UPCOMING

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County clubs and organizations

LAUREL HILL — Two little pot-bellied piggies are looking for their forever home.

The swine are currently being held at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society’s Laurell Hill location, according to Amanda Moore, community development coordinator at PAWS. She said the pair of piglets, named Chloe and WeeWee, came into the shelter around two months ago as an owner surrender and have spent their entire lives being cared for in a home environment. 

“They were raised inside a woman’s house,” Moore said. “Chloe ate baby food and WeeWee was bottle fed.”

The piglets are under a year old and currently weigh a little over 40 pounds.

Moore said both pigs have qualities that would make them adoptable.

“Chloe is actually really smart and has learned to sit in order to get treats,” Moore said. “And WeeWee is super cute, he really likes little kids. My son Jagger would go and feed him all the time by hand.”

The pigs came in around the same time as another pig named Plopper, who has already found his forever home.

Katie Bruno, an animal control officer at PAWS who has been helping to care for the piglets, said the animals are very sociable and would make a suitable addition to someone’s home, just like a puppy or new dog.

“They are extremely friendly,” Bruno said. “Chloe knows some tricks like a dog would. She knows 'sit' and 'down.' WeeWee is just over-the-top and super sociable.”

Bruno added the pigs would need to be adopted separately because they “don’t get along.”

She said they would need to be trained in a home environment just like any other animal, but overall would make great pets.

“Pot bellies are on the rise of becoming domesticated pets,” she said. “They are extremely smart. Your average pig can retain as much information as a three-year-old child.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pot-bellied pigs searching for homes

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

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Land Title Company, Inc. is continuing its annual effort to provide Christmas gifts to the 57 residents at Crestview Manor.

The company, its clients, industry partners and friends have worked together over the past several years to provide a merrier Christmas for them, according to a media release.

MSLTC is accepting items or cash donations that its employees can use to purchase items for gift bags through Dec. 15.

They'd like to present each resident with a gift bag containing:

•two washcloths

•a bath towel

•a bottle of mouthwash

•a tube of toothpaste

•a small bottle of laundry detergent

•a box of tissues

•a roll of paper towels

•snacks such as a can of soda, microwavable macaroni and cheese, microwave popcorn, crackers and miniature individually wrapped cakes

•activity items: word find or crossword puzzle books, or adult coloring books with colored pencils.

Call 689-8537 or email crystal@mainstreetlandtitle.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Wanted: gifts for Crestview Manor residents

Hello, my name is Taylor Wilken and I am the new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences 4-H Extension Agent for Okaloosa County. 

I was born and raised in Medina, Ohio, which is just outside Cleveland. Growing up I enjoyed camping, boating and horseback riding. When I graduated high school I moved out to Ames, Iowa, where I attended Iowa State University and worked at the university’s child development center. 

In 2014, my military husband got orders to Florida and we moved to Crestview. I graduated from Iowa State in 2015 with my bachelor’s degree in Child, Adult and Family Services. I just completed a master’s degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences from the University of Florida. 

I am very excited to join the faculty in Okaloosa as the 4-H Youth Development agent. There are many exciting things happening over the next several months so if you want to join us, please contact me for further details.

Last year Okaloosa 4-H reached over 3,911 youths through school enrichment programs, five community clubs and our four 4-H military base clubs.

Some of the activities that we provide for our local youth include 4-H summer camp, 4-H day camps and special interest topics throughout the year.

One main goal for 2018 is to recruit and train new 4-H leaders/adults that are interested in starting a 4-H community club.

Florida 4-H aspires to be the leading youth development program that creates positive change in youths, families and communities.

Our slogan is "To make the Best Better" and our motto is "Learn by Doing." 

4-H is known for experiential learning where youths are both experiencing and processing what they are learning. Youths experience the activity, share the experience with others, process the experience, generalize from the experience, and apply what they have learned. 

Youths have the opportunity to identify what they have learned from their 4-H experience and apply it to other experiences and situations.

If you would like to find out more about 4-H in our county, I can be reached via email at twilken@ufl.edu or by calling the extension office at 689-5850.   

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4-H agent joins Okaloosa’s UF IFAS Extension

U.S. Air Force Airman Brandon Renner graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Renner earned distinction as an honor graduate.

He is the son of Lori Renner of Fort Walton Beach, and Matthew Renner of Valparaiso, brother of Tyler Renner of Orlando, and grandson of Burvil and Shiela Kincaid of Fort Walton Beach. He is also the husband of Morgan Renner.

Renner is a 2011 graduate of Crestview High School.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview High alum completes basic military training

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Have a cute photo of your kids out and about? They could be our next The Bulletin Kid! Email a photo with your child's name, age, hometown and a description of the action to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: She'll be coming 'round the mountain…

Okay, here we go with the Conference Playoffs, with the teams win-lost to help everyone pick. "Hail to the Victors"

Here are your nine picks for the week plus a tiebreaker. 

1. Central Florida (UCF) Knights (11-0) vs. Memphis Tigers (10-1), American Athletic Conference: If this game is anything like last week it’s a game to watch; high-scoring game. Knights by 3.  

2. Clemson Tigers (10-1) vs. Miami Hurricanes (10-1) Atlantic Coast Conference: The Hurricanes are looking for an upset here and they just might pull it off. Clemson is looking at the final four and forgot Miami by 6. 

3. Texas Christian Horned Frogs (10-2) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (10-1) Big 12 Conference: a lot of hopping going on here as the TCU hops right over Oklahoma Frogs by 4.  

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (12-0) Big 10 Conference: Badgers need not worry about being ignored all season long after the they put the Buckeyes back on the bus. Wisconsin by 12.

5. Florida Atlantic Owls (9-3) vs. North Texas Mean Green Machine (9-3) USA Conference: Quite a turnaround for the Owls but do they have it when it counts up against Mean Machine? Somehow, they do it. Owls by 7. 

6. Toledo Rockets (10-2) vs. Akron Zips (7-5) Mid-American Conference: I’ll have to go with the rockets on this one. All I can find is very impressive for their conference. Toledo by 12.

7. Auburn War Eagles (10- 2) vs. George Dawgs (11-1) Southeastern Conference: a bit of de-ja vu; the last meeting was 40-17 Auburn. Can they do it again? Ah, don’t be looking at the final four; right through your hand goes the game. It should and could be the game of the week. Dawgs by 3.

8. Troy Trojans (9-2) vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves (7-3) Sun Belt Conference: Hey, if you can knock off LSU then you can win your Conference: Troy by 10.

9. Stanford Cardinal (8-3) vs. USC Trojans (10-2) Pac 12 Conference (Friday, Dec. 1 night game ESPN Special). I smell an upset in the making here; very close game, but I think USC by 1. 

Tiebreaker: Dec. 9 at Philadelphia — Navy Naval Academy Midshipmen (6-5) vs. Army West Point Black Knights (8-3). This is for the Military Prestigious Commander Trophy plus bragging rights up to next year’s game.

Army last year went to the Heart of Dallas Bowl and beat North Texas; this year they beat Navy by 10 and go to another bowl with a 9-3 season and the Commander Trophy. 

Bill Everett is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and lives in the Baker area.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: College football picks on the SEC, ACC

UPCOMING

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County clubs and organizations

LAUREL HILL — The city of Laurel Hill has scheduled its seventh annual Christmas parade.

The event begins 3 p.m. Dec. 9 at Industrial Park on New Ebenezer Road, crosses State Road 85 and continues down Fourth Street. It will then continue up Third Street and end on Second Avenue at the post office.

City Clerk Nita Miller said about 20 to 30 participants usually form the parade, including the city's fire department, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Mayor Robbie Adams, Council member Debra Adams and local churches. Laurel Hill School athletes and students participate as well.

"We've been growing over the past seven years and it's getting bigger and bigger," Miller said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill sets Christmas parade