In the year since the scandals at Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country made headlines, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has been busy leading his committee’s investigation into the problem-plagued department.

He recently shared his thoughts about the process and his hopes for the future with the Daily News.

DAILY NEWS: One year later, what do you see as the committee’s greatest accomplishment?

MILLER: The Accountability Act, which was passed last year, was the biggest sea change in the department’s history. It allocated $10 billion to give veterans a choice about where to go and who to see for medical care. That’s a big change, although VA isn’t doing what it should be to make this change available to veterans.

DN: What do you see as the challenges that prevent making broad reforms at the VA?

MILLER: The sad thing is, VA has yet to deliver on its promises. We are trying to change the culture within the department. But that’s just not the standard by which the VA operates. They shift people around within the agency; they put them on paid administrative leave for months at a time. The mechanisms are in place, especially since the Accountability Act gave the secretary the power to fire top people in the department, but they’re just not being utilized.

DN: One of the questions our readers asked is in regard to the obstacles that veterans face when they separate from the military. Is this an issue your committee is taking on?

MILLER: The separation point is an area we’ve been focusing on. I know the department is trying to get the backlog of disability claims down. My concern is that while VA claims that they have reduced the backlog, what they actually have done is shifted that burden over to the Veteran Boards of Appeals, where it’s no longer considered a backlog case for the VA – it’s now an appeals case. Regardless, the veteran is still waiting for their benefits. They are going to claim at the end of this year that they’ve reduced the backlog tremendously, but that’s just not the case.

DN: You have stated that you are considering running in 2016 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Marco Rubio. Are you any closer to making a decision?

MILLER: I’m looking harder every day. There are still questions that have to be answered, but I’m very encouraged by the reception I have received around the state and for that matter, the country. People are looking for somebody who is able to be true to their ideals and beliefs, but is willing to get things done in a city that is broken.

Daily News Staff Writer Kelly Humphrey at 850-315-4443 or khumphrey@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @Kellyhnwfdn 

VALPARAISO — Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood on Boggy Bayou, Florida Park provides 3.45 acres of peace, quiet and recreation.

If you’re looking to launch a boat, go for a swim, have a picnic, let the kids burn off some energy or just sit on a shady swing and read a book, this hidden gem is just the place to visit.

Park it here: Compared to its larger neighbor, Lincoln Park, Florida Park is a less known (and therefore usually less crowded) place to play. Two barbecue grills and multiple shady places make it a great place to bring a picnic lunch. If you’re really ambitious, you can try to catch your lunch from the fishing pier.

Be a good sport: In addition to swimming in the bayou, there are wide open, grassy areas ideal for a game of Frisbee, catch, or tag.

Wanna play? The park has a large playground with modern equipment, including slides, swings (regular as well ones designed for babies), cross bars and other things to climb on.

Tip: Swimming is allowed, but there are no lifeguards on duty. Pets are not allowed.

Parks Checklist:
Bathrooms? Yes
Benches? Yes
Picnic tables? Four in covered pavilions; more throughout park.
Parking? 20-plus spaces.
Hours: Sunrise to 10 p.m.
Location: Corner of Florida Avenue and South Bayshore Drive
 

FORT WALTON BEACH — The love of learning was quietly apparent this year for a group of students at Fort Walton Beach High School.

Four seniors opted to enroll in an independent study course designed to let them guide their own lessons.

The class was created by senior Jackie Orcutt for her Gold Award in Girl Scouts. Per the demands of the award, which is the equivalent of the Boy Scout Eagle Award, Jackie wrote the curriculum and then recruited three other students to do the class with her.

“The thing about it, is it is solely what you want to study,” the 18-year-old said.

Every two weeks, each student selected a question that they then researched on their own time. They presented their findings to their principal, an assistant principal, a teacher and each other every other week.

Their questions varied as much as the students themselves. They spanned all subject areas from history to current events and from the building blocks of modern science to the quirks of standardized testing.

“It gave me motive to learn that kind of stuff,” senior Jesse Arrington said of the course.

Each student also researched a larger topic throughout the class and gave a final presentation about it Friday afternoon.

No matter the topic, a roundtable discussion ensued.

“I’m totally sold on the whole concept,” said Principal John Spolski.

They were still working out the details of how it would be offered next year, but said it had proven too valuable an asset to not continue.

“You’re doing it on your own,” he said to the students as they did their final presentations. “This is all you... that’s the beauty for us – you guys become the instructors.”

 Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

A naked Niceville man caused a ruckus at the Mossy Head Industrial Park before being arrested Sunday night, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office news release said.

Brian Merrill Mitchell, 41, is charged with exposing himself inside the Loves Travel Shop at the industrial park and then climbing aboard a bus parked outside and “showing his genitals to students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old,” the release said.

Deputies arriving on the scene ordered Mitchell to the ground, but he refused to cooperate, the release said.

Mitchell instead turned his attention toward the deputy and started walking towards him, the release said. Mitchell got within 7 feet of the deputy and disobeyed commands until a Taser was drawn.

Mitchell raised his hands as if he were going to cooperate, the release said. But when he got close enough, he made a grab for the deputy’s Taser.

The deputy was able to subdue Mitchell after a short struggle, the release said.

Mitchell was charged with indecent exposure, lewd and lascivious behavior, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and trespassing.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.

A Fort Walton Beach man was shot in the wrist on Memorial Day during what he described as an attempt to steal his grill.

Nathan Robinson, 26, of Baker Street, told Okaloosa County deputies he was standing outside of his car smoking a cigarette when two men armed with a handgun approached him, “demanding his money and his grill,” a Sheriff’s Office news release said.

The release described Robinson’s grill as a “cosmetic set of tooth coverings made of precious or similar metal.”

Robinson, who spoke to authorities at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, said he jumped into his car as the armed men approached. One of them used the gun to shatter his driver’s side window and then fired into the vehicle, the release said.

The bullet struck Robinson in the left wrist, the release said.

He said the shooting had taken place at about 5:30 p.m. Monday outside an apartment complex on Skinner Circle.

Robinson told deputies a friend had driven him to the Medical Center. His car, parked outside the emergency room entrance, had a shattered driver’s side window, the release said.

Investigators found a bullet fragment on the center console.

Robinson described the shooter as a black male with an afro in his late teens, approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing a gray and black hoodie with faded black jeans.

He described the second individual as a tall, skinny, light skinned black male with a high-top haircut, wearing a black shirt with a yellow decal and khaki shorts.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office at 850-651-7400 or Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.

An elementary school principal has filed to run for the Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools seat in 2016.

Marline Van Dyke, the principal at Edwins Fine & Performing Arts School in Fort Walton Beach, filed her paperwork with the supervisor of elections Tuesday.

“I had reached a point of disappointment and fear for myself and for my teachers,” Van Dyke said of her decision. “I’m not a politician; I am a passionate educator and I want the best for the county.”

Van Dyke started in the district as a teacher’s aide at Plew Elementary School in Niceville. She decided to finish college at age 34 so she could become a full-time teacher there.

She taught at Plew for five years, spending much of her time focused on exceptional student education, before she was named principal of Silver Sands School in Fort Walton Beach.

She spent four years there before briefly becoming principal at Riverside Elementary School and then moving to Edwins. She had originally planned to run in 2020, but then upped the time table after discussions with her husband.

“We sat and talked about it and we said why not now?” Van Dyke said. “I feel good, I’m healthy... I have nothing to lose.”

Current Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson has said in several public forums she plans to run again.

Jackson was first elected to the position in 2012.

Prior to her election, Jackson oversaw career and technical education the district and was a guidance counselor and teacher.

Jackson is expected to file her paperwork with the supervisor of elections next month.

Van Dyke holds a masters in education along with a handful of educational endorsements and certifications.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

FORT WALTON BEACH — It was 1987 when English teacher Linda Evanchyk asked to revive the student newspaper at Choctawhatchee High School.

Smoke Signals had fallen by the wayside some years before and its rebirth was met with some skepticism. Evanchyk was given permission to print it on an issue-by-issue basis only.

Today it’s going strong and Evanchyk has decided to hand over the reins.

“I’m going to miss the adrenaline, but it’s time,” she said. “I’ve done 36 years of deadlines with teenagers.”

Under her guidance, the student journalists have covered state championships, major school anniversary celebrations and even the death of one of their own.

She’s seen them through cut and paste page design and still cringes when she thinks about how much work it used to be to develop photos.

Next school year, Smoke Signals alum and English teacher Asha Kennedy will take over as the faculty advisor for the publication.

“I couldn’t let the paper die,” Kennedy said. “I know how important it was to me.”

Kennedy joined the staff when her family moved to the area during her senior year of high school. From the moment she walked in the door in 2009, she knew she’d found her place.

Evanchyk had been wondering who would step in when she retired when Kennedy was hired as a long-term substitute during the 2013-14 school year.

From there, the pieces fell into place and Kennedy has been working with Evanchyk and the staff this year to learn the ropes.

Evanchyk’s students have known this moment was coming for years, but now that it’s here, they can’t hide a little trepidation.

“There’s going to be a lot of leaning for everybody,” said rising co-editor Sadie Lea.

The sophomore will work with freshman Carrie Jenkins next year to oversee the paper. Both said they hope to continue in the position until they graduate and were looking forward to working with Kennedy.

“It’s new experiences, but it’s going to be great for all of us,” Jenkins said.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

Once, libraries were quiet havens where people went to read and research.

Not anymore.

Yes, people can still read and research at libraries. But with the advent of the digital age, libraries are upping their game to bring in a new generation of patrons.

From workforce development to family entertainment and small business facilities, libraries are changing in ways residents might find surprising.

Digital media

Walk into the Fort Walton Beach Library and you will see printed books. Lots of ’em. What you may not see at first glance are ebooks, DVDs and Blu-rays the library also loans.

“We have a pretty good selection of movies on DVD and Blu-ray,” said Patricia Gould, library director. And their ebooks are available through Overdrive, a service offered through the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative. People can download ebooks to their preferred device and keep them from seven to 14 days. The digital books are compatible with “99 percent of what’s out there,” Gould said.

The Crestview Library offers music on CDs and videogames, according to Library Director Jean Lewis.

Audio books are also a big draw, said Jurate Burns, director of the Destin Library. “I have more time to listen in the car than I do to read when I get home,” she said.

Logging on

Libraries have become a haven for people wanting access to the Internet who don’t have the service at home. “Some come every day to do here what they would do at home,” Lewis said.

The Fort Walton Beach Library has 16 public-access computers people can use for a limited time. Gould said some users simply don’t want to pay for web access at home. They come in, do their online business and check their email – all for free. Others are tourists who don’t want to use the pricey web access at their hotels or resorts.

Yet another group is the homeless or people who can’t afford Internet access, who come in to renew their benefits, food stamps or other social services, Burns said. And job-hunting is an important part of what Destin’s computers are used for.

Classes

Many of the libraries offer classes and workshops about a variety of subjects.

The Destin Library, for instance, in its spring series of computer workshops, offered sessions on basic computer tips, how to use Craigslist, Facebook usage, and how to organize and edit your photos, among many others. The Fort Walton Beach Library offers similar classes, such as how to work a Kindle or iPad, and how to search for a job online.

New kinds of programs

Librarians in Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Crestview stressed their facilities have become home to all kinds of new programs designed to not only provide the community with information and education opportunities, but entertainment.

“Libraries are not the hushed, silent places they once were,” Gould said.

The Crestview Library is striving to become “more of a community center as well as a library,” Lewis said. They offer music programs twice a week, which are free and presented by members of the public who come in and play. They also host poetry slams and jams, and an open mic presentation.

“We are trying to provide for our community something for them to do in their leisure time without any charge,” Lewis said. Other activities at the library include art displays and pre-school programs.

Workforce development

A new role local libraries have taken on is facilitators for job-finding, training and small business production. At the Destin Library, local businesses can take advantage of its instructional lab for staff training, and a digital lab where small businesses can use computers, video cameras and even a green screen for video and image production. Burns said local businesses are welcome to use their equipment for the production of commercials, ads, menus – anything that requires graphic and video production equipment. She said the library may even buy a GoPro camera for checkout.

“We are looking to build a small digital studio,” Gould said of the Fort Walton Beach Library. Like Destin’s digital lab, it would be used to “make commercials for small businesses and for students to make videos.”

The library also offers proctoring services for distance-learning test-taking sessions, she said.

Libraries as a ‘third place’

“We want to be that third place,” said Lewis at the Crestview Library. She was referring to Dr. Ray Oldenburg, University of West Florida professor emeritus, who wrote the books “Celebrating the Third Place” and “The Great Good Place.” In his books, Oldenburg contends locations like pubs, main streets and similar places represent the heart of a community’s social vitality and are essential to a functioning democracy, with home and work being the first two places.

“We try to stock materials, and offer programs and services the community is interested in,” Burns said. “Programs vary by community. We have to be sensitive to what our community wants and what its needs are.

“We’d like it to be everyone’s third place.”

Oh, and despite what you’ve heard. ...

Print’s not dead.

Gould said teenagers are preferring paper over digital for reading fiction, and that kids love checking out children’s books. For textbooks and magazines, and among travelers, devices are still king.

“I’m not finding that the ebook circulation is growing,” Burns added. “It’s leveling off.”

“Our people have always continued with the print books,” Lewis said. “Print books are still popular.”

For one job-seeker, the library was a ‘Godsend’

DESTIN — For one newly laid-off worker, the Destin Library was “a Godsend.”

Steve Davis of Destin lost his job in 2010. He applied for other positions but ultimately decided he needed a college degree to get the kind of job he wanted.

“There were lots of distractions at home,” he said, so he came to the library where he was put into a student program.

Now, he’s about to graduate from Argosy University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and health care administration, and is receiving job offers from around the country.

Davis said he used the library’s computers and reference materials for research, and studied in the quiet rooms to get away from the general population. He did this while working a part-time job to help pay his bills.

Davis spent so much time at the library the staff became a second family.

“I could not have finished school without the library being here,” he said. “Thank God they are here.”

Contact Daily News Online Editor Del Stone Jr. at 850-315-4433 or dstone@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DelSnwfdn.

NAVARRE — One man is dead after an explosion and fire on Colonial Avenue early Tuesday morning.

The fire was being considered an “incendiary act of arson” on Tuesday afternoon, according to Florida State Fire Marshal spokesperson Kayla Anderson.

Firefighters were called for a residential structure fire with reported explosions at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to a media release from Holley-Navarre Fire District.

Multiple 911 callers reported “explosions and fire” at the residence in the 2100 block of Colonial Avenue.

Once firefighters arrived, they reported a fully involved single-wide mobile home trailer fire. A dead man was found near the home, the release said.

Shortly after, firefighters found that the fire had also spread to an adjacent mobile home.

No other injuries were reported.

Anderson reported that the elderly female woman who lived in the adjacent home was not injured, but is currently displaced.

Both homes were a total loss, with damages estimated at $25,000 to the first home and $65,000 to the second.

Samples were collected by the fire marshal's office and were sent to the lab.

An autopsy of the man is ongoing.

He had not been identified as of Tuesday afternoon.

Florida State Fire Marshal's Office and Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office are investigating.

Navarre Beach, Midway and Florosa fire departments assisted at the scene. Avalon and East Milton fire departments were called for district coverage.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.

TALLAHASSEE — Republican leaders in the Florida Senate offered up a revamped health care proposal Tuesday in an effort to end a budget stalemate that threatens to shut down state government.

GOP legislative leaders have been odds over health care coverage and the dispute derailed the end of the regular session. Legislators are scheduled to return to the state Capitol next week for a 20-day special session where they are expected to pass a new state budget.

Senate President Andy Gardiner announced what he called a "compromise" on health care coverage that is an attempt to win over both skeptical House leaders as well as Gov. Rick Scott.

The new Senate plan would jettison an initial proposal to expand Medicaid this summer, but instead would still call for drawing down federal money linked to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Low-income Floridians would be eligible to purchase coverage through a new exchange, but they would have to pay premiums and they would be required to work. The new health coverage plan would require federal approval and would not kick in until January.

"We have listened to senators, House members, constituents, and other stakeholders and incorporated their feedback to create a stronger Florida solution, the Senate, House and Gov. Scott can proudly present to Washington as Florida's best offer for a health insurance exchange that meets the unique needs of our state," Gardiner said in a statement.

House leaders and the governor have been strongly opposed to Medicaid expansion. They have called Medicaid a "broken" health care system, and have also said they don't trust the federal government to continue to paying for the program in future.

It's not clear if the Senate's latest proposal will go far enough to win them over.

The regular legislative session slammed to a halt in late April after House members abruptly adjourned early due to a stalemate over Medicaid expansion. The divide between the two chambers was sparked by the impending loss of more than $1 billion in federal aid to hospitals that is to set to expire this summer.

Federal officials told Florida that they wanted the state to consider expanding Medicaid insurance as part of the agreement to extend the hospital funds. Last week the Obama administration offered to extend Florida's hospital funds for another two years, but only at about half the amount the state received last year, saying it would not approve hospital funding for costs that that would be covered by expansion.

Sen. Rene Garcia, a Hialeah Republican who chairs the Senate health care budget committee, said the Senate plan will help the state transition as it loses the federal money for hospitals. He called it a "much better investment of our limited taxpayer dollars."
 

MILTON - A 37-year-old Milton man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted of creating a meth lab in a Milton hotel room.

Derek Anthony Gonzales was convicted of first degree arson, attempting to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia by a jury on May 1, according to a media release from the State Attorney's office.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison as a habitual felony offender on Tuesday by Judge John Simon.

The charges stemmed from a fire on May 21, 2014, the release said.

Authorities were called to the Emerald Sands Inn, 6436 U.S. Highway 90. Once there, they found that a functional methamphetamine lab in a hotel room had exploded.

The fire burned the contents of the room and endangered guests in the adjoining rooms, according to previous coverage of the case.

Gonzales was identified as a person of interest after fleeing the hotel.

He was located later by Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office and charged.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.

When Walton County Sheriff’s Office noticed an article last week on the comedy website “Total Frat Move” mentioning Miramar Beach, they felt compelled to respond in a press release.

The article “Top 7 Spring Break Destinations Now That PCB Has Banned Alcohol” suggests Destin as a spring break hot spot — although with its mention of Whale’s Tail, the writer, FratrickKane88, most likely meant Miramar Beach.

“Destin (Miramar Beach) is PCB’s pledge sister ... that isn’t known for partying or being the hot girl, but you end up hooking up with her one night and don’t regret it, because it was actually pretty good. You consider doing it again but it just never happens,” wrote the author.

The Panama City Beach City Council voted earlier this month to ban alcohol on the beach next March during the typical spring break season.

Corey Dobridnia, spokeswoman for WCSO, was directed to write a response to the article, which was approved by Sheriff Mike Adkinson and Chief AJ Smith.

“We’ve seen a couple of articles that have mentioned Destin and Panama City Beach — this was just the final straw,” she said.

See the response

In a press release sent out Tuesday afternoon, Dobridnia wrote to the Total Frat Move folks that “...while you need to work on your geography you also need to work on spreading a different message to your fraternity brothers.”

Dobridnia said she worked on the response for a few days and that the message was not to be “hateful.”

“You see, here in Walton County we’re a fraternity too. But, as it’s actually defined. Our fraternity is a group of people sharing common professions and interests. Our interests do not include having thousands of college students disrespect and trash our beaches. We do not support underage drinking or ‘debauchery’ of any kind – as you call it.”

FratrickKane88 warns readers that deputies are known to roam the beach, but just gave the advice to not get caught.

“I had a friend see one from a distance and just start running,” he wrote. “In hindsight, the structural damage that he suffered to his face (when he fell) was probably more than the $200 or so (Minor in Possession charge) he would have received. Just don’t get caught, or have better agility than my friend.”

Dobrinia said she tried to find the face behind FratrickKane88 on social media and even sent an email through the website’s contact link, but was met with silence.

“I made sure to share the response on their Facebook page,” she said.

The Total Frat Move website features mainly stories about drinking, fraternities and drinking while in a fraternity. Popular articles include “The Time My Fraternity’s Leadership Consultant Got Me Blackout Drunk” and “If You Go Home For The Summer, You’re A Moron.”

“We know their articles are in good faith and good fun,” Dobridnia said. “But it’s a serious issue. This year’s spring break in Panama City there were shootings and stabbings. We want to protect the visitors and residents in Walton County.”
 

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Jennie McKeon at 850-315-4434 or jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennieMnwfdn.

FORT WALTON BEACH - A 20-year-old Crestview man is accused of weapons and drug charges after being arrested on an Alabama warrant.

Fort Walton Beach Police officers were called on May 15 around 1:45 p.m., according to the arrest report. They were told by Crestview Police Department that Justin Alan McCall was reportedly at Hertz Rental on Eglin Parkway.

McCall was believed to be armed and officers believed he would be violent rather than go back to prison, the report said. McCall was also wanted on an active warrant for larceny out of Covington County, Alabama.

McCall was found behind the complex at 224 Eglin Parkway NE and was taken into custody, according to the report. A search was done and officers allegedly found marijuana, a gun and ammunition.

He is charged with carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

His next scheduled court date is June 16.

NICEVILLE - A 21-year-old DeFuniak Springs man is charged with drunken driving after allegedly passing out at the wheel on State Road 20.

Niceville Police officers were called to State Road 20 and Cedar Avenue at 2:10 a.m. on May 16 for a report of a driver passed out being the wheel, according to the arrest report. They found the vehicle stopped "between the center line of State Road 20," still in gear with the man sleeping behind the wheel.

They noticed that he still had his foot on brake, the report said. Officers tried to wake the man multiple times, but it wasn't until an officer was able to get into the vehicle and shook the driver that he woke up.

When asked where he was, the man answered, "DeFuniak," according to the report. He was told he was in Niceville.

He agreed to undergo field sobriety tests, but was unable to complete them successfully, the report said. He supplied two breath alcohol samples 20 minutes apart.

The first gave a breath alcohol concentration of .177 and the second .192, according to the report. He allegedly admitted to having "a few beers."

He is charged with driving while under the influence of an intoxicant.

His next scheduled court date is June 2.

CRESTVIEW - A Crestview man is charged with grabbing his wife by the wrist, leaving marks on the side of her hand.

Crestview Police officers were called to the home on May 16 around 1:30 a.m., according to the arrest report. The woman was crying and said she and her husband had an argument.

Her 25-year-old husband, who was intoxicated, shoved her and she slapped him in response, the report said. He then allegedly grabbed her by the wrist, at which point she slapped him again and he let her go and called police.

She had marks on her hand indicative of nail marks, according to the report. The man said she'd slapped him several times and he'd tried to calm her down before calling police.

He did have a minor scratch on his cheek, as well as a minor scratch on his head, the report said. He admitted he'd been drinking and was found to be the primary aggressor.

He is charged with misdemeanor battery.

His next scheduled court date is June 2.

NICEVILLE — Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles tries to meet quarterly with his constituents in an informal setting. These gatherings, sometimes called “Coffee with the Commissioner” or “A Cold One with the Commissioner,” attract local residents who are eager to share their thoughts on a myriad of subjects.

On Tuesday, a few dozen folks made their way to Ernie’s Dockside Café. These were some of their issues:

Birds, not boardwalks: Valparaiso resident Wendy Green wanted Boyles to know how strongly she feels about the plan to build more boardwalks at Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island.

“We have documented 32 herons’ nests there at the site, and we believe building those boardwalks will disturb them,” Green said. “I want to urge the county commissioners to reconsider the plan, because it won’t add any value to the park, and it will damage the habitat for the wildlife that people are hoping to see when they visit there.”

A troubled bridge over local waters: Fort Walton Beach residents Tom Downey and former county commissioner Jackie Burkett are tired of the seemingly endless debate over where to build a new bridge between Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island.

“The congestion in downtown Fort Walton Beach has to be addressed,” Downey said. “These long delays are just making things worse.”

“Someone needs to make a decision, one way or another,” added Burkett. “We’ve been discussing this since I was in office. Instead of paying for these expensive studies that just delay the process, we need to choose a solution and implement it. Someone’s going to be unhappy, no matter what you do.”

Economy over environment: Bluewater Bay resident Mitch Newton came to the meeting to discuss the RESTORE Act, and the funding the county will receive as a result of the 2010 BP oil spill.

“I’m hoping that the funding will be used for projects that will address the economic losses our community suffered,” he said. “That’s where our area was affected the most, unlike areas to the west of us.”

A stinky subject: Don and Maurie Ockerman came in search of some straight talk on sewers. The Lake Pippin residents are adamantly opposed to a plan to install a sewer system that would include lift stations in their neighborhood.

“Everyone in our subdivision has septic tanks, and we’ve never had any problems,” Don Ockerman said. “We are afraid that installing lift stations will threaten Lake Pippin, which to our knowledge has never had any pollution problems. You hear about lift stations failing all the time when there’s power outages or heavy rains. We don’t want that.”

Centennial crusade: Bluewater Bay resident Steve Czonstka stopped by to lobby for more funding for the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida. As the chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, he wanted to remind everyone that Okaloosa County’s 100 anniversary is approaching.

“These are for sale at the museum,” he said as he modeled a commemorative T-shirt.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kelly Humphrey at 850-315-4443 or khumphrey@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyhnwfdn.

VALPARAISO — Three school years ago, a group of students and parents took a chance on a new Okaloosa County middle school.

Today, almost all of those first students are wrapping up their final weeks at the Okaloosa STEMM Academy.

“I’m glad I took the chance,” said 14-year-old Sydney Lederman. “It let me take more advanced classes.”

VIDEO: See the STEMM kids launch a rocket.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medical-focused program was designed to provide hands-on experience as well as advanced classes for students with a passion for math and science.

Jewel LaCross wanted to play sports and attend the STEMM Academy. She was able to play softball at Meigs, but her parents had to drive her there for practice.

Between balancing her school work and softball, she’s gotten very good at time management and isn’t worried about enrolling in Choctawhatchee High School’s International Baccalaureate program in high school.

“It’s all worth it,” the 14-year-old said. “It so is.”

Of the 61 eighth graders at the school, 53 attended it in the first year, said Assistant Principal Neely Calhoun.

The upcoming freshman class already has 69 students enrolled.

“People are starting to hear about us,” Calhoun said. “The biggest misconception about this school is that it’s a private school.”

Last week, officials from the Florida Department of Education paid a visit to the school. Before leaving, they told Calhoun the academy would serve as the state’s model for science, technology, engineering and math schools.

Eighth-grader Christopher Loffler said the first year wasn’t without issue, but it was worth the growing pains.

“They keep working on making it better and better,” he said.

His classmate Frankie Muldowney, urged the incoming students to be patient during the adjustment to middle school and the rigor of classes at the STEMM Academy.

“It’s a big change,” the 13-year-old said.

With a growing student body, the school plans to add new programs and classes for students next year, Calhoun said.

Among the new options will be an music technology class focused on Apple’s Garage Band and more opportunities for students to earn industry certifications.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

VALPARAISO — After hearing from a roomful of people who are unhappy with the city’s policies regarding private dock ownership on public land, the City Commission voted Tuesday to make some changes.

For the past month, the city has been involved in a dispute with Paul and Britt Walker of North Bayshore Drive over the ownership and the right to maintain the dock that sits on city-owned shoreline across the street from their house. Last month, the Walkers received a notice that recent repairs to their dock were illegal, in part because the city said that they do not have the required encroachment agreement to build on public property.

The Walkers, who dispute the city’s findings, were originally set to have their case heard before special magistrate J. Bruce Bowman on May 20. The hearing was postponed, however, when Bowman recused himself after the Walkers expressed concern that he had a conflict of interest. Bowman is a law partner of city attorney Hayward Dykes

The city then scheduled a special commission meeting to address issues regarding private dock ownership in general, which has been a controversial subject for several years. A large contingent of citizens spoke in support of the Walkers, and questioned the city’s policies regarding docks.

“There seems to be a number of conflicting city ordinances leading to confusion,” said North Bayshore Drive resident Bill Cunningham. “Hopefully we can get one clear directive, instead of suddenly enforcing rules that have not been enforced in the past.”

City Commissioner Joe Morgan, who is working on a new ordinance to address dock ownership issues, wanted to be clear that the commission would not change the laws overnight.

“The truth is, we’ve had lapses in enforcing encroachment agreements in the past, due to issues on both sides,” he said. “But I recognize that we need to do something to clarify this issue.”

Morgan put forward a motion that would instruct the city administrator and the city’s code enforcement officials to allow current dock owners to perform normal repair and maintenance of docks, and to renew their encroachment agreements if necessary. The motion was approved 4-1, with Mayor Bruce Arnold dissenting.

Although it hasn’t been determined if the commission’s decision means that her hearing has been canceled, Britt Walker expressed cautious optimism after the meeting.

“I certainly feel better than I did before,” she said. “I’m very grateful to all of my neighbors for showing up and supporting us.”

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kelly Humphrey at 850-315-4443 or khumphrey@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyhnwfdn.

GULF BREEZE — Three men and a woman were sentenced Tuesday for their involvement in a home invasion robbery and high speed chase.

Robert Falcon Fraser, Teandre Lanell Altman, Frank Anthony Rogers and Holly Elizabeth Caudle were sentenced by Judge John Simon.

The four were charged after an Aug. 26 incident in which a Gulf Breeze man met Caudle at his home after meeting her while looking for a “female companion” on Craigslist.

The four robbed the man of 15 guns, cash and a large quantity of ammunition, according to previous reports.

Once they left the home, they got into a high speed chase with law enforcement in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties before abandoning their vehicle and eventually getting caught.

Fraser was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to be served concurrent to the 262 months he was sentenced to for federal charges stemming from the same case.
Caudle was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her part.

Altman and Rogers were each sentenced to 15 years in prison to be served consecutive to the federal sentences they previously received.

In January, a federal judge sentenced Altman to 200 months and Rogers to 121 months.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.

NAVARRE — Cortni Bird is ready to rock and roll... again.

The 24-year-old singer/songwriter hasn’t been on the stage for nearly three years, but when she was asked to perform at next month’s County Music Awards Festival in Nashville, she didn’t hesitate to say yes.

“This is the big time — I couldn’t say no,” she said.

Bird — formally Potapowicz before she was married in March — grew up singing to the radio and writing poetry. When she was 7, her parents noticed her talent as she sang along to No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom” album.

In 2010, she recorded an EP titled “It’s Complicated,” featuring five original songs she penned throughout high school and college.

“These are songs I wanted to listen to, but couldn’t find on the radio,” she said. “They were written about my life experiences...and other people’s experiences.”

“It’s Complicated” ranges from alternative rock to pop with some modern country mixed in. Bird admits she’s a little more rock and roll than country, but is looking forward to adding a new element to the CMA festival next month.

“My music is just me,” she said with a laugh. “I think country’s evolving and I can bring something different.”

After she graduated college in 2011, she went on a small tour of the east coast.

“It was the biggest high I have ever experienced,” she said. “It didn’t seem real.”

After the tour, Bird went to back to the “real world.” She left her hometown in Rainbow City, Alabama, and moved to Navarre, where she got a job at a local staffing agency. Is the CMA Fest a second chance for a music career?

“I’d love to be on tour full time, but I’m just going by my faith,” she said.

Bird does know that she doesn’t want to take another three-year hiatus again. She’s in the process of planning a music festival for Navarre called Country on the Sound in September.

“I am so pumped to be performing again,” she said. “But really — just send me outdoors with a piece of paper and something to write with and I’m fine.”

WANT TO LISTEN: Hear Cortni Bird’s EP on Spotify at open.spotify.com/artist/4K39C0rErNahJ0gv5xqeib. You can also download “It’s Complicated” on iTunes.