DEFUNIAK SPRINGS — As of Sept. 1, Choctawhatchee Electrical Cooperative's fee for credit and debit card payments now costs 95 cents less.

The company negotiated the 95 cent reduction in the fee charged by its credit card processing company to save members more money.

Cost is now $3 per transaction.

Members can pay with their debit or credit card in office, online, by phone.

Members can pay with their debit or credit card in office, online, by phone, or kiosks in DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Bluewater Bay and Santa Rosa Beach. Those who pay at kiosks in September will be entered to win one of five $50 bill credits.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHELCO reduces fee for credit card payments

CRESTVIEW — The community’s newest apartment complex, devoted specifically to low-income senior citizens, has been open for several months, but this week local officials and business leaders paid a visit.

Katie Manor held its official Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting Aug. 30, after which attendees toured the complex and met residents like Joe Stokes.

The Laurel Hill native praised the independence he has enjoyed since moving in July 11, contrasting it to his residency in an assisted living facility where “they treated us like 5-year-olds.”

“It’s real nice,” Stokes said. “I like it. The main thing I like about this place is you have more freedom.”

The U.S. Army veteran receives regular visits from a Veterans Affairs nurse, which, combined with Katie Manor’s amenities, has improved his outlook on life, family members said.

“This right here is something I always wanted for our family,” Stokes’ sister, Laurel Hill resident Martha Gibson, said.

MEETING A NEED

“It’s truly an honor to have this facility in our community,” chamber of commerce Chairman of the Board Dawn Mann said. “It’s a beautiful complex and I know residents are going to be happy here.”

Florida Housing Finance Corporation Executive Director Steve Auger praised Crestview officials for partnering with Vestcor developers to bring the complex to town.

“There’s a strong need for affordable housing throughout the state,” Auger said. “There’s a lot of local governments where folks have preconceived notions of what affordable housing is.

“They think of some of the older public housing stuff from early federal programs. They get scared of it and they don’t have the will to be open to something like this and see it through.”

50 PERCENT RENTED

After WRH Realty property manager Donna Menchaca snipped the red ribbon, officials toured a model two-bedroom apartment, checking out public rooms and the pool, and eying what turned out to be among the complex’s most popular amenities.

“One of the most prized possessions here is getting one of the garden plots,” WRH regional Director Ken Furtaw said of the 20 or so raised planting beds.

Half of Katie Manor’s 102 units are now occupied, Vestcor’s Ryan Hoover said. Ninety percent of the apartments are for residents with individual or combined annual incomes of about $33,000 or less, while 10 percent are reserved for individuals making less than $16,000 a year, he said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Officials, business leaders tour Katie Manor (PHOTOS)

CRESTVIEW — Tractor Supply Co. in Crestview will celebrate Pet Appreciation Week’s Main Event on Sept. 17.

It will include pet adoptions with community groups, samples, giveaways, drawings for gift cards, and other family-friendly activities.

The pet food company Blue Buffalo will have representation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day at the 320 W. James Lee Blvd. store.

In addition, deals on pet products — from food and treats to toys and crates — will be featured Sept. 14-18.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview pet store sets day of giveaways, samples

CRESTVIEW — Say bye-bye, Buddy’s, sayonara Sapporo and so long, Southern Chic.

While several new businesses will open in the coming months, two eateries and a clothing store are closing their doors. They follow A Scrap in Time, a downtown crafts store that closed in July.

Buddy’s View BBQ’s black trailer pulled out of its location in the Waterfront Mission parking lot in mid-August, while Sapporo, a Main Street restaurant, closed Tuesday.

“It’s sad,” Sapporo owner John J. Cho said. “It’s really sad.”

Cho said he and his partner, Andy Oh, poured a lot of effort into building the restaurant. That included plenty of sweat equity to totally renovate what they described as a run-down restaurant.

“We worked very, very hard,” Cho said. “We thank our beautiful customers for their support over the last year and a half. We had a lot of regular customers.”

Cho and Oh said they want to open in another location, “but not here in Crestview.”

Wednesday, Southern Chic, which specialized in women’s clothing, accessories and Sorrelli jewelry, closes its Ferdon Boulevard South store after six years.

“The main reason is the economy,” owner Michelle Prine said. “The last two years our business has dropped off.”

In an Aug. 19 Facebook post, Buddy’s View BBQ owner Naaman Eicher announced the sale of his drive-thru eatery. The barbecue restaurant, which had been open since February 2015, was named for his son.

“We received an offer we couldn't refuse!” Eicher stated in his post. “We will miss our friends, customers, and the best landlord ever — Waterfront Rescue Mission! We wish you Peace, Luv, BBQ!”

“I received an offer to sell the trailer and accepted it,” Eicher said.  “Upon the sale, the trailer moved out of state.”

Closing his business had an unforeseen benefit for Eicher, a Louisiana native.

“I am currently in Baton Rouge helping with the flooding disaster,” he said. “Four members of my family have had homes destroyed, together with one business and of course, numerous friends have suffered also. 

“I have been helping feed some of the workers and the displaced families in shelters. I believe this situation is worse than Katrina.

“I ask our Crestview friends to please donate to the American Red Cross or the Baton Rouge Foundation.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'It's really sad': 3 Crestview businesses close

CRESTVIEW — Graphics artist Miranda Morrill and manager Kayley Teal-Wibben are busy these days as they scurry around the new Signs Galore Express shop.

“Right now it’s pretty much a mess,” Teal-Wibben says, stepping over trimmed graphic vinyl scraps as Morrill cuts self-applied graphics for a car dealership.

“We’ve got all the ball teams getting their names on their jerseys,” Teal-Wibben said.

Plus a customer at the counter needs a few feet of colored sign vinyl for her home Silhouette Cameo graphics-cutting machine.

The spin-off of long-time north Crestview Signs Galore is suited for these “small” jobs — no matter how overwhelming they may appear to the layman — Teal-Wibben said.

“Signs Galore is doing the ‘monument signs,’ the high-dollar signs,” she said. “The express shop, we’re doing mainly the T-shirts, yard signs, banners and any names-on-the-jerseys and hats, and the smaller stuff.”

Separating the two types of graphics business lets the company serve both of its customer bases more efficiently, Teal-Wibben said.

“We’ve just kind of separated it so the quicker, smaller and less-expensive jobs are coming through Express and everything else is coming through Signs Galore,” she said.

“We’re still offering everything we do at the other shop. We’ve just divided it up so things will be more efficient.”

One previously underserved type of customer includes stay-at-home moms who produce graphics on smaller home versions of Signs Galore’s high-end commercial vinyl cutting plotters.

“We’re selling them vinyl locally rather than them buying it online,” Teal-Wibben said. “We’ve had a lot of interest in it — more than I anticipated. We have plenty of people who appreciate it.”

In addition to signage, clothing graphics and materials, both Signs Galore locations offer graphic and logo design services, she said.

Signs Galore Express is located at 602 Ferdon Blvd. S., across from Southside Primary School.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Email sgxcrestview@gmail.com or call 398-8080 for details.

WANT SIGNS?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview sign shop expands

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Public Library Class for 3- to 5-year-olds (formerly known as Story Time) will be simply delicious as we read stories like “The Doorbell Rang” by Pat Hutchins.

Each time the doorbell rings, there are more people who have come to share Ma's wonderful cookies.

Will there be enough?

The book is an excellent choice for introducing division to primary-grade children and to begin talking with children of any age about patience and sharing.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: REVIEW: Children's book is about math, patience, and sharing

NICEVILLE — Area residents and business persons interested in learning leadership skills and legislative networking may sign up for a nine-month course at the Costa Leadership Institute in Niceville.

Leadership Okaloosa is designed to enhance leadership skills and provide community awareness.

Participants receive classroom training by certified instructors and are given opportunities to interact with various key community leaders throughout the process.

Benefits include:

●Learning leadership training and development

●Networking with others in the community

●Be equipped and motivated to assume leadership roles in the community

●Interact with community leaders

●Develop an awareness of the region and its needs

●Awareness of the legislative process

●An overnight trip to Tallahassee

Students will tour key areas such as Destin, Crestview, Niceville, Valparaiso, Fort Walton Beach, Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field. The Legislative Days in Tallahassee provide participants with a better understanding of the community.

Additionally, each participant takes part in a group project to benefit the community while focusing on project management, time management and team building skills.

Leadership Okaloosa is hosted by the Northwest Florida State College Costa Leadership Institute with the support of the Crestview Area, Destin Area, Greater Fort Walton Beach and Niceville Valparaiso Chambers of Commerce.

Applications are available at http://bit.ly/2c2BSuX. Email them to Jamie Moncure, Costa Leadership coordinator, moncurej@nwfsc.edu. Contact her for details at 729-5253.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Costa institute offers Leadership Okaloosa training

Dear editor,

Traffic issues are synonymous with living in Crestview these days.

For the past week, I have personally agonized over picking up my grandkids at Walker Elementary School.

I believe the school is trying to implement a new system for dropping off and picking up kids, but has created a bigger problem than existed.

Last year, cars would enter from the left of the east side and go down into the school. That actually allowed more vehicles to get off of Stillwell (Boulevard) and into the school.

The new plan results in a large number of vehicles stopped on Stillwell prior to allowing a few into the school to pick up kids.

At times, the traffic has gone all the way back to our police department.

It is also very confusing to have one person with a stop sign controlling three intersections not close together simultaneously.

Emergency vehicles would have a tough time getting in if they were required to do so.

I applaud their effort, but it needs to be helpful and not harmful. Thanks.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: About Walker Elementary’s traffic fiasco

CRESTVIEW — Need something to do this week? Check out these fun events:

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this week in Northwest Florida

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview High School Bulldogs beat Northview High School’s Chiefs 70-0 Aug. 26 in Jack Foster Stadium in Crestview.

Remaining games in the varsity schedule are:

Date, Opponent, Time

Sept. 2, Mosley, H-7 p.m.

Sept. 9, Biloxi, Martin A-7 p.m.

Sept. 16, Int. School Broward, H -7 p.m.

Sept. 23, Pace, A- 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30, Choctaw*, A -7 p.m.

Oct. 7, Milton, H -7 p.m.

Oct. 14, Fort Walton Beach*, A -7 p.m.

Oct. 21, OPEN

Oct. 28, Niceville*, H -7 p.m.

The ninth grade and junior varsity schedule are as follows:

Date Opponent Location

Aug. 25, Choctaw, A

Sept. 1, open

Sept. 8, Fort Walton Beach, A

Sept. 14, Niceville A

Sept. 22, open

Oct. 29, Choctaw, H

Oct. 5, Niceville, H

Oct. 13, Fort Walton Beach, H

H = Home

A = Away

* = district game

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Bulldogs beat Chiefs (PHOTOS)