Turkey Time: Extension Service Offers Thawing Tips
November 24, 2014
It’s Thanksgiving week, time for family and friends to gather and give thanks. And time for cooks to ponder the correct way to prepare their turkey.
Today, we are taking a look how to make sure your turkey is properly thawed with tips from Dorthy Lee, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for the Escambia County Extension Office.
Following four simple food-handling practices—clean, separate, cook, chill—will ensure a delicious and safe meal.
Frozen turkeys should be thawed—at a safe temperature— prior to cooking. There are three safe ways to thaw a turkey — in the refrigerator at 40°F or less; in cold water; and in the microwave.
Frozen Turkeys
Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
Keep frozen until you’re ready to thaw it.
Turkeys kept frozen in the freezer should be cooked within one year for best quality.
Thawing Your Turkey
In the Refrigerator (40°F or below)
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen. When thawing in the refrigerator, allow 24 hours thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey.
4 to 12 pounds = 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds = 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds = 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds = 5 to 6 days
In Cold Water
When thawing in cold water, allow 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound.
4 to 12 pounds = 2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds = 6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds = 8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds = 10 to 12 hours
In the Microwave
When thawing in the microwave, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and plan to cook the turkey immediately after thawing because some areas of the turkey may become warm and begin to cook during microwave thawing.
For more information, call the Escambia County Extension office, (850) 475-5230.
Northview Cross Country Team Members Honored
November 24, 2014
The Northview High School Cross Country team honored their outstanding members recently during their annual banquet.
Award winners included:
Photos: Escambia Academy Wins State Championship
November 24, 2014
The Escambia Academy Cougars from Canoe, AL, won the AISA Class AAA state championship Friday night with a 35-28 defeat of Bessemer Academy at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, AL.
For a bonus photo gallery, click here.
For the game story, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
Former Principal’s Wooden Santas On Display At Molino Library
November 24, 2014
Hand-carved wooden Santas created by a former principal are on display this month at the Molino Branch Library.
Dale Cooey was principal of Molino Elementary School and Molino Park Elementary School from 1997-2007, and was also principal at Barrineau Park Elementary school during the consolidation into Molino Park. He apprenticed under his uncle was a master wood carver.
Through a one year grant from the Florida Folk Art Association, Cooey and his uncle began showing their carvings and received several blue ribbons. The “Santa with the Tree” carving included in the display case won a blue ribbon this year at the Pensacola State Fair. His carvings are made from cypress knees and bass wood.
Pictured: Wooden Santas on display at the Molino Branch Library. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Lifts Ban On Silencers For Hunting Deer, Other Game
November 24, 2014
Florida hunters can now muffle their shots when hunting deer, gray squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, quail and crows.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday agreed, with little comment, to issue an order that immediately removes a prohibition on the use of noise-suppressors, or silencers, with rifles and pistols.
Florida becomes the 33rd state to allow the noise-suppressors for game hunting.
Florida had been the only state in the Southeast to have such a ban, which was lifted at the request of hunters, said Diane Eggeman, director of the agency’s Division of Hunting and Game Management.
Eggeman said silencers cut noise by about 30 decibels, and it’s a common misconception that such noise-suppressers eliminate sound from the weapon.
“You can hear it from a long way away,” Eggeman said. “It’s a significant noise.”
Florida already allows the use of suppressors on shotguns for game hunting. A suppressor can also be placed on a rifle or pistol when hunting on private lands for non-game wildlife, including hogs and armadillos.
During the commission meeting, held in Key Largo, Fish and Wildlife staff and a couple of hunters defended the proposal as a means to protect hunters’ hearing, lessen the impact of hunting on others and help while introducing people to the sport.
Buck Holly, an owner of C&H Precision Weapons in LaBelle, told the commission that silencers also improve communications among hunters in the field, and he noted his 17-year-old daughter prefers using a silencer on a rifle as it reduces the recoil and sound.
“None of my kids are afraid to hunt with rifles because there is no longer the loud bang,” Holly said. “There is not a lot of recoil, they all think it’s fun.”
Holly added there has been an uptick in silencer sales in Hendry County in anticipation of the prohibition being lifted.
Concerns have been expressed to the commission that lifting the ban would reduce safety and increase opportunities for illegal activities. But Eggeman said wildlife officials from other states haven’t reported an increase in illegal activities as few hunters use suppressors because they are expensive and highly regulated.
To purchase a silencer, a hunter must pay a $200 registration fee with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and pass an FBI background check.
The cost of a rifle suppressor has been estimated between $450 and $2,000.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Molino Fire Holds Live Burn Demonstrations (With Fire Videos)
November 23, 2014
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue held an open house and special fire safety demonstrations Saturday.
In live burn scenarios, the department demonstrated holiday and winter fire dangers in the home — from grease fires and a toaster fire in a mock kitchen to a dried-out Christmas tree in a living room setup.
In less than two minutes, a live Christmas tree that had been improperly watered became a raging inferno, filling an entire living room with fire. Click here to watch video.
A grease fire exploded into a tower of flames when water was incorrectly used on the flames. And in a second kitchen demonstration, a residential sprinkler system installed by Living Water Fire Protection of Molino quickly put out an appliance fire. Click here to watch video.
Organizers said they plan to have future live demonstrations to promote fire safety in the local community.
Pictured top and inset: A small fire on a dry Christmas tree explodes in just minutes into a raging inferno. Pictured below: The incorrect use of water to extinguish a grease fire results in a tower of flames. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Motorcyclist Airlifted To Hospital After Crash
November 23, 2014
One person was injured in a single motorcycle accident near Bratt Saturday morning.
The accident occurred about 9:50 a.m. on North Pine Barren Road just south of Highway 168. The motorcyclist failed to properly negotiate a curve, lost control and ran off the roadway. He was airlifted by Life Flight to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola in serious condition.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance responded to the call. Further details have not been released by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Northescambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Hold Annual Toy Drive For Needy Kids
November 23, 2014
The Atmore Fire Department held their annual toy drive Saturday in Atmore, collecting Christmas toys for needy children in the Atmore area. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: What To Do Before November’s End
November 23, 2014
Here is your November gardening calendar from the University of Florida/IFAS Extension:
What to Plant
- Bedding Plants: Create a display of fall colors with cool season plants. Some to try are pansy, viola, and chrysanthemum.
- Bulbs: Bulbs to plant this month include amaryllis, crinum, and daylily. Plant Lycoris (spider lily) in partial shade. Plants will produce foliage in winter and beautiful red flowers emerge in late summer.
- Herbs: Continue planting herbs from seeds or plants. A wide variety of herbs like cooler, dryer weather, including cilantro, dill, fennel, parsley, sage, and thyme.
- Vegetables: Continue planting cool season crops such as beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, kale, and lettuce.
What to Do
- Citrus: If freezing temperatures are predicted, protect small citrus trees by watering well at least a day before the freeze. You may also use covers that extend to the
- ground for protection.
- Scale on ornamental plants: Now that temperatures are lower, use dormant oil sprays to control scale insects on trees and shrubs.
- Irrigation: Plants need less supplemental watering in cooler weather. Turn off systems and water only if needed.
- Flowering Trees: Taiwan cherry is an ornamental cherry suitable for north Florida. Late winter will bring pink buds so consider planting one now.
- Birds: As you prune your plants during the cooler months, make a small brush pile in the back of the yard for birds.
- Camellias: Add some of the new cultivars for bright spots of color in winter. Disbudding, or removing some buds now, will insure larger blooms later.
What to Do Every Month
- Adjust irrigation based on rainfall.
- Deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms.
- Monitor the garden for insects and disease.
- Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials and water until established.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Celebration And Tragedy In Tallahassee
November 23, 2014
A week that began with scripted formality ended with an event for which no one can write a script.
Monday and Tuesday brought a sort of celebration to Tallahassee, as members of the House and Senate gathered to officially elect their leaders and set in motion the next two-year term of the Legislature. Well, at least Republicans were celebrating, as they moved to formally swear in a two-thirds majority in the House and prepare for the inauguration of Gov. Rick Scott for a second term.
If there was any positive feeling on the Democratic side of the aisle, it might have been relief. Senate Democrats dodged the fate of their House counterparts, clinging to enough seats to avoid irrelevance. And nothing more than battered feelings ultimately came of a threatened rebellion against House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach.
Then came the early hours of Thursday, when an attorney who graduated from Florida State University in 2005 opened fire at the campus library, injuring three people, including one critically, before he was killed by police. Classes reopened a day later, but it was a solemn and shocking end to the week.
SPOILER ALERT: LEADERS STILL WON
House Democrats were set up for a showdown Monday, after Rep. Dwayne Taylor of Daytona Beach had threatened to challenge Pafford for the right to lead the minority caucus during the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions. Taylor based his case on the loss of six Democratic seats in this month’s elections, giving the GOP a free hand in how it runs the House for the next two years.
But after some strong pushback, including a comment by Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant that those backing Taylor were “bed-wetters” who “need to shut up,” Taylor announced he wouldn’t run because he couldn’t work with the party’s leadership.
That set the stage for a less-gripping if still-tense caucus meeting Monday evening. Despite the infighting, Democrats tried to say they had come together.
“We have many differences amongst us,” said Rep. Barbara Watson, D-Miami Gardens. “But we are united behind Mark Pafford this evening.”
Signs of division still remained, including in a speech by Rep. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg — himself pushed out as Democratic leader after a fundraising clash with Tant — that took a not-so-subtle swipe at the state party chairwoman.
“We were not elected to come here and be told to shut up,” Rouson said.
A Republican vote, and the full chamber vote that followed Tuesday, were less dramatic. Rep. Steve Crisafulli, a Merritt Island Republican who rose to be in line for the top spot after a surprise election loss in 2012 by former Rep. Chris Dorworth, was officially named House speaker.
Crisafulli promised to respect all members equally, regardless of their party, but also tried to take an early stand against any Democratic shenanigans.
“I absolutely welcome robust debate on the issues between the majority and the minority parties,” he said. “But I expect honesty and respectful discourse. We can all agree on so many of the issues that come before us in this chamber. So let’s not play games and score political points; let’s get it done for the constituents that elected us to represent them.”
Across the way, Republican Sen. Andy Gardiner of Orlando was officially tapped for the Senate presidency.
Gardiner, a triathlete and father of three, was lauded by outgoing Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, as a “servant leader” who will be able to unite Republicans and Democrats in the GOP-dominated chamber as lawmakers grapple with health care, education spending and other high-profile issues during the legislative session that begins in March.
“The Senate is in really good hands, folks. The state of Florida is in incredible hands because Sen. Gardiner will put families first before politics, and that’s what we need in the Senate and the state of Florida,” said Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah.
Gardiner, first elected to the House in 2000 and to the Senate in 2008, said he intends to shrink Senate committees, meaning senators will have fewer committee assignments.
“What I really envision is for (committees) to be smaller so that there will be close votes. I think that that’s good. It empowers the minority. You may have a committee where it’s a 5-4 vote,” Gardiner told reporters. “The ideal thing would be for members to be on five or six committees and they know that they really have the opportunity to participate and really become a leader on them.”
TRAGEDY AT FSU
The rest of the week was supposed to be relatively calm in Tallahassee, with lawmakers leaving until early 2015 and the holidays right around the corner. But that was before a shooter who police identified as Myron May showed up at Florida State University’s Strozier Library shortly after midnight and opened fire.
May died after being shot by university and Tallahassee police who responded to the scene, according to Tallahassee police chief Michael DeLeo.
“Mr. May was in a state of crisis,” DeLeo said. “We have not found any information at this time to indicate why he chose this morning to act, or why he chose the Strozier Library as the place for his actions. Based on all our evidence at this time, we continue to believe that Mr. May acted alone, and there is no further threat to the students, the university, the workers or the community.”
The story did reach into the Legislature, sometimes in unexpected ways. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican and Florida State graduate, said on Twitter that May was an FSU student senator in 2002.
“Shocked that Myron May has been identified as the FSU shooter,” Gaetz tweeted. “I knew him in undergrad. He was so kind. This is just awful for everyone.”
Meanwhile, former Sen. John Thrasher was confronted with the crisis not long after taking the job as FSU’s president.
“We are going to get back to normal tomorrow,” Thrasher promised during a Thursday news conference. “We’re moving ahead and continuing to pray for the victims and Florida State University, but we are going to get through this with the great family we have.”
May, 31, had returned to Florida in recent weeks from Texas, where he graduated from the law school at Texas Tech University in 2009 and practiced law. He’d shown up twice in FSU police records, Perry said, once on suspicion of using marijuana in 2002 and as the victim of a vehicle burglary in 2003.
But a journal May kept and his recent postings on Facebook showed that “Mr. May’s sense of being and place in our community was not what most people would refer to as a normal status,” DeLeo said. “He was in a sense of crisis, and he was searching for something.”
Students returned to class Friday. Thrasher and Provost Garnett Stokes welcomed students at the doors of Strozier Library, while Thrasher praised a prompt response that likely saved lives. That included praising Dean of University Libraries Julia Zimmerman, whose security measures prevented the gunman from getting past the lobby of Strozier, where 450 students were studying at the time.
STORY OF THE WEEK: A gunman injured three people, including one critically, before being killed by police officers at Strozier Library at Florida State University.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Normalcy is a funny word, and I don’t know that we’ll get back to it or ever forget. But at least I think from a standpoint of some of the things that went on yesterday, I think our campus is alive and well and working toward the goals of being a great university.”—Florida State University President John Thrasher.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida