West Florida High School Application Deadline Near
November 29, 2009
West Florida High School is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year through Tuesday.
West Florida High is a magnet school open to high school students from anywhere in Escambia County. The school’s advanced technology program focuses on providing a unique, comprehensive and useful education that will lead to lifelong personal, career and professional accomplishments. West Florida’s mission is to prepare students for entry into their chosen field or higher educational pursuit through the incorporation of learning experiences and technical fields.
Students and parents may obtain applications at the middle school guidance office or in the front office of Building 1 at West Florida High School.
For further information, please call Lori Anderson at 941-6221, extension 2188.
Satsumas Available From Davisville Man’s Orchard
November 29, 2009
A local man is selling the fruits of his labor — satsumas from his orchard.
Jimmie Davis has 67 satsuma trees in his three-year old orchard in the Davisville community. Some of the individual trees are five or six years old. The satsumas, which are similar to a mandarin orange, are for sale.
To purchase the satsumas, call (850) 327-6711 or stop by 9941 Highway 97.
Pictured above: Jimmie Davis of Davisville with one of his satsuma trees. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunny Today, Rain On The Way
November 29, 2009
Sunday will be sunny and pleasant in the North Escambia area, but an approaching cold front will bring rain as we head into the work week.
Here is your official North Escambia weather forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then a chance of rain and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. North wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: A chance of rain and thunderstorms, then rain and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 59. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Tuesday Night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 53. East wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Wednesday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. East wind around 15 mph becoming south. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday Night: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 56.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39.
- Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
No Injuries In Century Wreck
November 28, 2009
There were no injuries in a Century accident that left a power pole on the ground Saturday afternoon.
The accident happened about 1:00 on Old Flomaton Road near Campbell Road. Escambia River Electric Cooperative was called to repair the downed pole.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department, Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the accident.
ECAT Bus Drivers May Strike Over Pay Raise
November 28, 2009
Escambia County public transportation bus drivers may go on strike this week.
Drivers for Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) voted last week to strike as early as this week. The members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1395 are in a labor dispute with Veolia Transportation, the private company that runs ECAT for the county.
The issue is a 4.54 percent pay raise that the transportation union says is guaranteed in their contracts. But Escambia County won’t pony up the $225,000 citing a lack of funds.
The bus drivers voluntarily agreed in 2007 to skip raises on the promise of the 4.5 percent pay increase this year.
The union will meet Tuesday to decide what date they might start their strike. Government employees are forbidden to strike in Florida, but since the bus drivers are employees of Veolia, a private company, they are allowed to strike.
ECAT runs one route in North Escambia, with six-day a week bus service to and from Pensacola, Cantonment, Molino and Century.
Gas Prices: Thanksgiving Weekend Travel More Expensive This Year
November 28, 2009
Thanksgiving weekend travel was more expensive this year than last, with the average price of gas up nearly a dollar over last year.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in the Pensacola metro was $2.60 during the Thanksgiving weekend, up from $1.78 last year. But the price is still much better than two years ago when it was $3.04 per gallon.
Around North Escambia, that gallon of gas ranged from $2.55 to $2.64 in an informal survey.
AAA projected 38.4 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; a 1.4 percent increase over last year when 37.8 million traveled.
The number of travelers by automobile was expected to be 33.2 million in 2009 compared to 32.5 million last year; an increase of 2.1 percent. The number of travelers by air was expected be 2.3 million compared to 2.5 million in 2008; a decline of 6.7 percent. The number of those traveling by “other” means, including, trains, watercraft, buses and multiple-modes of transportation, was expected to be 2.9 million compared to 2.8 million last year, an increase of 1.2 percent, AAA said.
Last year, Thanksgiving weekend travel dropped a precipitous 25.2 percent in the wake of the ongoing housing and financial crisis. This year’s expected increase in travel reflects improved consumer confidence from one year ago, better financial market performance and a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us, AAA said.
“Although far too many Americans remain unemployed or under other financial stress, AAA’s projected increase in Thanksgiving travel from one year ago is another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas. We can also be thankful the gradual recovery we have been seeing in the U.S. travel industry since the start of the summer is continuing,” said AAA’s director of Travel Services, Glen MacDonell.
Pictured: Regular unleaded gas was $2.59 per gallon Saturday at a station on Highway 97 in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Parade, Santa Claus And More In Christmas Festival In Jay Today
November 28, 2009
Santa Claus is coming to Jay today, part of an all-afternoon and early evening Christmas festival and parade.
From noon until 7:00 tonight, the Christmas festival will feature over 30 Christmas gift vendors with baskets, pottery, jewelry, children’s clothes, games, homemade cakes, boiled peanuts, peanut brittle, homemade honey and more. There will also be carnival type games for the children.
Santa Claus will be in the town’s Christmas parade at 2 p.m., and the jolly old elf will visit with children after the parade. Photos with Santa will be available for a small charge. There will be prizes, including a $300 first place prize, for the best float in the parade.
There will be live music, from gospel to country to dance. Entertainment will include everything from the Bluegrass sounds of Sons of the Pines to the North End Stompers to Elvis Presley.
Proceeds from the Santa photos and vendors will be used by the Jay Historical Society toward refurbishing their museum building.
Admission to the festival is free. Events take place in downtown Jay along Commerce Street.
The entertainment scheduled is as follows:
- Noon: Sons of the Pine
- 1 p.m.: Robbie McCurdy
- 2 p.m.: North End Stompers
- 3 p.m.: The Lunsfords
- 4 p.m.: The Calloways
- 4:30 p.m.: C.J. Penton
- 5 p.m.: Elvis Presley
Salvation Army Needs Christmas Help
November 28, 2009
The Salvation Army in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties is seeking people to adopt a child or a family for the Christmas season.
“Instead of buying a gift for someone who has everything, adopt an angel in their honor,” said Yvonne Warthen Christmas coordinator for the Salvation Army.
People interested in providing support to a struggling family through the program have until December 10th to sign up. They can do so by calling (850) 432-1501 ext. 13 or emailing escarosa@uss.salvationarmy.org. Callers should denote the sex and number of children or the size of the family they want to sponsor.
Staff will provide the sponsors with their recipient family’s gift request list. The families’ identities will remain confidential, though sponsors will know the ages and genders of its family members.
The large number of unmatched children and families results from the economic downturn and a declining supply of jobs, said Warthen.
Angel Trees are located at all Members First Federal Credit Unions can be faxed or emailed from The Salvation Army’s office.
Deer Season: What You Need To Know
November 28, 2009
We are in the four-day Thanksgiving weekend deer season, and here are some tips and reminders from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers the following tips and reminders.
After two tree stand hunting deaths in the area, the FWC is urging hunters using a tree stand to wear a safety harness. Read that story here.
The general gun season comes in Thanksgiving Day and lasts four days through November 29. Two weeks later, the season reopens December 12 and runs through February 17.
The highly anticipated antlerless deer season, often called “doe week,” is December 19-25.
During doe week, the daily bag limit’s one buck and one doe, or two bucks. You may not take two does in one day like you may during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. And by the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season.
Hunters can take bucks having at least one antler 5 inches or longer. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two.
Fall turkey season in Northwest Florida is November 26-29 and December 12 – January 17. Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game, and you must have a $5 turkey permit to hunt them. The bag limit’s one bird per day, and a total of two during the archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined.
Shooting hours for deer, turkeys, quail and gray squirrels is a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal firearms, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and handguns are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey, and quail and gray squirrel seasons.
The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.
If you plan to hunt one of Florida’s many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you’ll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don’t forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules differ greatly from area to area.
You can buy your license and permits over the telephone by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or online at www.wildlifelicense.com/fl. Just have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from tax collectors’ offices and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
Northwest Florida Hunting Season Dates
(not applicable on wildlife management areas)
Archery Oct. 17 – Nov. 15
Deer-dog training Oct. 31 – Nov. 19
Crossbow Nov. 30 – Dec. 6
Muzzleloading gun Nov. 20-22 & Feb. 18-28
General gun Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Feb. 17
Antlerless deer Dec. 19-25
Fall turkey Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Jan. 17
Quail and gray squirrel Nov. 14 – March 7
Bobcat and otter Dec. 1 – March 1
Spring turkey March 20 – April 25
Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except during spring turkey season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset on private lands.
For hunting regulations and dates on wildlife management areas, click the following links:
For other wildlife management area regulations, click here.
For complete Florida hunting information, click here.
Information courtesy Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Good Weekend Weather; Rain Next Week
November 28, 2009
After a cool start to your Saturday, expect sunny skies and comfortable afternoon temperatures today and tomorrow. But by Monday, the sun will give way to rain returning to the Gulf Coast.
Here is your official North Escambia weather forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind.
- Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 45. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. East wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 49. East wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 61.