CRESTVIEW — The American Red Cross and Winn-Dixie's “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” community donation program this month allows customers to make in-store donations for flood victims.

Donations will be accepted through May 20 at Panhandle stores including those in Crestview, 1326 N. Ferdon Blvd., DeFuniak Springs and Niceville.

Okaloosa and Walton counties are eligible for FEMA's individual and public assistance following the April 30 flooding. Counties and municipalities can seek reimbursement for expenditures and mitigate damage, a county spokesperson said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Red Cross, Winn-Dixie partner for disaster relief efforts

Did you know the Crestview Public Library has a Skype computer for customer use?

Skype allows users to speak with friends and family over the Internet. You can phone other users who have Skype at no charge, and you can make conference calls including up to 25 people.

Imagine the possibilities!

Have a job interview out of the area? Why not request a video interview and use our Skype computer.

Keep in touch with your spouse or relatives overseas with a click of the video button on Skype's website. The software is easy to use; just create a password and know the phone number of the person you want to contact.

To access the library's Skype website, present your library card at the front circulation desk and ask to use the Skype computer.

We'll loan you a laptop computer and show you to a private tutor room, where you can access the webpage and begin your communication.

Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Communicate with relatives, business associates worldwide with Skype

CRESTVIEW — Friends of two Crestview High School alumni who died in a weekend car accident hope a youcaring.com account can offset expenses for the men's families.

The accident  happened just before 7 p.m. May 11.

Jason Crozier, who was 27, and Ricardo “Ricky” Rodriguez, who was 28, were heading back to Alabama, where they live and work.

Crozier was driving east on Interstate 10 near the DeFuniak Springs exit when his 2005 Acura drifted into the grassy median, according to the Florida Highway Patrol media release. He overcorrected, traveled back across the eastbound lanes and overturned into the treeline.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene, the release said. Neither was wearing a seatbelt, according to the report.

Go to www.youcaring.com and search for their names to make a donation to their families.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Loved ones raise funds for CHS alumni's families

Carlis and Foye Jackson, lifelong Baker residents, are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

The couple were married May 15, 1954 by the justice of the peace in Crestview.

Carlis and Foye have two daughters, Myra Ricketts (and son-in-law Steven) of Austin, Texas, and Janet Jackson of Destin; and an “adopted” son, Mike Golles of Crestview.

They also have two grandsons, Logan Ricketts and A.J. Ricketts, both of Austin; great-grandsons, Josh, Aiden, Brodie, Trip and Elliot; and countless other family and friends.

The News Bulletin publishes north Okaloosa County residents' “Special Occasions”— birth, centenarian, engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements— at no charge. We may edit submissions for length and style.

Call 682-6524 or email news@crestviewbulletin.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SPECIAL OCCASION: Baker couple celebrates 60 years of marriage

Tami Kidd, who leads the Crestview Writers Group, has achieved much as a published author in such a short time.

Originally from Mountain Pine, Arkansas, she started a new life in the Florida Panhandle with her two teenage children in 2001. She was hired as a technical writer for a defense contractor, but always enjoyed writing on a personal level.

So she pursued it.

And after taking a Northwest Florida State College creative writing class in 2010, what once was a private hobby soon became a shared passion.

Awards and inspiration

Tami experienced tragedy with her young son, Richard's, sudden death in December, 2006.

A poem she wrote as a tribute to him, "I Thought I Saw You," won first place in the 2011 Baldwin Writers Contest, in Baldwin Ala. It has been included in the college’s "Blackwater Review" and "Collected Words from Writers of the Southern Coast."

In 2010, Tami took the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge and wrote 50,000 words from Nov. 1-30.

The challenge laid the groundwork for her novel, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie," published in 2012.

Tami works full time but makes time to write, and says she has her husband, daughter and sister's encouragement and support.

Her love of the mystery genre and portrayals of strong female characters are major factors in her character-driven work, and she gains inspiration from life experiences, she said.

Writers unite

Writing has been a unifying force, Tami said. She has met many friends through the writing community and hopes to encourage others to pursue their dreams of becoming a published author.

And that's become more realistic with this year's establishment of the Crestview Writers Group, which regularly meets the fourth Monday of each month.

The library will be closed on Memorial Day, so the next meeting — scheduled for 6-8 p.m. June 23 — will feature guest speaker Laurie Allen, who will discuss “showing versus telling.”

As for Tami, she's working on the "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" sequel, and hopes to have it released late this fall.

WRITERS: WANT A REVIEW?

If you would like a critique of your written work, drop off a hard copy at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview,or email it to Tami Kidd, tamilynnkidd@gmail.com. (Limit to 10 pages.)

Marie Garcia is the Crestview Public Library's assistant director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Life experiences inspire local author, new writers group's leader

CRESTVIEW — Residents living off Meadow Lake Drive, near Clyde Reese Pond, want repairs for the damaged roadway, which they say is a hazard for motorists.

The private road, between Beach Community Bank and Hot Spot Cigars and Coffee, has been steadily eroding, according to Shelton and Angelia Junger, who have lived in Meadow Lake subdivision for 12 years.

"There are about 20 to 25 families in our neighborhood," Angelia said. "All of us are worried about it."

Shelton, a retired mechanical supervisor with 50 years' construction experience, contends that broken asphalt and clay potholes come from Hot Spot's recently added water retention pond.  

"The water is seeping through (pond's barrier)," he said. "The water has softened the clay up under the road, and now it's just mush."

Steve Lancaster — who, with his wife, co-owns the cigar and coffee shop — said he contacted the engineer responsible for the pond as soon as he heard about the problem.

Meadow Lake's age and lack of storm water drainage have contributed to its deterioration, Lancaster said.

"There is nowhere for the (rain) water to go," he said.

And the recent floods compounded the problem.

Angelia is concerned about commuter traffic, including school buses. The road's current condition could lead to traffic incidents.    

"With the holes there, people could get stuck," she said. "We want to make sure this is taken care of … this needs to be fixed."

Shelton said he has contacted county officials, but they could not comment on matters involving private property.

Lancaster said he is willing to work with nearby residents to find a solution.  

"We are neighbors; we have to work together," he said.

Angelia is determined to see a solution.

The road will be repaired one way or the other, she said.  

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitteror call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa private road's erosion raises public safety concerns

CRESTVIEW — Placing the McMahon Environmental Center's retired fire watch tower on the National Historic Lookout Register could facilitate obtaining grants to restore the structure as part of center refurbishments.

City Councilman Mickey Rytman, who supports preserving the tower, said he investigated including it on the national registry as a concerned citizen, not in his official council capacity.

"All I did was nominate it and the outcome was we are now on the registry," Rytman said.

Rytman's fellow council members were surprised by his report during Monday evening's council meeting.

"We were discussing taking the tower down but now it is on the National Historic Register," Councilman Tom Gordon said. "Have we just tied our hands by joining this registry?"

City Clerk Betsy Roy said the National Historic Lookout Register is not a Department of Interior protected historic structures listing such as the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the registry's website, it is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Forest Service and the Forest Fire Lookout Association.

"It is an organization that basically saves fire towers and gives us the chance to participate in grants that they have," Rytman said. "It doesn't lock us into anything."

The Crestview Kiwanis Club has undertaken refurbishment of the park as a community service project.

Roy, a Kiwanis member, said the club considers the tower's placement on the registry "a good thing" and welcomes the possibility of restoration grant money.

"Nobody really wanted to take the tower down and this could be a way to preserve it," Roy said.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: McMahon Center fire tower placed on national lookout registry

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Housing Finance Corporation representatives are accepting online applications starting 9 a.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, May 15,  for the state's Hardest-Hit Fund Principal Reduction program.

Floridahomeowners who have remained current on their mortgages, but missed out on the opportunity to apply for the program last fall, will be able to do so later this week. Apply for free at the official Florida HHF Principal Reduction website for homeowners in all 67 counties.

“Since we first announced that the Florida Hardest-Hit Fund would implement a Principal Reduction program for homeowners who have remained current on their mortgages, we have been able to assist more than 2,400 homeowners with nearly $102 million,” said Steve Auger, executive director of Florida Housing.

“While our state’s housing market continues to recover, this is a second opportunity for those homeowners who did not apply last year to see if they may qualify for HHF-PR assistance.”

The program reached its goal of accepting 25,000 applications within one week prior to closing the application process last fall.

Florida Housing anticipates that online applications will continue until disbursements for qualified and approved homeowners near the $350 million in Florida Hardest-Hit funds approved by the Corporation’s Board.

As HHF-PR funding nears the allocation, Florida Housing will make public announcements approximately five working days prior to closing the application. Previous applicants who were deemed ineligible may have their applications re-evaluated by contacting their assigned HHF-PR Advisor and should not submit a new application.

The Florida HHF-PR program is designed to provide up to $50,000 to eligible homeowners who owe at least 125 percent more on their home than its current market value—commonly known as having a home that is “under water.”

Funds will be applied to reduce the principal balance of the first mortgage to lower its loan-to-value (LTV) to no less than 100 percent. The mortgage can then be recast (re-amortized) or refinanced to produce a lower monthly mortgage payment.

QUALIFICATIONS

The minimum qualifications a homeowner must meet to be considered for participation in the Florida HHF-PR program are as follows:

•Must be a Florida resident and a legal U.S. resident/legal alien, and occupy the property as the primary residence

•Must be current on the monthly mortgage payment—first mortgage payment cannot have been 60 or more days late within the past 24 months

•Must have purchased the home prior to January 1, 2010

•The unpaid principal balance for the first mortgage cannot exceed $350,000

•The loan-to-value ratio for the first mortgage must be more than 125 percent. In other words, home must be more than 125% “under water.”

•The total household income, including all persons age 18 years and older who live in the home, must be less than 140 percent of the Area Median Income.

Principal reduction program funds will be in the form of a 0-percent interest, forgivable loan that will be subordinate to current mortgages on the home. The loan can be forgiven over a five-year period, at a rate of 20 percent each year. For conventional mortgages, once HHF-PR funds are applied to the principal, the mortgage will be recast (the terms of the loans will remain the same, but the loan will be re-amortized).

If the borrower has a FHA, VA or USDA-RD mortgage, the mortgage will need to be refinanced within 180 days after closing on HHF principal reduction funds in order to receive the pro rata forgiveness.

If a refinance is not completed within the specified time, the principal reduction loan will be 100 percent forgiven after a full five years, with no incremental forgiveness.

Visit the website for more information or call the toll-free info line at 1-877-863-5244.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida Housing corporation re-opens Hardest-Hit program fund