Master Gardeners to recommend trees at lecture
CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Master Gardeners will host the final free gardening education lecture of the year soon.
The free program is 10-11 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Okaloosa County Extension office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview. Participants may stay after the lecture and enjoy the nature trail Master Gardeners have planted behind the office. Call 689-5850 to register due to limited seating.
Maria Wilson, guest speaker, will recommend 10 trees for Northwest Florida landscapes at the event. This includes the Red bay; the White Fringetree; and the Sweet Olive. She will also address the current spread of the “laurel wilt,”a fungal disease spread by non-native red bay ambrosia beetles. It affects red bay and other trees in the laurel family, kills avocado trees and is rapidly expanding.
A Senior Forester for Okaloosa County, Wilson spent this summer and fall working on the Norse Peak fire in Washington, and recently visited some of the hurricane-affected locations to help with the devastation done to the trees.
Davidson cheer team hosts 5K run
CRESTVIEW — Davidson Middle School's Dance & Cheer team will have a Paint the Panther 5K.
The run is 9 a.m. Oct. 21 at the school, 6261 Old Bethel Road, Crestview.
Registration costs $25 for 5K runners, $15 for the one-mile kids run, and $2 for a prize drawing ticket. Limited T-shirts are available on a first-come, first served basis for $15.
Participants can pick up registration packages 4-6 p.m. Oct. 20 or 7:30-8:30 a.m. Oct. 21 at the DMS gym.
No refunds will be given, even if the run is cancelled due to inclement weather.
Crestview Kiwanis hosting pancake fundraiser
CRESTVIEW — A pancake breakfast and silent auction will support Kiwanis Club of Crestview projects.
The Pancake Day and Sportsman Breakfast is 7:30-10:30 a.m. Oct. 21 at Samuel's Roadhouse, John King Road, Crestview.
The auction items include something for everyone, including sportsmen, according to an organization media release.
Cost is $5 per person and free for children 7 and younger.
City officials, staff to participate in Florida City Government Week
CRESTVIEW — The Florida League of Cities has named Oct. 23-29 Florida City Government Week, and Crestview is participating in multiple events that will educate residents on the workings of local government.
According to the FLC website, Florida City Government Week is part of an ongoing effort to raise public awareness about the services that cities perform and to educate the public on how city government works.
Council President J.B. Whitten said he has a week of activities planned. Here is the schedule:
Monday, Oct. 23: Citizens can meet elected officials and department heads at a City Hall open house at 8 p.m. following the City Council Workshop.
Tuesday, Oct. 24: Elected officials will meet in the morning to have coffee at Casbah Coffee Company, and they invite Crestview residents to come and speak with them.
Wednesday, Oct. 25: The Crestview Fire Department will have a demonstration at the fire station of their new inflatable fire safety smoke house.
Thursday, Oct. 26: Whitten will hold a town hall meeting at Samuel’s Roadhouse, and encourages all council members to organize their own.
Friday, Oct. 27: All council members will serve meals at Hub City Smokehouse.
These activities are still in the planning process, and more information will be made available to the public prior to the events.
Nurse submissions, donations requested for Eglin monument
CRESTVIEW — The Military Order of the Purple Heart and Northwest Florida State College are collecting information for a proposed nurses monument to be constructed at the US Air Force Armament Museum on Eglin.
The order and college are looking for one nurse to represent the Civilian Nurse of Today on the monument. The Nurses Monument Committee will select one civilian Registered Nurse, male or female, from submissions turned in by Oct. 31. The committee will announce the winner Nov. 16.
Three nurses featured on the monument are Florence Nightingale, Lt. Annie G. Fox, and 1st Lt. Sharon Lane. The information on each person includes their name, date of birth, date of death if deceased, and a history of their service, as listed below.
To submit your name for possible posting, send a high-resolution 8-inch by 10-inch or 4-inch by 6-inch photo of yourself in uniform from the waist up, a brief biography, and contact information to William Everett, 5727 Buck Ward Road, Baker, or email it to him at weeverett76@gmail.com.
Okaloosa elections office to host candidate class
CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections will hold Candidate University, a three-hour class for people interested in running for public office or learning more about the candidate process.
Two sessions are available: 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 1 at the Okaloosa county Administration Building in Shalimar; and 6-9 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Supervisor of Elections Headquarters in Crestview.
Participants will be introduced to each step involved in the process including pre-filing, collecting petitions and qualifying. Campaign pitfalls will also be discussed as well as audits, recounts and contest of elections. There is no cost to attend this program.
Contact Katie Wainwright, 689-5600 or kwainwright@co.okaloosa.fl.us, to register. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. Oct. 25.
Visit www.GoVote-Okaloosa.com and click the Programs tab for more information
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa Community Briefs