Blue Angels Visiting Local Libraries Next Week, Starting With Molino
June 22, 2013
During West Florida Public Library’s Summer Reading Program next week, a member of the Blue Angels team will visit each library branch to read about flying, airplanes, and blue skies.
The Blue Angels will read to the children and share their stories about what it is like to be a part of this elite service group. These special story times will take place beginning Monday as follows:
- Monday, June 24 at 2:45 P.M.,: Molino Branch, 6450A Hwy 95A.
- Wednesday, June 26 at 10:30 A.M.,: Main Library, 239 N. Spring St.
- Wednesday, June 26 at 2:30 P.M.,: Century Branch, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
- Thursday, June 27 at 10:30 A.M.,: Tryon Branch, 1200 Langley Ave.
- Saturday, June 29 at 2:30 P.M.,: Westside Branch, 1580 W. Cervantes St.
- Tuesday, July 2 at 10:30 A.M.,: Southwest Branch, 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy.
Local Unemployment Numbers Creep Up
June 22, 2013
The latest jobs numbers released Friday show the unemployment rate fell statewide in Florida and Alabama, but the local jobless rate held steady or increased.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate inched upwards from 6.4 percent in April to 6.7 percent in May. There were 479 more people reported unemployed during the period, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 9,497 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 8.3 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment held steady at 5.9 percent from April to May. Santa Rosa County had a total of 4,334 persons reported to be still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 7.4 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment increased from 7.4 percent in April to 7.7 percent in May. That represented 1,107 people unemployed in the county during the month. The year-ago rate was 8.7 percent.
The jobless numbers released by Florida and Alabama do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
Florida’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent, which is the lowest since September 2008. The state’s seasonally adjusted figure is down from 7.2 percent in April, according to the Department of Economic Opportunity. The job growth continues to be led by the trade, transportation and utility sector. Leisure and hospitality, private education, health services, and construction also continue to see significant gains in jobs as well, the state Department of Economic Opportunity said.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.8 percent in May, was down from April’s rate of 6.9 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 7.5 percent.
Healthy Summer Series: Happy, Healthy Travel, Making Smart Choices
June 22, 2013
The following article from our “Healthy Summer Series”, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health, takes a look at summer travel and healthy choices.
Happy Trails Can Be Healthy Trails: How to Make Smart Choices While Traveling
No matter your level of pre-vacation excitement, we can all agree on one thing—traveling is exhausting. But just because an 8-hour flight or seemingly endless drive may make you feel like you just ran a marathon, it’s important to remember that you didn’t. It’s no secret that vacation is a dietary and exercise wasteland, where healthy routines fall by the wayside and indulgence becomes the rule, not the exception. Cruise buffets, long layovers, and afternoons by the pool sipping calorie-laden cocktails are the recipe for a dietary disaster, and after a draining family reunion or eventful exotic adventure, the last thing you want is to rejoin the real world tasked with working extra hard to shed those extra vacation pounds. The solution? The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reminds you that a little planning and a few healthy choices can go a long way to making your vacation healthy without taking away any of the fun.
Sometimes It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination
When we think of over-eating on vacation, we think of hitting the aforementioned cruise buffet for thirds or indulging in dessert after every meal. Remember, you needn’t only watch what you eat at your vacation destination, but also mind your food choices as you journey there. A long layover or road trip pit stop will, more often than not, land you in fast-food mecca. Swap by-the-slice pizza stands and sinfully sweet coffee shop bakeries for homemade snacks. Add baked apple chips, trail mix, crackers and other healthy favorites to your packing list so you can skip the fast food and munch on healthy options instead. Check out easily portable healthy snack recipes from Livestrong as you plan your trip. http://www.livestrong.com/article/408585-healthy-homemade-snacks-on-the-go/
Take Advantage
Find yourself at a hotel with a fitness center or swimming pool? Take advantage. Regardless of pace, walking a mile burns about 100 calories. Get on the treadmill and cover some ground before you hit the hay, or go for a swim if running isn’t your thing. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person weighing 160 pounds who swims for an hour burns about 423 calories, an amount that can go a long way in cancelling out extra calories consumed throughout the day. Staying at a relative’s for a couple of days? Offer to walk their dog or lend a hand with calorie-burning housework, such as gardening. If you fall victim to a cancelled or delayed flight, strap on your backpack and stroll the airport to reap some health benefits from an otherwise unfortunate situation. Check out the calories burned by these activities and more on Mayo Clinic’s website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109.
Sit Less, Move More
Fitness-friendly vacations are in, and DOH invites you to join the trend and change it up this summer. Have a beach trip planned? Go snorkeling, take lengthy walks, or challenge your kids to a swimming contest. Going camping? Make time for a hike or get a bike rack so you can hit the trails on wheels. Is sightseeing in your future? Explore the city on a bike tour or on foot. If you’ve got kids in tow, get them moving too! Check out this guide from Nemour’s Kids Health to plan a kid-friendly, activity-filled vacation that will make staying fit a family affair: http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/active_vacations.html#
Drink Up
Before digging into that shrimp cocktail, make sure to pour yourself a tall glass of H20. Drinking water is a dieter’s best friend, and a helpful tool to keep from over-indulging on vacation. A study released by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that adults who drank a large glass of water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories in that meal. That amount of calories may not sound like a lot in the grand scheme of caloric intake, but the same study revealed that cutting out those extra calories at lunch and dinner can lead to a 14 pound loss in a year. To read more from the Academy, visit: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442468394.
Soak It All In, Write It All Down
Ever look back and wish you’d recorded great memories with family and friends? A travel journal will not only keep good times alive, but can help you remain conscious of your choices too. Jot down funny moments and descriptions of beautiful scenery, as well as the day’s meals and activities. Logging food and exercise each day will help you make smarter decisions tomorrow. If you decide to keep up this habit after vacation has come and gone, check out some advice from the Cleveland Clinic on how to keep a food journal that will make a true difference in helping you reach your health goals: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/weight_control/hic_keep_a_food_journal.aspx
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
The equation for a healthy weight is a combination of diet, exercise and…sleep? That’s right. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a good night’s rest on vacation will do more than keep you relaxed. Catching a few extra zzz’s can control your hunger, deter unhealthy late-night snacking, and repress cravings for high-carb, high-calorie options. Waking up rested may eliminate the need for creamer-filled coffee or a sugary energy drink, and may give you the energy you need to squeeze in a vacation workout. Read more on this Harvard study here: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/sleep-and-obesity/
Eat Out, Just Eat Smart
We all know that restaurants are a dieter’s greatest downfall. Reserving a condo with a kitchenette is a great way to save money and calories on vacation, but if you do eat out, just remember to eat smart. Check out restaurant menus online and decide what to order before arriving so you aren’t influenced by another’s choice. If you get a hefty portion, ask for a box early into your meal so you can save half for later. Mix and match: if you’re getting dessert, get a light entrée, or indulge in that pasta dish and skip the cheesecake. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has great tips for eating healthy while eating out, check them out at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/weight-management/better-choices/eating-out.html#overcome Vacation is, after all, about having a good time. Sample local cuisine in moderation and give yourself a cheat day, take naps and lounge by the pool, but be smart about food and activity so you take a vacation from the daily grind, not from a healthy routine..
NorthEscambia.com’s “Healthy Summer Series”, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health, will take a weekly look at issues aimed at keeping your Florida summer safe and healthy.
Growing Together: Carver Community Center Kids (Part 2)
June 22, 2013
The children and youth from the day program at the Carver Community Center have wrapped up their “Growing Brunch” series with the staff from UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County.
(This is the second part of this story. For part one, click here),
Along with Carver Community Center Director Marilyn Robinson, the children have taken part in lessons this week related to nutrition, preparing healthy food, water resources, insects, livestock, discovering where food originates, and healthy choices for the youth of Century.
In addition to visiting local farms earlier in the week, the students visited Sigafoose Dairy. Boyd Sigafoose, in the dairy business since the 1950’s, explained the milking process, milk handling and transportation to the children. They also had the opportunity to meet a newborn calf.
(story info continues below each photo)
Above: Carver Community Center program participants meet a newborn calf at Sigafoose Dairy.
Above: Jamie Spiker taught knife handling skills and had the youth practice on cheese that they later used as a snack with whole wheat crackers.
Above: Allison Meharg brought live rabbits so youth could learn how to take care of small animals. The youth then made a rabbit craft.
Above: Participants also prepared a healthy snack by using whole wheat tortillas, salsa, and other ingredients to create a soft taco.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Pound Biscuits 9-3
June 22, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos used a 15-hit attack to blast the Montgomery Biscuits 9-3 on Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium. Every member of the Wahoos lineup smacked at least one base hit in tying a franchise-high with the 15 base knocks.
Pensacola gave up an early run in the first inning but the offense turned the deficit into a lead in the top of the third against Montgomery starter Enny Romero (6-3). With the bases loaded, Yorman Rodriguez drew a walk to tie the game and was followed by Travis Mattair’s RBI single and Marquez Smith’s RBI fielder’s choice to push Pensacola in front 3-1.
The Biscuits quickly tied it in the last of the third on an RBI triple from Kevin Kiermaier, who then scored on a groundout from Robby Price to knot the game at three. That was the last rally Montgomery would muster against Wahoos starter Daniel Renken (2-5) who settled down to retire 10 straight from the third through the sixth inning.
Meanwhile, the Wahoos’ bats erupted to score in three straight innings from the fifth through the seventh. In the fifth, Mattair belted a solo homer out of the park to left field, his team-high eighth of the season, to give Pensacola a 4-3 lead. Mattair ended up going 3-for-4 on the night with two runs scored and two RBI.
An inning later, Matt Kennelly drove home Ryan LaMarre with a double and came around to score on a sac fly by Corey Wimberly to make it 6-3. Kennelly established a new career high with four hits on the night, scoring two runs and driving in one.
In the seventh inning, the first two Wahoos reached in front of Smith who smashed a two-run double down the left field line to give Pensacola a five-run advantage. Smith drove home three runs to increase his total to four in his five games with Pensacola.
The Wahoos added another run in the top of the ninth inning as Wimberly reached on a fielding error by first baseman Cameron Seitzer, allowing LaMarre to score to make the final margin 9-3.
Renken picked up his first win since April 8, his first start of the year, with six innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six. Trevor Bell and Chris Manno combined to throw three scoreless innings out of the pen to nail down the win.
Romero took just his second loss in the last two months, both of which have come against Pensacola. He gave up four runs on six hits in five innings. Pensacola peppered the Biscuits bullpen for five runs on nine hits in four innings.
The Wahoos look to take the series on Saturday night behind Shaun Ellis (2-1, 3.38). Montgomery will counter with Victor Mateo (2-7, 6.51). First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Weekend Gardening: Tomato Pests
June 22, 2013
June is prime time for growing tomatoes here in Escambia County, but it’s also the best time to see a lot of pests in tomatoes that can totally ruin a crop. To help you figure out what’s “bugging” your tomatoes, here’s a quick rundown of some of the pests that you might see in your garden.
Silverleaf Whitefly
The adult silverleaf whitefly is small, approximately 1/16 of an inch in length, and has powdery white wings held tent-like while at rest over a yellow body. Whiteflies are usually found on the undersides of leaves. Eggs, which are yellow and football-shaped, are attached upright by a tiny stalk inserted into the lower leaf surface.
A mobile first instar (growth stage), or crawler stage, hatches from the egg and settles on the leaf. It then develops through immobile second, third, and fourth instars which look like semi-transparent, flat, oval scales. The fourth instar or “pupa” is more yellow and more easily seen without the aid of a hand lens, and typically has very distinct eyespots, and is referred to as a “red-eyed nymph.”
As the plant grows, leaves bearing the maturing nymphs are found lower down on the plant, so older nymphs can be found by looking at older leaves. Whiteflies ingest sap from the plant vascular system (phloem) through stylets similar to those of aphids and, like aphids, process a relatively large volume of plant sap by excreting excess liquid in the form of a sugary substance called honeydew. The honeydew will result in sooty mold—a black, powdery looking substance that reduces photosynthesis in the leaves. Sometimes the nymphs will feed on the fruit and that will cause white tissue on the inside of the fruit walls.
Aphids
Aphids are soft-bodied, sucking insects that can rapidly colonize plants due to their short life cycle.
Adults are delicate, pear- or spindle-shaped insects with a posterior pair of tubes (cornicles), which project upward and backward from the end of the abdomen and which are used for excreting a defensive fluid. In Florida, winged and wingless forms are all female and give birth to living young (nymphs). Nymphs are smaller but otherwise similar in appearance to wingless adults, which they become in 7 to 10 days.
Heavy aphid infestations may cause stunting and leaf distortion. Feeding on blossoms reduces fruit set. Sooty mold will grow on the honeydew that the aphids excrete. Aphids may also spread plant viruses.
Brown and Green Stink Bugs and Leaf-footed bugs
Like aphids and whiteflies, true bugs are sucking insects. True bugs can be recognized by their front wings, which are leathery close to the body but membrane-like at the tips.
Nymphs resemble adults in shape but are often colored differently and do not have fully developed wings. Stink bugs are green or brown shield-shaped bugs 1/2 to 2/3 of an inch long. Eggs are barrel-shaped and found on the undersides of leaves in masses of 10 to 50.
Leaf-footed bugs are dark-colored true bugs with parallel sides. Eggs are metallic and ovate but somewhat flattened laterally and laid in clusters. Some leaf-footed bugs lay their eggs end-to-end in a single row or chain along a stem or leaf midrib. Nymphs are oblong in shape and red in color, especially on the abdomen.
Nymphs and adults of both stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs suck juices from green fruit leaving a puncture which later may become surrounded by a discolored zone due to invasion of secondary pathogens. Stink bug feeding punctures are often surrounded with a lightened, sometimes depressed, blotch beneath the fruit surface caused by the removal of cell contents and the enzymes injected by the bug. Leaf-footed punctures may cause fruit to become distorted as they enlarge.
Tomato Hornworm
There are many caterpillars that can feed on tomatoes but the tomato hornworm can strip a plant of leaves in a few days.
The adult moth is large with mottled brown forewings that are longer than the lighter brown hind wings. The sides of the abdomen have five yellow spots on the sides. The female moth will lay eggs on the upper and lower surfaces of leaves. The adult moths are nectar feeders on many flowers and may be seen in the early evening around gardens and flowers.
The emerging caterpillars will feed on leaves and go through several molts as they develop into large green caterpillars with a black ‘horn’ on the tip of the abdomen. Caterpillars are also identified by the white or yellow ‘V’ marks on the sides of the abdomen. When it is time to pupate, the caterpillars drop to the soil and make a cell for changing to the adult moth. The pupa is reddish brown and has a loop structure at the head that contains the mouthparts. There are normally two generations of tomato hornworm a year and as late summer arrives, the hornworm goes through a resting phase.
Other plants in the tomato family can be eaten by tomato hornworms but tomatoes are the favorite in our area. The caterpillars will eat entire leaves and initially work their down on the plant, eating leaves, blossoms, and even green fruit. Because they blend in with green foliage, a homeowner will often overlook the caterpillar despite its large size.
Hornworm does have natural enemies so be cautious before reaching for the insecticide. They can also be easily handpicked and destroyed after you find them.
For further information, contact the Escambia County Extension office, (850) 475-5230.
Two Critically Injured In Olive Road Crash
June 22, 2013
Two people were seriously injured in a wreck about 3:45 Friday afternoon at the intersection of Scenic Highway and East Olive Road. Two people involved in the crash were transported by Escambia County EMS as “trauma alerts”. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released. Submitted photo by Doug Fortune for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward ‘Ag Building’ Demolished To Make Room For New School
June 21, 2013
Visible progress towards the construction of a new Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill became evident Thursday.
The “Ag Building”, constructed in 1954, was mostly demolished Thursday. Covered walkways have also been removed between the main building and the school gym. During the remainder of the summer, temporary portable buildings will be moved in, and a mobile home and a few portables will be moved.
The new $16.5 million, 115,202 square foot building is being designed by Sam Marshall Architects of Pensacola, while Greenhut Construction Company of Pensacola will provide “Construction Management at Risk Services” — the overall planning, coordination and control of the project from beginning to completion.
The school is expected to open in the fall of 2016. The current main school building will be demolished after the completion of the new school.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
File photos of the “Ag Building” at Ernest Ward Middle School:
Local, Statewide Housing Markets Experience Upswing
June 21, 2013
Florida’s housing market continued its upswing in May, as did the local housing market in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Single family home sales were up nearly 25 percent in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, while the median sales price increased 5.4 percent to $154,000. Townhouse an condo sales in the two county area were up 3.6 percent, with the average price down 12 percent to $280,000.
Statewide closed sales of existing single-family homes totaled 22,375 in May, up 18.7 percent compared to the year-ago figure, according to data from Florida Realtors. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $171,000, up 15.9 percent from the previous year.
Townhouse and condo sales were up 11.5 percent statewide, with an average media price at $128,000, up 13 percent over the previous year.
“Home sales continue to increase, it’s taking less time for sales to close, and median sales prices are on the rise,” said 2013 Florida Realtors President Dean Asher, broker-owner with Don Asher & Associates Inc. in Orlando. “This is the 17th month in a row that we’ve seen the statewide median sales prices increase year-over-year for both single-family homes and for townhome-condo properties.”
Escambia Commission Taking Over The County Jail From The Sheriff
June 21, 2013
The Escambia County Commission voted 4-1 Thursday night to take control of the Escambia County Jail effective October 1.
The dissenting vote was cast by Commissioner Luman May.
A battle of sorts erupted between the commission and Sheriff David Morgan after a U.S. Department of Justice found the jail was understaffed and provided inadequate services in some area. Morgan asked for more money, and commissioners balked at the idea of a tax increase to fund the jail.
Morgan fired off a letter to commissioners telling them that the jail was theirs on September 1. Commissioners decided to assume control on October 1 as fiscal year begins and to allow more time to plan the transition.
Currently, there’s a July 10 deadline to resolve the problems to DOJ’s satisfaction.
But County Attorney Alison Rogers said the county will ask for more time to comply, and she believes a multi-year plan to bring the jail into compliance will work as long as the county makes a diligent effort toward compliance with the DOJ findings.