Chipley Upsets The No. 1 Northview Chiefs
September 17, 2011
The No. 1 ranked Northview Chiefs lost a non-district thriller on the road to the Chipley Tigers 34-27 Friday night.
“I thought Chipley played really well. They executed their game plan and they move the football all night,” Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley said following the tough road loss for the Chiefs.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
The sixth-ranked Tigers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with a touchdown and good kick with 8:22 on the clock in the first. At the 5:40 mark, the Chiefs came back to tie it up with a touchdown from senior Montaio Mitchell and a good kick from senior Kevin Vaughan.
Chipley struck back in the second to take a 14-7 lead. Then, with 6:14 in the half, Brandon Sheets was in on quarterback keeper for the Chiefs. A missed point after, and Chipley held a 14-13 lead.
Chipley scored again on an 80-yard run for an eight point lead, 21-13 with 5:55 in the half. Mitchell was in for another Chief TD and with a missed two point conversion with 2:42 in the half, 21-19 Chipley.
The Tigers hit again early in the third with a 39-yard touchdown run. With a missed point after, Chipley held a 27-19 lead. With 6:26 in the third, junor LaMikal Kyles hit the end zone for the Chiefs. A good Vaughan kick, and it was tied up 27-27.
“I thought maybe the momentum had turned , but we were just not able to get over the hump and get the lead. That would have been big for us,” Wheatley said.
With the cheerleaders in the stands and a loud crowd on their feet, the Chiefs fought to the end. But Chipley scored the game winning touchdown with 8:27 to go in the game, 34-27.
“I was disappointed with our defense. We were in good position at times and just didn’t wrap up and play fundamental football. They broke too many tackles,” Wheatley said. “We’ve got to be a better tackling team than we were tonight. Offensively, we moved the ball and had a lot of opportunities, but we just gave up way too much. Defensively, we’ve just got to get better.”
Chipley (3-0) and Northview (1-1) are in separate regions in the new Florida High School Athletic Association Rural Division. If they should meet again in the state playoffs, it would not be until the state semifinal game.
The Chiefs won’t play their first home game in Bratt until week five of the season on September 30. But first, Northview will travel to South Walton on September 23.
“It’s going to be a key game. We lost a heart breaker tonight, and now we’ve got to go on the road again, so we’ve got to have a really good week of preparation at practice,” Wheatley said. “It’s got to be upbeat, and we’ve got to work on the things we messed up on tonight and learn from our mistakes.”
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
Pictured: The No. 1 Northview Chiefs took on the No. 9 Chipley Tigers Friday night in Chipley. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
West Florida Beats Tate
September 17, 2011
The West Florida Jaguars improved to 3-0 with a 42-7 win over the Tate Aggies Friday night in Pensacola.
Tate’s only score of the night came on a pass from David Moorhead to Bryce Andrade — the first score of the season for the Aggies. After taking the 7-0 lead in the first quarter, it was all downhill for the Aggies.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
The Tate Aggies (0-3) will be at the Escambia Gators next Friday night, while West Florida will be on the road at Bay High School.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies fell to the West Florida Jaguars Friday night in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
Prep Football Roundup
September 17, 2011
Here’s a look at high school football scores from Friday night from across the North Escambia area:
Florida
- Chipley 34, Northview 27 [Read more, photo gallery...]
- West Florida 42 Tate 7 [Read more, photo gallery...]
- Sneads 33, Jay 7 [Read more...]
- Pine Forest 22, Niceville 21
- Pensacola High 34, Catholic 13
- Choctawhatchee 33, Washington 0
- Pace 27, Navarre 23
- Escambia 24, Rutherford 21 (OT)
- Fort Walton Beach 12, Milton 6
Alabama
- Flomaton 54 Mobile Christian 12 [Read more...]
- Escambia County 28, WS Neal 15
- TR Miller 62, Montgomery Academy 14
- Escambia Academy 52, Prattville Christian 12
Flomaton Blows Away Mobile Christian
September 17, 2011
With six touchdowns from Ryheem Dixon, the Flomaton Hurricanes blew away Mobile Christian Friday night 54-14.
Dixon picked up 191 yards on a dozen carries for the Cane’s. He had touchdown runs of 37, 19, 5, 52 , 50 and 1 yard to led the No. 9 Flomaton Hurricanes on their home field. Flomaton also scored with a 29-yard Hunter Bond touchdown pass to Jaleel Flavors.
The Flomaton Hurricanes (4-0) will play host to the Jay Royals (0-3) next Friday night at 7:00.
Convicted Atmore Baby Killer Gets October Execution Date
September 17, 2011
An October 20 execution date has been set for an Atmore man who asked for the death penalty after admitting to the beating death of his 6-month old son.
The execution date was announced Friday by the Alabama Supreme Court for Christopher Thomas Johnson.
Johnson testified that he purposefully beat his son Elias Ocean Johnson to death on February 20, 2005. He said he killed his son because he hated his wife.
“You go see Jesus,” were the last words Johnson said to his son, he testified at his trial.
Johnson fired his public defenders and served as his own attorney during his 2006 Escambia County trial, telling the judge and jury that he wanted the death penalty for his actions. It took the jury less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict, and the death penalty was imposed.
Under Alabama law, the Court of Criminal Appeals was required by Alabama law to review the case. Last Friday, the court upheld the capital murder conviction and death sentence in late 2009.
“This court is convinced that Johnson’s decision to represent himself on appeal and his decision not to file an appellate brief on his own behalf was knowing and voluntary,” the court said in the decision.
Johnson has declined further appeals since 2009.
Pictured top: Christopher Johnson of Atmore is set to be executed October 20 for murdering his 6-month old son in this home in the 100 block of Horner Street in Atmore in February 2005. File photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: It’s Easy To Attract Hummingbirds
September 17, 2011
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.
Artists, Farmers At Market Today In Cantonment
September 17, 2011
Local farmers and artists will gather at The Market at Saint Monica’s today at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment.
The market is open on the first and third Saturday of each month through October with local produce and craft items.
Some of the participants scheduled for today’s market include:
- Verdant Gardens with locally propagated nursery plants
- Damsel Designs — hand crocheted items
- Lady Bug All Natural Soaps — organic soap, body wash, knitted items
- Po Ma’s Pickin’s — sweet potatoes, boiled peanuts and collard greens
- BBG’s Country Corner with homemade crafts and vegetables
- Blue Gate Coop –fresh salsa and baked goods
- Kizer Family — Pink Ladies’ lemonade
- Ladybug Acres Natural Growers — plants, herbs and things
- Angel Hair Creations — handcrafted hair bows and more
- Livingston’s Pickles — homemade dill pickles and more
- Sandy Bay Creations — unique jewelry, knitted items and soap
The Market at Saint Monica’s is located at 699 South Highway 95A in Cantonment. The market will be open from 8 a.m. until noon in the parking lot of Saint Monica’s Church.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Corrects Housing Grant Estimates To Upgrade, Rebuild Homes
September 17, 2011
The Town of Century has corrected dollar figures used in a NorthEscambia.com article published Thursday about grant-funded housing rehabilitation projects. According to town consultant Debbie Nickles, incorrect dollar amounts were included in a memo presented to the Century Town Council due to mathematical error. Work on each house will include rehabilitation plus $10,000 in hurricane retrofits.
Nickles said she was unaware that the cost estimates provided to her already included the hurricane retrofits, so each estimate presented to the Town of Century was inflated by $10,000. “I added an additional $10,000 to each housing unit, therefore, providing an inflated cost estimate,” she said in a Friday afternoon email.
The incorrect dollar amounts provided by the Town of Century have been corrected in the article and table below.
Century has began the selection of houses to be rehabilitated or reconstructed with three quarters of a million dollars in grant money.
The town was awarded a $650,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to rehabilitate or replace about nine homes that are currently occupied by persons of low or moderate income. The town also received $100,000 in Residential Construction Mitigation Program Funds for hurricane retrofits.
The town has selected five homes so far to be rehabilitated under the programs. Estimated project costs for the five homes range from $18,300 for a mobile home at 306 East Pond Street (pictured left) to $49,300 for repairs to a home at 521 East Hecker Road (pictured top). (See complete list below.)
The town has also awarded a $875 contract to Swinney & Associates to survey a property at 7820 Jefferson Avenue. The program funds will pay to demolish that house and construct a new home for those residents.
The application process for the grant money is closed. Additional properties to receive repairs and upgrades will be announced at a later date.
Pictured top: A grant will pay for $49,300 in repairs and hurricane upgrades to this home on East Hecker Road in Century. Pictured inset: $18,300 will be spent on this 1988 mobile home on East Pond Street. Pictured below: $36,550 will go toward this home on East Pond Street. North Escambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Approves Garbage, Water, Sewer Rate Hikes
September 16, 2011
ECUA customers will see an increase in their monthly bill, and ECUA employees will see a pay increase following actions taken Thursday.
By a 3-2 margin, the Emerald Coast Utility Authority board approved a 7 percent increase in water and sewer rates, just below the 8 percent rate previously set by the board as part of a three year rate increase schedule.
“We considered the hardship this might cause with the current state of economy,” Nathalie Bowers, ECUA spokesperson, said. “But it was necessary with the need for capital improvements and infrastructure maintenance.”
Sanitation rates will increase by 1.7 percent. A residential sanitation customers will see their bill go from $18.35 to 18.66 per month. Service for senior citizens will increase from $15.38 to $15.64, and the “Lifeline” rate will increase from $8.74 to $8.89 per month.
“Tipping fees at the landfill are directly responsible for the need to increase sanitation service rates,” Bowers said.
Over 500 ECUA employees also received a 3.5 percent pay raise at Thursday’s board meeting. The raise is intended to offset the 3p percent their salaries that they are now required to contribute to their state pension retirement under recently enacted state legislation. The additional half percent is to cover additional payroll costs on the pension contribution.
The pay raise, Bowers said, will be covered by funds returned by the state because of retirement program savings.
Board members Larry Walker, Elizabeth Campbell and Elvin McCorvey voted for increases as part of the fiscal year 2012 budget, while Dale Perkins and Lois Benson voted against.
Cantonment Man Seriously Injured In High Speed Crash
September 16, 2011
A Cantonment man is in serious condition following an early morning crash on County Road 97.
Derrick T. McDaniel, 23, was northbound at a high rate of speed on County Road 97 in Cantonment about 1:50 a.m Friday when he attempted to pass a vehicle that had slowed to make a lawful turn onto Arena Road. McDaniel’s 2003 Ford Mustang struck the side of a 2008 Mazda driven by Sarah Lynn Dority of Pensacola. McDaniel’s Mustang overturned twice, hitting a tree. The tree traveled through the passenger compartment of the vehicle as he was ejected from the vehicle.
McDaniel was airlifted to Baptist Hospital by LifeFlight.
Dority received minor injuries in the crash. Her passenger, 24-year old William C. Ramey of Cantonment, was not injured.
Charges against McDaniel are pending blood alcohol results, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.