CRESTVIEW — A team of Crestview students is packing up its robots and taking them on the road.

The Hub City Robotics team will compete in the Northwest FIRST LEGO League Regional Championship on March 3 at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City. The team advanced by winning a local tournament held at Shoal River Middle School in December.

This isn’t students' first trip outside of Okaloosa County. Last year, they went all the way to the FIRST LEGO League Championship in Houston where they competed against teams from all over the world.

FIRST is an acronym for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” The LEGO League hosts competitions all over the country and is involved in 78 countries around the world.

Noah Steele is the team’s captain and has been competing in FLL for three years.

“My favorite part of this is probably just getting to know the theme of this year,” Steele said. “This helps me try to problem-solve and just basically use your mind and try to think of things that are out of the box.”

This year’s theme is hydrodynamics. The competition tasks teams with coming up with a real-world solution for a water-related problem. The team members invented a temperature-detecting sticker for water bottles warning people that they may contain unsafe levels of bisphenol A, a chemical commonly used in the manufacture of plastic bottles.

Casey Steele is Noah’s mother and one of the team coaches.

“It’s such an amazing thing that these kids have come up with,” she said. “When they brought all their ideas together, they kind of formed this one idea on how BPA is released when the water bottle is overheated.”

The team consists of four students who each attend different area schools. They started out together at Bob Sikes Elementary but when some of them moved on to other schools, they kept the team together by forming a new Hub City Robotics team.

Along with learning about robotics and other engineering skills, the students have to learn other real-world skills like public speaking, fundraising and entrepreneurship.

“They have to give presentations," Casey said. "They have to learn how to research (and) come up with solutions to these real-world problems. They have to practice their speaking and get along with each other. They have to get out in their community and work with each other.”

If the team wins the regional championship in Panama City, it will move on to the April 8 state invitational in Jacksonville.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview kids headed to robotics competition

CRESTVIEW — The return of warm weather means that Triple B is right around the corner.

The 14th annual Crestview Blackwater, Bands and Barbeque Cookoff is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 24 at Old Spanish Trail Park pavilion on Stillwell Boulevard. This is the second consecutive year the festival will be held at the park, after being moved from Main Street last year.

Last year’s event was sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, which meant a larger venue was needed to accommodate the increased number of competitors from the previous year.

This year, the festival will be part of the Florida Barbeque Association, giving the cookoff a more local flavor.

Dino Sinopoli, the new chair of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s Triple B Committee, says using the park as a venue makes it easier to comply with the rules of the competition.

“The competition starts at five o’clock the night before, so a lot of the competitors will be out there all night cooking,” he said. “The temperature of all the meats has to be inspected before they begin, and then they have to follow the rules and regulations, and then turn in their product the next day.”

The People’s Choice competition will be returning this year with one notable change. There will be clearly marked lines for People’s Choice samples that can be purchased with a ticket and the regular barbecue lines for full purchases. Sinopoli says the change was decided on after receiving feedback about long lines at last year’s event.

This year’s Triple B festival will add a fourth B into the mix.

“It’s been the Triple B Barbecue, which is Blackwater, Bands and Barbeque and this year we’ve got beer. We’ve got a fourth dimension,” Sinopoli said. “We’ve got everything set up for liquor licenses and volunteers to run the booth.”

Alcohol sales usually raise concerns at large events, but Sinopoli says the event staff is taking precautions to make sure the festival is safe and family-friendly.

“Everybody’s taken their serving class for that to make sure it’s all done to the code of the law, and to make sure it’s a good family fun event,” he said. “Our beer is very much controlled. It’ll either be a draft beer setup or a can setup, where you have to come to one spot and purchase the beer, and that gives better control.”

Notable attractions that won’t be returning this year are the bounce house and slides. Sinopoli says the insurance costs to include them have increased, forcing the organizers to make the difficult decision of excluding them from this year’s event.

“We have to indemnify the Crestview chamber and the city,” he said. “By the time you make everybody happy, there are just some things that cannot be in there and that’s any rides.”

There will still be other family-friendly attractions at the festival. Many vendors offer games and activities for kids, like face-painting, cornhole tosses and giveaways. 

“It’s (going to) be a lot of fun for the kids and lots of good food,” Sinopoli said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B adds beer, separate lines for People's Choice

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 weekend in Northwest Florida

Did you know that you are able to check out and download digital magazines with your library card?

Thanks to our membership with the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative you have access to a wide variety of magazines that you can download to your phone, tablet or computer through the RBdigital platform.

Best of all, there are no due dates or waiting lists and you can check out as many as you would like simultaneously.

RBdigital features full-color, digital magazines for instant reading, mobile streaming, and mobile-app download. With personal notifications for favorite magazines, you never have to miss an issue. Some of the more popular titles include "Us Weekly," "National Geographic," "Good Housekeeping," and "Popular Mechanics." Some others include "Rolling Stone," "PC Magazine," "Car and Driver," and "Vogue."

You may also discover titles that you never knew existed, such as, "American Patchwork & Quilting," "American Craft," "Inked," "FineScale Modeler," and "Electronic Musician."

So make use of your library card and check out the titles we have to offer. Visit us at the library, 1445 Commerce Drive, or call us at  682-4432 if you need assistance.

Marie Heath is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Check out digital magazines with your library card

Just this past year, we've seen natural disasters in Texas, California, Florida and Puerto Rico — and looking back even further, it's not hard to spot other traumas in virtually every part of the country. Whether it's a tornado, hurricane, flood or wildfire, you may be at least potentially susceptible to a weather-related event that could threaten your physical — and financial — well-being. How can you protect yourself?

As far as your physical safety is concerned, you're probably already aware of the steps you need to take to shield yourself and your family. And now that many alerts can be sent directly to your smartphone, you've got an even better chance to prepare for an approaching threat.

But when it comes to safeguarding your financial situation, you'll need to be ready well in advance — and the following moves can help:

•Strengthen your home. Your home is probably your biggest asset, so you'll want to do everything you can to keep it safe. In the face of a truly calamitous event, such as hundred-mile-per-hour winds or the advance of uncontrollable fire, there may not be much you can do, but in less dire circumstances, your actions can help. Your insurance professional can offer tips on protecting your residence.

•Maintain sufficient insurance. It's a good idea to review your existing homeowners or renters insurance periodically to make sure you are sufficiently covered for all possible hazards.

Keep in mind that homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program. (Depending on where you live, this coverage may be required when you get your mortgage.) Also, in conjunction with maintaining your insurance, you should document your possessions, so you may want to make a video inventory as well as a written list containing descriptions and values.

•Create an emergency fund. A natural disaster can lead to a wide array of unanticipated costs: appliance repair or replacement, hotel and restaurant bills, insurance deductibles — the list could go on and on. Consequently, you'll help protect yourself and your family by building an emergency fund.

Some of this money should go into a liquid, low-risk account, but you may also want to keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place, as ATMs and credit cards may not work during or following a disaster, when you must purchase needed supplies.

•Protect your documents. As you go through life, you'll accumulate a lot of documents — mortgage papers, insurance policies, financial accounts, tax statements and so on. If disaster strikes, you may need these documents. You'll want to store paper copies in a fireproof and waterproof box or safe at home, in a bank safety deposit box, or with a relative or close friend.

Of course, we're now living in a digital age, so you can store electronic copies of important documents in a password-protected format on a removable flash or external hard drive.

Better yet, you might want to use a secure cloud-based service. With luck, you can avoid being victimized by a natural disaster. But, as the old saying goes: "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst." From a financial perspective, that's good advice. 

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Be financially prepared for natural disasters

CRESTVIEW — Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Joslyn E. Briggs and Airman Allyson N. Salinas graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airmen completed eight weeks' training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Basic training graduates earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Briggs is the daughter of Jerry and Carolyn Briggs of Holt; sister of Cole Briggs of Valparaiso, Indiana, and Brittany Briggs Stover of San Angelo, Texas; granddaughter of Joyce Miller of Panama City; and daughter-in-law of Robert Stover of San Angelo.

She is a 2014 graduate of Baker High School, Baker.

Salinas is the daughter of Michelle L. Williams of Crestview and David E. Robson of DeFuniak Springs; and stepdaughter of Shawn A. Williams of Niceville and wife of Justin A. Salinas of Alamogordo, New Mexico.

She is a 2010 graduate of Walton Senior High School, DeFuniak Springs.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Briggs, Salinas graduate from basic military training

Sci-fi and fantasy fans will be flocking to Pensacola this weekend for Pensacola Comic Con.

Pensacon 2018 will run from Friday through Sunday, and take place over five different venues in downtown Pensacola. The majority of the action will be at the Pensacola Bay Center, with some events taking place at the Pensacola Grand Hotel, the Saenger Theatre, Pensacola Little Theatre and the Rex Theatre.

The list of guests includes more than 100 actors, artists, musicians and others from a variety of film and TV franchises, including “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “Game of Thrones.” Fans will have the opportunity to meet the guests and take photographs with them.

There are also plenty of other activities for attendees. The main floor of the Bay Center will be used as a vendor area, where attendees can find merchandise from their favorite movies and TV shows. Other features include a video game tournament, a cosplay corner, escape zones and even a lightsaber training tent. Panels will be held at the theater sites.

Crestview resident Daniel Overstreet has attended every Pensacon since the event began in 2014. He says the celebrities are the highlight of the weekend.

“It’s always meeting the guests for me,” he said. “They have other stuff there, but it’s mainly about the celebrity guests.

“Growing up, being a wrestling nerd as a kid, meeting wrestlers like Ric Flair, Mick Foley. Also as a Star Wars fan, meeting Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca, David Prowse who was Darth Vader in the costume — those were two big bucket list scratch-offs,” Overstreet said.

In addition to the daytime festivities, Pensacon After Hours offers attendees nightlife options, many of which are open to the public. A number of bars and restaurants on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola will be hosting themed parties in the evenings.

As with any large event, there are often issues with lines and crowds. Overstreet offers a few basic tips for first-time convention-goers.

“Get there early to get your pass if you’re having to wait to in line to get your pass,” he said. “Doors open at 10, get there earlier.”

Three-day passes that are purchased before Feb. 21 are available for early pickup at the venue Thursday night, between 6 and 8 p.m. After that, they are available for pickup at any time during the event.

“Saturday is the most crowded day, because anyone who buys a one-day pass typically goes on Saturday,” Overstreet said. “If you have a weekend pass, I would do the vendor floor on a Friday, it’s a lot less crowded. You can do all your shopping you want to do that Friday, and then do the guests Saturday and Sunday, because the vendor floor will be constantly crowded.”

For those looking for a chance to randomly bump into one of the celebrity guests, they can sometimes be spotted at the Grand Hotel bar.

“They know it’s gonna be crowded, so if they go down there for a drink, they’re usually open and okay for being around people,” Overstreet said.  “I’ve seen a couple celebrities down there and got to ask a couple more personal questions, and the ones that go down there are usually cool about it.”

Tickets for Pensacon are still available. More information about the event, including a full list of guests, can be found at www.pensacon.com.

The event will be held mostly at the Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St, Pensacola. Hours are:

• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 23
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 24
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 25

Pensacon 2018 Dates and Times

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pensacon offers fans a chance to meet stars

I have been involved in the aquaculture industry since the late 1980s, when I got my first job out of college on a tropical fish farm in Plant City. As you can imagine, the industry has changed a lot since then.

When folks find out I have worked in aquaculture, the same question seems to arise: "Is farm-raised fish safe to eat as wild caught?" I would like to say that I don't understand where this question comes from, but over the years I have seen a bewildering number of mass media headlines touting misinformation about farm-raised fish and not enough touting the benefits.

In fact, I saw a post this week on Facebook actually claiming that tilapia have no skin or bones and cannot be found in the wild, both not true. It is no wonder people are so confused. Many of the claims made are not research-based and a quick review of the scientific literature will disprove the statements, but who has time for that?

Aquaculture currently supplies over 50 percent of all seafood consumed and will expand in the future due to a limit on the amount of wild fish that can be sustainably harvested, and increasing demand by a growing population.

Sustainable, responsible aquaculture is needed to fill that gap. Fish are farmed using a variety of production methods including ponds, raceways, recirculating land-based systems and in ocean net pens.

Each one of these fish species and production methods comes with pros and cons, similar to the production of livestock and fruits and vegetables. Each species can be evaluated based on its environmental impact, production method, and even country of origin.

The American Heart Foundation recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish rich in Omega-3s) two times per week. We currently only consume about half of that.

This recommendation includes a variety of farm-raised and wild-caught fish. Both are crucial to meet current and future demand for seafood and Omega-3 fatty acids.

A common misconception is that farmed fish is not as healthy or nutritionally valuable as wild caught fish, although this claim has been largely disproven. One recent paper (Trushenski et al, 2017) compared the nutritional values of wild-caught and farmed bluegill, largemouth bass and hybrid striped bass and concluded that the farmed fish provided more long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) per portion that wild fish. However, both are excellent sources of high quality protein and nutrients.

With the Lenten season upon us — a time of a traditional increase in seafood consumption — there is an easy way to choose wild and farm-raised seafood.

One website and smartphone application that I find easy to use is Seafood Watch (www.seafoodwatch.org). The app uses an extensive evaluation system using research and a panel of experts to label seafood products as green (best choice), yellow (good alternative) and red (avoid) depending on the variety's sustainability.

With this information and a little bit of homework, I hope you come to the same conclusion that I have. Both farm-raised fish and wild-caught fish are delicious, nutritious and great additions to your diet.

Laura Tiu is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some misconceptions about fish sources

We’re going on a bear hunt in the Crestview Public Library on Feb. 23!

In addition to the bear hunt, we will read some stories and treat our bears to a picnic.

Someone in your party must be ages 3-14. Registration is recommended. Please call 682-4432 or come in to register.

Once you’ve secured your reservation, be here by 6:45 p.m. in your modest pajamas.

Bring your teddy bear, flashlight and four cookies to share. (It would help if the cookies are individually wrapped).

We should be finished by 7:30 p.m.

The Crestview library is located at 1445 Commerce Drive.

Heather Nitzel is the Crestview Public Library's youth services librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Get ready for the library bear hunt