Fire Truck Pull Benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities
October 13, 2013
Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Annual Fire Truck Pull was held in downtown Pensacola Saturday. Thirty-two teams competed to see who could pull a fire truck 50 feet in the fastest time.
This year, a new tournament style had teams advancing through the brackets to determine an undisputed champion. Each team had 15 people.
All proceeds benefited the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida, allowing the organization to provide a home away from home for families of children who travel to Pensacola to receive medical treatment.
Pictured top: The Ronald McDonald House Fire Truck Pull Saturday in Pensacola. Winners were: 1st place – Southeaster Dog Hunter’s Association (pictured below in pink); 2nd place – Naval Hospital Pensacola (pictured bottom); 3rd place – NAS Whiting Field Crash and Rescue (pictured inset). Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bill McKay
October 13, 2013
He was employed in the motor freight transportation business for several years, and was retired from Southern Scrap. He was past King of Fiesta Frolickers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Eunice Inez and Sidney Murray McKay of Dothan.
Survivors include his wife, Ginger Odom McKay of Cantonment; two daughters, Suzanne McKay Strasser and her husband, Jeff Strasser of Orlando, and Tanya McKay of Orlando; their mother, Betty L. McKay of Pensacola; three grandsons, Justin and Nic Strasser, and Gavin McKay, all of Orlando; two sisters, Betty McKay Vann of Dothan, and Patricia McKay Balderson and her husband, Lew, of Kennesaw, GA.; a nephew, Bob Vann of Mary Esther, and a niece, Karen V. Lawrence of Dothan; a great-nephew and a great-niece; a step daughter, Jennifer Chittipangna and three step grandsons of Watkinsville, GA; and several cousins.
Services were held Monday, October 14, 2013, at noon at Faith Chapel South on Beverly Parkway.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the American Heart Association .
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is in charge of arrangements.
Thompson, Wiggins To Wed
October 13, 2013
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Wiggins and Mr. Charles Thompson are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter, Chastity Alita, to Scotty Dewayne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Buford Wiggins. The wedding will be held at Lake Stone in Century on Saturday, October 26, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. Reception to follow.
Warm Weekend, A Bit Cooler Next Week
October 12, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Calm wind.
- Sunday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Columbus Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
- Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82.
- Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79.
Friday Night Finals
October 12, 2013
Here is a look at Friday night football scores from across the area:
FLORIDA
- Graceville 44, Jay 14 [Read more...]
- Tate 43, Washington 10 [Read more...]
- West Florida 66, Rutherford 27
- Catholic 28, Milton 6
- Niceville 26, Navarre 0
- Crestview 22, Pine Forest 14
- Mosley 13, Gulf Breeze 7
- Pace 31, Fort Walton Beach 17
- Escambia 62, Leon 34
- Baker 42, North Bay Haven 0
- OPEN: Northview, PHS
ALABAMA
- Southern Choctaw 30, Flomaton 22
- Escambia County 34, Monroe County 22
- T.R. Miller 54, Southside Selma 14
- Bayside 34, W.S. Neal 26
- Escambia Academy 44, South Choctaw 10
Volunteers Lend A Hand In Day Of Caring
October 12, 2013
About 1,350 volunteers were hard at work Friday in Escambia County as part of the United Way’s 21st Annual Day of Caring.
The one-day community events put volunteers from area businesses and the military to work across the county to help nonprofit organizations and schools with lawn maintenance, painting, cooking meals and more.
In the North Escambia area, a volunteer group from the University of West Florida helped with landscaping and pressure washing at Tate High School. At Jim Allen Elementary School, volunteers from retailer T.J. Maxx worked to organize workbook pages.
Meanwhile, volunteers from manufacturer Pall Corporation worked across the campus, reading to students, cleaned the grounds, pressure washed and more. Volunteers from the NAS Community Outreach worked with Pathways for Change to set up the race course for the Pensacola Mud Run 5K on Highway 95A.
And volunteers from Ascend Performance Materials helped clean up and repair the nature trail at Escambia Westgate School.
It was estimated that volunteers donated more than a quarter million dollars worth of time and services Friday at 109 sites across Escambia County.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Fish Fry To Benefit School Tech Program
October 12, 2013
A fish fry today in Molino will benefit the technology program at Molino Park Elementary School.
The fish fry will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Highway 29, just south of Highway 97. Fish plates are $7 and include fish, cole slaw, baked beans, hush puppies, dessert and tea. Plates are available fror eat in or take out.
Move To Ditch ‘No Fault’ Insurance Coming In Florida Senate
October 12, 2013
Legislation is being drafted to scrap the state’s no-fault auto insurance coverage, as a landmark 2012 effort to remove fraud from the system remains tied up in court.
Insurance industry representatives say they have already been told the measure could come before a committee in November, and they’re just waiting to see what is in the package.
Senate Banking and Insurance Chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, said he’s advancing the measure at the request of a number of insurance officials who don’t expect reforms to the state’s decade-old Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance system to fully take hold.
“I’ve had several of our major insurance companies come to me and say that they are ready to move on, and that’s irrespective of a 1st District Court of Appeal ruling,” Simmons said. “They’re saying that the system is broke, we acknowledge it’s broken, it’s difficult to fix the unfixable.”
An appeals court ruling is pending in a challenge by a group of acupuncturists, massage therapists and chiropractors over a reduction of individual medical coverage and the contention that the law reduces access to courts.
The ruling is expected to be taken to the state Supreme Court, regardless of the outcome.
The 2012 law signed by Gov. Rick Scott requires those involved in motor vehicle crashes to seek treatment within 14 days, allows up to $10,000 in benefits for emergency medical conditions and $2,500 for non-emergency conditions.
Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis ruled March 20 the law illegally prevents accident patients from using PIP claims to pay for treatment by acupuncturists and massage therapists and limits the services from chiropractors. He also found fault with the law’s lower limit on how much will be paid for non-emergency medical care.
Backed by Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, the law was considered a last-ditch effort to maintain the no-fault, or PIP, system that requires motorists to carry $10,000 in medical coverage. Scott and Atwater contended that fraud involving no-fault claims collectively has hit motorists by as much as $1 billion a year through the increased costs of coverage.
Simmons said for most motorists moving to bodily injury coverage wouldn’t require much change to existing policies.
The state Office of Insurance Regulation has estimated that more than 70 percent of motorists already have some bodily injury coverage.
At the end of the 2013 session, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted in support of replacing PIP with bodily injury coverage in a similar measure (SB 7152). But the proposal failed to advance.
Sam Miller, executive vice president of the Florida Insurance Council, said his members are waiting to see what is included in Simmons’ proposal, with keen interest on what would be considered an appropriate level of costs for bodily injury coverage and if there is any medical pay coverage.
“It’s not as simple as do you support repealing PIP or do you not, our support of a bill repealing PIP and replacing it with a new system would be contingent on the details of the new system,” Miller said. “Our health insurers are concerned that if you replace PIP with only mandatory BI that there will be a shifting of costs to health insurance and an increase in health insurance premiums.”
Questions have also been raised that without no-fault, the shift in medical coverage could also put more cases into the courts as injured parties seek to recoup expenses from at-fault motorists.
Simmons said that the draft was still in progress.
Florida Insurance Council members have a series of conference calls planned next week to discuss the potential changes.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Weekend Gardening: Time To Plant Strawberries
October 12, 2013
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 was the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Hundreds Enjoy Annual Molino Park Elementary Fall Carnival (With Gallery)
October 12, 2013
Hundreds attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival Friday evening at the school. The event featured games, food, entertainment and lots of great family fun
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: A young man reacts to a critical skee ball toss Friday afternoon at the Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival. Pictured inset: Ping pong toss for goldfish coupons. Pictured below: Texting and driving, Molino style. Pictured bottom: A package auctioned off from the Milwaukee Brewers’ Caleb Gindl of Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
