It’s A Girl: Meet The First Baby Of 2011
January 2, 2011
Olivia Marie Folmar was the first baby of 2011 born in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties. She was born about 1:50 Saturday morning at Sacred Heart Hospital. The daughter of Evan and Sumer Flomar, Olivia weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2010 Persons Of The Year: Wilbur Earl Hendrix
January 2, 2011
NorthEscambia.com is naming Persons of the Year for 2010 each day this week.
Wilbur Earl Hendrix of Molino has posthumously been named one of our North Escambia Persons of the Year.
Hendrix was one of five Molino residents that organized and founded the Molino Volunteer Fire Department, and he served as Molino’s first fire chief.
Hendrix passed away July 31, 2010, at the age of 76. He was a lifelong resident of Molino.
In 1968, Wilbur Hendrix and his wife Carolyn founded Hendrix Lawn and Cycle and Hendrix Service Center. Together, they owned and operated the successful, community-minded business for over 38 years.
“A man of God and family, Wilbur will be remembered by those who knew him best as someone who worked with his hands his entire life. Wilbur was creative and inventive, able to find ingenious solutions, and could always be looked to when something needed repairing, even after his fingers and wrist had to be repaired. He was always willing to help anyone in need of finding a problem with automobiles, lawn mowers and equipment, even traveling strangers who needed help. He never turned his back on anyone who needed his help,” according to his obituary.
Guard Unit Begins Deployment Monday For Afghanistan
January 2, 2011
An area guard troop is preparing for deployment to Afghanistan on Monday
The 1165th Military Police Company from Fairhope and Brewton will leave Monday for about a month of training in Mississippi before deploying to Camp Eggars in Kabul Afghanistan to provide security. Camp Eggers is near the Presidential Palace and the U.S. Embassy.
Members of the 1165th have previously been deployed to Iraq twice and to the Olympics in Salt Lake City. They also assisted in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Nearly 200 members of the 1165th Military Police Company based in Fairhope are being deployed, including about 25 based at Brewton’s Don Bryant National Guard Armory.
There will be a public farewell ceremony at noon Monday at the Fairhope Civic Center, 161 North Section Street.
Featured Recipe: Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken
January 2, 2011
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a “Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken”, a simple dish with exotic flavors that will appeal to most any palette.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
2010 Persons Of The Year: Royce Ward
January 2, 2011
NorthEscambia.com is naming Persons of the Year for 2010 each day this week.
Royce Ward of Walnut Hill has posthumously been named one of our North Escambia Persons of the Year.
Ward was a longtime member of the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, and served as the group’s president when the club organized the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department in 1965. A farmer and cattleman, he also served four years in the U.S. Navy achieving the rank of lieutenant. He was a graduate of Ernest Ward High School and the University of Florida. Ward was a lifelong member of the Walnut Hill Baptist Church.
Ward passed away August 25, 2010.
WEAR 3 To Remain On Cable In Century, Cantonment For Now
January 1, 2011
Cable television customers in Century and Cantonment won’t be losing WEAR 3 — at least for the next couple of weeks.
Bright House Networks and the Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a last minute deal late Friday that will keep WEAR 3 on the cable systems in Century and Cantonment until January 14. In the meantime, negotiations toward a long-term retransmission agreement will continue between the two companies.
“We will continue to work toward a fair deal for our customers,” said Bright House CEO Steve Miron.
“We intend to continue our good-faith negotiations during this period with the intent of finalizing a longer-term agreement at pricing that reflects the higher cost of programming we are faced with today,” said Barry Faber, executive vice president and general counsel of Sinclair.
Nationwide, the talks affect just over 30 television stations that are owned or operated by Sinclair.
SEC Bowl Game Schedule
January 1, 2011
Here’s a look at this season’s remaining SEC team bowl games:
Tuesday, Jan. 4
Allstate Sugar Bowl
#8 Arkansas (10-2, 6-2) vs. #6 Ohio State (11-1)
Louisiana Superdome (72,000) • New Orleans, La. • ESPN • 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT)
Series Record: First Meeting
Arkansas in bowl games: 12-22-3 • Arkansas in Sugar Bowl: 1-4 (1962, 1963, 1969, 1970, 1980)
Friday, Jan. 7
AT&T Cotton Bowl
#11 LSU (10-2, 6-2) vs. #17 Texas A&M (9-3)
Cowboys Stadium (71,167) • Arlington, Texas • FOX • 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
Series Record: LSU leads, 26-20-3 • Last Meeting: A&M, 33-17 (Sept. 2, 1995 at College Station, Texas)
LSU in bowl games: 21-19-1 • LSU in Cotton Bowl: 2-1-1 (1947, 1963, 1966, 2003)
Saturday, Jan. 8
BBVA Compass Bowl
Kentucky (6-6, 2-6) vs. Pittsburgh (7-5)
Legion Field (71,594) • Birmingham, Ala. • ESPN • 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT)
Series Record: First Meeting
Kentucky in bowl games: 8-6 • Kentucky in BBVA Compass Bowl: First appearance
Monday, Jan. 10
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
#1 Auburn (13-0, 8-0) vs. #2 Oregon (12-0)
University of Phoenix Stadium (73,000) • Glendale, Ariz. • ESPN • 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT)
Series Record: First Meeting
Auburn in bowl games: 20-13-2 • Auburn in BCS National Championship Game: First appearance
Make A Resolution To Be More Wildlife Friendly
January 1, 2011
The tradition of the New Year’s Resolutions dates back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was said to have two faces which allowed him to look back on past events and forward to the future.
The beginning of a new year is a great time to reflect on the issues of the past and resolve to do better in the upcoming year. The 2010 Gulf oil spill had a devastating impact on local wildlife. Florida is a state renowned for its diverse and unique ecosystems. But rapid development and environmental disasters, particularly in coastal areas, is continuing to destroy wildlife habitat. Resolve to be more wildlife-friendly in 2011 by following these easy tips from the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program.
Provide food
Select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, or flowers that butterflies, birds, and other wildlife like to eat. Berries, fleshy fruits, nuts, and acorns are all treats for many animals.
Supply water
Any water you provide will attract wildlife. You could have running water in the form of a natural feature, such as a pond, creek, or other body of fresh water, but a fountain or birdbath will also beckon wildlife. Empty and clean your birdbath every few days. Do not clean it with soap or bleach—just physically scrub all surfaces with a brush or scouring-type sponge. Change the water regularly to prevent mosquito breeding and bacterial contamination.
Leave snags
Leave snags, which are the trunks of dead trees, in place if they do not create a hazard. Many birds use snags for perching, nesting, and feeding. Snags are often removed from yards or land mistakenly thought of as no longer having value. Nothing could be farther from the truth. A tree’s full life cycle at this point, is far from over.
Manage pets
If you permit pets to harass or kill wildlife, you will only hinder any efforts you make toward attracting wildlife. This is especially true for cats allowed outdoors.
Reduce insecticide use
Each time you apply an insecticide to your landscape, you reduce insect populations, which form an important food source for birds. Some chemicals can also poison birds and other animals that feed on affected insects.
Reduce the amount of mowed lawn area
Unmowed areas can contain more plant species than mowed areas, providing more potential food sources and habitat for wildlife. Reduce the mowed area around your house, especially in low-traffic areas, such as corners of the yard.
Increase vertical layering
Plant a variety of plants in different sizes and heights to provide more cover and feeding opportunities for diverse species of wildlife.
By following the simple tips in this chapter, your Florida-Friendly lawn and garden can become a sanctuary for wildlife, as well as part of a migratory passage between one wild space and another. Animals need to move from place to place, just like people. They have trouble traveling in heavily urban and suburban landscapes, but you can help them by joining your Florida-Friendly yard with others in the neighborhood to create a “natural corridor”—a safe, traversable route between woodlands, wetlands, or other wild areas.
For more specific information, visit the University of Florida/IFAS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscaping_for_wildlife or call your local Extension Office.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Century Care Center Residents Ring In The New Year
January 1, 2011
The residents at Century Care Center rang in 2011 just a few hours early with a Friday afternoon celebration. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2011 Brings New Laws For Florida’s Divorced Residents
January 1, 2011
New laws expanding protection for children at risk of being abducted by a parent and recalculating how alimony is paid go into effect January 1.
The first bill (HB 787), sponsored by Rep. Daryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, adds new protective measures to those a judge can use to prevent feuding parents from taking children out of state or out of the country if there is reason to believe they won’t bring them back. Included in the new tools would be the ability to pull a child’s passport, require a bond when traveling, or prevent the parent from taking the child to countries where extradition would be difficult or impossible.
The other measure (HB 907) that goes into effect Saturday recalculates how alimony and support payments are made by changing the formulas used to determine custody, percentage of care and other factors that make up the amount owed by a non-custodial parent. The law, sponsored by Rep. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, also bolsters penalties for non-custodial parents who don’t cooperate.
Among enhanced sanctions, the law raises the minimum amount owed if the parent is non-responsive. The bill specifically defines different types of support payments and when they should be applied. The law also adds statutory definitions dealing with the duration of a marriage, with certain types of alimony available only to ex-spouses of long-term relationships.
Under the new law, which affects cases pending after July 1, 2010, the judge’s first decision is whether one party actually needs alimony and if the other party has ability to pay. Once that’s settled, the judge then determines how long the marriage lasted and what type of alimony is appropriate.