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

CRESTVIEW — With its power generator, solar chargers, antenna wires strung from trees and a GoPro camera mounted up in a magnolia to document the event, the North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club was ready to chat to the world during its June 25-26 field day weekend.

PHOTOS: See photos from NOARC's field day>>

VIDEO: Watch video from NOARC's field day>>

“We’re showing we can be set up in a few hours with no outside power,” member Cal Zethmayr said.

Emergencies in which commercial power is lost are among situations when amateur radio operators step in to provide communications for a community, he said.

During field day, NOARC and similar radio clubs around the world contact each other.

Visitors soon discovered in a world of Skype, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and other social media, old-fashioned radio communication is still relevant — and fun.

SCANNING FREQUENCIES

Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux, one of field day’s first visitors, discovered that for himself.

“He sat down and within minutes he was talking to someone in Estonia,” NOARC vice president Alex Barthé said.

Crestview City Councilman JB Whitten knows from his years as an Air Force ground radio operator the importance of radio communications — and atmospheric influences on them.

“When I was stationed in Mississippi, at nighttime, I could pick up the Boston station that carried the Celtics games,” Whitten said.

But Saturday afternoon the atmosphere wasn’t cooperating. Still, while the 7 megahertz band he was using made no contact, operators at the 14 and 21 megahertz transmitters were having more success.

“I went on there and we scanned around,” Whitten said. “There were several (operators) we could hear but they couldn’t hear us.”

RADIO MEETS COMPUTERS

Though he made no contacts, NOARC’s range of set-ups on different bandwidths showed the value of radio, especially when coupled with computer technology, unlike in Whitten’s Air Force days.

“Back in the day we operated on Morse code,” he said. “It wasn’t even voice.”

After years of having its radio shack in the Dorcas Volunteer Fire Department’s station, NOARC hosted the annual field day beneath tents in its new lot on the corner of First Avenue and Webb Street.

There the group hopes to build a clubhouse with classroom and storage space after raising enough funds, Zethmayr said.

“They are sure a dedicated group and very proud of what they do,” Whitten said. “I’m pretty sure they would be good backup communications” (in an emergency).

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa radio club's field day showcases traditional technology’s relevance (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

 ST. AUGUSTINE — Maia McGuire was leading middle-schoolers on a local beach clean-up when she noticed a cluster of deflated balloons on the sand. It’s not unusual to find balloons on the beach, McGuire said, but these were different: Each balloon was printed with the name of a nursing home in Texas.

“Those balloons were probably the weirdest thing I’ve found on one of our beaches,” McGuire said. However, this discovery made it clear that, while beach clean-ups are often done by locals, keeping beaches clean is everyone’s responsibility, she said. That’s because, in the environment, trash travels, and one person’s trash can easily become another person’s clean-up hundreds of miles away.

McGuire works in St. Johns and Flagler counties as a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Sea Grant agent. Part of her job is to help the community keep its beaches and oceans clean. You can do your part this summer by following these five tips.

1. Don’t bring single-use plastic items — such as plastic shopping bags, disposable straws, plastic water bottles, zipper-seal bags or Styrofoam dishware — to the beach. “Many animals will mistake plastic items (and balloons) for food and will eat them,” said McGuire. “This can result in starvation because the animals’ stomachs become full of plastic. Eating plastic may also cause toxic chemicals to leach into the animals’ bodies.”

Furthermore, “since plastic never degrades, it is important that we try to reduce the amount of plastic that we discard,” she said.

2. Don’t let helium-filled balloons “go free.” When the helium leaks out, the balloons might end up in the ocean. “In addition to eating balloons, animals can become entangled in the ribbon or string that is tied to the balloon,” McGuire said. This ribbon or string can injure an animal and even take off a limb. Entangled animals may also drown, she said.

3. Pick up after your pet. Pick up your pet’s waste and throw it away in a trash can, McGuire said. Pet waste adds viruses and bacteria to the environment—and who wants to swim in that?

4. The beach is not a big ash tray. Dispose of cigarette butts properly. Nicotine from cigarettes can get into the environment, said McGuire. 

5. Throw your trash away in a designated trash can. Do the same for any other trash you come across on the beach. “The more trash we can remove from the environment, the better,” McGuire said. “Often, trash can leach chemicals into the sand or sediment. Many of these chemicals can trigger harmful environmental impacts, such as algal blooms or bacterial growth, which may cause beach closures.”

However, always use common sense when picking up trash on the beach, she said. Don’t pick up anything that may injure you (such as sharp objects) or make you sick.

Finally, McGuire said, bear in mind that keeping beaches clean starts in your neighborhood, even if that neighborhood is nowhere near the beach. If balloons from Texas can end up on the eastern coast of Florida, who knows where your trash might wash up?

“People often assume that trash on the beach either was left there by beachgoers or came from boats,” she said. “What they may not realize is that trash that is on the ground can end up blowing or washing into storm water systems, where it can be transported into coastal waters.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: University of Florida expert has five tips for keeping beaches clean

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Toastmasters Club will install a new slate of officers to lead the club during the 2016-2017 Toastmaster year at an Open House on June 28.

The public is invited to the event to learn about Toastmasters and meet the new officers. Refreshments will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

Following the installation, Toastmaster members will show visitors how a typical meeting runs. When the meeting has concluded, no later than 7 p.m., guests can visit with members and ask questions about Toastmasters.

The meeting location is at the GFWC club house, 150 Woodlawn, which is one block west of Ferdon Blvd., behind Woodlawn Baptist Church.

The new officers are Patti Adams, President; Bruce Adams, Vice President Education; Angela Williams, Vice President Membership; Richard Powell, Vice President Public Relations; Martha Williams, Secretary; Michael Dunn, Treasurer; and Kathy Morrow, Sergeant at Arms.

The new officers begin their duties July 1 and will serve until June 30, 2017.

Crestview Toastmasters, which is a community club, has been helping people in Crestview become better speakers and leaders since October 2005. Many local businesses have sent employees to Toastmasters to enhance the speaking skills that are so important in today’s workplace.

Crestview Toastmasters Club meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the GFWC club house from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Visitors are always welcome to visit and learn about becoming a better speaker through peer support.

For more information about the club, please go to crestview.toastmasterclubs.org or visit toastmasters.org and type in your ZIP code. You may also contact Kathy Morrow at 974-3662 for meeting information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Toastmasters to host open house, install new officers

MILTON — Drivers will encounter some traffic disruptions in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this week as crews perform these construction and maintenance activities.

Escambia County

●Interstate 10/U.S. 29 interchange improvements: These traffic changes will occur 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, June 26 through Thursday, June 30 to allow crews to perform bridge widening work:

—Alternating lane closures on I-10 near U.S. 29 (exits 10A and 10B).

—The U.S. 29 south to I-10 eastbound ramp will be closed. Traffic will be detoured south to make a U-turn at Diamond Dairy Road.

— The U.S. 29 north to I-10 westbound ramp will be closed. Traffic will be detoured north to make a U-turn at Broad Street.

The speed limit on I-10 near U.S. 29 has been lowered to 50 mph.

Santa Rosa County

●I-10 widening: Alternating lane closures, between the Escambia Bay Bridge and S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, June 26 through Thursday, June 30 as crews continue widening work.

In addition, expect alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange for bridge work.

The speed limit has been lowered to 60 mph. Be alert for construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway.

●State Road 87: Construction crews are building the new northbound bridge across the Yellow River in Milton.

Although the river will remain open during construction, boaters and kayakers should use extra caution when approaching the bridge.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Escambia and Santa Rosa County traffic changes to expect this week

CRESTVIEW — With the motto, “Insuring Your Legacy’s Success with us,” Dawn Mann was installed Thursday evening as the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s new chairman of the board.

Click here for photos of the Chamber Installation Dinner>>

Mann’s chairmanship theme is suitable for her work as an insurance agent at Legacy Insurance.

Click here for a video of the Chamber Installation Dinner>>

Community business, civic and municipal leaders filled the Crestview Community Center for the annual installation dinner, a highlight of the chamber’s calendar.

Joining Mann on the new board of directors are:

●Christie Cadenhead, Community Bank, chairman-elect

●Marian McBryde, Okaloosa Title and Abstract, past chairman

●Tom Moody, Old Warrior Ranch, chairman emeritus

●Craig Shaw, Shaw Moving and Storage, treasurer

●Ryan Mabry, Pearl Mabry School of Music, vice chair membership

●Yvonne Shanklin, Edward Jones, vice chair community

●Alicia Booker, North Okaloosa Medical Center, vice chair strategic development

●Dino Sinopoli, Re/Max Agency One, vice chair events.

Members of the board of directors for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 classes were also presented at the dinner.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mann assumes Crestview chamber's chairmanship (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

CRESTVIEW — A series of free investing classes are held at the Crestview library.

Hours are 6-7:30 p.m. Mondays through July 25, except for July 4, at 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview.

Remaining classes are:

●June 27 — An Investor's Tour of Mutual Funds

●July 11 — Retirement: Making Your Money Last

●July 18 — Healthcare and Your Retirement

●July 25 — Preparing Your Estate Plan

Call 682-8844 for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Learn more about finance and investing at Crestview classes

CRESTVIEW — Neil Larson’s feet may be firmly on the ground, but his heart still soars — and has since May 23, 1971.

That was the day — about a month before his high school graduation — that Larson, now a Crestview commercial artist and sign painter, fell in love with the then-fledgling sport of hang gliding.

“I got interested in it at that age where you’re just getting out of the nest,” Larson said. “It kind of caught my interest and my folks thought it was a safe thing for me to be consumed with.”

As a graduation present, his parents drove him to Newport Beach, California, for what was billed as the First Great Universal Hang Glider Championship.

“By the time we got there, the unpaved road and the hillside was just replete with cars,” Larson said. “It was a fly-in instead of a sit-in, like the hippie thing. 

MEMBER NO. 24

Larson was hooked. He became Southern California Hang Glider Association’s 24th member, and soon was club historian.

The club changed names over the years and is now the Colorado-based United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

Five years ago, Larson spearheaded the erection of a marker in Newport Beach commemorating that first 1971 fly-in.

In May, he headed to Playa Del Rey, near Los Angeles, for Otto 45, the fly-in’s 45th anniversary, for which he designed the commemorative T-shirt.

The gatherings are named in honor of Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer who flew more than 2,000 glider flights starting in 1891, 12 years before the Wright brothers’ famous flight.

On May 22, Larson again strapped on a harness and swooped down a hill.

Before then, he hadn’t hang glided since serving in the Army in Bavaria in 1981.

FLYING IN BAVARIA

While in Bavaria, Larson went hang gliding through an Army recreation program, letting no one know he had previous experience.

“There was snow on the ground. There was permafrost. The hillside was covered with these little fist-sized nuggets of ice and snow,” Larson said.

“I took off running and I got into a prone position. You get more control the faster you go. I was going bombs away with my knuckles six inches off the ground.

“(The instructor) was running after me like a banshee because he was sure when I got to the bottom, my face would be bloody and my knuckles would be shredded, but I did a perfect flair up and landed.

“It was like a Martin and Lewis skit. He came up huffing and puffing and said, ‘You’ve done this before, haven’t you?’”

ONE REGRET

Larson’s stories of his experiences and accounts of his hang-gliding achievement appear on the Newport Beach Historical Society’s website and in Cross Country magazine, among other media.

While Larson is now content to keep his feet on the ground — most of the time — he follows other hang gliders on the internet and leaves comments of encouragement.

“When I get on YouTube and I see a guy in Romania or someplace flying, I’ll tell him, ‘Great flight, keep it up,’” Larson said.

He can imagine what happens next.

“He’ll go back to his neighborhood bar and tell his friends, ‘I got praise from one of the founders!’” Larson said.

 —

THE ORIGINS OF HANG GLIDING

In 1971, in the hippie uprising era, the interest began from leftover ideas developed by NASA, the aerospace industry and the aeronautical manufacturing industry. Pressed into the urban sprawl of Southern California, some free-thinking and inventive youth began to pursue flight by the seat of their pants. 

In May of 1971 on a straw grass-covered hillside in Newport Beach, an unusual collection of hand-built, one-man, foot-launched aircraft gathered to celebrate the 123rd birthday of Otto Lilienthal.

The event was  titled  The First Great Universal Hang Gliding Championships, by founding Otto Meet planner Joe Faust. Along with Richard Miller and Jack Lambie, the three men promoted this multiple-aircraft event as a means of organizing the sprouting interest across Southern California for these original hand-built light -weight one-man “hang” gliders.

On the hillside that day in attendance were Bill Liscomb, Mark Lambie, Taras Kiceniuk Jr., Ernest Faher, Neil Larson, Frank Colver and Joe Faust.

In 1971, in the hippie uprising era, the interest began from leftover ideas developed by NASA, the aerospace industry and the aeronautical manufacturing industry. Pressed into the urban sprawl of Southern California, some free-thinking and inventive youth began to pursue flight by the seat of their pants. 

In May of 1971 on a straw grass-covered hillside in Newport Beach, an unusual collection of hand-built, one-man, foot-launched aircraft gathered to celebrate the 123rd birthday of Otto Lilienthal.

The event was  titled  The First Great Universal Hang Gliding Championships, by founding Otto Meet planner Joe Faust. Along with Richard Miller and Jack Lambie, the three men promoted this multiple-aircraft event as a means of organizing the sprouting interest across Southern California for these original hand-built light -weight one-man “hang” gliders.

On the hillside that day in attendance were Bill Liscomb, Mark Lambie, Taras Kiceniuk Jr., Ernest Faher, Neil Larson, Frank Colver and Joe Faust.

THE ORIGINS OF HANG GLIDING

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Reflections of a hang gliding pioneer

CRESTVIEW — The City of Crestview Water Department will replace a fire hydrant on Texas Parkway soon.

Texax Parkway from State Road 85 to Third Avenue will be closed 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27 in Crestview for the hydrant replacement.

The city requests that drivers avoid that road and apologizes for any inconvenience. Call 682-6132, extension 107 for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview road to close for fire hydrant replacement

CRESTVIEW — Two members of the Emerald Coast Young Marines organization are being recognized for their achievements.

During the June 18 ECYM meeting in Crestview, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Daughters of the American Revolution presented awards to Enoch Colley and Michaela Cantwell.

Colley, 14, a YM lance corporal and Navarre resident, was presented with a MOPH award.

At the scene of two accidents — one in October 2015, and another early this year — Colley was able to use life saving skills he learned in the Young Marines.

"On the first occasion, the victim was in terrible shape and lost his leg. Colley reacted swiftly … to apply the necessary and urgent care to the victim, saving his life."

At the second accident, Colley, "denying his own safety, reacted into the situation. This time the woman and child were trapped in a vehicle upside down.

He shut down the vehicle and aided first responders in the extraction of the child and mother from the vehicle. "His actions are higher than expected for his age, and are with the highest standards and honor of our Corps value," the release stated.

The second Young Marine to be honored is Gunnery Sergeant Michaela Cantwell, 14, of Milton. She earned a DAR Youth Citizenship Award "for her enthusiasm, leadership and professional conduct well past her years. She is the epitome of leadership. Her positive mental attitude, selfless devotion to duty, and personal drive in keeping within the Corps values," the release stated.

"Cantwell has continuously proven herself as an instrumental member of our unit and her community. YM/GySgt Cantwell has been to virtually every volunteer event the unit has supported. She’s constantly molding and teaching the unit."

The organization said Cantwell selflessly reaches out in her community, being a personal spokesperson for the Young Marine organization.

"She’s taken a firm stance and personal approach to the war on drugs that ravish today’s youth and communities."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Emerald Coast Young Marines members earn awards