FFA Citrus Sale Underway
November 21, 2011
The Northview High School FFA is selling citrus fruit 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 Tuesday, November 29. The delivery date is Tuesday, December 13.
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.
Free Flu Shots Available In Cantonment Tuesday
November 21, 2011
Sacred Heart Health System will provide free flu vaccinations next week for the poor, elderly and uninsured.
The vaccinations will be administered by staff of the ”Mission in Motion” mobile health bus on Tuesday, November 22 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Cantonment Council on Aging, 132 Mintz Lane.
Turkey Time: Extension Service Offers Thawing Tips
November 21, 2011
It’s Thanksgiving, 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.
Featured Recipe: Quick And Easy Thanksgiving Cranberry Cake
November 21, 2011
As Thanksgiving approaches, we’ll feature several recipes on NorthEscambia.com this week. Today’s featured recipe, from columnist Janet Tharpe, is a Quick and Easy Cranberry cake that packs a punch while using a yellow cake mix.
Missing Disabled Adult Struck By Vehicle On Escambia Interstate
November 20, 2011
A missing endangered adult with a disability from Marianna was discovered seriously injured along I-10 Saturday night. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, he was possibly struck by a westbound vehicle.
The FHP responded to a disabled vehicle call on I-10 near Highway 29 about 6 p.m. Saturday. When troopers checked the tag on the vehicle, they discovered it belong to 73-year old Joseph Dawson Cooke, Jr. of Marianna, who had been reported missing. As troopers searched the area, they found Cooke about one-half mile east of his vehicle with injuries to his head and hand. He was found about three feet off the roadway in a grassy area.
Cooke was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was listed in serious condition Saturday night.
Get Your Turkey Fried For A Donation
November 20, 2011
Want a fried turkey but afraid to try it yourself? Volunteers from the Miracle League of Pensacola will fry your turkey for you on Wednesday, saving you the time and trouble while benefiting the charity.
Take your turkey — thawed and all of the inside packaging/giblets removed — to the Miracle League Park at 555 East Nine Mile Road from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesday. For a monetary donation to Miracle League, the volunteers will fry your turkey to perfection.
While walk-ups are welcome, appointments are encouraged. Call (850) 476-1650 to schedule your time.
Molino Man Enters Plea, Faces Sentencing For Meth Lab
November 20, 2011
A Molino man will be sentenced early next year after entering a plea related to a meth lab found in a home.
Sheldon Dewayne Flowers, 29, entered a no contest plea to trafficking amphetamines 14-28 grams. Last week, Judge Jan Shackleford set Flower’s sentencing for January 2012.
Flowers was originally arrested in February 2011 and charged with trafficking methamphetamine more than 200 grams, possession of methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a listed chemical.
The arrest came after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit discovered a meth laboratory inside a home at 484 Molino Road. According to their report, deputies found methamphetamine, numerous items used in the manufacture of meth and a stolen Rug Doctor cleaning machine.
Deputies also said they discovered a Mason jar containing enough methamphetamine liquid to produce well over 200 grams of meth, along with a large “one pot” meth lab.
Stephanie Flowers, 28, of Molino Road, Molino, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with the meth lab discovery. Charges against her were later dropped.
Pictured above: A meth lab was located at a home in the 200 block on Molino Road in February 2012. Pictured below: Alleged liquid meth was found in the Mason jar below. Investigators transferred the liquid into the smaller plastic bottle for evidence. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Complete Playoff Bracket: Northview’s Road To Orlando
November 20, 2011
The Northview Chiefs are looking at a road to Orlando in the 2011 Class 1A football state championship series that will have the Chiefs at home in Bratt the next two weeks, with another win Friday night.
After a Northview 67-14 defeat of Wewahitchka, Northview will host Freeport at Friday night in Bratt. Freeport defeated Vernon 32-18 last Friday night in the regional semifinals. It will be a rematch of an October 21 Senior Night game in Bratt (pictured) in which Northview beat Freeport 35-21.
The regional final game between Northview and Freeport will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Northview’s stadium in Bratt. Admission is $8 with no passes.
The winner of the Northview vs. Freeport game will take on the winner of Friday night’s Holmes County vs. Chipley game in the state semifinals on Friday, December 2. If Northview beats Freeport, the game will be played at home in Bratt. Northview did not play Holmes County during the regular season and lost to Chipley 34-27.
Here’s a look at the complete Class 1A playoff bracket from the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA):
Farm-City Week Recognizes Importance Of Local Agriculture
November 20, 2011
Residents of northwest Florida will have an opportunity to get closer to their food this Thanksgiving.
That’s because the week of Thanksgiving is National Farm-City Week. Local communities across America will be celebrating and spreading agricultural awareness through this annual movement, which focuses on connecting rural and urban dwellers.
The movement is sponsored by the National Farm-City council, which has been dedicated to organizing the event since 1955.
In recent years local events for Farm-City Week have been coordinated by a community partnership located in Santa Rosa County.
“We got involved back in 2010 to raise awareness about the value of agriculture to our local region,” University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center Director and Professor Dr. Jeff Mullahey states.
This will be the second year that the center has partnered with community organizations like the Bay Area Food Bank to sponsor a food distribution event that provides Thanksgiving dinner to resource-limited families in the area. The Bay Area Food Bank manages the pre-qualification process for families hoping to benefit from the event, while the center organizes food donations and harvest. The Santa Rosa County Extension Service will provide recipes and instructions on how to prepare the locally grown produce. , which will take place the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.
“Some of the food is locally grown, which is really nice,” Mullahey continues. This year local produce will be provided by Barnhill Farms and Steve’s Farm.
Mullahey states that the main goal for the Farm-City Week is to “create more awareness about the importance and value of agriculture in northwest Florida, and to promote the benefits of agriculture as more than a source of food and fiber.”
While the healthcare and military industries may be the most visible in our regional economy, agriculture remains a top player. According to a 2008 study conducted by the University of Florida agriculture and natural resources directly provided 44,249 jobs to the northwest Florida region (consisting Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties). For perspective, compare that number to the estimated population of 51,923 within Pensacola city limits.
The study goes on to state that for every $1 million of revenue created by agriculture and natural resources, the industry creates 13.72 jobs. In 2008 the industry created over $357 million in revenue, roughly a quarter of which was paid out as labor income.
Part of the Farm-City movement is to encourage local communities to spend locally, by getting to know local farmers and purchasing local produce. By buying local produce, consumers can ensure that more money stays in the area. Buying locally also reduces the overall cost of food and production, which increases with every mile the food travels from producer to consumer. Shipping and processing are two unseen costs that raise the price of imported produce, while local produce either cuts down or cuts out these costs.
Consumers are also encouraged to educate themselves about where their food comes from and how it is produced by local farmers in NW Florida. Locally grown food is sold at farmers markets, roadside stands, retail markets, and on-line.
Agriculture creates jobs, adds money to the local economy and provides environmental benefits, like green space, that improve the quality of life in northwest Florida.
“Not to mention,” Mullahey adds, “agriculture feeds us three times a day and provides clothes for our family.”
Pictured top: Wheat is one of the crops produced in North Escambia. Pictured inset: Escambia Grain in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Lady Royals Place In State Cross Country Meet
November 20, 2011
The Jay High School Lady Royals placed 19th overall in the Class 1A Cross Country meet Saturday in Dade City. They finished as the highest ranked public school in the competition.
Freshman Micah Kemp, the only Jay Royal boy in the competition, placed 68th overall in the state with a time of 18:07.46.
Individual results for the Lady Royals were as follows:
- 66th — Jessica Thornton 21:38.81
- 88th — Allison Blair 22:15.84
- 112th — Jorja Agrait 22:45.92
- 116th — Savannah Brown 22:56.01
- 124th — Jenna Thornton 23:10.62
- 143th — Alexandria Settle 23:42.77
- 165th — Shelby Thomas 25:34.92
Pictured top: Jay Lady Royals Cross County Coach Stan Blackman, Shelby Thomas, Savannah Brown, Jenna Thornton, Jorja Agrait, Jessica Thornton ,Ally Settle, Kristen Pike, Allison Blair, Boys Cross Country Coach Teresa Hendricks. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.