Easy Returns: Molino Library Gets Book Drop
May 13, 2013
Returning books at the new Molino Branch Library has become a little more convenient. The library, which opened April 1, now has a 24/7 book return located on the sidewalk at the northwest corner of the building on Highway 95A. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Recycle That Old Fridge Or Freezer, Get $35
May 13, 2013
Gulf Power Company residential customers who recycle an outdated refrigerator or freezer can get a $35 incentive check and be eligible to win one of two $250 gift cards now through June 30.
During the three-month “Recycle and Win” contest, Gulf Power residential customers can receive complimentary home pickup of their old inefficient refrigerator or freezer, receive a $35 incentive check and automatically be entered in a drawing to win one of two $250 prepaid debit cards, good anywhere, especially toward the purchase of any ENERGY STAR® product.
Turned-in appliances are sent to a recycling facility operated by JACO Environmental, a leading, national provider of appliance recycling services. JACO will be giving away the VISA® gift cards.
“If you’re looking for a cost-saving, energy-saving and space-saving way to jump start your spring cleaning, it doesn’t get much better than this,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson.
Any Gulf Power residential customer can enter the drawing by recycling a refrigerator or freezer by calling 1-855-559-2523, or by visiting gulfpower.com/residential/fridgerecycle. Labor and transportation are provided free of charge to all customers.
Recycling refrigerators and freezers creates numerous benefits for utility customers and the environment. Program participants can save as much as $150 a year through lower electricity costs by having an older refrigerator or freezer hauled away. Recycling a single unit also repurposes more than 188 pounds of materials, such as foam, glass and metal for future use.
Local Students Shine At Sunshine Math Competition (With Photo Gallery)
May 13, 2013
Almost 600 third, fourth and fifth grade students from almost every Escambia County elementary school took part in the annual Sunshine Math Competition at the University of West Florida Field House.
For photos of the Bratt, Byrneville, Jim Allen and Molino Park teams, click here.
Teams and winners from North Escambia area schools included:
BRATT ELEMENTARY
3rd Grade Team 1:
Anna Adams, John Bashore, Shelby Cotita
3rd Grade Team 2:
Davis, Sarah Hetrick, Mia Starns
4th Grade Team 1:
Savannah Doremus, Hannah Hughes, Tyler Cloud Ray
4th Grade Team 2:
2nd Place Overall
Makayla Garrett, Shelby Godwin, April Johnson, Mary Paige Nassar
5th Grade Team 1:
Cassidy Boutwell, Neionni Findley, Cassandra Mullins, Adam Peterson
5th Grade Team 2:
Sheyenne Dillon, Anna King, Savannah Spence, Bailey Van Pelt
BYRNEVILLE ELEMENTARY
3rd Grade Team 1
David Ward, Harley Walker, Dillon Spears, Torka Mills
4th Grade Team 1
Ty Rolin, Logan Bryan, Maille Kilcrease, Abigail Levins
5th Grade Team 1
Savannah Steadham, Oliva Watson, Nicky Trump, Lea Nall
5th Grade Team 2
Alex Glidewell, Ian Gifford, Madicyn Bell, Cloe Smith
JIM ALLEN ELEMENTARY
3rd Grade Team 1
Christian Meadows, Alyssa Daniels, Jaxson Stafford, Jack Dortch
3rd Grade Team 2
Christian Riley, Kaleb Rudd
4th Grade Team 1
Kaelin Brinker, Dawson Butalla, Jessica Conti, Garrett Leggett
4th Grade Team 2
Andrew Robinson, Charlie Wine, Joshua Coonrod, Jonas Johnson
5th Grade Team 1
Jacob Leger, Katie Bryant, Jonathan Hamilton, Christian Wood
5th Grade Team 2
Ravyn Brown, Annie Cartwright, Austin Skipper, Izzy Kent
Individual Winners: Christian Meadows, 3rd place in3rd grade.
MOLINO PARK ELEMENTARY
3rd Grade Team 1
3rd Place Overall
Jaden Lewis, Clay Kittrell, Aden Fennell, Sarah Sconiers
3rd Grade Team 2
1st Place Overall
Kay-Lee Bradley, Reagan Daniels, Melody Patterson, Kileigh Lundy
4th Grade Team 1
Bryce Korinchak, Nathan Dansforth, Justin Miller, Leia Grantham
4th Grade Team 2
Clay Smith, Caden Woodward, Parker Hassebrock, C.J. Bulllington
5th Grade Team 1
Jacob Hawkins, Alexa Schlobohm, Micah Calhoun, Braden Boutwell
Tate ‘Cantus’ Chorus Shines At Performance Assessment
May 13, 2013
The ladies from J.M. Tate High School “Cantus” Chorus traveled to Tallahassee recently to participate in the “Florida Vocal Association State Music Performance Assessment”.
Only choirs who earned a superior rating at the district level MPA were qualified to attend this event. After many long rehearsals, careful listening and fine tuning, they delivered an outstanding and emotional performance that drew the attention of many audience members as well as other choirs and directors from around the state including the Florida Vocal Association Executive Director Mark Scott. Scott personally expressed how impressed he was with how Escambia County had been represented.
The choir is under the direction of Cynthia Domulot.
Photos: Sunshine Math Teams
May 13, 2013
Below are photos from the Bratt, Byrneville, Jim Allen and Molino Park Sunshine Math teams.
For results from the recent event, click here.
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Bratt – 4th Grade Team 2 — 2nd place Overall
Bratt Sunshine Math Team
Bratt Sunshine Math Team
Byrneville 3rd Grade Team
Byrneville 4th Grade Team
Byrneville 5th Grade Teams
Jim Allen
Jim Allen Team
Jim Allen Team
Jim Allen Team
Jim Allen Team
Molino Park 3rd Grade Team 2, 1st Place Overall
Molino Park 3rd Grade Team 1, 3rd Place Overall
Wahoos Fall In Series Opener With Lookouts
May 13, 2013
The Chattanooga Lookouts broke out to a 4-0 lead and never trailed in a 10-4 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Sunday night in front of 4,421 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It was the Wahoos’ fifth straight loss, tying a season high.
The Lookouts were in control from the onset, scoring in the first frame on a fielder’s choice from Blake Smith. They would add to their lead in the third with three two-out runs. Smith doubled home a run and scored on a two-run homer from Chris Jacobs that made it 4-0.
Pensacola battled back in the last of the third, scoring three runs with two outs. Ryan LaMarre sparked the attack with a solo homer, his second of the season. After back-to-back walks, Travis Mattair doubled to right-center to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Lookouts would get a run right back, however, as former Blue Wahoo Miguel Rojas launched his first homer of the year leading off the fourth to make it 5-3.
The Wahoos had numerous chances to get back in the game against an erratic Chattanooga pitching staff, but could never get the tying run across. In the fifth, Pensacola had the bases loaded and one out before Danny Vicioso grounded into an inning-ending double play. In the sixth, Brodie Greene cut the Lookouts’ lead to 5-4 with a one-out double but he was stranded at third as the tying run. Two innings later, Greene doubled with one out but he was caught stealing when he was hung up between second and third on a ball in the dirt.
That play changed the momentum as Chattanooga put the game out of reach with a five-run ninth inning. C.J. Retherford provided the biggest blow with a three-run pinch-hit double to make it 8-4 followed by Jan Vazquez providing the exclamation point with a two-run homer off the videoboard in right field to account for the final margin.
Chad Rogers (2-2) was charged with the loss in his roughest outing of the year, yielding five runs on eight hits in five innings.
Pensacola wasn’t able to fully capitalize on nine base hits and 10 walks issued from Chattanooga pitching as the Wahoos tied a season-high with 12 runners left on base. Michael Thomas (1-0) was given the win in relief by firing 2.1 scoreless frames and striking out four.
The five-game series continues on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It will be a battle of southpaws as Ryan Dennick (1-2, 3.44) goes for Pensacola against Chattanooga’s Chris Reed (1-3, 5.02).
story by Kevin Burke
Pictured: Ryan LaMarre led the Pensacola attack by going 3-for-3 with a homer and an RBI. (Christopher Nelson)
Photos: Century Care Center Celebrates Mother’s Day
May 13, 2013
The Century Care Center hosted a Mother’s Day Picnic Sunday. The family picnic included chicken with sides and homemade ice cream. The Flomaton Lions Club provided corsages for all of Century Care Center’s mothers. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Barry To Hold District 5 Town Hall Monday At Ransom
May 12, 2013
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry will hold an open forum town hall meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Ransom Middle School Cafeteria at 1000 Kingsfield Road in Cantonment.
For more information, contact, Barry’s office on Monday at (850) 595-4950.
Pictured top: Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry (right) listens as Assistant County Administrator Larry Newsom during a late February town hall meeting in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Working Together To ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ In Escambia, Santa Rosa
May 12, 2013
Area residents really delivered Saturday when asked to help the hungry during the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.
Tens of thousands of pounds of food were donated during the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive with help of letter carriers and a small army of volunteers. In its 21st year, the food drive collected items in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties for Manna Food Pantries, Bay Area Food Bank, Warrington Emergency Aid, Acts Ministries of Gulf Breeze and We Care Ministries of Navarre United Methodist Church.
United Way of Escambia County, the U.S. Postal Service, National Association of Letter Carriers and Feeding America, Campbell’s Soup Company, Publix, AARP, Valpak, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, the AFL-CIO, GLS Companies, Source Direct Plastics, Valassis/Red Plum and Uncle Bob’s Self Storage supported the drive this year.
Pictured: Volunteers unload and sort donations to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday at the Cantonment Post Office. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ethanol Removal, Blackwater Oil Drilling, Nuke Costs Top 2013 Energy Bills
May 12, 2013
After a 2012 focused on major long-term energy issues, the Legislature retreated a bit from high profile energy legislation this year.
Instead, attention was more narrowly focused on altering existing laws regarding the construction of nuclear power plants and the use of ethanol in gas, and in offering some help for the natural gas market.
And that, to some extent, is what is being sent to Gov. Rick Scott.
Other topics, from oil drilling in the Panhandle to imposing regulations for the process known as “fracking” never got a final vote.
For energy companies, no news was good news.
“Florida legislators first and most importantly did no harm in energy related issues,” declared Florida Petroleum Council Executive Director David Mica.
Some of that lack of desire was in part attributed to a lingering fatigue from Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam’s diverse 2012 energy package – filled with tax credits on biofuels and exemptions for renewable technologies – that received a lukewarm nod of support from Gov. Rick Scott, who allowed the effort to become law without his signature.
Key issues this year:
Ethanol
With relative ease, legislators voted to repeal (SB 320) the 2008 Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act that requires most gas sold in the state to include nearly 10 percent ethanol.
House Bill sponsor Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, called the law a “flawed business model” for government to require people to buy products.
“Do we believe in free markets or not?” Gaetz asked.
A few lawmakers expressed concerns the repeal would send a signal that Florida wasn’t interested in alternative energies.
Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, argued the proposal “does nothing but hurt the businesses that are here in Florida, and it hurts an industry that we are wanting to move to the state of Florida.”
Because of federal ethanol mandates, the proposal may be mostly symbolic.
Natural gas
A measure awaiting Gov. Scott’s pen could increase the number of natural gas vehicles on the road.
The bill (HB 579) exempts natural gas from fuel tax for five years, providing an incentive for companies to expand their fleet of natural gas vehicles.
Nuclear
The Legislature also passed a bill (SB 1472) that would set new benchmarks for electric utilities that want to collect controversial pre-construction fees for nuclear-power plants. But consumers shouldn’t expect refunds when plans are halted, as was the initial desire of Tampa Bay area legislators when they first proposed the bill.
The Senate reluctantly, but unanimously, accepted the House proposal to remove the possibility of refunds for uncompleted projects from the bill that alters a 2006 law aimed at encouraging more nuclear power.
Legislators claim the new benchmarks, which include additional Florida Public Service Commission reviews, will save customers in the long run as the utilities have to continually justify costs to impose and maintain any pre-construction fees.
Underground natural gas storage
Natural gas companies will be able to pump reserves into once-mined and empty natural gas reservoirs under a proposal (HB 1083) that also had little opposition from lawmakers.
Already a common practice in other parts of the country, the measure sets up the permitting process within the Department of Environmental Protection for the underground storage of natural gas piped into the state. The reserves are expected to be located in southwest Florida and northwest Florida.
Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, questioned the potential environmental impacts, particularly to the state’s water supply.
Rep. Dane Eagle, R-Cape Coral, the sponsor of the House bill, said the storage areas are far enough below any water. The bill prohibits a natural gas storage reservoir when it cannot be shown the gas has a chance to migrate into any drinking water supply.
Dyed fuel
Florida is expected to take a $1.9 million hit in the next fiscal year for its shrimp boaters and fishing interests.
Legislators agreed to a measure (HB 423) that lifts the 6 cent tax levied on the sale of dyed diesel fuel used for those in the commercial fishing and shrimping industries.
The fuel is for construction and agriculture proposes and typically cheaper than standard retail fuels. The fuel is dyed red so the U.S. Department of Transportation can tell if it is being used for non-intended highway use.
The state Revenue Estimating Conference estimates the legislation will cut state revenue by $1.9 million in the next year, with the total growing to $2 million a year.
Fracking
Legislators pitched the creation of a registry (SB 1028) for companies planning to use hydraulic fracturing in drilling for gas and oil in Florida.
The process, commonly called ‘fracking,’ injects water, sand and chemicals to create fractures in underground rock formations in order to release of natural gas and oil.
The registry would include a list of the chemicals being used. However, companies could claim trade secrets were involved, which could keep many of the details from the public.
Proponents, in arguments that failed to sway lawmakers in either chamber, claimed the intent was to require any company undertaking the process to declare their intentions.
While no one is using the process in Florida, interest has been expressed to the state Department of Environmental Protection in employing the practice in Collier County.
Critics, who claim the process can contaminate groundwater and cause other damage to the environment, argued the registry is a ploy to open the state to oil and gas “fracking” companies.
Local Utilities
Legislators stayed away from a proposal (HB 733) by Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, that stepped into a dispute over utility issues in Indian River County and could have had statewide ramification.
The bill would have given counties the ability to take over utility services in unincorporated areas once existing municipal franchise agreements expire. The bill also would have required municipal utilities that sell water or wastewater services outside incorporated limits to be regulated by the Public Service Commission.
Drilling
Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Midway, withdrew his proposal (HB 431) to allow oil and natural gas exploration in the Blackwater River State Forest less than a month after he introduced the measure.
In February, after a petition reached his desk opposing the proposal, Broxson issued a release saying that the exploration would have only occurred “where drilling and petroleum exploration has already been underway.”
A similar proposal in 2012 got a little further through the committee process but never reached the floor in either chamber.
by The News Service of Florida