Century, Flomaton Celebrate The Fourth With A Bang (With Photo Gallery)
July 4, 2014
Fireworks lit up the night Thursday with an early celebration at Century’s Showalter Park.
The fireworks show was a joint effort of both the Town of Flomaton and the Town of Century. The towns alternate hosting the festivities each year.
For a photo gallery, click here.
For a schedule of other area fireworks shows tonight, click here.
Photos by Ditto Gorme for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Perfect 4th: Low 60’s For Tonight
July 4, 2014
- Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Saturday Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
- Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday Sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
- Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest after midnight.
- Monday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest after midnight.
- Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
- Wednesday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
- Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
Schedule: Area Fireworks Shows
July 4, 2014
Here’s a guide to public, non-profit Fourth of July Fireworks shows across the North Escambia area:
Friday, July 4
Sertoma — Downtown Pensacola
For the 25th year, area Sertoma organizations are once again coordinating and hosting the largest Fireworks display on the Gulf Coast over Pensacola Bay on Friday, July 4th at 9:00 pm.
There will be activities throughout the day, from 11:00 am until 6:30 pm, in Seville Square to include a free Children’s Area with inflatables and pony rides, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, and live entertainment on the gazebo stage beginning at 11:00 a.m. There is also a hot dog eating contest at noon.
Starting at 4 p.m., there will be live music on the Bayfront Stage. The festivities will culminate with the fireworks show over Pensacola Bay at about 9 p.m. synchronized with music broadcast on Cat Country 98.7.
Jay
15th Annual Celebrate Freedom 5K at 8 a.m. Friday at Bray-Hendricks City Park. 5K entry fee is $25; One mile fun run is $10. Awards to be presented.
All-day celebration at Bray-Hendricks Park including a softball tournament, tennis tournament, plenty of food, arts and crafts vendors, pony rides, inflatables for the kids, entertainment and fireworks at dark.
Pensacola Beach
Red, White and Blues week begins with the Pensacola Beach Fourth of July firework show and celebration at 8:30 pm on the Portofino Boardwalk. Fireworks will be launched from the Santa Rosa Sound, providing views along the beach and boardwalk.
Riverfest, Milton
Riverfest will be held Friday, July 4 in Milton. Festivities include the 13th annual Firecracker Bike Show at 9 a.m., a Freedom Car Show at 9 a.m., a Children’s Activity Area, annual Great MillT own Duck Race at 5 p.m., live entertainment at 5:30 p.m., a Veteran’s Salute at 6:30 p.m. and karaoke at 7 p.m. The day will end with a fireworks display over the Blackwater River at dark.
East Brewton
The Fort Crawford Commission will celebrate Friday, July 4, with a fun-filled day beginning at 9 a.m. at Fort Crawford Park and ending with a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Bay Minette
The Rotary Club of Bay Minette will host a fireworks show on Friday, July 4, beginning around 9 p.m. at Bay Minette Elementary School’s old tennis courts.
Three In A Row: Northview’s Food For America Program Wins Florida’s Top Honor
July 4, 2014
Thursday, the Northview High School FFA Chapter was awarded the first place 2014 Fresh from Florida Advocacy Award during the Florida FFA State Convention in Orlando. It was the chapter’s third consecutive first place award, which is sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture.
Formerly known the Food for America program, the program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in agricultural literacy and awareness projects on the local level.
The local Food for America Program, conducted by the Northview FFA in March, gave hundreds of elementary students a chance to learn about agriculture firsthand as they got up close and personal with farm animals, farm equipment and more at the Northview campus. The students even had the opportunity to make their own butter and enjoy it on crackers.
Earlier in the year, members of the Northview High School FFA officer team visited several area elementary schools to read ag-related books to students.
The Northview FFA program began implementing plans for their Fresh From Florida program in the early fall of the 2013-2014 school year. They sent letters to schools and potential vendors letting them know to save the date for the 2014 activity.
The day of the event, students from surrounding elementary schools were invited for a day on the farm. They traveled to various booths that were manned by FFA members and community partners. Students were able to see animals, discuss the amount of land that is available for farming, as well as seed germination necklaces.
The Northview program was able to impact over 1,800 students, and they are continually looking for ways to improve their agenda in order to impact more students in the future.
Pictured top: Northview FFA members pose with their first place 2014 Fresh from Florida Advocacy Award Thursday afternoon in Orlando. Pictured inset and below: Scenes from the March 2014 Northview Fresh from Florida program. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Extension Urges Smart Grilling For Food Safety
July 4, 2014
Safety is an important consideration when operating a grill. Improper use can cause a fire or explosion. Keep the area around a lighted grill clear of combustible materials, and never use a grill in an enclosed area such as a sheltered patio or a garage. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing that may catch fire. The cooking grids should be cleaned after every cookout. The last thing you want to do is cause someone to become ill due to improper cleaning or unsafe food preparation practices.
Wash your hands with hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare any foods, and wash your hands again if you do anything else—change a diaper, pet an animal, or blow your nose, for example. Cover any cuts or sores on your hands with a bandage, or use plastic gloves. If you sneeze or cough while preparing foods, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and turn your face away, or cough into your sleeve. Always wash your hands afterwards.
Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature. Most food-borne illness-causing bacteria cannot grow well at temperatures below 40°F or above 140°F. Thaw foods in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Never leave foods out at room temperature.
Keep everything that touches food clean. Bacteria can hitch rides around your kitchen on all sorts of things—plates and cutting boards, dirty utensils, dish rags and sponges, unwashed hands.
Never chop fresh vegetables or salad ingredients on a cutting board that was used for raw meat without properly cleaning it first. If possible, keep a separate cutting board just for the preparation of raw meat, poultry, and fish.
Wash cutting boards thoroughly with hot soapy water, and then sanitize with a solution of household bleach and water.
Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices from coming into contact with other foods during preparation, especially foods that will not be cooked. Wash all utensils and your hands with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat.
Marinate meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator in a covered, non-metal container. Throw away any leftover marinade.
Grill food to a safe internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to assure correct doneness of the food being grilled.
Safe minimum internal temperatures:
- Poultry (whole, ground, and breasts): 165°F
- Hamburgers, beef: 160°F
- Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks, roasts and chops):
- Medium rare: 145°F
- Medium: 160°F.
- All cuts of pork: 160°F.
Hold meat at 140°F until served. Use a clean platter for transferring cooked meat from grill to serving table.
Summer is the time for getting together with friends and family and cooking outdoors. Make your outdoor grilling experience safe and enjoyable.
For further information regarding food safety and other related topics, go to the University of Florida’s Solutions for Your Life website: http://www.solutionsforyourlife.com.
Dorothy C. Lee, CFCS, is an Extension Agent II, Family & Consumer Sciences with the Escambia County Extension Service. Reference: Safe Food Handling Fact Sheet, United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Series.
Two Injured In Highway 29, Bluff Springs Road Crash
July 4, 2014
Two people were injured in an accident Thursday afternoon on Highway 29.
The accident happened about 4:50 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 29 and Bluff Springs Road and involved a GMC Denali. The two injured persons were transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital with injuries that were not considered severe.
The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details, including names, were not released.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Road Construction Suspended For 4th Weekend
July 4, 2014
The Florida Department of Transportation is suspending highway construction projects on major major roadways across Northwest Florida for the holiday weekend. There will be no work on state roads requiring lane restrictions Friday, July 4. All major roads will be open to normal traffic.
Although no construction closures are scheduled over the Independence Day holiday, existing state highway work zones will remain in effect. Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through work zones around barricades and equipment.
FDOT is encouraging drivers to allow extra travel time and to use extra caution in existing work zones along state highways. Drivers are urged to make sure they buckle up, along with their passengers. FDOT and other safety agencies also ask drivers to obey speed limits, get adequate rest before traveling, avoid distractions and never drink and drive.
Drivers also are urged to be prepared for unscheduled highway closures due to accidents, disabled vehicles or other events. Motorists should be alert to changing weather conditions while traveling.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Win Second Straight Over Jacksonville 3-2
July 4, 2014
The packed Pensacola Bayfront Stadium came to see fireworks and, boy, did they.
Not only did they watch a spectacular 17-minute explosion of color in the night sky but they experienced former Gulf Breeze High School pitcher Ben Lively’s explosive fastball strike out seven Jacksonville Sun batters and an electrifying walk off home run deep to right field by Jesse Winker – his second walk off in a row.
What a difference on the mound it was for Lively in his second start at home in front of an announced 5,038 crowd that looked much larger with even every inch of the grass in the Hill Kelly Hill behind right centerfield taken.
The crowd was into every pitch and play made by the Blue Wahoos, who suited up in patriotic uniforms with stripes and stars, and their new red, white and blue hat with the Wahoos logo in a star.
Lively’s Double-A debut at home was his shortest outing of the year at 3.2 innings, with 52 of his 98 pitches thrown for strikes.
But it was all forgotten Thursday when the hometown prospect, recorded 7 Ks in six innings, allowing just two runs.
Lively’s total this season now stands at 115 Ks, which are second best in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Only Reds starter Johnny Cueto has more with 130. He is also second among all minor league pitchers, trailing only Aaron Blair, who has 117 playing at the A level.
“I was a lot more settled down,” said Lively, who entered the game with hitters batting .194 against him.
Wahoos manager Delino DeShields was pleased, too.
“He didn’t lose his composure,” he said. “His focus was a lot better tonight.”
Although he was happy with his pitching performance, Lively was even more excited about his double. It was his first professional hit and his first hit since he played at Gulf Breeze High School. He launched a line drive over the right fielder that scored Kyle Waldrop. Waldrop had led off the inning with a double off the base of the leftfield wall, sliding head first into second base.
“The hit pumped me up a little bit,” Lively said.
Lively, who already has a jersey out with the number 35 that he wore in his first start, then scored when Yorman Rodriguez followed him with a line drive down the left field line, tying it up at 2 apiece. It stayed that way until “Walk-Off” Winker came to the plate in the ninth inning.
Lively was icing his arm in the club house when he saw Winker lift the ball deep to right field. He quickly jumped up, threw on clothes and gave Winker the first of three shaving cream pies to the face, not to mention a cooler full of ice-cold Gatorade in front of the dugout. Winker, who has a seven-game hitting streak, enjoyed it, spreading his arms open and letting it shower him.
It ended a five-game homestand in which Winker was named to the Sirius XM All-Star Futures game played on Sunday, July 13, his first Double-A home run and then back-to-back walk offs. His one Wednesday night was on a single in the 15th inning.
“It’s very cool. One of the best baseball weeks I can remember,” said Winker, who still had shaving cream covering his head. “As soon as I hit it I thought, ‘Oh, that could go.”
Wahoos manager Delino DeShields was smiling after Thursday’s game. DeShields hasn’t been too happy with Pensacola’s record now at 6-9 in the second half, after a last place finish in the first half.
“That was fun tonight and it didn’t take 15 innings,” he said.
DeShields noted that Winker is 20 and the youngest player on the team.
“He’s a very confident young man,” DeShields said. “He’s growing up. He’s not a big leaguer yet but he will be one day. He’s always dangerous.”
DeShields also praised Drew Hayes, who pitched two scoreless innings of middle relief and struck out three.
“Our bullpen did a solid job tonight,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing these guys pitch.”
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliated of the Cincinnati Reds, travel to play Arizona Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate the Mobile BayBears in a five-game series that gets underway at 7:05 p.m. Friday. RHP Daniel Corcino (7-6, 4.50) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the BayBears RHP Justin Fitzgerald (7-1, 4.04).
by Tommy Thrall
Gov. Rick Scott Honors Veterans At Escambia County Stop
July 4, 2014
Gov. Rick Scott was in Escambia County Thursday, handing out the “Governor’s Veterans Service Award” to 227 former service members. Scott, a Navy vet himself, created the award in March and toured the state this week handing out the medals.
“The courage and sacrifice these veterans displayed while serving our country has contributed to the freedoms and opportunities Florida families benefit from everyday,” Scott said in a prepared statement following one of the ceremonies.
The front of the medal depicts the state seal. The back of the medal displays the five seals representing the five branches of military with an inscription that reads “Honoring Those Who Served.”
Pictured top: Gov. Rick Scott (left) awards the “Governor’s Veterans Service Award” to a veteran Thursday in Pensacola as Congressman Jeff Miller (right) looks on. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Billie C. Dewberry Spears
July 4, 2014
Mrs. Billie C. Dewberry Spears, 82 of Atmore, passed away Wednesday July 2, 2014, in Atmore. She was a retired secretary with over 20 years of service to the First United Methodist Church of Atmore. She was born on July 4, 1931 in Vincent, Ala., to the late Charles Gordon and Wilma Wilemon Dewberry. She attended Auburn University, was a member of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Service Sorority, and was a Pink Lady at South West Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb, MS.
Survivors include her husband of over 55 years, James D. Spears of Atmore; one son, Stanley D. (Elizabeth) Spears of Birmingham; one daughter, Leigh Ann Horst of Orange Park, Fla; and two grandsons, Jacob Charles Horst and Jordan Kyle Horst.
Services will be Saturday, July 5, 2014, at 10 a.m. from the First United Methodist Church of Atmore with Rev. Deborah Bishop officiating. Family will receive friends Saturday, July 5, 2014, at the first United Methodist Church of Atmore from 9 a.m. until service time. Graveside services will be Saturday, July 5, 2014, at 3 p.m. in Auburn Memorial Park Cemetery Auburn, Ala.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Atmore Building Fund.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.