EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — InDyne employees raised $42,275.91 for the United Way of Okaloosa and Walton Counties' annual campaign.

This exceeded their $37,000 goal.

"I am incredibly proud of the men and women of Team InDyne ETTC, and their generous contributions to such a worthy cause," InDyne Program Director Mike Guidry said. "It is an honor working with these highly skilled and hard-working individuals who somehow always find a way to donate their time or money to their local community efforts."

"In my book, they are all the real superheroes!" Guidry said, referring to superhero costumes that employees wore during the check presentation.  

See http://www.united-way.org/ for more information about the organization.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: United Way of Okaloosa and Walton Counties gains $42K in support

CRESTVIEW — Casbah Coffee Company is hosting a grand re-opening at its new location.

The opening is 9 a.m. this Friday, Dec. 4 at 196 W. Pine Ave., Crestview, between Main and Wilson Streets, one block from the courthouse.

Free coffee and baked samples will be available 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Customers can also get $1 off per pound on the company's regularly priced fresh roasted coffee, and buy-one-get-one-free on cinnamon roll bread pudding all day Dec. 4.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Downtown coffee house hosts Crestview grand re-opening

CRESTVIEW — Shoal Creek Rehabilitation Center and Florida Furbabies are hosting a pet adoption drive.

They will also accept dog and cat food donations and supplies.

Hours are 8 a.m. to noon Dec. 5 at the center, 500 Hospital Drive Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pet adoption drive scheduled in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a ribbon cutting for the Yoga Junkie Studio.

The event starts at noon Dec. 4 at the studio, 2225 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview.

The organization's next Business After Hours event is also planned. It is 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 at Legacy Insurance, 301 Ferdon Blvd. N., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview chamber announces ribbon cutting, Business After Hours

DESTIN — High school sophomore Lauren Long has reached a milestone at the Destin Library.

Long — who has volunteered since May, 2015 at the library — reached 100 hours of service on Nov. 12.

"Lauren's accomplishment is a landmark and has been achieved by only 1 percent of the 200-plus students who have provided community service to the library since 2003," said Will Rogers, Destin's Reference and Youth Services librarian.

Long has provided a variety of support to library staffers and programs offered to the public, including:

●the 2015 summertime children's reading program

●the fall 2015 computer workshop brochure production

●responsibility for selected library collections maintenance

●shelving, decorating for the annual children's Halloween Parade

●one-on-one assistance to patrons of all ages

"Lauren's dedication to exemplary service at our community library is a model for other young adults to strive toward," Rogers said.

Long — the daughter of Charles and Michelle Long of Crestview — was presented with a certificate of appreciation and letter of acknowledgement for her service Nov. 12.

Young adults interested in earning community service credit for Bright Futures Scholarships or other service programs can contact the Destin Library at 837-8572.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview student logs 100 volunteer hours

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association and the city of Crestview seek recipes for their centennial cookbook.

These types of recipes will be accepted through Jan. 31:

●Appetizers and beverages

●Condiments, dips and jellies

●Breads and rolls

●Vegetables and side dishes

●Main dishes and meats

●Casseroles

●Seafood

●Cakes and cookies

●Desserts

You can submit recipes in person, online or by email.

Drop-off points are Coastal Bank and Trust, 1139 Industrial Drive; the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive; and Hart Printing, 284 N. Main Street, all in Crestview.

Email them to 100.year.recipes@gmail.com; or go to www.gandrpublishing.com, log in with username 100.year.recipes and password crestview. The web account number is 35745.

Cook book sales will benefit the Main Street Crestview organization.

Contact Patti Gonzo, 582-6353 or manager@mainstreetcrestview.org, for more information on the project.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview centennial cookbook submissions wanted

NICEVILLE — Blackwater Review, Northwest Florida State College's annual journal of literature and art, invites you to start the holidays at "The Merry & Blue Poetry Room."

A variety of local published poets and writers will perform their best seasonal works — both merry and blue — at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 in the McIllroy Gallery at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center on NWFSC's Niceville campus.

In addition to readings, there will be sweets, hot drinks, books to browse and a few door prizes.

Contact Deidre Price, priced@nwfsc.edu, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Holiday-themed readings scheduled at Northwest Florida State College

GAINESVILLE — Dec. 3 marks the second annual day for "Dining In" for Healthy Families across the United States.

The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension faculty encourages everyone to enjoy a nutritious meal with those close to them.

"Not only are family meals important for spending quality time together and building relationships, research shows that eating meals together contributes to healthier dietary patterns," said Linda Bobroff, a UF/IFAS nutrition and health professor. "When they frequently share family meals, people tend to eat more foods that often are limited in the American diet, like fruits and vegetables.

"They also get more of the nutrients that are not provided in adequate amounts in many people's diets. These include fiber, calcium and iron, and vitamins C, E, B₆, B₁₂ and folate, all of which are critical for good health."

Some families find eating together difficult because of scheduling conflicts, including school, work and extracurricular activities, said Karla Shelnutt, an associate professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences.

She offers these suggestions for increasing the frequency of family meals:

• Make them a priority.
• Increase meals by one extra meal each week.
• As a family, plan a menu for the week.
• Let children get involved in preparing the meal.
• Turn off the TV during meals.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwest Florida: 'Dine in' Dec. 3 for better communication, nutrition

The recreational harvest season for snook closes Dec. 1 through Feb. 29, 2016 in Gulf state and federal waters, including Monroe County and Everglades National Park.

The harvest reopens March 1, 2016. Snook can continue to be caught and released during the closed season.

This and other regular season closures are designed to help conserve the species during vulnerable times such as cold weather.

Atlantic state and federal waters will close Dec. 15 this year through Jan. 31, 2016, reopening to harvest Feb. 1, 2016.

Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on "Saltwater Fishing" and "Recreational Regulations" for more information on snook.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Snook harvest season closes in the Gulf

CHIPLEY — Drivers can expect these traffic changes as crews perform construction activities:

●Alternating lane closures on U.S. Highway 331 across the Clyde B. Wells Bridge in Walton County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, Thursday, Dec. 3 and Friday, Dec. 4. Crews are placing concrete for the new bridge.

●Lane closure on State Road 189 (Beal Parkway), between Clifford Street and Yancy Drive: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Friday Dec. 4. Crews are removing and replacing the curb and sidewalk.  

All activities may be delayed or re-scheduled if there is severe weather. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Traffic Report: 2 Okaloosa, Walton lane closures scheduled