MSNBC’s ‘Lockup” Filming Show At Area Prison
August 12, 2011
For the first time in Florida Department of Corrections history, a television production crew will be filming inside a Florida prison for almost eight weeks with unprecedented access to inmates and staff who wish to participate.
44 Blue, the production company that produces the prison reality series “Lockup” for MSNBC, began filming at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton this week. Santa Rosa CI houses all custody levels of inmates along with a number of inmates with mental health issues.
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Buss worked with 44 Blue when he was the prison Commissioner in Indiana, and he felt the effort was worthwhile.
“I have no qualms about them coming into our prisons. I’m proud of our staff and how well our facilities are run, and I hope this will help Floridians understand the challenges we face with our inmate population, as well as the benefits prisons provide to their communities through our programs and re-entry efforts,” said Buss.
44 Blue’s film crew visited SRCI in July to scout the Santa Rosa CI location and interview inmates they may want to focus on. They will be filming during weeks in August and September. A staff member, Santa Rosa CI Lieutenant Andrew Williams, has been assigned to the crew full time and employees and inmates have been told they may opt out of being filmed. 44 Blue is paying a fee to cover the cost of the DC’s expenses.
“I am honored that Santa Rosa CI has been chosen for this opportunity,” said Warden Randy Tifft. “Our staff is looking forward to working with the film crew to showcase our inmate programs and what we do each day to protect the public.”
The series of shows is expected to air on MSNBC in early 2012.
Back To School Bash, Neighborhood Watch Party In Farm Hill
August 11, 2011
A Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will be held this Saturday in Farm Hill.
There will be free hot dogs, chips and drinks. The Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department will provide fire safety education and display a truck, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol will be on hand, plus there will be plenty of activities for the children.
Donations of school supplies will be accepted, and school supplies will be distributed to children in need.
The Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will take place Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Santa Maria Plaza Park in Farm Hill. For more information, call (850) 554-7376.
The event is sponsored by the Cottage Hill, Farm Hill and Village neighborhood watch programs.
Photos: Century Care Center Clowns Around
August 10, 2011
There was a lot of clowning around caught on camera recently among the normally professional staff at Century Care Center.
The residents and staff celebrated National Be a Clown Day with a special visit from Lady Butterfly — also known as Faye Gandy, the daughter of a former Century Care Center resident. She painted faces, created balloon art for the residents and just generally clowned around.
Pictured top: Century Care Center residents recently enjoyed National Be a Clown Day. Pictured inset. Faye “Lady Butterfly” Gandy creates balloon art for the residents. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipes: Sweet (And Cold) Summer Delights
August 7, 2011
Making homemade ice cream and cool treats for friends and family is a sweet way to celebrate summer – and it’s easier than you might think. Scroll all the way down the page to see all four recipes — Fresh Fruit Ice Cream, Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops, Orange Cream Granita and Creamy Latte Pops.
Orange Cream Granita
(pictured at top of page)
Ingredients
- 3 cups orange juice
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
Preparation
- COMBINE orange juice, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, orange peel and rose water, if desired, in large bowl; mix well.
- POUR into 9-inch square baking pan. Cover and freeze just until edges are frozen, about 1 1/2 hours. Using a fork, scrape frozen granita toward center to break up ice crystals. Pat mixture evenly into pan. Cover and freeze. Repeat every 30 minutes until granita is firm, about 4 hours.
Serves
Yield 4 cups
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
Fresh Fruit Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pureed or mashed fresh fruit, such as peaches, strawberries, bananas and raspberries
- Food coloring
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
Preparation
- COMBINE sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl; stir in 1 cup pureed fruit and food coloring, if desired. Fold in 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream (do not use non-dairy whipped topping). Pour into 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or a 2-quart freezer container; cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
Serves
Yield about 1 1/2 quarts
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops
Ingredients
- 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Preparation
- PLACE pineapple in food processor. Cover and process until pureed. Combine pureed pineapple, sweetened condensed milk, pineapple juice, lime juice and chile powder in large bowl; mix well.
- SPOON into 8 (4 oz.) plastic ice pop molds or 10 (3 oz.) wax-coated paper cups. If using paper cups, insert wooden craft stick into the center of each cup. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
Serves
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
Creamy Latte Pops
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Folgers Classic Roast(r) Instant Coffee Crystals
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
- BRING sweetened condensed milk to a boil in medium saucepan, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes or until very thick.
- ADD milk, cream and coffee crystals slowly to saucepan on low heat, whisking until well blended. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- POUR 1/3 cup cooled mixture into each of 12 (3 oz.) disposable plastic cups or 12 (3 oz.) ice pop molds. Freeze until partially frozen, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Insert wooden craft sticks. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours or overnight.
Serves
Yield 12 pops
Notes, Tips & Suggestions
TIP: To release from ice pop molds, dip quickly into warm water.
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Photos: Bratt Church Celebrates Youth Sunday, Country And Western Banquet
August 7, 2011
The First Baptist Church of Bratt recently held a Country and Western Banquet to wrap up a Youth Day event.
Over 160 people attended the banquet sponsored by the Youth and College/Career classes at the church. After the meal, the classes performed the play “Summer in Cricket County”.
The banquet followed Youth Day for Sunday school and morning worship. The church’s young people took on various jobs in the church for the day, including teaching Sunday school, leading music, singing the special music, and a message delivered by Lauren McCall.
Minister of Music Tim Hawsey invites other young people to join the group. Call the church at (850) 327-6529 for more information.
Pictured: Scenes from the youth Country and Western Banquet recently at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Submitted photos by Marcella Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Do you have news or photos you would like to share from your church? Email news@northescambia.com
Birth: Gracelyn Savanna Bolen
August 7, 2011
Andrew and Meghan Bolen of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, along with big brother Gabriel, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Gracelyn Savanna Bolen.
Gracelyn came into the world on July 29, 2011, at Wolmack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. She came into this world at 8lbs 2 oz and was 19 inches. Gracie’s father is currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.
Paternal grandparents are Rae and Ruth Bolen of Byrneville, Florida.
Gardening In The Summer Heat
August 6, 2011
When the heat index is well over 100 degrees even avid gardeners are reluctant to work in the landscape. August is a difficult month on both gardeners and plants. So here are a few tips to help you and your garden survive the heat.
To ensure your bedding plants survive, use plants that love the heat. During hot, humid summers some bedding plants will suffer which will cause them to be routinely replaced. Bedding plants that tolerate this extreme weather include coleus, celosia, gaillardia, marigolds, nicotiana, pentas, portulaca, salvia and zinnia.
Don’t over fertilize your lawn. One of the three main ingredients in most fertilizers is nitrogen. Nitrogen makes plants green, but it also makes them grow, especially the lawn. If the lawn turns an off-green, yellow color in the summer, green it up with some iron. Like nitrogen, iron also greens up plants, but does not cause them to grow. Iron will make your lawn look healthy again and it will help to keep your mowing duties to a minimum.
Think about creating a shade garden. Not only do shade gardens provide us with cooler places to garden they also require less care, including less water and less fertilizer. For a list of shade loving landscape plants for North Florida, review an online UF/IFAS publication at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG252.
Mulch is a very important element in the landscape. By using an efficient amount of mulch (2-3 inches deep) in planting beds and around trees, it will reduce weed growth, prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation and keep the soil cool under intense sunlight. Fewer weeds in the landscape results in less work outside in the hot weather.
Practice efficient irrigation. Some plants require more water than others. Getting the right amount of water to plants is critical. Too much or too less can affect their health. Too much water can lead to disease problems, particularly in lawns. Too little water will cause the plants to slow growth or decline. Usually normal summer rains are enough for most plants; however, if dry periods persist, then supplemental irrigation may be necessary.
Insects can be particularly problematic at this time of year. They’ve had all spring and summer to increase their numbers. Careful, regular scouting for insects is a must. And don’t wait to treat if a problem arises.
Take prompt action to keep the insects from damaging your plants excessively.
Don’t forget about your own comfort in this weather. Working outside in hot weather places extra stress on the body. Gardeners working outside may lose up to 2 quarts of water each hour. To prevent dehydration, drink water before, during and after working outside. Drink before you’re thirsty and drink cold liquids because they are absorbed by the body faster. If you choose liquids other than water, make sure they contain only a small amount of sugar, as it slows down liquid absorption by the body.
Work in your garden in the early morning or late afternoon when it is cooler and stay in shady areas as much as possible. Follow the shade in your landscape as the sun moves across the sky. Leave areas as they become sunny and move into areas as they become more shaded.
Since we will tend to work in the cooler early morning and evening hours, don’t forget to apply a mosquito repellent. Wear a hat, loose, comfortable clothing and use sun screen. Also, take frequent breaks and try not to stay outside in the heat for extended periods.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
MANNA Names New Executive Director
August 6, 2011
The board of directors of MANNA announced today that DeDe Flounlacker will join the organization on August 15 as their new executive director.
““DeDe will bring great experience and compassion to MANNA. She was the unanimous choice of the board,” said Brent Lane, board president.
Flounlacker brings over 25 years in non-profit and volunteer management to MANNA, including vice president of membership services for the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Ronald McDonald House.
“Thanks to the amazing support of organizations, faith-based groups, businesses, individuals and volunteers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, MANNA has been able to serve those in need for nearly 30 years,” Flounlacker said. “While thousands were helped last year through our services, we have seen an increase in demand for food this year and expect that demand to continue to grow. As demand grows, so will our organization by expanding our partnerships and collaborations with the public and private sectors.”
MANNA is a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to alleviating hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties through Manna Pantries, Manna Food Gardens and Manna’s Volunteers and Providers.
Gulf Power Working To Keep Those Air Conditioners Humming
August 4, 2011
This week’s high temps and heat indexes are causing air conditioners to work overtime along the Gulf Coast, and Gulf Power Company says they are prepared for record electric demands.
“We work hard to anticipate additional demand from our customers in the summer,” Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson, said. “Through careful planning, we forecast demand years in advance to provide ample, reliable electricity for our customers. That includes planning for future power plants and other facilities. And, as part of Southern Company, we work with Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power to help ensure we have sufficient capacity.”
The utility can generate 2,659 megawatts of electricity on its own and purchase more electricity if necessary from sister companies and neighboring utilities. The all time peak record occurred in August of 2007 when Gulf Power customers demanded 2,634 megawatts. This year’s peak summer demand of 2,432 megawatts was reached on July 2, however a new summer peak is expected this week.
“What this means is our customers are buying more electricity to stay comfortable in the summer heat,” said Rogers. “About half of the electricity a customer consumes during the summer is for air conditioning.”
Two Area Farmer’s Markets Among Top 20 In America
August 4, 2011
Two Escambia County farmer’s markets are currently ranked among the top 20 in the country in a contest sponsored by the American Farmland Trust.
The Palafox Market in downtown Pensacola is number eight in the “medium” category, while The Market at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment is ranked number 11 in the “boutique” category.
Both markets feature vendors offering goods that include a broad range of local products, including local in-season vegetables, fruits, herbs, pasture-raised meat and poultry, free range eggs, freshly baked breads and pastries, homemade dog treats, honey, plants and flowers.
The Market at Saint Monica’s is open from 8 a.m. until noon on the first and third Saturday of the month through October (including this Saturday, August 6). The Palafox Market is open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. each Saturday.
Voting in the 2011 America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest will continue through August 31. To vote, click here. After voting, American Farmland Trust will solicit a donation to protect American farmland. Donations are not required to vote.
Pictured: Scenes from previous Market at Saint Monica’s events in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.