CRESTVIEW — A beloved senior citizen and town fixture says she enjoys riding a tricycle that numerous residents bought her.

Sara Reese, known as "Ms. Sara," often travels Crestview streets using just her walker. She frequently wears a neon shirt that says, "Please don't hit my back."

But now when she wants to travel down North Ferdon Boulevard, or otherwise get around town, she has an alternative.

Sixty-three Crestview residents raised $1,660 in two months on GoFundMe to purchase a new tricycle for Reese.

Before, Reese would have to hang groceries and other things on her walker. 

Her new, pink set of wheels has more storage, with a basket in the front and one in the back. In addition, the tricycle features a canopy embroidered with, "Sara." 

"I love it," Reese said. "It makes it a lot easier" to get around.

But don't expect Reese to entirely give up walking.

"It's good for my heart," she said.

<<Read more about 'Ms. Sara' in 'Related Content' at the left

Watch video of Ms. Sara on her bike>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview's 'Ms. Sara' loves her new tricycle (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Gulf Power recently recognized its 100,000th residential customer in the company's central district.  

The customers are Floyd and Leah Nash of Crestview.

Their new home is all-electric and was built by Robert Fisher Signature Homes.

Joining in the celebration were Bernard Johnson, Gulf Power District general manager; Crestview Mayor David Cadle; homebuilders Bob and Mary Fisher; homeowner Leah Nash; builder Bobby Fisher; and Okaloosa County District 1 Commissioner Wayne Harris.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview couple named Gulf Power's 100,000th residential customer

CRESTVIEW — Like Crestview itself, the city’s annual Fall Festival is growing. This year’s event will be the biggest ever, Main Street Crestview Association organizers say.

The six-block-long event on Oct. 31 will stretch from the Okaloosa County Courthouse south to Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Main Street manager Patti Gonzo said.

“There will be numerous food booths and lots of booths with games and candy for the children,” she said.

Gonzo said this is the first year the festival has extended south of the railroad tracks.

The expanded venue has encouraged participation from South Main Street businesses, including Hub City Smokehouse and Grill, which will offer free play with its new knocker balls, the giant, inflatable balls in which people can roll around, Gonzo said.

Fall vegetables from the Common Ground Community Garden will be available across from Hub City Smokehouse and in front of the H&R Block office.

Sponsors include Okaloosa Gas District and attorney Brandon Stewart, whose practice will offer free popcorn.

Pawsitively Scrumptious will host a pet costume parade, and sponsors for the Halloween costume contest are

Children's costume contest sponsors include Bill Parker, Attorney at Law; Ashley Rogers, Brian Corlew and Michael Hamby, of Chesser & Barr Attorneys; and Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Donuts mascots Sprinkles the donut and Cuppy the coffee will be present. 

A skillet toss contest will held on the courthouse lawn.

Editor's Note: The Oct. 21-23 edition erroneously stated that Okaloosa Title and Abstract was among these sponsors.

What: Main Street Crestview Association Fall Festival

When: 1-6 p.m., Oct. 31

Where: Main Street, from the courthouse south to Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Crestview

Cost: Free

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Fall Festival expands

CRESTVIEW — Nikita Ottosen has conquered the National Strongman Competition in Quad Cities, Iowa.

What is she going to do next?

Represent the United States in competition at the Arnold Sports Festival, scheduled for March 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio, according to the event's website.

"The festival has expanded into the world’s largest multi-sport fitness weekend since 1989, when it debuted…," arnoldsportsfestival.com states, noting actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger co-promotes the event.

Ottosen, a Crestview resident, qualified for the event after competing in the Oct. 2-3 National Strongman Competition in Quad Cities, Iowa.

She performed in these events:

●Log clean and press: 155 pounds for total repetitions in 60 seconds

●Conan’s Yoke Front Carry: 60 feet, 350 pounds

●Farmer’s Carry: 190 pounds, each hand, for 60 feet

●One-armed Circus Dumbbell press: 90 pounds; one-armed deadlift: 145 pounds; and medley for reps in 60 seconds

●Sand bag sprint: 30 feet loading on a 3-foot platform; 120 pounds, 140 pounds and 160 pounds

Ottosen finished fifth in the middle weight (140-160 subdivision) class. She placed 14th overall in the middle weight (140-180) class out of 37 female competitors.

Ottosen — who trains with her coach, Stephen Schiff at Militia Fitness in Crestview — qualified for Nationals earlier this year during the Alabama’s Strongest Man competition in Gulf Shores.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview weightlifter is Ohio bound

FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County Master Gardeners' fall plant sale is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24.

All proceeds from the sale — held at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Annex, 127 W. Hollywood Blvd., Fort Walton Beach — benefit the Master Gardeners' community education programs.

Event organizers recommend coming early to the event — which includes a white elephant sale — for the best selection.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Master Gardener plant sale this weekend

CRESTVIEW — Area residents can have their personal documents shredded on site, give blood, or both during ERA American Real Estate's Shred It event.

The Crestview event is 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 938 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview. Call 682-4822 to schedule your appointment.

Other ERA Shred It events are as follows:

●10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 8006 Navarre Parkway, Navarre.

●3-5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, 409 John Sims Parkway, Niceville.

●3-5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 1270 Eglin Parkway, Shalimar.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Blood drive, paper shredding event scheduled in Crestview

PENSACOLA — Author Kathleen Vestal Logan will sign copies of her new book, “Women’s Wisdom: Pass It On!” at 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

The book is a “how-to guide” for life — applying the author’s hard-earned lessons to women's everyday struggles.

“My intent is to generate helpful conversations among women so we can share lessons learned and wisdom gained,” Logan said.

The author hopes the book can serve as a trusted mentor to women who might lack supportive figures in their lives.

“Many chapters were prompted by personal experiences,” Logan said. “Others started as ideas for discussions at Angel’s Garden Gift Shop, here in Pensacola, which I’ve held since 2010.”

Logan has spent a lifetime helping others cope with their struggles. While working toward a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling, she wrote her thesis on the emotional toll of military deployment on the wives of service members —  an interest spurred by her own experience as a military wife.

Through the years, her passion for helping others led Logan to a career as a college professor and workplace counselor and, eventually, an inspirational speaker and writer.

Logan teamed up with a friend in 2006 to write her first book, “Second Blooming for Women: Growing a Life that Matters after Fifty."

She has since spoken to small and large groups — including Angel’s Garden — and contributed regularly to women’s publications throughout the United States.

Logan’s new book is a natural sequel to “Second Blooming,” the author said.

“Younger women asked for a book that would prepare them for the future, too,” she said. “My hope is that ‘Women’s Wisdom: Pass it on!’ partially fulfills that request.”

WHAT: Kathleen Vestal Logan book signing

WHEN: 2 p.m. Oct. 24

WHERE: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 1200 Airport Blvd., Pensacola

ONLINE: www.womenswisdompassiton.com

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Author, inspirational speaker sets book signing

CRESTVIEW — A nationwide study positions Crestview as among the top cities in America to find work as a waiter or a waitress.

Crestview ranks 26th out of 396 cities to work as a waiter, according to a new nationwide study.

ValuePenguin, a New York-based research firm, studied data across three metrics — median salary, cost of living and location quotient — for its study.

See the full results at http://www.valuepenguin.com/2015/07/best-cities-waiters.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview among top places in America to work as a waiter or waitress

FORT WALTON BEACH — Legal Services of North Florida honored over 75 area attorneys for their contributions to providing pro bono legal services for those who cannot afford legal representation throughout parts of North Florida at their Pro Bono Recognition event, Wednesday at the Compass Rose in Valparaiso.

The event recognized volunteer attorneys from throughout Okaloosa, Walton, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties during the nationally recognized Celebrate Pro Bono Week and was hosted by LSNF and the Okaloosa County Bar Association in partnership with the Walton County Bar and the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Associations.

 “These individuals are being honored because of their extraordinary contributions and commitment to providing pro bono legal services on behalf of poverty level citizens,” said LSNF’s Executive Director, Kris Knab. “It is through their dedication that we are able to ensure there is hope and justice for all in our community.”

 Guest Judge, The Honorable Gary Lee Bergosh, Circuit Judge of the 1st Judicial Circuit and recently appointed Chair of the Florida 1st Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, presented awardees with the 2015 Pro Bono Challenge Coin. Also honored was Kenneth L. Brooks Jr., Esq., who received the 2015 Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for the 1st Judicial Circuit.

“It was my honor to present these attorneys with the recognition they received tonight,” said Judge Bergosh. “Pro Bono work is an important aspect of practicing law and is an important service to our community.”

Crestview honorees are Commissioner Nathan D. Boyles, S. Thomas P. Hoffer, Ryan M. Mynard, Connie Ray Roper, William Timothy Shaffer, Mark Henzler Welton, Jacob Dorman Wingard, Jr., and Susan Jeanne Winterberger.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview attorneys recognized for pro bono services

CRESTVIEW — For more than 60 years, Crestview-based Tom Thumb Food Stores has been a fixture in the northwest Florida community.

Boasting 109 area locations, the company proudly serves more than 3 million customers per month, offering a wide range of convenience items like gasoline, snacks, groceries, cold refreshments and fresh hot chicken.

Later this year, the company will embark on a new chapter in its storied history—the retail wine and spirits business.

On Thursday, company executives announced plans for a new drive-thru liquor store concept, to be located adjacent to their existing convenience store on Highway 85, south of Interstate 10.

The all-new, stand-alone “Tom Thumb Liquors” location will feature more than 2,500 square feet of retail space, as well as a drive-thru window lane for added convenience.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to bring a new destination to adult beverage consumers in the north Okaloosa area,” said company Vice President, Trey Powell. “We pride ourselves on responsible retailing and believe we are well-positioned to serve adult beverage consumers with Crestview’s premier selection of spirits, craft beers, and fine wines,” he added.

Tom Thumb Liquors, which is expected to open in late November, will feature more than 2,000 globally sourced items, including:

• Fine wines from both Europe and the Americas

• A full complement of spirits including vodkas, whiskeys, rums & cordials

• A ten-tap growler station affording both 32 & 64 oz. growler fills

• Dozens of local and regional craft beers, as well as a “Pick 6” sampler program

• Premium hand-rolled cigars and tobaccos

• Beverage mixers and related accoutrements; lottery, ATM, and ice

“The investment in Crestview comes against the backdrop of our ongoing remodel efforts, numerous digital signage and equipment upgrades, and a host of other store improvements to our existing portfolio,” said Powell. “We continue to reinvest in the communities we serve, and have proudly served for more than 60 years,” he added.

In addition to the liquor store concept, the company also formally announced its first convenience store location in the Shalimar area. Located at 1101 Eglin Parkway, the Shalimar store is expected to open sometime in early November. It will feature traditional convenience items, hot foods, a large walk-in beer cave and eight gasoline fueling positions.

A grand opening celebration is scheduled Nov. 7.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Tom Thumb to open drive-thru liquor store in Crestview, add Shalimar location