CRESTVIEW — Air Force  Airman Lajonte D. Watson graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed eight weeks' training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills.

Basic training graduates earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Watson earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is a 2017 graduate of Crestview High School.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Watson graduates from basic military training

CRESTVIEW — There was a lunchtime wait staff with guns at the Crestview McAlister's Deli Jan. 29, and at the end of the three-hour shift, a trio of Crestview police officers participating in a Tip-A-Cop fundraiser earned nearly $500 for Special Olympics Florida.

Customers kept Officers Wanda Hulion, Sam Kimmons and Terry Mace busy cleaning tables, fetching drink refills and napkins, and occasionally assisting McAlister's professional waitstaff in carrying large orders to tables.

"I don't mind at all," Hulion, who had come in on her day off to raise money for Special Olympics, said as she brought customer Kathy Herzog extra napkins. "My only other job before becoming a police officer was being a waitress. It comes back real fast."

"What excellent service," Herzog said as she presented Hulion a $5 bill in exchange for the napkins. "Special Olympics is such a great cause, so this was a good excuse to come here for lunch."

For Officers Kimmons and Mace, the busy environment of a workday lunch crowd at the new restaurant provided a sense of what waitstaff at eateries throughout town have to contend with.

"It gets hot back there," Kimmons said as he and Mace emerged from the kitchen after cleaning a batch of dishes and trays they'd whisked off of tables.

"They're working out OK," McAlister's General Manager Kat Gonzalez said of her temporary waitstaff in blue. "We're glad to be part of this."

Outside in the parking lot, customers got to check out the police department's rescue vehicle, joined by McAlister's staff members who, their ranks temporarily supplemented by the police officers, grabbed a few minutes to look over — and climb inside — the mammoth truck.

At the end of the three-hour shift, the officers had received $470 in tips, while volunteers with the Crestview Citizens Police Academy Alumni organization sold Special Olympics T-shirts and ball caps at a table near the entrance.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Tip-A-Cop boosts Special Olympics

CRESTVIEW — This Bulletin Kid learned a little about Chinese culture at the Crestview Public Library.

Laurel Hill residents Nathan Smith, age 3, and his mother, Ashley Smith, visited the library earlier this month.

Have a cute photo of your kids out and about? They could be our next The Bulletin Kid! Email a photo with your child's name, age, hometown and a description of the action to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: A Chinese lantern maker

CRESTVIEW — OneBlood Center is having a Valentine's Day blood drive.

Donors can give blood or platelets at any OneBlood Donor Center from Feb. 9-14.

They will receive a OneBlood long-sleeved T-shirt and a $10 e-gift card, and a wellness check-up including a cholesterol screening.

Local OneBlood donation hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Monday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at 2400 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite B, Crestview. Free wi-fi is available.

Visit oneblood.org/locations or call 1-888-936-6283 for more locations, hours or to make an appointment.

Generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood. Photo ID is required. 

To learn more about the importance of blood donation and how donors can target the power of their blood type visit oneblood.org.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Valentine's Day blood drive scheduled

CRESTVIEW — Italian restaurant Vitaliano Pizza, Pasta & More will open in Crestview sometime next month.

On the menu will be Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a brick oven, homemade pastas such as lasagna, tagliolini with meat sauce, spaghetti with clams and gnocchi.

There will also be classic Italian recipes, including veal and chicken cacciatore, tiramisu and panna cotta.

“Our favorite dishes are the authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas and the homemade lasagna, the tagliolini and gnocchi,” said owner Giuseppe Vitagliano. “We always use fresh ingredients with high quality.”

A native Italian, Vitagliano said he moved to California with his wife and daughter in 2012 before moving to Crestview last July.

“We love this country,” Vitagliano said. “The sea and the beaches are beautiful like in Italy, the people are so friendly and the schools are good for our 8-year-old daughter.”

When asked why he chose to open an Italian restaurant in Crestview, he said because the city could use an authentic Italian restaurant.

The restaurant — 398 E Hickory Ave, Crestview — will open in February. They are planning to hire four to five servers and dishwashers.

Vitagliano will also be the chef and master pizza maker. He worked as a chef in his family’s restaurant in Asti, Italy since he was 12.

Vitagliano’s wife, Daniela, will manage the restaurant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Italian restaurant to open next month

Millions of Americans will be glued to the television Sunday to watch the 52nd Super Bowl. Millions will not be watching for various reasons. Some are not interested in football. Some will have something else to do. Others are tired of the National Football League. Others are disappointed in multi-million dollar players kneeling during the National Anthem.

Millions will watch to see if Tom Brady can win his sixth Super Bowl ring. Millions more will hope that the Philadelphia Eagles will eke out a win against Brady and the New England Patriots.

It seems that the majority of American football fans are weary of Brady and the Patriots winning Super Bowls and are more than ready to see someone else walk out with the victory. However, with Brady and the Patriots, you can never count them out of the game until the game is over. Brady knows how to lead a team back to victory.

Last year I was cruising through Super Bowl 51 thinking the Atlanta Falcons had the game won. At one point, the Falcons had a 25-point lead! Midway through the third quarter, Brady and the Patriots trailed 28-3 and looked defeated, but came back and won the game 34-28, stunning the sports world.

Typically, Americans root for the underdogs. We love to see the mighty fall. We often resent and even hate successful people. Thus, the Patriots and Brady won't have the majority of Americans rooting for them Sunday and Brady will probably be the most hated player on the field.

But why would any of us hate Tom Brady? What do we want from this guy? Do we want him to be a loser? He's not a loser. The idea behind playing sports is to do your best and help your team win the game. Tom Brady does his best and leads his team to championships. New England fans love him. Brady is a 40-year-old sports super hero. After all these years, he has seemingly escaped major injuries or brain trauma.

Brady showed the kind of guy he is with his response on a routine WEEI interview on Boston radio to announcer Alex Reiner calling Brady's 5-year-old daughter an "annoying little pissant." Brady responded by saying, "I've tried to come on this show for many years and showed you guys a lot of respect. I've always tried to come on and do a good job for you guys, so it's very disappointing when you hear that, certainly — with my daughter or any child, they certainly don't deserve that." 

Brady ended the interview saying, "I'll obviously evaluate whether I want to come on this show again, so I really don't have much to say this morning. So maybe I'll speak with you guys some other time."

Reimer and his radio co-host were discussing "Tom vs. Time," the documentary series about Brady that premiered on Facebook. Reimer said, "All right, I thought the first scene was so staged, where Brady's like in the kitchen, this kid's being an annoying little pissant…"

Reimer has been suspended indefinitely and Brady, taking the high road, said that he hoped the radio personality would not be fired.

Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl starts. His record is five wins and two losses.

His two-year $41 million contract is an annual average of $20.5 million, which makes him the 12th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. He has thrown for 66,159 yards and 488 touchdowns. He is already considered one of the best to ever play in the National Football League. Winning Sunday will solidify Brady as the best to ever play the game, putting him in the ranks of sports legends such as Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Mohammed Ali, Jack Nicklaus and others.

Winning will probably gain Brady a few more haters but history won't care much about the stats of how many people rooted against Brady.

If Brady wins his sixth Lombardi Trophy, history will be all about the greatest who ever played the game — and who will be able to argue? 

Sources: Recent television reports; Google: Tom Brady's Stats, SBNation.com, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post

Glenn Mollette is an American syndicated columnist and author. 

What’s your view? Write a letter to the editor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Who could hate Tom Brady?

Editor's Note: In the coming weeks, the News Bulletin will explore the challenges and discrimination the deaf community often faces.

To begin this series, we met with the Rev. Mark Ehrlichmann, director of the Agency for Deaf Advocacy and Services in Crestview and board member at Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

What would you like the hearing to understand about being deaf?

First and foremost, deaf people can do anything but hear. We are truck drivers, doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers, businesses owners, scientists, counselors — the list goes on. 

Second, we deserve respect as a community and for our language, American Sign Language. It is the fourth most used language in the U.S. 

Third, simply talk to us; listen. We want your friendship and want to help in any way we can to improve our community together. We struggle to feel included in everyday communication because this world is audio-centric. 

It is time to learn that not all people need sound to live and work. We need visual communication to be a part of this society and you need visual communication, also.

What do the hearing need to know about the deaf community?

Our numbers increase every year due to the excessive use of loud electronics and technology and veterans returning home with war-related hearing loss. About 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents. We are everywhere.

Also, don’t assume that someone who doesn’t respond is ignoring you. Consider they may not have heard you. Look at a deaf person when speaking and not at your computer or note pad. Listen to what the person says. Learn a few words in sign language. If you can, learn to say, “Hi, my name is ________. Interpreter is coming soon.” Learn to say thank you to a deaf customer. That would help a lot.

Be ready with a pen and paper for the deaf person to use. Please understand that ASL is a completely different language from English with different grammar and word order. ASL users may not understand what you write and may not be able to write well enough to make themselves understood.

Can you tell me a little about your organization?

We are a non-profit, community-based social service agency serving the deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals who work with deaf people in the northwest panhandle of Florida. The mission of ADAS is to provide social services, resources, advocacy and referrals to other services for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals who work within the deaf community.

We aim to be highly visible and well known in our communities and for people to become fully aware of our services.

Who do you advocate for/what kinds of cases do you consider?

We advocate for deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, anyone with hearing loss, including military veterans and for hearing people who take care of deaf children. 

Issues faced by our clients range from denial of communication access, inadequate resources to help with communication access, discrimination regarding employment or interview opportunities, mentoring on self-advocacy and understanding of ADA rights, education of service providers on their responsibilities in providing access, as well as understanding how to interact with deaf and the impact of hearing loss on communication. 

Our area of advocacy focuses on the educational, medical, legal, law enforcement and correctional systems. 

What makes you passionate about helping the deaf community?

Personal motivation to empower other deaf and hard of hearing individuals to have equal access to communication, so that they may be able to achieve their dreams. 

My own experiences motivate me, as well as the heartache and anger at seeing oppression and discrimination occurring simply because the world does not understand or respect hearing loss on the same level as vision loss.

When did you receive a cochlear implant and how did it affect your way of life?

I received my right cochlear implant in March of 1999 as treatment for a debilitating, life-threatening condition called Tinnitus. The implant saved my life and allows me to work and live in gratitude. I do have a left implant but it is not being used because the cochlea nerve does not function well enough to benefit me. 

The implant is very subjective technology and cannot be seen as a standard fit for all. I encourage families and individuals to research fully all available resources for appropriate measures to assist in their own goals for communication access.

What are some ways the hearing can increase their awareness about the deaf community?

Listen to understand.

If someone requests that you look at them, please look at the person and not the computer screen, notepad or some other device.

Please don’t ignore a deaf person. Often people only pay attention to the person who is speaking and ignore the person who is writing a note with critical information.   

Also, please have some patience. The deaf person in front of you is just as important as anyone else. Take the time to write a note or call for an interpreter.   

Is there anything you'd like to add? 

Technologically speaking, it would be great if there were public videophones in certain areas like hospital or clinic waiting areas and emergency rooms, grocery stores, schools and college campuses, police stations, malls, etc. 

It would also be beneficial to add visual text to public address systems wherever they are used, including transit systems, buses, trains and air travel. 

Any televisions in public areas should automatically have captions on. All internet video content should have captions or subtitles; movie theaters should have captioned movies at all times.

This is about equal access to information. Without access, there is no freedom to make informed decisions about life or work activities, and in emergency situations, it's a matter of life and death.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Deaf advocacy leader seeks 'equal access to information'

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on nonprofit organizations that improve North Okaloosa County residents’ quality of life.

CRESTVIEW — Deb and Steve Lubas are working to provide cold weather gear for local homeless people.

The Lions Club members dropped off a package of 20 to 30 hats, scarves and gloves a few weeks ago at the Helping Hands homeless ministry in Crestview, and will turn in another shipment this week.

Steve said his wife, who works for the U.S. Air Force, joined the Lions Club two months ago.

"We did a drop-off about two or three weeks ago. And we're actually doing a drop-off again of hats, scarves, sweaters, gloves. We're trying to see what other needs there are so we can meet the homeless shelter needs in Crestview."

Over 20 people received a hat, scarf and blanket from the first donations, and the Lubass turned in more donations in mid-January.

The Lubases have crocheted scarves and hats for the effort; their fellow Lion, Charlotte Jones, crocheted scarves.

Contributors also include Crestview residents Deb Broxson and Doris Sandvass; Margie’s Sew Much Fun of Crestview, which donated sweaters, socks and knitted hats; Mildred Heaton Real Estate of Crestview, which donated slacks and sweaters; Deb Lubas's sisters, Lorry Moody of Washington, who spun yarn and crocheted hats, and Trudy Woodruff of Mississippi, who crocheted hats and scarves; and unknown Crestview donors who provided blankets.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE 

To help, donate new or gently used hats, gloves, scarves, coats, blankets and socks to Project Warm collection boxes in Crestview.

Locations include Hub City Smokehouse & Grill, 168 Main St. S.; Pic-N-Sav, 310 James Lee Blvd. W, Crestview, U.S. Highway 90 W.; and Tractor Supply Co., 320 James Lee Blvd. W.

Companies or organizations who wish to have a Project Warm box placed at their location may contact Deb Lubas, greenhalghdj@cox.net.

Note: This article has been updated to correct Steve and Deb Lubas's last names.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lions Club member's 'Project Warm' helps homeless

NICEVILLE — The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries' first exhibition of 2018 is "America — the Dream of an Artist’s Life," featuring the works of Emil Holzhauer.

The exhibition is on view in the McIlroy and Holzhauer Galleries through March 2, and a public reception honoring the artist and his work is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the galleries, located at Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd., Niceville.

Local author Dr. Audrey Edwards will be on hand to sign copies of her book, "Emil Holzhauer: The Portrait of an Artist." Light refreshments will be served.

Throughout 2017, 50 works from the Northwest Florida State College Permanent Collection were on loan from the Arts Center Galleries to the Museum und Galerie im Prediger in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, the birthplace of artist Emil Holzhauer.

The works were shown there as part of a trilogy of retrospective exhibitions honoring Gmünd’s most famous artistic exports, all of whom made their names in United States: Holzhauer, Emanuel Leutze and Regina Baumhauer.

"America — the Dream of an Artist’s Life" celebrates the return of Holzhauer’s paintings to Niceville. Accompanying the show in the Corridor Gallery are recent gifts to the Holzhauer Collection, some of which are on public view for the first time.

Since 1967, Northwest Florida State College has worked to preserve the artwork of painter Emil Eugen Holzhauer (1887-1986).

The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 90 minutes prior to most MKAC Mainstage performances. The galleries are always free to visit.

Contact Gallery Director K.C. Williams, 729-6044 or williamk@nwfsc.edu, for more information about the galleries or the reception.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWFSC sets reception for Holzhauer artworks

On Feb. 4, the eyes of most of the country — and much of the rest of the world — will be on Minneapolis, site of Super Bowl LII.

As a fan, you can admire the way Super Bowl quarterbacks direct their teams. But as an investor, you can learn something from the big game by putting together your own team to help you achieve your financial goals — and you may find it helpful to have your own "quarterback."

Who should be on your team? Your financial strategy will involve investments, taxes and estate planning, so you will likely need a financial advisor, a tax professional and an attorney.

Ideally, your financial advisor — the individual with the broadest view of your financial situation — should serve as the quarterback of this team. And, just as a quarterback on a football team must communicate clearly with his teammates, so will your financial quarterback need to maintain consistent contact with the other team members.

Let's look at a couple of basic examples as to how this communication might work.

First, suppose you are self-employed and contribute to a Simplified Employee Pension IRA. Because your contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, the more you put in, the lower your taxable income. (In 2018, the maximum amount you can contribute is $55,000.)

Your financial advisor can recommend investments you can choose from to help fund your SEP IRA. Yet you will want your financial advisor to share all your SEP IRA information with your tax professional.

When it's near tax-filing time, your tax professional can then let you and your financial advisor know how much room you still have to contribute to your SEP IRA for the year, and how much you need to add to potentially push yourself into a lower tax bracket.

Now, let's consider the connection between your financial advisor and your attorney — specifically, your attorney handling your estate planning arrangements. It's essential that you and your financial advisor provide your attorney with a list of all your financial assets — IRAs, 401(k)s, investments held in brokerage accounts, insurance policies and so on.

Your attorney will need this information when preparing your important legal documents, such as your will and living trust — after all, a key part of your estate plan is who gets what. But it's imperative that you and your financial advisor convey some often-overlooked details that can make a big difference in the disposition of your estate.

For example, your financial advisor might suggest that you review the beneficiary designations on your IRA, 401(k) and life insurance policies to make sure these designations are still accurate in light of changes in your life — new spouse, new children and others.

These designations are meaningful and can even supersede the instructions you might leave in your will or living trust. Consequently, it's important for you and your financial advisor to share this information with your attorney.

It can be challenging to meet all your financial objectives. But with the right team in place, and a quarterback to help lead it, you can keep moving toward those goals — and you might cut down on the "fumbles" along the way.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Put a trusted 'quarterback' on your financial team