Weekend Gardening: July Tips
July 20, 2019
The heat, humidity and frequent rains of July are great for tropical plants. Gardeners, however, take a bit of a beating. Remember to keep the sunscreen, insect repellant and iced tea handy as you venture out into your garden to perform some needed summer maintenance.
A midsummer application of fertilizer is usually required, especially on annual flowers, lawns, shrub beds and vegetable gardens. This is a supplemental application, so don’t overdo it. A 15-0-15 slow-release fertilizer is a good general purpose landscape fertilizer for most plants.
Major pruning jobs should have been done earlier, but there is still some maintenance pruning that should be done. Deadhead, or clip old flowers, from summer flowering shrubs as soon as they fade to help insure an extended season of bloom. Crape myrtles, hibiscus, hydrangeas and althea are examples of shrubs that will bloom repeatedly if light, selective pruning is done.
Flowering annuals also respond well to deadheading. Snip off old flowers and flower spikes before they have an opportunity to form seed. Allowing annual flowers to set seed can shorten their blooming season considerably.
Inspect your lawn and shrub plantings frequently in order to identify pest problems as early as possible. The most severe damage from pest insects normally begins in July. Be on the lookout for chinch bugs in St. Augustine grass; spittlebugs in centipede grass; sod webworm in all lawns-especially new ones; lacebug and caterpillars on azaleas; whiteflies on gardenia and spider mites on lots of different types of shrubs.
Sod webworms often attack lawns in the summer. They eat the grass blades producing areas that look as if they have been mowed too short. Close inspection will reveal that the blades have not been cleanly cut as with a mower blade but have been chewed along their edges and tips. These caterpillars feed at night and rest during the day down among the runners and in the thatch.
Once an insect pest is found, evaluate the damage and determine if control is necessary. If it is, choose the least toxic option. If only a few caterpillars are found, hand picking might be the choice. Aphids and spider mites can often be controlled by spraying with an insecticidal soap solution. Chemical insecticides are sometimes required. Before choosing one be sure that the insect pest has been properly identified and that the insecticide is labeled for that purpose For vegetable gardeners that have problems with nematodes, soil borne diseases and extensive weed problems, July is a great time to try soil solarization.
Prepare the soil as you normally would for a vegetable garden including adding organic matter. Moisten the area and cover with clear plastic, not black plastic. Clear plastic will produce the highest temperatures. Be sure to weigh down the edges of the plastic so that it doesn’t blow up. Allow the soil to bake in the sun for four to six weeks. The sun will raise the soil temperature high enough to kill many soil borne problems.
Tip of the Week: The nice thing about tomatoes is that you have the option of harvesting when the fruit is green if needed. Tomatoes will ripen indoors at room temperature. To ensure even ripening, place the tomato with the stem up. The ideal time to harvest tomatoes is when they are fully colored but still firm.
In general, it is best to harvest vegetables early in the mornings while the moisture content is higher. The overall quality will quickly diminish as vegetables are exposed to hotter temperatures later in the day.
Town Of Century Sets Budget Workshops
July 20, 2019
The Town of Century has set dates for budget workshops.
Those workshops will be held each Thursday at 3 p.m. for four weeks beginning August 1.
Century’s new fiscal year begins October 1.
Ascend Takes Part In Summer Program At Carver Park
July 20, 2019
The Ascend Cares Foundation provide a hut lunch during the Summer Feeding Program Friday at Carver Park in Cantonment. Ascend employees also spent time playing board games and enjoying the park with the children. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Seeks Volunteer For Health Facilities Authority
July 20, 2019
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for a possible appointment to the Escambia County Health Facilities Authority. Appointees serve without compensation.
The Escambia County Health Facilities Authority was established in accordance with Florida statutes. The authority’s duties are to assist health facilities in acquisition, construction, financing and refinancing of projects. Knowledge of finance and/or health care administration required. Authority members serve a four-year term of office. Financial disclosure required.
Escambia residents interested in serving on the Escambia County Health Facilities Authority are asked to submit a letter and resume indicating their desire to serve by the close of business on Wednesday, July 31. Resumes should be submitted to Shamara Jernigan, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1591, Pensacola, FL 32502 or emailed to boardapply@myescambia.com.
Requirements:
- An authority board member must be a resident of Escambia County. An appointee must be able to attend monthly board meetings during regular business hours and to travel out of town. This requires the board member to have an employer and/or occupation which provides flexibility to engage in volunteer community service activities.
- Under its current annual meeting schedule, the authority meets once a month on the third Tuesday at 4 p.m., except for the months of April and September when the board and staff attend educational conferences related to current topics in tax exempt capital financing for healthcare organizations. Monthly time commitments generally range from three to five hours per month, depending on business matters under consideration. For educational conferences, the board members are out of town for up to four days, twice a year.
- Board members must have reasonable computer skills and access to a computer running Windows 7 or higher, with the current version of Adobe Reader, Microsoft Word and Excel, and with high-speed internet access to receive email with attachments and download large PDF files containing meeting agendas and backup materials. A new board member will spend three to five hours for the initial orientation and training on authority operations.
- Board members must be able and willing to learn about (1) tax exempt bond financing and federal regulations related to municipal bond financing; (2) rules and regulations for municipal bond issuers; (3) current capital financing options and techniques for nonprofit healthcare organizations; and (4) Florida laws related to local government operations and finance.
M-Braves Beat The Wahoos
July 20, 2019
The Blue Wahoos knew there might be few scoring chances Friday if Mississippi Braves’ ace Ian Anderson was on top of his game.
When they missed on early opportunities, it became costly again at the end.
The Blue Wahoos’ bats remained in a slumber and their record continued its slide after a 4-2 loss against the M-Braves at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
Anderson, the No. 3 ranked player by MLB Pipeline in the Atlanta Braves system, struck out 10 Pensacola hitters to improve his season strikeout total to 129. That leads the Southern League and ranks fourth in all of minor league baseball.
For the Blue Wahoos, this is the first time since the first game of the season their overall record (49-49) is even at .500. They fell into last place (11-17) in the Southern League South Division second-half standings, after losing for the 12th time in 14 games.
On July 3, the Blue Wahoos swept a four-game series at home against the M-Braves for a sixth consecutive win. Friday, they were saddled with a seventh loss in eight games.
The same issue has been the culprit. It’s been a week since they have scored more than two runs in any game.
But before Anderson settled into a seven-inning masterpiece, the Blue Wahoos had a couple chances. They had a runner on base with less than two outs in three of the first four innings.
In the first, leadoff batter Ivan De Jesus Jr. singled. But Anderson got Alex Kirilloff to hit into a double-play and struck out Trevor Larnarch.
In the second inning, the Blue Wahoos got their first run when loading the bases with one out. Lewin Diaz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Mark Contreras, who went 2-for-4 as the Blue Wahoos only player with multiple hits, followed with a single.
Joe Cronin then singled to load the bases. Diaz scored on Aaron Whitefield’s force out. With runners on second and third, Jordan Gore grounded out to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, Ben Rortvedt had a one out single, but Anderson struck out Contreras and Cronin. The next three innings, the Blue Wahoos had only one baserunner against Anderson, who improved to 7-5, after allowing just five hits, no walks to go along with his 10 strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos again got their own solid starting pitching. Charlie Barnes worked into the fifth inning, allowing just three hits, one run and struck out six. He had just one walk.
Tom Hackimer, pitching for the first time since June 26, entered in relief and worked 1.2 scoreless innings. In the seventh, however, Adam Bray began the inning and had his roughest relief appearance.
The first three M-Braves batters reached base. William Contreras’ double scored two runs and gave the M-Braves a 3-1 lead. Trey Harris hit a one-out double to score Contreras.
That was the game. The M-Braves’ Claudio Custodio entered in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Gore. Larnach’s two-out single scored Gore, then Lewis struck out to end the inning.
Jordan Harrison retired the Blue Wahoos in order in the ninth to get his second save.
The two teams will play again Saturday night in the third game of their weekend series.
BOCC Approves $55K In Economic Development Funds To Benefit 50 Century Area Businesses
July 19, 2019
The Escambia County Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a $55,000 economic development allocation for the Century Area Chamber of Commerce that will directly benefit up to 50 locally owned businesses in the Century, McDavid, Walnut Hill and Molino areas.
The county had $80,500 in remaining Century area economic development funds that were previously budgeted for the last two fiscal years, and there is an additional $50,000 is under consideration for the upcoming fiscal year beginning October 1.
With the allocation approved Thursday, each of the first 50 eligible businesses to apply will receive a marketing package that includes 200,000 display ads at no cost on NorthEscambia.com before November 30, a free business spotlight story on NorthEscambia.com, and a free one year membership in the Century Area Chamber of Commerce. The package to be received by each business is valued at $3,300 for a total project value of $165,000.
Businesses can apply beginning Monday morning on NorthEscambia.com.
The Century Chamber will also use a portion of the funding for a business speaker series and special events. The Century town government is not involved with the project or funding.
“(The chamber) sees this an opportunity to be able to highlight some businesses that are in that community,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “The Century Chamber of Commerce is not restricted to the town limits. It is the Century Area Chamber of Commerce, so other communities in the north end would have access to make applications for this.”
The Chamber requested the funding after approval of their board of directors on July 9.
“This proposal will implement several tactics included in the Town of Century’s Economic Development Strategic Plan and will also guide the newly formed Community Redevelopment Agency in planning efforts to implement the Century Community Redevelopment Plan,” Century Chamber President Mary Hudson Bourgeois wrote in a funding request letter to Barry. “In addition, the proposal will further the interests of businesses by revitalizing the Century Area Chamber of Commerce through advocating on behalf of the north Century area business community. The Chamber wholly supports this endeavor.”
Barry said, “If through this process we can achieve some degree of success and highlight some businesses that a lot of citizens are not aware of…if we can increase traffic, increase foot traffic, increase awareness for professional or other type services. If we ended up having say even five businesses that expanded by a couple or three people apiece, that type of impact would be more impactful than what I have been able t0 successfully accomplish up there in the past.”
In the past, county economic development dollars for Century have funded a paid staff person at the chamber. “That didn’t seem to have a lot of bottom line effect,” Barry said. The county also funded a staff person after the Haas Center developed a Six Pillars economic development plan. “Not to knock the outcome of the study, but that effect of that is debatable at best,” he said.
During Thursday’s BOCC meeting, Commissioner Doug Underhill said, “This is exactly that kind of thing that I would think we would be doing. So I second it wholeheartedly. It strikes me, I like that fact that it is very ingenious and really just giving local businesses who are already taxpayers here the opportunity to step it up a notch, and that is what I think our economic development should be focused on. So I am very much supportive of it.”
“I concur,” Commission Chairman Lumon May said.”I think that is good indicator to FloridaWest and to the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of a direction in which we may be going.” The BOCC also provides economic development funding to the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance at the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce.
“What is important here is that not one dollar of taxpayer money is going to pay someone’s salary. This is going to put something on the ground, and I think that is the challenge with the Minority Chamber and with all of PEDC (The Pensacola-Escambia Promotion and Development Commission)…there’s just nothing to show for that at the end of the day,” Underhill added.
Pictured top: Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry explains his economic development recommendation for the Century area Thursday afternoon. Pictured inset: Commissioner Doug Underhill. Pictured below: The Escambia Commission unanimously approved the economic development allocation for the Century Area Chamber of Commerce.
Alabama’s Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Is Underway
July 19, 2019
Alabama’s annual back to school sales tax holiday is this weekend.
The tax-free weekend started at 12:01 a.m. and will continue until midnight on Sunday, July 21. The state will waive it’s four percent sales tax on school related supplies and clothing, as will more than 300 cities and counties including Escambia County, Atmore, Flomaton, Brewton, Baldwin County and the cities in Baldwin County.
Exempt items include:
- clothing priced at $100 or less per article of clothing;
- school supplies valued at $50 or less per item;
- books that cost $30 or less per book; and
- tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.
Florida’s back to school sales tax holiday will be held August 2-6.
Beginner Beekeeping Class Saturday At Molino Library
July 19, 2019
The West Florida Public Library and the North Escambia Bee Association will host a class Saturday at the Molino Branch Library.
Attendees will learn what a beginner needs to know about beekeeping. The free program will be held July 20 from 2-4 p.m.
Escambia Man Who Threatened To ‘Blow The Baby’s Head Off’ Gets Life In Prison
July 19, 2019
An Escambia County man that threatened to “blow the baby’s head off” during a home invasion robbery has been sentenced to life in prison.
Darquavias Tyrell Brown was convicted by an Escambia County jury of home invasion robbery with firearm, one count of false verification of ownership or false identification to a pawnbroker where the jury found the value of the money received was $300 or greater, one count of false verification of ownership or false identification to a pawnbroker, and three counts of dealing in stolen property. The jury also found Brown to be in actual possession of a firearm which carries with it a 10 year minimum mandatory prison sentence.
On April 9, 2018, at around 5:00 a.m. Brown and two unknown individuals burst into an Escambia County home. Brown threatened the residents with a firearm, including pointing the gun at a one year old infant and threatening to “blow the baby’s head off” if they did not give him the money.
After ransacking the residence, Brown took several watches, rings including the wedding rings off of the hand of one of the victims. a Playstation system, Playstation controller, and several games. Two vehicles were stolen from the residence and abandoned shortly thereafter. Several hours after the home invasion robbery, Brown pawned four of the stolen rings and one of the stolen watches at Capital Pawn.
On April 13, 2018, Brown returned to the same pawn shop and sold the stolen Playstation system and games. After being identified as a suspect, Brown was identified by one of the victims in a photo lineup as the individual who threatened them and the infant child with a firearm.
He will be sentenced in July.
Brown has several prior convictions including convictions for carrying a concealed weapon, burglary, assault, resisting officer without violence, trespass and possession of controlled substance. brown also has another case currently pending where he is charged with robbery armed with a firearm.
Northview Chiefs To Host Youth Football Camp Next Week
July 19, 2019
The Northview Quarterback Club will host their annual youth football camp Monday, July 22 and Tuesday July 23 from 5-7 p.m.
The cost of the camp is $50 and includes a camp t-shirt. The camp is open for any child entering Kindergarten through 8th grade. The participants will receive instruction from the Northview High School coaches and players in offensive and defensive positions, as well as agilities and speed training.
Click here to download a required registration form and waiver.
For more information, email Coach Derek Marshman at DMarshman@escambia.k12.fl.us.