Good Reading: Ernest Ward Eighth Graders Pen Turkey Poems
November 26, 2009
Have you ever thought about Thanksgiving from a turkey’s point of view?
Each year, eighth grade Language Arts students in Somer Bridge’s class at Ernest Ward Middle School are required to write a turkey poem from a turkey’s point of view.
Below are some of the turkey poems from this year.
Turkey Pain by Wade Jernigan
Here I sit in this field,
Looking up at the sky.
Soon I will be part of a meal,
Right before the pumpkin pie.
What did I do to deserve death,
Please tell me this right now.
As I take the last of my breath,
Why couldn’t they just eat a cow?
Before they come to get me,
I have to get away somehow.
While they pour the iced tea,
I will fly high into the clouds.
Thanksgiving Lament by Anna Fischer
Thanksgiving already,
No way this is true!
I’m not even ready,
Oh, I’m going to turn blue!
I’m running cold turkey,
And striving my best.
My step isn’t perky,
Oh! There’s pain in my chest!
Death is riding my tail,
And the tables have been turned.
I can already tell,
This turkey is about to be burned!
Untitled by Dalton Daniels
Noble bird that I am,
I do not want to die.
Why can’t they just eat ham?
But on the plate I will lie.
But revenge is mine,
As they take me out of the pan.
Because after they dine,
I release tryptophan.
So psyched for the Alabama game,
The drowsy diner lumbers.
Off to the couch he will remain,
As my chemicals cause his slumber.
Run Turkey, Run! By Kent Smith
Run Turkey Run.
He’s gotta gun.
Run,turkey run,
Ain’t gonna be fun!
Here comes Thanksgiving!
I gotta reason for living.
Here comes Thanksgiving!
He won’t be forgiving.
Oh! He’s got me in his sights,
Oh! It’s pointing at my head.
Oh! He’s got me in his sights.
Bang! Now I’m dead!
Turkey Poem by RJ Pritchett
I am a turkey,
Who is very wise.
I love to eat jerky,
The Hunters I will always despise.
I run from them everyday,
Because they shoot at me with guns.
I call it foul play.
Today they shot me right in the buns!
The bullets made me wobble.
As they take me home and pluck my veins.
Wishing that I could still gobble,
Oh, Oh! The pain!
Experts Urge Safety Harness Use After Two Area Tree Stand Deaths
November 26, 2009
Fatal tree stand accidents have experts, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, urging hunters to wear a safety harness when using a tree stand.
In October, Todd Burgess, 39, of Brewton, died after falling about 15 feet from a tree stand in the Damascus community of Escambia County, Alabama. Burgess, a native of Jay, had killed a deer with a bow and arrow from the stand. He called his wife, who was hunting on a nearby food plot, to let her know that he was headed down to retrieve the deer, according to Mike Lambert, Escambia County (Ala.) chief deputy. When he did not arrive at the wife’s location, his brothers began to look for him and found him dead, Lambert said.
Last Saturday, Pace resident Anthony Eddie Vanna, 33, died after falling from his tree stand in the Blackwater River State Forest near Munson. Vanna was muzzleloader hunting for deer when he fell 23.5 feet. He apparently was attempting to come down the tree at sundown.
Lambert said that hunters should use a safety harness when using a tree stand for added safety. The harnesses, he said, sell for as little as about $80.
“That $80 is a cheap insurance policy,” he said.
Bill Cline, the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s section leader for hunter safety and public shooting ranges, said anyone who hunts from a tree stand should wear a safety harness.
“If you’re going to leave the ground, you need to wear a full body harness. If a hunter isn’t willing to do that, they need to stay on the ground. It’s that simple,” Cline said.
Hunters who use older tree stand belts or upper-chest straps should discard them, Cline said. He encourages hunters to visit MyFWC.com/HunterSafety and take the free online tree stand safety course.
Health Department Offers Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips
November 26, 2009
As North Escambia area residents get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Escambia County Health Department is emphasizing the importance of safe food preparation and storage to prevent possible foodborne illnesses.
“While family celebrations are being prepared, everyone should practice proper food hygiene,” said Dr. John Lanza, health department director. “Floridians should wash their hands and counter tops thoroughly before and after preparing foods to help eliminate bacteria. Foods should be cooked at the appropriate temperature and leftovers should be stored properly.”
Factors that can contribute to foodborne illnesses include:
- Improper food storage (inadequate refrigeration temperature or hot holding temperature). Safe refrigeration temperature is less than 41 degrees Fahrenheit, and safe hot holding temperature is greater than 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Improper washing of hands and fingernails
- Improper cooling of foods. Safe cooling of foods is getting the foods to less than 41 degrees Fahrenheit within a four-hour time period.
- Cross contamination (such as from uncooked meat to salad ingredients)
- Improper cleaning and sanitizing of eating and cooking utensils, work areas and equipment
- Contamination of food, utensils and equipment from flies, roaches and other pests
Tips to prepare turkeys safely:
- A whole turkey should be cooked at an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- An 8-12 pound unstuffed turkey should be cooked for 2-3 hours.
- Preparers should use a meat thermometer. Every part of the turkey should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Frozen turkeys should be kept frozen until ready to thaw prior to cooking.
Individuals with liver disease or diabetes or who have had gastric surgery or are immune-compromised should avoid eating raw oysters or other raw animal protein during the holidays. Oysters that are thoroughly cooked or have been post-harvest treated can be consumed by people with these conditions to minimize the risk of infection from Vibrio vulnificus.
For more information about food safety, click here.
Photos: North Escambia Turkeys
November 26, 2009
These turkeys were spotted by our photographer near Barrineau Park.
They were alongside South Highway 99 near Crabtree Church Road.
There’s no word on how the turkeys spent their Thanksgiving.
Pictured above: A couple of turkeys next to Highway 99 in Barrineau Park. Pictured below: A face only a mother could love. Pictured below middle: Showing off. Pictured bottom of page: Why did the turkey cross the road? NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Average Cost Of Thanksgiving Dinner Down This Year
November 26, 2009
Menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings dropped 4 percent in price this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
AFBF’s 24th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $42.91, a $1.70 price decrease from last year’s average of $44.61.
“As we gather this Thanksgiving for food and fellowship, it’s fitting to take a moment to recognize and give thanks, not only for the abundant food we enjoy as Americans, but for the hard-working farm and ranch families across our nation who produce it,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.
The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10.
The cost of a 16-pound turkey, at $18.65 or roughly $1.16 per pound, reflects a decrease of 3 cents per pound, or a total of $.44 per turkey compared to 2008.
Milk, at $2.86 per gallon, dropped $.92 and was the largest contributor to the overall decrease in the cost of the 2009 Thanksgiving dinner.
“Consistent with the retail food price declines seen throughout the year, consumers will pay just a bit less for their Thanksgiving feast this year,” said Jim Sartwelle, an AFBF economist.
“Consumers are benefiting at the grocery store from significantly lower energy prices and the effects of the economic slowdown. Again this year, the cost per person for this special meal is less than a typical ‘value meal’ at a fast-food outlet,” Sartwelle said.
Other items showing a price decrease this year were: a ½ pint of whipping cream, $1.55; a dozen brown-n-serve rolls, $2.08; a 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery, $.72; and a 12-oz. package of fresh cranberries, $2.41. A combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter) also dropped in price, to $2.50.
Items that increased slightly (less than 5 percent) in price this year were: a 14-oz. package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.65; two 9-inch pie shells, $2.34; and a 30-oz. can of pumpkin pie mix, $2.45.
Two items, green peas and sweet potatoes, stayed the same in price at $1.58 for one pound and $3.12 for three pounds, respectively.
Sartwelle said despite retail price increases during the last year or so, American consumers have enjoyed relatively stable food costs over the years, particularly when adjusted for inflation.
The 4 percent decrease in the national average cost reported this year by Farm Bureau for a classic Thanksgiving dinner tracks closely with the organization’s 2009 quarterly marketbasket food surveys (available online at http://newsroom.fb.org) and the federal government’s Consumer Price Index (available online at http://data.bls.gov/), Sartwelle noted.
Lemmie Frances Goodson
November 25, 2009
Mrs. Lemmie Frances Goodson, 72, passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at a Santa Rosa County hospital.
Mrs. Goodson was a native of Jay, FL and a resident of Century, FL for most of her life. She was a loving Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother and attended the Abundant Life Assembly of God Church. Preceded in death by her Husband, John Goodson and a Daughter, Teresa Wells.
Survivors Include: two Sons, Jonathan Wells of Century, FL, and James Wells of Brewton, AL; a Daughter, Dianne Burkett of Byrneville, FL; 4 Grandchildren; 3 Great-Grandchildren; a Sister, Chiquita Mathis of Century, FL; and numerous Nieces and Nephews that were near and dear to her heart.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. at the Abundant Life Assembly of God with Bro. Gilbert Cozart officiating.
Burial will follow at Flomaton Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Saturday, November 28, 2009 between 6:00 and 9:00 P.M. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Nick Mathis, Michael McDonald, Wesley Simmons, Brandon Dannelley, Dennis Mathis, Danny Branson and Bobby Mathis.
Dr. Thomas A. Rice, Jr.
November 25, 2009
Dr. Thomas A. Rice, Jr., 53, passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2009 in Atmore, AL.
Dr. Rice was a native of Ft. Rucker, AL, a former resident of Enterprise, AL, and a resident of Atmore, AL for the past 27 years. He was the owner of Thomas A. Rice Family Dentistry of Atmore, a member of the American Dental Association and the Tennessee Walking Horse Association and attended the Brook’s Memorial Baptist Church. Preceded in death by his Father, Thomas Alvin Rice, Sr.
Survivors Include: his wife Karen Daw Rice of Atmore, AL; his Mother, Emma Gay Rice of Enterprise, AL; a Son, Alex Rice of Atmore, AL; a Daughter, Jordayn Rice of Atmore, AL; two Sisters, Jo and Phil Marsom of Greensboro, NC and Tammy and Mike Kirkland of Douglasville, GA; and a number of Nieces and Nephews.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. James Boyd officiating.
Burial followed at Sardis Cemetery.
Visitation was held Wednesday, November 25, 2009 from 12:30 P.M. until funeral time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel.
Pallbearers were Phil Marsom, Mike Kirkland, Zack Kirkland, David Daw, Joshua Daw, and Cody Mooney.
Want To Advertise On NorthEscambia.com? Check Out Our Black Friday Sale
November 25, 2009
If you want advertise on NorthEscambia.com, we’ve got some good news for you.
We are opening up many more advertising slots on the area’s most popular local news source, and we are going to put those advertising opportunities on sale Friday morning.
Retailers have their big after Thanksgiving “Black Friday” sales, and we thought it would be a good thing for NorthEscambia.com to do.
If you are interested in advertising on NorthEscambia.com, make sure you check the site Friday morning from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. details on our “Black Friday” sale.
Three Vehicle Highway 29, Molino Road Crash (Updated With Names)
November 25, 2009
(Updated) Five people escaped injury in a three vehicle wreck at Molino Road and Highway 29 just after 11 Wednesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Scottie Grant, 22, of Molino, was turning east onto Molino Road from Highway 29 in his 2000 Ford Explorer when he traveled into the path of a 2004 Nissan Murano driven by Luke K. Schick, 16, of Gulf Breeze. Schick attempted to swerve to miss the Explorer, but struck the rear corner of the vehicle. Schick then continued forward where he struck the rear driver’s side of a 2009 Toyota Yaris driven by Richard L. Nicholson, 69, of Gulf Breeze.
There were two passengers in Schick’s vehicle: Donald A. Schick, 45, and Michelle L. Schick, 41, both of Gulf Breeze.
Everyone involved in the accident refused medical treatment.
Grant was charged with violation of right of way, turning left in front of approaching traffic.
Molino’s Engine 1819, Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded the crash.
The accident was investigated by the by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: There were no injuries in this three vehicle accident Wednesday morning at Molino Road and Highway 29. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Juvenile Sentenced To Almost One Year In Jail For Shooting Donkey
November 25, 2009
The Cantonment juvenile who shot and killed a donkey near Jacks Branch Road back in May has been sentenced to almost a year in the county jail.
Kyle Mason Driver, 17, was charged as an adult with felony animal cruelty or death, using a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a minor. Driver was sentenced to 11 months and 15 days in the Escambia County Jail and three years probation in connection with the case. Judge Kenneth L. Williams gave Driver until January 8, 2010, to report to the county jail to begin his sentence.
Driver must also pay restitution to Panhandle Equine Rescue of $440.38. Under the terms of his probation, he must not own any livestock.
Escambia County deputies said Driver has confessed to shooting a donkey on River Annex Road near Jacks Branch Road late the night of May 2. The female donkey shot by Driver gave birth moments before or after being shot to J.B. a white donkey that became a local media celebrity of sorts.
Driver turned himself in at the county jail on May 6, about two hours after NorthEscambia.com published his photo and a plea for the public’s help in locating him from the sheriff’s department.