Century Resident Hits The Century Mark With 100th Birthday
February 21, 2012
Della Godwin celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday. The Century Care Center resident celebrated on Friday with a party attended by family and friends. Della danced to the music and enjoyed opening presents to mark the special day.
Della is a longtime resident of the Century area and is the oldest resident at Century Care Center.
Pictured: Della Godwin of Century celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names Students Of The Month
February 20, 2012
February Students of the Month have been named for Ernest Ward Middle School. The are (left to right) Elizabeth Wright, seventh grade; Cheyanne Gray, eighth grade; and Jake White, sixth grade. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Jacket Jamboree Benefits FFA (With Photo Gallery)
February 19, 2012
The Northview High School theater came alive Saturday nigh during the Blue Jacket Jamboree presented by the Northview FFA Alumni featuring the CGMA Country Group of the Year “The Springs”.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
The Northview FFA Alumini uses proceeds from the event for scholarships for eligible seniors and transportation for FFA members to state and national conventions.
The Springs have shared the stage with country greats like Alan Jackson, Craig Moran, Toby Keith and Reba McIntire with their high energy brand of Country/Southern Rock.
Nominated along with Steel Magnolia, Sugarland, and Lady Antebellum for the New Music Awards “Country Group of the Year”, The Springs are seen by some as the “next big thing” in country music. The all-male group has also had two Christian country number one songs.
The Blue Jacket Jamboree was sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com, Cat Country, 98.7 and Your Country 102.7 WXBM.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Kellie Gindl (center) of Barrineau Park plays a cowbell on stage with The Springs’ lead singer Stewart Halcomb (left) and guitarist Steven Pettry Saturday night during the Northview FFA Alumni Blue Jacket Jamboree in Bratt. Pictured inset: Stewart Halcomb of The Springs. Pictured below: The Springs Perform at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Freshly Delivered Seed Catalogs
February 19, 2012
Seed catalogs are arriving in the mailbox. This is an excellent time to browse and decide what you would like to include in your spring garden.
Vegetables are typically started by either directly sowing the seed into a prepared garden bed or starting the seeds indoors and then transplanting the seedling into the garden. Each method has pros and cons.
There are some vegetables that do not transplant easily. These include bean, corn, cucumber, cantaloupe, mustard, peas, squash, turnips and watermelon. For these difficult-to-transplant plants, it’s best to sow the seed directly into the garden.
Many vegetables, however, can be easily transplanted as seedlings. Starting them indoors offers several advantages
.
- For seeds that are expensive, such as many of the newer hybrids, seeding indoors to raise transplants conserves seeds. A higher germination rate and more high-quality plants can be produced under controlled environmental conditions.
- You can avoid adverse weather by starting seeds indoors during cool weather, and then move outdoors, when the weather warms up.
- Earlier harvest is more attainable by using transplants than by direct seeding in the field.
- You get to choose the best seedlings to be planted in the garden.
- Starting seeds indoors in a soilless media helps reduce seedling decay. The disease-free, precise environment of a planting pot is more ideal for seed germination and seedling growth than is the garden soil.
Vegetables that are easily started indoors and transplanted include beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, collards, endive, lettuce and tomato. Others that can be transplanted but may require some care include carrot, celery, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leek, onion, and pepper.
There are a wide variety of containers available for starting seeds for transplants. Just be sure that they are clean and free of disease organisms. Also be sure that your containers drain well. Standing water promotes damping-off diseases.
It is essential that the growing medium be free of diseases, insects, and weed seeds. The medium needs to be loose, well-drained, and fine-textured. The best growing medium will have the best combination of good moisture-holding capacity, good drainage, and high nutrient retention capability.
It is too risky to use outside soil for raising transplants. If soil is contaminated, seedlings may be lost due to disease. Use a commercially prepared seedling mix. It is worth the cost of commercial media to ensure that the seed germination rate is high and that the quality of the seedling is excellent.
It is best to dampen the growing medium thoroughly before sowing seeds. This will ensure good distribution of water throughout the container while minimizing the chance of washing or splashing small seeds away.
Little water is needed before seedlings emerge. Too much water will promote damping-off organisms. Once seedlings emerge, check them for dryness and water as needed. Never allow seedlings to wilt. Once again, be sure there is good drainage so containers never sit in water.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Boyett Named To Dean’s List At University Of Vermont
February 19, 2012
Madison Boyett of Molino has been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Vermont for the second consecutive semester. Boyett is a 2010 graduate of Pensacola Junior College Adult High and began college in August 2010.
She is the daughter of Lynn and Debbie Boyett, and the granddaughter of Kenneth and Marie Bryan.
Submitted photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘Guys And Dolls’ Friday At Flomaton High
February 16, 2012
The Flomaton High School Drama Club will present Damon Runyon’s Guys and Dolls tonight at Friday night at 7:00 in the school auditorium. Tickets are $5.
Nathan Detroit (played by Tyler Dove), the organizer of the oldest permanent floating crap game, bets Sky Masterson (played by Phillip Lloyd) that he can’t make the next girl he sees fall in love with him– Miss Sarah Brown (Victoria Creamer) of the Save-a-Soul Mission. Meanwhile, Nathan’s girlfriend and the main attraction at the Hot Box nightclub — Miss Adelaide (K J Head), only wants to get married. In the end the gamblers and “spunky do-gooders” are thrown together.
“The students have worked really hard on this year’s musical. It’s going to be a great production,” said Flomaton drama teacher Jerry Aaron. “Come and bring all of your friends.”
For more photos from the production, click here.
Pictured top: The gamblers — Joey Macks, Hunter Chavers, Phillip Lloyd, Dan Condrey, Max Wilcox, Brett Gafford, Brett Newton and hanging from the scalfoldling, Jay Harris and Zach Hadley in the Flomaton High School production of Guys and Dolls. Pictured below: The Save-a-Soul Mission Band — Kristen Dixon, Molly Barnett, Jamie Dailey, Alexis Williams, and Victoria Creamer. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EREC Washington Youth Tour Winners Named
February 16, 2012
Two Central High School students have won the Escambia River Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington contest.
Lauren Griswold and Logan Rowell will represent EREC on the Washington Youth Tour in June. While in Washington, Griswold and Rowell will see the sights, learn about the nation’s capital and rural electrification while making new friends from across the country.
Students from across the EREC service area interviewed with an independent panel of judges. Contestants were judged on their knowledge of EREC and the history of rural electrification. Personal attributes of each candidate such as character, academic ability, personality and leadership abilities were also considered.
Pictured: Central High students Lauren Griswold and Logan Rowell, winners of the EREC Youth Tour to Washington contest. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Care Center Names Valentine’s King, Queen
February 16, 2012
Century Care Center celebrated Valentine’s Day in grand style with sparkling juice, good food, good music and lots of great fellowship. During the event, Louise Jackson and Paul Louviere were named Century Care Center’s Valentine’s king and queen. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drought Continues, Worries Area Farmers
February 15, 2012
Despite our recent rains, the North Escambia area remains in a drought as area farmers head toward spring planting season.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows the area in a moderate to severe drought — a drought that has persisted about a year. Most of Escambia County in Florida, except for an area along the Alabama state line, and Santa Rosa County are in severe drought. Escambia County, Alabama, and adjacent areas in Florida are in a moderate drought.
Less than half the normal precipitation fell across much of the are during the last 90 days with some areas with a deficit of as much as 10 inches in the past four months. The seasonal drought outlook for the period through April 30 does not show any improvement for the North Escambia area with overall dry conditions continuing.
Last year, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were declared federal disaster areas due to the combined effect of excessive drought and the summer’s high temperatures. Many farmers lost a large percentage of their crops to the dry soils.
The U.S. Drought Monitor is published by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln using a variety of climatic data.
Pictured top: A field of corn is irrigated last May at Highway 4 and Dortch Road in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Here’s Your Sign: Happy Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2012
Nothing says “I Love You” on Valentine’s Day like construction equipment… at least not for the Jacksons of Barrineau Park.
Since Crystal Jackson is now a stay at home mom, Gabe Jackson couldn’t send flowers to her office this year. So the next best thing was a lighted construction sign across from Molino Park Elementary School where Crystal would be dropping off daughter Alyssa at school.
The sign proclaims for all traveling Highway 97 to see — “Happy V Day Crystal…I Love You”.
“I was definitely surprised; he had mentioned he was exited about something a few weeks ago so it took me a minute to put it together,” Crystal said.
The couple will celebrate their 11th anniversary in April. They were high school sweethearts, together now for 16 years.
“I am thankful God put us together,” she said.
Pictured top: Crystal Jackson’s Valentine’s surprise Tuesday morning in front of Molino Park Elementary School. Pictured inset: Crystal and Gabe Jackson. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.