CRESTVIEW Thanks to a partnership between the Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation and Central Baptist Church, north Okaloosa County residents can enjoy a community pool just like many coastal residents.
Since 2015, the nonprofit foundation has operated the community swimming pools at the Bernie R. LeFebvre Aquatic Center (aka The Bernie ) in Fort Walton Beach and the Aquatic Center in Destin, both former YMCA facilities.
This past Tuesday, the foundation signed a one-year lease with Central Baptist Church to operate the church’s five-lane, 25-yard Recreational Outreach Center (ROC) pool at 1105 S. Pearl St. in Crestview.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity to all north county residents,” foundation Treasurer Kathi Heapy said.
CRESTVIEW In and next to Crestview, which already is Okaloosa County s largest and most-populated city, several subdivisions containing a total of more than 2,000 single-family homes are either being built or are in the late planning stages.
Many of the residents of all of those new houses will, of course, add to the traffic congestion on already busy roads such as State Road 85.
While the developers of some of the new subdivisions plan to upgrade streets next to their projects, far greater traffic relief is expected to come via the ongoing southwest Crestview bypass work and the planned widening of a long segment of SR 85.
Throughout this year, Southwire plans to spend $4 million by focusing on purchasing additional equipment and tooling, and between 2022 and 2025, the remaining $6 million will focus on more machines, new systems, safety programs and more, according to the company. The modernization investment will create 157 total jobs, and we are looking to add 20 new jobs this year, Southwire spokeswoman Paige Bird said. We currently have 132 employees at the Crestview facility. This is a recent acquisition, and we are currently conducting a full wage analysis on the facility as a whole. Moving forward, we plan to be an employer of choice in the community with competitive wages, excellent benefit offerings, opportunities for advancement and serve as a great community partner.
LAUREL HILL A smaller property tax bill might be the only sure change realized by residents if in early March they decide their little city should be dissolved and become another unincorporated part of Okaloosa County.
Incorporated in 1905, the 3-square-mile Laurel Hill is the county’s oldest city. But with lingering poor road conditions and other troubles on their mind, more than 50 of its 600 or so residents have signed petitions seeking a referendum on whether the city should be dissolved.
That type of quest has happened before, but without reaching the referendum stage and voting booth in the home of the Laurel Hill School Hoboes and Laurel Hill Hobo Festival. With the current City Council’s approval, a referendum was placed on the March 9 ballot asking voters whether to dissolve Laurel Hill.