Northview Takes Command Of District With Win Over Freeport
October 20, 2012
The Northview Chiefs beat the Freeport Bulldogs Friday night, 42-0, to take command of District 1-1A.
“We did real well on both sides of the football,” Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley said. “Overall, it was a good game for us.”
Penn State recruit Neiko Robinson had three touchdown receptions for the Chiefs, while his younger brother Neino Robinson had one. Quarterback Kevin Vaughan and sophomore LaDarius Thomas both had rushing TD’s for Northview.
Senior LaMikal Kyles had ovr 100 yards rushing for the Chiefs.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The win put the Chiefs (5-2, 2-0) on top of the hunt for the District 1-1A championship and a third consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
Northview was coming off of an open week before Friday night’s road trip to Freeport (3-4, 1-1). That extra week meant extra prep time for the Chiefs. “We had a good two weeks to work,and I saw us get a little better each day,” Wheatley said.
Next Friday night, the Chiefs will be at home in Bratt against Vernon for homecoming. “We will continue to work to get better,” Wheatley said. “We will go back to work and get ready for Vernon.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Northview’s Neino Robinson pulls away from Freeport’s defenders Friday night in Freeport. Pictured inset: Northview’s Roderick Woods. Pictured blow: The Northview Tribal Beat Band performs in Freeport. Photos by Chris Edwads for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Final Day Of The Season At The Market At Saint Monica’s Today
October 20, 2012
Today is the final day of the season at The Market at Saint Monica’s in Cantonment.
Recently named the number 10 small market in the country by the group American Farmland Trust, 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. Featured items and new vendors this week include fresh corn, homemade hair bows , handcrafted wood furniture, Mennonite baked goods, home decor, custom embroidery and more produce.
Fourth Case Of Fungal Meningitis Linked To Escambia County Pain Clinic
October 20, 2012
A fourth case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections from Pain Consultants of West Florida in Escambia County was confirmed Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health.
The most recent case is a 53-year old female. Three other patients of the Davis Highway Clinic — men ages 47 and 78 and a 28-year old woman — were previously diagnosed with fungal meningitis.
As of Friday, 596 people have been identified as having been exposed to the contaminated medication as a result of undergoing a procedure at Pain Consultants of West Florida. All but two have been successfully contacted and notified of their risk. The remaining two person are Alabama residents and the Alabama Department of Public Health is continuing it efforts to notify them.
U.S. Marshals Nab Two Escambia County Fugitives
October 20, 2012
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested two wanted men in Escambia County; one hiding under bed sheets and the other trying to hide drugs.
Friday, the Marshals Task Force captured Mario Deoandre Copeland on Action Street in Ensley. The Marshals Task Force determined that Copeland was in a home and Task Force Officers from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office knocked on the front door and called to Copeland to come out. Officers had to breach the door of the home after knocking several more times and saw someone inside who would not open the door. Officer found him hiding under bed sheets.
The Escambia County TAC Unit, K-9 and Air Unit also assisted in Copeland’s arrest. Copeland is wanted in Escambia County for being a felon in possession of a weapon, fleeing/eluding and a probation violation for possession of cocaine.
Copeland is one of several suspects who allegedly ran from law enforcement after a felony car stop back in late August. A.45 Caliber handgun was recovered on the front seat of the car, and a 100 round magazine for an AK-47 assault rifle was also left behind in a nearby wooded area. Marshals said Copeland allegedly made statements that he was going to shoot an officer.
Thursday, the Task Force apprehended 29 year old Robert Rufus Ball, Jr. who was wanted for failure to register as a convicted sex offender at a home on Belair Road. Officers found him inside the home trying to hide a plastic bag of marijuana in the toilet tank and swallow crack cocaine — resulting in additional charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams and resisting arrest without violence.
Authorities seized about 63 grams of marijuana and 9.3 grams of crack cocaine.
Both men were booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Baker Defeats Jay
October 20, 2012
The Jay Royals lost to the Baker Gators Friday night, 48-21.
The Gators took a 7-0 lead, but the Royals would soon answer. Quarterback Tate Upton found Hunter Dillashaw for a 65-yard touchdown run for Jay. That tied it up 7-7 through the half.
The Baker Gators (5-3, 1-1) returned the third quarter kickoff all the way for a touchdown. The Gators went on to win 48-21, the third straight Baker win over Jay.
Jay’s other scores of the evening came with touchdown runs of 11 and 44 yards from junior Ricky Cofield. He had 164 yards on 23 carries, making his season total an area-leading 1,084 yards.
The loss almost certainly eliminated the Royals from any hopes of postseason play.
The Jay Royals (3-4, 0-2) will host Graceville next Friday at 7 p.m.
Pictured: Jay takes on Baker Friday night. Submitted photos by Michelle Gibbs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Strawberries
October 20, 2012
In many parts of the country, strawberries are a summer crop, but here in Florida they grow best during the cooler months of the year. Plant yours between October 15 and November 15 to enjoy tasty berries in the spring.
Temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees F and less than 14 hours of daylight are required for the development of flowers and fruit on most strawberry varieties. This combination of day length and temperature exists for much of the fall, winter and spring in Northwest Florida.
Strawberry plants are perennial; they can live for several years. However, because of their susceptibility to diseases, we normally grow them as annuals here in Florida. To be successful with strawberries, it’s important to plant the right variety, protect the flowers from freezing weather and manage pests.
The first step in successful strawberry production is choosing adapted varieties. Currently, the University of Florida suggests three varieties for the Florida home garden: ‘Camarosa’, ‘Sweet Charlie’, and ‘Festival’. All three varieties produce attractive, flavorful berries suitable for eating fresh or for freezing.
‘Camarosa’ has been the most productive variety in North Florida. It produces a blocky, dark red berry.
‘Festival’ is the number one variety in Florida. It has good red color and is a firm, conical shape berry with medium sweetness. It is an excellent choice for eating.
‘Sweet Charlie’ is a University of Florida variety. Although it is an older variety, consumers still like it. Its soft sweet fruit is an orange red color.
Strawberries grow best in a location receiving at least eight hours of direct sunlight per day. If a full sun location is not available, try to choose a spot that is sunny during the morning and early afternoon. The soil should be well drained and slightly acidic with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
Strawberries can also be planted in growing boxes, strawberry pots, barrels and other containers. For best results, fill your container with a high-quality potting media—do not use garden soil.
Strawberry flowers and fruit can be injured by air temperatures below 32 degrees F. However, if properly planted, the plant itself will not be damaged unless the temperature falls to the low 20’s. If a frost or freeze is predicted, cover the plants with a lightweight blanket. This will help prevent the flowers or fruits from getting damaged.
The key to successful pest management is to begin with healthy, disease-free transplants. If problems do arise, be sure to contact your local Extension Agent for advice and recommendations. Additional advice is available in an online publication located at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs403.
The first berries should be ready to pick roughly 90 to 110 days after planting. The harvest season usually stretches through May with fruit yield peaking around March.
Pick berries when at least three-fourths of their surface has turned red. The fruit quickly deteriorate once it becomes totally red. So, it is best to harvest regularly—every two to four days.
Once picked, the berries will not sweeten any further. Freshly picked strawberries generally keep for only a few days, so be sure to eat them soon after harvest. If you have a surplus of berries, you may freeze them.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Prep Football Finals
October 20, 2012
Here are final high school football scores from around the area:
FLORIDA
- Northview 42, Freeport 0 [Read more...]
- Pace 34, Tate 14
- Baker 48, Jay 21 [Read more...]
- Milton 24, Washington 3
- Gulf Breeze 31, Bay 6
- Navarre 13, Crestview 8
- Holmes County 46, South Walton 16
- West Florida 38, Panama City Rutherford 6 (Thursday)
- Pine Forest 20, PHS 13, OT (Thursday)
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 32, Leroy 6
- Escambia County 28, Hillcrest 26
- Escambia Academy 32, Southern Academy 8
- T.R. Miller 19, Straughn 17
- Opp 14, W.S. Neal 0
County Votes To Withhold Library Funding From City, Looks To Terminate Agreement
October 19, 2012
Escambia County has approved a plan to ensure that the West Florida Library branches in the county — including Century and Molino — are open the same number of hours as those in the city of Pensacola. And the county is moving forward with terminating their involvement with the City of Pensacola in the library system.
Escambia County provides about 70 percent of the funding for the library system, while the Pensacola acts as library administrator. With the passage of a fiscal year 2012-2013 budget, Escambia County cut their library contribution by 5-percent or $165,000 from the previous year.
The West Florida Library responded by cutting operational hours by one-third, reducing part-time employees by 30 percent, subscriptions by 15 percent and book purchases by 85 percent. The new Molino Branch, set to open this fall, will be staffed by personnel from the Century Library, while the Century Library will see hours cut by 40 percent. The library system now hopes to stock the shelves at the Molino Branch with duplicates from within the system and donated items.
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission approved a $3,152,425 to the City of Pensacola for the county’s share of funding the joint library system. The approval also stipulated that the county administrator can reduce the purchase order by the amount needed to provide staffing to all the branches in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County at the same level as the branch in Pensacola with the greatest operating hours.
The commission also voted to have the county attorney find a way to get the county out of the interlocal library agreement the city of Pensacola
“I think this current interlocal agreement needs to be terminated, and we need to evaluate what happens,” Robinson said.
“I could not agree more,” Commissioner Gene Valentino said. “I’d like a whole new structure for the library system, and I think this starts the gears in motion.”
The county attorney’s recommendation to end the library agreement with Pensacola is due to presented to the commission on November 15.
Operation Clean Sweep Targets Molino
October 19, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office along with the Mid-County Neighborhood watch, partner agencies and volunteers, worked to clean up in Molino Thursday.
The Operation Clean Sweep removed four tons of debris. Three people were arrested, and 11 traffic citations were issued out of 84 vehicles that were stopped at a checkpoint at Highway 95A and Molino Road. In addition, the ECSO Sex Crimes Unit made 20 address verifications, and Escambia County Code Enforcement initiated 15 new cases.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” is to work with neighborhood watch groups, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of crime.
The operation task force works closely with Escambia County Animal Control, Escambia County Environmental Law Enforcement, the military, Escambia County Roads and Bridges, and neighborhood watch groups to clean up neighborhoods and educate citizens on preventive measures that could be implemented to minimize possible crimes.
Pictured above and below: Deputies and volunteers plan their course of action before an Operation Clean Sweep gets underway Thursday morning at Highland Baptist Church in Molino. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Governmental Hub Named For Magaha, Civic Center Renamed
October 19, 2012
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to rename the county’s governmental hub and the civic center.
The commission renamed the Escambia County Governmental Complex to the Ernie Lee Magaha Governmental Complex in honor of the Jay native and longtime Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Ernie Lee Magaha.
Magaha was born in Jay, raised in Mosquito Flats near Century, and graduated from Century High School. He served in the Merchant Marines and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in economics in 1950.
He served as a state auditor for five years and resigned in 1956 to run for the clerk of the court of record. At that time, he and his wife, Lucile, spearheaded a grassroots campaign and literally walked the county for a successful election in November 1956 as she was expecting their first child.
He took office in January of 1957 and has held the position of clerk since that time. His office was instrumental in the smooth transition of the court system in 1972 to the two-tier system in place today. In 1995, then Governor Lawton Chiles asked him to assume the additional responsibilities of the comptroller’s office.
Also Thursday night, the commission voted to rebrand and rename the Pensacola Civic Center to the Pensacola Bay Center with a new logo. The new name and logo will be phased in immediately. Plans are in place to create a comprehensive marketing campaign that also includes a new website. The change was made at the recommendation of SMG, the center’s management company.