Jay Royals Cheerleaders Place Fourth In The State
February 4, 2013
The Jay High School Competitive Cheer Squad took fourth place in the state over the weekend.
In their second year,the Jay squad was among 50 that competed in four regions during the last month, with 27 teams advancing to the state series in the 1A Small, Non-Tumbling division. After the semis, the top seven teams — including Jay — advanced to the finals in Kissimmee.
Jay is one of the smallest schools in the state with a competitive cheer team, and is the only competitive team in Santa Rosa County. The team members are seniors Captain Hannah Roberts (captain) and Sha Kinder; juniors Kayla Flowers (co-captain), Kaitlyn Aguirre, Katy Bodiford, Harley Bradley, Morgin Mitchem, Brook Tegenkamp, and Brittany Tegenkamp; sophomores Brittani Ashworth, Makenzie Bray, Alisha Roberts, and Kendra Wells; freshmen- Leslie Kinder, Alaina Smith and Emily Wright. The girls are coached by Junia Fischer.
Pictured: The Jay Royals Competitive Cheer squad at the FHSAA state finals Saturday in Kissimmee, FL. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott Wants All State Workers To Pay The Same For Insurance
February 4, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed 2013-14 budget would require all state employees to pay the same amounts for health-insurance coverage, ending a longstanding practice of appointed officials paying less than other workers.
Similar proposals have been floated in the past, including in Scott’s 2012-13 budget recommendations.
Under Scott’s proposal, all employees would pay $50 a month for individual coverage and $180 a month for family coverage. Those amounts would be for standard health-insurance policies, not high-deductible coverage, and would be unchanged next year for rank-and-file workers.
Officials in the executive and legislative branches currently pay $8.34 a month for individual coverage and $30 a month for family coverage. House members also pay the reduced amounts, though senators recently started paying the same amounts as rank-and-file workers.
By The News Service of Florida
Farm Day 2013 Planned For Tuesday
February 4, 2013
Escambia County Extension, Alabama Cooperative Extension and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) will present Farm Day 2013 on Tuesday in Atmore.
Topics will include crop insurance, subsurface drip irrigation, management practices, growing peanuts on a budget and market outlook.
The event will be held at the Atmore YMCA at 501 South Pensacola Avenue from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.. For more information or to RSVP, contact Libbie Johnson, Escambia County extension agent at (850) 475-5230 or libbiej@ufl.edu.
Atmore Man Arrested On Cocaine Charges
February 3, 2013
An Atmore man was arrested on drug charges by Pensacola Police.
Charlton Orlando Jones, 24, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine. Pensacola Police made contact with Jones after observing him at the T&C Food Mart on West Cervantes Street — a known narcotics area.
After an officer approached Jones, he allegedly tossed small bags into a drainage grate. The bags were recovered,with their contents testing positive for both crack and powered cocaine. Total, the crack cocaine weighted 2.5 grams, and the powdered cocaine weighed 7.5 grams, according to an arrest report.
Jones, the report states, admitted to purchasing the powered cocaine for his own use and the crack cocaine for a female.
Jones provided a residential address on East Ridgeley Street in Atmore when he was booked into the Escambia County Jail. He was released on a $2,000 bond.
Escambia Still Looking For Library Board Of Governance Members
February 3, 2013
Escambia County continues to seek residents who are interested in serving on the newly formed Public Library Board of Governance for the West Florida Public Library System. Interested applicants should have a passion for libraries and the services they provide the community, as well as the ability to effectively advocate for the West Florida Public Library System.
Appointees chosen to serve on the Board of Governance will do so in a strictly voluntary capacity, with selected applicants beginning their service at 2 p.m. on March 4. After that, it is expected that the Board will meet at 2 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. Additional meetings may be required during the transitional period.
Individuals interested in serving on Escambia County’s behalf should send or email a resume, as well as the completed questionnaire, on or before close of business on February 11. Please forward all information to:
Attn: Library Board of Governance Member Search
Escambia County Human Resources Department
221 Palafox Place, Suite 200
Pensacola, FL 32502
Email: TGTurner@myescambia.com
Super Sunday Forecast
February 3, 2013
Here is your Super Bowl Sunday forecast for the North Escambia area:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Monday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 68. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. East wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
- Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Local Church Hosts Dave Ramey’s Financial Peace University
February 3, 2013
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia will offer classes from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University beginning March 1.
The nine-week course includes video classes and group discussion and has changed lives all across the country. More than 1.5 million families have completed the program at their workplace, church, military base, nonprofit organization or community group and are working toward debt freedom and financial peace.
Through common-sense principles and small-group accountability, FPU gives people the tools they need to change their behavior and succeed financially. On average families who complete FPU pay off $5,300 and save $2,700 in the first 90 days; following the class nearly 94 percent of those families budget regularly, according to Ramsey.
“FPU will not only transform the way you handle money, but also your marriage and other areas of your life,” says Ramsey. “This isn’t a boring financial class. We make learning about money fun and easy to understand so people in every situation can benefit from the information.”
Ramsey knows first-hand the pain that financial stress can cause. After creating a net worth of more than a million dollars by age 26, he quickly lost it all. Since then Ramsey has helped families and individuals across the country learn how to get control of their finances and avoid debt so they don’t have to experience the same pain he did.
After purchasing a membership each participant receives a workbook, Dave Ramsey’s Complete Guide to Money, an envelope system and an audio CD library. Participants will also have access to budgeting forms and MP3’s of all the lessons.
Classes at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church begin March 1 and will meet each Friday at 7 pm. Registration ends February 15. The even is open to the entire community. Childcare is available for a minimal fee.
To register or more information, click here. For additional details, contact Rachel Gilmore at ((850) 572-6465 or brgilmore@frontiernet.net.
Investigation Continues After Shots Fired At Couple; Vehicle Seized
February 3, 2013
The investigation is continuing into an incident last week in which someone opened fire near an older couple alongside a highway in the Christian Home community. No arrests have been reported, but a vehicle has been seized.
Friday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized a vehicle from the 400 block of Pond Street in Century that was, according to a department spokesman, related to Tuesday’s shooting.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators said a husband and wife were picking up cans from the shoulder of Highway 164 at Pine Barren Road about 4 p.m. on January 29 when a white pickup truck stopped and a black male exited armed with a semi automatic rifle.
The unidentified black male then confronted the couple, demanding that they return his property. He then fired multiple shots into the ground near the couple with the semi-automatic rifle before fleeing the scene in the white pickup truck. No one was struck by the gunfire, and there were no injuries.
Deputies recovered multiple shell casings alongside Highway 164, consistent with the couple’s story.
The vehicle seized Friday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was reportedly a Nissan Altima, not a white pickup. Deputies did not say how the car was related to the case.
Sgt. Mike Ward, spokesman for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said the incident is believed to be drug related.
The the older couple was not suspected of any crime. Further details have not been released. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator at the scene of a shots fired incident along Highway 164 near Pine Barren Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Twitter Accounts Targeted By Hackers
February 3, 2013
Social media giant Twitter says it was hacked this week, in a sophisticated cyber attack that exposed the passwords and other information of about 250,000 users.
The company said in a blog post that it had detected unauthorized attempts to gain access to its user data. The site’s information security director, Bob Lord, said Twitter employees discovered one live attack and shut it down in process moments later.
Twitter said it reset passwords and that it was notifying affected users.
Twitter did not provide any information on where the hacking had originated. But Lord said in the posting that the attack was “not the work of amateurs,” and that Twitter does not believe it was an isolated incident. He called the attackers “extremely sophisticated”.
The company said it is working with government and federal law enforcement in their effort to track down the attackers to make the Internet safer for all users.
[VOA]
Recipes: Super Treats For The Super Bowl
February 3, 2013
While there’s a time and a place for elegant desserts, a Super Bowl party isn’t one of them. All the fun and action call for something easy for guests to handle and easy for hosts to make.
Fans of chocolate and marshmallows will cheer for these Rocky Road Squares. By substituting evaporated milk for water, you get a super-rich texture and very fudgy flavor. And by using melted chocolate morsels as well as whole ones, these Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies score big on the taste meter. You may want to make an extra batch, because they’ll be scooped up in no time!
Rocky Road Squares
Ingredients
* 1 package (19.5 to 21 ounces) fudge brownie mix
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil, per package directions
* 2 large eggs, per package directions
* 1/2 cup evaporated milk
* 1 cup (6 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows
* 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Preparation
1. PREHEAT oven according to package directions. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2. PREPARE brownie mix according to package directions, using vegetable oil and egg(s) and substituting evaporated milk for water. Spread into prepared baking pan.
3. BAKE according to package directions; do not over bake. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate morsels. Let stand 5 minutes or until morsels are shiny. Spread evenly. Top with marshmallows and walnuts.
4. BAKE for 3 to 5 minutes or just until marshmallows begin to melt. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares using a knife dipped in hot water.
Serves
2 dozen brownies
Calories: 230g Total Fat: 13g
Cholesterol: 20mg Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 27g Sodium: 80mg
Preparation and Baking Time:
35 minutes
Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies
Ingredients
* 2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
* 3 large eggs
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preparation
1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2. MELT 1 cup morsels and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda. Stir in remaining morsels and nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.
3. BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Serves
2 dozen bars
Calories: 190g Total Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 35mg Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 23g Sodium: 50mg
Preparation and Baking Time:
28 minutes