CITY UPDATES

City of Crestview launches new Public Records Portal

The City of Crestview successfully launched their new Public Records
Information Portal in July 2022. 

• Next Request, the name of the portal, is a public records management system designed to improve efficiency in responding to public record requests. 

City Clerk Maryanne Schrader chose Next Request after extensive research into streamlining the City’s public records process. Schrader felt this was an essential tool for our citizens because of our commitment to transparency.

“The City of Crestview is growing rapidly, and like many government agencies, we face the challenge of doing more for our citizens with less staff,” Ms. Schrader said. “I knew Next Request would be a valuable resource and would allow staff to provide a service to the public quickly and economically.”

If you need assistance with the Next Request portal, or if you have other public records questions, residents can get in touch with the City Clerk’s office at 850.682.1560, option two, or email cityclerk@cityofcrestview.org.

COMING SOON

Niceville multi-use path to be built near Northwest Florida State College

At the latest Okaloosa County Commissioners meeting, the board unanimously voted to approve the spending of $550,000 of half-cent surtax funds for administration, traffic study, and design of the College Blvd Improvements in the Niceville area.

• The purpose of the project is to improve safety at intersections into-and-around Northwest Florida State College and to enable a safe, two-way, multi-use path along College Boulevard and along Forest Road in the Niceville area. 
• The path would provide safe connectivity between the Northwest Florida State College Campus and surrounding residential areas.

The intersection safety improvements and multi-use path were identified in the Surtax Annualized Funding Projection and recommended by the Infrastructure Surtax Advisory Committee on July 14, 2022.

The estimated cost for the project is around $3 million. Okaloosa County will receive $1,500,000 of State funding to help pay for the Multi-Purpose Path and will match the rest.

The traffic study will identify safety improvements, such as traffic signals or roundabouts, at the intersections around the Northwest Florida State College, according to Public Works Director Jason Autrey.

Infrastructure Surtax Advisory Committee member Matt Turpin said that aside from being able to add this amenity to the Niceville area, it was attractive because they were able to get matching funds from the state.

• “When we can do these projects with matching funds, like this State funding, we can make our surtax dollars go further,” said Turpin. “Having a wide path for walking or riding bikes will be a good amenity to living in that area. If you go to the college, you’ll also be able to take advantage of the multi-use path. It’s a very exciting project.”

GROWTH

Okaloosa EDC needs more industrial buildings to attract larger manufacturing companies to the area

Okaloosa County is rapidly becoming a desirable location for tech, manufacturing and defense contractors.

• Three months ago, the Okaloosa Economic Development Council had 29 active projects in the works; now, that number has increased to 42.

“I’ve been in my job now nine years and I’ve never seen this level of project activity of companies that we’re working with,” said Nathan Spark, Director of One Okaloosa EDC. “Some are existing that are looking to expand, many are from the outside looking to locate here, and to have that level of activity is phenomenal.”

However, the county’s shortage of available building capacity makes it challenging to keep up with the sudden influx of manufacturing companies wanting to relocate to Okaloosa. According to Sparks, there are only three industrial buildings available in the county that are able to accommodate a business that needs more than 10,000 square feet of space.

Additionally, many of the businesses in negotiations with the county are hesitant to go through the build-out process due to cost and time and are looking for a ready-made solution.Local news sent to your inbox 

Sparks said that even with offers to build-to-suit by some of the EDC’s partners, some businesses don’t see it as a viable course of action.

• “We need buildings,” he said. “And I can tell you, we definitely feel like they would be filled if we had them.”

CRIME

Shalimar plant nursery continues to have plants stolen

The Wildwood Garden Shoppe and Nursery in Shalimar was once again a target of burglary over the weekend and is now reaching out to the community for help identifying the perpetrators. 

This past Saturday, an individual was caught on camera breaking into the boutique after hours, where they made off with over $1,000 worth of merchandise.

Believed to be the same perpetrators as last time, the individual in question demonstrated familiarity with plants, the boutique’s owners, and the boutique itself. Although only one individual can be seen on camera, it is suspected that they had help from at least one more person.

Distinguishing features of the perpetrator include:

• Skinny frame
• Red or strawberry-colored hair
• A distinct, turned-out walk

The plants and merchandise stolen were:

• Bird of Paradise 15G
• Banana plants
• Limelight Hydrangea
• Loofah plants
• Sunshine Ligustrum
• Aloe plants
• Pink Carnation Azaleas
• Rubber plants 
• Caladiums
• Passion Vines
• Three large pots

The boutique is offering a cash reward to anybody who can help identify the perpetrators. If you have any information to offer, contact the boutique at (850) 797-3678.

OPPORTUNITY

NWFSC receives CDL Grant from U.S. Department of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Northwest Florida State College a grant of $186,480 to cover student expenses for the College’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program. 

NWFSC’s eight-week CDL program prepares students to become Class A license holders by training them on how to complete full bumper-to-bumper inspections, execute controlled-skills maneuvers, and drive vehicles on the road.

• Training is spread out over 320 hours in the classroom and on the driving pad.
• Students use a state-of-the-art simulator to practice in specific weather and traffic conditions and are taught how to respond to different scenarios.

The College established the CDL program and CDL testing site in 2020 after receiving a Pathways to Career Opportunities grant from the Florida Department of Education. The program provides Okaloosa and Walton County residents with opportunities to achieve economic prosperity through expanded career education. It also increases the number of individuals receiving commercial motor vehicle operator safety training and reduces the number of crashes on U.S. roads. 

The new grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will cover tuition, books, and uniform expenses for 26 students who wish to complete the eight-week program, as well as testing fees for 20 additional students who need to test for their licenses and do not require training.

• The grant will also be used to serve current and former members of the armed forces and their families by providing them with superior safety-focused training and placement services to assist them in becoming employed in the transportation industry. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers account for approximately one of every five jobs in the transportation and warehousing industry. The occupation is expected to grow over 8% nationwide and 21.85% in the Okaloosa and Walton Counties over the next 10 years. 

“We are grateful for the Department of Transportation’s support as we work toward providing a trained workforce for the next generation,” said NWFSC President Dr. Devin Stephenson. “This grant will directly support our CDL students, providing them with the funding they need to pursue their career goals and dreams. We hope to continue to expand this program as we create more opportunities for our military community and underserved populations.” 

For more information about NWFSC’s CDL program and testing site, please contact Michael Emigh, Director of Advanced Technology & Applied Science, at emighm@nwfsc.edu or 850-729-6022. 

SCHOOL

Choctaw Senior, Kaleb Hollins, placed 3rd at National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships

Choctawhatchee High School Senior Kaleb Hollins stood on the podium multiple times last week at the National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina.

• Hollins placed 3rd overall in the 1500-meter race for the 17-18 age bracket.
• And 6th place in the 800-meter for the 17-18 age bracket.

Hollins was also able to bring home the title of All-American, along with personal bests in both races. 

“I was going into the competition knowing that this is something that I’ve never done before, but knew I was still going to do what I needed to do,” said Hollins to Get The Coast after his final race.

Hollins decided to pursue the Junior Olympics competition with the encouragement of his parents and former high school coach, Jamie Lafollette (“Coach L”). 

• “I asked Coach L about Junior Olympics, and he said he was coaching one of the track clubs in the area.  So I decided to join that track club and get some coaching and training from him while I could.”

Hollins admits his strengths are rooted in his long-range running abilities, which he’s proved at a local and regional level with his impressive 1st place wins in the 1500-meters races. Feeling the need to compete against others at a higher level, he set his eyes on the Junior Olympics.

Over the summer break, he worked hard on middle-distance running in preparation for the 800 in North Carolina. 

“When we got to the Junior Olympics, it was a different feeling and most of the runners were pretty fast,” he says. “I was racing people from different states that I’ve never raced against before.”

He says that while the race itself wasn’t a struggle, there was a lot of mental toughness that he had to work through because the 800-meter race is one of the most mentally challenging races in track and field. Off the track, he says it was nerve-wracking due to the amount of people at the event and because it was hard to hear what events they were calling next. 

“I walked to the check-in tent and asked if they had called my age group for the 800, and they said they were already in the tent,” he said. “I threw my stuff on and ran up there. I had no warm-up, and no time to stretch before we got onto the field.”

After a brief moment to stretch while taking his place on the track, it was time to run. Hollins says the first lap was mainly a blur for him because they were all running so fast that he was trying to focus on keeping his composure. By the second lap, he was already tired.  As they reached the 200-meter mark for the last 200, he told himself, “Okay, you gotta give all you got right here.”

• “And so I pushed a little bit – nothing happened,” Kaleb recounts. “And I think, this is not the best situation right now.  We get to that last 100-meter stretch, it’s all or nothing right here.  I realized people were slowing down in front of me, and I had to give it just a little bit more push. And then I went from 11th place to sixth place and I finished with my best ever time for the 800, which was 1:54.”

As for the 1500-meter race, Hollins placed third with a time of 4:02.

“I PR’ed by 15 seconds because it was bigger competition and faster people,” he said. “I was pretty excited about that and converting it to all my other races. It showed me how fast I can really go.”

A win for his family, supporters, and community

Following his final race, Kaleb says he couldn’t wait to see his family.

“The way he represented himself this week is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” said mother Marlayna Goosby. “The way he has represented Okaloosa County is something to truly be admired. He’s unlocked all new potential and competing at this level showed him who he truly is.”

Kaleb thanks his parents for helping him with all of the traveling to meets and also for their unwavering support. He also thanked his sister, Kilaya Hollins, for being his #1 Hype Man.

Lastly, he thanked Coach James Lafollette and Coach Brian Dwyer.

“Coach L has only been coaching me for two years, but he is one of the best coaches I’ve had.” added Hollins. “Coach Dwyer is the person who made me love running. I played football for a long time and I wondered what cross country was, and Coach Dwyer showed me the way. He made it fun and took us everywhere.”  

Reflecting on his time getting to the Junior Olympics, Hollins says he feels really good about what he’s accomplished. 

“Not too many people get to do that,” he said. “Most people stay in their state and race the same people over and over again. This opens up the range for me.”  

This year, Kaleb is a senior at Choctawhatchee High School and is looking forward to exceeding his expectations for running.  To improve his craft, he says plans to work on his endurance training. 

“I hope I can get on the podium for state and then get as many offers as I can for college, on both the academic and athletic side,” he said. “And also just have an outstanding senior year overall.“