FWC: Look Out For Gopher Tortoises
April 8, 2014
A gopher tortoise strolling across a road or through a backyard or field is a common sight during spring in the North Escambia area. Yet as tortoises become increasingly active this time of year, they are vulnerable to being struck by vehicles and injured or killed.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is urging residents to look out for these slow-moving reptiles with their bony-plated shells and elephantine legs. They leave their burrows in search of green plants to eat and a tortoise to become their mate. From now through May, females will be laying eggs the size of ping-pong balls in the sandy apron outside their burrows.
FWC is also encouraging drivers to slow down on highways to help protect the state’s gopher tortoises. If a gopher tortoise is crossing the road, it is OK to pick it up and move it to safety – but keep it pointed in the direction it was heading and do not put this terrestrial animal into the water.
People also can help by downloading and using a new smartphone app to report to the FWC when and where they spot gopher tortoises. The free “Florida gopher tortoise” app recently became available on iPhone and Android. When users of the app take a photograph of a tortoise or its burrow, the photo and its GPS coordinates will be sent automatically to the FWC.
App-generated data collected by citizen scientists will help guide conservation of this threatened species. Biological information and a quiz testing the user’s knowledge of the only tortoise east of the Mississippi River also are included in the app.
Harming a gopher tortoise, its burrows or eggs is against the law.
Vendors, Entertainers Needed For Twin Cities Watermelon Festival
April 7, 2014
Flomaton and Century are planning the Twin Cities First Annual Watermelon Festival. The event is planned for Saturday, June 28 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Showalter Park in Century.
The festival will include family fun, craft booths, food, entertainment and more.
Vendors and entertainers are needed. Vendors should click here for a booth application. Interested entertainers should call Kim at Century Town Hall at (850) 256-3208 or email kgodwin@centuryflorida.us.
The Twin Cities First Annual Watermelon Festival is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
Photos: Northview Spring Concert
April 7, 2014
The Northview Music Department Spring Concert featured a variety of music Friday night at the school. Performances included members of the Concert Band, Guitar Ensemble and more.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured above and below:
Pictured above and below: The Northview High School Music Department Spring Concert Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Prayer and WD-40: NorthEscambia Headline Inspires Country Song
April 7, 2014
Inspiration for a song can come from most anywhere. For Michael Peterson of McDavid, that inspiration came from a NorthEscambia.com headline.
“Prayer And WD-40: Hattie Schneider Celebrates 105th Birthday” was that NorthEscambia.com headline last week.
“The headline that you put for the story about the elderly lady turning 105 sounded like it should have been a song,” Peterson later emailed NorthEscambia.com. “I told it to my friend and we sat down and wrote one. The content of the song is a bit different, but I have to say thanks for the awesome title.”
Peterson and his friend, Obe Brown, turned the song into the story of a 91-year old war veteran who lost his leg at Normandy — and now he survives on the Good Lord looking out for him, plus he never goes anywhere without (you guess it) prayer and WD-40.
Peterson has recently performed as part of the band Mayhaw Road, but he says songwriting is where his passion lies.
“I pride myself for being a songwriter mostly,” he said. “That’s my passion.”
He’s played at some local venues, at the Frank Brown Songwriters Festival and is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
“My dream is to be a staff writer with a Nashville publishing company. Getting to hear my songs on the radio would be a dream come true,” he said. “I like to sing but its songwriting that drives me. Me and Obe grew up together, taught each other to play the guitar.”
Peterson and Brown both graduated from Northview High School in 1998. Brown lives in Atlanta now, but the duo writes together using the video chat program Skype.
To hear “Prayer and WD-40″, click here or use the player below.
Vickrey Graduates Basic Training, Military Police School
April 5, 2014
Hunter Vickrey of Molino graduated from basic training/military police AIT school this week at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
He was one of just two of 150 soldiers in the group selected to receive a K-9 and will now receive K-9 training. Vickrey is scheduled to report to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas later this month for 11 weeks of K-9 training.
He will then report to Fort Meyer in Alexandria, Virginia.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Church News: Ray’s Chapel Adding Second Sunday Morning Service
April 5, 2014
Things were getting just a little too close for comfort Sunday mornings at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia. So beginning Sunday, April 6, the church will offer two mostly identical Sunday morning services.
An 8:30 a.m. service will be added along with the church’s normal 11 a.m. service.
“We are filling up the sanctuary on Sunday mornings,” Pastor Nathan Brown said, “and it was decided that now was the time to add a second service.”
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church is located at 170 West Bogia Road in McDavid, just west of Highway 29.
Pictured: Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church Pastor Nathan Brown.
Company To Find Sign Sponsors For Blackwater Heritage Trail
April 4, 2014
A Fort Myers company has been hired to find sponsors to put up signs along some of Florida’s premier hiking trails including the Blackwater Heritage Trail.
Bikepath Country Florida will act as an “intermediary” on behalf of the state to seek corporate sponsors on seven state trails, the Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday.
The contract is an offshoot of a 2012 law that supporters said would help cover or replace some of the estimated $1 million a year the state spends annually to provide upkeep on public trails. But when no sponsors bid last year to put up signs, the state turned to Bikepath.
Mara Burger, a spokeswoman for the DEP, said the state agency would have final say on the sponsors.
“Naturally, we seek family-friendly businesses whose logos and messages are in harmony with the mission of the Florida Park Service, which is to provide resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting and restoring natural and cultural resources,” Burger wrote. “Companies that are parties to current litigation against the department or the state of Florida will not be considered.”
Sponsors would be allowed to place signs at trailheads or access points, with the signs no larger than 16 square feet at trailheads and 4 square feet at access points.
The contract allows Bikepath Country to find sponsors for the Blackwater Heritage Trail, Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail, Nature Coast State Trail, Withlacoochee State Trail, General James A. Van Fleet State Trail and the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.
According to the agreement, Bikepath would initially get to keep 50 percent of the gross revenue from each sponsorship contract. When the sponsorship proposal was debated during the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions, opponents objected that the ads would become an intrusive distraction for people visiting pristine state lands.
by The News Service of Florida
Group Makes Plans To ‘Reimagine Century’ In September
April 2, 2014
An organizational meeting was held Tuesday night for Reimagine Century — a September 13, 2014, event that will be held at Showalter Park in Century.
Organizer Linda English said the group is on a mission to serve those less fortunate — both their physical and spiritual needs.
Churches, she said, are often different — some black, some white, some contemporary, some traditional — but it’s those churches that will come together to serve during Reimagine Century.
“For just one day, we will put all of that aside and just serve those in our own backyard,” she said.
The event will include a wide variety of activities, including a 7,000 pound food giveaway, health screenings, AIDS testing, live music, fishing lessons from Mission Fishin’, Manicures, a laundry detergent giveaway, youth and teen activities, haircuts, entertainment, lunch and much more — all free for the community.
About 40 people, representing a variety of churches, businesses and community groups, attended Tuesday night’s organizational meeting. Interested persons are invited to attend the group’s next meeting on Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4.
“The businesses, churches, organizations, and ministries in the Century community are ready to serve the impoverished and each other,” English said.
Molino Library Celebrating One Year, Holding Book Fair
April 2, 2014
It’s a big week at the Molino Branch Library with a book fair and a one year anniversary celebration.
The Book Fair will be open Wednesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and April 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Funds raised will help with the library’s 2014 Summer Reading Club. The community is invited to attend this fun reading event that helps inspire children to become lifelong readers. The Book Fair offers specially priced books and educational products, including popular series, award-winning titles, new releases, adult bestsellers and other great reads from more than 100 publishers.
The West Florida Public Library in celebrating the first anniversary of the Molino Branch on Saturday from noon until 3 p.m. Local groups will be in attendance including the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office, Molino Fire Department, Molino Historical Society, local authors and more. The Dogwood Dulcimer Association will provide music and anniversary cake will be available for attendees to enjoy.
23rd Annual Century Sawmill Pageant Winners
April 2, 2014
The 23rd Annual Century Sawmill Pageant was held recently in Century.
The event included pageants for numerous age groups for beauty, casual wear, and most photogenic. Dozens of girls participated in the Century Lions Club fund raiser. All proceeds will benefit needy children in the Tri-County area.
Winners for each age category are detailed under each photograph above and below:
Tiny Baby Miss (0-23 months): Above: (L-R) 1st-Anniston Salter; 2nd-Madelyn Faulk; Queen-Jillian Sanders, and 3rd-Zemma Holt.
Toddler Miss (2-3 yrs): Above: (L-R) 1st-Layla Schoonover; Queen-Jessica Pritchett; 2nd-McKenzie Griffis; and 3rd-Sarah Blackburn.
Little Miss (4-5 yrs): Above (L-R) 1st-Kailee Herndon; 3rd-Jacie Himes; Queen-Jillian Braswell; Photogenic-Emily Maughon and 2nd-Lanie Stephens.
Young Miss (6-7 yrs): Above: (L-R) 3rd-Cadee Carroll; 1st-Olivia Griffs; Queen-Bailey Glover; 2nd-Jordan Sanders.
Junior Miss (8 yrs-5th grade): Above: (L-R) Nevaeh Brown; Queen-Nala Hunter; 2nd-Bentley Glover; and 3rd-Briana Dunsford.
Middle School: Above: (L-R) 2nd-Lydia Bell; Queen-Janna Johnson; 1st-Carly Sanders; and 3rd-Chloe Smith.
High School: Above: (L-R) 2nd-Heather Hilton; Queen-Kassidy Adams; 1st-Ronna Tullis; and 3rd-Valerie Sawyer.
Submitted photos by “Photos By Fisher” for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.