CRESTVIEW — The Military Appreciation Recognition Celebration Inc. group will meet 1 p.m. April 4 at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview.

The nonprofit group plans the annual military appreciation celebration for Armed Forces Day, May 21. The city of Crestview has chosen the event as part of its centennial celebration.

Members meet first Mondays at the Crestview library, and the group meets monthly at the library. Group dues are $25 per year.

Contact Bob Lynn, bettybob1234@aol.com, to make a donation toward the ceremony, become a sponsor or join the organization.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview military appreciation event group to meet April 4

BAKER — The Baker Lions Club will host its annual Baker Spring Fling this weekend.

The event kicks off with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at 7:30 a.m. April 2 at the Baker Area Recreation Center, 5503 US Highway 4. Cost is $6 per person.

The fling starts at 9 a.m., and includes an antique car show, arts, crafts and food vendors, as well as bounce houses and an interactive antique toy display. Honey, homemade cakes and other goods may be purchased.

Booth spaces are still available. They are 10 feet square and cost $20 ($25 with electricity). For details, call 537-2491.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwest Florida, get ready for the Baker Spring Fling

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Photo Club's next meeting includes an information session for people interested in photography.

Area residents are encouraged to come ask questions, learn to take better photos and learn about accessories and equipment and more. "Maybe shooting food is more to your liking? Bryan will be showing you how! Do you like shooting miniatures?? If they are done right they look like full scale. Clark's our man!" a spokesperson said.

Hours are 6-8 p.m. April 21 at the Knights of Columbus hall, 701 James Lee Blvd., E., Crestview. The carnival is free and open to the public, but donations are accepted.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Photography 'carnival' planned April 21 by Crestview club

VALPARAISO — The Genealogical Society of Okaloosa County's next meeting includes program speaker Margaret Chatraw, Library Coordinator for Youth Services and Genealogy Services for the Santa Rosa County Library System.

Her topic is Extra, Extra, Read All About It: Newspapers in Genealogy Research. The program starts at 10 a .m. April 9 at the Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso.

Margaret and her husband Darrell are Milton residents. He is the senior pastor of the Bay Area Vineyard Church and is a former US Air Force pilot.

After leaving the Air Force, Margaret and her family eventually settled in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where they served for 13 years before moving to Americus, Georgia for seven years.

In August 2004, the Chatraws moved to Milton to plant a new Vineyard Church in the Milton/Pace area.

They have three children and several grandchildren. Their oldest son, Jason, is president of a Christian publishing company; Aaron, their middle child, recently separated from the air force after more than nine years of service; and their daughter, Malinda, a stay-at-home mom, is a former air force captain.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa genealogical society meets April 9

MILTON — Overnight repairs to the State Road 399 southbound overpass over U.S. 98 in Santa Rosa County will begin mid-April 2016.

Crews will remove and replace the damaged beam over westbound U.S. 98 and repair portions of the bridge deck connected to the damaged beam. The repairs will allow an additional 9 inches of vertical clearance to the structure.

Expect these restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. throughout the project:

●U.S. 98 will be reduced to one lane, in each direction, from Shoreline Drive to just east of S.R. 399. This will allow westbound U.S. 98 traffic to be diverted to eastbound U.S. 98.

●Westbound U.S. 98 access to S.R. 399 will be closed. An on-site detour will direct traffic to turn left on Daniel Street, left on Shoreline Drive, and then right on eastbound U.S. 98 to access S.R. 399 via the at grade on ramp.

Access from westbound U.S. 98 to S.R. 399 will be open to traffic from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Southbound S.R. 399 traffic will be shifted to use one of the northbound S.R. 399 lanes.

The project’s expected completion is in mid-May.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 2 lane restrictions set during SR 399 overpass repairs

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS — CHELCO members can enjoy food, entertainment, gifts and a chance to win one of many prizes  during the co-op’s 75th annual meeting.

Activities will include a bounce house, face-painting, door-prize drawings and vendor booths. A 75th anniversary history video will be shown for the first time. In addition, Touchstone Energy’s hot air balloon will provide tethered rides, weather permitting.

Entertainment will include a performance from the Niceville High School Jazz Band and a Franklin D. Roosevelt storytelling experience from local actor Bruce Collier. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration that led to cooperatives like CHELCO serving rural areas that had no power.

The meeting is Saturday, April 16 at CHELCO Operations Center, 723 Highway 331 N., DeFuniak Springs. Gates will open at 8:30 a.m., registration will begin at 9 a.m., and entertainment will start about 9:30 a.m.

At the 10:45 a.m. business meeting, CHELCO CEO Steve Rhodes will address members, and the results of the election for three seats on the CHELCO board of trustees will be announced.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Choctawhatchee Electrical Cooperative annual meeting set April 16

CRESTVIEW — Of about 500 nationwide Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Fire Control sub-contractors, a Crestview aviator is one of fewer than 10 chosen for recognition for “outstanding performance in 2015,” a company announcement states.

Lockheed-Martin will recognize Sunshine Aero Industries Flight Test owner and chief pilot Bob Keller at an April 27 luncheon and ceremony in Orlando.

“It’s a sizeable contract Sunshine did for them and they’ve done very, very well on it,” Crestview Technology Air Park project executive Dennis Mitchell said. “Lockheed has a big facility in Orlando but Bob has a very big flight test program up here at Bob Sikes Airport.”

Keller, a retired Air Force test pilot and engineer Dr. Paul Hsu’s C-TAP partner, said for some of the testing, SAI leased a helicopter and Sabreliner jets.

While Keller couldn’t discuss the project in detail because of security concerns, “It has to do with developing military weapons systems,” he said.

“It’s some seriously high-tech stuff, and Bob Keller has done really fine work on it,” Mitchell said. “We’re real proud of him.”

Keller, in turn, said he was honored by the defense giant’s recognition.

“I’m really proud of it, coming from Lockheed-Martin,” he said. “They’re a good customer.”

Keller turned in his Air Force uniform in 1980 and, clad in his trademark red-and-white striped shirt with suspenders, started Sunshine Aero, which was Bob Sikes Airport’s fixed-base operator for 25 years.

“And that was probably 20 years too long,” Keller said, chuckling. With Hsu’s purchase of land at the runway’s northern tip, Keller designed C-TAP’s first building—his own hangar and offices—and moved in.

There he’s content to be doing what he’s always been passionate about: testing new aircraft systems.

“The trouble with flight testing is you can’t do it if you haven’t already done it,” Keller said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lockheed-Martin honors Crestview aviator (VIDEO)

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Sonic workers deliver for incapacitated senior couple

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Citizens Police Academy Alumni are organizing a food drive for a local food pantry, Sharing and Caring, Inc.

The drive is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 1 at the Crestview Walmart.

The group will name the winner of a wreath raffle afterward, for which tickets will be sold 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Crestview Triple B Cookoff on Main Street.

If you have items you'd like to donate to Sharing & Caring, or to volunteer, call 682-1907.

Donations wanted include nonperishable food items such as:

●one-pound bags of rice or beans, canned vegetables, canned fruit, saltines.

●canned meats such as Spam, tuna, chicken, Vienna sausages, etc. Cereal, peanut butter, jelly, dry or canned soup, powdered milk, pasta, spaghetti sauce.

●tea, corn muffin m ix, macaroni and cheese, canned ravioli, chili, etc.

The organization also accepts personal hygiene items, baby food or formula, and diapers.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview alumni group plans Sharing and Caring food drive

Sitting on my perch above the basketball court in Niceville High School’s gym last February, I soaked in the surroundings as Crestview and NHS battled for the District 1-7A boys basketball championship.

Nights like that one are what I envisioned when I dreamed about being a sports writer. Games like that are among the many things I’ll miss about being a sports writer.

I started at the Daily News on Dec. 28, 2000. I’ve been at the News Bulletin since March of 2008.

In Ecclesiastes 3, one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, King Solomon writes, “For everything there is a season.” Yes, there are seasons of sorrow and joy, living and dying, planting and harvesting. My life has always seemed to be divided into sports’ seasons: Winter is basketball, spring and summer have been for baseball, and fall has always been football season.

So how do you wrap up a lifetime of dreams in a few paragraphs? How do you walk away from the only thing you ever wanted to do? Neither of those answers come easy, but simply put, it’s time.

I’ve lost track of all the people I’ve worked with and the number of athletes I’ve covered; I won’t mention any names because I know I’d leave too many people out.

But one thing is certain: I’ve been blessed to know countless young men and women whom I have had the joy of covering. I hope I’ve made their high school experience a little more enjoyable.

I have marked the passing of time with the passing of high school athletes who’ve grown from freshmen to seniors.

I will remember athletes and families of athletes opening their hearts to me as they’ve lost a parent or a son or daughter; I hope I’ve told those stories with the compassion and grace that helped ease some of the pain in those difficult days.

I’ll miss the practices and games — I probably won’t know what to do with myself on Friday nights next fall. I know I’ll get the itch to head to a high school football stadium and cover a game.

I’ll miss hanging out with coaches in their offices talking about sports and life.

I’ll also miss those of you who have been faithful readers. Many of you have become dear and trusted friends that have prayed for me as I’ve gone through some of the tough seasons of my life. Your words of encouragement won’t be forgotten and the memories will always be treasured.

And now, it is time to say good bye. Feel free to email me at BigRandle@ymail.com or send me a friend request on Facebook.

I close with words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God upon every memory of you.”

Thanks for the memories, and God bless.

Email BigRandle@ymail.com or tweet @BigRandle to contact Randy Dickson. We thank Randy for eight years of excellence at the Crestview News Bulletin, and we wish him well in his next endeavors.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DICKSON: It's time to say goodbye — thanks for the memories