Trip To Grandma’s More Expensive This Year
November 24, 2011
That Thanksgiving trip to grandma’s house was a little more this expensive year, with gas prices up about 50 cents per gallon over last year.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in the Pensacola metro was $3.27 headed into the Thanksgiving weekend, up from $2.79 last year and just $1.78 three years ago. The increase, for example, would raise the cost of a round trip from North Escambia to Atlanta in an average four-door sedan by about $20.
Around the North Escambia area, that gallon of gas ranged from $3.24 to $3.29 in an informal survey. The lowest Escambia County price on Wednesday afternoon was $3.19 at a station on Blue Angel Parkway.
AAA forecasts 42.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a four percent increase from the 40.9 million people who traveled one year ago. This is the first significant increase in any holiday travel this year. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, November 27.
“Driving AAA’s projected increase in the number of Thanksgiving travelers is pent-up demand from Americans who may have foregone holiday travel the last three years,” said Bill Sutherland, vice president, AAA Travel Services. “As consumers weigh the fear of economic uncertainty and the desire to create lasting family memories this holiday, more Americans are expected to choose family and friends over frugality.”
“This is the first significant increase in any holiday travel this year,” said Sutherland. “Memorial Day travel was statistically flat while Independence Day and Labor Day travel experienced decreases of 2.5 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.”
Approximately 38.2 million people (90 percent of holiday travelers) plan to take to the nation’s roadways this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a four percent increase compared to Thanksgiving 2010 when auto travelers totaled 36.8 million. Automobile travel remains the preferred choice of transportation for holiday travelers as it is often more affordable, convenient and flexible. The current national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is approximately $3.39 per gallon, about 50 cents more than one year ago. However, the national average price is about 60 cents less than this year’s peak price of $3.98 on May 5.
Pictured: A gallon of regular unleaded was $3.29 Wednesday afternoon at this station on Highway 97 in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Congressman Jeff Miller: Thanksgiving Message
November 24, 2011
Throughout a given year, various events take place that remind us at that moment in time how blessed and thankful we are. These moments may be felt during a Sunday morning Church service or in the birth of a grandchild. They may be felt in the laughter of a friend or a hug from a family member. They may be felt at a graduation or a wedding, or even the passing of a loved one or a flag draped over a coffin. No matter how extraordinary or common the event, these moments allow us to take pause and reflect on the things for which we are grateful.
As we gather together with friends and family this Thanksgiving, let us all take time to remember these moments which make America the greatest country on earth, for which we are so very thankful.
We are grateful for a Declaration of Independence that taught us we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights, including “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” We are grateful for a United States Constitution that was created by “We the People” and continues to guide our nation. We are grateful for the freedom to worship in a place of our own choosing and the freedom to speak out and to be heard, no matter the message. We are grateful for the differences among us that make us both unique and American, and for the courage to put aside those differences to rally as a nation when faced with a threat to our livelihood.
We are thankful for a rich history steeped in the traditions of American individualism, intellect, and ingenuity. We are thankful for a culture that rewards hard work with success, risk with reward, and service with gratitude, and for the undying American spirit that drives us to work harder, to achieve more, and to succeed. We are thankful for the countless blessings bestowed by our Creator, forged by our ancestors, and imparted to us to nurture for our children and grandchildren.
We are grateful for the brave men and women who fight for and defend our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan and across the globe as members of our United States Armed Forces. We are grateful for our veterans who served their country, kept us safe, and promoted freedom around the world, and for those who gave their lives in defense of this country, who will never be forgotten.
Finally, we are grateful for a nation that no matter the cost, no matter the struggle, no matter the sacrifice, its people will time and again rise to the occasion and continue to ensure a better world for the next generation of Americans.
In a year full of tribulations and triumph, difficulties at home and victories abroad, we as a country continue to have much for which to be thankful. God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.
Sunny Friday, Weekend Rain
November 24, 2011
Bright sunny skies are in store for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, but showers and thunderstorms will move in on our weekend, giving way to much colder temps next week.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming southeast between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 57.
Schools Donate 21,000 Pounds Of Food To Manna
November 24, 2011
Children and employees across the Escambia County School District recently collected 21,000 pounds of food through the “Help Feed Your Neighbor” program. The initiative helped replenish Manna’s shelves at a time when the pantry is experiencing unprecedented demands in service paired with a decline in donations.
“Once again our employees have gone above and beyond what is asked of them. Their donations, along with the donations of our students and parents, allowed for many of our neighbors to have food on their table during this holiday season,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
Manna operates six pantries in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and distributed 786,092 pounds of food in the last 12 months to 38,825 people. All services are offered free of charge to those in need. In addition, Manna also operates a Gardens Program that is dedicated to helping people learn more about how to be self-sufficient in growing their own food. The Gardens Program supports 18 gardens in schools throughout Escambia County.
Holiday Closings For Thanksgiving
November 24, 2011
The following will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Escambia County Schools (Wed-Fri)
- Santa Rosa County School (Wed-Fri)
- Escambia (Fla. & Ala.) and Santa Rosa county offices (Thur-Fri)
- Century, Jay, Milton, Pensacola, Atmore, Flomaton city offices (Thur-Fri)
- U.S. Post Office — retail windows closed, no mail delivery or collection (Thur)
- Florida state offices (Thur-Fri)
- Federal offices (Thur-Fri)
- No bus service from ECAT on Thursday
- West Florida Public Libraries, including Century Branch (Thur-Fri)
- Santa Rosa libraries (Thur-Sun)
- Pensacola State College
- University of West Florida
ECUA Garbage:
ECUA’s Thursday routes will be collected Friday, and Friday’s routes will be collected on Saturday. Thursday’s commercial routes were picked up on Wednesday.
Photos: North Escambia Turkeys
November 24, 2011
These turkeys were spotted by our photographer about a year ago near Molino. 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 near Molino. 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.
Turkey Time: Cooking Safety
November 24, 2011
It’s Thanksgiving, time for family and friends to gather and give thanks. And time for cooks to ponder the correct way to prepare their turkey.
Today, we are taking a look at the proper way to cook your turkey with tips from Dorthy Lee, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for the Escambia County Extension Office.
Clean
Begin every meal preparation with clean hands, and wash hands frequently to prevent any cross contamination. As a rule, hands that have come in contact with raw meat or poultry should be washed for twenty seconds in hot, soapy water.
Separate
Raw meat and poultry products may contain harmful bacteria, so make certain that the juices from those products do not come in contact with food that will be eaten without cooking, like the salad. Also, never place cooked food on an unwashed plate that previously held raw meat or poultry.
Cook
Use of food thermometer should be a standard operating procedure in your kitchen and, when used correctly, will ensure that your turkey is cooked to perfection. To be safe, the
temperature of a whole turkey should reach 180°F between the breast and the innermost part of the thigh.
If you stuff your turkey, the center of the stuffing must reach 165°F. If the stuffing has not reached 165°F, then continue cooking the turkey until it does. Let the turkey stand twenty minutes after removal from the oven before carving.
Chill
This is another important step because food-borne bacteria can grow while food sits unrefrigerated. Refrigerate or freeze perishable leftovers within two hours of cooking. To prepare your leftovers, remove any remaining stuffing from the cavity and cut turkey into small pieces. Slice the breast meat. Wings and legs may be left whole. Refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers.
Use or freeze leftover turkey and stuffing within three to four days, gravy within one to two days. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165°F, or until hot and steaming.
For more information, call the Escambia County Extension office, (850) 475-5230.
Photos: Camp Fire Kids Celebrate Thanksgiving With Feast
November 24, 2011
Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center held a Thanksgiving feast this week for children and their parents. The daycare’s children, many dressed as Pilgrims or Native Americans, enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal. Handmade toilet paper roll turkeys proclaimed some of the items that the children are thankful for, including moms, dads, siblings, other family, teachers, toys, God, pets and food.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Children enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center earlier this week. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Juvenile Burned In Explosion, Flash Fire
November 23, 2011
A teen was burned in an explosion and flash fire at a Santa Rosa County home Wednesday afternoon.
Initial reports indicate that the 13-year old male was playing with camping fuel on the back porch of a residence on John Hamm Road. It somehow ignited, causing an explosion and flash fire, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The male was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital and later transferred the UAB Burn Center in Birmingham.
Narcotics and Major Crimes investigators from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and determined that the fire was not a result of any narcotic activity. The incident remains under investigation; names and further details have not yet been released.
Two Charged After Allegedly Passing Fake $100 Bills In Flomaton, Century
November 23, 2011
Two Pensacola men were jailed after they allegedly passed three counterfeit $100 bills in Flomaton and Century Tuesday evening.
Lamarcus Dontay Brown, 26, and Melvin Donshea Coley, 29, were both booked into the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail Tuesday night on charges of uttering counterfeit currency, petit theft and fraud.
Brown and Coley reportedly first passed a counterfeit $100 bill at a Dollar General and at an Advance Auto Parts store in Flomaton. At each store, they made small purchases under $10, paying with the allegedly fake bills in order to receive a large amount of change. After leaving Flomaton, the men also reportedly paid for small purchase at a Dollar General store in Century with a forged $100 bill.
A store manager from Flomaton spotted the vehicle occupied by the two men in Century and followed it south on Highway 29 until Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were able to catch up and conduct a traffic stop near Black Road south of Century.
Brown, the driver of the vehicle, was also charged as a habitual traffic offender, driving without a license and with providing a false name to deputies.
Both men are expected to face additional charges in Flomaton.
The case remains under investigation by the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office and the Flomaton Police Department.