CRESTVIEW — Students at The Southern Dance Company, a local studio, brought home several awards from the Irish Channel Feis competition Sept. 16 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Irish dancers Jane Taylor, Piper Hall, Rachael Bell, Kaylyn Converse and Logan Schulte, all of Crestview, placed and brought home medals, 10 of which were for first place.

"Our Irish dance program is a part of the Irish Dance Studio in Fort Walton, which also won big time [with 11 first-place awards] at [that] weekend's events," studio director and instructor Carissa Taylor, of Crestview, said.

She said "feis" is a Gaelic or ancient Irish term for a community gathering for competition in dance and other arts including baking, singing and drawings.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview dancers bring home wins

Here are upcoming Crestview Public Library-related events. The library's address is 1445 Commerce Drive.

AGES 0-2 LIBRARY CLASS: 9:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Crestview library. Topics: Oct. 6 and 13, Piggies; Oct. 20 and 27, Autumn and Halloween (wear non-scary costume if you like); Nov. 3 and 17, Thanksgiving; Dec. 1, On the Go; and Dec. 8 and 15, Christmas.

FIRST TUESDAY TALKS: 10:30 a.m. first Tuesdays at the library. Topic: Nov. 7, How to Love Your Wardrobe, by Anna Maria Garza, fashion designer and stylist.

AGES 3-5 LIBRARY CLASS: 10:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Crestview library. Topics: Oct. 10, airport field trip at Bob Sikes Airport (www.emeraldcoastaviation.com); Oct. 24 and 31, Autumn and Halloween (wear a non-scary costume on Oct. 31); Nov. 7 and 14, Giving Thanks; Nov. 28, On the Road; and Dec. 5 and 12, Wrap It Up.

FAMILY LIBRARY TIME: for ages 4 and up. Visit the library for details as the date nears. Here are other FLT Crestview library events.

• 5 or 6 p.m. Oct. 17 — Escape Room, 10 people per session. Register at the library to solve puzzles together.
• 6:30-7:15 p.m. Nov. 21 — Wild Things. Guess which wild animal left the waste. Dissect owl pellets.
• 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 — Noel Night. Music, makings and munchies.

READ TO DOZER: First Saturdays, 10-11 a.m.; for children ages 4 and up.

COFFEE & CRAFT: 10 a.m. second Saturdays, Crestview library. Call 682-4432 to reserve your spot.

TEEN TIME: 2-4 p.m. Fridays in the meeting room, Crestview library. Featuring Wii and virtual reality games, etc. For sixth- through 12th-graders.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: UPCOMING

CRESTVIEW — Two Crestview natives purportedly are the only siblings who simultaneously have become master taekwondo instructors.  

Paul and Nathan Carroll started training in martial arts when they were 8 and 9 years old, respectively. Now, 23 years later, they have seen that hard work pay off, achieving success as master instructors.

“It’s a good story for people to hear that two little boys start off as one with cerebral palsy and the other with ADHD, and then go on to stick with this taekwondo thing for this many years,” Paul said. “It’s a big accomplishment. It just goes to show you that if you stick with anything, and have the dedication and the perseverance… you can accomplish anything.”

According to Paul, the title of master instructor doesn’t just mean teaching taekwondo, but also means being an instructor of instructors.

“Your goal is not to just make great students, but to help teach people how to teach taekwondo,” Paul said. “It’s great to see your students come up and pursue their goals and become black belts and instructors, and we’ve got some that have titles as far as state champion, district champion — we even have a couple world champions.”

Paul teaches martial arts at Crestview ATA Martial Arts. Nathan is an instructor at an ATA school in Kansas City, Missouri, where he teaches more than 200 students and is a world champion in the special abilities division. ATA is the world’s largest martial arts organization with more than 1,500 schools across the world and more than 300,000 members.

“People [wonder] how something like [martial arts] can help a child with attention problems,” Paul said. “Both of us were kind of getting picked on, too. That’s actually the reason we started.”

Paul said their mother decided to sign them up for martial arts so they could defend themselves against a neighborhood bully, but they never realized it would change their lives.

“It’s funny how your passion and your dream changes over the years,” Paul said. “Everyone thinks martial arts is about fighting, but it's really a lot more than that. When we teach it in class, yes, they’re learning self-defense, but the biggest part of it is to have confidence. Simply having confidence and being able to look another kid in the eye that might be picking on you and being able to stand up for yourself sometimes is enough.”

Paul instructs 4-year-olds, adults and everyone in between. He said he has seen parents use martial arts as a reward for hard work in school, and that it helps with grades and behavior.

Paul also works with students with disabilities, such as autism or Down syndrome. He said the training helps instill confidence within them, and they can see that they are capable of anything. Paul said he enjoys seeing a student progress physically, but as an instructor, seeing someone progress mentally and as a person in general is the most rewarding aspect.

“It becomes a lot bigger than you in helping other people pursue their dreams and goals,” Paul said.

“It’s great to be able to do something you love and be like, ‘This is my job — are you kidding me?’”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'The biggest part of it is to have confidence'

CRESTVIEW — A number of Crestview News Bulletin readers wanted status updates on some local businesses, so we asked city officials for more information.

Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard confirmed on Sept. 29 that Chick-fil-A is still coming to Crestview.

The News Bulletin received an email Sept. 26 from a resident who heard that the "planned location … has hit a number of snags" and requested an update.

However, that's not the case, according to Gaillard.

"Not only is it on track — it's looking very good," she said. "I don’t understand why anyone would think that. Chick-fil-A has never had any snags with the city planners."

However, time is always a factor in business development, Gaillard said.

"Most people just do not realize how detailed commercial development is or how long it takes to get everything in place," she said. "The city’s process is pretty simple, not like the state’s and county’s."

When asked whether the Waffle House and the Sunset Auto car wash by Arby's, south of Interstate 10 in Crestview, were being torn down or closed, Gaillard said Waffle House is being remodeled, and a Popeye's restaurant will replace Sunset Auto.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Yes, Chick-fil-A is still coming — and more about local companies

CRESTVIEW — The Community Redevelopment Agency has decided not to renew their contract with Retail Strategies, the national marketing firm hired by the CRA to recruit businesses to the district.

The CRA hired the Birmingham, Alabama firm to bring retail and restaurants specifically to the CRA district; according to CRA Director Alisa Burleson, that has not happened.

Burleson said Retail Strategies has recruited two businesses to Crestview, neither of which will open within the CRA district. The contract between the CRA and the firm ends in October.

The cost of renewing the contract would be $30,000. Burleson said that if they were to renew, it would be contingent upon Retail Strategies only focusing on the CRA district. The problem is, she said, the firm focuses on larger corporations that don’t have a place within the CRA district due to building size and parking restrictions.

Burleson had another idea: to hire a firm or an individual that knows the area and the district. Burleson said the CRA should look into building partnerships with businesses such as the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, the Small Business Administration and the National Federation of Independent Business.

The ECAR will know who wants to come to the area, and recruiting businesses to Crestview would benefit them, as well, according to Burleson. The SBA could provide information and incentives, and the NFIB could provide seminars training individuals who are interested in opening their own business. There would be no contractual obligation to these organizations.

“These funds are better utilized doing things for small businesses,” Burleson said.

The board agreed.

CRA Commissioner Doug Faircloth said that the CRA still needs a marketing firm, but it should be someone who knows the area — and it should not cost $30,000. Commissioner Bill Cox said he is “less than impressed” with Retail Strategies’ performance, and that in their contract it said the firm is not required to give the Crestview CRA any face time during the second and third year of their agreement.

“For Crestview to thrive and grow, we need more mom-and-pop operations, not national chains,” Commissioner Shannon Hayes said.

Chairman JB Whitten agreed, and said that he didn’t enjoy the firm’s unfamiliarity with the location because there was no “personal touch.” The first year of the contract consisted of Retail Strategies conducting research on the area.

According to Burleson, the CRA can set up booths at retail conventions and recruit businesses just as Retail Strategies does.

Commissioner Ron Gautney made the motion to not renew the CRA’s contract with Retail Strategies; Cox seconded the motion; all board members were in favor. Joe Blocker was absent from the meeting.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CRA will not renew marketing firm contract

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce recently has experienced some restructuring.  

“Our chamber is being run 100 percent by our members and by our volunteers,” Christie Cadenhead, chair of the board, said. “Right now, we’re running our day-to-day operations just business as usual.”

The difference is that support for those operations is now entirely volunteer-based.  

“Yes … we have had employees in the past that no longer work with us, and while we work through this transition it is yet to be determined what the outcome will be as for future staffing,” Cadenhead said. “We’ve experienced some transitioning, but we are moving right along.”

Transitioning from employing a staff to all-volunteer efforts is among a number of changes in the organization, which promotes networking along with business growth.

Former President and CEO Valerie Lott, who served in her position since 2015, left the organization earlier this month; Tom Moody, the board’s president emeritus, now serves as interim CEO.

Sandra Wilson, the former membership and events coordinator at the chamber, left her position in late June for the Main Street Crestview Association, where she is the program manager.

“I’m not familiar with the changes or why they were made,” Wilson said referring to her former employer. “I’m with Main Street now; I got a great job … For me, the turnover was pretty seamless, and a great opportunity with Main Street.”

The chamber experienced an Aug. 27 fire that caused $200 in damage and investigators have treated as a possible arson and burglary; however, Moody is just as optimistic for the chamber.

“We are operating as normal,” Moody said. “We are doing some reorganizing, but our membership is good.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Chamber restructures with all-volunteer support

CRESTVIEW —CCB Community Bank has promoted Danny Smith to vice president of commercial lending.

Smith, with CCB since December of 2014, has worked in commercial banking for nearly 15 years with extensive experience in commercial underwriting, portfolio management and lending to small and middle market companies.

His primary focus is building long-term relationships by providing solutions to help meet the needs and goals of his clients. Loan products include commercial lines of credit, working capital loans, equipment financing, and commercial real estate loans.

The Boaz, Alabama native currently resides in Navarre. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Jacksonville State University and a Master of Business of Administration from the University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business.

Danny is an active member of the Niceville, Crestview and Navarre Chambers of Commerce. He is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Okaloosa and is a current participant in Leadership Santa Rosa’s Class 31.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Smith promoted at CCB Community Bank

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: Making pasta art and singing

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department and Dunkin' Donuts will participate in a Special Olympics Cops on Donut Shops fundraiser this week.

Officer Sam Kimmons and another CPD representative will work for tips and donations from 5-11 a.m. Sept. 29 at the store, 2408 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview. All tip and donation proceeds go to Special Olympics Florida.

The store is also celebrating National Coffee Day on Sept. 29, and customers who purchase a medium or larger sized cup of DD's signature hot coffee will receive an additional medium-sized hot coffee for free.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Special Olympics fundraiser is soon

CRESTVIEW — If you have an event you would like to submit, send your first and last name and information about the event to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this week in Northwest Florida