Winning Jay Lottery Ticket Expires Saturday
July 18, 2010
Midnight Saturday is the deadline to claim a $68,663.34 prize from a winning lottery ticket sold near Jay.
The Fantasy 5 ticket was sold January 25 at McDonald’s State Line Lotto on Highway 87 at the Alabama/Florida line. The prize winner had 180 days to claim the prize, and that time period expires at midnight Saturday.
The winning numbers were 2-13-19-24-28.
Atmore Man Charged In Local Burglary; May Have Been Accompanied By Child
July 18, 2010
An Atmore man that may have had a child in his car at the time of the crime has been charged with a burglary last Sunday afternoon in Davisville.
Brady Lee Mosley, 52, of McRae Street, is jailed on felony charges of burglary and larceny. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond on a violation of probation warrant.
About 1 p.m. July 11, Escambia County Sheriffs’ Office investigators believe Mosley took five automotive radiators from a workshop at a home in the 10000 block of Highway 97. Witnesses reported seeing a 1995 tan Mercury Marquis with Alabama tag 30A73P1 backed into the carport area of the workshop. The suspect removed five radiators worth about $500 from the workshop area, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.
A witness confronted Mosley, at which time he fled north on Highway 97 in the Mercury Marquis. The witness followed Mosley as he turned west on Nokomis Road, to Rockaway Creek Road to Miller Road. Knowing that Miller Road was a dead end, the witness parked his car and waited while on the phone with a Sheriff’s Office dispatcher. When the suspect exited Miller Road a short time later, the witness again followed him back to Nokomis Road. That’s where the witness stopped the chase because he said the man believed to be Mosley was driving erratically at a high rate of speed.
Two witnesses reported that the suspect had a juvenile male about 11-years old in the car at the time of the incident.
The burglary victim reported that several items in the workshop had been tampered with or moved, but only the radiators were missing.
According to the Sheriff’s Office report, the Mercury was registered to the Mosley’s stepfather, and his roommate in Atmore told authorities that Mosley had left home in the vehicle just prior to the incident. Two witnesses independently picked Mosley out of separate photo lineups.
Highland 633 Students Attend M-Fuge Camp
July 18, 2010
The Highland Baptist Church 633 Student Ministry recently participated in the M-Fuge Student Camp at North Greenville University in Greenville, South Carolina.
“We took 27 students and adult chaperones. Our students participated each day in ministry projects including children’s ministry, social ministry, games and recreation ministry, painting-cleanup-yard work ministry, and creative ministry. Students were equipped to share their faith, which they did each day. Each day the students and adults participated in worship services and enjoyed various activities as a group. Upon return from camp our students have a renewed heart for serving others in our community with the love of Christ,” said Student Pastor Brad Johnson.
Highland Student Ministry meets each Wednesday night at 6:45pm at Highland Baptist Church, 6240 Hwy 95A North, Molino.
To share news from your church, email news@northescambia.com
Pictured: The Highland Baptist Church 633 Student Ministry at M-Fuge Student Camp in Greenville, South Carolina. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE All-Stars Win Sectionals, Headed To State
July 18, 2010
The Northwest Escambia All-Stars are now sectional champions and headed to state after sweeping both of their 11-12 year old Little League softball games Saturday in Tallahassee.
NWE beat Tallahassee Chaires Little League 16-1 and 8-2 in the double elimination tournament for the Florida Section 1 Championship. The Northwest Escambia girls will travel to the state tournament in Fort Myers next week.
In the first game, Mallory Ryan pitched all four innings with seven strike outs and no walks.
Scoring for NWE: Mallory Ryan: 2; Kyndall Hall: 2; Penny Banda: 1; Courtney Peebles: 2; Kendal Cobb: 2; Addy Lee: 3; Kristen Byrd: 2; Natalie Goetter: 1; Peighton Dortch: 1. RBIs for NWE: Mallory Ryan: 4; Kyndall Hall: 1; Courtney Peebles: 3; Kendal Cobb: 1; Addy Lee: 1.
In the second game, NWE and Chaires were tied 2-2 at the end of the sixth, and continued tied 2-2 at the end of the seventh. But NWE was able to score six runs in the top of the eighth for the 8-2 win.
Ryan pitched five innings with four strike outs and a walk. Courtney Peebles pitched three innings with one strike out and no walks.
Scoring for NWE: Kyndall Hall: 1; Courtney Peebles: 1; Kendal Cobb: 2; Addy Lee: 1; Kristen Byrd: 1; Natalie Goetter: 1; Savanna Roux: 1. RBIs for NWE: Kyndall Hall: 1;
Penny Banda: 1; Natalie Goetter: 1.
In the state championship series next week, NWE will play Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 1:30 p.m. and Friday at 6:30 p.m. All times listed are Eastern.
Members of the NWE 11-12 year old All-Stars are: Savanna Roux, Peighton Dortch, Courtney Peebles, Kyndall Hall, Penny Banda, Addy Lee, Kendal Cobb, Mallory Ryan, Kristin Byrd and Natalie Goetter. The team is managed by Jerry Mason, and coached by Ronald Peebles and Eddie Ryan.
Pictured top and bottom:The Northwest Escambia All-Starts 11-12 softball team after Saturday’s sectional win in Tallahassee. Pictured inset: Kendal Cobb plays for NWE. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kim Ryan, click to enlarge.
Fire Reported On Quintette Lane
July 17, 2010
Fire stations from across the area responded to an early morning house fire in the Quintette community.
Firefighters reportedly found a smoldering mattress when they arrived on Quintette Lane just north of Quintette Road about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The fire was quickly extinguished.
The Cantonment, Molino, McDavid and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the fire. Several units were canceled prior to their arrival.
There were no injures reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Jobless Rate Jumps In Three County Local Area
July 17, 2010
While the statewide unemployment rates in Florida and Alabama dropped, the three-county employment rate in the North Escambia area increased according to date released Friday.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate increased 0.6 percent— up from 10.3 percent in May to 10.9 percent in June. That represents 879 jobs lost in a month.
Santa Rosa County also recorded an increase in unemployment — from 9.3 in May to 9.8 percent in June. Santa Rosa County lost 378 jobs during the period.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County, Ala., also jumped, from 11.4 percent in May to 11.8 in June.
Florida’s May unemployment rate dipped to 11.4 percent, the third consecutive month of improvement. Prior to this year, the last time Florida recorded monthly declines in unemployment rates was February 2006.
“This continuing decline in Florida’s unemployment rate is another strong indication that our economy is improving,” said Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “While we recognize that families and businesses, especially those impacted by the Gulf oil spill, continue to face challenges as the nation emerges from recession, this positive indicator should provide hope to Floridians.
The improvement is partially attributed to a shrinking labor force. According to the department, the labor force shrank by 34,000 from May to June, likely due to many people giving up on their job searches. However, jobs were still lost during the month, with the biggest loss coming in laid off census workers. As census taking wrapped up, 20,000 workers were laid off.
“If we didn’t have that census impact we would have likely gained jobs,” said Rebecca Rust, chief economist for the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
Unexpected was the relatively stable rate in Panhandle counties. State officials have heard for weeks about the economic hit suffered there because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill – and lawmakers are talking about a possible special session later this year to deal with economic issues arising out of the disaster. But the Pensacola metro area had a 10.5 percent unemployment rate in June, with the Panama City metro area coming in at 9.3 percent and the Destin-Fort Walton area coming in at 7.6 percent, the lowest for the state.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 10.3 percent in June, declined from May’s rate of 10.7 percent and equaled the year-ago rate.
The News Service Florida contributed to this report.
Atmore All-Stars In State Babe Ruth Tourney
July 17, 2010
The Atmore Babe Ruth All-Stars will take part in the 2010 Alabama State 13-year old Babe Ruth Tournament beginning today in Demopolis.
The team is comprised of players from both Atmore and the North Escambia areas. The first game will have Atmore’s All-Stars facing Huntsville at the Demopolis Sportplex. The tournament continues through Tuesday.
Pictured: Members of the 13-year old Atmore Babe Ruth All-Stars are: (front L-R) Tanner Smith, Coby Smith, Gage White, Brodie Amos, Billy Powell, Devontae Stephens, (middle) Trey Weeks, Tristan McAnally, Aaron McDonald, Dalton Daniel, Nate Smith, Trey McGhee (back) Coach Jody Dortch, Coach Tommy Smith and Manager Tim McAnally. Submitted photo for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Injured In Cantonment Crash
July 17, 2010
At least three people were injured in a two vehicle collision Friday evening in Cantonment. The accident happened about 6:30 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 95A and Neal Road. The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not available. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
How To Pick That Perfect Summer Watermelon
July 17, 2010
One of the best ways to celebrate summer is to enjoy sweet, ripe watermelons. But knowing when to harvest or buying the best one is not always an easy chore. Of all the hard-to-choose fruits, watermelon is one of the toughest to select. The hard rind of a watermelon can be up to an inch thick and doesn’t soften as it ripens. It’s green when ripe and green when unripe. So, how do you select a juicy, sweet watermelon?
Your best bet is to grow your own or buy local and “in season”, through mid-July. Collin Adcock, Extension Agent in Washington County, provides us some tips on how to know when to harvest watermelons from your garden.
Choosing a ripe watermelon from the field or garden can be much easier than choosing a ripe one in the store. The ability to recognize a ripe melon comes from years of experience and careful observation. In the garden there are several clues to help determine the ripeness of a melon that one does not always have in the store.
Most people rely on four methods of determining melon ripeness in the field.
First, look at the tendril or “pigtail” closest to the melon. When this tendril turns brown and dries out, it is a good sign that the melon is ripe.
Next, look at the bottom of the melon where it lays on the ground. When this area, sometimes referred to as the “color spot”, turns from white to a light yellow, there is a good chance the watermelon is ripe.
Then look at the rind. When the rind becomes rough to the touch and turns from a more shiny color to a more dull color and is resistant to penetration by the thumbnail it is a sign of melon ripeness.
The last method is the thump test. This is done by thumping the top of the melon. If the watermelon has a dull thud when thumped, it is very possible the melon is ripe. Unripe melons will usually have a tighter, ringing or hollow sound. Be careful when using this test because it is not always reliable. Watermelons do not always give off a dull thud when ripe. For some watermelons a dull thud may indicate an over-ripe melon.
Only a melon’s taste can provide definitive proof as to its ripeness. A foolproof approach is to cut open several melons that appear to be ripe (based on the above methods), and then taste all of the melons and decide which one has the best taste. After locating the best tasting watermelon note the condition of the closest tendril, the color spot, how the thump sounds, and the shine of the rind along with melon size. Harvest all those that have similar characteristics.
When buying a watermelon, you should look for “a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free of bruises, cuts or dents” according to the National Watermelon Promotion Board.
When you see a nice-looking watermelon, pick it up and feel its heft; then pick up a few others of similar size to compare. At 92 percent water, a good melon should feel heavy for its size.
How do you know a watermelon ripened on the vine? Easy, turn the melon over and check for a creamy yellow spot. That’s a sign that the watermelon sat on the ground and in the sun to ripen. The yellow spot is the only place the sun didn’t hit.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Firefighters, Facebook Group Fighting To Keep Park Open
July 17, 2010
Citizens across the area are lining up online and an Alabama firefighter’s groups is organizing a meeting Monday, to support Little River State Forest.
Little River, formerly known as Claude D. Kelley State Park, is located north of Atmore along Highway 21 on the Escambia -Monroe county line. It includes about 2,100 acres of longleaf pine forest with fishing on a 25-acre lake, hiking, swimming and camping.
The Alabama Forestry Commission, which manages the park, has announced that it will close September 30 due to a $5 million shortfall in the department’s overall budget.
That closure announcement led to public outcry, including a Facebook page “Keep Little River Park open”, which boasted almost 1,750 members as of early Saturday morning. And now, the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Departments (AAVFD) has joined the fight, announcing a public meeting Monday in Monroeville.
The AAVFD and the Alabama Forestry Commission’s public meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Monroeville Water Tower and Conference Center on East Claiborne Street. The area’s legislative delegation has also been invited to the meeting.
On the Facebook page, person after person has shared their memories of the park as well as photos. Here are a few posts:
- Winnie Nichols: Closing Little State Park would be destroying memories yet to be created. I would love for my great grand-children to be able to visit, enjoy and learn to love nature so abundant in this park. To allow it to close would be destroying a living treasure which we so cherish and really need in lower Alabama. Please find a way to keep it open.
- Alisha Linam: My grandparents got engaged while parked in the spillway one full moon night back in 1950 and I have many fond memories of childhood Saturday afternoons spent there. It would be a tragedy if it is closed.
- Mary Wood: Keep Little River Park open, there are too many memories there to just let it go.
- Patty Helton Davis: I cannot imagine this park closing. It is hard to believe that cannot come up with travel trailer park or something to raise additional cash. They do it at George Stone Park on Highway 4
To visit the “Keep Little River State Park open” Facebook page, click here.
