Escambia County 4-H Members Headed To State Event Competitions
March 15, 2021
The UF/IFAS Escambia County Extension Office recently hosted 4-H County Events consisting of competitions in public speaking, demonstrations and illustrated talks, photography, graphic design and share-the-fun (talent) activities.
The socially distanced event featured 29 youth who submitted 66 different entries.
This year all senior blue ribbon demonstrations and the first place senior public speaker and Share-the-Fun participants will go on to State 4-H Events. The top junior (ages 8-10), intermediate (ages 11-13), and senior (age 14+) photographs will now proceed to the state contest. For graphic design competitions, all blue-ribbon winners will be eligible for the state contest at 4-H University at the University of Florida in July.
The following county winners will advance to state:
Graphic Design:
- Baylee B.
- Syrah Chauvette
- Ryan Clake
- Tucker Padgett
- Ava Chauvette, named Best in Show
- Brayden Clarke
- Maddie Goss
- Gracie Meredith
Share-the-Fun (Talent):
- Kailee Dunlap
Public Speaking:
- Maddie Goss
Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks:
- Alan B.
- Maddie Goss
- Gracie Meredith
- Ethan Thorne
- Hannah Thorne
- Jessica Conti
Photography:
- Zaiyn Chauvette
- Ryan Clarke
- Katherine Ballard
Seven High School Baseball Team To Play This Month At Blue Wahoos Stadium
March 15, 2021
High school baseball returns to Blue Wahoos Stadium during March with five games scheduled between seven local schools.
“High school baseball games are some of our favorite events of the year and we’re very excited to welcome seven local teams to our ballpark in March,” team president Jonathan Griffith said. “Giving young athletes the chance to have the full experience of playing in a professional stadium is so much fun for our staff and part of meeting our mission of improving the quality of life in our community.”
The month’s action will begin on Monday, March 15 with a matchup between Escambia High School and Gulf Breeze High School at 6:30 p.m. Gates will open at the stadium one hour before first pitch. Tickets are $8 and available now at BlueWahoos.com.
Blue Wahoos Stadium will host two games on Friday, March 26 with Tate High School and Choctaw High School playing at 4 p.m. and Navarre High School squaring off against Fort Walton Beach High School at 7 p.m. On Saturday, March 27, Navarre will play West Florida High School at 4 p.m. with Fort Walton taking on Tate at 7 p.m. Day passes good for admission to both games each day are $8 per day and available at BlueWahoos.com.
Face masks are required at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Guests may remove their face mask when seated to enjoy the games with proper physical distancing from other guests, but masks must remain on when moving about the stadium, when on the concourse, and when entering and exiting the facility.
Click schedule above to enlarge.
Pilot Club Donation To Provide Shade For Escambia Westgate Students
March 14, 2021
The Pilot Club of Pensacola presented a $10,500 donation to Escambia Westgate School to purchase canopies and shade sails to protect students from the sun.
They will be installed over the new Escambia Westgate playground to make it safer to the students to play outside on sunny days. Nearly 200 students ages 3-22 with developmental disabilities attend Escambia Westgate.
The grant included matching funds from the Pilot International Founders Fund.
Pilot Club of Pensacola members Sue Levin Linda Petty and Shirley Jacques presented the check to Escambia Westgate Principal Joanna Sellers and Assistant Principal Karen Robinson.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Names Roehig, Santos-Alers As Students Of Month
March 8, 2021
Tate High School has named Nathan Roehig and Zahara Santos-Alers as Students of the Month. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Lt. Wesley Barnett Named Escambia County Employee Of The Month
March 8, 2021
Escambia Fire Rescue Lieutenant Wesley Shane Barnett has been named as Employee of the Month for March.
Barnett began as a volunteer at the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department in 2004 before becoming a fulltime firefighter with the county.
According to a proclamation presented by the Escambia County Commission:
Lt. Barnett began his employment with the county on Sept. 20, 2009 and provides excellent service to the citizens of Escambia County through all his assigned duties.
Lt. Barnett can be relied on as an independent decision-maker with issues inside the firehouse, as well as decisions concerning emergency incidents. Lt. Barnett works in a fire district that is isolated from other companies, which requires him, at times, to make decisions otherwise normally assigned to those of a higher rank.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2021, Lt. Barnett and his crew made a successful rescue of a civilian under structure fire conditions. Lt. Barnett properly utilized his personnel to complete multiple fire ground tasks. Personnel under his direction properly pumped the apparatus, conducted forcible entry, extinguished the fire and completed an aggressive interior search. Lt. Barnett and one of his firefighters made entry through the rear door, went down the hallway and found the victim unconscious in their bed. The victim was removed from the mobile home and ECEMS provide patient care.
In the late afternoon of Feb. 4, 2021, Lt. Barnett and his crew were dispatched to a cardiac arrest incident. Lt. Barnett and the crew of E1 found the patient laying in the middle of the street as a friend of the patient was conducting hands-only CPR. Lt. Barnett and his crew provided rapid basic life support interventions which resulted in a return of circulation.
Lt. Barnett fully embraces the importance of his profession. He continually works hard at training the personnel under his leadership to perform at a high level regardless of time of day or incident. Very few people have the capacity to become quality firefighters. Fortunately, the citizens of Escambia County should be thankful that they have numerous quality firefighters like Lt. Barnett.
Pictured: Escambia County Battalion Chief Dan Brask (left) and Lt. Wesley Barnett, Escambia County Employee of the Month for March. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Super Delta: Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds Debut New Joint Flight Formation
March 3, 2021
For the first time ever, the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels flew a F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18 Super Hornet flight formation known as the “Super Delta” during a joint training Tuesday afternoon over the Imperial Valley in California.
The formation grew out of a series of joint training opportunities held in 2020 and 2021, including joint training over Escambia County.
The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds will virtually debut a full flight this Memorial Day weekend during the nationwide broadcast of the National Memorial Day Parade: America Stands Tall that will air on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliate stations nationwide.
Photos top: SSgt Andrew Sarver, Thunderbirds. Photo below: MC2 Cody Hendrix, Blue Angels.
Ernest Ward FFA Presents ‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ To Assistant Principal
March 1, 2021
Ernest Ward Middle School Assistant Principal Tyvanna Boulanger received the annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from members of the Ernest Ward FFA recently. The award features a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color and mounted on a board painted in school colors.
Boulanger received the award during National FFA Week as a “thank you” for supporting FFA.
(Cow dung, in case you didn’t know for sure, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field. The award is 100% real dung spray painted a golden color. The golden piece is actually the original award piece created and painted in 2009.)
Pictured: Assistant Principal Tyvanna Boulanger received the annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
February 22, 2021
Tate High School recently named Students of the Month for December. They are Gwen Ward and Adam Lee. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Wins State Peanut Butter Challenge
February 20, 2021
Escambia County Extension was the winner of the statewide 2020 Peanut Butter Challenge.
Escambia County collected 2,191 jars weighing in at 2,867.5 pounds. The county’s collection was further boosted by an additional 2,880 jars, generously donated by local farmers Rodney and Mike Helton.
The premise of the event was simple — from October 1 until the day before Thanksgiving, participating counties collected jars of peanut butter, often with plenty of help from the local community and organizations. At the end of the event, the collections are tallied, bragging rights earned, and the jars were distributed to local food pantries to feed neighbors in need during the holiday season.
“The Peanut Butter Challenge continues to raise awareness of the importance of the state peanut industry, and helps provide a healthy product to families who do not have easy access to nutritious food,” said Libbie Johnson, agricultural agent for UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County and co-organizer of the Challenge since its inception. “Our communities come through year after year with tremendous responses to our calls for peanut butter donations, and we thank them.”
Peanut butter is an ever-popular item in food pantries for its nutrient density and shelf stability. The project’s expansion this year was partially inspired by the increased demand for food bank assistance as an economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s A Boy! Northview Ag Dept. Welcomes Calf, Works To Keep Him Warm In Frigid Weather
February 16, 2021
The Northview High School agriculture department had a little Valentine’s weekend surprise.
A healthy calf was born sometime Saturday afternoon in the pasture in front of the school. On Monday, students named him “Cupid”.
Ag students worked hard Monday to make sure the little guy would be nice and warm Monday night into a very frigid Tuesday morning.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click on enlarge.
