Local Unemployment Numbers Rise; Florida Holds Steady
July 21, 2012
The latest job numbers released Friday showed a jump in unemployment in the three-county North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate increased from 8.4 percent in May to 8.7 percent in June. There were 653 more reported unemployed during the period, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 12,226 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 10.3 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment increased from 7.6 percent in May to 8.3 percent in June. Santa Rosa County had a total of 6,063 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 9.7 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment jumped from 9.1 percent in May to 10.6 percent in June. That represented 1,589 people unemployed in the county during the month. The year-ago rate was 11.6 percent.
The jobless numbers released by Florida and Alabama do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
Florida’s June jobless rate remained unchanged from May at 8.6 percent but 2.1 percentage points lower than June 2011, the Department of Economic Opportunity reported Friday.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 7.8 percent in June, was up from May’s rate of 7.4 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 9.3 percent.
Weekend Weather
July 21, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
- Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
- Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
- Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 95.
Local Students Attend 69th Boys State
July 21, 2012
Two upcoming seniors at Northview High School attended the week-long 69th Annual Boys State event at Florida State University recently.
Corry Baggett and Trey Johnson were selected by their counselors, principal, and the Oversight Committee of the American Legion Post 90. Jason Knight of Jay also represented the North Escambia area.
Local Alabama students Blake Clark, Michael Glick and Andrew Sasser from Escambia Academy, and Domineque Hubert from Escambia County High School attended their sessions in Tuscaloosa.
Students learned about city, county and state government throughout their week-long sessions and have the opportunity to earn dual enrollment credit for their efforts.
From Santa Rosa County, Stewart Campbell of Gulf Breeze was awarded a two-year scholarship to Tallahassee Community College followed by a two-year scholarship to Florida State. The Lance Cpl. Andrew J. Aviles scholarship was named for Andrew Aviles who delayed attending FSU in order to join the military and whose life tragically ended as a result at just 18.
Pictured top: Attendees at the 69th Annual Boys State at Florida State University. Pictured inset: Corry Baggett and Trey Johnson represented Northview High School at the event. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
WEAR 3 Parent Company To Buy TV Stations WPMI, WJTC
July 21, 2012
Sinclair Broadcast Group, the owner of WEAR 3 in Pensacola, has announced an agreement to purchase two Mobile stations owned by Newport Television.
Pending FCC approval, Sinclair will purchase NBC affiliate WPMI 15 and independent station WJTC 44.
Over all, Sinclair will purchase six stations in five markets for $412.5 million.
“We are excited to add the stations to our portfolio and look forward to welcoming the Newport employees to the Sinclair family,” Sinclair president and CEO, said Friday.
Sinclair anticipates the closing and funding of the acquisition to occur no earlier than December 2012. Sinclair has entered into an agreement giving Deerfield Media, Inc. the right to buy the license assets of WPMI and WJTC in Mobile/Pensacola after which Sinclair will provide sales and other non-programming services under a shared services and joint sales agreement.
SBA Disaster Loans Available in Escambia, Santa Rosa Due To Drought
July 21, 2012
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Fridayday that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa and Walton counties in Florida as a result of drought that began January 1, 2012.
“These counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one or more primary counties in Alabama. The Small Business Administration recognizes that disasters do not usually stop at county or state lines. For that reason, counties adjacent to primary counties named in the declaration are included,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to assist eligible entities affected by the same disaster,” Skaggs added.
Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.
Loan amounts can be up to $2 million, with interest rates of 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses. Terms can be up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. The agency sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.
Market Offers Produce, Other Items; Recycled Treasure Sale Today
July 21, 2012
The Market at St. Monica’s will be open Saturday in Cantonment — rain or shine — with lots of fresh produce and more.
Visitors to the market on the first and third Saturdays of each month have come to expect a wide variety of produce — there’s almost always tomatoes, many kinds of peppers, sweet corn, squash and more. But the market also offers baked goods, free range eggs, arts and crafts and items like soap, shampoo, and shampoo bars from goat’s milk.
There’s also Walnut Hill-made benches, tables and more from sycamore, oak, walnut and cedar.
Concessions are also available, including all-beef hotdogs, sno-cones, popcorn, cold sodas and bottled water.
The Market at Saint Monica’s will be held from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the church, located at 699 South Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Also Saturday, the Recycled Treasure Shop at the church will hold a “Name Your Price” clearance sale. Everything must go to make room for new items, and any reasonable offer will be accepted for items between 9 a.m. and noon.
Pictured: Scenes from the last Market at St. Monica’s on July 7. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Youth Football Registrations Today For NWE, Cantonment, Flomaton
July 21, 2012
Youth football registrations will continue today for Northwest Escambia, Cantonment and Flomaton.
Northwest Escambia Youth Football
Northwest Escambia Youth Football registration will be held this morning at the Ernest Ward football field from 10 a.m. until noon. Registration will continue July 28. For more information, call (850) 281-5146.
Cantonment Youth Football
Cantonment Youth Football registration will be held this morning at the ballpark from 10 a.m. until noon. Registration will continue July 28 and August 11.
Cost is $40 for all ages.
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading sign-ups will be held this morning at Hurricane Park from 9 until 11 a.m.
Signups will continue July 28 and August 4. The fee is $50 for the first child and $45 for each additional sibling.
If the child has never played Flomaton Youth Football before, a birth certificate is required. Birth certificates are not required for cheerleaders.
South Alabama Old Time Fiddler’s Convention Is Today
July 21, 2012
The 32nd annual South Alabama Old Time Fiddler’s Convention will be held Saturday in Atmore.
Registration will be held from 10 a.m. until 1:45 p.m., with no registration fee.
The competition categories are fiddlers, vocal groups (including a cappella), bands, dobro, banjo, guitar and mandolin. Prizes in the Fiddler’s category are $1,000 for first, $200 for second and $100 for third. All other categories have prizes of $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third place.
Admission to the event beginning at 2 p.m. at Escambia County High School is $9, with children under 12 free.
Proceeds from Fiddler’s Convention funds the Atmore Rotary Academic All Star Scholarship program that awards students at Northview High, Escambia High and Escambia Academy that maintain all A’s and B’s all four years.
For a printable flyer with rules and registration information, click here.
For more information, contact Keith Castleberry at (251) 368-2106 or the Atmore Chamber of Commerce at (251) 368-3305.
Construction To Begin At ‘Five Points’ Intersection
July 21, 2012
Construction on a “Five Points” intersection improvement project will begin next week in Pace.
The improvements include realigning Berryhill Road from Ashmore Lane to Chumuckla Highway. The realignment will move the current intersection approximately 500 feet to the north and create a two lane rural roadway section north of Berryhill Road connecting to Chumuckla Highway. Other project features include creation of a new retention pond and widening of the right turn and merge lanes on both Quintette Road and Chumuckla Highway.
Once complete, the project will greatly improve safety and traffic flow to the area, officials said.
The following areas will be construction zones and motorist, bicyclist, and pedestrians should anticipate changing traffic patterns and minor delays:
- Berryhill Road from Ashmore Lane to Chumuckla Highway
- Quintette Road from Pigeon Forge Drive to Chumuckla Highway
- Chumuckla Highway from Ashmore Lane to Quintette Road
- Woodbine Road from Vinewood Lane to Chumuckla Highway
- Vinewood Road from Southgate Drive to Woodbine Road
No lane closures are anticipated and residents and businesses will have full access to their property. Construction is anticipated to be ongoing for approximately nine months.
The Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners approved the project in January 2011. The project is estimated to cost $1.9 million and will be funded 50 percent, not to exceed $1 million, by the Florida Department of Transportation for construction, engineering and inspection. The county will match 50 percent of project costs.
Weekend Gardening: Some Veggies Can’t Take The Heat, But Others Thrive
July 21, 2012
When it comes to vegetable gardening in Northern Florida, gardeners should take advantage of our year-round growing season. Yes, even in the torrid depths of summer there are delicious, heat-tolerant vegetables you can plant now to keep your garden productive.
Popular vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and squash generally need warm-but-mild daytime temperatures – in the 70s and 80s – to produce well. The scorching heat we experience in midsummer seriously reduces the numbers of flowers these plants produce, and always remember that it is the flowers that ultimately become the fruit (vegetable). In addition, high populations of many pests, such as spider mites, leaf miners, beetles and caterpillars, are present now and will cause increasing amounts of damage through the summer.
Once they are past their prime and production dwindles, remove early summer vegetables and replant your garden with a wonderful selection of vegetables that thrive in midsummer heat.
The University of Florida – IFAS recommends a wide variety of vegetables that can be planted now. Most of these vegetables are near and dear to Southerners and form an important part of our regional cuisine. Among them are okra, eggplant, Southern peas, hot peppers, sweet peppers and more. It’s also a good time to start growing your own transplants for fall tomato production.
I’ve pulled out a few gardening vegetables that do well here but this is just the tip of the iceburg:
Okra
Native to tropical Africa, it never gets too hot for okra to thrive here. Direct-seeded into the garden now, okra will come into production in late August or early September (even sooner if you plant transplants) and produce until the weather cools down in late October or early November.
Reliable okra varieties include Clemson Spineless, Cajun Delight, Emerald and Burgundy.
A common mistake gardeners make is growing okra plants too close together. Once the okra seedlings are a few inches tall they should be thinned to provide 12 inches of space between plants.
When the plants are about knee high to waist high they begin to produce their pale yellow, hibiscus-like flowers. Harvest okra pods frequently when they reach a length of about 3 inches for best quality, although some varieties stay tender if harvested when the pods are larger.
Eggplant
Unlike their relatives, the tomatoes, eggplants thrive in the heat of mid- to late summer, and you can purchase transplants to plant into the garden now.
I generally have found the oriental types, such as Ichiban or Tycoon with long, narrow fruit are especially productive during stressful summer weather. Large-fruited cultivars such as Blackbell, Classic, Midnight and Florida Hi Bush, as well as green, white, lavender and pink cultivars also are recommended.
Plant eggplant transplants 18 inches to 24 inches apart in well-prepared beds. Production should begin in early September and increase through late October or early November.
Do not go by the size of the fruit when harvesting eggplants. Eggplants are eaten immature and should not be allowed to become old and bitter before harvest. The skin should be shiny and tender. Once the skin starts to dull you should harvest the eggplant immediately – no matter what the size – because that indicates it is getting past its prime.
Legumes
Although it is too hot for reliable production from legumes like snap beans and lima beans, Southern peas such as purple hulls, crowders, cream peas and blackeye peas produce abundant crops during the summer.
Direct-seed these peas in rows about 18 inches apart, and thin young seedlings to stand 4 inches to 6 inches apart. Most cultivars produce short, somewhat bushy vines and do not require a trellis to grow on. Other legumes that could be planted now include yard-long beans, winged peas (these need trellises to grow on) and edible soybeans.
Peppers
Bell peppers often produce poorly during high temperatures, but hot peppers and sweet peppers such as Sweet Banana, Gypsy and Pimento produce very well despite the heat.
Plant transplants now spaced about 18 inches apart. Bell pepper transplants also can be planted now through August for production this fall when the weather cools down.
Tomatoes
Spring-planted tomatoes are about finished with their main crop, and if the plants are in poor condition, they should be removed to make way for heat-tolerant crops. On the other hand, cherry and Roma types may still be producing well and could be left in place.
If you want to grow your own transplants for fall tomatoes, seeds should be planted now. Transplants for fall tomatoes will be available at area nurseries in late July and August and should be purchased and planted into the garden then. Good cultivars for fall production include Hawaiian Hybrid, Solar Set, Heatwave, Bingo, Celebrity and Pelican.
Others
Other heat-tolerant vegetables that may planted now include cantaloupe, pumpkin, watermelon (these three are a bit of a challenge in the home garden), peanuts (easy to grow and a great crop for kids) and sweet potatoes (plant rooted cuttings or “slips” as soon as possible for harvest in November).