lifestyle | Crestview News Bulletin

Rain barrels can save you money

Written by archive on April 25, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

A great way to save money on your water bill and reduce the amount of water withdrawn from the aquifer is to use a rain barrel.

The water savings from using stored rainwater rather than municipal or well water can be substantial over a period of time. A rain barrel may not provide all the water needed to sustain all your plants, but some houseplants or even an entire vegetable garden can certainly benefit.

If you currently have a standard irrigation system, you may be able to turn off the sprinkler zones that are in flower beds and use stored rainwater instead.

Typically, the rain barrel is connected to the gutter downspout of the house. For a general calculation, you can collect about a half-gallon of water per square foot of roof area during a one-inch rainfall. A typical half-inch rainfall event will fill a 50- to 55-gallon barrel.

Multiple rain barrels can be linked together with PVC or flexible hose to increase storage capabilities. However, with a screen modification on the lid, the rain barrel can be located anywhere in order to collect open rainfall. It will take a lot longer to fill but may be more practical if the area you want to water is a good distance from the house.

Now is the time to prepare for the long, hot season to come. Join me at 10:30 a.m. May 2 at the Crestview Public Library for a demonstration on how to build a rain barrel. The program is free to the public. All participants are entered into a drawing for a free assembled rain barrel. Everyone is also welcome to purchase a clean, empty barrel for $35 or an assembled, ready-to-go one for $60.

Contact the Okaloosa County Extension office for more information or to purchase a barrel.

Sheila Dunning is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Rain barrels can save you money

Don't let low interest rates sink your retirement plans

Written by archive on April 25, 2017. Posted in lifestyle.

Over the past few years, if you've taken out a mortgage or another consumer loan, you've probably welcomed the low interest rates you may have received. But as an investor, if you've kept any retirement savings in fixed-rate investment vehicles, you may have seen low rates in a less favorable light. And that's why it may be time for you take a closer look at your financial strategy for working toward the retirement lifestyle you've envisioned.

Of course, you can always hope that interest rates will rise, and perhaps they will. As you may know, the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates at record lows in recent years to stimulate lending and thereby boost the economy. But rates can't get much lower, and if inflation were to heat up, the Fed could reverse course by starting to raise rates. However, if you're going to do a good job of building financial assets for retirement, you really can't afford to play "wait-and-see" with interest rates. Instead, consider the following moves:

•Rebalance your portfolio. No matter what your situation, it's a good idea to periodically rebalance your investment portfolio to help ensure it still reflects your risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term goals. If you're concerned about low rates harming your future investment income, you have more reason than ever to review your portfolio and make adjustments as needed, relative to your objectives. For example, if it seems that your portfolio has become "overweighted" in any one vehicle, you may need to change your investment mix, keeping in mind your individual risk tolerance.

•Redefine "retirement." Retiring from one career doesn't have to mean retiring from work altogether. If you decide to work part time, do some consulting or even open your own small business, you may be able to earn enough income to take some of the pressure off of your investment portfolio in terms of providing you with the money you need to live on during retirement. Also, by working during your nominal retirement years, you may be able to delay taking Social Security until you're a little older, when your monthly checks can be larger.

•Review your withdrawal strategy. During your retirement, the amount you choose to withdraw from your investments each year will depend on several factors, including the size of your portfolio and the amount of income it is providing. As you chart your retirement strategy, you'll need to factor in a realistic withdrawal rate.

•Re-examine sources of investment income. You may want part of your retirement income to come from investments that offer protection of principal. If so, you don't have to settle for the lowest-rate vehicles. By looking at the various alternatives and blending them with your overall portfolio, you may be able to boost your income without significantly increasing your investment risk.

In short, just because interest rates are low, you don't have to lower your retirement expectations — as long as you plan ahead and explore your options.

Edward Jones wrote this article for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Don't let low interest rates sink your retirement plans

Enjoy the Laurel Hill Arts and Heritage Festival

Written by archive on April 24, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

The annual Laurel Hil Arts and Heritage Festival is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 29 on the grounds of the historic Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, located at 8115 Fourth St. Admission to the festival is free and parking will be available at the Laurel Hill School track on the corner of Fourth and Park Avenue.

Brian Hughes, festival chairman, has shared the following information:

A Civil War encampment complete with an authentically costumed re-enactor is part of the event. The re-enactor will demonstrate the typical soldier's equipment and talk about being in battle and patrol, and he will have demonstrations of firing a Civil War-era rifle. Along with the Civil War re-enactment, a mid-19th century school room presentation will feature a costumed schoolteacher showing books and materials of that day. She will answer questions about school in that time period. These will both be great history lessons for the homeschooled students in our area.

Crestview Boy Scout Troop 773 will set up a modern scout camp, which can be compared to the Civil War camp. The Scouts will also offer their delicious cobbler, which the boys bake themselves in a Dutch oven over a campfire.

There will be demonstrations of different types, as well as crafters and artisans such as Dannis Young, a wood artisan from Crestview who uses discarded native woods to turn bowls, vases and other creations. A variety of other crafters will display and sell their wares, as well as an abundance of homemade baked goods, including jams and jellies.

There will be plenty of musical entertainment this year. Aaron Overton and the Emerald Coast Pipes and Drums will once again perform at the festival. They have both been at every festival since October 2009. Other musical guests include the Wesley Boys; Scott Hicks, a Christian vocalist and guitarist; and Doug Black, a Crestview High school student. A wide variety of talent will make an enjoyable day.

Vendors are providing food and drinks for purchase.

Come out and join the fun and enjoy a great day learning some new crafts and historical facts, as well as listening to some great music.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Enjoy the Laurel Hill Arts and Heritage Festival

Average Joe Car Show returns to downtown

Written by archive on April 22, 2017. Posted in lifestyle, things-to-do.

CRESTVIEW—The Average Joe Car Show returned to downtown for the 17th consecutive year on Saturday and featured hundreds of vintage cars and automobile enthusiasts.

The event focused on older vehicles, requiring entries be no newer than a 1987 model.

Sixteen award categories were featured with awards for first, second and third in each category. These included sections for different decades, trucks, motorcycles, rat rods and other classes. There were eight special award classes such as best of show, best engine, most rusted and ugliest entry.

Partial proceeds from the event—raised by vehicle entry fees—will be donated to the Okaloosa School Nutrition Association Scholarship Fund.

The car show was sponsored by the city and organized by the Spanish Trail Cruisers. The group serves as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information for parts and assists and unites automobile enthusiasts to boost the community.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Average Joe Car Show returns to downtown

Okaloosa mosquito control starts

Written by archive on April 21, 2017. Posted in health-fitness, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Mosquito Control Program began spot spraying this month. Within the next couple of weeks, the standard evening broadcast spray schedule will begin, weather permitting.

Here is the schedule.

MONDAYS

North Okaloosa: John Riley Barnhill Road to Escambia Farms, Vinson Ray Road, Beaver Creek to north Baker, U.S. Highway 90 East from Shoal River to County Line Road and north to Poverty Creek Road
Crestview: Rattlesnake Bluff and Little Silver Road, Aplin Road south to Live Oak Church Road
South County: Wynnehaven Beach, Florosa and Valparaiso
Destin: Destin Bridge to Airport Road

TUESDAYS

North Okaloosa: East side of U.S. Highway 189 to U.S. Highway 602; Four Flags area, Baker and Holt south of U.S. 90.
Crestview: Aplin Road north to U.S. 90; Old Bethel Road past Sioux Circle, Rattlesnake Bluff and Little Silver Road, Old Antioch Road to U.S. 90 west of State Road 85
South County: Airport Road to Walton County line, Mary Esther/Fort Walton Beach and Bluewater Bay

WEDNESDAYS

North Okaloosa: Holt north of U.S. 90, Baker west of Galliver Cutoff, Laurel Hill to county line, U.S. Highway 393 N., Steel Mill Road
Crestview: Old Bethel Road to Airport Road, U.S. 90 from Fairchild Road to State 85, north to Airport Road
South Okaloosa: Streets off Lewis Turner Boulevard to Carmel Drive, Rocky Bayou, Fort Walton Beach from Brooks Bridge to Memorial Parkway

THURSDAYS

North Okaloosa: Poverty Creek Road, U.S. 393 to Campton, Baker from Galliver Cutoff to Old River Road
Crestview: Lake Silver Road to Airport Road to Auburn area
South Okaloosa: Shalimar, Ocean City, Mooney Road area and Niceville

See www.co.okaloosa.fl.us for the spray schedule, preventive tips and other related information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa mosquito control starts

How the sandwich generation can relieve financial stress

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in lifestyle.

Don't worry too much if you haven't heard, but April is National Stress Awareness Month. Of course, stress can present emotional and physical challenges to all of us, but if you belong to the "sandwich generation" — that is, you may be caring for aging parents while still supporting your own children — you may be facing some financial stress as well.

What can you do to relieve it? For one thing, be aware that you're certainly not alone. About one in seven middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child, according to the Pew Research Center.

Still, knowing that you have plenty of company won't provide you with solutions for your own situation. So consider the following:

•Suggest "downsizing." Are your parents still paying a costly mortgage on a house that's now too big for them? You might want to encourage them to think about downsizing. They may be emotionally attached to their home, but they might benefit substantially if they moved someplace that's less expensive.

•Talk to parents about their income sources. Are your parents maximizing their Social Security payments? Are they following a sensible withdrawal strategy for their IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts? You may want to recommend that they work with a qualified financial professional.

•Discuss all legal arrangements. Be aware of your parents' estate plans and the status of important legal documents — will, living trust, power of attorney, health care directive, and so on. When the time arises for any of these arrangements to take effect, you don't want to face any unpleasant — and possibly costly — surprises.

•Find out about health care. Try to learn about your parents' health insurance coverage. And have they done anything to protect themselves from the potentially catastrophic costs of long-term care, such as an extended nursing home stay? You may not be able to do a great deal for them in these areas, but at the least, you may be able to get them to take some positive action on their own behalf.

•Don't ignore your own retirement savings. Even if you can afford to provide some financial support to your parents, don't shortchange yourself when it comes to your own retirement savings. You don't get a "do-over" when it comes to putting away money for retirement, so contribute as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

•Prioritize your investment choices. If you would like to help your children go to college, you might want to consider a college savings vehicle. Still, you may need to prioritize your investments. After all, your children will likely have a variety of options — such as loans and scholarships — to help them pay for school, and they may also be able to reduce costs substantially by going to a community college their first two years. But you are basically "up against the clock" when it comes to saving for retirement, so you'll want to take that into account when allocating your investment dollars.

Belonging to the sandwich generation can certainly produce feelings of anxiety. But by following the above suggestions, you may be able to reduce some of this stress. And by doing so, you can help your parents, your children — and yourself.

Edward Jones wrote this article for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: How the sandwich generation can relieve financial stress

Youth Leadership Conference to teach teens life lessons

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

This year, the 4^th Annual Youth Leadership Conference will be hosted by the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast in partnership with United For a Good Cause.

At the event, they will team up with me, your Family and Consumer Science Agent at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, to help teens prepare for life after high school by engaging in Living On My Own, a hands-on simulation.

This is a unique experience for teens, in which they are assigned careers and family situations (married with two children, for example) and then visit 12 simulation stations to decide on housing options, child care and whether to purchase cable TV.

Students do the math and calculate their living expenses vs. their income. Some of them have a real eye-opening experience and find that they may need to get a second job, or live without the fancy sports car; and realize they should never forget about those “life happens” events — they have to figure those out too!

Teens are also encouraged to give back by volunteering or donating to a charity. The goal is for students to learn financial and life skills, and realize that decisions you make, even as a teen, have an impact on your future and potential financial independence.

In addition to Living On My Own, guest speakers will present throughout the day on leadership and empowerment as well as entrepreneurship. Lots of giveaways and lunch are also included.

The Youth Leadership Conference is open to all area students, grades seven through 12, with a cost of $10 to register. The event takes place April 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast Youth Center, 923 Denton Blvd. NW, Fort Walton Beach. Parents can register students at unitedforagoodcause.org.

Also happening at the UF-IFAS Extension: The Okaloosa County Master Gardener Association Lecture Series' "Nature’s Bounty on a Woodland Trail," featuring Bob Bayer, Okaloosa County Master Gardener, is Wednesday, April 19, 10-11 a.m. at the Okaloosa Extension Office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview.

For more information call the UF-IFAS Okaloosa County Extension office at 689-5850.

Jill Breslawski is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Youth Leadership Conference to teach teens life lessons

Travel to France with the Sister City Program

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

Crestview, one of the cities that has a very active Sister City Program, coordinates visits between our fair town and Noirmoutier, France. The Crestview Area Sister City program will be making a trip to Noirmoutier from September 7 through September 19,

The Crestview Area Sister City program will be making a trip to Noirmoutier from Sept. 7-19, 2017, and staying with host families and experiencing French culture first-hand. You can take part in this trip to France; you will be immersed in the history, culture and cuisine of Noirmoutier. This is a wonderful way to get to know people from another country and make new friends.

Requirements for this trip are that you purchase a roundtrip airline ticket to France, and meet at the Nantes train station on Sept. 7 for the Crestview Sister City group to be transported to the island. Roundtrip airfare to Paris is about $1,350 right now, and then there is the cost to take the train to Nantes and perhaps a few days in a hotel before or after your visit to Noirmoutier, depending

Roundtrip airfare to Paris is about $1,350 right now, and then there is the cost to take the train to Nantes and perhaps a few days in a hotel before or after your visit to Noirmoutier, depending upon your schedule and preference. The train fare is about $45 per person each way from Paris to Nantes. Also required is the yearly membership in the Sister City Program, which is $20 for an individual and $30 for a family.

The travel group will meet 4 p.m. in Nantes, France on Thursday, Sept. 7, and will be transported by their host families to Noirmoutier, about an hour away. Once in Noirmoutier, you will not stay in a hotel but will be the guest of a French family who will provide meals and housing. During this visit, you will get to know the French people and their wonderful town.

This is an opportunity that a travel agent couldn't provide.

There are other side trips available should you and your group be interested. If this sounds like the trip of a lifetime, contact Sister City President Brian Hughes for more information at 603-2584 or brian_abroad@yahoo.com. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time and getting to know the lovely people who came to Crestview last year; they are warm, caring and friendly, and will make nice hosts.

Take lots of pictures to share with us.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Travel to France with the Sister City Program

'It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed'

Written by archive on April 14, 2017. Posted in Faith, lifestyle.

Editor's Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa nonprofit organizations and efforts.

CRESTVIEW — Larry and Linda Tuggle of Crestview have seen more shoes in the past two months than most people see in a lifetime, with 6,233 donated pairs and counting.

The couple joined a ServantCARE nonprofit ministry shoe drive. Funds2Orgs, another nonprofit, ships the donated shoes to impoverished people in Haiti and central Africa to help teach them to start, maintain and grow their own business, according to the organization's media release.

ServantCARE sets a goal of 2,500 shoes per household, and each participating household receives a box with a 100 bags in it, according to Larry Tuggle. Each bag holds 25 pairs of shoes.

In the first few weeks, they said they were a little concerned about reaching their goal by the March 31 deadline.

"We had little faith, and we learned that God is much bigger than our natural eye can see or our natural mind can understand," Larry said.

"It wasn't attainable," Linda said.

"But we prayed and God just moved, and we learned that God can supply more than we can even think or imagine," Larry said.

After praying for help, the two sat down and made a list of everybody they knew, and everybody they felt comfortable asking to provide 25 pairs of shoes.

"We have friends who work on base, we have friends who go to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), we have friends in Fort Walton, friends in Niceville, and we started asking friends, individuals, our neighbors," Linda said. "We took brochures to all our neighbors, and asked them to ask their friends."

"We made a list of churches and asked them for help, and we met with businesses where we knew the business owners and felt comfortable asking them."

Then, shoes really started coming in.

"We're both retired," Larry said, "but we didn't realize this was going to become a full-time job. It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed."

When things were at full speed, it became a six-days-a-week, eight-hours-a-day job.

"My husband was so phenomenal in dealing with the shoes every day when they came in. We never had more than 250 pairs of shoes in the house at one time. As soon as they would come in, he'd start banding them and bagging them. We had to put a rubber band around each pair, and 25 pairs in each bag," Linda said.

While they're no longer taking in shoes — they plan to take another 100 pairs or so to a site in Eufaula, Alabama, April 20 — the couple has learned a lot about people during the drive.

They have had shoes come to them locally, through family members, through a relative on Facebook that Linda didn't even know she had, and people several states away.

"We thank (everybody) involved for making it possible for people they know to bless less fortunate people that they don't know," Linda said.

GET INVOLVED

Contact Jennie McKeon at 315-4434 or at jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com to nominate someone for this series, which celebrates individuals and organizations who make a difference in our communities.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed'

North Okaloosa County Faith Briefs

Written by archive on April 13, 2017. Posted in Faith, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — Upcoming events for North Okaloosa County’s faithful are as follows.

Kingdom Life sets women's ministry conference

CRESTVIEW — The Women Walking in Ministry quarterly conference will feature a theme celebrating all women.

The event begins 10 a.m. May 13 at the Kingdom Life Worship & Training Center, 798 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Crestview.

The guest speaker is the Rev. Nikki Mathis of The Summit Crestview church. The event also features The Summit Crestview worship leader, Stephanie Mills, Dance Minister Barbara Oxendine of the Eglin Air Force Base chapel, and Kindom Life's pastor, the Rev. Darlene Haynes-Scheuermann.

'Coming Home' dance performance set

CRESTVIEW — The Calling Dance Company will present a faith-based story centering on hope amid loss.

"Coming Home" is scheduled 6 p.m. May 13 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd., Niceville.

Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and are free for children age 4 and under. Purchase at www.TheCallingDanceCompany.org.

A portion of proceeds benefits Covenant Care's Camp Connect, a grief-counseling event for children.

Joy Fellowship presents flamingo fundraiser

CRESTVIEW — The Joy Fellowship Ministries Senior High Youth Group will have a "Flamingo Flocking" fundraiser through June 1 to raise money for its summer trip to North Carolina.

Suggested donations are as follows:

•Small flock of 10 large flamingos, $10

•Medium flock of 20, $20

•Large flock of 30, $30

•Super-size flock of 30 large and 18 small flamingos, $40

Potential donors may email their phone number to Joe Butryn, jbutryn@joyfellowship.net, who will send the paperwork to start the "flocking."

Contact Butryn for more details.

Donations sought for Laurel Hill food ministry

LAUREL HILL — Spearheaded by Magnolia Baptist Church, churches in this small North Okaloosa County community have launched an area-wide food ministry to assist local individuals or families in need.

Community members needing food for themselves or their families may contact the ministry at 826-3362 or theweeklys@yahoo.com.

Volunteers are sought to help package and deliver food donations, and organizers ask for prayers in support of the new ministry. Email the same address for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa County Faith Briefs

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