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Volume: 4 Issue: 10 May 17, 2012 bi-weekly Edition

The BEST LIL NEWSPAPER inWalton county - from Freeport, Florida

Made possible by your localadvertising businesses in this edition.

Give us a try. We currently have the lowest pricing available in Walton county

Just give us A cAll todAy...850-585-0262

Inside this WEEK:

Tax Vote Follow-UpNow that around 60% of the Walton

voters who turned out agreed to increase thesales tax by half a cent, what happens next

and how long will the tax ...... Page 3

Florida Commission On

Ethics Dismisses Complaint

Against DFS CouncilThe Florida Commission on Ethics

recently met in executive session and

considered a complaint...Page 7

Former TDC Director DeadThe former director of the Okaloosa

Tourist Development Council (TDC) was

located May 4th around..Page 8

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Hello to each of you. I hope this finds you all doing well.During the past few weeks I have noticed that Walton countyresidents strongly wanted to vote YES on the tax and NO to

the TOLL. That was the biggest topic for the week. Over 6000 votersturned out to vote YES on a tax. Now prepare yourself for the construction zones to con-tinue for some time to come.

There have been several close calls Ive witnessed on Hwy. 331 with drivers passingwith little to no room. Especially with so many young new drivers on the roads today. Becareful for we have seen a few not so lucky drivers cause serious accidents lately. Iwould even be in favor with a no passing zone from Hwy 20 to the bridge. Slower issafer in the long run.

I know this column may be of several topics but there is so much going on in my mind.Just this past week I witnessed a dog fight. Not staged, a break away, got loose and at-tacked another dog that was chained up for once also being a nuisance itself. This hasetched in my mind what animals can do instinctively or not. They are animal.

Of course the first thing that people want to ask is what type of animal? A dog, a pit-

bull. Actually 3 total. The owners were away but had taken good precautions to keep thedogs separated. Typical scenario. All what looked fine suddenly within minutes changedto a dangerous situation. This is what happened.

We were tending to our business and saw the one dog tied up and barking endlessly atus. As we went on about our business, we noticed another dog was out. (Not sure how orwhere it came from). Within minutes another dog was out. Their tails went straight andstill as they gazed into each others eyes. The mood changed in an instance. We felt thatit was going to get wild and before we could find anything to help us and boom it was

on. There was no calling the dogsTwo of the dogs went straight into each other biting and ripping all the while. The

noise of the bark went to new levels, scary. We scrambled for rope or anything to try andstop this. As the dogs tired out from fighting the house dog got in on it and continuedthe scene for awhile. Grusom sight but true. The reason I tell of this is because you seemto know or run into so many bulldog owners who claim they have a bad rap. From what Isaw the rap was given to the right breed. The lockjaw, the attack, the way they struck ateach other come from deep within the breed. We luckily located some rope and was ableto tie one dog at a time to a tree far away from each other. All the while praying for noattack on us.This particular story has a good ending for no one got hurt. Other than the dogs, but all

of them lived. The scenario could have gone so many different ways than it did. I couldsee easily how someone that may have tried to pull them apart would have gotten bit. Isee how a child could have easily been overwhelmed of the severity of the attack. Itwouldnt have taken much for the animal to confuse your arm or leg as part of the attack

and tear it off. People please understand that I did not write this to scare you or to ridi-cule dog owners. I am asking that each of you with these type of dogs to be more careful.They are more of a possibility of harm than one would like to imagine. Problem is thatall across this country there are thousands of pit bulls causing harm to everyday life forsome people. From policeman to garbagemen, everyday jobs are of worry of instances of

possible dangers. Until you see it for yourself will you know the reason why so manypeople want to outlaw these types of dogs. Please take the greatest precautions when youare around them. Leash laws are one thing but when you cant control your pet the situa-

tions can arise to a serious nature for us all.

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EditorialViews expressed in The EMERALD STAR NEWS do not necessarily reflect those of the

publisher. The staff ofThe EMERALD STAR NEWSpride ourselves in our efforts to ensureaccuracy of the publication contents. However, there is no guarantee of the accuracy of all the

Information nor the absence of errors and omissions (especially when sent through a third party);

therefore, no responsibility can or will be assumed. 3000 copies printed bi-weekly.

Publisher/Editor

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Guest ColumnistColin Richards

Page 2 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Thursday, May 17, 2012

Look us up online: Emeraldstarnews.comMail invoices and other information to:

P.O. Box 1133Freeport, Florida 32439

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Page 3The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc.Thursday, May 17, 2012

Walton County Deputies save two young lives

For most people, a day in the office consists of staff meetings, returning emails andphone calls, writing business proposals, or dealing with the occasional angry customer;however, for Deputy Sheriffs Chad Biernacki and Tommy Thillet, their day in the "office"varies from one moment to the next. From taking an impaired driver to jail to breaking up

fights, these deputies see it all in a 12 hour shift. Both of them had the occasion in thepast few weeks to save two young lives, both on the job and off.

K-9 deputy Chad Biernacki said the call he went to on the night of April 29, 2012 was oneof the most stressful he's ever gone to. Deputy Biernacki was patrolling the Freeport areawhen he heard a call go out of a child in distress. He was closer than the unit that hadoriginally been dispatched to the call so he notified the Communications Center that hewould take the call and be en route. By the time Biernacki arrived on scene, the 6 day oldchild was turning purple. He took the child and performed back thrusts until the child

began to spit up. The child's mother then began to suction out the baby's mouth. Thechild began to make noises and the color came back. "Going into it was like second na-ture, thanks to the training I've been afforded," Biernacki said. "Afterwards though, the

emotions hit." Biernacki said he started thinking about his little girl and is thankful."It's good to know that we are trusted by the community, on duty or off, to help peoplewhen they have problems. They know we are there to help," Biernacki said. Deputy Bier-nacki has worked for the Walton County Sheriff's Office for almost 7 years and this callwas the first in which he encountered saving a child's life in such a manner. He began hiscareer in the Patrol Division covering South Walton County. He currently works in theSpecial Operations Division as a K-9 deputy, with his partner, Nero. Nero is a certified

narcotics, tracking, and article search dog.

According to Biernacki, he deployed Nero approximately 300 times last year. Biernackireceived his Bachelor of Science Degree from Florida State University in Criminologyand said one of his goals is to one day work in the Criminal Investigations Division as a

narcotics investigator.

Deputy Tommy Thillet proved that being a law enforcement officer doesn't stop at the endof the shift. On April 30, 2012, Thillet had just arrived home after his shift for the day.He heard a knock on his door and when he answered it, there was no one there. As hewalked out onto his driveway, one of his neighbors said another neighbor's baby was dy-ing. Deputy Thillet saw a woman a few houses down trying to get into her vehicle withher child. He ran over to her and took the 9 month old child from her arms. The childwas unresponsive and mucus was coming from its mouth. He began back thrusts andchest compressions. Thillet said he kept thinking to himself, "Please God, don't let this

baby die!" After several rounds of thrusts and compressions, a penny was dislodged from

the baby's mouth and the child began to breathe again.

Deputy Thillet credits his training as an EMT and law enforcement officer as to how he

handled the situation. Thillet has been employed by the Walton County Sheriff's Officefor 5 years. He previously served as an EMT in Okaloosa County and as a lifeguard. "I'mhappy to be part of an organization that focuses on keeping its officers up to date on train-ing." Currently, Thilletis assigned to the PatrolDivision and works inthe Sandestin area ofSouth Walton. He is amember of the SWATand Dive teams. DeputyThillet said that as long

as he can remember, hehas wanted to serve thepublic as a law enforce-ment officer. Thilletcomes from a family oflaw enforcement officers,and he attributes his loveof law enforcement togrowing up having those

influences in his life.

"We do this job becausewe want to help people.It's not for the money. Itfeels good to know thatI've saved a life, whetherit's on duty or off," Thil-

let said.

Tax Vote Follow-Up As reported by WZEP AM1460

Now that around 60% of the Walton voters who turned out agreed to increase

the sales tax by half a cent, what happens next and how long will the tax last?

Tax issues are generally considered hard to get passed. When the Walton

County School District proposed the shift in tax dollars from the capital to theoperations budget, even though it was to be a swap, they had to lobby hard withthe public to get the approval and re-approval. With a down economy, some saidadding a sales tax was not the right decision for the businesses. At first the pro-

posal was for a one cent sales tax with a less than 10 year pay off. This wouldhave made Walton the highest sales tax county in the state. The commissioners

put the half cent question to the voters. Their answer was yes. The sales tax or atoll was needed as a dedicated revenue stream to allow the county to borrow $75million for its share of building the bridge. If the answer had been no, then thecommissioners would have had to decide if they wanted a toll, wanted to turn

down any offers from the state or try to find another option.

The Florida Department of Transportation came to Walton after around 50

years of locals asking for help in getting U.S. 331 widened. The FDOT hasalready widened the section south of the bridge to Highway 98 and will soonstart a section north to Highway 20. There is also a small section underway northof Owls Head and a meeting will be held Thursday afternoon to discuss plannedwidening from the new construction to Edgewood Circle in Woodlawn. That

meeting is from 5-6pm at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center.

WZEP First News talked to Walton County Administrator Greg Kisela. He saysthe tax vote has a mechanism built in that will require the half cent sales tax togo away after the loan is paid off. Kisela says the tax cannot be extended without

another vote.

He also says the loan will be structured in a way it can be paid off quicker than

the projected 15-18 years. When looking at how the $75 million could be fi-nanced, the county used conservative numbers based on past sales tax income

without taking into account what could be increased revenue.

Kisela says he expects the loan to be paid off quicker than the 15 or more years

and this means the tax rate will come back down.

Visit South Walton is a driving destination. Driving a two lane 331 with kids inthe car for eight hours makes some drivers very ancy, especially when behind aslow moving vehicle. Kisela says the roadway accesses in the neighboring coun-ties are a marketing concern when considering the destination. He points out that

better roads to the east could mean vacationers might start taking those routes if

331 becomes more congested.

He points out Okaloosa has a $150 million debt for the toll bridge and a hightoll, but the bridge is only two lanes. With Tuesdays vote, Walton will have a

$75 million debt and a four lane bridge and four lanes from I-10 to 98.

Kisela also says about 60% of the sales tax comes from visitors to the southpart of the county. If there was a toll, they might pay the toll a few times a year,but the main burden would be on the local users. He notes many of the users arepeople who live north of the bay and work south of the bay. The FDOTs own

statements say that 40% of the out of the area collections do not get collected.By using the sales tax instead of a toll, he says the loan will get paid off quicker

and the burden will be shifted more to the tourist industry users.

Kisela also points out there is a $5000 cap on large purchases. This means, if

you buy a car or boat in Walton, you will only pay the additional half cent salestax on the first $5,000.

What about the option to do nothing and tell the FDOT Walton does not wantthe deal. Kisela feels, after many years of getting no real progress, the project isneeded. He says the $75 million investment by Walton will not only mean a sec-ond bridge, but repairs to the existing causeway and four lanes all the way to I -

10.

Remember theveterans thatsacrificed for our

freedoms.

Memorial Day isMay 28th.

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Thursday, May 17, 2012The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc.

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A type of therapy that helps peoplechange their behavior seems to benefitseverely obese children but not severely

obese teens, new research suggests.

The study included 643 Swedish young-sters (313 female and 330 male) aged 6to 16, who began "behavioral treatment"

for obesity between 1998 and 2006. Theinvestigators used a scoring method forassessing weight data that took into ac-count the age and gender of each study

participant and allowed for analysis of

differences over time.

Moderately obese children in the young-est age group had a good response to

behavioral therapy. The treatment wasless effective in older children with mod-

erate obesity, but still had a significanteffect, the researchers found.

Severely obese young children had thebest response to behavioral therapy, butit had little effect on severely obeseteens, said Pernilla Danielsson, of theKarolinska Institute in Stockholm, and

colleagues.

"Behavioral treatment is successful wheninitiated early in life both for moderatelyand severely obese children," Danielssonsaid in a news release. "Adolescents withsevere obesity show no effect at all of

behavioral treatment, while those adoles-cents with moderate obesity show a re-sponse that is much less pronouncedthan for younger children with moderate

obesity."

Among severely obese teens in thestudy, 92 percent were already obese and

51 percent were severely obese by thetime they reached age 7. Among moder-ately obese teens, 46 percent were obese

by age 7, and 8 percent were severely

obese at that age.

"This means early treatment may be oneway to reduce treatment failures duringadolescence," Danielsson said. "For theseverely obese adolescents, new treat-ment [methods] such as gastric banding

or gastric bypass need to be developedand tested."

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,

who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campusorganizer, who has given us freedom to

assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN who salutes theFlag, It is the VETERAN who serves

under the Flag.

Have you noticed the large solar panelsat the Freeport Regional Sports Com-

plex? This will help on the power bills alittle bit. What we dont use will be sold

back to Chelco. We are trying to bemore efficient and cut costs. Under thissame program, several large motors at

the water and waste water plants werechanged out to more efficient motors.All of this was possible through a grantfrom the State Department. We also didsome meter splits at the Sports Complex,so we can get below the demand chargesthat Chelco charges. This should save usabout $2,000 a month in the bills.

Talking about the park, we have oneindividual that likes to take a dump inthe toilet. Then he will pick it up and

smear it on the walls. This takes a sickperson. If you see this happening, pleasecall someone. We will get them psychi-atric help.

The pool is open on the weekendsnow. It is open on Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00 pm and on Sunday from noonto 6:00 pm. The fire department is run-ning it again this year. They keep itclean and in order. It will open full-timeover Memorial Day weekendbeingclosed on Wednesdays for cleaning and

maintenance. Please come and enjoy it.It wont hurt if you tell the fire folks

thank you.

The Freeport City Council meetings areheld the 2nd Tuesday and 4th Thursday ofevery month in the Freeport city hall

beginning at 7:00 pm. Come participatein your local government.

Investigators with the Walton CountySheriff's Office (WCSO) are investigat-ing a string of AC thefts in the MossyHead and Freeport area and want tonotify the public of the crimes thathave been occurring. The victims beingtargeted tend to be business owners,

churches, and vacant residences.

Billy Dozier, the lead investigator onthese cases, warns those who own

vacant rentals or homes with outsideheating/cooling units, to keep an eye onthese properties. He said althoughthese crimes are occurring mainly inMossy Head and Freeport, the notice is

for the entire county.

If you have information on these cases,please contact Investigator Billy Dozier

at (850) 892-8186.

7/31/2019 May 17,2012 Edition

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Page 5

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South Walton Discovery Center

The Walton Commissioners continued the discussion on the proposed newTDC Visitors Center. The Florida Forest Service submitted a letter of response.The Tourist Development Council Board made a recommendation to build a newVisitors Center that would also be a Discovery Center on Forest land south of

the 331 and 98 intersection. This proposal has met with a lot of resistance from

the public with many wanting to not take away from the Forest.

The letter from the Florida Forestry Service says their goal is to protect andenhance the Point Washington State Forest. They say they will take any propos-als from the county and consider it and forward it to the Florida Division of StateLands. The letter states the FFS wants the project to have the support of the local

community.

Commissioner Cecilia Jones made a motion to deny the TDC Council recom-mendation to proceed with swapping land with the Forest. She said the TDCCouncil did their job, did what was asked of them. The motion passed. Jones thenmade a motion to seek architectural design services so the process would start.Commissioners agreed they need to decide what kind of building they need andwhat land they need. Commissioner Larry Jones said they should allow the TDCCouncil to ponder what was discussed and either find a desirable piece of prop-erty and design a building to fit or decide what building is needed and find landto work with it. TDC Director Dawn Moliterno said there was a recommendationmade based on information from an outside firm that identified the building and

staff needs. The motion passed, but commissioners reconsidered it to clarify in-volving the public in the needs assessment process. Commissioner Brannonvoted no, because he feels involving the TDC Council would allow the public to

be more involved.

Commissioners also agreed to bring in temporary buildings to make sure the

current TDC building has some safety issues taken care of.

WCSB MeetingAs reported by WZEP AM1460Under public comments, a school

board candidate Ronald Voelkersaid a district employee at SouthWalton has been soliciting signa-tures for another candidate, GailSmith, on school property duringschool time. He said this is againstschool policy. SuperintendentAnderson said she has talked to the

principal and is dealing with the

situation. She also said they have apolicy against campaigning onschool property during school time.Anderson said the employees are

paid to do their job. She askedVoelker to get with her if he has anyfurther information. The Board isnot involved in the day to day issues

of personnel.

The Board approved the payrollcalendars, the organization chart,

personnel recommendations andstudent expulsions. They also ap-

proved appointments to the ValueAdjustment Board, delayed actionon the staffing plan due to questionsabout equity, and approved a con-tract with a slight increase for the

insurance consultant.

Remember the energy educationprogram that promised savings tothe district. Energy Education TSAMichelle Doggett brought goodnews. Using cost avoidance, basedon usage, they have saved $269,801.

This is a 28% reduction.

WCBCC MeetingThe Walton County Commissioner meeting

started with the local Beauty Queens presentingthemselves and offering to volunteer in the com-munity. Haley Biddle and Devero Bogart intro-duced the other girls and talked about the opportu-nities to compete against other Queens at Peanut

and the scholarship contest.

Commissioners approved an amendment agree-ment for River Landing and Dead River Landing.The county is working with the Northwest FloridaWater Management District on the recreation areaswith the district footing most of the costs. Com-missioners also approved the fuel supplier andtabled a traffic calming policy spurred on by theGrayton Community. Commissioners agreed tomerge Walton Crimestopper with Emerald coast

Crimestopper.

Commissioners also heard about an addition tothe Walton County Code dealing with Real Prop-erty Transactions. With questions, the issue wastabled to the next meeting in DeFuniak and then

will come back to the south end. With concernsabout utility stakeholders, the commissioners putoff action on a proposed Improvements on County

Right-of-Way ordinance.

TDC Director Dawn Moliterno said the bed taxcollection for March was a 58% increase. TheTDC won 11 marketing awards. During a discus-sion, Pat Blackshear told the commissioners theTDC Beach Accesses are full and she wants thecommissioners to begin looking at addressing the

needs for additional access space.

Moliterno said the recent events in Okaloosa donot reflect the way TDCs operate. She reminded

the commissioners the Walton TDC went througha vigorous financial review and as a result policieswere adopted. She said, when dollars come in, theygo to the Comptroller and she has a spending au-thority of $25,000. Moliterno said the TDC doesnot hold the checkbook. She said the fiscal respon-

sibility with the BP grant is not taken lightly.

Commissioner Larry Jones suggested the BCCand the TDC Board schedule a joint meeting to

address the issues that have come before them soas they move forward they know what is expected.He said he wants to thank them for their service.Commissioner Comander agreed, saying she doesnot want anyone on the TDC Board to think theyare not appreciated. The meeting will look at the

goals of the TDC.

Looking For ChipmunksALVIN! Eastern chipmunks are

thought to live in only a few loca-tions in Northwest Florida but re-searchers with the Florida Fish andWildlife Conservation Commission(FWC) are asking anyone who has

spotted one to report the sighting.Wildlife biologist Chris Winchester

said information may be recorded at

https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspx.Smallerthan a gray squirrel, the Easternchipmunk is slightly reddish in colorand has white and black stripes run-ning down its back and light stripes

above its eyes.

Chipmunks appear to be rare in

Florida but historically have beenfound along the Escambia, Black-water, Yellow and Choctawhatcheerivers. There also reports of chip-munks observed in back yards, and

in forested lots within urban areas.

https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspxhttps://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspxhttps://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspxhttps://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspx

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Thursday, May 17, 2012The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc.Page 6

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SURRYBy M. Vreeland

Mothers Day may already have beencelebrated, but its never too late to givea special mom special treatment, particu-

larly if shes been through some roughtimes.

Surry is the lovely mother of two ador-able pups, all of whom were rescuedfrom a kill shelter by our Alaqua AnimalRefuge angels. A Terrier/Jack Russellmix, this extraordinary mom sports astylish yet practical wardrobe of white,adorned with a touch of tan in exactlythe right places. The very definition of a

sweet dog,

Surry thoroughly enjoys her dailywalks, as well as socializing with ouramazing volunteers. Plus, she gets alonggreat with all her canine pals. Happythough she is to be safe and cared for,Surry would really love to find a foreverhome where she can put all her difficultdays behind her. Anxious to prove whata wonderful companion she would make,Surry wants to invite everyone to cometo our beautiful ten acre sanctuary tomeet her. She sincerely hopes youllaccept her gracious invitation. No RSVP

required.

"Northwest Florida's Premier Animal

Sanctuary and Adoption Center"

Alaqua Animal Refuge is a non-profit,

no-kill shelter, located at 914 Whitfield

Road, Freeport. We welcome you tovisit all the adoptable animals at our

beautiful ten acre sanctuary any Tuesdaythrough Sunday from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00

P.M.

For more information you can call us at850-880-6399 or check out our website

at www.aarflorida.com.

CommUNITYCares Block

Party to Benefit Local Families

in NeedThe Inaugural CommUNITYCares

Benefit Block Party is scheduled forMay 20, 2012, from 4- 8 p.m. in the

Burnt Pine Country Club Parking Lot atSandestin Golf & Beach Resort.

The Benefit Block Party was conceivedby the CommUNITYCares Committeewho recognized that a thriving commu-nity starts with healthy families. TheCommittee selected the Emerald CoastChildren's Advocacy Center and SacredHeart on the Emerald Coast as the block

party's benefiting non-profit organiza-

tions.

Master of Ceremonies Jim Stewart is aformer CBS News and 60 Minutes corre-spondent. Live entertainment is being

provided by Donnie Sundal. The eve-ning will feature food from Carrabba'sItalian Grill, Chan's Wine World, Flem-ing's Steak House and Stinky's Fish

Camp.

Tickets are limited, but available to thepublic for $200 per couple. Guestshould dress in resort attire. In honor ofthe Kentucky Derby, a prize will be

given for the Most Creative Hat.

Auctioneer Tina Anderson will presentexclusive lots in the Live Auction. 100

percent of the live lot proceeds will godirectly to the charities to benefit localfamilies in need. Some featured lotsinclude a Green Bay Packers Fan Trip ofa Lifetime, wine country experiences,

New Orleans Saints experience, and ex-

clusive dining.

CommUNITYCares is a committee of

individuals who believe a thriving com-munity starts with healthy families. All

proceeds from this block party will bene-fit the Emerald Coast Children's Advo-cacy Center and Sacred Heart Hospitalon the Emerald Coast. 2012 CommitteeMembers are: Chris and Claudia Pierce,Mike and Valerie Thompson, Tom and

Nancy Fox, Gene and Barbara Speni andJim and Joe Stewart. Information on theEmerald Coast Children's Advocacy

Center may be found at www.eccac.org.

Dear Aunt Ruby,

I have been married to my husband,"Stu," for 27 years. His brother's familycontinues to send invitations addressed

only to Stu. When they call to invite us toanything and I answer, they ask to speak to

him. He has asked them not to do that.

When Reserving to the latest invitation toour niece's graduation party -- addressedonly to my husband -- I said that he wouldattend as he was the only one invited. Ialso asked if I had done something to of-fend anyone. I was told, "No, of coursenot," and they were "sorry if there was amisunderstanding," because the invite was

for the whole family.When we see each other, they are polite. Ifeel that pushing the point or not attendingwould reflect badly on me. What do yousuggest? I am hurt by years of this treat-

ment, and Stu is just as offended.

-- Had enough already

DEAR HAD ENOUGH: Either yourbrother-in-law and his family never learnedhow to properly address an invitation (i.e.,"Mr. and Mrs." or "and family"), or on

some emotional level you were never ac-cepted as a full-fledged family member. AsI see it, you have two choices: Continue toattend these events as you have for the past27 years, or both of you decline and tell

them exactly why.

Dear Aunt Ruby,

I have been with my boyfriend "Paul" forfour years. We have a child together, andwe each have a child of our own. We have

lived together for three years, and our fam-ily life is great. However, when I was preg-nant with our son, Paul contacted an ex ona social network. One day he left his com-

puter open, and I saw that their conversa-tions were less than innocent. I was upset

and I said something immediately.

We have stayed together, but ever sincethen I'm having a hard time trusting Paul.Because he had also been calling thewoman, I now check our phone records.Yesterday I found a text of his to a former

boss's daughter. Paul was telling her how

"hot" she is.

Abby, am I overreacting when I think Paul

is going to cheat?

-- ALARMED IN Santa Rosa

DEAR ALARMED: You're not overreact-ing. Paul is cheating on you emotionally,and doesn't appear to be entirely commit-ted to your relationship. In fact, it appears

he is looking for some outside adventures.You should not only be concerned, youshould also be furious about what he's do-

ing. This won't stop untilyou draw the line.

Ruby

Obama Restarts Culture

Wars on OffensePresident Obamas move to embrace

same-sex marriage sets an unmistakabletone for the general election: Democ-rats dont feel the need to fear socialissues, even ones that have been con-

servative lynchpins in years past.

Democrats, starting with the one whos

topping the ticket, are the ones insertingtalk of gay rights and reproductive

rights into the national conversation.

The First Gay President, Newsweeksnew cover declaresand for onceDemocrats arent worried about the

image that projects.

With a nudge from Vice President Joe

Biden last week, the president com-

pleted his self-described evolutionon

the subject of same-sex marriage by

staking out a personal position that

would have been unthinkable for a na-

tional politician in previous election

cycles.

And a move that any previous Republi-

can candidate for president would have

seen as a rainbow-wrapped gift has

been met haltingly by the GOPs 2012

standard-bearer. Mitt Romney used a

weekend speech at Liberty University

to declare that marriage is a relation-

ship between one man and one

woman, but hes shown no signs of

wanting to talk about it much more

beyond that.

But voters for whom opposition to

same-sex marriage is the primary vot-

ing issue almost certainly werent

Obama voters in the first place. And to

look at some early attempts by promi-

nent Republicans to exploit the issue is

to squirm. For now, though, the presi-

dent have shifted on a major cultural

issue where, polling suggests, demo-

graphics are on his side, if not necessar-

ily politics.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-cites-winds-change-sex-marriage-shift/story?id=16315420#.T7Aba-hul2Ahttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-cites-winds-change-sex-marriage-shift/story?id=16315420#.T7Aba-hul2Ahttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-cites-winds-change-sex-marriage-shift/story?id=16315420#.T7Aba-hul2Ahttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-cites-winds-change-sex-marriage-shift/story?id=16315420#.T7Aba-hul2A

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Happenings in DeFuniak Springs

Thursday, May 17, 2012 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Page 7

Florida Commission On

Ethics Dismisses ComplaintAgainst DFS CouncilAs reported by WZEP AM1460

The Florida Commission on Ethicsrecently met in executive session andconsidered a complaint against the mem-

bers of the DeFuniak Springs City Council.The complaint was filed by resident Timo-

thy Crenshaw.

Crenshaw says the Council members

misused their office positions in relation toa property dispute involving a fence possi-

bly encroaching on the City right-of-way.The Commission on Ethics says the com-

plaint was difficult to decipher. The issueconcerns Timothy Crenshaws mothers

property off 18th Street and the back sideof Wabash Ave. The Commission saysCrenshaw claims the Council gave theneighbor, Vista of Ft. Walton Beach,

permission to threaten and intimidate Ms.

Crenshaw into removing the fence.The Commission on Ethics says the alle-

gations of the complaint are legally insuffi-cient to indicate a possible violation of thestate statutes. The Commission says, evenif the Council met outside the Sunshine,the complaint does not allege there wasany private connection between the matter

and anyone connected.

The Commission also states the matterhas been in public records for over a year.

This includes giving the Crenshaws time tohave a fence removed. They also point outthe actions taken by the Council in publicvotes and how the City Attorney says thefence is on public right-of-way, even if ithad been taken down and replaced by thecity before. The Commissioner says theland dispute is something that can be

addressed through the courts.

The Florida Commission on Ethics

dismissed the complaint.

New Environmental Education Class

Focuses on Fishing, Hunting & BoatingEnjoy all the Gulf Coast has to offer!

Lessons in a variety of outdoor activities such as fresh andsalt water fishing, bay fishing, boat safety, hunting skills andtechniques for small game and deer, tree stand safety, trainingin GPS systems and Boat Smart certification will all be offeredas part of a new Environmental Education course at NorthwestFlorida State College. Offered through the college's ContinuingEducation program, the non-credit course will focus on hands-on seminars and excursions while participants learn about theoutdoor opportunities available in our geographic area. The

course is open to adults of all ages or to youth age 16 and older.Youth younger than 16 must have a parent or guardian enrolled

in the course along with them.

The leisure learning Environmental Education course is offeredwith no tests or grades, but successful completion will lead to

the Boat Smart certification.

Registration is now being accepted for two sessions offeredfrom June 18 to June 29 and from July 9 to July 20. The classmeets both sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is a $50 fee for the workshop.Course organizers note that in addition to honing practical out-door skills, the class will focus on the conservation of our natu-

ral resources.

Individuals who are current or previous NWFSC studentsmay enroll for the non-credit workshop on-line through thecollege's RaiderNet online registration system. New studentsshould enroll in-person at any of the college's seven area loca-

tions.

Register for course number XRL 6023, Northwest FloridaEnvironmental Education. For information, contact the

NWFSC Continuing Education Division at 729-6085.

WCSOs Emergency Management Divi-

sion to sponsor Free Preparedness Fair

The Walton County Preparedness Fair is on Saturday, June2, 2012 at South Walton Court House, 31 Coastal CentreBoulevard, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. The fair will be

open to the public from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Every year there are numerous events geared towards thesegoals; this year, the Walton County Emergency ManagementDivision of the Walton County Sheriffs Office has coordi-nated these events into a one-stop shop for all-hazards. Ourgoal is for our citizens and visitors to be prepared for, prevent,

respond and recover from all natural or manmade disasters,said Walton County Emergency Management Director, Cap-

tain Joseph Preston.

There will be representatives from FEMA and the FloridaDepartment of Emergency Management to answer questions.There will also be an opportunity for citizens to get up-closeto the Air Heart helicopter, fire trucks, police vehicles, and awide variety of rescue equipment, while grabbing lunch for a

small fee from the Freeport Fire BBQ.

Not only is this event a great opportunity for the parents toget a little more information, but the kids will love it. Gulf

Power has this miniature town with live-wires to show how tobe safe around electricity. Of course kids always love seeingthe vehicles, said Emergency Management Planner Valerie

Angel. American Red Cross will also be holding a blood driveduring the fair, people can sign-up in advance by contacting

Valerie Angel at 850-951-4782 or emailing her at

vangel@waltonso.org. Ourgoal is to have at least 40 pints by the end of the day, Angel

said.

For more information about participating in or attending thePreparedness Fair, please call Valerie Angel at (850)951-4782

or (850)401-4071 or email

vangel@waltonso.org.Bad neighbors for Team USA?An eviction notice has been served on dozens of Occupy pro-testers who have set up camp in a park next to Team USA's

Olympic track and field training base.

About 50 demonstrators are occupying Mile End Parktwomiles from the main London 2012 site and next door to a sportsstadium where American athletes will prepare for events in

July.

The park is also visible from the priority traffic lanes that willbe used to whisk VIPs and other participants from central Lon-don to the Olympic Village, which is located to the east of the

U.K. capital.

The protesters say they are part of the anti-capitalist Occupymovement, which has seen sit-ins and clashes with police incities including New York, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and

Oakland.

An Occupy London camp was forcibly removed from thegrounds of St Paul's Cathedralby police at the end of February,

resulting in 20 arrests.

Local authorities have now secured a court order to close downOccupy Mile End, which began five weeks ago and includes

about a dozen tents, a campfire and makeshift toilet facilities.

"It would be impossible because of the security, in my ownview," he said. "We're not against the Olympics as everybodylikes a bit of sport, but I believe it is just one big advertising

event for the benefit of corporate sponsors."

Questionable Strategy: Robert Strank,39, was arrested in Beavercreek, Ohio, inApril and charged with trying to rob theHuntington Bank. According to police, hehad approached the bank's counter but

become ill and asked a teller to call 911 tosummon medics. There were conflictingnews reports about when medics arrived totreat Strank, but there was agreement thatStrank recovered and subsequently pre-

sented the same teller his pre-writtenholdup note demanding cash.

He was arrested in short order.

Are you related to someone buried in the

Hatcher cemetery?Being that Memorial day is right around the corner on May28th. It is a great time to gather flowers on the graves of ourfamily members who are buried there. Tell your childrens

children of the people who lay at rest there.Hatcher cemetery, one of the largest rural cemeteries in thesouth is located of C-83-A (west Bay Loop) between Portlandand Freeport.The cemetery belongs to the Hatcher/Oak Level cemeteryAssociation, and all persons or families, owning a lot aremembers. On your behalf the trustees are pleased to announcethe expansion of the cemetery by 9.1acres. The current clear-ing and leveling work, just completed, was done by SheryBarton Land Clearing of DeFuniak Springs, Fl.Other improvements will need to be done and further im-

provements are in the planning stages as money becomesavailable.Donations towards further improvements, maintenance and

upkeep of the cemetery may be made to Hatcher CemeteryTreasurer, 1448 County Hwy. 83A Freeport, Fl 32439

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7/31/2019 May 17,2012 Edition

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Page 8 The EMERALD STAR NEWS, Inc. Thursday, May 17, 2012

FIRST FRIDAY FAMILY

FUN NIGHT

The DeFuniak Springs Economic Develop-ment/Tourism Committee will sponsor theFirst Friday Family Fun Night on Friday,

June 1, 2012, beginning at 5:30 PM. Allevents will take place on Baldwin Avenue

between Seventh and Ninth Streets.

Activities include free live entertainmentwith the well known band, Dakota. Refresh-ments will be available for purchase.

Space has also been set aside for a mini-farmers market and local folks are encour-

aged to bring fresh local produce, homemadepreserves, baked goods, honey, and other

local food products. Free table space is avail-able but vendors must provide their own ta-

bles and any other needed equipment. Spaceis limited and interested vendors should callearly. For vendor registration and informa-tion, call Mary at 850-333-3406, Janie at 850-892-6233 or Marilyn at 850-892-6172.

Amanda Usrey of Studio By The Sea will beteaching an acrylic art class starting at 6:30PM. All supplies are furnished and no experi-

ence is necessary. The class will be paintingThe Clock and each participant will taketheir masterpiece home with them. Space islimited. To register, go towww.studiobythesea.com or call Amanda at256-263-8478.

The Economic Development/Tourism Com-mittee is made up of volunteers who have

been appointed by the DeFuniak Springs CityCouncil to provide a variety of events andactivities which encourage individual and

family participation in the rich heritage andunique spirit of our community.

Dont miss this event! Bring your lawn chairsand come downtown to join your friends andneighbors in an old fashioned evening filledwith fun, food, fellowship and entertainmentfor the entire family.

Obituary for Donald Sapp

Donald F. Donnie Sapp, 59, passed awayat his home in Crawfordville, Tuesday, May1, 2012. Donnie worked for Kensey Contrac-tors, Inc. and Marlin Coatings in Tallahassee.He did painting and restoration work. He gothis start with his father at Russell Sapp andSons. His hobbies were electronics, old mov-ies and music. Survivors include his wife of36 years Gayle; a brother Darryl Sapp ofCrawfordville and several nieces and neph-

ews.You may go online to view obituaries, offercondolences and sign guest book at

www.clary-glenn.com.

Clary-Glenn Freeport Chapel Funeral Homeis entrusted with the arrangements.

Walton County Tax

Certificate Sale Bidder

Registration Open

- The online tax certificate salesite for the Walton County TaxCollector's Office is open for bid-der registration. Registration al-lows bidders to select parcels for

bid and submit funds for the sale

to be conducted on June 1.

This is the seventh year the TaxCollector's Office will hold theTax Certificate Sale online. Theonline sale is conducted by third

party vendor, RealAuction. Theprocess will follow the same rules

and timeline as previous onlinesales. Training is available forindividuals interested in learningmore about the sale and how to

participate. Bidders must registeronline to participate in the sale.For more information related tothe Tax Sale, visit

www.waltonfl.realtaxlien.com.

For additional information, pleasecontact the Walton County Tax

Collector's Office at850.892.8121.

CVHN Opens

Children's Volunteer Health Network (CVHN) helda Grand Opening on Friday May 4, 2012 for itsnew CVHN Dental Clinic. The new clinic will treatchildren in Walton and Okaloosa Counties with

restorative dental care needs like fillings, extrac-tions and root canals who are uninsured or underin-sured. The organization's Mobile Dental Clinic willcontinue visiting elementary schools in the area

performing preventative treatments like cleanings,

exams and sealants.

The Grand Opening event included a ceremonyfollowed by tours of the new clinic. Special guestsin attendance included Reverend Spencer Turnip-seed, Pastor at Point Washington United MethodistChurch where CVHN started in 2005; Walton

County Commissioner Cecilia Jones who spokeabout the impact CVHN has had on the commu-nity; Walton County Superintendent CarleneAnderson who has played a critical role in helpingCVHN reach the children who need help; CatherineKelly with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Floridawhose Foundation is supporting the new clinic;Ryan Jumonville and family who are participatingin the dental clinic fundraising campaign by nam-ing the reception area in honor of Kris "The Kid"Jumonville; Ray and Vicki Dollar who have given

significant support towards the clinic; and Dixon-Kazek Construction who performed the build outconstruction of the clinic. Also recognized at theceremony were the Dugas Family Foundation who

provided the funding for the build out and set up ofthe clinic and J.D. and Kate Johnson who have con-tributed to the fundraising campaign for the clinic.Both Walton and Destin Area Chambers were inattendance and performed a joint ribbon cutting.Catharine Augustine and team with Centennial

Bank provided lunch for the event.

CVHN's Executive Director Zach Billingsley ex-plains, "It is great to see this turnout because ittruly takes our entire community to support thiseffort. Our hope is the new clinic in combinationwith the CVHN Volunteer Provider Network, ourMobile Dental Clinic and the other resources in ourarea, will give all uninsured and underinsured chil-dren in Walton and Okaloosa County access to

quality dental care.

Billingsley says the need is overwhelming at times.

Most of the kids we see are in pain and have neverseen a dentist. It's very unlikely that a child in thissituation can function at 100% in school. Addition-ally, if left untreated, infection from the decay canspread and cause more severe health problems. Hesays they want their kids to be in the classroomlearning and growing to become contributing mem-

bers of society. He says every child should havethat opportunity, even if their family cannot afford

the treatments they need.

Former TDC Director

Dead

The former director of the Oka-loosa Tourist Development Coun-cil (TDC) was located May 4th

around 11:30 a.m. by police inPelham, Alabama but died a shorttime later at a nearby hospital of a

suspected drug overdose.

52-year-old Mark Bellinger ofStonebridge Road in Destin had

been facing a charge of grand theftby the Okaloosa County SheriffsOffice and was the subject of anongoing criminal investigation bythe agency in connection with bed

tax and possibly BP monies be-lieved stolen from the TDC.

The Okaloosa County SheriffsOffice had launched an investiga-tion into Bellingers financial deal-ings on Wednesday, May 3rd, afterlearning Bellinger had admitted toOkaloosa County Commissioners

that hed made the unauthorizedpurchased of a $710,000 yacht withTDC funds. Thursday afternooninvestigators learned Bellinger had

left a suicide note at his home anddisappeared, prompting an exten-

sive search.

Meantime, an arrest warrant wasissued Thursday after OCSO inves-tigators gathered probable causethat Bellinger had stolen publicfunds to pay for his $747,000 Des-

tin home.

The Sheriffs Office investigation

into Bellingers financial dealings

as TDC Director will continue.

http://www.clary-glenn.com/http://www.clary-glenn.com/

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7/31/2019 May 17,2012 Edition

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ATTORNEY GENERAL

PAM BONDI

ENDORSES DOUGBroxsonThe Doug Broxson for State Repre-sentative Campaign announced theendorsement of Florida AttorneyGeneral Pam Bondi. Broxson is run-ning for re-election in House District3 and has made economic develop-ment and regulatory reform the focusof his re-election platform.DougBroxson has been a tireless advocatefor the Panhandle and an important

partner in my effort to deal with theBP oil spill, said Attorney General

Pam Bondi. Broxson will continueto work hard for economic growthand will be a leader his constituentscan count on. During the BP oil spill

crisis, Broxson worked extensivelyon an initiative to build a coalition of

Panhandle counties affected by thespill to deal with BP and the fed-

eral disaster teams. Broxson hastaken special interest on projectsto bring job growth back to North-west Florida. Another major issueBroxson devotes his time to isachieving reforms for consumersin property insurance and regula-tion. I am honored to have the

support of our Attorney General,said Doug Broxson. She is one of

the strongest leaders in Florida,and the residents of the Panhandlehave benefited from her commit-

ment to them.

Page 10 The EMERALD STAR NEWS, Inc. Thursday, May 17, 2012

Support locally owned & operated business

Summer advertising specials going on now!!!

Advertising

850-585-0262

Obituary for Mary Watts Hughes

Mary Watts Hughes, 86, passed awaypeacefully in her home in MiramarBeach, Fl., Saturday, April 21, 2012after a lengthy illness.Mary was born November 29, 1925 to

John Nevin Watts and Betty MillerWatts in St. Albans, West Virginia. Sheworked as an Executive Secretary atCapital and United Airlines. It was inchurch in Miami Springs, Fl. that shemet her beloved husband, Lancelot Dur-rell Hughes, who was a pilot/flight engi-neer for Pan Am. During their marriagethey traveled the world together, London

being one of Mary's favorite places.They continued to travel extensivelyincluding numerous cruises after theirretirement. They were married for 43years until his death in January 2011Mary was a lifelong member of the Epis-copal church in Miami and here in SantaRosa Beach, Fl. She was a dedicated,selfless volunteer on numerous churchcommittees and functions. She also vol-unteered in the community at SacredHeart Hospital and Caring and Sharingof South Walton County.She and Lance were charter members of

Christ the King Episcopal Church fromits conception, first at Fisher's of MenRetreat Center, and then in the doublewide trailer on Hwy. 98 where early ser-vices were held. Mary loved reading andyou never saw her without a book inhand until the technology of the Kindleand IPad. Mary was self taught on all thelatest technology from Apple and shewas the one person that people wouldcall for assistance.Mary was preceded in death by her par-ents, John and Betty Watts, her lovinghusband Lancelot, her sisters, MildredW. Dunlap, Helen W. Sovine, DorothyW. Casto and brothers, James W. Wattsand Michael M. Watts.Mary is survived by her two stepsons,Lancelot Hughes, Jr. and wife, MarySusan Modzel, Paul Hughes and wife,Janet, and one stepdaughter, VikktoriaReres; seven step grand children DanaHughes and fiance Rikki Garrett, Erin

Hunter and husband Greg, MichaelHughes and wife Annie, Inger Reres,J.D. Reres, Torry Reres, Lance Reres;and one step-great grandson, GarrettBradley Hughes and numerous niecesand nephews.You may go on line to view obituaries,offer condolences and sign guest book atwww.clary-glenn.comClary Glenn Freeport Chapel FuneralHome is entrusted with the arrange-ments.

WCSO Investigators

announce update on

credit card fraud cases

The Walton County Sheriff's Office(WCSO) Criminal Investigations Di-vision announced an update on thecredit card fraud cases that occurred a

few months ago in South Walton.

The Secret Service has now takenjurisdiction over the 70 cases initiallyreported to the sheriff's office. These70 cases are in addition to 7000 casesthat occurred nationwide. Numerousreports have come from victims hav-ing consecutive unauthorized chargeson cards on different occasions. There

is confirmation there was a breach ofinformation from a credit card proc-essing company which is utilized byseveral local businesses. Informationgathered during the investigation has

provided no local suspects.

Obituary for Dale Alexandrea

Howell

Mr. Dale Alexandrea Howell,age 58, of Freeport, Florida

passed away May 13, 2012, athome. He was born September

2, 1953 in DeFuniak Springs,Florida to Ernest and Alma

Johnson Howell.

Mr. Howell was a lifelong resi-dent of Walton County. He wasPentecostal by faith. Heworked in Maintenance withthe Walton County Parks De-

partment for 18 years beforeretiring. He also worked withDry Dock Trailer Company and

he also worked as a Deck Handon a Tug Boat. He enjoyedfishing, camping, hunting, gar-dening and pulling gophers. Heenjoyed staying home and didnot want to burden anyone with

his illness.

Mr. Howell is preceded in deathby his father and mother, andbrothers, Ricky, Mickey and

Johnnie Howell.

Mr. Howell is survived by hiswife of 22 years, Joann Howell;one son, Joshua Dale Howell(Son I Love You Always); twosisters, Paulette Wright andhusband Preston; BarbaraMarks and husband Lester, allof Freeport, Florida. He is alsosurvived by one granddaughter,Allyson Ann Howell and nu-merous nieces, nephews and

other family members,

A time of Visitation will beheld from 2:00~3:00 PM,Thursday, May 17, 2012, atClary-Glenn Freeport ChapelFuneral Home; 150 East High-way 20; Freeport, Florida

32439.

Funeral services will be held at3:00 PM, Thursday, May 17,2012, at Clary-Glenn FreeportChapel Funeral Home with

Reverend Louis Taunton offici-ating. A memorial service willalso be held in Muscadine, Ala-

bama at a later date.

Flowers are being accepted ordonations may be made to theAmerican Cancer Society; 339Race Track Road, Suite 24; Ft.Walton Beach, Florida 32547

Memorialization will be bycremation.

You may go online to viewobituaries, offer condolencesand sign guest book atwww.clary-glenn.com.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly

Close9/11 is one of those dates that will be written in His-

tory books, a date that you can ask any random personabout and they can recall every detail. I remember

where I was, and I am sure you can recall where youwere. I remember my personal experience, but some-thing that seems to be forgotten, almost too easily, are

the families that were directly affected on that day.

The families who lost mothers, fathers, primary in-comes, and loved ones; Im sure they remember that

day a little differently than I do.This film is about a boy who loses his father on that

day, or as he calls it the worst day. The father(played by Tom Hanks) instills in his son the impor-

tance of adventure and understanding all things, whenthe boy finds a key hidden in a jar in his fathers

closet a year after 9/11 he sets off on an adventure thathe thinks his father has lead him on. However, theboys mother (played by Sandra Bullock) doesnt

seem to understand the boys adventure and need to

understand.This story unfolds with a great story line and even

better portrayal of characters. I recommend this movieto everyone, the elements of emotion that make upthis movie will be too complex for children, so I

would recommend screening before your child does.Look Forward to The Avengers and Battleship in thenext issue!If you have any comments or recommendations email

me at:beckerica2@gmail.com

See You All at the Movies!!!

http://www.clary-glenn.com/mailto:beckerica2@gmail.commailto:beckerica2@gmail.comhttp://www.clary-glenn.com/

7/31/2019 May 17,2012 Edition

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The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Page 11Thursday, May 17, 2012

HELP WANTED

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to work, he/she must be above 18yrsold and must have a good qualities towork. Interested applicant should

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Volunteers Needed

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Visit www.beaguardian.org fill outthe application, save it and send it tonina.stephens@gal.fl.gov you will be so

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SAVE THE DATE... Grit & Grace, Inc.

Cordially invites you to join them for the

2012 kick-off reception for the production ofLife at the Landingsand Beyond

June 14, @ 6 p.m.

The Florida Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood

DeFuniak Springs, FL

It will give those attending a chance to hearabout this years production, meet the playwrite and director, have a chance to join theGrit & Grace organization, and the opportu-nity to meet the cast and crew of this years

production, as well as, members of the pro-

duction from years gone by.Check us out on Facebook/

www.gritandgrace.org.

Regrets only - 850.830.9625/

hinsonharmony@yahoo.com.

FREE! Round cement table and bird bath.Needs sand blasted. FREE TO MOVE266 Pitts Bayshore Dr. Freeportcall 835-2776

TEA PARTY TO MEET

The next meeting of the Walton County

Tea Party Patriots will be held on Thurs-day, May 24, 2012 at 6:00 PM in theLife Enrichment Senior Center on Col-lege Avenue in DeFuniak Springs.

The special speaker will be CeciliaJones, Walton County Commissioner.Jones will talk about current issues fac-ing the residents of Walton County andour commissioners.

The Walton County Tea Party Patriots iscomprised of ordinary citizens who be-lieve that our participation in the govern-mental process can and does make adifference. The group supports smallergovernment, less taxation, limited gov-ernmental spending and strong enforce-ment of the principles of the U.S. Con-stitution.

The meeting is free and open to the pub-lic. For additional information, please

visit our website atwww.waltoncountypatriots.tcoinc.com.or contact Mary Brown at 850-520-4229.

901suite#3 on Hwy. 20 next to l.c.s PizzA

http://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=bendaton%40live.comhttp://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=nina.stephens%40gal.fl.govhttp://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=hinsonharmony%40yahoo.comhttp://www.waltoncountypartiots@tcoinc.com/http://www.waltoncountypartiots@tcoinc.com/http://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=hinsonharmony%40yahoo.comhttp://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=nina.stephens%40gal.fl.govhttp://gator1092.hostgator.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=bendaton%40live.com

7/31/2019 May 17,2012 Edition

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Page 12 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Thursday, May 17, 2012

Ph: 850-835-4153 www.freeportwaterfront.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS - TEXT PROPERTY ID# TO 85377

THE FLORIDA GOOD LIFE - ID# T3059143BR/2.5BA, 1,836 SF cottage on LaGrangeBayou. 1st floor Master BR. Open kitchen w/

granite countertops. Dbl garage. $369,500

REDUCED AGAIN! - ID# T88494Almost 1 acre on Mallet Bayou!

3BR/2BA home with 1,514 SF. Dock w/power & water, fenced yard. $236,250

6 ACRES-SHORT SALE - ID# T379251Near Eglin AFB Reservation. Over 1,600sq. ft. w/3BR/2.5BA. Updated kitchen, s/s

appliances. Pole barn & more. $164,900

CARIBBEAN FUN - ID# T3783192br/1.5ba, two-story bungalow directly onBlack Creek. Dock w/electric. Storage shed,dbl carport. Must see! $189,000

BAYFRONT LOT - ID# T88493Bay Harbour lot being offered at anunbelievably low price. Not a short sale!

Owner Financing Available. $149,000

EMERALD SHORES - ID# 88485Protected water with easy access to theIntracoastal & Choctawhatchee Bay. CW&Savailable. Tremendous potential! $159,000

ACREAGE-HOME-SHOP - ID# T884951.79 acres w/brick 3BR/2BA, 1,800 SF oncorner. BONUS30 x 60 metal workshop!!Short Sale, As-Is. NOWONLY $175,000

HOME WITH 7.5 ACRES - ID# T4909183BR/2BA, 2,910 SF brick home. Workshop& carport. CW&S avail. Needs renovation.Zoned R-3. Bank Owned. $149,500

Buying?

Selling?

Local KnowledgeLocal Experience

Serving Walton CountySince 1985.

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COMMERCIAL FRONTAGEEast Side / West Side / Corners

For Sale or Leaseon Highway 331 South

We Have the MostReady-to-Build Land to Meet

Your Business Needs.

CALL TODAY!

ACREAGE TRACTS

Approximately 4.26 acres with

city water available.Bring your horses! Wooded.

Adjoining 4.26 acre tract is alsoavailable.

$45,000 Each

$85,000 For Both Tracts

NEW LISTINGFish camp at Black Creek. 2BR/1BAon .42 acre lot. Oversized screened frontporch. Lots of potential! $34,900

GREAT PRICE! - ID# T402715Bayou Bend S/D interior lot with wateraccess to LaGrange Bayou. Beautiful oaktrees. Restricted. CW available. $29,900

10 ACRES - UNRESTRICTEDClose to Choctawhatchee River, w/easyaccess to boat launches. Survey completed.Owner Financing Available. $60,000

RIVER RENDEZVOUS - ID# T4160491st class cabin on Choctawhatchee. 3BR/3BA,approx. 1,700 SF. FP, vaulted ceilings. 50x70metal bldg. across street included. $299,800

HWY 90 ACREAGE - ID# T483643Near Okaloosa-Santa Rosa line. Ownerfin. avail w/ 10% down & flexible terms.Over 4 acres w/public water avail. $75,000