CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department may have its own shooting range come summertime. 

That is, if a 30-acre parcel set aside for the project is approved for annexation out of Okaloosa County and into the city of Crestview.

Brian Hughes, Crestview PD spokesman, said it is all up to government officials to approve the plan.

"The city already owns the property, so we're just waiting for it to be annexed," Hughes said. "Everybody is excited about the project. It's a beautiful piece of property and it's in a nice, rural area. They have so much potential out there."

The property is located on Retta Lane in Crestview. 

The idea for a shooting range was sparked by Florida law that requires law enforcement officers to qualify with their handguns at least every two years. A Crestview Police officer must qualify every six months.

Currently, Crestview officers must drive up to the Walton County Sheriff's Office shooting range for their three hours of pistol, rifle and shotgun qualifications.

The new facility would be a multi-purpose range that would allow officers to shoot and train K9 dogs near the Crestview PD office. There would also be a running track surrounding the perimeter of the property. 

Hughes said the Crestview Fire Department has also asked for a fire tower to be built so firefighters can train on the property.

Theresa Gaillard, the city's growth management director, said she expects the annexation to be approved by late spring or early summer.

Hughes said shooting range construction will begin right after it's approved.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'So much potential'

CRESTVIEW — Florida’s endless summer will soon be replaced by uncharacteristically cold nights that could send beach-seeking tourists to the hills.

But for the homeless — who can’t simply leave the state on a dime — there are cold weather shelters in place for when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

"I firmly believe we have kept people from dying and when the weather is below 40 it is very dangerous. I know I wouldn’t want to be out on the streets," said Ann Sprague, president of the Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless, which organizes cold weather shelters every year.

Judy Christopher, who volunteers at Woodlawn Baptist Church’s cold weather shelter, says that not only do cold weather shelters help keep down death rates of the area’s homeless, but they also decrease the rate of burglaries and arrests on cold nights.

"If we didn’t have them, we would have dead people on the streets, we would have more buildings broken into because they have no place to go," Christopher said.

Christopher added that when the weather is too cold for the homeless to remain on the streets, they will often break into defunct buildings and stay the night.

She said that a number of years ago on Highway 90 West, at the red light by the Burger King in Crestview, homeless people in the area used to break into a much-maligned store that once sold items for adult entertainment.

"When it closed down, these guys figured out how to break in the back door and make it look like it wasn’t broken into and it was the summertime and, man, they had the electric running and they had AC and everything," Christopher said.

"Then what do they do? They go to jail and they eat up our tax dollars," she said.

"It’s a vicious circle."

—

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Woodlawn Baptist Church has a homeless shelter. The revision also corrects a misquote in the second to last paragraph. 

These Crestview-area churches are participating in the cold weather shelter program this year:

• Helping Hands – Mondays
• Community of Christ – Tuesdays
• Community of Christ – Wednesdays
• Helping Hands – Thursdays
• Helping Hands – Fridays
• Helping Hands – Saturdays
• Lifepoint Church – Sundays

For more information, contact Ann Sprague, with Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless, at 826-1770.

FYI

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cold weather shelters serve the homeless

The West Florida Regional Planning Council has made available the Draft 2018-2022 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for public comment.

The CEDS is a five-year strategy to guide activity and investment to support economic growth in the WFRPC region (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington and Bay counties). The region is designated as an Economic Development District by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The CEDS is the result of a data-driven and participatory planning process that invites stakeholders to bring forward project ideas and identify economic development ventures underway that merit ongoing community support.

The CEDS is monitored annually to track implementation of the action plan and its outcomes. 

You can direct comments or questions regarding the CEDS to caitlin.cerame@wfrpc.org by Dec. 29.

See the West Florida Regional Planning Council’s Draft 2018-2022 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy at http://www.wfrpc.org/programs/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy

ONLINE

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy available

CRESTVIEW — The Hub City made national headlines nearly five years ago when a woman filmed herself at Twin Hills Park kicking geese in the head as a child chortled in the background. She was later arrested for animal cruelty, but today, the goose-human tension remains.

At least, so it seems based on recent conversations with local residents.

"I think they [geese] are somewhat of a problem because they are so aggressive, much more aggressive than the ducks are," said Bob Kochel, a Crestview resident who took a break from his walk in the park to interview.

"My wife and I come down here often — maybe five times a week — and feed the ducks and I try to stay away from the geese because they hog everything and chase the poor little ducks away."

Jacqueline Jackson, who was playing T-ball with her daughter and grandchildren at Twin Hills Park the day after Thanksgiving, was unfazed by geese at the park.

"As far as geese being able to roam freely in this park area, I don’t see anything wrong with it. If they are not hurting anything, they are not hurting the environment or hurting anybody — why shouldn’t they," said Jackson.

"We have come out here since my girls were little, and they are 10, and we have never had any aggressive incidents with the geese," said Jackson’s daughter, Fonta High. "So I believe that isolated incidents can happen. There are always outliers and I don’t know how many of those there are, but in my experience over the past 10 plus years, we have never had any aggressive incidents."

However, others, like Crestview resident Phillip Estrem, feel that geese can be a threat to humans when they feel "slighted" if they don’t get all the food they want as humans feed a gaggle by the shoreline.

"I don’t know that the geese are a problem; they don’t chase us and stuff like that, but I do know that if people start feeding them or they see people feeding them, then they will come after them and they might get a little aggressive at that point," Estrem said.

"I do know that farm geese will be aggressive. I have been chased by a goose when I was a kid and grew up on my grandfather’s farm and we learned how to respect them and say, ‘okay, stay away from the geese.’"

In response to the question of ‘how to respect a goose,’ Estrem said, "You stay away from them. If you see one of them out there, just let them alone.

"If you want to feed it, you take the chance of having a goose come after you."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Should they stay or should they go?

CRESTVIEW — A festive evening with fun displays, a themed parade, lots of music and free candy is the basis of Crestview's annual Christmas celebration.

Sandra Wilson, Main Street Crestview Association program manager, said, "At 5 p.m. Dec. 2 we will have our Christmas tree lighting in downtown Crestview at the courthouse terrace. The parade will start at 5:30 p.m. by Hub City Smokehouse and will go north on Main Street towards the courthouse.

"There will be pictures with Santa after the parade in the pavilion right next to the courthouse," she said.

The theme for the parade and the business window display contest is "Your Favorite Christmas Movie or Story."

All downtown Crestview businesses may compete in the free display competition. Sign-up ends Dec. 18 and decorations must be completed by that afternoon, as judging will occur that evening.

Wilson said residents can expect stiff competition between area businesses like Remax Agency One, Hall's Motorsports of Crestview, Okaloosa Animal Clinic, ERA Burgan Learning Center, Childcare Network, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, North Okaloosa Medical Center, Progressive Chiropractic, Northwood Elementary School, Freedom Tax, Adams Party Bouncers, AA Tactical and The Vintage Attic.

Girl Scout Troop 2035, Knights of Columbus, Hall's Motorsports of Crestview, Okaloosa Animal Clinic, Zeb Watts Septic, Rocky Bayou Christian School and Ballet & Barre are also among competitors.

"We are extremely grateful for this year's sponsors, Okaloosa Gas, Tom Thumb, Community Redevelopment Agency, and, of course, the city of Crestview," Wilson said.

The parade and window contest winners will be presented at a City Council meeting in January, according to Wilson.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Christmas parade, window decorating contest set

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 — Upcoming North Okaloosa County events and surrounding area activities are as follows.

HOLIDAY VICTORIAN TEA: 2 p.m. Dec. 16, Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso. Experience a history program about Victorian tea etiquette, costume, and holiday traditions while enjoying a variety of teas and light refreshments. Cost is $18 per person, or $16 for museum members.  Recommended for ages 8 and up. Reservations are required due to limited space. RSVP: 678-2615.

EMERALD COAST CHRISTMAS MIRACLE CHILDREN’S FIESTA: 1-7 p.m. Dec. 17, Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. Free giveway for needy families. New toys for all who attend.  The 1-2 p.m. hour is only for families with kids with disabilities. The public will be allowed to enter at 2 p.m. Food, games, DJs, singers, church choirs, clowns, magicians, dance contests for bikes and more. Free coats courtesy of the United Way’s Coats for Kids program will also be given out. Business sponsorship opportunities, volunteers and monetary or in-kind donations welcome. Visit www.unitedforagoodcause.org for details, or see the group's Facebook page. David, 368-3505, or Estela, 305-3686 or e-mail united4agoodcause@gmail.com.

PUBLIC MEETINGS 

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING: 3 p.m. Dec. 14, training room of the Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 Eglin Parkway, Shalimar. Meeting schedule and location are subject to change. For updates and agendas, visit www.wfrpc.org or email tiffany.bates@wfrpc.org, or 332-7976, extension 217.

BLACKMAN FIRE DISTRICT BOARD: 7 p.m. first Mondays, 1850 U.S. Highway 2, Baker.

CRESTVIEW CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

CRESTVIEW HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD: 5:15 p.m. third Mondays, 371 Hickory Ave. W, Crestview. Open to the public.

CRESTVIEW CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

MILLIGAN WATER SYSTEM BOARD: 6 p.m. second Tuesdays, 5340 U.S. Highway 4.

BAKER FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSION: 7 p.m. second Tuesdays in the Baker Area Public Safety Building, 1375 19th St.

REP. JAYER WILLIAMSON OFFICE HOURS: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. first and third Thursdays, Okaloosa County Extension office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview. Call 995-3698 for an appointment.

LAUREL HILL CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. first Thursdays, City Hall. 

DORCAS FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS: 6 p.m. first Thursdays, 5232 Deer Springs Drive, Crestview, off Highway 90.

HOLT FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays, fire station, 490 W. U.S. Highway 90, Holt.

ALMARANTE VOLUNTEER FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS: 7 p.m. second Thursdays, Almarante Fire Station, 3710 Old California Road, Laurel Hill.

OKALOOSA-WALTON NORTH OKALOOSA FIRE DISTRICT: 6 p.m. third Thursdays, fire station 82, 5549 John Givens Road, Crestview.

HOLT FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSION: 6:30 p.m. third Thursdays, 490 W. U.S. Highway 90.

HOLT FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays, fire station.

LAUREL HILL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m., second Fridays, in Laurel Hill City Hall's fire department office.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

CRESTVIEW AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENTS: for chamber members and their employees. Details: 682-3212 or info@crestviewchamber.com. http://www.crestviewchamber.com.

AMBASSADOR COMMITTEE MEETING: 8:30 a.m. Nov. 29, Crestview chamber office, 107 Commerce Blvd. Become more involved in the Crestview chamber of commerce, network and grow your business. Amber Ellis or Karen Donaldson, ambassadors@crestviewchamber.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: What's happening in North Okaloosa County

CRESTVIEW — Need help or want to volunteer for a worthy cause? Here are some local services and organizations for consideration.

STUFFED ANIMAL DONATIONS WANTED: Crestview’s Haylee Turnage is working to collect 800 stuffed animals for children through Dec. 1. The toys will be donated to kids at the hospital who can't celebrate Christmas. The toys can be new or used, as long as they're in good condition. To donate, contact her at Haylee Turnage on Facebook, or email hayleet962@gmail.com.

MEDICARE HELP FOR SENIORS: Florida Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, or SHINE, provides free, unbiased, confidential counseling to help elderly residents with their yearly Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance plan reviews. Medicare open enrollment takes place through Dec. 7. Call 1-866-531-8011 or visit www.FloridaSHINE.org to make an appointment with a counselor, or to volunteer. It is a Florida Department of Elder Affairs and Area Agency on Aging program.

ART & CRAFT VENDORS WANTED: Heritage Museum's Yule of Yesteryear annual Christmas festival is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 9 in Valparaiso. Vendors who produce quality, handcrafted, original items are wanted. Visit www.heritage-museum.org, email info@heritage-museum.org, or call 678-2615 to register or for details.

EMPLOY FLORIDA WORKSHOPS: 9-11 a.m. fourth Thursdays of the month at CareerSource Okaloosa Walton, 409 Racetrack Road, Fort Walton Beach. Learn to conduct job searches on the state system, create a resume, access labor market data for wage, job experience and education requirements for a specific occupation. Learn about Training Grant opportunities, online training courses, and the organization's virtual recruiter.

EMERALD COAST HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS WANTED: ECH provides compassionate care through a team of professional staff members and volunteers. Volunteers are thoroughly trained and provided ongoing education. They can serve in a variety of areas from administrative help to offering support to a hospice patient through visits or weekly phone calls. Just a few hours a month makes an impact. Details: Ann O'Connor, 689- 0300.

SENIORS VS. CRIME VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Seniors vs. Crime's Crestview office, which assists senior citizens whom someone scammed or took advantage of, needs help. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at 296 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite 8. To volunteer, contact Office Manager Joe Loria, 306-3176, or Region 5 Deputy Director JB Whitten, 813-489-5657. Contact 306-3176 or 800-203-3099, or see　www.seniorsvscrime.com　for more information.　

REPORT ELDERS ABUSE: Call the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-96-ABUSE (800-962-2873) if you suspect elderly friends and neighbors are being abused. Many elders may suffer from financial exploitation, neglect or physical or emotional abuse, often caused by family members. The NFAAA is a private, non-profit agency supported by the federal Older Americans Act and the State of Florida General Revenue Fund through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Gwen Rhodes, 494-7100 or rhodesg@nwflaaa.org

UWF ACADEMIC ADVISING: The University of West Florida offers assistance with admissions, academic and degree advising and registration in Crestview. Contact Deborah Cluff, 863-6550, to schedule an appointment for first Thursdays at the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, 1446 Commerce Drive.

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE: Need help? Contact the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care, 409-3070, www.okaloosawaltonhomeless.org; Opportunity Inc., 659-3190; or Helping Hands of Crestview, 428 McLaughlin St., behind First United Methodist Church. Helping Hands is open 1-4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

ENERGY ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, Tri-County Community Council, 290 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Crestview. 306-1134.

CRESTVIEW SOUP KITCHEN NEEDS VOLUNTEERS: Serves Mondays through Saturdays. To volunteer at Central Baptist Church, call 682-5525; Our Savior Lutheran Church, 682-3154; LifePoint Church, 682-3518; Community of Christ, 682-7474; First Presbyterian Church, 682-2835; or First United Methodist Church, 682-2018.

FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 1-3:30 p.m. Thursdays; and 9 a.m. to noon second and fourth Saturdays of the month at 247 S. Booker St., Crestview. Free items include shoes and other accessories. Presented by Concerned Citizens of Crestview. Details: 689-1582 or 428-6997.

FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR NEEDY RESIDENTS: 9 a.m. second Saturdays, 383 Texas Parkway, Crestview. Dry goods and fresh produce available while supplies last. Hosted by House of Restoration, a partner agency of Feeding the Gulf Coast. Details: Ruby Chatman, 398-0577.

WOMEN AND FAMILY INTERVENTION SERVICES AND EDUCATION: a Crestview-based Community Drug and Alcohol Council program that helps pregnant women with substance abuse. 689-4024.

CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE: Eligible low-income families can receive financial assistance through the Early Learning Coalition of Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Apply at www.elc-ow.org. Hover over "Services" and click "School Readiness" to register.

FREE MEDICARE COUNSELING: By appointment, Crestview Public Library and Elder Services of Okaloosa County, in Crestview, 494-7101 or 1-866-531-8011.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Nonprofit seeks Crestview area lots for families needing housing. 758-0779 or 315-0025.

VA VETERANS CRISIS LINE: Veterans in crisis, their families and friends can call 800-273-TALK (8255), and press 1 to talk with qualified, caring VA responders. Confidential. www.veteranscrisisline.net.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEEDS MENTORS: Adult volunteers spend two hours weekly mentoring children. Pairs go to the library, museum, park or beach, hike, roller-skate or play sports. 664-5437.

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTERS: Group needs people to work in the Emergency Operations Center assisting county personnel. Contact: Yvonne Earle, 863-1530, extension 230.

FREE HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE DROPOFF: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, Okaloosa County Recycling Office, 80 Ready Ave., Fort Walton Beach. Okaloosa residents may drop off paints, pesticides, pool chemicals, used oil, gas, antifreeze, computers, televisions, fluorescent lamps, car batteries, rechargeable batteries, cleaners, solvents, aerosols and printers.

MUSEUM SEEKS VOLUNTEERS: Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida seeks friendly, reliable volunteers to greet guests and answer phones in its gift shop 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Details: 678-2615, stop by 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso, or email info@heritage-museum.org.

CARS NEEDED: Opportunity Inc. accepts donations of cars, boats and other vehicles to support Opportunity Place, an emergency shelter for families. Shelley Poirrier, 409-3070 or shelley@okaloosawaltonhomeless.org.

SHELTER HOUSE FINANCIAL SUPPORT: It costs just more than $100 a day to shelter a domestic violence victim. Every little bit helps. 683-0845.

DRIVE VETERANS: Help veterans attend appointments at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Pensacola two days a month. Veterans Service Office, 689-5922.

VEHICLES NEEDED: Covenant Hospice accepts cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, boats and RVs. Qualified professionals pick up vehicles from Pensacola to Tallahassee at convenience. Rachel Mayew, 428-0605.

LAKEVIEW CENTER'S FAMILIES FIRST NETWORK NEEDS BEDS: Donations wanted for local children in protective services. Cribs and beds for children must be in good condition. 833-3840.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa County services calendar

As an investor, you may find that bonds can be a valuable part of your holdings. But there’s more than one way to own bonds, so you’ll want to be familiar with the various investment vehicles available — because the more you know, the better the choices you’ll be able to make.

So, let’s look at three popular ways of owning bonds:

Individual bonds — When you buy an individual bond, you will receive predictable interest payments. And when your bond matures, you’ll get the original principal back, unless the issuer defaults, which is not common in cases of “investment grade” bonds.

However, the value of your bond — the price you could get for it if you sold it on the open market before it matured — will fluctuate over time, primarily in response to interest rates. (When market rates go up, the value of your bond drops, and you may lose some of your principal if you sell the bond prior to maturity.)

In general, you’ll pay at least $5,000 for an individual bond, though the amount may vary. Consequently, while this approach gives you more control, it can be more time consuming and require a larger investment to build a diverse fixed-income portfolio.

Bond funds — A bond-based mutual fund typically holds several different types of bonds. This can help increase your diversification, which is important, because diversification can help reduce credit risk (although it can’t guarantee a profit or protect against a loss).

But instead of requiring a larger dollar amount to purchase the many bonds needed to gain proper diversification, bond funds are already composed of varying issuers and maturities, giving you this benefit for a smaller dollar amount purchase. A bond fund does not pay you a fixed rate of return; instead, you receive dividends, which will fluctuate based on the underlying bonds’ interest rates and capital appreciation.

In addition, bond funds don’t have a maturity date when principal is repaid. Keep in mind that when you purchase bond funds, you could be subject to capital gains taxes in two different ways: if you sell your fund shares for a profit or if the fund manager sells an underlying bond for more than it’s worth. This increased capital gains liability is one reason that many people put bond funds in a tax-deferred vehicle, such as an IRA or a 401(k).

Bond UITs — A unit investment trust, like a mutual fund, contains a variety of bonds, so you get the benefit of diversification. Unlike a mutual fund, however, a UIT is not actively managed and does not change its holdings.

Similar to mutual funds, UITs are subject to sales charges, expenses and fees. A UIT is typically established for 20 to 30 years, but, as an individual investor, you can sell your shares whenever you want, for whatever the market will bear.

Bond UITs are not without risk. Specifically, since a UIT’s bonds provide fixed interest rates, there’s always the possibility that the bonds will lose purchasing power to inflation over time.

When choosing how to own bonds, you’ll need to evaluate many factors — and we’ve only looked at some of them. You may want to consult with a financial advisor to determine which methods of bond ownership are appropriate for your needs.

By doing your homework, and getting the help you need, you can seek to maximize the advantages of adding bonds to your investment mix.

Mutual funds and UITs are sold by prospectus, which contain more complete information, including the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses as well as other important information that should be considered.

Your financial advisor can provide a prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Explore different options when purchasing bonds

CRESTVIEW — A recent Family Library Time presentation at the Crestview library focused on the subject "Wild Things."

Three Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employees set up interactive displays for attendees and answered questions as families explored native Florida wildlife.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents learn about 'wild things'