900th Win: Local Men Cheer On Century’s Buck Showalter
September 5, 2010
Century’s Buck Showalter was handed his 900th Major League win Saturday night as the Baltimore Orioles topped the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4.
And among the 18,943 fans in Baltimore a group of friends from the North Escambia were cheering on Showalter.
Ronny Wedgeworth, Steve Stanton, Eddie Hammond, Kenny Felh and Richard Armstrong have had the opportunity to see the Orioles up close and personal with Showalter all weekend. They have also had the chance to do a little batting practices with the O’s.
Stanton played football with Showalter at Century High School. Wedgeworth attended Flomaton High School and played baseball against Showalter and the Blackcats.
Pictured above and below: A group of North Escambia area men at Camden Yards for a weekend with the Baltimore Orioles. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lawson And Nita Berry Celebrate 50 Years
September 5, 2010
Nita and Lawson Berry of Barrineau Park celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday.
Juanita Hill and Lawson Berry were married in the North T Street Church of God in Pensacola, Florida on September 3, 1960. They moved to Barrineau Park in 1964. Their son Lynn Berry and wife Terri, their daughter Audrey Dickson and husband Tom, and granddaughter Holly Dickson all live in Barrineau Park.
The Berrys celebrated their 50th anniversary with family and plan a trip to Orlando soon.The whole family will celebrate with a trip to the mountains in the fall.
Lawson retired from the Florida Division of Forestry as an equipment supervisor. Nita was a school bus operator for 11 years and a homemaker.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe: An Impressive Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Torte
September 5, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a dark chocolate torte with a raspberry sauce. It is an ideal dessert for impressing company or that special someone.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Northview Beats Graceville 24-6 (With Photo Gallery)
September 4, 2010
The Northview Chiefs opened their season Friday night with a big road win over Graceville, 24-6
The Chiefs ended their first possession with a 27-yard field goal from Lance Bushaw. Then, with 5:26 on the clock in the first, Graceville’s Tigers were on the board with a touchdown from the six-yard line toe end their first possession. The Tigers missed their two point attempt, taking the lead 6-3.
Then with 1:24 to go in the first, senior Taylor Martin had a two-yard touchdown dash. A good kick, and the Chiefs returned to the lead, 10-6.
The Chiefs managed a drive inside the Graceville 10 before attempting and missing a fourth down field goal with a second shy of six minutes to go in the half.
With 3:44 remaining in the half, NHS intercepted the ball at midfield. But the Chiefs fumbled on the Tiger’s 40. It was Graceville’s ball with 2:25 in the second.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
At the 1:05 mark in the second, senior Dustin Yuhasz returned a Graceville punt 65 yards for a touchdown. A good extra point, and the Chiefs were up 17-6. Northview
drove to the one-yard line with 1.3 seconds on the clock in the first half. But they were unable to make the play before the buzzer. Headed to the lockers, the Chiefs were ahead of the Gators 17-6.
The third quarter was all about defense as both teams were scoreless.
In the fourth, with 10:46 on the board, quarterback Brandon Sheets was in for another Northview touchdown from five yards out. A textbook kick through the uprights, and the Chiefs sealed their 24-6 victory over the Graceville Tigers.
The Chiefs amassed 354 total yards against Graceville, with 281 yards on the ground.
Northview (1-0, 0-0) will be on the road again next week for their first district game against South Walton.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Northview senior Taylor Martin avoids Graceville defenders Friday night. Pictured top inset: Cheerleader Ariel Holland. Bottom inset: Brooke Tullis. Pictured below: The Northview Chiefs beat Graceville Friday night on the road. NorthEscambia.com photos by Heather Leonard, click to enlarge.
Friday’s Football Roundup
September 4, 2010
Here’s a roundup of North Escambia area football scores from Florida and Alabama:
Florida
- Northview 24 Graceville 6 [Read more...]
- Walton 34 West Florida 11
- Tate 30 Washington 20 (Thurs night)
- (Jay Royals were OPEN)
- Pensacola 24 Pine Forest 7
Alabama
- Flomaton 27 Southern Choctaw 14 [Read more...]
- Escambia Academy 24 Jackson Academy 21
- Escambia County High School 43 B.C. Rain 15 [Read more...]
- UMS Wright 47 W.S. Neal 0
- Bayside 27 T.R. Miller 20
It’s Easy To Attract Hummingbirds
September 4, 2010
Few sights are more thrilling in the garden than rapidly moving hummingbirds darting among colorful flowers. Hummingbirds, also known as hummers, are always a wonder to see, and it’s easy to attract them to your garden.
In Florida, we see three different types of hummingbirds, but the most common is the ruby-throated. This feathered jewel is only about three inches long and weighs as little as a single penny!
For their size, hummingbirds have among the largest appetites in the bird world. They feed every 10 or 15 minutes from dawn until dusk. During this period, they eat more than half their weight in food and 8 times their weight in water.
If you’re fascinated by hummingbirds, as I am, you probably hang out a feeder or two in the summer to provide them with sugar water. Artificial feeders will attract hummingbirds.
However, feeders should not be the sole source of food provided. The sugar solution may appeal to the hummingbirds’ sweet tooth, but it provides little nourishment. Nectar is much more vital to the hummingbird than just water and sugar. By planting certain flowers and shrubs, home gardeners can provide food and habitat for hummingbirds.
Typical hummingbird flowers are red, have a tubular shape and have no strong scent. But there are several notable exceptions to this general rule. Many plants with red flowers don’t contain very much nectar. Roses, petunias, geraniums and zinnias have brilliant colors but little nectar.
Plants that produce an abundance of flowers over an extended period of time and those that require little care are good choices. Native plants can “fill the bill” where nectar-seekers are concerned and should be used whenever possible.
Perennials that are recommended as nectar sources include butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), red basil (Calamintha coccinea), shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana), cigar plant (Cuphea ignea), firespike (Odontonema stricta), red star hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), and obedient plant (Physostegia spp.).
It’s also important to plant a mixture of nectar producing trees, vines and shrubs that have overlapping blooming seasons. This will insure that a continuous source of nectar will be available to hummingbirds throughout the growing season. Some of the species recommended include red buckeye, bottlebrush, firebush (Hamelia patens), wild azalea, trumpet vine, and coral honeysuckle.
Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds are not strictly nectar feeders. Insects and other invertebrates are the primary source of protein for adult hummingbirds and their young. An adult female can consume up to 2,000 insects per day. Small invertebrates including mosquitoes, gnats, small bees, fruit flies, spiders, caterpillars, aphids, and insects eggs make up the hummingbirds diet. So keep your plants free of pesticides. Pesticides destroy the insect food base vital to hummingbirds and their offspring, and may also contaminate the nectar they drink.
And if you do use artificial feeders, remember that the sugar solutions must be kept fresh. Florida’s hot weather can cause rapid bacterial growth in these feeders and birds that drink contaminated water could die. To avoid this, change the solution every 3 to 5 days. Clean the feeders with hot water and white vinegar. Do not use soap or chlorine bleach.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Funeral Services Held For Father, Son Killed In Monday Wreck
September 4, 2010
Funeral services were held Saturday for the father and son who died Monday in a Flomaton traffic accident.
Services for Stephen Carl Thompson, 33, and his son, Nathan, 9, of Bay Minette, were held at Hand Avenue Baptist Church. Burial was in Bay Minette Cemetery.
Thompson is survived by his wife of nearly 12 years, Christie Thompson; and three more children, Valerie Thompson, Joshua Thompson and Rachel Thompson, all of Bay Minette.
Thompson, a Pensacola native, served as a member of the National Guard since 2006. His family moved to Bay Minette when he was a teen, and he played soccer and football at Baldwin County High School. He graduated in 1994.
He was employed by Redbox, a movie rental company. He had reportedly taken his son Nathan, who was homeschooled, to work with him. He had left a Redbox location in Atmore and was on his way to service machines in Brewton.
Donations to assist the family can be made to Christie Thompson, c/o Hand Avenue Baptist Church, 2001 Hand Ave., Bay Minette, AL 36507.
The Thompsons died Monday afternoon in a crash at Highway 113 and Highway 31 in Flomaton when their vehicle was struck by another vehicle driven by Alice Bradley Bradford, 79, of Pensacola. Bradford and her husband Edward M. Bradford, 80, were both transported by helicopter to Pensacola Hospitals where Alice Bradford later died.
Funeral arrangements for Alice Bradford have not been publicly announced.
For more on the accident, click here.
Escambia County Beats B.C. Rain 43-15
September 4, 2010
The Escambia County Blue Devils beat B.C. Rain Friday night in Atmore 43-15.
The Blue Devils (2-0, 1-0) were led by Chris Johnson and Rico Stallworth with two touchdowns each.
Johnson’s touchdowns were one and 31 yard runs. Stallworth’s TD’s were one and 26 yards. An interception by Torian Brown was ran back 75 yards for another touchdown , and Chris Smith had a one-yard touchdown dash.
The Blue Devils, under first year Head Coach Mark Heaton, will be on the road next Friday night against a tough UMS Wright team. UMS Wright is coming off a 47-0 defeat of W.S. Neal Friday night.
Flomaton Hurricanes Blow Past Southern Choctaw
September 4, 2010
Ryheem Dixon had a good Friday night for the Flomaton Hurricanes, as they blew past Southern Choctoaw 27-14.
Dixon had touchdown runs of 53 and two yards, and had a five yard pass to Austin Patterson for another touchdown.
The Hurricanes opened with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 32-yard touchdown run from Neiko Robinson. On the ground, A.J. Odom had 116 yards for Canes on 21 carries.
Flomaton accumulated about 315 yards, about 265 of them on the ground in their Southern Choctaw defeat.
The Flomaton Hurricanes (2-0, 1-0) will be back at home next Friday night against J.U. Blacksher.
For more photos, visit www.mikenewtonphoto.com.
Submitted photos by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
More Charges Filed In Connection With Billings Murders
September 4, 2010
More arrests have been made in connection with last summer’s murder of Bud and Melanie Billings for allegedly trying to dump guns in Mississippi.
State Attorney Bill Eddins and Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan announced Friday afternoon that a Mississippi grand jury has indicted Hugh Wiggins, Pamela Long (pictured), and Eddie Denson on one count each of being an accessory after the fact.
The charges arose from the trio’s attempt to conceal or destroy evidence in the Billings murders in Jackson County, Mississippi. Both Wiggins and Denson were arrested on Friday in Pascagoula. Pamela Long is currently incarcerated in the Escambia County Jail. A detainer has been placed against her and she will be arrested on the Mississippi charge after the conclusion of her Florida case.