BAKER — A fundraiser supporting Blackman Community Center upkeep is in September.

The event features fried fish plates for $8, including coleslaw, potato salad and baked beans.

The fundraiser — which starts at 8 a.m. Sept. 10, with food served at 11 a.m. at 7590 State Highway 189 N — also includes a tractor and car show, and yard sale spaces are available for $10 each.

For more information call 652-4481 or 537-5916.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker fish fry fundraiser scheduled

FORT WALTON BEACH, Florida — The United Way of Okaloosa and Walton Counties kicked off its 2016 Annual Campaign on Aug. 16, with its board of directors setting a goal of $1,450,000, a $115,000 increase over the $1,335,000 raised during the 2015 campaign.

“In 2015, one in four residents of Okaloosa and Walton Counties were touched at some level by one of the 43 United Way agencies,” said 2016 Campaign Chair Alan Wood of CCB Bank.

“Today, we recognize that members of our community are dealing with the additional financial strain caused by — among other things — increased health and food costs. As these costs rise, we ask members of our community to not lose sight of the fact that they hit the 43 United Way agencies and the individuals they serve just as hard, or perhaps even harder, than they hit the rest of us. So many individuals, families and neighborhoods are dealing with tremendous challenges every day that they can’t overcome without the much-needed, critical assistance provided by the programs United Way contributions support.”

“Meeting and exceeding this year’s goal is as important as it has ever been,” said Dr. Alexis Tibbets of the Walton County School District and 2016 Pacesetter Chair. “Need has no sense of time or place. Reaching out to people who have immediate, basic needs — like shelter or a meal for a homeless family — is vital. The United Way will never walk away from that responsibility. Supporting programs that work within the critical areas of Children, Families, Health, Homelessness, and Stability provides an important foundation for a caring community.”

Walter Hooks of Regions Bank, board chairman, said, “Through the United Way we can do even more because we also address the bigger, deeper issues. For instance, the United Way is committed to investing more time and resources on circumstances that result in family and individual homelessness. The goal is to advance the common good for our community by improving issues like school readiness, a stable living environment for children and youths, access to quality health/dental care, and taking care of those who need help. After all, helping those in need makes a positive impact in our community.”

The 2016 community campaign will run through Nov. 23. To learn more about how to participate, or to make a donation, contact the United Way at 243-0315.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: United Way kicks off 2016 campaign, sets fundraising goal

CRESTVIEW — Toastmasters International’s Crestview chapter will send one member to the public speaking organization’s area competition.

Bruce Adams, a Distinguished Toastmaster, won first place in an Aug. 23 Table Topics contest, which qualified him for the next level of competition.

Toastmasters Miriam Herrera won second place, and Richard Powell took third in the local contest at the Greater Federation of Woman’s Clubs headquarters on Woodlawn Drive in Crestview.

The club contest winner on Sept. 17 faces members potentially from Lake DeFuniak, Emerald Coast Toastmasters on Eglin Air Force Base and the Hurlburt Club during the Area 53 competition.

If the first-place winner cannot attend the event, the club’s second-place winner will compete instead, according to a club spokesperson.

Bruce Adams, Herrera and Powell gave impromptu speeches on Toastmaster of the Day Kathy Morrow’s given topic, “If you could give just one gift to each one of your friends and family members, what would that gift be?” Their speeches touched on issues such as world peace, animal rights and gender roles.

Toastmasters Patti Adams and Thomas Boni served as judges and ballot counters for the event, which allowed up to two minutes per speech.

Toastmasters International prepares members to become skilled public speakers and leaders.

Learn more about the local chapter at http://crestview.toastmastersclubs.org/.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Toastmaster advances to area competition

CRESTVIEW — Residents who have missed the elegance, music, unlimited food and fruits of the vine at the community’s annual fall wine gala have reason to rejoice.

The event returns Oct. 22, with all its mouth-watering food, live, danceable music, and palate-pleasing selections of gourmet wines and craft brews.

There are several reasons to dress up and attend the “Evening in the Garden” gala planned for Northwest Florida State College’s Crestview campus, organizers said.

“First, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Mary Richard, the event’s planner and chef, said. “Secondly, it celebrates our 21 years of friendship with Noirmoutier.”

“And third, it’s going to benefit students right here in Crestview and Okaloosa County,” her planning partner, Lynn Yort, said.

MEMORABLE EVENING

Sponsored by the Crestview Area Sister City Program and Northwest Florida State, the gala is an opportunity for residents to dress up, put on their dancing shoes and sashay under the twinkling lights in the oaks at the Twin Hills Park campus.

The women, through Richard’s A Grand Elegance catering company, have planned an evening of elegance and gourmet food coupled with fine wines, craft brews and the live jazz, blues, pop and Motown music of Jones and Company.

“An Evening in the Garden” is the inaugural celebration for the Jardin de Noirmoutier — the Garden of Noirmoutier — dedicated to Crestview and the college’s 20-year relationship with the island community of the west coast of France.

“It’s a real community effort,” Sister City treasurer Pam Coffield said. “Northwest Florida State and the Sister City program have partnered for two decades.”

“The city of Crestview, several of our North Okaloosa County schools and community organizations including the Dogwood Garden Club have collaborated to show our visitors from Noirmoutier a memorable time, but also to raise funds for a unique scholarship program,” Mayor David Cadle said.

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Sister City scholarship is the first for the Foundation of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, a chamber committee formed to further its educational mission.

“The foundation was created exactly for the purpose of providing scholarships and to be able to give back to our community through educational opportunities,” chamber CEO and President Valerie Lott said.

“Whether it’s for vocational training, college or study opportunities, we want to give back to the youth in our area,” she said. “The foundation always welcomes donations to our scholarships.”

The scholarship will assist qualifying underprivileged Crestview High School French Club and Northwest Florida State show choir and traditional choir students to further their French cultural and language studies through travel to Noirmoutier.

TICKETS

Tickets for the “Evening in the Garden” gala are now on sale at the Northwest Florida State Crestview campus office, and will soon be available for online purchase.

“This is an excellent date night event, plus an opportunity to meet our delightful friends from Noirmoutier, learn more about Crestview’s Sister City program, and support local high school and college students’ cultural education,” Sister City ticket chairwoman Janice Crose said.

“And eat some really good food and drink some really excellent wines,” Yort said.

—

WANT TO GO?

What: “An Evening in the Garden,” a wine and epicurean gala

When: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 22

Where: Jardin de Noirmoutier at the Crestview Bob Sikes Education Center, Northwest Florida State College

Tickets: $45 per person

Notes: An evening of gourmet food, fine wines, craft brews, live music by Jones and Company, in the Jardin de Noirmoutier garden overlooking Twin Hills Park’s east pond. Tickets available at Northwest Florida State College’s Bob Sikes center, or call 902-0904.

What: “An Evening in the Garden,” a wine and epicurean gala

When: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 22

Where: Jardin de Noirmoutier at the Crestview Bob Sikes Education Center, Northwest Florida State College

Tickets: $45 per person

Notes: An evening of gourmet food, fine wines, craft brews, live music by Jones and Company, in the Jardin de Noirmoutier garden overlooking Twin Hills Park’s east pond. Tickets available at Northwest Florida State College’s Bob Sikes center, or call 902-0904.

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview wine and gourmet foods celebration returns

BAKER — Here's the Baker varsity, junior varsity and middle school football schedules.

Baker School varsity football schedule (Games start at 7 p.m.)

Date / Opponent / Location / Time

Aug. 26 / Holmes County-Bonifay / H

Sept. 2 / Blountstown / A

Sept. 9 / OPEN

Sept. 16 / Walton / A

Sept. 23 / Rocky Bayou Christian / H

Sept. 30 / Jay / A

Oct. 7 / South Walton / A

Oct. 14 / Chipley / H

Oct. 21 / Lighthouse Academy-Homecoming / H

Oct. 28 / Northview / H

Nov. 4 / Liberty County / H

Baker School JV football schedule (Games start at 6 p.m.)

Date / Opponent / Location

Aug. 25 / Northview / H

Sept. 1 / South Walton / H

Sept. 8 / South Walton / A

Sept. 15 / Vernon / H

Sept. 22 / Holmes County-Bonifay / A

Sept. 29 / Northview / A

Oct. 6 / Holmes County-Bonifay / H

Oct. 13 / Walton / A

Baker Middle School football schedule (Games start at 6 p.m.)

Aug. 23 / Rocky Bayou / H

Sept. 6 / Lewis / A

Sept. 13 / Jay / A

Sept. 20 / Freeport / A

Sept. 27 / Destin / A

Oct. 4 / Jay / H

Oct. 11 / Rocky Bayou / H

H-Home

A-Away

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker School sets football schedules

CRESTVIEW — Early voting for Okaloosa County residents is scheduled for the Aug. 30 primary.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 20-27 at any voting location in Okaloosa County.

Early voting locations are:

●The Supervisor of Elections office, 302 Wilson St. N., Crestview

●Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive

●Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 Eglin Parkway, Shalimar.

●Niceville City Hall, 208 Partin Drive N., Niceville.

●Destin Community Center, 101 Stahlman Ave., Destin.

Some sample ballots for the primary include choices for U.S. senator, U.S. representative, commissioner and the school board.

See www.govote-okaloosa.com, or call 689-5644 to see sample ballots or get more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa early primary voting ends this weekend

Varsity games

Date / Opponent / Time

Aug. 26 / Northview / H-7 p.m.

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.

 9th grade & JV football schedule (JV games at 4 p.m., freshman games at 6:30 p.m.)

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 High School sets football schedules

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

 See Photo Gallery underneath this paragraph.

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

CRESTVIEW — The city has appeared on yet another “places rated” type website, this time as fifth among the nation’s “10 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs.”

Richard Barrington, a spokesperson and personal finance expert for MoneyRates.com, described entrepreneurship as “the rare area of business where youth can be an advantage.”

To rank communities, Barrington looked at four criteria:

●Population growth, which leads to consumer demand

●Young adult affluence, indicated by the percentage of young adults making a competitive wage

●Educational attainment, where a percentage of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher, and

●Tax environment, with Florida and Texas having relatively low business tax burdens.

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

“As much as entrepreneurship centers on the special characteristics of individuals, the broader economic environment also makes a difference in whether start-ups succeed or fail, or whether people even attempt them in the first place,” Barrington stated in the online article.

Crestview, together with Fort Walton Beach and Destin, tied with Odessa, Texas, in MoneyRates’ assessment.

“Its location on Florida's panhandle includes the junction of three major highways, which makes it a good hub for business activity,” Barrington wrote.

“Florida also aids entrepreneurs by having one of the nation's lowest rates of business taxation. Additionally, the Crestview area has one of the highest portions of young adult affluence.”

CITY PRAISE

City officials eagerly embraced the recognition.

“Crestview is known as the Hub City and we are a hub that embraces innovation,” Community Redevelopment Agency Director Brenda Smith said in a statement on the article.

“Who better represents innovation than entrepreneurs? We have a lot to offer within the city and especially our historical downtown district,” Smith stated.

The Crestview, Fort Walton Beach and Destin metropolitan area ranked third on the list of Cities with Affluent Young People, with 45.59 percent of 18-24-year-olds having an income three times or more higher than the state poverty rate.

“Younger people like millennials…have less to lose in terms of an established career and salary, and so they can be more willing to put what they have at risk to create a new business,” Barrington wrote. “As people grow older, they tend to lose this appetite for risk.”

BUSINESS CLIMATE

The Okaloosa County cities tied for fourth place on the Cities with a Favorable Business Climate list, as ranked by the Tax Foundation’s 2016 State Business Tax Climate report.

The local cities tied with the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford; The Villages; Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island; and Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro areas.

“To be ranked among the Top Ten Cities for Young Entrepreneurs and declared fifth in the nation is a great honor and recognition,” Smith stated.

MoneyRates.com ranked these communities as the 10 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs.

1. Austin/Round Rock, Texas

2. Raleigh, North Carolina

3. Midland, Texas

4. Houston/The Woodlands/Sugar Land, Texas

5. Crestview/Fort Walton Beach/Destin

5. (Tie) Odessa, Texas

7. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

8. The Villages, Florida

9. Denver/Aurora/Lakewood, Colorado

10. Orlando/Kissimmee/Sanford, Florida

BY THE NUMBERS

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Report: Crestview area attracts young entrepreneurs

CRESTVIEW — What if you had to pass a test or answer impossible questions before you were allowed to vote?

Or imagine being forced to pay a special tax before you could cast your ballot.

This is the story of Lillian’s family — and so many other African-Americans — who, after generations of discrimination, triumphed over injustice thanks to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that protected every American’s right to vote.

This may be a child’s picture book, but the story will resonate with all ages.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: REVIEW: Book about African-Americans' voting rights struggle