Ransom, Northview Social Studies Teachers Honored
November 17, 2014
The Escambia County School District’s Social Studies Teachers of the Year — Anna Barry from Northview High School and Margie Weiss from Ransom Middle School — were recently recognized during an awards banquet at the State Social Studies Conference.
Lauren Samoszenko, a civics teacher at Ramsom Middle School, was presented with the Warren Tracey Beginning Teacher Award by Michael Galfond, of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This award, sponsored by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of social studies teachers new to the field of education, who engage students in meaningful lessons to increase student awareness, who are involved with school and community activities, and who are leaders on behalf of education.
“Lauren Samoszenko is one of those beginning teachers that a principal is so glad to have hired. She is a natural teacher,” said Ransom Middle Principal Brent Brummet.
Pictured top: (L-R) Robin Blalock, Tate High School and FCSS registration chair; Cherie Arnette, social studies specialist and VP FCSS; Lauren Samoszenko, Ransom Middle School; Margie Weiss, Ransom Middle School; Anna Barry, Norhview High School; and Annabelle Pittman, conference presenter from Ransom Middle School. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FFA Smoked Meat, Citrus Sales Underway
November 17, 2014
The annual Northview High School FFA Alumni Smoked Turkey and Boston Butt Sale is now underway, just in time for Thanksgiving. And, the Northview FFA’s Fruit Sale is also underway with delivery before Christmas.
Turkeys And Boston Butts
In the annual fund raiser, you can choose either a seven to nine pound smoked Boston butt or a 10-12 pound smoked turkey for $30 each.
Boston butts will be available for pickup on Monday, November 24, and the the smoked turkeys will be available for pickup on Tuesday, November 25 at either Highland Baptist Church in Molino or the Northview Ag Department.
Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Northview High School FFA Scholarship Fund. The sale is sponsored by Archie’s Catering Smokehouse in Molino. For a printable order form, click here. Orders must be placed by Thursday, November 20.
Fruit Sale
The NHS FFA is selling citrus in attractive 2/5, 1/2 or 4/5 bushel boxes perfect for gift wrapping. The Florida citrus is from RiverBrite in Vero Beach.
Orders must be made by Monday, December1. The delivery date is Wednesday, December 17.
For an order form click here. Order forms and payment can be returned to Northview by mail (the address is on the order form), or dropped off at the school office. Fruits available include red apples, grapefruit, navel oranges, tangelos and Hamlin oranges. Mixed trio half bushels are also available.
For more information, call (850) 327-6681, ext. 248.
Housing Rehabilitation Funds Available For Century Homeowners
November 17, 2014
On December 1, the Town of Century will begin accepting applications to assist 15 very low and low income homeowners in the rehabilitation of their homes.
Funding will be available in amounts from $2,000 to $5,000 for rehabilitation activities that will contribute to the overall health, safety and well being of the homeowner. Applicants must reside within the town limits, own their single family detached home (no mobile homes) and meet income guidelines based upon family size.
The town will set up and maintain a housing assistance waiting list for this program only. To apply, homeowners should call the Century Town Hall at (850) 256-3208 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. beginning December 1. Callers prior to December 1 will not be placed on the waiting list.
The program is funded though USDA Rural Development Housing Services. Applications will be funded on a first come, first served basis.
Watercolors On Display This Month At Molino Branch Library
November 17, 2014
The art of Patsy Pennington is on display this month at the Molino Branch Library.
Pennington’s favorite subjects are usually found in nature which she depicts in an almost abstract manner for the full advantage of the transparency and flow of the watercolors. Her works have earned her membership in numerous watercolor societies throughout the nation and innumerable awards.
She has illustrated four books for Peter Pauper Press – “Friends Make the Difference, “GIft of Friendship”, “Friends Make the Best Presents” and “Teachers Make a Difference”.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Overall Crime Down In Escambia County, Across Florida
November 16, 2014
Crime was down across the board in the first half of 2014, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
In Escambia County, overall crime was down 11-.5 percent during the first six months of the year. All major crime categories saw a decrease in the county from the same period last year.
The number of murders dropped from 10 to 7, rapes were down from 84 to 29, robberies dropped from 243 to 167, aggravated assaults fell from 818 to 753, burglaries from 1,559 to 1,384, larcenies went from 4,752 to 4,285, and motor vehicle thefts dropped from 400 t 296 during the first half of 2014.
The Escambia County data includes crimes investigated not only the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, but also the Pensacola Police Department, University of West Florida Police, Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies.
During the first six months of the year, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office cleared 26.8 percent of cases, while the Pensacola Police Department cleared 44.7 percent.
Overall crime was down 18.8 percent during the first six months of this year in Santa Rosa County.
Across Florida, the crime volume dropped 2.4 percent or 8,133 fewer crimes committed compared to the first six months of 2013.
“Florida is on a path to a 44 year crime low, which is great news for Florida families, communities and visitors. It is thanks to the hard work of our brave law enforcement officials that Florida is reaching these historic crime lows, and we’ll continue working to keep Florida a great and safe place to find opportunities, raise a family and live the American dream,” Gov. Rick Scott said.
While crime was down overall in Florida, violent crime was up slightly, 0.1 percent. Nonviolent crime was down 2.8 percent. Index crimes including robbery, burglary and larceny all fell statewide during this reporting period while murder, forcible sex offenses, aggravated assault and motor vehicle thefts increased.
Four Shot, One Dead, Saturday In Escambia County
November 16, 2014
Four people were reportedly shot Saturday in Escambia County in two separate incidents.
Three people were shot Saturday night in southwest Escambia County off San Jose Drive near Kathryn Drive. One of the three victims died on the way to the hospital, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was one of the three injured and was taken into custody in the apparently drug related shooting, deputies said.
In an unrelated incident, one person was shot on Yonge Street. The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment. No suspects or persons of interest were named in the shooting
Further details, including the names of those involved, have not been released in either incident by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information on either shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office on the scene of a triple shooting Saturday night on San Jose Drive. Pictured top: One person was shot Saturday morning on Yonge Street. Photos courtesy WEAR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Varsity Cheerleaders Tops At Battle At The Beach
November 16, 2014
The Tate High School Aggie Varsity Cheerleaders won first place and overall champions Saturday during the Battle at the Beach competition in Fort Walton Beach. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Home Near Flomaton Destroyed By Late Night Fire
November 16, 2014
Fire destroyed a single residential home just northeast of Flomaton late Saturday night.
The fire was reported just before midnight Saturday in the 3600 block of Wolf Log Road, near Jordan Road. The home was fully engulfed by flames when the first firefighters arrived on scene.
The occupants of the home were able to escape without injury. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
The Flomaton, Friendship and Lambeth volunteer fire departments from Alabama and the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue from Florida were among the units responding to the fire.
First Baptist Bratt Will Serve As Operation Christmas Child Central
November 16, 2014
Volunteers will soon be busy at the First Baptist Church of Bratt during “National Collection Week” for Operation Christmas Child. For the 21st year, the simple, gift-filled shoe boxes will bring Christmas joy and evangelistic materials to children in over 130 countries across the world.
National Collection Week for OCC is November 17-24. The First Baptist Church of Bratt will be the official OCC Relay Center for the north end of Escambia County, FL. The FBC Bratt will also accept boxes from individuals, groups or churches in Escambia County, AL, again this year.
“This is not about the FBC of Bratt”, says Student Pastor Tim Hawsey, Relay Center coordinator. “This is about being a blessing and bringing God’s love and hope to children in poverty around the world that would not receive it otherwise. We have gone through the intense process of been approved as a church to be a Relay Center to collect the boxes from individuals, families, and churches of our area, document and pack them into special cartons and take them to the next level for Samaritan’s Purse, and we are blessed to do it.”
Collection hours at the First Baptist Church of Bratt will be:
- Monday, Nov. 17: 8 a.m. – noon, 4-6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 18: 8 a.m. – noon
- Wednesday, Nov. 19: 8 a.m. – noon, 4 PM – 6 PM
- Thursday, Nov. 20: 8 a.m. – noon
- Friday, Nov. 21: 8 a.m. – noon
- Saturday, Nov. 22: 8 a.m. – noon
- Sunday, Nov. 23: 8 a.m. – noon, 4-6 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 24: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Operation Christmas Child boxes should be packed in a specific manner, and there are changes this year. For more information, call Hawsey at the First Baptist Church of Bratt at (850) 327-6529, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call (800) 353-5949. Resources are available for churches that wish to participate.
Pictured: Some of the Operation Christmas Child boxes collected at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Out Of The Woods: What You Need To Know About Hunting Season
November 16, 2014
November means the 2014-15 huntin’ season is in full swing. In this month’s column, I cover almost everything you need to know about general gun, fall turkey, quail, snipe and the second phase of mourning and white-winged dove season.
The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.
If you plan to hunt one of Florida’s many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you’ll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don’t forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules can differ greatly from area to area.
You can get these brochures at the tax collector’s offices in close proximity to the WMA, or you can download them from MyFWC.com/Hunting.
You can buy your license and permits by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or going online at License.MyFWC.com. But have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from a tax collector’s office and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
The general gun season in Zone D (including Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties) always starts Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) and lasts four days until Nov. 30. Two weeks later, the season reopens Dec. 13 and runs through Feb. 22.
Regarding deer, hunters may take only legal bucks, and they must have the $5 deer permit. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two, but during some quota hunts on WMAs, the bag limit is only one deer, so read the particular WMA brochure before you hunt.
On private lands, hunters can take wild hogs year-round with no bag or size limits. On most – but not all – WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limit on wild hogs, and hunters can take them during any hunting season except spring turkey. Again, check the WMA brochure to be certain.
On private lands only there’s the highly anticipated antlerless deer season. In Zone D, there’s been a change. The antlerless deer season used to run seven consecutive days, but now it’s been changed to a Saturday-Sunday (weekend) format. North of Interstate 10 in what is now called Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2, these new antlerless deer weekends are Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 6-7, 20-21 and 27-28. In DMU-D1, which is south of I-10, the doe weekends are Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 27-28.
During antlerless deer season, the daily bag limit is one legal buck and one antlerless deer, or two legal bucks. You may not take two antlerless deer in one day like you can during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. By the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season, so this opportunity applies to private property only.
Fall turkey season in Zone D is Nov. 27-30 and Dec. 13 – Jan. 18, except for Holmes County, where there is no fall turkey season.
Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game; you must have a turkey permit ($10 for residents; $125 for nonresidents) to hunt them. You may now take up to two turkeys in one day on private lands, but there’s still the two-bird fall-season (archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined) limit. And on WMAs, you may still shoot only one turkey per day.
Quail season runs statewide Nov. 8 – March 1, and the daily bag limit is 12.
Shooting hours for deer, turkey and quail are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and pistols are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey and quail seasons.
Snipe hunting in Florida ranks second in the nation in number of birds harvested each year, and the season always runs Nov. 1 – Feb. 15 statewide. The second phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season also comes in this month and runs Nov. 8 – Dec. 1. Shooting hours for migratory game birds are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit for snipe is eight; for doves, the bag limit is 15.
You must get a no-cost migratory bird permit if you plan to hunt snipe, doves or any other migratory game birds.
The FWC even provides an online “Dove Hunters’ Hotline,” which gives up-to-date information on Florida’s public dove fields. The address is MyFWC.com/Dove, and it is updated every Thursday throughout dove season. Information includes dove densities, previous week’s harvests and field conditions.
Whether small-game hunting with friends and family or hunting solo, going after that monster buck, boar hog or big tom, November brings loads of great hunting opportunities.
Here’s wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful hunting season