CRESTVIEW — Looking for something for the kids to do this summer?

Okaloosa County 4-H is having its annual summer camp June 4 through 8 at Camp Timpoochee in Niceville.

Registration is open until April 30 for campers ages 8 to 12 and counselors ages 13 to 18.

This year’s camp will include activities like fishing, kayaking, archery and outdoor skills. It will also include social events such as creative dramatics, a talent showcase, a movie night and field games.

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension in Okaloosa County coordinates 4-H programs throughout the county, including clubs on Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field.

Taylor Wilken is the extension’s 4-H youth development agent who oversees the programs. She said kids that go to the 4-H camps learn valuable life skills and often come back for future camps.

“A lot of our teens, there’s a lot more camps for them throughout the year,” Wilken said. “So once they go to one, they want to be with all their friends at all the other ones, so they learn a lot of life skills that way.”

Wilken also talked about the benefits of the 4-H program in general.

“A lot of the kids learn life skills like responsibility, because a lot of them take care of their own animals or they have a certain project that they’re responsible for,” she said. “A lot of them have said that they’ve gotten out of their shell because they’re in front of a lot of people and they’re social.”

Among those skills are things like public speaking, photography and especially leadership.

“It’s mainly youth-driven. So what we do is have our older kids or any of the youths teach their class, and we just basically supply everything and make sure that they’re comfortable teaching each other,” she said.

Okaloosa 4-H isn’t just limited to agriculture. The program incorporates a wide range of activities, particularly in the camps on the military bases.

“We have our doghouse club, which is dog training mainly, and then we have a livestock one and then we have our animal science one,” Wilken said. “Both bases, the most they do with animals is they have guinea pigs and fish, so they’re more into the gardening, the photography, the arts, the sketches; they do a lot of the robotics. Computer coding is a big one there.”

To register for 4-H summer camp, go to http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/okaloosa or call (850) 689-5850.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4-H summer camp open for registration

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — Residents may experience aircraft noise and GPS unavailability April 1-6 when the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group conducts boat operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay.

Ground-based navigation and electronic devices or smart phone apps that rely on GPS may be affected in the vicinity of Eglin Air Force Base during tests from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Normal GPS reliability will resume once testing is complete each day. Those in the area are strongly encouraged to plan activities accordingly.

Each morning, fighter aircraft will release munitions between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. approximately 20 nautical miles south of Destin over the Gulf of Mexico. The test will be conducted within a cleared range safety area which includes boat surveillance. Notices to mariners will be issued prior to missions, and flyers will be handed out at the local marina.

In the afternoons between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., boats traveling in formation will transverse between the Mid-Bay Bridge and the Highway 331 Bridge, to include 10 to 20 miles south of Destin over the Gulf of Mexico. The boat formation will be used as visual targets by military aircraft flying over the area. No weapons or ammunition will be involved with this boat formation.

Please be advised that some boats will have mock-up, fake deck guns and rocket launcher tubes. The boats will also use marine flares as visual markers.

These operations are part of the 53rd Wing's Weapon System Evaluation Program. For more information, please contact the Team Eglin public affairs office at 882-3931 or the 53rd Wing public affairs office at 882-0423.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Eglin testing may cause aircraft noise, GPS unavailability

CRESTVIEW — With a cheer from supporters, the North Okaloosa County leg of the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics commenced in the parking lot of the new north Crestview Publix March 28 as more than 50 runners and walkers set off down Industrial Drive.

The 1.5-mile route concluded at the Whitehurst Municipal Building, the home of the Crestview Police Department, as the same enthusiasm and cheers that hailed their departure welcomed the runners about 20 minutes later.

Among the runners were representatives of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Crestview Police Department host agency, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, state and county corrections officers, and the U.S. Air Force Military Police.

"We love doing this," CPD Critical Systems Manager Kathy Duke said before the run. "It’s a great charity and we do what we can to support it. It’s a cause we believe in."

While Duke carried the torch for part of the run, Cadet Officer Justin Wallen received the Torch Run flag from another runner and carried it for part of the route. Officers passed the torch and flag to each other, so many had the honor of bearing the run’s symbols.

Law enforcement officers weren’t the only torch and flag bearers. Earlier in the run, Special Olympics athlete Jacob Luttrell, a 2016 graduate of Richbourg E.S.E. School in Crestview, was a torch bearer, flashing a broad grin as he ran.

"I felt good," Jacob said at the run’s conclusion. "The games will be great."

The Special Olympics Florida summer games areMay 18 and 19 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Special Olympics Torch Run takes place

Lawmakers in California will soon begin debate on a bill that would require doctors to screen new moms for mental health problems — once while they’re pregnant and again after they give birth. 

But many obstetricians and pediatricians bristle at the idea, saying they are afraid to screen new moms for depression and anxiety. 

"What are you going to do with those people who screen positive?" said Dr. Laura Sirott, an OB-GYN who practices in Pasadena. "Some providers have nowhere to send them." 

Nationally, depression affects up to 1 in 7 women during or after pregnancy, according to the American Psychological Association. 

And of women who screen positive for the condition, 78 percent don’t get mental health treatment, according to a 2015 research review published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. 

Sirott said her patients give a range of reasons why they don’t take her up on a referral to a psychologist: "‘Oh, they don’t take my insurance.’ Or ‘my insurance pays for three visits.’ ‘I can’t take time off work to go to those visits.’ ‘It’s a three-month wait to get in to that person.’" 

She said it’s also hard to find a psychiatrist who is trained in the complexities of prescribing medications to pregnant or breastfeeding women, and who is willing to treat them, especially in rural areas. 

"So it’s very frustrating," Sirott said, "to ask patients about a problem and then not have any way to solve that problem." 

Moms are frustrated, too. After the baby comes, no one asks about the baby’s mother anymore. 

Wendy Root Askew struggled for years to get pregnant, and when she finally did, her anxiety got worse. She couldn’t stop worrying that something would go wrong. 

"And then, after I had my son, I would have these dreams where someone would come to the door and they would say, ‘Well, you know, we’re just going to wait two weeks to see if you get to keep your baby or not,’" Root Askew said. "And it really impacted my ability to bond with him." 

She likes California’s bill, AB 2193, because it goes beyond mandated screening. It would require health insurance companies to set up case management programs to help moms find a therapist, and connect obstetricians or pediatricians to a psychiatric specialist. 

"Just like we have case management programs for patients who have diabetes or sleep issues or back pain, a case management program requires the insurance company to take some ownership of making sure their patients are getting the treatment they need to be healthy," said Root Askew, who is now advocating for the bill on behalf of the group 2020 Mom. 

Health insurance companies haven’t taken a position on the legislation. It’s unclear how much it would cost them to comply, because some already have infrastructure in place for case management programs, and some do not. But there is consensus among insurers and health advocates that such programs save money in the long run. 

"The sooner that you can get good treatment for a mom, the less expensive that condition will be to manage over the course of the woman’s life and over the course of that child’s life," Root Askew said.

Some doctors still have their objections. Under the bill, they could be disciplined for not screening. Some have said they worry about how much time it would take. 

The health care system, and the incentives, aren’t set up for this sort of screening, Sirott said. 

"Currently, I get $6 for screening a patient," she said. "By the time I put it on a piece of paper and print it, it’s not worth it." 

It’s not clear whether the direct and indirect costs of screening would be worth it to the patients, either. Four other states — Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and West Virginia — have tried mandated screening, and it did not result in more women getting treatment, according to a study published in Psychiatric Services in 2015. 

Even with California’s extra requirement that insurance companies facilitate care, women could still face high copays or limits on the number of therapy sessions. Or, the new mothers might be so overwhelmed with their care for a newborn, that it would be difficult to add anything to their busy schedules. 

What does seem to work, according to the study of mandated screening in other states, is when nurses or mental health providers visit new moms at home.

"Despite abundant goodwill, there is no evidence that state policies are addressing this great need," the study’s authors report. 

Supporters of California’s proposed bill, however, say doctors need to start somewhere. Screening is the first step in recognizing the full scope of the problem, said Dr. Nirmaljit Dhami, a Mountain View, Calif., psychiatrist. Women should be screened on an ongoing basis throughout pregnancy and for a year after birth, Dhami said, not just once or twice as the bill requires. 

"I often tell doctors that if you don’t know that somebody is suicidal it doesn’t mean that their suicidality will go away," she said. "If you don’t ask, the risk is the same."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Maternal mental health: Doctors worry there’s ‘nowhere to send’ new and expectant moms with depression

CRESTVIEW — A group of relatives and friends gathered March 27 in honor of Calandra Stallworth, a Crestview resident who has been missing for a year.

Lighted candles and flowers surrounded Stallworth's photo placed on a chair on her grandmother's porch, just a few feet away from the  house Stallworth once rented for herself and her two daughters.

Daniel Jackson of Crestview, an assistant minister, led the event with a prayer. He asked the Lord to be with the family and strengthen them, as well as to be with case investigators and law enforcement to encourage them to keep on looking and searching for answers.

The ceremony was naturally emotional for Stallworth's mother, Shelia Knight. Relatives comforted her when she called out her daughter's name.

The brief ceremony concluded with a balloon release. Participants moved clear of the trees into the street. They let go of the balloons and said, "We love you, Calandra!"

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'We love you, Calandra!'

CRESTVIEW — An impassioned sermon at a local church may have sparked a fruitless police search for an alleged large group of homeless children living in the woods around Crestview.

Crestview Police Department sent out a media release March 22 denying rumors that there was a “colony of five dozen homeless teens living in the woods somewhere in the city.”

Brian Hughes, public information officer for CPD, said the department had received numerous calls regarding the rumors, prompting an investigation.

“We started getting phone calls about it,” Hughes said. “Our investigators, actually some people contacted them personally, so it kind of became clear that we had to do something about it.”

Rumors of homeless people living in the woods around Crestview are not a new phenomenon, and they’re not always baseless. Hughes, who once worked as a reporter for the News Bulletin, recounted a story he wrote in 2015 about a small homeless encampment near Ridge Crest Estates. But talk of a large group of homeless teens living in one area is entirely different, and it caused alarm among some residents.

The rumor may have its roots in a sermon given recently at a local church. Pastor Jason Townsend of The Summit church, in an emotional speech during a late February service, talked about the homeless problem that he had recently learned about.

Townsend had been told by other pastors at the church that 8 to 12 homeless kids were sleeping in the woods near Twin Hills Park. When he found out, he spoke with his staff about trying to locate the homeless children.

“So we got out there and started searching and looking, and we were wrong,” Townsend said in the sermon. “It is not 8 to 12 kids that are living in the woods; those are their ages. There are 60 kids that live and sleep in tents in your community.”

It was Townsend’s first sermon at The Summit’s main campus in Crestview. He and his wife, Misty, previously served at the Destin campus and now minister at both locations. Townsend urged the congregation to take action to help house and feed the homeless teens.

The media release from CPD mentioned a Facebook post written by a member of the congregation. It read, in part, “When you find out that there are over 60 homeless teens living in woods in Crestview what will your response be? What if that was your teen or your niece or nephew?”

While neither the sermon nor the Facebook post specifically stated that all 60 teens were living in one wooded area, the idea prompted calls to city police.

“Word just went out like wildfire that there was this group of teens living in the woods,” Hughes said. “There were slight variations of (the story). The number changed. Sometimes it was slightly fewer, and the colony just kept growing.”

The phone calls led police to investigate the wooded areas around Twin Hills Park, but they did not find evidence of an encampment in the area. Investigators also searched two other areas in the city that were rumored to be possible locations, but no homeless children were found at either location.

Investigator Ralph Garrett, who worked on the case, said he spoke with neighbors and church members, but could find no evidence to substantiate the claims of a large group of homeless teens.

“There isn’t even enough room in those woods for 60 kids,” Garrett said, referring to the wooded area to the east of Twin Hills Park.

If it was Townsend’s sermon that sparked the rumors, he said it was not his intention. Townsend said he had not been to the alleged location and had not personally seen a large group of homeless teenagers.

“There are kids that sleep in the woods,” Townsend said. “Have I gone and looked for them? Nope, I have not. But I’ve heard so many times about that, that there are kids that are in the woods.”

Townsend said he was made aware of the large number of homeless teens in Crestview by Rosa Rivera, who runs a non-profit called the Belief Foundation. The foundation provides mentoring and educational programs for at-risk, school-age children. But Townsend clarified that the homeless teens were not living in one wooded location together.

“My first day as the official lead pastor for the Crestview campus, these children come to be made aware to us,” Townsend said. “The whole kids only in the woods, I’m not real sure how that got started, with them only in the woods, because certainly they’re not only in the woods.”

One fact that this situation has made clear is that everyone involved, from Crestview Police Department to the churches and non-profits in the area to concerned citizens, all take the issue of homeless teens seriously.

The Summit is working with the Belief Foundation to provide food for the at-risk youths served by the foundation. The church also plans to try to open a group home for homeless children, though they are not actively accepting donations for that cause at this time, according to Townsend.

“If you want to give something at all, you can give financially for us to feed (at-risk kids) at the Belief Foundation Monday through Thursday,” Townsend said.

While no large groups of homeless teens have been discovered in the city, Investigator Garrett urged anyone with concrete information on the location of such a group to come forward.

“If anybody has info about 25-60 kids, contact us immediately,” he said. “We’re ready.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Investigation into homeless teens comes up empty

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