CRESTVIEW — A hidden gem in the heart of Crestview is entering it’s fifth year on Main Street.

With spring officially here since March 20, the Common Ground Community Garden is in a state of transitioning out of fall and winter crops and into the new season. They’ve already started moving seedlings outside in anticipation of transplanting them.

Since it began, the garden has been an outlet for people from all walks of life to work together on a community-level project. The garden allows members of the community to come in and work a small plot, or multiple plots of land, regardless of skill level, ability or even income.

“We want money to never be an impediment for somebody starting to garden with us, and so we’ve got all the hand tools, gloves, seeds, seedlings,” Director Cathy Ward said. “It’s a really neat project because somebody can not know anything and not have anything and not be able to afford anything and we can help them get started.”

The garden holds regular workdays on Tuesdays starting at 9 a.m. After the work is done, they get together for a potluck-style picnic lunch, which usually incorporates ingredients picked right from the garden. Anyone is welcome to attend the lunch, which can be a way to learn more about the garden.

It can also be a place to earn community service hours, whether those hours are part of a program like Bright Futures or other civic-minded organizations, or they are mandated by the court system.

Ward said the garden has had people who started working in the garden as part of their community service who stayed on when their service period was up, and that working the garden has been a positive force in their lives.

“When you plant seeds, you don’t know what the yield will be,” Ward said. “It’s that way with people, too. Working in the garden can be planting a seed in their life and it may blossom into something lovely and productive.”

Ward is especially eager to get children involved in the garden. The garden recently hosted an event for kids that involved activities like rock painting, and of course, working in the garden.

“It’s a perfect place to bring kids to teach lessons,” Ward said. “It’s a perfect thing to engage kids. It’s just a great enrichment activity.”

Much of the produce grown in the garden ends up at the Okaloosa County Farmers Market. The market is open from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Crestview location is at Old Spanish Trail Park.

Esther Phelps, one of the gardeners who is involved in the farmer’s market, talked about the diversity of the gardeners.

“We have a lot of different skill levels here,” Phelps said. “People come from everywhere. We hardly have anyone who was born and raised here. We have to adapt to our community as best we can.”

The garden is a non-profit run by volunteers, and like any non-profit, it relies on donations to stay afloat.

“We’re not going for government grants,” Ward said. “We’re doing this on a shoestring budget to show that it can be done on a shoestring. We’re trying to mix it up and do this in ways that conserve money and resources.”

Ward has worked with six other community gardens both locally and in other states to help get them up and running. She said most of them have come out to see the garden in action.

“I think every city should have several,” she said.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Planting seeds in lives

CRESTVIEW — Have you ever looked at a map of Crestview’s city boundaries? It might look a little peculiar.

If you were to drive north on Highway 85, the city limits would begin to run alongside the left of the highway at the start of the Shoal River Bridge. You would not enter the city limits until you were in front of the auto dealerships just north of Riverwood Drive. You would then exit the city limits at Stillwell Boulevard before re-entering the city limits in front of Crestview High School. Finally, you would end up back in the county after crossing Airport Road.

The line between city and county affects everything from emergency services to infrastructure to the ability to vote in municipal elections. Strangely-shaped city outlines are not rare, especially in Florida where the city limits are determined mainly by voluntary annexation, but Crestview looks more extreme than some of its neighbors.

Voluntary annexation means that land owners must petition the city government to make their piece of land part of the city. It happens often with new or proposed subdivisions, as developers will apply for annexation to take advantage of the benefits of being within city limits.

“There are many reasons why developers want to build in the city and why people want to live in the city," Crestview Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard said, "utility services, potable water, sanitary sewer, storm water retention and maintenance; life safety services such as fire and police protection, which can also factor into homeowners' insurance savings."

The way the boundaries are drawn creates an unusual dynamic. Aside from the example of driving along Highway 85, City Council President J.B. Whitten offers an even starker example.

“(Police Chief) Tony Taylor walks out of the police station and he’s on city property,” Whitten said. “If he walks over to the back of CEFCO, he’s on county property. As he’s crossing (highway 85), he’s back on city property.”

Emergency services

Even in the middle of what most would consider to be Crestview, you might find yourself in an unincorporated area of the county. For example, if you lived on Garden Street – which runs just south of Crestview High School – and you had an emergency, Crestview Police might show up at your door, while your next-door neighbor would get a visit from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

“The irregular boundary and the inconsistency of adjacent parcels being city and county has caused concern for the emergency service providers,” Gaillard said. “However, most calls are address-related, and the service providers work diligently in maintaining up-to-date address and roadway records coupled with the latest GIS/GPS equipment.”

Infrastructure

Traffic is a well-known problem in Crestview, and solutions are slightly complicated by the fact that key road sections cross over city and county lines. Part of the proposed improvements centering on an interchange at Interstate 10 and Antioch Road is the development of Raspberry Road. While most of Raspberry Road runs through the city, a short stretch in the middle of it is on county property.

The situation forces the city and county to work together on solutions to traffic problems. Whitten and County Commissioner Graham Fountain have both said that the two entities are now working together well to resolve these issues.

Municipal Elections

If you ever decide to run for city council or even mayor, you might want to double-check that map to make sure you actually live in the city first.

The neighborhoods north of Stillwell Boulevard are in the county, as are most of the areas off John King Road. If you live in the Lee Farms subdivision west of town, you’ll need to think about running for county commissioner instead, even though the neighboring subdivisions to the east and west are both located in the city.

The same idea applies to voting. The city charter, which defines Crestview’s three voting precincts, states that qualified electors must come from inside the voting precincts of the city limits.

For a local example of this, look no further than Laurel Hill where city councilman Johnny James was found in 2015 to reside outside the city limits. He was forced to step down until his property, which was adjacent to Laurel Hill’s borders, was formally annexed into the city.

Getting into the city

Florida’s voluntary annexation laws do give people the option to become part of a city under certain conditions. First, your property must be adjacent to the current city limits. If your property shares a boundary with the city, you meet this first requirement.

Second, you have to own the property to be annexed. If there are multiple owners of a property, they all have to sign the petition. This becomes complicated in the case of subdivisions outside city limits, where a certain percentage of the homeowners have to be on board with the annexation plan.

After that, the petition is submitted to the city council for annexation and rezoning. If your property meets all the requirements and is approved by the city council, you can officially become part of Crestview.

“It’s really an easy process,” Gaillard said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City or County: Where is the line?

PENSACOLA — This was the fourth game of the 2017-18 Subway High School All-Star Series.

The West Girls defeated the East Girls 79 to 67. The East Girls MVP was forward Amber Leggett of Choctaw High School with 13 points. The West Girls MVP was guard Lauren Walker of Washington High School with 10 points.

The West Boys defeated the East Boys 109 to 87. The East Boys MVP was guard Marquis Jackson of Choctaw High School with 10 points. The West Boys MVP was guard Blake Lewis of Pine Forest High School with 17 points.

The East won the All-Star Volleyball Game Nov. 16 on four sets to two. The East defeated the West Dec. 16 in football 34-28 in overtime. On March 1, the East Girls defeated the West 9 to 1, and the East Boys Defeated the West 1 to 0.

The remaining game of the 2017-18 Subway HSAS is baseball and softball June 7 at the University of West Florida.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Both West teams win in 2018 Subway High School All-Star Basketball Games

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa Walton Career Source continues its series of mini job fairs locally 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive.

Positions available include store associates, machinists, cooks, servers and runners; equipment operators, engineering technicians, police deputy, laborers, production technicians and customer care agents.

Participating companies include Lowe's, Tom Thumb, Reliance Test & Technology, BAE Systems, Fudpuckers, iQor, the Crestview Police Department and Jerry's Concrete & Site Contractors.

Job seekers can:

•Meet prospective employers.

•Complete online applications and provide resumes.

•Put a face with their applications.

•Complete any required assessments on the spot.

•Request follow-up interviews.

Internet access, copy machine and assessment tools will be available to facilitate on-the-spot hiring.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Local job fair features Lowe's, Tom Thumb, other employers

FORT WALTON BEACH — Health Rankings published by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which study community factors that are influencing health, ranks Okaloosa County number 18 of 67 counties in Florida. The opportunity exists for Okaloosa to move up in the rankings by decreasing the number of premature deaths in our communities.

"In 2011, Okaloosa ranked 9th and now we are a mid-ranking county at 18, which isn’t bad – but we can do so much better," exclaimed Dr. Karen Chapman, Director, DOH-Okaloosa. This study, along with the five-year Community Health Assessment, is what motivates members of the communities of Okaloosa to focus on decreasing infant mortality, smoking, injury deaths and teen births, as well as decreasing alcohol and drug abuse.

The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County (DOH-Okaloosa) recognizes the value in measuring health outcomes and acknowledges the 2018 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps tool released by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These rankings use data related to physical environments, social and economic factors, health behaviors and clinical care, much of which is available from the department at www.FLHealthCHARTS.com.

DOH-Okaloosa works in collaboration with local governments, non-profit organizations, health care facilities, business groups, schools, faith-based organizations and many other stakeholders to improve the health of all people in Okaloosa County. In Okaloosa County, the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is designed to address specific opportunities for improved health that have been identified by the community. Six new CHIP groups plan to tackle a variety of public health concerns over the next five years including preventing injuries, decreasing drug use, improving infant mortality, strengthening families, promoting healthy lifestyles and developing mental health and substance abuse solutions. 

Ardelle Bush, Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition of Okaloosa and Walton Counties said, "We began working together with our community partners in 2016 and developed a ‘Recipe for a Healthy Baby.’" The recipe included four ingredients: breastfeed your baby, safe sleep for baby, never shake a baby and quit nicotine for the baby.

Members of this group are as committed today as they were in 2016, and now have presentations, print materials and most importantly, they have a Safe Sleep Nursery modeling a safe sleep environment that travels throughout the county to promote safe sleep and prevent suffocation, the primary cause for an infant’s death. The Safe Sleep recipe uses the memorization device ABC: Alone, baby on its Back and in a Crib, never sleep with your baby.

"We are getting the message out and this group continues to work tirelessly to have an impact, as it is truly a labor of love," Bush said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Health department addresses county health rankings

CRESTVIEW — Triple B is coming up fast, and the smell of barbeque will soon fill the air over Old Spanish Trail.

The 14th annual Blackwater, Bands and Barbeque Cookoff will take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 24 at Spanish Trail Park.

There are currently five barbeque competitors signed up to participate in the event: Ranch House Kitchen, Pigstickers, Smokin’ Hot Wheels, Cook’s Portable Smokehouse and Two Brothers BBQ. Dino Sinopoli, president of the Triple B Committee, says he expects to have about eight competitors signed up in time for the festival.

The People’s Choice award will be returning this year with specially designated lines at participating barbeque vendors. The new line format will ensure people don’t have to wait in the full service lines to get the $1 samples.

“We’re going to have two lines so you’re not spending forever in a line to get a sample,” Sinopoli said. “We should have helium balloons that identify which ones are in the People’s Choice.”

Not all of the barbeque competitors will be participating in the People’s Choice competition, but Sinopoli says at least three competitors are already signed up. People’s Choice sample tickets will be sold for $1 each but will be more limited in supply this year to avoid overselling. In previous years, too many tickets were sold and competitors ran out of supplies.

Competitors can still sign up for the full competition until Wednesday, March 21. After that, they will be charged an extra $25 fee.

This year, a beer garden will be part of the festival for the first time. It will be in a separate area from the rest of the festival, and no alcohol will be allowed to leave the beer garden area.

“There are wristbands, and [attendees] are going to be carded whenever they buy beer or anything like that,” Sinopoli said.

Bands registered so far include New Earth Army, Schatzi & the String Boffin and Still Standing, an Elton John tribute band.

As in previous years, there will be plenty of vendors attending the event, including non-barbeque food vendors, local businesses and political organizations. Crestview Fire Department and Crestview Police Department will also be there to offer family-friendly activities.

Weather was a big concern for last year’s festival. Forecasters predicted rain for the day of the event, but it ultimately held off. This year, the forecast is looking brighter.

“The weather is going to be perfect,” Sinopoli said. “It’s going to be 76 degrees … mostly sunny forecast, so it couldn’t be any better than that.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B festival coming this weekend

CRESTVIEW — Another food truck is set to open in downtown Crestview this week.

Lao-Thai Xpress will hold a soft opening 11 a.m. March 22 in the Main Street Eats food court. It will add to the diverse range of options along Main Street, joining Megan’s Sunshine Café and Café Rico in the food court.

The owners, Hatsady Siriphokha and Phonpheth Navong had been catering for friends and family and decided to start the business after they got rave reviews.

“They liked the food so much that they asked us to cater it,” Navong said. “Our neighbors and friends enjoy the food, so we are taking the chance to see how many more would like and enjoy the food as well.”

Lao-Thai Xpress will offer a range of dishes including Pad Thai noodles, stuffed chicken wings and homemade Lao sausages. The eatery will also offer Vietnamese Pho on Fridays.

“We wanted to bring more food choice into our city of Crestview,” Navong said. “We moved here a year and a half ago due to the Army, and we have been to places that have many different types of food from all cultures.” 

Editors’ Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Tony and Manolo's was one of the food trucks at Main Street Eats.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New food truck offers Thai, Laotian cuisine

CRESTVIEW — A local business is offering to match the fees for adopting pit bulls.

Flex Fitness is running a promotion starting this week that will send a matching amount to a shelter for those who bring in proof of a pit bull adoption. The promotion also offers a free six-month gym membership for those who adopt a pit bull.

“If you come in and you adopt a pit bull, we’ll basically refund it back to the shelter so they can help the next dog that comes in line,” owner Daniel Foster said. “So basically if you’re adopting a dog, you’re helping to save two.”

Foster opened the gym in August 2017 in Northview Plaza in Crestview. Aside from running the gym, he has been working with multiple rescues and shelters in the area to help pit bulls find the right homes.

“The gym itself, we named it Flex Fitness after our pitbull, Flex,” Foster said.

Foster’s goal is to encourage people to adopt pit bulls and help educate them on how to raise the dogs responsibly. He said he is concerned about how the breed is portrayed and that the negative public perception is due to the way some owners treat pit bulls.

“They’re so over-bred. They’re so over-neglected, fought, misunderstood,” Foster said. “We want to help their image a little bit in any way possible.”

Flex Fitness will also be holding an adoption event on 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 at the Crestview location. This adoption event is not specifically for pit bulls but will be open to all breeds of dogs.

H.E.A.R.T Animal Rescue of DeFuniak Springs will bring in dogs from their shelter for adoption. Kids will also have an opportunity to meet the Easter Bunny and have their picture taken at the event.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview business to help pit bulls find homes