CRESTVIEW — The Knights of Columbus Council 7968 will host their annual Spaghetti Dinner soon.

The event is 4:30-7 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Don Braun Columbian Home, formerly the Knights of Columbus Hall, 701 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children under 13 years old. Children under 6 eat free.

For tickets or more information call 225-1390.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Knights of Columbus set spaghetti dinner

CRESTVIEW — Esther Simmons will soon be a homeowner, and it’s due to the efforts of volunteers, donors and a particular nonprofit organization.

Allen Turner Chevrolet is sponsoring the latest Habitat for Humanity home, rising at 570 S. Savage St. in Crestview. It’s the Hub City’s 57^th Habitat home.

Construction crew members, including 823d Red Horse Squadron volunteers, recently worked on the home’s first wall.

Habitat helps “families break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security,” the nonprofit’s website states. “With an affordable, stable home, families have more to spend on food, medicine, child care, education and other essentials.”

See www.habitatfwb.org to volunteer on Crestview’s newest home.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Habitat for Humanity begins Crestview home construction

PENSACOLA — Naval Air Station Pensacola will commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a ceremony.

The event, open to the public, is set for 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9 at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard the base.

NAS Pensacola commanding officer, Capt. Christopher Martin, will provide opening remarks for the event, which will include a “Where Were You” tribute, the traditional “Two-Bell Ceremony” and the playing of “Taps” performed by the NASP Honor Guard.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NAS Pensacola to host 9/11 commemoration ceremony

CRESTVIEW — Drivers will encounter these traffic disruptions as crews perform construction and maintenance activities: 

●Interstate 10: Minor traffic delays east and westbound between Exit 45 (County Road 189/ Holt) and the Walton County line Tuesday, Sept. 6 and Wednesday, Sept. 7.  Lane restrictions will be in effect 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. as crews perform striping operations and replace raised pavement markers.

●U.S. 331 Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge: Traffic will be reduced to one lane  from 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8 as crews pour concrete for the new fishing pier.  Traffic flaggers will be on site to safely guide drivers through the work area.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 2 traffic changes to expect

Did you know you can check out music at your library? We have a wide range for all tastes.

Music, like reading, can benefit your health and soul. So check out your favorite artist or discover a new one.

Music Staff Picks

●"Traveller," by Chris Stapleton

“Traveller” was named Album of the Year at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards. This album is a current gem with an old-fashioned country sound. I discovered the artist through NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series where he and his wife do a rendition of “More of You”.

●"Morning Phase," by Beck

Beck has been around for almost 30 years and, while I thought he was a great live performer, I was never compelled to purchase any of his music until the release of his latest album, “Morning Phase.” This album is beautiful, intricate and complex. It won the 2015 Grammy for Album of the Year.

●"Sound & Color," by Alabama Shakes

Lead singer Brittany Howard’s soulful, pleading voice will move you. This album is a funky, soulful and folksy mix.

Marie Heath is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview library's music choices include Beck, Stapleton

CRESTVIEW — Poets and musicians can read, perform, improvise and play together during an open-microphone event at the Crestview Public Library.

Anyone can attend the event —which is 6 p.m. Sept. 13 — and admittance is free.

The poetry starter is "I used to be a… but now I am a ….."

The library is located at 1445 Commerce Drive in Crestview. Contact Esther Hurwitz, 682-4432 or ehurwitz@okaloosa.lib.fl.us; or Rick Sanders, 585-6399, for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Open microphone night scheduled

VALPARAISO — The Genealogy Society of Okaloosa County’s next meeting will feature speakers Barbara Russell and Dorothy Pichardo.

During the meeting — 10 a.m. Sept. 10 at the Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso — they will discuss the Electronically Preserving Obituaries as Cultural Heritage program, a depository of obituaries.

Russell, a Chipley librarian, has practiced genealogy for about 20 years. Her family tree includes a favorite story about her great-great-grandmother rising from the dead; her great-grandfather, who brought Chipley Power and Light to the area; and her cousin, Tift Myers, who was a pilot for several U.S. presidents.

She has been talking about cemeteries and obituaries for about five years.

Pichardo of the Washington County Library is a branch manager in Vernon and a tech specialist for the libraries in the county. She has worked with the library for about 20 years. She loves to hear about her ancestors and the past.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa genealogical society sets meeting

CRESTVIEW — If you want to work for one of Florida Trend magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” look no farther than the Auburn community.

Auburn Water System ranked 17th on the list of 42 small companies with 15 to 49 employees in the magazine’s annual listing.

It was the only Northwest Florida company to make the top 100 list, which also included 30 medium-sized companies of 50-249 employees, and 28 large companies of more than 250 employees.

In addition, Auburn Water was selected by the Florida Rural Water Association as the Medium Water System of the Year, the non-profit utility stated in an August billing insert.

THE PEOPLE

Auburn General Manager Doug Sims said the utility is proud of both recognitions but credit goes to its 22 employees.

“They are the ones who make this place work,” Sims said. “They pull together and they look out for each other and they look out for our customers. They can’t support the customers if they don’t support each other first.”

A culture of strong communication between employees, management and customers supplements a benefits package that includes not just the usual medical, dental and vision insurance, but also free legal and certified public accountancy services.

Among efforts to encourage and enhance employee camaraderie and communication are:

●Quarterly luncheons where management prepares the food for employees. “We use that time to bring everyone up to date on things that are happening,” Sims said.

●Monthly staff meetings following board meetings “to make sure the employees know any decisions the board has made.”

●Seeking employee advice on operations and services. “We always ask them because they’re on the front line,” Sims said. “Their input is incredibly valuable to us in making decisions.”

●Cross training in which “we have two or three people that know how to do every job. That’s unheard of in a company with 22 employees,” Sims said.

●Using mistakes as learning experiences. “When somebody makes a mistake you don’t jump on them,” Sims said. “You help them to learn from it. The last thing you want to do is jump on them.”

Sims said Auburn Water is constantly seeking ways to improve.

“The main thing is to try to get better every day,” he said. “I want to get better myself so I can help them (employees) get better.

“A lot of places say ‘we really care,’ but we do, about our employees and about our customers.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Culture of care lands Auburn Water on '100 Best Companies to Work For' list

CRESTVIEW — “The Great Escape” was an exciting World War II film. But some critics said the book was better.

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was a lavish musical. But some believed the book was better.

“Excalibur” was an epical adventure. But some offer that “The Once and Future King,” the book on which it was based, was better.

Or were they?

A new display at the Crestview Public Library pairs books in multiple genres with original movie posters from films made from them.

News Bulletin writer Brian Hughes culled the display’s books from his personal library and posters from his film collection, supplemented by some from friend and Dallas film poster collector Clyde Ponder.

Some sources, or the films made from them, may be surprising.

While many musical fans are familiar with the Oscar-winning Liza Minnelli breakthrough, “Cabaret,” few know English writer Christopher Isherwood’s “Berlin Stories” also inspired an earlier film, “I Am a Camera.”

“Sound of Music” was inspired by Baroness Maria von Trapp’s multiple autobiographies, most notably “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.”

But the inspiring tale of an Austrian family was actually filmed as two German movies in the 1950s, which were edited into one and released in the United States as “The Trapp Family.”

Posters and books displayed include a Harry Potter film, a James Bond film, World War II films, children’s films, and classics such as “Dracula,” “Swiss Family Robinson,” “Dr. Zhivago,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Lost Horizon.”

The display runs through October in the library lobby.

Hughes said with so much material to choose from, he’ll probably swap out some of the books and posters midway through the exhibit.

So, was the book really better? View the exhibit, read the book, check out the film, and decide for yourself.

What: “The Book Was Better” exhibit

When: During opening hours, through October

Where: Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'The book was better.' Or was it? (PHOTOS)

BAKER — Thomas Barrow, a Baker resident, said a single lily plant bore 33 blooms on a 1.5-inch stalk.

"Usually these August lilies have, at the most, six to eight blooms, and the stalk is about five-eighths of an inch round," Barrow said in a note to the News Bulletin.

"My wife, Linda, transplanted six dozen plants from my mom and dad's old home place about a half-mile north of our home on Old River Road."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker lily plant holds 33 blooms (PHOTOS)