The late Kadance Fredericksen’s favorite book, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” includes the powerful message that there is always hope, even in the darkest days, her father, Matthew Fredericksen, told hundreds of people who gathered today in the Baker School multipurpose building to celebrate her life and legacy.

Informational booths set up by community organizations, free food, and live music by Josh Davis will help highlight the Crestview Police Department’s 6th Annual CommUnity Flashlight Walk.

According to unofficial data, a total of 130 homeless people were counted during the recent annual Point-in-Time Count conducted by officials and volunteers at the nonprofit Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless.

The actual total number of homeless people in Crestview, however, is much higher. Based on various shelter data, the total is about 540, shelter Assistant Director Neil Johnson said on Feb. 7.

Okaloosa County is taking another big step toward completing upgrades to county-maintained dirt roads.

Recreational and commercial blue crab traps in all waters from Franklin County to the Florida/Alabama state line must be removed from the water before Jan. 5, the first day of a 10-day trap closure. This closure will give groups authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) the opportunity to identify and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps from the water.

At Monday’s Crestview City Council meeting, members of the Knights of Columbus Council 7968 of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church donated $4,500 to help cover the costs of the city’s Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1.

As recently as 2021, 12.3% of children in Okaloosa County were faced with food insecurity.

Shana Lawson is hoping to change that.

Retired Air Force Col. Michele Shelton says her life-guiding mantra is “CP4,” which stands for character, passion, pride, perseverance, and personal responsibility.

The contractor for Crestview’s $5.7 million Main Street renovation project aims to have it completed before Christmas, according to city officials.

Veteran’s Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide, and the United States takes November 11 as seriously as any other; with roughly 18 million veterans in the U.S., it’s important to honor those keeping our country, our allies, and civilians safe.