Greater Escambia Relay For Life Kickoff Event Set For Tuesday
September 14, 2014
Team captains, survivors and community members are invited to attend the 2015 Kickoff of Relay for Life of Greater Escambia. The event will be held at Heritage Baptist Church on Highway 297A at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The 2015 Relay for Life of Greater Escambia will be at Tate High School on Saturday, April 18, 2015, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
“We look forward to seeing a huge community turn out for the meeting,” said Pat Clements, event chair.
Pictured: The 2014 Greater Escambia Relay for Life at Tate High School’s Pete Gindl Stadium. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Oldest: Barrineau Park 4-H Club Celebrates 100 Years
September 14, 2014
A 100th birthday celebration was held Saturday for the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, the oldest continuously operating 4-H Club in Florida and perhaps in the country.
4-H members past and present shared memories of 4-H — everything from Corn Clubs of days log ago, to raising hogs, to public speaking to photographs on Instagram and Facebook.
“Early Extension agents were having a hard time working with the adults and helping them understand new technologies and new practices for growing corn and tomatoes and livestock,” Dr. Nick Place, dean of the University of Florida/IFAS Extension program, said while explaining why 4-H clubs were formed 100 years ago. “We were able to really work with the kids and help them understand these new technologies, and they would take that home and then their parents would adopt it.”
The club was presented with numerous honors and awards, including a special message from Congressman Jeff Miller that will be read into the Congressional Record on Monday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
For a photo gallery, click here.
There are currently 23 students involved in the Barrineau Park 4-H Club who are active in everything from leadership, citizenship, livestock, horses, food and nutrition, environmental education, marine science, shooting sports and public speaking and the club has become known for raising and showing prize-winning hogs.
The club is also celebrating in true 4-H fashion by helping others. Members have been busy performing 100 hours of community service, gathering magazines to donate to nursing homes, collecting shoes for needy families and food for area food banks, baking cookies and cupcakes to give to the local fire department and writing thank you cards to military personnel.
For an earlier story, click here for more of history of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club.
Pictured top: Members, alumni and supporters of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club gather for a 100th birthday photo Saturday outside the Barrineau Park Community Center. Pictured inset: Dr. Nick Place, dean of the University of Florida/IFAS Extension program. Pictured below: Commissioner Steven Barry presents an Escambia County proclamation to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT Warns About Campaign Signs On The Right Of Way
September 14, 2014
As election season gears up across Northwest Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation is reminding all citizens that state law prohibits political signs on state right of way.
Florida law states that no signs shall be erected, used, operated, or maintained on the right of way of any highway on the state highway system.
Political signs placed on state right of way will be removed by FDOT staff and placed at one of the department’s operations centers. FDOT personnel will make reasonable attempts to preserve campaign signs that are taken down and to provide campaign offices an opportunity to claim the signs, the agency said.
The roadway right of way includes the roadway surface, concrete or grassy median, intersections, entrance and exit ramps, and a strip of land, usually bordering either side of the road, which is reserved for shoulders, drainage ditches, sidewalks, traffic signs/signals, fencing, electrical traffic signal control boxes, utility lines and future road expansion.
Improperly located signs on state right of way poses a traffic safety hazard that can distract motorists or block their view, endanger the safety of individuals who are erecting signs along busy highways and present obstacles to crews who maintain roadways.
Northview Tribal Beat Performs At Troy Band Day
September 14, 2014
Nearly 2,000 middle and high school band members — including the Northview High School Tribal Beat – performed alongside the Troy University Sound of the South Saturday night during the college’s annual Band Day.
The students were from over 30 schools from Alabama, Florida and Georgia and performed at halftime during the Troy Trojan’s loss to Abilene Christian University.
Northview’ s Tribal Beat and the other bands took part in a rehearsal Saturday morning with the Sound of the South. The bands then took part in the Trojan Victory Parade and the team’s Trojan Walk.
Photos by Connie Brook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Get That Pot To Sick Kids ASAP
September 14, 2014
Health regulators are wasting no time getting Florida ready for the “green rush” already sweeping the state as they craft a framework for the new medical marijuana industry. Meanwhile, the “just say no” crowd is letting loose with the green, fanning the flames in the fight over a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize weed for a variety of medical reasons.
It’s sort of a pot rush, even if the type of weed that will soon be spreading across the state supposedly doesn’t get users high.
The Department of Health’s Office of Compassionate Use this week hurriedly published a revised rule governing everything from stems and seeds to serving the substance to sick kids. The latest version of the rule included tweaks to who can own the five “dispensing organizations” that will eventually get licensed by the state to grow, process and distribute newly-authorized strains of cannabis.
The Legislature, in approving a pot law this spring, required each applicant to have a valid registration from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to cultivate more than 400,000 plants, be operated by a nurseryman as defined by state law and have operated as a registered nursery in the state for at least 30 continuous years. At least 60 nurseries meet the criteria.
A preliminary rule floated by health regulators would have allowed nurseries to have just 25 percent ownership in the entities applying for a license. That option drew a rebuke from the Legislature’s Joint Administrative Procedures Committee, which helps oversee state regulations. The original proposal also neglected to specifically address whether the nursery would be required to have a continued role in running the pot operation.
Under Tuesday’s revised proposal, a nurseryman would have to “serve as the operator,” alleviating some concerns that growers would have little or nothing to do with the grow operation despite lawmakers’ intention that the nascent pot business be controlled by companies with a long agricultural history in Florida. The proposal would require a nursery to have at least 25 percent ownership of the organization that gets a license, but also would offer another alternative that would allow “100 percent of the owners of a nursery” to fulfill that 25 percent requirement.
That ownership change appears aimed at appeasing some nursery owners who expressed concerns about financing the marijuana operations. Because pot is still illegal under federal law, nearly all banks are refusing to lend money to marijuana-related businesses. Converting other areas of operations into cash-only business could pose major problems for growers interested in participating in the medical marijuana start-ups, a lawyer for Costa Farms told the Department of Health at a day-long public hearing last week.
With Scott’s blessing, lawmakers this spring legalized marijuana that contains .8 percent or less of euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and more than 10 percent cannabidiol, or CBD. Supporters believe the compound, which hasn’t been approved by the feds, can eliminate or drastically reduce life-threatening seizures in children with severe forms of epilepsy. Under the law, doctors can also order the low-THC, high-CBD substance — usually delivered in paste or oil forms — for patients with other spastic disorders or cancer, as long as they have exhausted all other treatments.
Many GOP lawmakers jumped on the “doesn’t get you high” pot bandwagon this spring hoping to thwart Amendment 2, a proposed constitutional change that would legalize “traditional” medical marijuana.
While the state moves toward getting the low-THC, high-CBD regulatory framework in place by Jan. 1, the battle over Amendment 2 — bankrolled heavily by Orlando trial lawyer and Democratic fundraiser John Morgan — is starting to smoke.
The “Vote No on 2″ campaign recently nailed down the backing of seven former Florida Supreme Court justices, who joined associations representing Florida sheriffs and police chiefs in opposition. And the amendment’s foes are planning to spend $1.6 million on television ads, slated to start running in October, condemning the proposal. Like all constitutional proposals, at least 60 percent of the voters must approve the amendment for it to pass.
“We want every voter to know the dangers of this amendment and that it is not about the sick, it is about legalizing pot for anyone and for any reason,” spokeswoman Sarah Bascom said.
Polls have shown widespread support for legalizing medical marijuana, but that support is expected to drop in the wake of a full-frontal attack. Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson has pledged to double the $2.5 million he’s already dropped on the Drug Free Florida political committee, launched by Tampa Bay developer Mel Sembler. Both are mega-GOP money men.
“When your basic position runs completely counter to public opinion, millions in misleading advertising is the only strategy available. But no amount of advertising can overwhelm the basic facts,” said Ben Pollara, campaign manager at United for Care, a group spearheading the amendment. “Floridians know the benefits of medical marijuana are real, and the people of this state are deeply compassionate. We believe the overwhelming majority will vote to make sure patients no longer have to risk incarceration for listening to their doctors and seeking relief from debilitating diseases and medical conditions.”
STORY OF THE WEEK: St. Augustine Republican John Thrasher makes the list of four finalists in the search for a new Florida State University president.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Is the First Lady not good enough?” — Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Scott’s campaign, after being asked why the governor remained on the campaign trail instead of attending a Missing Children’s Day event at the Capitol. First Lady Ann Scott took part in the event.
Church Back To School Splash Benefits Molino Park Elementary
September 14, 2014
Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino held a Back to School Splash for the community Saturday afternoon. Everything was free, but attendees were encouraged to bring a ream or two of copy paper for Molino Park Elementary School. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Federal Charge Dismissed Against Molino Man Convicted Of Stealing Copper Wire
September 13, 2014
Federal charges have been dismissed against a Molino man that allegedly took copper wire from aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola and then sold it.
Calvin Antwane Smith, age 28 of Cedartown Road, was sentenced in Escambia County Circuit Court August 4 by Judge Gary Bergosh to 36 months probation on charges of felony fraud providing a false statement verifying ownership of regulated metals, and felony dealing in stolen property. According to investigators, he sold two spools of copper wire to two recycling companies after the wire was stolen from his private contractor employer at NAS Pensacola.
He was then arrested by federal authorities and released on his own recognizance on a federal charge of larceny within a special maritime jurisdiction for stealing the wire, which was valued at less than $1,000. But federal prosecutors dropped the charge before Smith’s scheduled trial date.
He remains on probation following the Escambia County conviction.
Northview Rolls Over Chipley (With Photo Gallery)
September 13, 2014
The Northview Chiefs rolled over the Chipley Tigers Friday night in Bratt, 24-6.
The Chiefs lit up the scoreboard first with a 17-yard pass from quarterback Gavin Grant to Jacob Weaver. A missed kick, and Northview was up 6-0. Senior Keondrae Lett scored three touchdowns for the Chiefs, the first from a couple of yards out just a couple of minutes before the half, the second on a 75-yard run with 5:00 in the third quarter, and the final seal the deal TD early in the fourth. Lett’s third quarter touchdown was set up by a Nick Lambert interception at Northview’s 15 and a return to Chipley’s 33.
Overall, Lett was close to 240 yards on the night.
“I thought our offensive line did a good job tonight,” Northview Coach Sid Wheatley said after the win. “I thought our running backs ran the ball extremely well.”
Chipley’s only score of the night came a lateral when Northview appeared to think the ball was dead.
“Our defense stepped up big. We game them one touchdown in the first half kind of on a flukish play when we thought we had him stopped. We gave up no points in the second half, and that was huge,” he said.
Friday night might not be the only meeting of the year between Chipley and Northview. Both are in different districts in Class 1A and could feasibly meet again in regional play in late November.
For a photo gallery, click here. (Cheerleader, band, dance team and mini-majorette photos have been delayed for technical reasons and will be published as soon as possible.)
The Chiefs (3-0) will be off next Friday night and travel to Fort Walton Beach to play Choctaw on September 26.
During the two weeks downtime, Wheatley said the team will work “fine tune little things”. “We are not where we need to be, but we are doing enough, and we know we can do better.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: It’s Easy To Attract Hummingbirds
September 13, 2014
by Santa Rosa County Extension
Few sights are more thrilling in the garden than rapidly moving hummingbirds darting among colorful flowers. Hummingbirds, also known as hummers, are always a wonder to see, and it’s easy to attract them to your garden.
In Florida, we see three different types of hummingbirds, but the most common is the ruby-throated. This feathered jewel is only about three inches long and weighs as little as a single penny.
For their size, hummingbirds have among the largest appetites in the bird world. They feed every 10 or 15 minutes from dawn until dusk. During this period, they eat more than half their weight in food and 8 times their weight in water.
If you’re fascinated by hummingbirds, you probably hang out a feeder or two in the summer to provide them with sugar water. Artificial feeders will attract hummingbirds.
However, feeders should not be the sole source of food provided. The sugar solution may appeal to the hummingbirds’ sweet tooth, but it provides little nourishment. Nectar is much more vital to the hummingbird than just water and sugar. By planting certain flowers and shrubs, home gardeners can provide food and habitat for hummingbirds.
Typical hummingbird flowers are red, have a tubular shape and have no strong scent. But there are several notable exceptions to this general rule. Many plants with red flowers don’t contain very much nectar. Roses, petunias, geraniums and zinnias have brilliant colors but little nectar.
Plants that produce an abundance of flowers over an extended period of time and those that require little care are good choices. Native plants can “fill the bill” where nectar-seekers are concerned and should be used whenever possible.
Perennials that are recommended as nectar sources include butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), red basil (Calamintha coccinea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana), cigar plant (Cuphea ignea), firespike (Odontonema stricta), red star hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), and obedient plant (Physostegia spp.).
It’s also important to plant a mixture of nectar producing trees, vines and shrubs that have overlapping blooming seasons. This will insure that a continuous source of nectar will be available to hummingbirds throughout the growing season. Some of the species recommended include red buckeye, bottlebrush, firebush (Hamelia patens), wild azalea, trumpet vine, and coral honeysuckle.
Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds are not strictly nectar feeders. Insects and other invertebrates are the primary source of protein for adult hummingbirds and their young. An adult female can consume up to 2,000 insects per day. Small invertebrates including mosquitoes, gnats, small bees, fruit flies, spiders, caterpillars, aphids, and insects eggs make up the hummingbirds diet. So keep your plants free of pesticides. Pesticides destroy the insect food base vital to hummingbirds and their offspring, and may also contaminate the nectar they drink.
And if you do use artificial feeders, remember that the sugar solutions must be kept fresh. Florida’s hot weather can cause rapid bacterial growth in these feeders and birds that drink contaminated water could die. To avoid this, change the solution every 3 to 5 days. Clean the feeders with hot water and white vinegar. Do not use soap or chlorine bleach.
Tate Blows Away Panama City Bay (With Photo Gallery)
September 13, 2014
The Tate Aggies beat Panama City Bay 47-0 Friday night in Panama City in a game that ended with the mercy rule’s running clock.
The Aggies blew the Tornadoes away with 450 yards.
Tate’s first touchdown of the night came on a 10-yard fun from Alondo Thompkins. A few minutes later, the Aggies improved to 12-0 with a nine yard run keeper from quarterback Sawyer Smith. Smith found Payne on three touchdown passes, the first just seconds before the end of the half to put the Aggies up 26-0. The final Tate TD of the night came from reserve quarterback Jacob Hamrick from the one.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Tate Aggies (2-1) will celebrate homecoming next Friday at 7:30 as they host West Gadsden.
Photos by Jennifer Repine for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
