Picking out the perfect, fresh-cut Christmas tree is an important holiday task.

Every family member has a specific requirement. “It has to be a certain species.” “It has to be a specific height and shape.” And, of course, “It has to smell great.”

So, a decision is made. The perfect tree is toted home, put up and beautifully decorated. A week later, mom shrieks, “There are ticks all over the living room!”

Don’t panic. Upon inspection, you will discover that the bugs coming from your “perfect” Christmas tree are Cinara aphids. Cinara are a group of several species of large brown or black aphids that feed on conifers including all pines, spruces and firs. When Christmas trees are cut at the farm and bundled for shipment, aphids get trapped. With warmer temperatures indoors, aphids become active. Infestations may also arise from overwintering eggs that hatch. As the tree dries out, the aphids crawl from the tree into the rest of the house.

No worries. Cinara aphids only feed on conifers, so they pose no threat to other plants. They are not a danger to people or pets either. But don’t get rid of them by smashing them. You may be left with a nasty purple stain to have to clean up. Instead, pull out the vacuum and suck them up.

So, if you are one of those people still shopping for the “perfect” tree, add a preemptive strike to your decorating procedure. Unbundle and shake, shake, shake that tree outside before bringing it in.

Then the only shrieking will be when mom opens the fabulous present you gave her.

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: Those aren't ticks on your Christmas tree

The Crestview Public Library realizes that “life happens,” as the saying goes, and sometimes you may have overdue library books.

From now through Dec. 22, the library is offering a “food for fines” amnesty.

For every can or box of food donated, the library will forgive $1 in fines — up to $20. All collected food will be donated to the local Sharing and Caring program here in Crestview. Please be sure to check that all food donations do not have expired dates.

Now is a great time to check all family members’ cards for items that may be late or unpaid fines. You may go online to check your account for overdue items and bills owed or call us at 682-4432 if you have questions.

So before the holidays get you any busier than you already are, take advantage of the library fine amnesty now through Dec. 22.

Sandra Dreaden is the Crestview Public Library’s reference librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Library accepting food for fines for limited time

CRESTVIEW — Thousands attended the Main Street Crestview Association’s Christmas parade, themed "Christmas through the Decades,” to commemorate the city’s 100^th anniversary.

The parade’s grand marshal was 102-year-old Vera Owens, who rode in a convertible at the head of the parade. Behind her were representatives of the Crestview police and fire departments. In keeping with the parade theme, participants were dressed in clothing from various decades in the 1900s.

A Minion Christmas float, floats with reindeer and Christmas trees, and an early 20^th century doctor’s buggy were among the sights. Crestview companies represented, among others, included Crestview Wholesale, Wal-Mart, Dan’s Discount Jewelry and Pawn, Community Bank, and Crestview Rehab.

Other groups included Childcare Network 132 and 183, the 4-H Club, Crestview Teen Center, Boy Scout troops, Mount Zion Baptist Church of Laurel Hill and the Era Burgan Learning Center.

Crestview High School’s Big Red Machine and the Shoal River Middle School Band marched in the parade. The “Rockin’ Robots” Robotics Team from Bob Sikes Elementary was on a float along with their teacher and sponsor Dottie Holland. Northwood Elementary also had a float.

DeFuniak Springs residents Tommy and Mary Jane Sconiers enjoyed the parade with their granddaughter Lyla Rhodes, 1, and her mother, Rebecca.

The sights and sounds mesmerized LynnleeRae Peters, 1. She was there with her parents, Kayla and Ryan Peters. 

Sam Chambliss, 2, ate a slice of pizza as he enjoyed the parade in his father’s arms. Sam is the son of Ben and Karah Chambliss. When asked what he wanted Santa Claus to bring him for Christmas he said, “A toy truck with a trailer and a dinosaur!”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Parade celebrates Crestview's 100th anniversary

CRESTVIEW — Asia Schroeder, a native of Poland, came to America 14 years ago at age 19. For a high school graduation present, Asia’s aunt in Sarasota invited her to spend three months of summer there.

She had a round-trip plane ticket, but she would soon learn she was staying.

On her first day in America, Asia met the man who would become her first husband. SSgt. Peter Woodall, USMC, was a friend of her aunt’s family. He was on leave from the Marines and on recruiting duty in Sarasota. He and Asia spent the summer together and then SSgt. Woodall had to return to duty at Twentynine Palms, Calif.

When he left, he took Asia’s return plane ticket with him.

“This was Pete’s way of proposing to me,” Asia said. 

A HERO DIES

Peter and Asia married in 2002 in Las Vegas. SSgt. Woodall was deployed to Iraq in February of 2003 and Asia came back to Sarasota to stay with her aunt. Shortly after, SSgt. Woodall was injured and sent to California to recover.

After that, SSgt. Woodall was stationed at Quantico, Va., and the couple’s son, Jacob, was born in 2004. SSgt. Woodall attended eight months of Explosive Ordnance Disposal training at Eglin Air Force Base in 2005. By year’s end, the family was sent to Camp LeJeune, N.C., and Asia became a stay-at-home mom.

SSgt. Woodall trained with Corey Schroeder at Camp LeJeune, and the Woodalls socialized with Corey and his girlfriend at the time. In 2007, both were deployed to Iraq, but in different parts. 

Then, tragedy struck: On April 28, 2007, an improvised explosive device killed SSgt. Pete Woodall and another Marine, Billy Callahan.

BUILDING A NEW LIFE

Corey Schroeder contacted Asia when he heard the news about SSgt. Woodall. He also asked his mother, Terry McCoy, who was living in Indiana, to contact her.

“It was a very scary time. I was there by myself with Jacob, who had just turned 3. I did not know many people.” Asia said. 

Corey Schroeder stayed in touch with Asia and their relationship grew.

In September of 2007, Corey came back to the states and had orders to Eglin for EOD training. He asked Asia and Jacob to come with him; the couple bought a home in Crestview and they were married that June. 

More changes were in store: Working out became a passion for Corey and Asia, who in 2009 competed in an amateur bodybuilding competition. Soon, a downtown gym became available for sale and the Schroeders used part of the life insurance proceeds from SSgt. Woodall’s policy to buy it.

‘I AM VERY PROUD OF HER’

Corey left the Marines after 12 years and started working for New York Life Insurance. With her husband so busy, Asia ran the gym and became a World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Federation Pro.

The couple rented the downtown building for five years and bought the building and surrounding land, at 803 W. James Lee Blvd., last December.

Temple Fitness officially opened May 23. The gym’s name comes from the idea that your body is a temple; their slogan is “alter your life.” The facility is open 24 hours a day and has about 500 members.

“We have no staff. Asia does it all. She gives 110 percent toward our business and I am very proud of her,” Corey said.

Jacob also helps in the gym. He annually honors his late father by attaching a note to balloons and letting them go.

Such a tradition, Corey said, is why Temple Fitness is more than a gym.

 “This is a legacy for Pete,” he said.  

—

This article's first version initially gave Jacob's incorrect age. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview gym is fallen Marine's legacy

CRESTVIEW — Dan's Discount Jewelry & Pawn is open for business.

The store’s grand opening is 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at 299 Main St. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

How does the store operate?

"A lot of our inventory comes in through our front door,” owner Bryce Jeter said. “People will come in and bring us stuff and sell us stuff … we'll be fully stocked up for Christmas a week or two from now."

Items and services include loans, firearms, ammunition and jewelry.

The Crestview location is part of a family-owned, 30-year business. The first of Dan Merryman's 17 stores through the years began in Lexington, Ky.

Even Jeter has been with the company for most of his 32 years. "He's my uncle and I've worked for him all my life," he said.

As for how the stores expanded from Kentucky to Northwest Florida, Jeter said, "I grew up down here and I went to Fort Walton Beach High School. I've lived 15 years of my life in Kentucky and I've lived 15 in Florida. This is my home and this is why we've moved the store down here. It's been challenging, but it's been good challenges."

While traveling, transferring employees and transferring inventory were among those obstacles, "The biggest thing is just branding stuff here," Jeter said.

"Three years ago when we opened a store in Fort Walton Beach, everybody didn't know us, didn't know our business and thought we were crazy.

“We let them know who we are and what we do … We're not just a business. We are a clean, bright, well-lighted, family-friendly pawn shop retail store — not just a place with bars on the windows."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dan's Discount & Pawn opens its doors

CRESTVIEW — Inventory is still being shipped from its Kentucky and Fort Walton Beach locations, and fixtures like lights and the credit card machine were still being installed Dec. 1, but Dan's Discount Jewelry & Pawn is already serving customers.

Owner Bryce Jeter and three of 10 staff members are getting the store ready for its grand opening, which is 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at 299 Main Street. The store's regular hours are also 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Jeter said the opening is "supposed to start Saturday, but if somebody wants to come in and buy something today, we will talk about it." While working on it Thursday, they'd had a few people come in to see if they were open yet, and did business.

"A lot of our inventory comes in through our front door. People will come in and bring us stuff and sell us stuff … we'll be fully stocked up for Christmas a week or two from now."

Items and services at the store include loans, firearms, ammunition and jewelry.

The Crestview location is part of a family-owned, 30-year business. The first of Dan Merryman's 17 stores through the years began in Lexington, Kentucky. Even Jeter has been with the company for most of his 32 years. "He's my uncle and I've worked for him all my life."

As for how the stores expanded from Kentucky to Northwest Florida, he said, "I grew up down here and I went to Fort Walton Beach High School. I've lived 15 years of my life in Kentucky and I've lived 15 in Florida. This is my home and this is why we've moved the store down here. It's been challenging, but it's been good challenges."

While traveling, transferring employees and transferring inventory were among those obstacles, "The biggest thing is just branding stuff here," Jeter said.

"Three years ago when we opened a store in Fort Walton Beach, everybody didn't know us, didn't know our business and thought we were crazy. We let them know who we are and what we do … We're not just a business. We are a clean, bright, well-lighted, family friendly pawn shop retail store, not just a place with bars on the windows."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dan's Discount & Pawn opens its doors (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s December schedule includes these activities:

●Express Oil Change ribbon cutting ceremony, 9 a.m. Dec. 6 at 2053 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview.

●Ambassador Committee holiday mixer, 4 p.m. Dec. 8 at Crestview Hooters, 180 Cracker Barrel Road, Crestview. For details or to RSVP, contact Richard Harless, richardh@beachcommunitymortgage.com.

●Military Affairs Committee meets 11 a.m. Dec. 13 at Samuel's Roadhouse, 114 John King Road, Crestview. Membership fees apply. For details, contact Marian McBryde, Committee Chair, MAC@crestviewchamber.com.

●Government Issues Committee meets 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Crestview chamber office, 1447 Commerce Drive, Crestview. The guest speaker this month is Crestview Mayor David Cadle.

●Lunch for PILOT Committee members ages 21-41, noon Dec. 15 at Johnny O'Quigley's Ale House, 1025 Industrial Drive, Crestview.

Chamber members and their employees may join any of the events and committee meetings.

Call 682-3212 or go to http://www.crestviewchamber.com for more information about the chamber.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Chamber lists December schedule

CRESTVIEW — When the annual Main Street Christmas Parade — the last official event during Crestview’s Centennial celebration — rolls at 5:30 Saturday, planning that has been underway since July between multiple city departments and the Main Street Crestview Association will reach its culmination.

Meeting Wednesday morning at the Crestview Police Department, Main Street Director Patti Gonzo, Police Chief Tony Taylor, Operations Cmdr. Jamie Grant and Sgt. Mike Leadmon reviewed final plans to assure a safe and secure experience for participants and a crowd some anticipate to number 10,000 or more North Okaloosa County residents.

Thursday night, police officers, Main Street officials and a representative from each parading organization will meet at Warriors Hall to review rules and regulations governing the parade from line-up to disbanding.

“It’s very productive for us to meet like this,” Taylor said at the Wednesday meeting as the group met around a large-scale map of South Main Street and Gonzo pointed out parade staging locations from the railroad tracks south to State Road 85.

“I have four years’ experience doing this,” Gonzo said, tapping a thick binder packed with notes from previous parades.

Gonzo presented the following procedures that she said will help make marshaling the parade more efficient:

• School bands and marching groups will stage in the parking lot off East Chestnut Avenue near the community garden

• Walking groups will stage along East Chestnut Avenue

• Scout troops and packs will stage on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

• Parading vehicles, except those pulling floats, will enter East Field Avenue off S.R. 85, check in at the check-in center, receive a number and stage on the east side of South Main Street

• Floats will enter South Main Street at either S.R. 85 or East Eden Avenue, check in at the check-in center, receive a number and then stage along the west side of South Main Street.

Among a few tweaks in procedures parade entrants will learn about at Thursday’s mandatory organization meeting: candy and other throws may not be distributed until after the unit has crossed the railroad tracks and started up North Main Street.

“That’s new this year,” Gonzo said. “The safety of all is what makes this necessary,” noting that at past parades, children and other parade goers have been clamoring for candy at the same time parade officials are dispatching parading units into line in the same area.

Also, the parade route has been extended, rounding from North Main Street west on Cedar Avenue to Wilson Street and then two blocks south to Beech Avenue, and an area will be set aside on Courthouse Terrace at Main Street for special-needs residents, Grant said.

“If somebody just wants to drive in there and watch the parade, no, they can’t do that there,” Grant said. “But if they need to get in with a wheelchair, they can.”

Assisting full-time Crestview police officers in maintaining safety and communications will be Crestview Police Auxiliary officers, members of the Crestview Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, and members of the North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club.

Other parade regulations include:

• No candy or other throws may be tossed from vehicles or floats. Only organization members walking alongside their group’s float or vehicle may hand out treats.

• Parading units may not line up until 3 p.m. at the earliest.

• Floats or vehicles may not stop and decorate at the entry to South Main Street. Final touches can be applied once the float or vehicle is in its place in line.

• Vehicle drivers must remain with their vehicles at all times.

• Bands must stay in formation until the parade has rounded the bend by Badcock & More Furniture and reached Wilson Street and Beech Street at the Round Palace laundry. Parading units may not stop and drop off riders until the end of the parade at the Round Palace.

Gonzo said organizers are anticipating floats decorated to celebrate the city’s 100th birthday following the parade’s theme, “Christmas Through the Decades.”

“We have plenty of people in it and plenty of people coming to see it,” Gonzo said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 10 things to expect for Crestview's Christmas parade

CRESTVIEW — Residents in need can still enjoy a full Christmas dinner due to local volunteers’ efforts.

AMVETS Post 35, Ladies Auxiliary, Sons of AMVETS and AMVETS Riders have shared Christmas dinner with area residents in need since 1990. 

This year, volunteers will again deliver meals in the area from Shoal River in the east and south, Yellow River to the west and Auburn Road to the north. 

The menu includes turkey, baked ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans and whole kernel corn, pie and a roll.

If you would like a meal delivered to you at no charge, call 682-8435 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Include your name, address, phone number and how many meals you will need. If you wish to pick up the meals, let volunteers know how many you will need.

“We ask that you make your meal requests prior to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22,” an event spokesperson said.

Volunteers will deliver meals sometime between 10:30 a.m. and noon on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview AMVETS to provide free Christmas dinners

CRESTVIEW — Christy Dennis has joined Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate as a sales associate with its Crestview office.

Dennis, formerly with Back Stage Realty, specializes in residential property sales.

“We are very happy to welcome Christy to the Coldwell Banker network. Her real estate experience, knowledge of the area and commitment to excellent customer service leads to making customers for life,” said Martiel Summitt, branch manager of the Crestview office.

“I look forward to providing the best customer service and helping area buyers and sellers achieve their needs with my knowledge of the area,” Dennis said. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dennis joins Coldwell Banker