NICEVILLE — The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warrior Foundation will have a golf tournament, auction, ceremony and ball May 6 and 7 in Northwest Florida.

Activities include:

●The 9th Annual EODWF Golf Tournament, 7:30 a.m. May 6 at the Eglin Golf Course, 1527 Fairway Drive, Niceville. The shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $70 per person, which covers the cart and green fees, range balls, prizes, and a barbecue lunch.

●Live auction with a pizza dinner and cash bar. Doors open 5 p.m. May 6 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach.

●EOD Memorial Ceremony, 9 a.m. May 7 at the EOD Memorial, Range Road, Niceville, just off Highway 20. It honors EOD warriors who died due to carrying out an EOD mission. There are currently 314 Fallen EOD Warriors on the EOD Memorial Wall, and seven more will be added at this year’s ceremony.

●The 48th Annual EOD Ball. Doors open 5:15 p.m. May 7 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. Tickets cost $75 per person. The ball's keynote speaker is retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Oliver North.

See www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/eodweekend for more details. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warrior Foundation sets 4 Memorial Weekend events

CRESTVIEW — When the Crestview Centennial Committee agreed to sponsor the Triple B Cookoff’s south stage, there was a goal in the back of committee member and Main Street Crestview Association coordinator Brenda Smith’s mind.

“We want to kind of shake it up and get people dancing,” she said.

Smith and committee chairwoman Pat Hollarn went with two local talents, Gwen and EdMo of Simply D’Vyne, who promise “fresh and funky with a groove,” and Johnny Alexander, a local disc jockey who “wants to get the audience moving.”

“I have seen Simply D’Vyne play in the past,” Smith said. “They are very good. They’re very diverse. They do jazz and rock, kind of like Cheryl Jones, but something different.”

And Alexander, who goes by his stage persona Johnny C, “is going to keep things moving all afternoon,” she said.

Johnny C, a former DJ on local radio stations 99 Rock, Mix 103 and Highway 98 Country, promises something bound to please everybody.

“It’s gonna be a mix of everything!” he said. “That’s what I do best. I throw in our modern top 40 dance music that can get people out and moving, stuff like typical line dances, and I’ll throw in some country and some classic rock.”

“The whole key is to change it up and add some diversity to the entertainment,” Smith said. “It’s going to be fantastic!”

The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s 12^th Annual Triple B (Blackwater, Bluegrass and Barbecue) Cookoff — the Hub City’s largest event — is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday on Main Street.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Local talents plan eclectic musical mix for Crestview Triple B Centennial Stage

CRESTVIEW — The City Council unanimously approved Friends of the Arts’ proposal to create a display of 12 historic and military branch service flags to enhance Warriors Hall for the city’s centennial.

The proposed display would have flags for each of the six military branches on the west wall and six flags representing political entities that historically ruled the Crestview area on the east wall.

A March 14 FOTA memo credits Fire Chief Joe Traylor as the proposal's inspiration: Shortly after the city acquired the former church, Traylor suggested the service flags be displayed, the memo stated.

Service branch flags would be hung in chronological order of each branch's establishment, beginning at the rear of the hall with the U.S. Merchant Marine flag and continuing with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force flags.

Historic flags would begin with the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, then continue with the Spanish colonial, British colonial, Republic of West Florida, United States and Confederate States flags. To avoid controversy, the Confederate States of America’s first national flag would be used instead of the battle flag.

The Friends’ proposal calls for sponsors of each flag, which costs $200, including pole, mounting hardware and identifying plaques. The plaques would be mounted below each flag and would recognize the sponsor and identify each flag.

“Service branch flags could also be dedicated to a veteran, either in his/her honor or his/her memory,” the FOTA memo states.

Public Works facilities workers will mount the display as soon as funding for all 12 flags is obtained and the flags can be ordered, Schwartz said. 

Ten 5- by 3-foot service branch or historic flags proposed for Warriors Hall need sponsorships. (Two flags, the U.S. Merchant Marine and the Muskogee Nation, have already been donated.) Sponsorships are $200 per flag and include pole, mounting hardware and a descriptive plaque. Sponsorship forms will be available at the city clerk’s office in City Hall or from Friends of the Arts President Rae Schwartz, bakerny@yahoo.com, beginning March 28.

WANT TO HELP?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Historic, military service flags proposed for Warriors Hall

LAUREL HILL — Some folks have stories about chasing a garbage truck when they’re late hauling out trash. Trecia Chedister fondly recalls dashing down German village streets ahead of the garbage truck.

The occasion: “gross garbage day,” “gross” being German for “oversized.”

In the 1970s, Trecia’s husband, now retired Maj. Gen. Robb Chedister, was stationed at Sembach Air Base near Kaiserslautern. The family lived in a village called Imsbach.

“It was a known fact among the Americans that every three months they had gross garbage day,” Trecia Chedister said. “If you couldn’t find what you needed in stores, you’d go out looking on the streets.

“Back then, German people wanted more modern things so they were putting their family antiques out on the street. It was just a wonderful, wonderful shopping day for Americans.”

Once the Chedisters and another couple visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a walled medieval village of half-timbered buildings.

“The guys went to do their touring and I went with my girlfriend to walk along the wall,” Trecia said. “We discovered it was gross garbage day and soon we were running ahead of the garbage truck to find what wonderful pieces we could find.

“The garbage guys realized what we were doing, so they’d slow down and shout, ‘hurry, hurry’ and point out good things to us.

“By the time the guys got back to the car, we had the trunk completely filled, and we were sitting on our luggage. We literally had our treasures packed around us. We had so much fun!”

Gross garbage day once led to a poignant moment. A pair of suitcases yielded a trove of antique, hand-blown glass Christmas ornaments.

“I took them back to our home and yelled for my landlady, who used to make fun of me for going out on gross garbage day, and said, ‘Ulla, Ulla, come see what I have found.’ When she saw them she just burst into tears,” Trecia said.

“I said, ‘Why are you crying?’ She told me one Christmas during the war, she was living with their grandparents and the house was bombed.

“Ulla always remembered the beautiful glass ornaments that they had just hung on the tree but were all destroyed. When she saw the ornaments I found, she started crying. I had to give them to her.

“Now she is still decorating her Christmas trees with them. She calls me every year to tell me how beautiful they are.

“So there are treasures in garbage.”

The News Bulletin publishes “Everybody Has a Story,” a feature about interesting North Okaloosa County residents, in each Midweek Edition and on www.crestviewbulletin.com.

Do you know someone who met a celebrity, has an unusual hobby or is otherwise fascinating? We welcome suggestions for the series, and particularly seek people who are not public officials and have never appeared in the News Bulletin. Email ideas to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

SEEKING SOURCES

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill woman once found treasures in German trash

Main Street Crestview, starting from the railroad tracks up to the Okaloosa County courthouse, will turn into festival grounds 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 19.

Local bands will perform on the south and north stages, with plenty of barbecue and a variety of other food offerings, during the Triple B — Blackwater, Bluegrass and Barbecue — Cookoff.

In addition, an abundance of vendors will line the street and offer their merchandise and displays for people of all ages.

People’s Choice tickets, for only $1 each, give you an opportunity to sample one of our participating competitors’ barbecue and vote for your favorite to be the People’s Choice Barbecue Winner of 2016.

If you are interested in competing or having a vendor booth, don’t worry, there’s still time. Please visit our website, crestviewchamber.com/pages/tripleb, or call the Crestview chamber office, 682-3212.

We would like to thank all of our sponsors, competitors and vendors who make this event possible. Come join us for this family friendly event!

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Triple B Chair: Mark your calendar for March 19

The next "Music at the Library" performance will feature keyboardist Jay Russo.

Russo, a Valparaiso native and Crestview resident, will play a mix of popular and classical music, including "A few originals, the first movement of 'Moonlight Sonata.' I'll be playing the song 'Africa,' by Toto," and other selections.

"One more I know I'll be playing, and that's 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel," Russo said.

The performance is 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 18.

Music at the Library hours are 6-8 p.m. Mondays or Tuesdays at the library, 1445 Commerce Drive. To schedule a performance, musicians may call 682-4432.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Keyboardist plans Crestview performance

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Citizens Police Academy Alumni will sell assorted items on March 19 during the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s Triple B Cookoff.

Bottled water, Thin Blue Line plaques and raffle tickets for a wreath giveaway will be available during the cookoff, which is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Main Street in Crestview.

Plaques cost $4 each and include the text, "Walking the thin blue line."

Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The winner — to be announced at 5 p.m. April 1 at the Crestview Walmart — will receive a wreath large enough to cover half a front door.

Proceeds benefit the CCPAA for construction of an Okaloosa fallen officers memorial in front of the Crestview Police Department building on Stillwell Boulevard.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fundraiser for Okaloosa fallen officers memorial scheduled

Need something to do this weekend? Check out these fun events:

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this weekend in Crestview

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is accepting applications for the 2016 Urban and Community Forestry grant program.

The program provides funding to local governments, educational institutions, Native-American tribal governments and non-profit groups for urban forestry projects within their communities.

 "Trees play a vital role in urban communities," said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. "In addition to improving the aesthetics of our communities, healthy tree canopies have a long list of environmental benefits, especially in developed areas."

The Urban and Community Forestry grant program is part of Florida's ongoing initiative to increase tree canopies in developed areas. The program is offered for projects implemented on public lands in all Florida counties. Qualified participants may apply for a minimum of $2,000 and up to $30,000 in matching grant funds. Program projects can include:

●conducting community tree inventories

●preparing urban forestry management plans

●developing or updating local tree ordinances

●hiring temporary staff

●conducting personnel training

●creating urban forestry education programs

Applications for the program will be accepted through March 31.

To submit a proposal or learn more, contact Okaloosa Forester Maria Wilson, Blackwater District, 7050 Highway 189 N., Baker, Maria.Wilson@FreshFromFlorida.com, 689-7838; or visit the Florida Urban and Community Forestry grant program webpage, http://bit.ly/1V7eaMX.

All qualifying applications will be evaluated and ranked for approval. The program is funded by the USDA Forest Service.

To learn more about FFS programs, visit FloridaForestService.com. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida forestry grant organizers now accepting project applications

CRESTVIEW — Tuesday, March 15 is national VITA Awareness Day, the United Way of Okaloosa & Walton Counties stated.  

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax help to individuals who generally make $54,000 or less, people with disabilities, senior citizens and individuals with limited English proficiency who need tax preparation help.

The United Way of Okaloosa & Walton Counties’ VITA site in Crestview, First Presbyterian Church on Ferdon Boulevard, offers appointments between 2 and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. Appointments and walk-ins also are accepted between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26 and April 16.

VITA volunteers are IRS-trained and certified to help with many tax questions, including credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit.

In addition to free tax return preparation assistance, the Crestview site will file returns electronically for free.

Call 598-5807 to learn more about Crestview’s VITA program, such as which documents to bring, or to make an appointment. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Free tax preparation assistance available in Crestview