Northview Clubs Go Caroling (With Gallery)
December 1, 2017
Members of three Northview High School clubs went Christmas caroling Thursday at Byrneville Elementary School, the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center and Bratt Elementary School.
The group included students from Northview’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, BETA Club and Student Government Association. Pictured: The Northview Christmas carolers spread a little Christmas cheer for the residents at Century Health and Rebab Thursday morning.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Beta Club Creates Living Poinsettia Christmas Tree
November 30, 2017
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the main hallway at Northview High School. The Northiew Beta Club sold 150 potted poinsettias as a fundraiser to create this living poinsettia tree. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Library Names Turkey Coloring Contest Winners
November 29, 2017
The Molino Branch Library held a Thanksgiving turkey coloring contest, with prizes awarded to the top art in each age category. Picture above (L-R), with the artwork below in the same order, are contest winners (Name not submitted), age 12; Camden, age 8; Megan, age 5; and Georgia, age 3. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lathram Chapel UMC Says Goodbye To Pastor Of 14 Years
November 27, 2017
Pastor Pam Avery presented her last sermon Sunday at Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church on Jack’s Branch Road. After nearly 14 years at Lathram Chapel, Avery has been appointed the assistant pastor at Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church. Avery is pictured top and inset. Pictured below: Avery’s last meeting with the Lathram Chapel Tuesday Morning Bible Study group. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Girl Named Junior Rodeo Queen
November 26, 2017
Leila Ann Mason of Walnut Hill was recently crowned the 2017-2018 Alabama Junior Rodeo Association Queen. Mason, 11, is a sixth grader at Ernest Ward Middle School. The Alabama Junior Rodeo Association is a non profit organization that promotes the sport of rodeo to youth from kindergarten to 8th grade. The association promotes sportsmanship, good character and the rodeo life style. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Register Now For Molino Christmas Parade
November 25, 2017
The 15th Annual Molino Christmas Parade is set for next Saturday, December 2 at 11 a.m.
The parade route starts at the west end of Crabtree Church Road and ends and the Molino Ballpark were Santa Will be waiting to visit with all the good little boys and girls.
To participate in the parade, preregister at Jimmy’s Grill or register the day of the parade and be in line by 10:15 a.m.. Registration fees are $30 for floats; $20 for vehicles, motorcycles, tractors or golf carts; and $10 each for horses. No 4-wheelers or go-carts. All proceeds go directly back to the community to help children in need.
For more information, contact Karen Odom at (850) 281-4748 or Jimmy’s Grill at (850) 754-0041. Donations such as toys and non-perishable foot items can be dropped off at Jimmy’s Grill.
The rain date will be Sunday, December 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Pictured: Scenes from the 14th Annual Molino Christmas Parade in 2016. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Sunset Over Sunn Hemp (And What Exactly Is Sunn Hemp?)
November 24, 2017
North Escambia farmers sometimes turn to fields of a yellow-flowering crop to prevent soil erosion between regular crops like corn.
It’s called Sunn Hemp (that’s Crotalaria juncea L for the scientific types).
Sunn Hemp is a semi-tropical plant that is grown as a cover crop in the southeast. It’s a legume, growing in a variety of locations and returning nitrogen to the soil. It can also be used as a biomass to produce biofuels.
Pictured above: A golden setting sun Thanksgiving evening over a field of sunn hemp in Walnut Hill. Pictured below: A closer look at the sunn hemp flowers. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Camp Fire Century Presents Thanksgiving Play (With Photo Gallery)
November 23, 2017
The Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center held their annual Thanksgiving Play last week.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery of the cutest Pilgrims and Indians around, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Jail Staff Delivers Thanksgiving Food For Families In Need
November 23, 2017
After hearing about empty shelves at a local food bank, Escambia County Jail staff members collected Thanksgiving turkeys and other food items for families in need, delivering the items Wednesday to the Epps Christian Center.
Jail staff collected nine boxes of food and seven turkeys for the center, which will be distributed to local homeless and families in need.
Escambia County Jail Lt. Jason Walker, who helped coordinate the food drive along with other jail command staff, said he’s glad to be able to help people in the community this Thanksgiving.
“We wanted to let the community know that the staff working inside the Escambia County Jail care about their fellow man,” Walker said. “We are a diverse group of employees here, and we care about the community as a whole. Seeing that there was a need close by, we wanted to assist with that need.”
Epps Christian Center’s food pantry gives out hundreds of pounds of food each month to the poor and homeless, along with offering free Thanksgiving and Christmas meals annually.
“The staff at the jail did a great job organizing the food drive,” Escambia County Corrections Director Tammy Jarvis said. “The holiday season is an especially difficult time for those in need, and it meant a lot to the staff at the jail to help make the holiday more enjoyable by donating food items to the Epps Christian Center.”
Survey Shows Lowest Thanksgiving Dinner Cost In Five Years
November 22, 2017
American Farm Bureau Federation’s 32nd annual price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $49.12, a 75-cent decrease from last year’s average of $49.87.
The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $22.38 this year. That’s roughly $1.40 per pound, a decrease of 2 cents per pound, or a total of 36 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2016.
“For the second consecutive year, the overall cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined,” AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton said. “The cost of the dinner is the lowest since 2013 and second-lowest since 2011. Even as America’s family farmers and ranchers continue to face economic challenges, they remain committed to providing a safe, abundant and affordable food supply for consumers at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.”
The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.
Consumers continue to see lower retail turkey prices due to continued large inventory in cold storage, which is up almost double digits from last year, Newton explained.
Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey, were a gallon of milk, $2.99; a dozen rolls, $2.26; two nine-inch pie shells, $2.45; a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, $3.52; a 1-pound bag of green peas, $1.53; and a group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour), $2.72.+
“Milk production has increased, resulting in continued low retail prices,” Newton said. “In addition, grocers often use milk as a loss leader to entice consumers to shop at their stores.”
Items that increased modestly in price were: a half-pint of whipping cream, $2.08; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.81; a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix, $3.21; a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, $2.43; and a 1-pound veggie tray, $.74.
“Whole whipping cream is up about 4 percent in price, due to increased consumer demand for full-fat dairy products,” Newton said.
After adjusting for inflation, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is $20.54, the lowest level since 2010.
Volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 39 states for this year’s survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.
Shoppers with an eye for bargains in all areas of the country should be able to purchase individual menu items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages. Another option for busy families without a lot of time to cook is ready-to-eat Thanksgiving meals for up to 10 people, with all the trimmings, which are available at many supermarkets and take-out restaurants for around $50 to $75.
The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986.
