Since my husband, Jim, and I moved to Crestview, it seems that some summers are hotter than others.

This summer is hot, but there are a variety of ways to cool off.

When I was young, we didn't have a swimming pool, so my Mom would buy a wading pool and fill it for us to splash around in and cool off; one of the neighbors had a slip-and-slide that kept us cool, and then there were sprinklers we played in.

All fun, and fairly safe, but still required adult supervision.

As I grew older, my parents put in a swimming pool, which was wonderful for hot days; we could walk out and jump in the pool to cool off. 

But a pool comes with a great deal of maintenance and safety concerns. Our family pool was surrounded by a fenced backyard as well as an additional fence just around the pool to ensure that no child could accidentally walk outside and fall into the pool. I grew up with safety-conscious parents.

If you have a pool, or take your children to swim anywhere, please observe these safety rules:

●Teach your children to swim when they are young so they are safer around water

●Never swim alone

●Never take your eyes away from a toddler or new swimmer

●Have adequate adults for supervision of children

●Teach your children to obey those in charge when they are swimming

●No running around the pool

●Don't allow children to ride their tricycles around the pool as they can fall in

●Use flotation devices or life jackets for little ones who like to feel independent

●Take a CPR class and know basic first aid

●Observe safety flags on the beach and obey lifeguards

●Don't swim out farther than your ability to swim back

Water is fun, cool and relaxing, but it can also be deadly and we need to treat it with caution and respect.

And let’s not forget about pets! Make sure they stay hydrated and have a cool place to relax, along with plenty of fresh water throughout the day. 

Enjoy the summer!

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: 11 tips for summer water safety

Do you know how hard it is to be a police officer?

I have never worked in law enforcement, but as a journalist I have worked with law enforcement for more than two decades.

No situation is easy to resolve. At any moment, the least likely suspect could be the one who kills you.

That is tough.

I have known deputies who were shot during traffic stops. One of my good friends was almost killed by a criminal he was trying to apprehend. I recently stood for hours watching a group of officers put themselves at risk to keep a suspect safe — the same suspect who allegedly shot at other officers during a chase before being pinned down in a shed behind a home.

One of my friends, a Kansas police officer, is asked why he continues to wear a badge when he is underpaid, deals with the worst criminals, delivers horrible news to families and sees horrific things in his line of work — only to see other officers killed in Dallas simply because of their profession.

“When they ask why, I tell them it’s because of love,” he said. “Because I love all of you, I will go to work even today in hopes that I can protect you from the evil of this world.”

Being a police officer is a tough job. A lot of people can’t handle tough jobs. Those cops who fought with and killed a man in Baton Rouge, Louisiana did not show what I expect when people describe great police work. The officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota who shot a man in his car while a toddler was in the back seat appeared to be among the most skittish and least professional officers I have seen in action.

But the cops shot and killed in Dallas were the ones keeping their city safe. They were protecting protesters and even supporting them. Now five of them are dead and seven others are hurt.

Shooting the good guys doesn’t get rid of bad guys. It’s a foolish response. It is criminally counterproductive.

These officers who shot and killed people when it wasn’t necessary are probably not even racists in the typical sense. They aren’t white supremacists. I’m sure they work with black friends and they might have grown up loving some black people as much as anyone else in their lives.

They appear to be victims of a more subtle yet equally dangerous racism.

I have two sons. One is a white child who came to my family by birth. One is black and he came to us through an adoption from Ethiopia.

In a few years, they will both be teenagers. If Blake walks through a neighbor’s yard on his way home, he will be seen as a kid walking home. If Dawit walks the same path to the same home in the same neighborhood, are those neighbors going to wonder what he stole?

This is a time to mourn together. We should mourn two killings that appear to be unjust. We should also mourn deeply that people who protect us are targets of senseless violence.

There is a racial divide in this country. We need a movement. It doesn’t have to be a civil rights movement. Minority rights aren’t the issue today. Minority acceptance is. We have to stop living in an “us and them” world.

We do need black leaders to stand up. But more than that, we need white leaders to stand with them. We need to stand together to solve this issue.

Until we can see each other as equals, we can’t treat each other equally.

That isn’t a problem for politicians, preachers and patrolmen to solve. We all have to work together — equally.

Contact Kent Bush, publisher of the Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star, at kent.bush@news-star.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BUSH: Let's see each other as equals

It has been some time since I first looked at the plans for the proposed replacement Okaloosa County courthouse – the one that will eventually sit in the county seat, albeit that most county functions are located elsewhere.  At first I admired the architect’s rendition of the antebellum design, but the more that I thought about it the more I decided that perhaps there is a better and cheaper way to accomplish the mission!

What I have deduced from taking another look at the design is that the center portion of the structure will consist of three floors, while the distant parts of the building will have only two.  I can understand that the designer of the building was looking for balance and symmetry, and with little concern for overall cost.

With the design as is, it calls for an expansive “foot print,” i.e., basement and/or slab to extend from the farthest portion on one end to the farthest portion on the other.  Similarly, the entire building will be covered by roofing material extending the same distance and square footage of the entire structure.

Now, basements and/or slabs cost money, as does roofing material.  Furthermore, the pumping out of heat and/or cooling to distant offices, or for whatever the far off places will be used, will have a considerable cost.

I do not care in what direction the building will face.  What concerns me is the announced overall expense and how the cost can be reduced.

I am not an architect, and perhaps I do not have all the answers, but I am reasonably certain that a reduced “foot print” and a roof covering approximately 40% less area than the original plan will cost significantly less.

How do we accomplish this?

Instead of a center section of three stories, why not build a five story building?  By doing this it is suggested that functions originally planned for the outer wings can be relocated to the two added floors.

Somebody will say that this modification will require folks to climb too many stairs.  This is not true.  The only modification will require the already-planned elevator to stop at all five floors.

Another will claim that a building of such height will be a hazard to aviation.  Again, this is not true.  Or, a claim that such a building will be subject to major damage in the event of a hurricane.  With the improved construction practices and better materials, there is little merit to this argument.

Currently, there is concern about the lack of parking space.  With the reduced “foot print” will come considerably more area for a multitude of parking spaces.

In summary, it is my opinion that a building with approximately the same square footage can be built on less ground and at a significant savings to the taxpayer.

Bob Allen is a Crestview resident and former city councilman.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: ALLEN: The proposed courthouse – my opinion

When I was 16 years old, I drove my old 1964 Chevelle about 70 mph to school one morning and ended up over a steep bank — this resulted in a two-week hospital stay.

I am fortunate I lived. I was young and careless.

Most of us have been young and careless. However, you don't have to be young to be careless — just ask Hillary Clinton or FBI director James B. Comey. Sometimes, the most affluent, most prestigious people in some of our highest offices can be extremely careless and stupid. I added the stupid part.

Comey didn't say she was stupid, but a lot of American people think Clinton is stupid — I'm still talking about Hillary but you might have thought I meant Bill Clinton. On second thought, nobody who can make millions of dollars giving speeches is stupid.

Let’s let bygones be bygones. Everybody is young and stupid once. Everybody makes mistakes. No person is perfect. Everybody deserves a second chance.

Do you remember Trump gave Tara Conner a second chance in the Miss USA beauty pageant? It was reported she had tested positive for cocaine, heroin and crystal meth and was accused of other stuff. Trump said then, "I believe in second chances." Maybe he will simply look over Hillary's extremely careless actions and offer her a second chance.

Actually, I don't think that will happen. Remember, this is throat-cutting politics stuff.

Careless activity usually has consequences. Think about it:

●If we are careless with our eating, we will get fat and sick.

●If we drink too much alcohol, we will reap negative health results.

●If we drive too fast, we are in danger of getting a speeding ticket or hurting ourselves or someone else.

●If you forget to report additional income to the Internal Revenue Service, they will penalize you, collect the money and charge additional interest.

I shook hands with Hillary a few years ago. I am not a Hillary hater; I would do lunch with the Clintons anytime. However, when I got home and told my wife I had shaken hands with Hillary, she made me immediately wash my hands.

"Those hands have touched Bill," she lamented. Looking back, I guess I had been extremely careless.

Oh, listen up, dear friend: If we all could just go to the sink and wash our hands of our careless errors, how wonderful that would be! The problem is, most of the time, extremely careless mistakes never go away.

If you are in politics, the media will make sure they never go away.

I wonder how many people have received a job promotion for being extremely careless? Hillary could get a big one this fall.

Whatever you do today, do not look to Hillary's error as an example for conducting your life.

Try to do everything by the book, the letter of the law or whatever your job description is — because chances are very likely, unlike Hillary, you'll face consequences.

Glenn Mollette is an American syndicated columnist and author.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: MOLLETTE: Extreme carelessness usually has consequences

I am a descendent of John Hart, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

John. Hart signed his death warrant by putting his "John Hancock" on the Declaration of Independence. First British, then later Hessian, troops raided his farm. His 13 kids fled to Virginia to escape death.

The Library of Congress said this after he died in 1779: "The late Speaker of that House and Signer of the Declaration of Independence died. He was the erstwhile Speaker of the House, taking an early and active part in the present revolution, and continued to the day he was seized with his last illness to discharge the duties of a faithful and upright patriot in the service of his country in general and the county he represented in particular.

“The universal approbation of his character and conduct among all ranks of people, is the best testimony of his worth, and as it must make his death regretted and lamented, will ensure lasting respect to his memory."

What eloquent writing. Compare it to Donald Trump’s Tweet: “@katyperry must have been drunk when she married Russell Brand @rustyrockets — but he did send me a really nice letter of apology!”

Contrary to Trump’s nativist view, immigrants are important to help grow an economy. But, not be wards of the state and a captive pool of Democrat voters that Hillary wants. We need a healthy dose of immigrants. These immigrants float here on a Styra-foam cooler, they will take some risks and be entrepreneurs. I hope this is not lost on lawmakers.

A personal observation about the Founding Fathers that explains America: They had ADD. Most had families and good lives in Europe, but they risked everything to come here. This explains why most creative entrepreneurs, artists and innovators reside in the U.S. and why the Germans, English and Swedes left over there are all so stoic and boring.

Ben Franklin was a printer, musician, scientist and writer. As lore has it, he was flying a kite and did not notice lightning when he discovered electricity. Today, OSHA would have shut him down. Thomas Jefferson was an inventor, architect, writer, philosopher, statesman and lawyer. Nothing could hold his attention for very long other than Sallie Hemmings.

Freedom comes with responsibility, which is why this administration and its entitlement-minded followers begrudge it. Every task the government undertakes should be measured by whether it increases or decreases freedom.

The notion of freedom and liberty resonates with people in Great Britain now, and especially in the South. I hear guys I grew up with say, "By God, if I want to keep the wild coyote I caught in my coat closet, then I ought to be able to."

Our founders did not write, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — unless it offends someone." Their pursuit of happiness would not involve arresting us for not buying government-mandated health insurance, or spending government resources to impede gay marriage.

Remember, these men donned satin pedal-pusher britches, wigs, fancy shoes and ruffled shirts. Thus, they won our freedom — and a nomination for the first Tony Award for Best Costume in a Drama.

Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or tweet@RonaldHart.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HART: America’s Founding Fathers: the original Brexit

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

The young woman had a rough past, involving alcohol, drugs and prostitution. But the change in her was quite evident. In time, she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry of teaching young children.

It wasn’t long until this faithful young woman caught the eye and heart of the pastor’s son. Their relationship grew and they made wedding plans.

That is when problems began.

About half of the church did not think a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. Others had no problems with her past. As a result, the church began to argue and fight about the matter. At a meeting over this issue, the people argued; tensions increased. Before long, the meeting got completely out of hand.

The young woman became upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry, the pastor’s son could not bear the pain it caused his wife-to-be. He stood to speak and said, “My fiancée’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does His blood wash away sin or not?”

The whole church became quiet, and then people began to weep as they realized they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against others  —  including our brothers and sisters in the faith. Forgiveness is a foundational part of the gospel of our Lord.

If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse another person completely, it cannot cleanse us completely. And if that were the case, we would all be in a lot of trouble.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” Most should be grateful he doesn’t forgive as they do  —  or rather, don’t.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: A lesson on forgiveness

I hate pro-life legislation.

Simple logic leads me to be pro life. If nothing happens to that fertilized egg cell, it becomes a child.

So I believe that child’s life begins at conception and it shouldn’t be stopped. I just happen to belong to the “offer women help and support adoption” camp, and leave it at that.

The reason I hate pro-life legislation is not that I want more women to have abortions. I hate this new breed of pro-life legislation because it nibbles at the edges of the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling and is substantially ineffective in accomplishing a pro-life goal. Instead, these bills in traditionally conservative states come just in time for elections to establish for conservative voters that, even though the budget is failing, conservative legislators are doing what they can to make the world a better place on a social policy front.

Of course, the bills then end up being the focus of months or years of costly court battles before being overturned by an appellate court or the Supreme Court because of the same obviously unconstitutional provisions that forced legislators interested in something other than an election year postcard to vote against them in the first place.

In Oklahoma this year, Gov. Mary Fallin — whose career is marked by a strong pro-life voting record — had to veto a bill that would have removed licenses from doctors who performed abortions. Gov. Fallin vetoed the bill because it was obviously going to fail in court. How can doctors lose their licenses for performing a procedure that is still legal? Oklahoma legislators had no trouble getting that bill passed. Had Fallin not intervened, it would have failed in court.

Everyone wants there to be fewer abortions. There are far better ways to accomplish that than supporting cynical partisan bills whose intent was more to help win elections then save unborn children.

On Monday, the short-handed United States Supreme Court set the pro-life movement back a generation thanks to a Texas bill that was the center of a legislative fight three years ago.

Abortion is a horrible thing and I can’t bring myself to believe that any woman would undergo that procedure lightly. Wendy Davis was a Texas State Senator who famously filibustered this bill wearing pink tennis shoes. She rode that momentum to a run for governor. She lost to incumbent Rick Perry. She has spoken openly about having multiple abortions for medical reasons.

She said those procedures are why she fought so hard to keep the option open for women in her situation.

But Monday, the Supreme Court ruled 5-3 that the bill she fought against three years ago was, in fact, unconstitutional. Instead of a 4-4 draw, Justice Anthony Kennedy — a Ronald Reagan appointment — joined the four more liberal voices on the bench in the decision. Kennedy has supported some anti-abortion laws in the past. But this was the latest of many that are simply passed to test of how far the court is willing to go.

The Texas case will now serve as a precedent for lower courts and make abortion laws even more difficult to pass within constitutional boundaries.

Hopefully, this decision will push the pro-life community further into the mode of supporting women who become unexpectedly pregnant. Legal challenges to Roe v. Wade and the court’s newest opinion are very expensive and ineffective.

It is time to minister to people who are hurting instead wasting time and money while trying to legislate a set of morals.

We can do better.

Kent Bush is publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star and can be reached at kent.bush@news-star.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BUSH: Supreme Court ruling sets pro-life movement back a generation

Saving money doesn't seem to elicit the excitement spending does; many find it tedious.

It is more fun to spend than save, but you'll be thrilled to have that savings when you need it.

Saving money can be exciting when saving for a new car, a vacation or a down payment for a house. When saving, keep your goal in mind and you will happily delay gratification.

As parents, we need to teach our children the importance of saving for a rainy day, because, as one friend says, "rainy days always come."

The rule of thumb used to be to save 10 percent of your income. Judging from conversations I've had, I don't think people save much anymore.

If one has no savings and faces an emergency, what happens?

Having savings to rely upon would be the best; getting a loan from your bank or using a credit card would be acceptable; but what happens if one has no or bad credit? The need for quick cash doesn't go away, and sometimes the only recourse may be a cash advance loan.

Right now, there is a great deal of controversy over payday/fast cash loans — we have one here in Crestview –but for some people this type of a loan can get them over their financial crisis.

I looked online for examples, and one given was a loan of $250, for 14 days, with a $30 finance charge. The APR — annual percentage rate — was a whopping 312.86 percent, but if one has poor credit, $30 isn't much to pay to get a quick loan of $250 for two weeks.

Another way people borrow money is to pawn personal items; pawn shops generally "loan" 10 to 40 percent of the item's value. When one redeems the item they will pay from 20 to 25 percent in addition to the borrowed amount. The term may be one to four months, depending upon your state.

As an accountant, I would never advise paying an interest rate of 312.86 percent. I would strongly encourage saving money, paying off debt and living within one's means.

But we have all had emergencies in our lives, and we may not have family that can help us out financially, so perhaps payday loans are needed for an emergency.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Analyzing savings accounts and fast loans

CRESTVIEW — Here are the latest top comments that our readers shared on www.crestviewbulletin.com. 

SHOWING GRATITUDE

I would like to thank our (Florida Cops on Top Summit for Heroes) sponsor, McKenzie Buick GMC, Milton Fla., who set up a starting location, provided coffee, donuts and pastries, and financial support.

Also:

●Good Time Tours provided a bus to transport non-motorcycle riders, family members, including children.

●Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties’ sheriff's offices and Milton Police Department for the excellent escort, demonstrating their respect as the procession passed, standing at attention, (and) saluting as the colors passed.

●Our neighboring Blue Knights Chapters BKFL XXV, BKFL XXVI, Red Knights FL VIII, Green Knights 89 and various other riders and groups.

●Several businesses in surrounding counties donating merchandise, money and time.

●BKFL XXXI, Blackwater Chapter members and family members, who worked at not only organizing but (also went) out and requested support from these local businesses.

●We are also thankful for 4C's Bar BQ, who hosted and provided lunch at their location in DeFuniak Springs.

This event is the last Saturday of June, rain or shine. We are hoping to have plans drawn up, and approval from the Walton County (Board of County Commissioners), to get a monument donated, and have it in place for June 2017 event.

I appreciate the media coverage and support.

Anyone wishing to contact our chapter to get more information can contact me at iceburg6@yahoo.com or messenger me at FB Blue Knights Florida XXXI, Blackwater Chapter.

BILL BRANDENBURG

President, Blue Knights FL XXXI,

Blackwater Chapter

Santa Rosa County

●●●

NOT ALL IN ON SOLAR ENERGY

If solar is so great, then it would pay for itself without help from the government.

I love the excuse that it cuts waste and greenhouse gases. The truth is the production of the hardware, and eventual disposal, overtakes the so-called benefits.

When solar pays for itself, I'm 100 percent in. Until then, don't make me pay for other people’s solar.

Don

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HUBBUB: Readers' thoughts on law enforcement summit, solar energy

We have just celebrated Flag Day, when we honor our flag, and Memorial Day, when we remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives to keep our country free.

Now we look forward to celebrating our nation's 240th birthday. Independence Day, the Fourth of July, is when we adopted the Declaration of Independence, which stated we were a new nation, the United States of America, no longer a British colony.

What are your family traditions? Our family celebrations always included homemade ice cream, corn on the cob and boysenberries. We would also go to Disneyland to see their spectacular fireworks.

Crestview offers wonderful opportunities for Independence Day celebrations.

For instance:

Lifepoint Church, 400 Ferdon Blvd. S., offers its annual celebration from 4-9 p.m. Sunday, July 3. There will be bounce houses and water slides for children, and food will be available for purchase. Entertainment will be provided by Jordan Feliz, a contemporary Christian singer/song-writer. Hollis Creek Revival, a rock band from Alabama, will also perform. This event is free, with the exception of food for purchase. Fireworks will be after dark, around 9 p.m.

The Crestview Centennial Independence Day Celebration is 2-9 p.m. Monday, July 4 at Twin Hills Park. It is sponsored by the Crestview Main Street Association, with the fireworks sponsored by the City of Crestview. There will be game booths along with vendors selling food, beverages, ice cream and snow cones. The fireworks program will begin after dark, sometime between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Parking at Twin Hills Park will be tight, so there will be offsite parking in alternative places, with transportation to and from Twin Hills Park.

Both of these celebrations offer wonderful family opportunities for fun right here in Crestview.

Plan now to attend one or both of these celebrations honoring our country's 240th birthday.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: 2 ways to celebrate our nation's birthday — and have fun