Ernest Ward FFA Sells Over Three Tons Of Sweet Potatoes
November 23, 2010
Members of the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA sold over three tons of sweet potatoes as a fund raiser. The 20-pound bags of Baldwin County sweet potatoes were delivered to the students on Monday to deliver to their supporters.
Funds from the Ernest Ward Middle School’s annual sweet potato sale are used to support group activities during the year.
Pictured above: The top seller sold 46 bags of potatoes, nearly a half ton. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Turkey Time: Extension Service Offers Thawing Tips
November 23, 2010
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. Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at the proper way to cook your turkey.
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.
Alert Jail Employee Catches Attempted Robbery Suspect
November 23, 2010
An off-duty Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee assigned to the jail came to the aid of a robbery victim over the weekend and held the suspect until deputies arrived to take him to the jail.
The jail employee, Ronnie Whiddon, was walking into the Tom Thumb at 4805 Mobile Highway around 6:30 Saturday morning when he witnessed an altercation between a taxi cab driver and his passenger. Whiddon immediately recognized it was a robbery attempt and came to the aid of Darrel Vincent, 46, of Pensacola, who was driving the taxi. The passenger and suspect was later identified as Melvin Tyrone Dixon, 44, of Pensacola.
Dixon (pictured) had called Yellow Cab and was picked up by Vincent near Fairfield Drive and South Dakota Drive. When Dixon entered the taxi he pulled a knife on Vincent and demanded money and Vincent’s ATM card, according to the Sheriff’s Office. When Vincent told Dixon that he didn’t have cash on him, Dixon ordered him to drive to Regions Bank.
Vincent told deputies that as he passed the Tom Thumb he noticed a group of people standing in the parking lot. Vincent quickly turned into the lot where he was able to unarm Dixon and throw the knife out the window of the taxi. Whiddon hurriedly went to the aid of Vincent and held Dixon until patrol deputies arrived.
Dixon was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping-false imprisonment and robbery. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail and was being held on a $25,000 bond.
Another Copper Theft Discovered At A Molino Communications Tower
November 22, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a copper theft was discovered Monday morning at a Molino communications tower, the second such theft in about two months.
Just before 10:30 a.m., technicians discovered hundreds of dollars in copper grounding wire missing from the privately owned communications tower adjacent to the Molino Ballpark on Crabtree Church Road. The wiring was part of the tower’s electrical grounding system.
There were no reports that any of the services on the tower were disrupted. At least one cellular telephone company serves the Molino area from the tower, but technicians were unable to provide further details.
On October 11, copper wiring valued at over $3,000 was reported stolen from a county-owned communications tower behind the Escambia County Health Department on Highway 29. (Read more…)
Anyone with information on the thefts is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: A copper theft is under investigation at a Molino communications tower. Pictured inset: A sign on the fence surrounding the facility warns that video surveillance is in use. Pictured below: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician searches for clues at the base of the tower. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHSAA 1A Rural Division Approved, To Include Northview And Jay
November 22, 2010
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s new rural school division to include Northview and Jay high schools was approved Monday.
The new 1A Rural division includes 36 schools for football — 47 for other sports — with among rural schools with a student populations of 44 to 600.
“When the FHSAA originally went up to six classifications in team sports in 1999, we had 517 member schools, with 480 of those playing team sports. Now that we have 670 member schools and 650 of those in team sports, the number of teams in individual districts is too large,” said FHSAA Executive Director Roger Dearing. “Moving to eight classifications allows for fewer teams in each district, which allows for more flexibility in scheduling for the season.”
District 1-1A Rural includes Jay, Baker, Freeport and Northview, plus Central and Laurel Hills for volleyball only. For boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball, Northview and Jay joins Baker, Freeport, Holmes County and Vernon in District 3-1A.
With 549 students, Northview is the largest school in the two districts. Jay has a student population of 286.
The FHSAA plan approved Monday also includes an Urban Division 1A composed of the state’s small schools in larger cities across Florida.
Dearing recommended the approval of the new classifications for the 2011-2013 school years, allowing for schools to appeal between November and January with the final classifications to be approved in January, 2011. Every two years, the classifications would be restructured based upon student enrollment.
The invitation deadline for the new classification was September 15 for schools with students populations under 600 and located in areas designate rural by the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development.
Pictured above and below: Action from Northview’s 34-0 defeat of Jay earlier this season. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fall Break This Week For Public School Students
November 22, 2010
This week is fall and Thanksgiving breaks for public school students.
Students in Santa Rosa County are out of class all week, while students in Escambia County will be out of school on Wednesday for a one day Fall Break and out of class Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Escambia County students will be in class Monday and Tuesday.
Students in Escambia County, Alabama, will also be out of class all week.
Students across the area will return to class on Monday, November 29.
Students Of The Month Named
November 22, 2010
Escambia County Students of the Month for November have been named by the Escambia Association for Administrators in Education. The awards are presented monthly to two students from participating schools.
The following students were named from North Escambia area schools:
- Bratt: Rachel G. Franklin, kindergarten; Meggan L. Brown, fourth grade
- Jim Allen: Thierry K. Robinson, third grade; Christopher J. Page, third grade
- Molino Park: Bradley W. Bridges, fifth grade; Bailey J. Baldwin, fifth grade
- Ransom: Taylor A. Ertel, eighth grade; Eric E. Esselburn, seventh grade
- Northview Zachary S. Johnson, 10th grade; Courtney Y. Solari, ninth grade.
- Tate: Kelly H. Ewing, 12th grade; James L. Sherrill, 12th grade.
Pictured top: Courtney Solari and Zachary Johnson, Northview High School’s Students of the Month for November. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pushin’ The Limits Walk To Benefit Cancer Patient
November 22, 2010
A “Pushin’ the Limits” walk will be held Sunday, December 5 to benefit cancer patient Nadine McCaw.
The walk will begin at 2 p.m. at the Food Giant in Century and be from the northern to the southern city limits in Century, a distance of about three miles. Registration is $20, with advance registrants receiving a t-shirt.
To register, click here for a registration form to return to the Century Branch Library, or visit the library for a registration form.
Molino Man Named Member Of Angus Association
November 22, 2010
Keith Walther of Molino has been named a new member of the American Angus Association.
The American Angus Association is the nation’s largest beef registry association with over 30,000 adult and junior members. The association’s goal is to serve the beef cattle industry, and increase the production of consistent, high quality beef that will better satisfy consumers throughout the world.
Gizmo Angus Farm and PineRidge Black Baldies are the only other North Escambia area members of the American Angus Association.
Escambia Elections Officials Recognized
November 22, 2010
In ceremonies conducted recently by the Election Center in Orlando, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David H. Stafford and Deputy Supervisor of Elections Michael Hardin were designated as Certified Elections/Registration Administrators (CERA), the highest professional achievement.
CERA designation is achieved only through a multi-year course of study conducted by The Election Center’s Professional Education Program and completion of 12 core courses taught by the Master’s in Public Administration faculty of Auburn University ranging from ethics, to voter registration and elections law, planning, communications, and voter participation, among others.
The intent of the program is to improve the professionalism the management of voter registration and elections administration in promoting and preserving public trust in the democratic process.
“This is the highest designation available to elections and voter registration officials,” said R. Doug Lewis, director of the Center. “Of more than 21,000 elections and voter registration officials throughout America, this graduating class of 44 professionals takes us to 589 election officials who have achieved the CERA status. This is an outstanding accomplishment.”
“Escambia County is indeed fortunate to have Michael and David as two of the top designated professionals in America. Obtaining and maintaining CERA status means that they have committed to a career long process of continuing education to improve the electoral process in Florida and the nation,” he stated.
The Professional Education Program is sponsored by The Election Center, a non-profit association of voter registrars and elections administrators throughout America. Its membership is comprised of township, city, county and state elections officials. The Center’s primary purpose is education for local and state voter registrars and elections officials to promote and improve the democratic process.
Professional Education Program participants receive continuing education credit from Auburn University as well as professional training credits from The Election Center. The Professional Education Program was recognized in 1996 as the top continuing education program in America by the National University Continuing Education Association.
Pictured: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.