Rotary Clubs Partner To Create 100,000 Meals For Needy
February 24, 2013
Rotarians from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties joined together with Manna Food Pantries on Saturday to fight hunger in Northwest Florida.
The Rotary Against Hunger service project involved 13 Rotary Clubs that committed financial support and volunteer participation to create over 16,000 food packets for those in need. The result was about 100,000 meals that the Combined Rotary of Pensacola (CROP) will donate to Manna for distribution to partner pantries in the two county area. The donation will benefit pantries that provide much needed food to those in need.
“Many of our neighbors are struggling to have enough food to eat, including thousands of children in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The need continues to grow, with Manna providing food to an average of 68 children a day,” said Manna Executive Director DeDe Flounlacker.
“We are so grateful to Rotary for continuing to support the needs of the hungry through this project. Last year, Manna provided the equivalent of 663,135 meals to 44,209 people. These are your neighbors and mine – folks who are the working poor, grandparents raising their grandchildren, moms and dads who do not have enough money to pay their bills and buy food. Thanks to Rotary, thousands of people will once again be helped this year through the gift of nutritious food,” she said.
Saturday marked the second year for the Rotary Against Hunger project and the second time in history that all Rotary clubs in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have come together on one day to work on a service project. Last year, over 700 Rotary members and friends donated over 1,200 hours of time to pack the meals.
“The Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola are pleased to join with MANNA Food Pantries and work on this Second Annual volunteer project to help feed the hungry in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties,” said Buz Eddy, Rotary project chair. “Area Rotarians have raised over $25,000 for this project that will provide over 100,000 meals.”
Tax Holiday Through Midnight On Hurricane Supplies In Alabama
February 24, 2013
A sales tax holiday on hurricane preparedness supplies continues through midnight Sunday in Alabama.
The severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday allows Alabama shoppers to stock up tax free on common supplies costing less than $60 that every home and business needs to prepare for a natural disaster or even a general emergency. Generators costing $1,000 or less also can be purchased free of the state’s four-percent sales tax.
Almost 190 city and county governments also have agreed to participate by waiving their sales tax, which means as much as 10 percent savings for consumers in some areas of the state. Atmore, Brewton, East Brewton and Escambia County are not participating, while Flomaton is waiving local sales tax in addition to the state’s four percent.
Alabama is one of three states with a severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday. Louisiana and Virginia hold their emergency preparedness sales tax holidays in May.
For a complete list of tax exempt items, click here.
Man Sentenced For Shooting Pastor Last Year
February 24, 2013
The man who shot an Escambia County pastor at his church last year has been sentenced.
Randall G. Markham, 72, was sentenced to four years in state prison followed by one year community control and then 10 years on probation.
Marcham shot West Pensacola Baptist Church Pastor Laddie Pierce in September 2012 as he was headed to a Bible study. He was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. His injuries were not life threatening.
Deputies said Markham and Pierce were involved in an argument outside the church before the shooting. Markham, deputies said, then pulled a firearm and shot the pastor in the leg. There were no other injuries.
Markham, a member of the church’s congregation, admitted to deputies that he shot the pastor because he believed his wife was having an affair with Pierce. Markham told deputies that “his intent and purpose was to shoot Pierce in the groin area one time without killing him”.
Following the incident, Pierce stepped down as the church’s pastor.
Hundreds Attend Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Auction (With Gallery)
February 24, 2013
Hundreds of people attended the 39th Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Farm Equipment Auction Saturday in Walnut Hill.
Items sold included farm equipment, lawn and garden equipment, household items and more during the event, which is held each year on the last Saturday of February. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club’s community service projects in the Walnut Hill area.
Pictured: Hundreds attended the annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club farm equipment auction Saturday in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Health And Hope Clinics Seek Donations From ‘Wish List’
February 24, 2013
The Health and Hope Clinics in Pensacola and Century provides well over $1.5 million worth of free medical care each year.
The clinic was first established in Pensacola back in 2003 by the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association to meet the needs of uninsured and medically underserved in Escambia County. The clinic is entirely volunteer and donor supported.
The Health and Hope Clinics are currently in need of donations on their “wish list”. Items needed are:
Household items
- Paper towels
- Paper plates
- Plastic utensils
- Trash bags, 13 or 30 gallon
- Batteries, AAA or AA
Cleaning supplies
- All purpose cleaner
- Antibacterial wipes
- Glass cleaner
- Bleach
Office supplies
- 8.5 x 11 copy paper, white
- Postage stamps
- Avery labels, 5160
- Staples
- Ink pens
- Highlighters, all colors
- Paper clips
- Scotch tape refills
- Sharpie markers, black
Medical supplies
- 1CC insulin syringes
- True Track glucose meters
- True Track meter strips
- Urine sample cups
- Blank patient charts
- Powder free latex exam gloves
- Sharps containers
- Antiseptic towelettes
- Bandaids, all sizes
Gift cards
- Grocery stores
- Fast food restaurants
Any items to be donated can be dropped off at either clinic location:
- Century, 501 East Church Street, (850) 366-4100
- Pensacola, 9999 Chemstrand Road, (850) 479-4456
Pictured top: The Health and Hope Clinic location in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Early Flowering Trees Are Ushering In Spring
February 24, 2013
Warmer temperatures have raised the spirits of gardeners in Northwest Florida. Although we know from experience that we still have a good chance of another cold snap or two, nicer weather is always a welcomed foray into spring.
Warmer weather also means that some trees and shrubs burst into bloom producing flowers that brighten otherwise drab winter landscapes. Several members of the rose family are currently in bloom in Northwest Florida and sure to grab your attention.
Flowering Quince
During Colonial times a quince tree was a rarity in the gardens of wealthy Americans, but was found in nearly every middle class garden. The fruit—always cooked—was an important source of pectin for food preservation, and a fragrant addition to jams, juices, pies, and candies. However, by the early twentieth century quince production declined as the value of apples and pears increased. Its popularity has plummeted and it is now a rarity in contemporary landscapes.
Quince has been cultivated in the Middle East for centuries, and may have even been the fruit of temptation in the story of the Garden of Eden. The ancient Biblical name for quince translates as “Golden Apple.” In ancient Mesopotamia, now Iraq, cultivation of quince predates the cultivation of apples.
This small, thorny, deciduous tree is one of the first to bloom in late winter. It is a member of the rose family and explodes with typical rose-type flowers in February each year. The single, white flowers are 1½ to 2 inches across and grow on current season growth.
The fruit is a fragrant, many-seeded pome about three inches in diameter. The fruit’s shape ranges from round to pear-like and the flesh is yellow. Several references refer to it as “hard and rather unpalatable.”
If you would rather not deal with the fruit, non-fruiting cultivars exist. Since most quince cultivars are not well-adapted to Florida because of their high chilling requirement, choose your cultivar carefully.
Apples
Another pome-type fruit that embellishes our landscapes in late winter is the apple tree. Along with the quince, it too is a member of the rose family. It is older in cultivation than the rose and is sometimes referred to as the prince of the rose family.
Relatively few cultivars of apples (Malus domestica L.) can be grown successfully in Florida.
Most apples have a high chilling requirement. Chilling requirement is defined as the number of hours less than or equal to 45 degrees F during the winter. Apple cultivars suitable for North Florida have a chilling requirement of less than 600 hours.
Only a few cultivars meet Florida’s low-chill requirement. Recommended cultivars include ‘Anna’, ‘Dorsett Golden’ and ‘TropicSweet’. ‘Anna’ and ‘Dorsett Golden’ originated in Israel and the Bahamas, respectively. ‘TropicSweet’ is a patented cultivar from the University of Florida. These cultivars each have a chilling requirement of 250 to 300 hours.
For more information on low-chill apples, review the University of Florida/IFAS online publication at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg368.
Flowering Cherry
While we may not be able to produce beautiful, delicious cherries in Northwest Florida, we can enjoy a few ornamental, flowering cherry trees.
One species that does well in Northwest Florida is Prunus campanulata or the Taiwan cherry. The Taiwan cherry grows to 20 to 25 feet and spreads nearly as wide as it matures. Single, drooping rose-type flowers appear in late winter and will last for about ten days.
For other recommendations on flowering trees to add to your landscape, contact your local Extension Office.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County. The use of trade names, if used in this article, is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Northview Orientation Monday For Incoming 9th Graders
February 24, 2013
Northview High School is offering orientation for incoming ninth grade students on Monday.
The program will help incoming ninth grade students to become more aware of the goals and expectations for each of them to become more successful as a freshman. The program will including information on calculating a GPA, courses with end of course exams, Gold Seal, impact of absences on grades, and more.
The program will take place from 6-7 p.m. at the school. For more information, call (850) 327-6681.
Extension Service Offers Cool Season Grass, Winter Forage Plot Tour
February 24, 2013
Escambia County Extension is conducting a 17 variety winter forage plot tour, followed by a workshop on Thursday in Jay.
Program speakers will be Dr. Anne Blount, UF IFAS Forage Specialist and Dr. Cheryl Mackowiak, UF IFAS Soil and Fertility Specialist.
Cool season grasses like wheat, ryegrass, oats, triticale and rye provide valuable winter and spring grazing when the warm season perennial grasses are not growing. The most efficient use of these grasses may be for younger animals or gestating brood cows that need higher quality forage than required by mature animals. This program is open to anyone with any interest in forage for any animals.
The program takes place Thursday at Jerry Jones’ Barn, 12011 Highway 89, in Jay. The group will meet on the south side of Jerry Jones’ Barn at 3:30 p.m. The plot tour will begin at 4:00 p.m. followed by a meal and a meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations are strongly recommended; please do so by calling Janis at the Jay Extension Office at 850-675-6654 by 12 p.m. on Monday, February 25.
Cothran Appointed To Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County
February 24, 2013
The Escambia County Commission has affirmed District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry’s appointment to the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County.
Barry nominated Robert Cothran to the position that runs concurrent with Barry’s term on the commission ending in November 2016 or at his discretion.
Cothran is a founding member of Collector Solutions, Inc., in Pensacola, serving as both its president and senior software architect. He holds a BS in computer science from the University of West Florida and attended graduate studies at the University of Alabama, Huntsville majoring in software engineering.
Baby Chicks Perish In Overnight Semi Trailer Fire
February 23, 2013
A semi-trailer loaded with baby chicks burned overnight at the Florida Welcome Center on I-10.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the semi truck and trailer were parked in the Welcome Center about 12:30 when the fire broke out in the trailer. The driver, who had been asleep, was able to separate the cab from the trailer to prevent the fire from spreading.
The driver, 43-year old Gromico Mendez Womack of Mendenhall, MS, was not injured. An unknown number of chicks perished in the blaze.
Pictured: An unknown number of chicks perished in this fire at the Florida Welcome Center on I-10 early Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
