Lake Stone Receives Community Pride Award
June 26, 2013
The Century Area Chamber of Commerce has awarded the June 2013 Community Pride Award to Lake Stone.
Lake Stone Campground is a 100-acre campground and boat ramp facility located at 801 West Highway 4 in Century. The campground has 77 campsites for everything from big RV rigs to tents. Recently updated to accommodate the more modern and much larger RV’s, Lake Stone is the Escambia County’s only facility located on a fresh water lake.
Lake Stone facilities include a boat ramp , indoor public use pavilion, a playground, showers, restrooms, a fishing pier, security lights, electrical and water hookups, a sewage dump station, picnic areas and the lake.
The Lake Stone pavilion or campsites can be reserved by calling the Lake Stone campground manager at (850) 256-5555 or Escambia County Parks and Recreation at (850) 475-5220.
Pictured top and bottom: The Century Area Chamber of Commerce June 2013 Community Pride Award was presented to Lake Stone. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Pictured inset: Lake Stone caretaker Dennis Cole receives the award from the chamber’s Don Ripley (courtesy photo).
High Flying Reading: Blue Angels Pilot Takes Part In Molino Storytime
June 25, 2013
It was high flying storytime Monday at the Molino Branch Library as the No. 2 Blue Angel shared his own stories and read a couple of books to a large crowd.
LCDR John Hiltz, a Blue Angels pilot since September 2011, told the children how he came to love flying — and reading. He read a couple of books to the children, and even played “airplane” and lifted off a couple of children.
The Blue Angels are participating in community events like storytime at the library after being grounded for the season by the federal government’s sequester. Hiltz, like his fellow pilots, doesn’t know when they’ll get the green light to perform in air shows again. The pilots are currently getting individual flight time in the F-18, but there’s no practicing those high flying stunts that have made the Blue Angels world famous.
Once they get the budget go ahead to fly again, the Blue Angels will have to get in a lot of practice hours before their first air show.
“It’s going to be up to us to look ourselves in the eye and say we are ready,” he said. “Right now all we are getting is elementary flying. But the Blue Angels don’t do elementary flying.”
Hiltz knows Blue Angels air shows are expensive, but there’s a lot of return on the investment.
Special storytimes will continue with a member of the Blue Angels at area libraries as follows:
- Wednesday, June 26 at 10:30 A.M.,: Main Library, 239 N. Spring St.
- Wednesday, June 26 at 2:30 P.M.,: Century Branch, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
- Thursday, June 27 at 10:30 A.M.,: Tryon Branch, 1200 Langley Ave.
- Saturday, June 29 at 2:30 P.M.,: Westside Branch, 1580 W. Cervantes St.
- Tuesday, July 2 at 10:30 A.M.,: Southwest Branch, 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy.
Groups of 20 or less are invited to contact their favorite library to inquire if seating is available for attendance at this very special Blue Angels storytime event.
Pictured top: LCDR John Hiltz,, pilot of the No. 2 Blue Angels plane, gets a little help with a story that pointed out humans have arms, not wings. Pictured inset: A little high-flying blast off with a young reader. Pictured below: Monday’s storytime at the Molino Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Solari, Wainwright Elected To District FFA Posts
June 24, 2013
Courtney Solari, president of the Northview High FFA Chapter, was recently elected at the 85th Florida FFA State Convention to serve as the 2013-2014 District I president. Logan Wainwright, 2012-2013 president of the Milton High FFA Chapter and former Northview student, was elected to serve as District I secretary.
Florida FFA District I includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington counties.
Pictured top: Florida FFA District 1 President Courtney Solari (left) and District I Secretary Logan Wainwright (right). Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Nature Photography Contest At Century Care Center
June 23, 2013
The residents at Century Care Center held their own Nature Photography Contest last week.
Most of the photographs were taken around the Century Care courtyard, and they were judged by staff and resident photographers. First place went to Carolyn Moye (top), second place to Clarice Simmons (left) and third place to Mittie Allen (below).
Other photographic entries are below.
Healthy Summer Series: Happy, Healthy Travel, Making Smart Choices
June 22, 2013
The following article from our “Healthy Summer Series”, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health, takes a look at summer travel and healthy choices.
Happy Trails Can Be Healthy Trails: How to Make Smart Choices While Traveling
No matter your level of pre-vacation excitement, we can all agree on one thing—traveling is exhausting. But just because an 8-hour flight or seemingly endless drive may make you feel like you just ran a marathon, it’s important to remember that you didn’t. It’s no secret that vacation is a dietary and exercise wasteland, where healthy routines fall by the wayside and indulgence becomes the rule, not the exception. Cruise buffets, long layovers, and afternoons by the pool sipping calorie-laden cocktails are the recipe for a dietary disaster, and after a draining family reunion or eventful exotic adventure, the last thing you want is to rejoin the real world tasked with working extra hard to shed those extra vacation pounds. The solution? The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reminds you that a little planning and a few healthy choices can go a long way to making your vacation healthy without taking away any of the fun.
Sometimes It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination
When we think of over-eating on vacation, we think of hitting the aforementioned cruise buffet for thirds or indulging in dessert after every meal. Remember, you needn’t only watch what you eat at your vacation destination, but also mind your food choices as you journey there. A long layover or road trip pit stop will, more often than not, land you in fast-food mecca. Swap by-the-slice pizza stands and sinfully sweet coffee shop bakeries for homemade snacks. Add baked apple chips, trail mix, crackers and other healthy favorites to your packing list so you can skip the fast food and munch on healthy options instead. Check out easily portable healthy snack recipes from Livestrong as you plan your trip. http://www.livestrong.com/article/408585-healthy-homemade-snacks-on-the-go/
Take Advantage
Find yourself at a hotel with a fitness center or swimming pool? Take advantage. Regardless of pace, walking a mile burns about 100 calories. Get on the treadmill and cover some ground before you hit the hay, or go for a swim if running isn’t your thing. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person weighing 160 pounds who swims for an hour burns about 423 calories, an amount that can go a long way in cancelling out extra calories consumed throughout the day. Staying at a relative’s for a couple of days? Offer to walk their dog or lend a hand with calorie-burning housework, such as gardening. If you fall victim to a cancelled or delayed flight, strap on your backpack and stroll the airport to reap some health benefits from an otherwise unfortunate situation. Check out the calories burned by these activities and more on Mayo Clinic’s website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109.
Sit Less, Move More
Fitness-friendly vacations are in, and DOH invites you to join the trend and change it up this summer. Have a beach trip planned? Go snorkeling, take lengthy walks, or challenge your kids to a swimming contest. Going camping? Make time for a hike or get a bike rack so you can hit the trails on wheels. Is sightseeing in your future? Explore the city on a bike tour or on foot. If you’ve got kids in tow, get them moving too! Check out this guide from Nemour’s Kids Health to plan a kid-friendly, activity-filled vacation that will make staying fit a family affair: http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/active_vacations.html#
Drink Up
Before digging into that shrimp cocktail, make sure to pour yourself a tall glass of H20. Drinking water is a dieter’s best friend, and a helpful tool to keep from over-indulging on vacation. A study released by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that adults who drank a large glass of water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories in that meal. That amount of calories may not sound like a lot in the grand scheme of caloric intake, but the same study revealed that cutting out those extra calories at lunch and dinner can lead to a 14 pound loss in a year. To read more from the Academy, visit: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442468394.
Soak It All In, Write It All Down
Ever look back and wish you’d recorded great memories with family and friends? A travel journal will not only keep good times alive, but can help you remain conscious of your choices too. Jot down funny moments and descriptions of beautiful scenery, as well as the day’s meals and activities. Logging food and exercise each day will help you make smarter decisions tomorrow. If you decide to keep up this habit after vacation has come and gone, check out some advice from the Cleveland Clinic on how to keep a food journal that will make a true difference in helping you reach your health goals: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/weight_control/hic_keep_a_food_journal.aspx
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
The equation for a healthy weight is a combination of diet, exercise and…sleep? That’s right. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a good night’s rest on vacation will do more than keep you relaxed. Catching a few extra zzz’s can control your hunger, deter unhealthy late-night snacking, and repress cravings for high-carb, high-calorie options. Waking up rested may eliminate the need for creamer-filled coffee or a sugary energy drink, and may give you the energy you need to squeeze in a vacation workout. Read more on this Harvard study here: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/sleep-and-obesity/
Eat Out, Just Eat Smart
We all know that restaurants are a dieter’s greatest downfall. Reserving a condo with a kitchenette is a great way to save money and calories on vacation, but if you do eat out, just remember to eat smart. Check out restaurant menus online and decide what to order before arriving so you aren’t influenced by another’s choice. If you get a hefty portion, ask for a box early into your meal so you can save half for later. Mix and match: if you’re getting dessert, get a light entrée, or indulge in that pasta dish and skip the cheesecake. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has great tips for eating healthy while eating out, check them out at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/weight-management/better-choices/eating-out.html#overcome Vacation is, after all, about having a good time. Sample local cuisine in moderation and give yourself a cheat day, take naps and lounge by the pool, but be smart about food and activity so you take a vacation from the daily grind, not from a healthy routine..
NorthEscambia.com’s “Healthy Summer Series”, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health, will take a weekly look at issues aimed at keeping your Florida summer safe and healthy.
Growing Together: Carver Community Center Kids (Part 2)
June 22, 2013
The children and youth from the day program at the Carver Community Center have wrapped up their “Growing Brunch” series with the staff from UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County.
(This is the second part of this story. For part one, click here),
Along with Carver Community Center Director Marilyn Robinson, the children have taken part in lessons this week related to nutrition, preparing healthy food, water resources, insects, livestock, discovering where food originates, and healthy choices for the youth of Century.
In addition to visiting local farms earlier in the week, the students visited Sigafoose Dairy. Boyd Sigafoose, in the dairy business since the 1950’s, explained the milking process, milk handling and transportation to the children. They also had the opportunity to meet a newborn calf.
(story info continues below each photo)
Above: Carver Community Center program participants meet a newborn calf at Sigafoose Dairy.
Above: Jamie Spiker taught knife handling skills and had the youth practice on cheese that they later used as a snack with whole wheat crackers.
Above: Allison Meharg brought live rabbits so youth could learn how to take care of small animals. The youth then made a rabbit craft.
Above: Participants also prepared a healthy snack by using whole wheat tortillas, salsa, and other ingredients to create a soft taco.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Tomato Pests
June 22, 2013
June is prime time for growing tomatoes here in Escambia County, but it’s also the best time to see a lot of pests in tomatoes that can totally ruin a crop. To help you figure out what’s “bugging” your tomatoes, here’s a quick rundown of some of the pests that you might see in your garden.
Silverleaf Whitefly
The adult silverleaf whitefly is small, approximately 1/16 of an inch in length, and has powdery white wings held tent-like while at rest over a yellow body. Whiteflies are usually found on the undersides of leaves. Eggs, which are yellow and football-shaped, are attached upright by a tiny stalk inserted into the lower leaf surface.
A mobile first instar (growth stage), or crawler stage, hatches from the egg and settles on the leaf. It then develops through immobile second, third, and fourth instars which look like semi-transparent, flat, oval scales. The fourth instar or “pupa” is more yellow and more easily seen without the aid of a hand lens, and typically has very distinct eyespots, and is referred to as a “red-eyed nymph.”
As the plant grows, leaves bearing the maturing nymphs are found lower down on the plant, so older nymphs can be found by looking at older leaves. Whiteflies ingest sap from the plant vascular system (phloem) through stylets similar to those of aphids and, like aphids, process a relatively large volume of plant sap by excreting excess liquid in the form of a sugary substance called honeydew. The honeydew will result in sooty mold—a black, powdery looking substance that reduces photosynthesis in the leaves. Sometimes the nymphs will feed on the fruit and that will cause white tissue on the inside of the fruit walls.
Aphids
Aphids are soft-bodied, sucking insects that can rapidly colonize plants due to their short life cycle.
Adults are delicate, pear- or spindle-shaped insects with a posterior pair of tubes (cornicles), which project upward and backward from the end of the abdomen and which are used for excreting a defensive fluid. In Florida, winged and wingless forms are all female and give birth to living young (nymphs). Nymphs are smaller but otherwise similar in appearance to wingless adults, which they become in 7 to 10 days.
Heavy aphid infestations may cause stunting and leaf distortion. Feeding on blossoms reduces fruit set. Sooty mold will grow on the honeydew that the aphids excrete. Aphids may also spread plant viruses.
Brown and Green Stink Bugs and Leaf-footed bugs
Like aphids and whiteflies, true bugs are sucking insects. True bugs can be recognized by their front wings, which are leathery close to the body but membrane-like at the tips.
Nymphs resemble adults in shape but are often colored differently and do not have fully developed wings. Stink bugs are green or brown shield-shaped bugs 1/2 to 2/3 of an inch long. Eggs are barrel-shaped and found on the undersides of leaves in masses of 10 to 50.
Leaf-footed bugs are dark-colored true bugs with parallel sides. Eggs are metallic and ovate but somewhat flattened laterally and laid in clusters. Some leaf-footed bugs lay their eggs end-to-end in a single row or chain along a stem or leaf midrib. Nymphs are oblong in shape and red in color, especially on the abdomen.
Nymphs and adults of both stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs suck juices from green fruit leaving a puncture which later may become surrounded by a discolored zone due to invasion of secondary pathogens. Stink bug feeding punctures are often surrounded with a lightened, sometimes depressed, blotch beneath the fruit surface caused by the removal of cell contents and the enzymes injected by the bug. Leaf-footed punctures may cause fruit to become distorted as they enlarge.
Tomato Hornworm
There are many caterpillars that can feed on tomatoes but the tomato hornworm can strip a plant of leaves in a few days.
The adult moth is large with mottled brown forewings that are longer than the lighter brown hind wings. The sides of the abdomen have five yellow spots on the sides. The female moth will lay eggs on the upper and lower surfaces of leaves. The adult moths are nectar feeders on many flowers and may be seen in the early evening around gardens and flowers.
The emerging caterpillars will feed on leaves and go through several molts as they develop into large green caterpillars with a black ‘horn’ on the tip of the abdomen. Caterpillars are also identified by the white or yellow ‘V’ marks on the sides of the abdomen. When it is time to pupate, the caterpillars drop to the soil and make a cell for changing to the adult moth. The pupa is reddish brown and has a loop structure at the head that contains the mouthparts. There are normally two generations of tomato hornworm a year and as late summer arrives, the hornworm goes through a resting phase.
Other plants in the tomato family can be eaten by tomato hornworms but tomatoes are the favorite in our area. The caterpillars will eat entire leaves and initially work their down on the plant, eating leaves, blossoms, and even green fruit. Because they blend in with green foliage, a homeowner will often overlook the caterpillar despite its large size.
Hornworm does have natural enemies so be cautious before reaching for the insecticide. They can also be easily handpicked and destroyed after you find them.
For further information, contact the Escambia County Extension office, (850) 475-5230.
Escambia Solid Waste Employees Win At Equipment Rodeo
June 21, 2013
Three Escambia County Solid Waste Management Department employees were recognized Thursday night by the Escambia County Commission.
The trio represented Escambia County at the Solid Waste Association of North America Battle on the Bay Road-E-O, held in St. Petersburg back in April.
Winners were:
- Dennis Rigby, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor – First Place Award, Mechanic
- Paul Steve Dutton, Equipment Operator III – Third Place Award, Heavy Equipment – Track Dozer
- Gary Gunn, Equipment Operator IV – Third Place Award, Heavy Equipment – Compactor
Pictured top: Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Dennis Rigby of Walnut Hill received a first place award in mechanics at a recent solid waste rodeo. Pictured below: Gary Gunn, Paul Steve Dutton and Dennis Rigby at Thursday night’s Escambia County Commission meeting.
Growing Together: Carver Community Center Kids Learn About Food Production
June 20, 2013
About 50 children, ages 5-14, in a summer education series program at the Carver Community Center in Century are learning a lot about food this summer.
UF IFAS/Extension Escambia County Agents have teamed up with Carver Community Center Director Marilyn Robinson to offer lessons related to nutrition, preparing healthy food, water resources, insects, livestock, discovering where originates, and healthy choices for the youth of Century.
On Wednesday, youth, chaperones and Extensions agents set out on a small farm tour to get up close and personal with food production.
Near Walnut Hill, James Earl and Blaire Hall shared information about their black Angus operation and James Earl and Tucker Hall’s watermelon patch. Unfortunately, Hall’s watermelons are not ripe just yet, but the kids still learned about subsurface drip irrigation, the importance of bees and pollination in watermelons, and how to produce tasty watermelons.
James Earl Hall also shared how livestock producers care for their animals and ensure herd health. One ambitious volunteer allowed himself to be placed in a cattle catch chute so the group could learn what it’s like for cattle to visit the doctor.
After a lunch at the Oak Grove Community Center, the Carver Community Center kids visited Matt’s Produce in Byrneville where the kids saw tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, green bell peppers, yellow banana peppers, and cayenne peppers growing on plastic with subsurface drip. They were also invited to pick fresh blackberries, and try blueberries fresh off the bush.
Many of the children at the Carver Community Center also received free shoes Wednesday as part of the Soles4Souls program.
Above: Fresh veggies at Matt Carter’s Farm near Byrneville.
Above: Learning about a cattle operation with James Earl Hall.
Above: Making a healthy snack.
Above: Enjoying fresh parfaits.
Above: Learning about a worm farm.
Above: Working with the younger children in the program.
Above: Many children at the Carver Community Center received free shoes Wednesday through the Soles4Souls program.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Brook, Gardener Attend National Leadership Forum In Arkansas
June 19, 2013
Two North Escambia students attended Harding University’s 57th annual National Leadership Forum in Searcy, AR, recently. Attendees were Taylor Brook from Northview High and Graham Gardener from Tate High.
Brook was sponsored by the Pensacola Civitan Club as a delegate to the forum, which is presented by the University’s American Studies Institute.
More than 200 young people from five states attended this year’s National Leadership Forum. Harding University, with an enrollment of over 6,000, is the largest private university in Arkansas.