Dec 27, 2012

Volume: 4 Issue: 26 December 27, 2012 bi-weekly Edition

merald Star News E The

The BEST LIL’ NEWSPAPER in Walton county - from Freeport, Florida

A style of it’s own — a community Based Newspaper

Free

offered ‘free’ …….from our business Advertisers inside this week

Made possible by your local

advertising businesses in this edition.

Real Estate listings inside:

Walton Talks School Security

Walton Superintendent of Schools, a long-

time educator and elementary principal, Car-

lene Anderson said when she was told of the

school shooting tragedy she cried and it af-

fected her very personally…...….Page 3

Armed Assault

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office

(WCSO) responded to County Hwy 1883 in

the early morning hours Sunday in reference

to armed individuals shooting into the dwell-

ing, kicking in the door to the home, point-

ing guns at the two victims and hitting the

female victim in the mouth with one of the

firearms. The suspects …….…...Page 5

Synthetic Drugs

Deputies with the Okaloosa County Sher-

iff’s Office have been delivering letters from

Sheriff Larry Ashley to area businesses

which sell compounds known as synthetic

drugs. The message is that ... ….Page 9

Happy Holidays! This season has been one of mixed emo-

tions, from shootings and storms there has been plenty to

find yourself being thankful for. Our hearts and prayers go

out to all the victims and their families.

As you may have noticed the world did not end on the 21st as had been predicted for

numerous decades. Doesn’t that give you a reason to celebrate? I’ve got the same feel-

ings as most of you do about the upcoming year. Keyword will be ‘prepared’. Learn

about the massive amount of changes coming. From the top to the bottom we will all

feel some part of these changes. The president’s decisions are coming at an alarming

pace.

It has always been a trial and error time of our lives. So many of us living from pay-

check to paycheck. For the stress levels of living in today’s world are ever rising. It will

be an interesting 2013 to say the least.

When the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza may have tried to

sabotage his own computer before going on a murderous rampage that claimed the lives

of 20 children, but experienced investigators said today that law enforcement forensic

experts could still recover critical evidence from the damaged drives.

Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance revealed Monday that a computer crimes

unit was working in conjunction with a forensics laboratory to "dissect" any evidence

relevant to the case, but he declined to comment further on what type of evidence was

involved and in what condition it was in. Later that day, law enforcement officials told

ABC News that police recovered a badly damaged computer from Lanza's home that

appeared to have been attacked by a hammer or screwdriver.

Sources said if they can still read the computer's hard drive, they hope to find critical

clues that may help explain Lanza's motives in the killing. of course they are not certain

what they may find on his computer. There can be habitual emotions on the computer

that can lead up to someone doing something like this. Maybe a sign somewhere.

Here in Walton county, parents got a phone call from the school board superintendent

stating of the safety factors that are being considered for our schools. I do like the idea I

heard of veteran’s volunteering to be a school resource officer for entrance into schools.

Provided substantial background checks are in place I think it will have a safer role for

the students. It’s a dam shame when society has to readjust it’s habits for school chil-

dren. In this case it was an Elementary school.

I feel that a lot of the insensitivity of killing comes from the amount of time people

are playing video games. With 3D effects and lifelike features of being in war, some

people are maybe having trouble with separating fact from fiction. They probably think

they would be able to hit the reset button and try it all again but with bigger ammo and

destruction. Isn’t that what most of the games are designed today are like? I am not a

‘gamer’ but I have witnessed for a long time the commercials even looking so realistic.

Back when I was a kid they tried to say that music was making people act a certain way,

cop killer songs and defiance was almost stopped in recordings. At least for the com-

mon radio stations, they will not air such nonsense.

It’s time for parents to become more in tune with their children. What are they play-

ing? How long have they been playing it? Moderation to keep them grounded into real-

ity. What are your kids ’into’? For the time it takes to connect to your children every

second is worth it’s weight in gold. Get to know their friends and maybe you can help

prevent dangerous situations for us all.

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

publisher. The staff of The EMERALD STAR NEWS pride ourselves in our efforts to ensure

accuracy 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

Frank Wolfe Jr.

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Guest columnist– Erica Beck River Stewart

Page 2 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Thursday, December 27, 2012

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WC BCC Meeting As reported by WZEP AM1460 In a special session so they would not have to meet at

Christmas, the Walton Commissioners held their second

December meeting Tuesday morning. Commissioners

were asked to short list the seven they want to interview

for county administrator. Clerk of Courts Martha Ingle

tallied the commissioner’s selection. The top seven were

extended to the top eight after a tie. The list includes:

George Barwick, Lyndon Bonner, Gerry Demers, Cory

Godwin, Robert Halfhill, Steve Howard, Larry Jones,

Ted Lackey. The interviews will take place in both north

Walton and at commissioner Meadows office. This after

a request by Meadows where she said she wants the can-

didates to also see south Walton.

The Public Information Manager for the County gave a

presentation on the County website. He said there are

already changes and the launch is to be February 4th.

Commissioners were told there will be more video capa-

bilities and they will be keeping some of the older fea-

tures. Commissioners were told the hope is the public

will find it more of a valuable resource.

With the county lobbyist contract coming up, commis-

sioners Meadows and Imfeld asked to have a review of

the accomplishments before extending the contract. The

lobbyist firm, Heffley and Associates, said they will

extend at the same rate. Cindy Meadows will chair the

TDC Board.

Apparently several lots in Eagle’s Landing are in a situa-

tion through code enforcement. The original developer

had legal issues. Commissioners agreed to a release of

lien but anyone buying lot 6 will have to pay a $1500

fine and bring the property into compliance. The lot is

valued at $21,000. The $1500 fine is much less than the

original fine which was more than the lot’s value. Com-

missioner Meadows said they want to stand behind the

Code Enforcement Board, but by doing this they can

help the property become productive. Commissioner

Meadows said this is one of many such incidents where

money was lost in the economy fall. She said the fines

should never have been able to get as high as they did

and moved to release the lien.

Meadows renewed the call to secure the Courthouse

Annex in south Walton. Comander said it is not only the

commissioners, but the staff also has security needs.

Major Joe Preston with the sheriff’s office said there

will be a cost with a new metal detector and they are

working on total costs for securing the building.

Sara Comander asked to put her name in as secretary/

treasurer of the Gulf Consortium. She said the eight dis-

portionate counties met recently and they have come up

with a formula for spending the 80% coming to them.

Walton, Okaloosa and Bay agreed to take a little less to

help some of the smaller counties. She used the oyster

beds and giving up 1% for additional help as an exam-

ple. Meadows said she feels this was a good compro-

mise and showed the panhandle counties are willing to

work together. Commissioners adopted a resolution.

Commissioner Imfeld said they were in DC at an Army

Corps of Engineers meeting on beach nourishing. He

said Dawn Moliterno and the TDC gave a good presen-

tation. Comander agreed and gave recognition to beach

scientist Brad Pickle. She also said they are very close

after 13 years of trying for the nourishment approval.

Page 3 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Thursday, December 27, 2012

Walton Talks School Security As reported by WZEP AM1460 Walton Superintendent of Schools, a longtime educator and elemen-

tary principal, Carlene Anderson said when she was told of the school

shooting tragedy she cried and it affected her very personally. She said

the children were expecting Santa Clause, not a bullet.

At the end of the Walton County School Board meeting, Board mem-

ber Mark Davis asked to review other district’s policies about uniforms.

He said, in light of the recent tragedy, he feels uniforms might lend to

security, especially in open campus schools like Paxton. He also sug-

gested the possibility of approaching the union about uniforms for

teachers. He said if someone is on the campus, they would know they

are not staff. Davis also asked to have a private entity become a third set

of eyes to look for safety holes they might miss.

Anderson said they did convene advisors from the safety committee

Monday to come up with ideas of what they need to do different. She

said they work on school safety each year. Anderson asked the advisors

for a timeline for the week, by the end of the year then for long range

improvements for school safety and security. She also wants a line item

for security in the next budget.

Anderson said schools are required to have monthly drills for fire,

chemical spills, intruders and other emergencies. Anderson showed a

draft document they have already put together and told the Board she

wants to make sure it becomes a living document, not just something

that gets put into a drawer. Each School has a safety committee as well

as the district’s safety team. Anderson says they have been planning for

safe schools and will continue to plan.

She will be meeting with the Sheriff Adkinson and City Marshal

Weeks after the holidays. She also talked about School Resource Depu-

ties in the elementary schools. She said it is time to re-address not hav-

ing them.

With tears, Board member Faye Leddon said she was watching the

young students at Paxton and realized how easy it would be for someone

to come to them. Board member Sharon Roberts asked that Anderson

ask the Sheriff where he could help with additional costs for security.

She said you can not put a cost on human life.

Anderson confirmed that after the shooting the sheriff put SRD’s in

the elementary schools and they will stay until the break. Anderson said

law enforcement has been good to work with. She also said the school

where the shooting happened, had a secure system. Anderson said she

can not guarantee nothing will happen.

High School Grades

Much later than other grade lev-

els, the state has released the high

school grades. The number of

Florida high schools and combi-

nation high schools getting an A

grade for 2012 rose to 231, up

from 148 last year, in preliminary

results released today by the Flor-

ida Department of Education. The

DOE says that while the results

are encouraging given the move

to more rigorous standards, they

include measures approved by the

State Board of Education to ease

the transition for the 2011-12

school year.

In addition to higher achievement

levels this year, the state moved

to a more rigorous graduation rate

formula for high schools and ex-

panded the basis for college readi-

ness measures, focusing on all on-

time graduates. Next year, high

school grades will include biol-

ogy and geometry end-of-course

assessments.

An increase in the number of A

high schools and combination

high schools is good news for dis-

tricts. High school grades deter-

mine school recognition funds,

which reward schools that have

sustained high student perform-

ance or have shown substantial

student performance improve-

ment. The Legislature approved

$134,582,877 for that purpose for

2012-2013.

In Okaloosa, Crestview took it

up a notch from a B to an A,

Laurel Hill went down from a B

to a C, Ft. Walton Beach High,

Niceville and the Collegiate

High all stayed at an A.

In Walton County, Paxton

School stayed at an A, Freeport

and Walton Senior Highs both

stayed at a B, South Walton

moved it up from a B to a A and

Seaside stayed an an A.

Thursday, December 27, 2012 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc.

Call for AJ’s -’tip of the week’

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Call # 850-231-6200

Walk-ins and Appt.s

Send health questions or

comments to: P.O.Box 1133

Freeport, Florida 32439

Freeport Mayor’s Post

Freeport Mayor Mickey Marse To post a comment or

question for the Mayor,

E-mail : Frank@

Emeraldstarnews.com

We reserve the right to refuse publications of any

comments or questions for the Mayor. Thank You.

The

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WCSO Reports Arrest After Battery

Walton County Sheriff’s Office

(WCSO) deputies responded to Kim-

berly Ann Drive, Santa Rosa Beach, in

the late night hours Thursday in refer-

ence to a 911 call for assis-

tance. Upon arrival, deputies made

contact with a male subject who re-

ported he was attacked with a baseball

bat by his roommate. EMS was called

to the scene, treated the victim’s inju-

ries and transported him to Sacred

Heart hospital for further treatment

and observation.

The suspect, 38-year-old Jason Robert

Nichols, of Santa Rosa Beach, was

still inside the residence when depu-

ties arrived and he cooperated with

law enforcement without inci-

dent. According to statements gath-

ered, an argument ensued between the

two roommates over rent and house-

hold bills. The victim went to his bed-

room and shut the door. Nichols en-

tered the victim’s bedroom with an

aluminum baseball bat and struck him

several times.

Nichols was charged with Aggravated

Battery, a second degree felony. Nich-

ols was transported and booked into

the Walton County Department of

Corrections.

The U.S. flu season is here -- the earliest

start since the "moderately severe" sea-

son of 2003.

Just as in 2003, the nasty H3N2 flu bug

is causing most cases so far.

Flu Vaccine Supply

Vaccination remains the best way to

avoid the flu. So far this year, the

CDC estimates that 112 million

Americans already got their flu shots

(or sniffs of the nose-spray vaccine).

That would be about 37% of the vac-

cine-eligible U.S. population over

age 6 months.

Manufacturers have shipped 123

million of this year's expected 135

million doses of flu vaccine.

So far, the CDC says nobody who

wants flu vaccine is having trouble

finding it.

"We are similar in vaccine [supply and demand] to last year," Frieden said. "We did not have a shortage last year, and expect no shortage this year."Drink plenty of fluids or use a

cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer to soothe an irritated throat and loosen mucus. Prop your head up on extra pil-lows at night and have a little honey be-fore bed. Studies show honey can help ease a cough. Don’t give honey to chil-dren under 12 months.

You may get a dry cough with a cold or the flu or if you breathe in something irritating like dust or smoke. A cough "suppressant" helps stop your urge to cough. Plus, it can help you sleep better. Cough drops -- or even hard candy -- can stop that tickle in the back of your throat. Don’t give cough drops to chil-dren younger than 4.

Never give cough medicine to children younger than 4 because it can have seri-ous side effects. For children 4 to 6 years old, ask your doctor before giving any cough and cold medicines. They're safe after age 6. For children 1 and up, try 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey to help them cough up mucus.

Is that pile of used tissues on your col-

league's desk making you uneasy

about cold and flu germs? Or are you

feeling a cold coming on, so you're

worried about spreading it to your fam-

ily? Either way, it's time to take some

simple precautions to stop the spread

of germs -- as well as a lot of sneezing,

coughing, and all-around misery.

Wash your hands. It's the single most

effective way to stop the spread of

germs. Once cold and flu germs are on

your hands, it's very easy for them to

get into your body when you touch your

eyes or mouth.

Washing knocks germs off your hands

and down the drain. Do it thoroughly:

Page 5

The FREEPORT POST

Thursday, December 27, 2012 The Emerald Star News, Inc.

You can view us online at:

Theemeraldstarnews.blogspot.com

Check out past editions too!

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description of copies. Check it out.

Firewood Buying

As reported by WZEP AM1460 If you don’t want to see your money go up in smoke, then you might

need to use a little knowledge when buying firewood. A local resident

tells First News he feels he was taken advantage of when he recently

purchased firewood. A few tips and you can save yourself money by

knowing what you are getting.

Some states in colder climates require firewood to be sold by standard

units such as a cord. A full cord is 8 feet, by 4 feet by four feet high.

This is basically a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood stacked four feet up. there are

other units such as half cords, ricks and face cords. A face cord is one

third of a regular cord, or a stack at least 16 inches wide, eight feet long

and four feet high. Florida does not have a law dictating what measure-

ment unit firewood should be sold. Sometimes someone selling wood

around here will simply sell a truck or trailer load.

Steven Holloway lives in Oakwood Hills and says he heats his home on

colder days with wood. He says he recently found a company in Laurel

Hill and called them for a load of firewood. Holloway says he usually

buys local, but his normal supplier was booked up for deliveries. Hollo-

way says he asked for 2 cords of red or white oak seasoned and ready to

use. He says the owner of the business called, discussed the price of

$150 per cord, a total of $300 for two cords. He says the owner agreed

to stack the wood on delivery. Holloway says two men arrived and be-

gan throwing firewood on the the ground not stacking it and he says it

was not good quality.

Holloway says the two men made him uncomfortable after they finished

and confronted him for the money. He says he told them it was not the

two cords he had ordered and was not the hardwood he asked for. He

says they told him it was good wood and continued to ask for the

money. He agreed to pay half, the $150. Eventually the two men left.

Holloway says the two returned and asked for the rest of their money.

Fearing for his safety, Holloway says he gave them the other $150.

He called the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and a Deputy came and

contacted the Laurel Hill tree service, eventually getting through to the

owner. He says the person on the phone did not tell the truth. The Dep-

uty advised him to stack wood and take measurements. He says the

wood measures to half a cord, though he paid for two full cords. Hollo-

way says he is out $300 for wood that is 90% unusable and only a quar-

ter of the amount he agreed to. He feels the company from Laurel Hill

has scammed him out of the money by pressuring him for payment,

even when he protested the quality and amount.

When buying wood, make sure you understand the quality you are buy-

ing. Wood can be a hardwood such as oak or can be other trees that are

softer, leave more ash and burn quicker. Also check to see how sea-

soned your wood is. Some like a more green wood, but usually you

want wood that is dried to a low moisture content. You should also

check on how the wood is stacked and measured. Wood tossed into a

truck bed is not packed as dense at stacked wood. There should be mini-

mal air gaps. You also want to make sure you know if the price you are

paying is for pick up or for delivery and if it includes stacking or load-

ing.

Armed Assault As reported by WZEP AM1460

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded to County Hwy 1883 in the early morn-

ing hours Sunday in reference to armed individuals shooting into the dwelling, kicking in the

door to the home, pointing guns at the two victims and hitting the female victim in the mouth

with one of the firearms. The suspects left the home after assaulting and battering the victims.

The female victim stated that she knew the suspects, William Curry and Shawn Holloway. Hol-

loway is the father of the child they have in common.

WCSO worked in conjunction with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and Washington County

Sheriff’s Office in attempting to locate the suspects. At approximately 11 a.m., deputies were

able to locate the suspects in Holmes County. HCSO arrested both individuals on Walton County

charges.

William Howard Curry, 25, of Ponce De Leon has been charged with Armed Burglary of an Oc-

cupied Dwelling, Burglary with Assault or Battery, and two counts of Aggravated Assault with a

Deadly Weapon.

Shawn Bradley Holloway, 26, of Westville has been charged with Firing a Missile into a Dwell-

ing, Burglary with Assault or Battery, Battery Touch or Strike, Armed Burglary of an Occupied

Dwelling, and two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Both individuals will be extradited to Walton County to face the charges.

Man Sentenced After DNA Evidence Links Him To Molestation

William Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, says Kevin William Phillips was

convicted on Thursday by a Walton County jury in DeFuniak Springs on the charges of Sexual

Battery on a Child under the Age of 12.

The charges arose from an incident which occurred in May of 2010 where the defendant placed

himself in a sexual position and left physical evidence. DNA evidence matching the defendant

was found on the victim’s clothing. The child reported the crime in Thomasville, GA. The defen-

dant was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Alabama in 2011.

Circuit Judge Howard LaPorte presided over the trial and upon the jury’s verdict, classified the

defendant as a Sexual Predator and imposed a mandatory life prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the

Thomas County, GA Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case

was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Jennifer Lieb.

Walton Might Buy Property As reported by WZEP AM 1460 If you need to buy property, now can be

a good time. But when you are a govern-

ment, the word need is for many a must.

The Walton Commissioners considered

five parcels being offered. They looked

at each one to determine if it was some-

thing they not only wanted, but also if it

was something they could use.

Real property acquisitions, five of them,

were presented. Resident Mary Nelson

asked if the commissioners have knowl-

edge of the land they already have and

the uses. She also asked them to do any

needed homework. Commissioners said

they do have lists and will review the

needs.

Some of the properties were said to not

be of immediate use to the county, one

was already sold. One parcell could be

used for land mitigation. That is where

the state requires the county to place

land in permanent conservation when

they disturb other land. Staff said there is

a change to use land banks and the miti-

gation land might not be as needed as

before.

Another possible purchase was what is

known as the Triangle Chevrolet prop-

erty, the lots near Thriftway and on 7th

Street in DeFuniak Springs. The com-

pany said they want to give the County

first choice of purchasing. This property

is on Highway 90 and joins other county

property. Commissioner Comander said

there is a possible use as climate con-

trolled storage. Commissioners agreed to

look at the Triangle property.

Triangle's Taylor Lathinghouse said

when GM was making changes through

bankruptcy and chose dealers to be in-

vited back, they had to agree to undergo a facility evaluation. This gave GM the

right to come in and point out opportunities to upgrade to the new image. GM

wants a new image for dealerships. Triangle was one of the last on the list and

GM is now getting to them. Lathinghouse says the automaker came here and did

an evaluation of the current building and says nothing looks like what they have

in mind. He says after looking at a remodel or a new build on the 13 acres they

own on 331, the numbers were not far apart. The current location also has a prob-

lem with the lot being split inventory across street and the service can not grow.

He says as they plan for the future they have to find the ability to grow the ser-

vice department, taking it to the next step. Lathinghouse said the County had

contacted them in the past about a need for space and parking. He says the prop-

erty is near the courthouse and a purchase will work for Triangle and the County.

Lathinghouse confirmed the business is growing and there is need for more

space. He says a new facility will likely mean more jobs.

Another parcel they will look at is near Morrison Springs. Clerk of Court Martha

Ingle suggested they also check with the other constitutional officers about their

property needs.

Thursday, December 27, 2012 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Page 6

Book Review

By:

River Stewart

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PENELOPE

By M. Vreeland

If you’re looking for a dog that’s not too big and not too small, we’re sure you’ll find that Penelope is “just right.” A Rat Terrier/Italian Greyhound mix, Penelope seems a bit shy at first, but once she’s been properly introduced she is a real sweetheart. Penelope is very thankful to be at Alaqua Animal Refuge, especially when it’s her turn to romp around in the play area. That’s when she gets to chase her favorite playtime pal, a larger Boxer mix, around the yard. Watching them, you’re sure to think they’re training to go for the gold in the next Olympics. This energetic little girl also enjoys less strenuous activities like going for a walk, and is proud to show off her excellent skills on a leash. Sweet, petite and hop-ing for a loving forever home for the holidays, Penelope is looking forward to making your acquaintance.

"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 to visit all the adoptable animals at our beautiful ten acre sanctuary any Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. For more informa-tion you can call us at 850-880-6399 or check out our website at www.alaquaanimalrefulge.org.

Tax Collector Employee As reported by WZEP AM1460

James Hallford was honored Saturday

night as the Employee of the Year for

the Walton County Tax Collector’s Of-

fice during their annual Christmas party.

Hallford was selected for this distin-

guished honor by his peers. The honor

was especially telling to the contribu-

tions of Hallford as he has only been

employed with the Tax Collector’s Of-

fice since June.

Hallford serves as the Driver License

Administrator in the Tax Collector’s

Office. He joined the office in June after

26 years employment with the Florida

Department of Highway Safety and Mo-

tor Vehicles. In his position, Hallford

provides training to staff on driver li-

cense and identity card transactions as

well as serves as the point of knowledge

for any unusual or difficult situations

involving the issuance of a driver license

or identity card.

\The Employee of the Year Award is an

honor selected by all of the employees of

the Tax Collector’s Office. Employees

nominate co-workers based on their

overall performance, demonstration of

the organization’s commitment to ser-

vice, and efforts to exemplify the core

values of the organization.

“Our entire team is thankful to have

James and the knowledge and experience

he brings to our office,“ said Tax Collec-

tor Rhonda Skipper. After 26 years with

an agency, many individuals would be

apprehensive about starting over with

new bosses, new co-workers, a new en-

vironment and new expectations, but

James has embraced the change. He

works very hard and is dedicated to help-

ing both his co-workers as well as our

citizens to the best of his ability.”

Use soap and water.

Scrub for at least 20 seconds.

Get in the habit of washing your

hands before eating or preparing food

and after using the bathroom or changing

a diaper.

If you're taking care of a sick person,

wash your hands before and after being

with him.

Use hand sanitizer. If you can't get to a

sink, the next best thing is an alcohol-

based hand sanitizer. Buy one with at

least 60% alcohol. Rub it all over your

hands and keep rubbing until it evapo-

rates and your hands are dry. Keep small

bottles of hand sanitizer with you -- at

work, in your car, and in your purse.

Cover your nose and mouth. It's one of

the most effective ways to keep from

spreading germs. If you can, cough or

sneeze into a tissue, then throw it out

promptly. If you're empty-handed, don't

cough into your hand. You'll just smear

germs on the next thing you touch. In-

stead, cough into the crook of your elbow.

Disinfectyour space. You don't need to

spend all day spraying disinfectant on

every surface of your house. Still, if

someone in your family is sick, use a

household disinfectant to wipe down high-

traffic areas -- computers, phones, door-

knobs, and remotes.

Use disposables. Cold and flu germs

can cling to fabric. So when someone in

your house is sick, replace hand towels

and dishrags with paper towels. Remove

water glasses and add cardboard cups in

the bathroom, too.

Get a flu vaccine. It is safe for anyone

over the age of 6 months. If you or some-

one in your family is in any of the follow-

ing high-risk groups, your doctor will en-

courage every family member to get one:

Children

Adults older than 50

Women who'll be pregnant during flu

season

Nursing home residents

People with asthma or another

chronic heart or lung condition

People with diabetes or another con-

dition that weakens the immune system

Health care workers

Aunt Ruby wishes you all the very best

of the holiday season and will see you

all next year.

‘Happenings’ in DeFuniak Springs

Thursday, December 27, 2012 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Page 7

Theemeraldstarnews.blogspot.com

This is our new web site

Theemeraldstarnews.blogspot.com

New e-mail address too

[email protected]

Will 2013 Be the Year You Quit Tobacco for Good?

- Services Offered by the Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida Double Your Chances of Quitting -

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida is encouraging to-bacco users to create a comprehensive quit plan with the help of the Florida Quitline, Web Coach or Area Health Edu-cation Centers’ in-person services. A quit plan is the first step for a successful quit attempt. For those who use to-bacco, the most important step you can take for a healthier and longer life is to quit. Tobacco users who quit can double their chances at success by using the state’s free and con-venient quit services.

“If you are resolving to quit tobacco for the New Year, there are resources available to help you,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “Counseling and medication are very effective and greatly increase your chances of quitting and staying tobacco free for good.”

Tobacco Free Florida’s evidence-based resources include consultation from a certified and trained Quit Coach as well as FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), when appropriate. This combined approach of counseling and NRT can double or triple a tobacco user’s chance of quitting.

Seven out of 10 adult smokers report that they want to quit completely. Those who have tried to quit but relapsed in the past should try again because most former smokers made several attempts before quitting permanently. Quitting to-bacco is hard, but it is not impossible. In fact, there are more former smokers than current smokers in the state. However, not having a plan can make quitting more difficult.

Tobacco Free Florida offers three ways to quit:

ABOUT TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA

DOH’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide ces-sation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s to-bacco settlement fund.

Tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the state’s three ways to quit. To learn about To-bacco Free Florida and the state’s free quit resources, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

DOH works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Sara Laird Finds Christmas

Memories in the Attic

As the kids move on and life grows older, many

find they will simply leave the Christmas decora-

tions in the attic. For one DeFuniak Springs

woman, a young helper brought down more than

just sparkling decorations, Christmas memories

were unpacked. In this case simple candy canes

she and her husband Howard bought for their first

Christmas together in 1946 began the search for

Christmas memories.

Octogenarian Sara Laird still works part time at

The Prescription Place Pharmacy. She lost her

husband several years ago and lives alone, east of

the Historic Lakeyard. Needing some raking

done, she hired a local youth and asked him to

pull a few boxes out of the attic and look for a set

of candy canes she and her husband bought for

their first Christmas after being married in June of

1946. While she thought she would not get out

many decorations this year, once the boxes started

coming down, so did the memories.

Mrs. Laird also talked about other Christmas

memories in DeFuniak Springs. She worked at

the former Lakeside Hospital and in pharmacies.

She says the days there with Dr. Spires and Dr.

Meyers were very good and she learned to love

many people. She says they had their Christmas

parties there. She also remembers the houses

around the lake being decorated and has enjoyed

the Hometown Christmas in recent years.

While she knows there are sad events, she says it

is the joy from people that she looks to. Today

she says Christmas songs at church still bring a

tear to her eyes. Mrs. Laird talked about a Christ-

mas card from her paperboy who offered to help

her if needed. She says people helping each other

is important in these times.

While her husband’s name was Howard Laird,

she called him Butch. He was Smokey Bear and

says many children knew him as Smokey. After

the loss of her husband, she got a small dog and

named him Smokey. the little dog is still her com-

panion.

Sara Laird says the love of Christ all around is

what keeps her going. The thought of family get-

ting together and friends dropping by are good

memories for today. Working at the pharmacy

is another way she still makes new memories.

Mrs. Lard says meeting and helping all the

good people helps to keep her going.

Photos of Sara Laird and her Candy Canes as

well as the full audio interview are on our web-

site news page: http://www.wzep1460.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

You are hereby notified of a Public Hearing to be

held January 8, 2013 at 4:00 PM, or soon thereafter,

to consider:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF

WALTON COUNTY, FLORIDA,

AMENDING THE CURRENT CHAPTER

22, ARTICLE I, II, III, AND IV; COR-

RECTING INTERNAL INCONSISTEN-

CIES, INCLUDING DEFINITIONS;

CLARIFYING LANGUAGE OF PROVI-

SIONS REGARDING THE CONDUCT

AND PERMITTING OF ACTIVITIES,

VENDORS AND VEHICLES ON THE

BEACH; REPEALING SECTION 5-34,

DOGS ON THE BEACH, WALTON

CUONTY CODE, AND INCORPORAT-

ING THOSE PROVISIONS

HEREIN;AND PROVIDING FOR SEV-

ERABILITY, CONFLICTS AND RE-

PEAL OF CERTAIN ORDINANCE;

AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

The Meeting will be held at the Walton County

Courthouse Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre

Blvd., Santa Rosa Beach, FL

If anyone decides to appeal a decision of the Board

with respect to this meeting that person must ensure

that a verbatim record of the meeting is made.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities

Act, persons needing a special accommodation to

participate in this proceeding should contact the

Board of County Commissioners of Walton County

no later than seven days prior to the proceeding at

the address given in this notice or phone (850) 892-

8155.

Page 8 The EMERALD STAR NEWS, Inc. Thursday, December 27, 2012

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

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

OWNER FINANCED PROPERTIES

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HOLT - 4.2 acres on Hwy 90, near Okaloosa -

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Thursday, December 27, 2012 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc . Page 9

The 14 day Overview

Aquarius

1/20 – 2/18

Pisces

2/19 – 3/20

Aries

3/21 – 4/19

Taurus

4/20 – 5/20

Gemini

5/21 – 6/21

Cancer

6/22 – 7/22

Leo

7/23 – 8/22

Virgo

8/23 – 9/22

Libra

9/23 – 10/22

Scorpio

10/23 –11/21

Sagittarius

11/22 – 12/2

Capricorn

12/22 – 1/19

Help…..Spread the word about this

newspaper to everyone you know!

Advertising specials going on NOW!!

Please thank those advertisers in this issue,

because of them we can continue to promote

business in Walton county. Thank you

Advertise with us!! Guaranteed the lowest price to fit any budget. Call today: 850.585.0262

Letter to the :

You might get a call or letter from someone you haven't heard from in ages as the week begins -- it's a

good time to reflect on your past. It's easier than ever for you to make connections on Tuesday and

Wednesday, and if you're looking for love, this is the time to go for it! You may meet someone in a rather

unorthodox fashion.

For the most part, this is a pretty sweet week, filled with good, creative energy. Take time out to make a nice

dinner on Monday, if you can -- it should be a big hit with family or housemates. You might feel a little

edgy midweek, but can certainly take away some great ideas from your peering into the void. Enjoy the

surge of great emotional power on Thursday and Friday,

Try to think big on Tuesday and Wednesday -- tiny details just get confusing and distract you from the big

picture, which is more important than anything else. The home front is the scene of all the drama later in the

week, some of it good, some of it not so much. Try to sort it all out with a big smile on your face. Your

amazing energy this weekend demands a physical outlet of some sort,

You are feeling great on Monday, and are much more likely to let folks get away with little infractions or

even indulge your own impulses. Why not? Stick to the present during the middle of the week, as big plans

may have fatal flaws. Once you get more information, you should be able to set it all out.

You are quite busy midweek, and most of your activities are fun and engaging, so it's good to have busy-

work behind you. After that, it's easier to become disappointed on Thursday and Friday, especially if things

don't go exactly the way you want them to. Try to keep an open mind.

You may not always dazzle folks with your crazy ideas, but something you say on Monday gets a lot of

them thinking about how they might make changes. They may start to pester you with their own ideas and

challenges -- so much so that you start to get pretty irritable later in the week

The legal system has a role in your day on Monday, though most likely it's not like something out of a cop

drama. You may just need to deal with City Hall, which is considerably easier to handle. Throw around big

ideas in the middle of the week, especially around the workplace but anywhere you get to interact with

peers. Once you've got a good-sized list of options

You feel cool and smart and detached on Monday, and ought to be able to get to the bottom of any questions

that are still unresolved in your life -- those with hard and fast answers, anyway! The middle part of the

week is still up in the air and could work out quite well for you, as long as you do everything that you know

you need to do.

take a second look at how your friends or coworkers are behaving. There may be some clues to feelings

moving under the surface. You've got to make sure that you're not just dealing with people who are single-

minded midweek -- your good energy helps you see all sides of every question. You might start to get a little

overwhelmed

You may want more than you can realistically get on Monday, but that never stopped you from trying be-

fore! It's a good time for you to try to get more folks on your side. During the middle of the week, you may

feel like a detective, snooping out clues in unusual places. Take time to build a thorough case

Whether you're at work or dealing with chores at home, the details really matter early this week! Make sure

you focus on one small thing at a time if you want to get anything done. Life gets pretty interesting on Tues-

day and Wednesday, though you may not be doing what you had hoped to be doing. Let someone else take

the lead.

Your good energy helps you bring projects to completion on Monday with your usual diligence and atten-

tion to detail. Show off a little! The middle part of the week is great for clearing out closets, attics or any-

thing else that you use to store things you don't really need any more. Something small may blow up into

something really huge on Thursday or Friday when a friend or family member overreacts to something you

say.

Synthetic Drugs

Deputies with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office have been delivering let-ters from Sheriff Larry Ashley to area businesses which sell compounds known as synthetic drugs. The message is that the Florida Attorney General’s Office has adopted an emergency rule outlawing yet another lengthy list of psychoactive sub-stances that are potentially harmful.

Sheriff Ashley is asking business owners and operators to immediately cease and desist the possession, manufacture, dis-tribution, and sale of these compounds and surrender forthwith any such com-pounds to the Deputy who presented the letter.

At a news conference attended by Rep-resentative Matt Gaetz, Sheriff Ashley said after the businesses are notified, individuals found to be violating the emergency rule will face arrest and crimi-nal prosecution as well as civil forfeiture actions.

Representative Gaetz said that enacting the emergency rule as law will be one of the Florida Legislature’s top priorities when the general session begins in March.

Sheriff Ashley said the public needs to be aware of the ongoing potentially deadly effects of these synthetic drugs, most of which are being manufactured overseas.

Many of the packages now feature brightly colored cartoon figures and carry names like “Scooby Snax” which the Sheriff called a blatant and alarming ef-fort to market these dangerous sub-stances directly to young people.

Beginning in January of 2011, the Oka-loosa County Sheriff’s Office launched what has become an ongoing campaign to educate the public to the dangers of synthetic drugs, which led to an esti-mated 11,000 emergency room visits in Florida last year alone.

Law enforcement officers say the sub-stances can cause violence, delirium, paranoia, hallucinations, and other dan-gerous psychotic effects. Medical profes-sionals say it can also produce extreme sweating, rapid heart rates, unexplained strength and endurance, severe agita-tion, suicidal thoughts and cardiovascular collapse.

Page 10 The EMERALD STAR NEWS, Inc. Thursday, December 27, 2012

NOTICE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION

Take notice that the Walton County Board of County Commission-ers will hold a closed EXECUTIVE SESSION on January 8, 2013, be-ginning at 3:00 p.m., or as soon as possible to that time, at the South Walton Courthouse Annex located at 36 Coastal Centre Blvd., Santa Rosa Beach, Florida to discuss the following case:

Kebby Hall vs. Walton County Board of County Commis-sioners

Case No. 3:12-cv-00338-MCR-EMT

The Board of County Commissioners, Kenneth Pridgen, Sara Comander, William Chapman, William Imfeld, and Cindy Meadows; Interim County Administrator, Gerry Demers; County Attorney, Toni L. Craig; and Special Counsel for the County in this case, Timothy Warner and William Warner will attend this meeting and it will be recorded by a certified court reporter.

Any person who decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any

matter considered at a meeting of the Board will need a record of the pro-

ceedings, and for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record

of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon

which an appeal may be based.

Walton County adheres to the American with Disabilities Act and

will make reasonable modifications for access to the meetings upon re-

quest. Please call (850) 892-8115 to make a request. For hearing impaired,

please call 1-800-955-8771 (TDD), 1-800-955-8770 (VOICE). Requests

must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting to allow time

to provide the requested services.

Charter School Audit Report

At the recent Walton School Board meeting,

the Financial Audit of the Chautauqua Learn

and Serve at The ARC of Walton County, Inc.

was presented. Several Board members com-

mented on the report, saying it was not good.

The Charter school was opened just last year to

help students with mental disabilities between

18 and 22 with getting a special diploma.

The Walton School Board oversees the Charter

Schools, though the setup of a charter school

allows for a vast difference from the regular

public schools and they have very little over-

sight other than a monitoring type role by the

District School Board.

The Management Letter from the accounting

firm Carr, Riggs & Ingram cites a number of

findings.

The school failed to pay payroll taxes and file

related payroll tax returns with the Florida De-

partment of Revenue and Internal Revenue

Service. The amount of unreported taxes with-

held and related matching contributions totaled

$5,872. There are also penalties and interest

totalling $2,615. The accountant recommends

filing and paying immediately and implement-

ing policies and procedures for the future re-

porting.

The school failed to adopt a budget as required

by state statutes. The auditor also recommends

policies and procedures to ensure timeliness of

the completion and adoption of an annual

budget and amendments.

The school’s executive director is responsible

for all accounting functions. The auditor would

recommend segregation of these functions, but

they say they understand the small size of the

organization. They recommend a Board mem-

ber monitor ongoing operations including sys-

tematic reviews of monthly financial activities

and reporting. They also recommend a strong

accounting system be put into place. They re-

port an accounting system was not maintained.

Other problems include not having a written

fixed asset management policy, the school has

yet to obtain a letter or file a return of organiza-

tion exempt from Income Tax Form 990, and

the school lacks personnel with government

accounting knowledge.

Superintendent Carlene Anderson said they will

be working with the new charter school as an

oversight and to offer help in correcting the

items. It was also noted that the deficiencies

have to be addressed. If the school does not

make the corrections, the Walton School Board

could pull the charter. With both the auditor

and Superintendent recognizing the small

school just starting and the unique service they

provide, the feeling was the matters would be

addressed.

Scammers may be looking to cash in on

the public's generosity following the Sandy

Hook massacre, the Better Business Bu-

reau warned.

"It is a challenge to be on guard because

public sympathy and emotions are running

high," said Bennett Weiner, chief operating

officer of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a

group that helps charitable donors make

informed decisions.

Weiner said it's difficult for scams to be

detected in the first week following every

national tragedy, however he suspects un-

scrupulous people are already out there,

eager to cash in on the massacre.

How to Help Newtown Families

False websites or phone calls soliciting

help for the victims' families are two of the

easiest and most common scams Weiner

said he sees.

"They're hard to identify because people

don't know they've been taken and they're

not going to know until down the road," he

said

.After the Sandy Hook massacre, countless

Facebook pages for the victims, listings on

crowdfunding sites and community drives

have been established to solicit donations.

Timeline: Tragedy At Sandy Hook

While many of them may be legitimate,

Weiner warns people to do their research.

"You really have to be watching out for

newly created things. There may be some

well-intended effort, but you have no way

to look at their track record," he said. "I

can tell you from experience there are

some cautions associated with it."

Any fundraising effort that makes vague

statements, such as "we're going to help the

victims and families," is another red flag to

watch out for, Weiner said.

Whether it's fundraising for the Aurora

theater victims or a local terminally ill

child, Weiner said the BBB sees these

kinds of scams "time and time again" and

actively investigates them.

"It is a challenge to be on guard after a

tragedy," he said. "But you shouldn't give

to any organization without checking them

out first."

FOR RENT

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The Emerald Star News

office # is: 850-585-0262

Located in Freeport Florida

SERVICES

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The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Page 11 Thursday, December 27, 2012

HELP WANTED

An office messenger and cleaner is

urgently needed with a good salary, he/

she must have a good qualities to work.

Interested applicant should please

contact : [email protected]

Call today!!

Advertising sales positions excellent opportunity-call now!!

Positions available with little to no exp.

Call 850.585.0262

Got an item you want to sell?

Classifieds

Only $10 per issue

Volunteers Needed

In Walton county, only 44% of the children in the court

system have a volunteer Guardian Ad

Litem, Freeport has lots of cases that

need volunteers. Please consider

volunteering, it only takes a few hours a

month after you are trained, and makes

a big difference in the life of a local

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NEW WEB SITE!!

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Our new E-mail contact:

[email protected]

Don’t forget!!

We have a new E-mail address, contact us at:

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Web site……...theemeraldstarnews.blogspot.com

Winter tops and slacks for

winter in sizes 18W, 18P, and

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Call 850-496-3908.

Lake House For Rent 16 W. Renoir Rd., DeFuniak Springs, FL.

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December 28-31st is the Christmas Basketball Tour-nament at Freeport. Both

boys and girls will play.

Murder Case Concludes

And in another case, Daryl Mayatte was

convicted on Thursday in DeFuniak

Springs after a 4 day jury trial on the

charges of 2nd Degree Murder with a Fire-

arm and Attempted First Degree Murder

with a Firearm.

The charges arose from an incident that

occurred on March 12, 2011 on Country

Club Road in South Walton County. After

meeting at PF Chang’s, the defendant fol-

lowed Mr. Rojas and Mr. Pacheco back to

Mr. Rojas’ home. Throughout the day, the

defendant had sent threatening text mes-

sages to Mr. Rojas and sent text messages

to others that he had a gun and planned to

“jack these Mexicans”. At Mr. Rojas’

home, there was a brief argument and the

defendant opened fire shooting each victim

4 times. Mr. Pacheco died at the scene

from his injuries which included 3 gunshot

wounds in the back. Mr. Rojas was able to

get to safety in his home after being shot in

the leg, abdomen, arm and mouth. 911 was

called and officers responded within min-

utes.

Testimony from the doctor who treated Mr.

Rojas indicated he would have died

“within an hour” if not for the swift re-

sponse of the South Walton Fire District

and Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

The defendant fled to a friend’s home in

Mississippi and disposed of the weapon

along the way. The defendant ultimately

turned himself in 2 days later. The case

was investigated by the Walton County

Sheriff’s Office led by lead investigator

Rome Garrett and prosecuted by Assistant

State Attorney Angela Mason.

Page 12 The EMERALD STAR NEWS Inc. Thursday, December 27, 2012

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

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