored Master Gardeners in several categories, such as service to youth and community outreach. The group also recognized volunteers that reached various service milestones in 2017.

Lannie Corbin, who has served as Niceville’s City Manager for 46 years, received the 2017 Friend of the Master Gardener Award.

Master Gardeners are volunteers that undergo training on gardening and horticulture from extension offices throughout the country. They then can act as trained experts, working with citizens in their communities on a variety of gardening-related topics.

Okaloosa Extension agent Larry Williams presided over the awards luncheon, which also hosted Deputy County Administrator Kay Godwin and County Extension Director Pam Allen.

The following is a full list of awards and recognitions:

2017 Master Gardener of the Year

• Karen-Kirk Williams

• Joe Michetti

• Lee Vanderpool

2017 Friend of the Master Gardener Award

• Lannie Corbin

2017 Outstanding Service to Youth Award

• Lynda Penry

• Jennifer Yelverton

2017 Outstanding Telephone Communicator

• Bill Buckellew

2017 Outstanding Educator of the Year

• Margaret Stewart

2017 Community Outreach Award

• Mary Grace Evors

2017 Officers (received plaque)

• President – Karen Kirk-Williams

• President-Elect – Dave Gordon

• Treasurer – Joe Jones

• Secretary – Scott Berry

• Past President – Alene Ogle

Twenty Year Recognition

• Karen Kirk-Williams

• Sandie Olsen

• Ed Smith

Fifteen Year Recognition

• Pat Collins

• Linda Morris

6,000 Hour Recognition

• Margaret Stewart (6,318)

3,000 Hour Recognition

• Karen Kirk-Williams (3,390.4)

2,000 Hour Recognition

• Lee Vanderpool (2,200)

1,000 Hour Recognition

• Rick Hastings (999)

• Ed Smith (1,046.5)

500 Hour Recognition

• Matt Donavin (517.5)

• Donna Edmiston (545)

• Stevie Gerber (612)

• Debbie Sewell (618.5)

• David Stever (507)

• Carol Strom (596)

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Master Gardeners recognized for community service

Gulf Power received unanimous approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to pass along approximately $103 million in tax savings to its 460,000 customers. With the approval, the average residential Gulf Power customer using 1,112 kilowatt-hours per month can expect to see a $14 drop on their monthly energy bill for 2018 — the largest decrease in company history. More than $30 million in savings for customers will continue into 2019 and beyond.

"We’re thankful to gain approval from the Commission today so we can now quickly pass these savings on to our customers,"Gulf Power chairman, president and CEO Stan Connally said. "Gulf Power customers will benefit from this tax reduction in the form of lower energy prices beginning in their April bills."

The tax savings are the result of federal tax reductions under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on Dec. 22, 2017, and became effective on Jan. 1, 2018. The decrease in the Corporate Tax Rate from 35 percent to 21 percent reduces the amount of federal income tax Gulf Power will have to pay and allows the energy provider to pass that savings along to customers.

While the average residential Gulf Power customer who uses 1,112 kilowatt-hours per month will see a $14 drop on their bills, customers who use more energy will see a larger decrease and those who use less, a smaller decrease.

Gulf Power worked together with the Office of Public Counsel, the Florida Industrial Power Users Group and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to reach a settlement on how to deliver these savings to customers as soon as possible.

The decrease comes on the heels of record consumption by Gulf Power customers during an unusually cold January.

While Gulf Power will pass along the tax savings to customers across Northwest Florida, the company will continue to invest in the energy grid to maintain the safe and reliable service customers have come to expect.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Gulf Power to pass $103 mil tax savings to customers

CRESTVIEW — Happy Spring from the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce.  The weather is warming up, flowers are starting to bloom, kids sports are back in season, outdoor festivals are on the calendar… Here at the Crestview Chamber, we are really looking forward to everything that this spring will bring to our community! 

Here’s a quick look into some of the things we’ve been up to:

As always, we kicked off a new month with a Networking Breakfast at the Crestview Community Center.  This month’s breakfast was sponsored by The HSU Educational Foundation.  The HSU Educational Foundation was established by Dr. Paul Hsu to inspire excellence in education and encourage innovation in the classroom. They approach the mission through programs that introduce emerging technologies and connect students and teachers with the business community. Bridging the gap between classrooms and the workplace is important because as the changing workforce needs evolve, our educators can better apply the foundation skills and encourage students to explore career opportunities that are in high demand. Increasingly the demand is calling for skills in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and many of our programs reflect an objective to encourage interest and performance in these areas from a young age.　

The HSU Educational Foundation focuses on helping prepare students for these careers and their vision includes providing nontraditional, innovative STEM learning opportunities such as camps and family science Game Changer Saturdays. The Teaching Excellence Awards in Math and Science (TEAMS) program is an effective partnership that began by working with the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce to recognize excellent educators of STEM in our community. Through a rigorous nomination and application process, teachers participate in the program that is judged by Chamber of Commerce members each year. Generous sponsors this year were Emerald Coast Aviation, Okaloosa Gas, TelaForce, Merrill Lynch and Carr Riggs and Ingram. This year's winners were announced at the March Breakfast:

Merit $500 Level　

• Shannon Kirby – Crestview High
• Tiffany McGovern – Crestview.High
• Linda Parker – Crestview High 

Special TEAMS II Merit Level Winner

• Tim Sexton – Davidson Middle School 

TEAMS $5000 level

• Debra Adams – Laurel Hill School
• Greg Elrite – Crestview High 

Congratulations to all of these winners and thank you to the HSU Educational Foundation for your support of the Chamber.

Chamber breakfast meeting 

Bring your business cards and your appetite to our next breakfast meeting which will be on April 5th and is sponsored by Rocky Bayou Christian School.  The Community Center doors will open at 7:00 AM and the program starts at 7:30 AM.  A $5 entry fee will get you a delicious breakfast from Uncle Bills, networking opportunities with 150 other leaders in the community, and an update on all the great things happening at the Chamber of Commerce.

Future events

There are so many exciting things happening at the Chamber and we would love to have you join us. We have an After Hours event on April 12, hosted by White Sands Podiatry that will be free and a lot of fun.  We are also preparing for a Health Fair this August where we will provide different screenings and activities to get everyone ready for a new school year.  We also have committee meetings, luncheons, and tons of other opportunities to network and get plugged in. Visit our website for a complete calendar of choices at www.crestviewchamber.com.  Our vision is to make the Crestview Area Community a great place to live, work, and do business and we would love to have your support!  We look forward to seeing you and helping you grow your business!

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce recaps activities

The Okaloosa County Mosquito Control Program began spot spraying this month. Within the next couple of weeks, the standard evening broadcast spray schedule will begin based on mosquito surveillance data and other factors.

The following is the Okaloosa County spray route schedule.

North County:

• John Riley Barnhill Road to Escambia Farms, Vinson Ray Road, Beaver Creek to north Baker, Highway 90 East from Shoal River to County Line Road and north to Poverty Creek Road
• Crestview: Rattlesnake Bluff and Little Silver Road, Aplin Road south to Live Oak Church Road

South County:

• Wynnehaven Beach, Florosa and Valparaiso
• Destin: Destin Bridge to Airport Road

North County:

• East side of Highway 189 to Highway 602; Four Flags area, Baker and Holt South of Highway 90,
• Crestview: Aplin Road north to Highway 90; Old Bethel Road past Sioux Circle, Old Antioch Road to Highway 90 west of Highway 85

South County:

• Airport Road to Walton County line, Mary Esther/Fort Walton Beach and Bluewater Bay

North County:

• Holt north of Highway 90, Baker West of Galliver Cutoff, Laurel Hill to County Line, Highway 393 N, Steel Mill Road
• -restview: Old Bethel Road to Airport Road, Highway 90 from Fairchild Road to Highway 85, north to Airport Road

South County:

• Streets off of Lewis Turner Boulevard to Carmel Drive, Rocky Bayou, Fort Walton Beach from Brooks Bridge to Memorial Parkway

THURSDAYS:

North County:

• Poverty Creek Road, Highway 393 to Campton, Baker from Galliver Cutoff to Old River Road,
• Crestview: Lake Silver Road to Airport Road to Auburn area

South County:

• Shalimar, Ocean City, Mooney Road area and Niceville

Okaloosa County Mosquito Control and the Florida Department of Health urge the public to remain diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts. These should include remembering to remember the acronym SWAT.

1. Stay inside with screened doors and windows when mosquitoes are biting (dusk and dawn). 
2. When outside, wear clothing that covers skin. 
3. Apply mosquito repellant that includes DEET [N, N diethyl-m-toluamide] on your skin when you are outside
4. Turn over standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs or better yet – rid your outdoor area of standing water in which mosquitoes can lay their eggs.

Remember to apply all mosquito repellants in accordance with the recommended frequency and methods suggested by the manufacturer.

The Florida Department of Health now recommends the following mosquito-borne illness recommendations:

Drain standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying —

•Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, children’s toys, flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected.

•Discard tires*, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren't being used.

•Empty and clean birdbaths and pets water bowls at least once or twice a week.

•Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water.

•Maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.

Cover skin with clothing or repellent —

Clothing: Wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long-sleeves. This type of protection may be necessary for people who must work in areas where mosquitoes are present.

Repellent: Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Always use repellents according to the label. Repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535 are effective. Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.

Cover doors and windows with screens to keep mosquitoes out of your house —

Repair broken screening on windows, doors, porches, and patios.

The County Mosquito Control Program sprays for mosquitoes county-wide excluding federal and state-owned land. Mosquito spray trucks generally operate starting 2 hours before sunset and/or in the 2 hours after sunrise. Surveillance activities may indicate certain types of mosquitoes known to be disease vectors that are active during time periods other than noted. If this is the case, the County will respond appropriately.

In addition to spraying, the County has an aggressive larviciding program that includes more than 1,500 sites treated and are checked on a regular basis. Additionally, more than 750 ponds and areas with standing water are treated with gambusia fish which eat mosquito larva and are able to reproduce at a high rate.

Residents are also reminded to have outdoor animals vaccinated against mosquito borne disease. Horses should be vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Although West Nile and EEE can occur throughout the year, peak season is August, September and October. Horses must receive two vaccine injections 3 to 6 weeks apart and then it is recommended every 3 to 6 months. Dog owners are also reminded to have pets treated for heartworms since certain mosquitoes present in Okaloosa County carry the disease as well.

The Mosquito Control Division of Public Works is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and may be reached at 651-7394 or 689-5772. Mosquito spray schedule, preventative tips and other related information is available on the County’s web site at www.myokaloosa.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County releases mosquito control schedule

CRESTVIEW — It was a breezy but sunny day Saturday, near-perfect weather for sampling some of the area’s best barbeque.

The 14th annual Blackwater, Bands and BBQ Cookoff came and went March 24 at Old Spanish Trail Park. The wind threatened to take off with some of the many canopies lining the park, but it was an otherwise beautiful Spring day in Crestview.

Five local barbeque businesses competed for the title of Grand Champion, with Bruce Nidy’s Ranch House Kitchen of Florala, Alabama taking home the honor. Nidy also took first place in the pulled pork, chicken and brisket categories, nearly making a clean sweep.

The only category Nidy didn’t win was ribs. That honor went to Karl Wiggins of Po Wiggs BBQ. The Fort Walton Beach eatery also won the title of Reserve Champion. Mark Thompson of Pigstickers, a former Crestview favorite, took home the People’s Choice award, showing it’s still popular in town more than three years after officially closing its doors.

Three bands played under the large pavilion in the park, which also housed a small beer garden area for the first time at Triple B. Local bands New Earth Army, Schatzi and the String Boffin, and Still Standing entertained patrons taking a break from the sun under the shade of the pavilion.

There was plenty of kid-friendly fun to be had as well. Crestview Fire Department brought an inflatable fire safety house, and kids lined up to get a tour of one of their fire trucks and operate a real fire hose.

Crestview Area Youth Association was also on hand with a football toss and dunk tank. Many other vendors offered similar games, demonstrations and small prizes.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BBQ and Bands fill Spanish Trail Park

CRESTVIEW — If you have an event you would like to submit, send your first and last name and information about the event to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this week in Northwest Florida

LAUREL HILL — Sarah Petty is looking forward to the longer days of summer. More daylight will give her more opportunities to do her favorite pastime — gardening.

The Okaloosa Master Gardener and her husband Jim enjoy getting outdoors and tending to the plants around their Laurel Hill home.

Their yard sports various items, among them an eye-catching giant azalea bush someone planted well before they bought their home; a young Japanese maple caged in a metal fence to protect it from deer who visit the couple's yard and help themselves to their garden for lunch; blueberry bushes, daffodils and brightly colored verbena.

Among Petty's favorite plants is a native yellow azalea she was able to grow.

She said beginning gardeners should add perennials and bulbs like amaryllis and daffodils (the varieties that grow well in North Florida). She also said they should start with ones that are native to Okaloosa County, like stokesia plants, just to get a good variety.

"If they're just getting into planting," Petty said, "it's better for them to start getting their garden and add perennials of different types, and they can get some ideas by going to plant sales and finding what kind of perennials to add."

"Those are the plants that will just continue growing year after year. You don't have to replant them. They'll be like azaleas and camellias…And that way, if you put a plant in like a perennial, then you don't have to do it again. You don't have to do it every year — plant plant plant. It's one of those that you can put it in, and if it likes where it is, it will come back every year for you," Petty said.

For all of Petty's favorites, there was only one "ugly duckling" of a plant on the Dogwood Garden Club member's list.

"Weeds…they're always there…and you've got summer weeds and winter weeds," she said. "You have to keep after 'em, but it gets you outside."

•Master Gardeners are available to answer gardening questions at local extension offices in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville.

•The Dogwood Garden Club of Crestview meets at 10:30 a.m. first Mondays of the month in various locations, including members' homes. Contact President Ruth Herington, 683-0839, for details on upcoming meetings.

Gardening in Okaloosa County

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill Master Gardener offers advice to gardeners

CRESTVIEW — The return of warm weather means the return of something else all too common in Northwest Florida: bugs.

While some insects irritate people, few insects are harmful to plants. Less than one-tenth of a percent of all insects in Florida are damaging to plants, according to Larry Williams, an expert in residential horticulture at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

“The vast majority of insects that you’re going to encounter are either of no consequence to your lawn, landscape or garden, or they are beneficial,” Williams said. “A lot of folks think that every six-legged critter needs to be killed.”

Some bugs, like the chinch bug, can take over a lawn. According to Williams, they are the number one pest found in lawns seeded with St. Augustine grass, and can kill a lawn if left unchecked. Lush, green lawns attract more insects, including chinch bugs, which will choose greener grass to lay eggs.

Nitrogen is critical for healthy lawns as well as insect development. However, too much nitrogen in soil can lead to more insects due to healthier offspring.

Other insects, like the ladybug or lady beetle, can be beneficial by keeping other common garden pest populations in check.

The overuse of insecticides to indiscriminately kill off any insects living in lawns and gardens can actually make things worse. By killing beneficial insects, the pest population can worsen each year. It can also lead to resistant populations of insects, including those harmful to plants.

Fire ants

The fire ant is a common pest that can be found indoors as well as outdoors. The fire ant is a non-native species believed to have stowed away on ships from South America.

The most visible sign of an ant colony is a mound of loose dirt, but a single mound is only the tip of the iceberg. The nest below can extend to five or six feet deep and be much larger than the diameter of the mound.

According to Williams, a single ant colony can house upwards of 300,000 ants. A queen can lay around 2,000 eggs per day for six years or more. Despite the rapid speed at which they multiply, ant populations can be controlled, if you don’t try to eradicate them altogether.

“If you have a fire ant mound in the back yard in the corner somewhere that you don’t frequent and kids don’t play, leave it alone,” Williams said. “Concentrate your control efforts closer to the home, where kids play, where you frequent.”

Studies have shown that eradicating ant populations entirely can lead to much larger populations turning up in the same area within weeks.

Williams also cautioned not to disturb the mound, no matter how tempting it is. When the mound is disturbed, the ants will instinctively move the queen and eggs to the safety of a new area, where they will build a new mound. This can lead to a never-ending cycle of chasing ant hills around a yard.

One way to stop the spread of an ant colony is to use commercially-available ant bait, but it takes patience. Williams said the ants will eventually take the food back to the queen, but it could take days to weeks for them to bring enough poison back to kill her.

Powdered poisons can also work, but should be spread around the mound in a circle, then spiraled inward toward the center of the mound. These types of poison can work quicker than bait poisons, but also risk disturbing the mound, which could cause the colony to spread.

“They’re all different,” Williams said. “It’s important to read the label and understand how they’re used to achieve control. But you never want to disturb the mound in the process.”

Fungal pests

Not all garden pests in Northwest Florida are insects. Fungal diseases play a large role in the destruction of crops in this area.

“The lengthy period of warm weather we have, the host plant material, the moist environment, high humidity, lots of rainfall, that’s fungal heaven,” Williams said. “The vast majority of plant diseases are caused by some kind of fungus.”

Fungal infections are heavily dependent on moisture. People who think that they have to overwater due to the sandy soil can contribute to the problem, according to Williams.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Keeping lawn and garden pests under control

CRESTVIEW — Are you your lawn’s worst enemy?

Cultivating a healthy lawn in Florida is no easy task, but there are some things you may be doing that hurt more than help.

Larry Williams, an expert in residential horticulture at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview, offers tips for growing and keeping healthy grass.

“There are common mistakes people make that result in the lawn either costing them more money than it should or causing the lawn to thin out and actually die,” he said.

Williams said there are five areas people need to pay attention to in order to maintain a healthy lawn: grass type, square footage, water levels, mowing height and fertilizer.

1. Grass type

“All of the lawn grasses that we grow are foreign,” Williams said. “They did not exist here. They were brought here from other countries. You’re kind of starting out with trying to grow something that’s not in their element.”

Centipede grass and St. Augustine grass are the two main types of grass used residentially in Northwest Florida. It’s important to know what type of grass you’re working with, because weed killers and herbicides do different things to different grasses. A particular weed killer can be bad for one type of grass, but perfectly fine for another.

2. Yard size

It is also important to know the size of the yard you’re working in. Most pesticides, weed killers and fungicides recommend amounts to use based on the square footage of the lawn. This means not only measuring the size of your yard, but subtracting the size of any area where grass doesn’t grow, such as pools and sheds.

Williams says people almost always use two to three times the amount of fertilizer that they need in one application. They also fertilize too early, too many times during the year and too late.

“They’re really overdoing it, and that lawn is costing them more than it should,” Williams said. “And some lawn grasses, especially centipede grass, are unforgiving. It will not forgive you if you’re slightly heavy-handed with fertilizer.”

3. Water levels

Whatever kind of grass you’re using, it needs the right amount of water to develop a strong root system.

An in-ground irrigation system can often water too frequently for too-short periods of time, leading to a weak, shallow root system, according to Williams.

Residents, he said, should measure the amount of water their yard is getting by setting out straight-sided cans, like empty tuna cans, at different points around the yard and letting them collect water for a period of time.

“In doing that, most people would find they’re not getting as uniform coverage as they thought they were,” Williams said. “You might have a can in one corner of the yard that gets a few drops of water in it, but in the middle or on the other side you have a can that’s half-full.

“What you’re really trying to find out is how long it takes to put out a half-inch to three quarters of an inch of water.”

If the amount of water your lawn is receiving within several hours is within that range, it will saturate the ground six to eight inches deep and encourage a healthy root system.

4. Mowing height

“I’ve seen people solve their entire lawn problem by raising the mowing height, not cutting the grass as low,” Williams said.

Mowing height is another situation where the type of grass matters. Centipede grass does best at a height of between 1.5 and 2.5 inches – longer is better during the hot summer months – while St. Augustine grass is better off at 3 to 4 inches.

5. Fertilizer ratios

The key to fertilizer is to get your numbers right, referring to the balance between nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, according to Williams.

“It’s critical to use a fertilizer in a Florida lawn that has equal amounts nitrogen and potassium,” he said. “Our lawns don’t need the equivalent amount of phosphorus.”

Many people make the mistake of using too much nitrogen in relation to the potassium. Williams says this can cause the grass to “starve to death” due to a potassium deficiency. Potassium helps grass deal with stresses such as hot and cold snaps, pressure from pests and even routine foot traffic.

“Potassium is critical for the long-term health of a lawn,” Williams said. “If the lawn has adequate potassium, it can overcome and survive and do much better.

“Lawns in Florida are frustrating. Even when you’re doing everything right, you don’t have control over the weather. You don’t have control over the pests that happen to come in that year. You don’t want to add to the problem by being a pest yourself.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 tips for a healthier lawn this summer