Wahoos Beat The B’ham Barons
August 8, 2015
You know things are going right for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos when your eighth and ninth hitters each jack solo homers over the left field wall and score three of the team’s five runs.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos designated hitter Sean Buckley scored twice on a solo home run and double and center fielder Beau Amaral scored once, smashing a solo shot and hitting a sharp grounder to third that scored Buckley.
The Blue Wahoos opened the five-game series Friday with the Birmingham Barons with a 5-3 victory in front of 4,422 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Buckley joked that he received a new shipment Friday of 34-inch, 32-ounce bats that helped him hit his second homer of the season.
“I got some new bats and think they were the key,” the 6-foot-3 Buckley said. “The pitcher (Tyler Danish) throws a lot of sinkers. I was looking for a sinker and put a good swing on it.”
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said Buckley, the eighth hitter, and Amaral, the ninth hitter, came through for the Blue Wahoos Friday.
Buckley went 3-4 with two runs, a homer, a double and one RBI. Meanwhile, Amaral was 1-4 with the homer for an RBI and drove in Buckley in the eighth on a hard-hit grounder to Birmingham third baseman Nicky Delmonico that he could not corral.
“Buckley’s not your typical eight hitter,” Kelly said. “He hit three balls on the nose.”
The Blue Wahoos, who hit five extra base hits Friday, have a Southern League leading 112 extra base hits since July 1.
Pensacola had taken the lead, 4-3, in the seventh inning when left fielder Jesse Winker and first baseman Marquez Smith smacked back-to-back, two-out doubles. It put the Blue Wahoos ahead for the first time in the game.
Winker, who went 2-2 with a run scored and two walks, bounced his double off the left center wall. Smith then hit a chopper down the third base line that rolled into the left field corner.
Birmingham had gone back on top, 3-2, in the fifth inning when left fielder Marcus Lemon hit a bloop double to shallow left field just inside the foul line and scored on third baseman Nicky Delmonico’s ground out.
The Blue Wahoos also enjoyed seven strong innings from Daniel Wright who gave up three runs on five hits and struck out seven in seven innings. He improved to 8-8 with a 4.62 ERA.
Pensacola relievers Patrick Schuster and Zack Weiss ended the game with each striking out the side in their one innings of relief. Weiss now has a team-leading 16 saves and 45 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.
Kelly praised his starter for giving up just three runs in seven innings, including two in the first, and working out of a jam when he walked the first two batters who made it to second and third before Pensacola ended the threat.
“The whole key was him going seven innings and giving up three runs,” Kelly said.
Pensacola moved into just a half-game back of Southern League South Division second half leader the Mobile BayBears at 24-17 (49-60). Mobile is 24-16 in the second half.
10 Day Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Underway
August 7, 2015
Today is the first day of Florida’s 2015 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday.
Due to the success of recent sales tax holidays, the tax-free holiday has been extended from its original three day period to ten full days of tax free shopping. During this period, no Florida sales tax will be collected on sales of clothing, footwear, and certain accessories with a selling price of $100 or less per item, on certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item, and on the first $750 of the sales price for computers and certain computer-related accessories when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.
To view a complete list of exempted items for this year’s Tax-Free Holiday, click here.
Maybe A Storm Tonight; Heat Advisory For The Weekend
August 7, 2015
There is a heat advisory in effect for the weekend. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 108. West wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99. West wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. South wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. South wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. South wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Register Now For Escambia School District After-School Care
August 7, 2015
The first day of school is August 17. As parents get ready to return to their children to school, it’s time to make arrangements for after-school child car. Some Escambia schools offer their own program on-site while many others work with local program.. Registration for all on-site child care begins Monday, August 10, 2015.
“Our mission is to assist families by providing affordable, high quality child care on-site,” explained Aisha Adkison the ECSD School-Age child care coordinator. “Our schools’ points of contact, as well as the other agencies who work with us on our campuses, will be available to help families with the registration process starting next week. We all urge parents to make contact as early as possible, to help everyone plan for a smooth transition on the first day of school.”
Escambia County School District School-Age Child Care Registration Information
Registration Begins August 10, 2015
Locations and contacts (including both district programs and on-site community programs):
- Bellview Elementary School: School Phone: 941-6060, School-Age Child Care: 941-6064
- Bratt Elementary School: School Phone: 327-6137, School-Age Child Care: 327-4879
- Ensley Elementary School: School Phone: 494-5600, School-Age Child Care: 474-5336
- Global Learning Academy, School Phone: 430-7560, School-Age Child Care: 430-7561 ext. 7583
- McArthur Elementary School: School Phone: 494-5625, School-Age Child Care: 494-5628
CAMPFIRE BOYS AND GIRLS 476-1760 Longleaf Elementary School
CHILDHOOD DREAMS 572-1131 Navy Point Elementary School, Pleasant Grove Elementary School, and Myrtle Grove Elementary School.
CREATIVE LEARNING SCHOOL-AGE CHILD CARE 479-7814 Jim Allen Elementary School, Molino Park Elementary School, Cordova Park Elementary School. Beulah Elementary School, Lipscomb Elementary School, Blue Angels Elementary School, Pine Meadow Elementary School, Hellen Caro Elementary School, A.K. Suter Elementary School, and Scenic Heights Elementary School.
YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION (YMCA) 478-1222 Holm Elementary School, Sherwood Elementary School, West Pensacola, Ferry Pass Elementary School, N.B. Cook Elementary School, Brentwood Elementary School, Brown Barge Middle School, Bellview Middle School, Ferry Pass Middle School, Woodham Middle School, and Workman Middle School.
Community Heroes Spruce Up Atmore YMCA
August 7, 2015
Volunteers from the Ensley Lowes and the local community came together Thursday to spruce up the Atmore Area YMCA.
The Ensley Lowes selected the Atmore Area YMCA as their Community Hero Project for the year. Lowe’s Heroes is a company-wide volunteer initiative that offers Lowe’s employees the opportunity to work on a project in their own neighborhood, helping to make their communities better places to live, work and play.
The volunteers painted, added ceiling fans and updated restrooms at the Y.
Back in 2014, it was announced that the Atmore YMCA would close its doors due to a poor financial outlook. But within just a few weeks the Y announced the community had stepped forward with funding to keep the doors open. The Atmore YMCA has served Atmore and surrounding areas since June 1995. The Atmore YMCA currently has over 500 memberships representing about 1,250 members.
Meet The Dogs That Protect Florida Agriculture
August 7, 2015
Protecting Florida’s $120 billion agriculture industry requires a multifaceted approach, including the assistance of several four-legged, furry helpers. During the dog days of summer, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is showcasing its lesser-known staff members—rescue dogs trained to detect invasive pests and disease.
“Dogs’ unparalleled sense of smell makes them indispensable to multiple industries, including law enforcement and health care. Here at the department, our working dogs are an integral part of our early detection efforts to identify invasive pests and disease that threaten Florida’s agriculture industry,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Florida’s warm climate makes it a hotbed for invasive pests and disease. Among the many tools the department employs to detect, monitor and eradicate pests and disease are five working dogs.
Meet the dogs that defend Florida’s agriculture industry:
Audi (age: 5): Audi is a chocolate Labrador Retriever rescue dog who patrols parcel facilities in Orlando, Tampa and Miami. One career highlight is when Audi detected olive branches from California with fruits that contained larvae of the Olive fruit fly, one of the most damaging pests of olives in southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and California. Olive trees are a relatively new addition to Florida’s agriculture portfolio.
Kojak (age: 6): Kojak is a Labrador Retriever-mix rescue dog who works in Ft. Myers, Tampa and Orlando. Kojak patrols parcel facilities to detect invasive pests and disease, as well as unauthorized plant material that may have been shipped into Florida. One career highlight is when Kojak detected a live whitefly pupa and several crushed adult whiteflies.
Bear (age: 4): Bear is a Labrador Retriever-mix rescue dog who works in Miami. Bear’s sole mission is to detect giant African land snails in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, which are considered to be one of the most damaging snails in the world. They consume at least 500 types of plants and pose a threat to health as they carry rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis in humans and animals.
Sierra (age: 3): Sierra is a chocolate Labrador Retriever rescue dog. She joins Bear in the mission to eradicate giant African land snails located in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Verde (age: 7): Verde is a Labrador Retriever who was found abandoned and in ill health. Since her rescue and recovery, she has been trained to patrol parcel facilities to detect invasive pests and disease. She works in Miami, Hollywood, Homestead and Miramar at postal facilities. One career highlight is when Verde detected invasive water lettuce, which is prohibited to import to Florida, contained within an unmarked box at a postal facility.
Pictured top: Larry Bynum and Bear. Pictured inset: Kojak with a find. Pictured below: Sierra locates a giant African land snail. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lottery Game Proposed To Fund Breast Cancer Programs
August 7, 2015
In what would be a change for the Florida Lottery, a state lawmaker Thursday proposed creating a lottery game that would help fund breast-cancer research and services. The state has traditionally used lottery money to bolster spending on education programs.
But Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, filed a bill (SB 102) that calls for creating a special instant-lottery game called “Ticket for the Cure,” with proceeds going to breast-cancer research and services. The services would be provided to people who have breast cancer and are low income and uninsured. Research money would go to public or private universities that have medical-research facilities or are associated with such facilities.
The bill, which will be considered during the 2016 legislative session, calls for starting the special game on January 1, 2017, and ending it December 31, 2022.
Free School Supplies Saturday In Atmore
August 7, 2015
An Atmore church will offer free school supplies on Saturday.
A Unity in the Community event sponsored by Grace Fellowship, Concerned Citizens of Atmore and the Brewton District Missionary Department will be held at Grace Fellowship on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be food, a carnival and entertainment. Free uniforms and school supplies will also be available. A shuttle will be available from Houston Avery Park beginning at 10:30 a.m. The entire event is free with some participation required.
Updated Forecast: Below Normal Hurricane Season
August 7, 2015
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center’s updated 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook calls for a 90 percent chance of a below-normal hurricane season. A below-normal season is now even more likely than predicted in May, when the likelihood of a below-normal season was 70 percent.
“Tropical storms and hurricanes can and do strike the United States, even in below-normal seasons and during El Niño events,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “Regardless of our call for below-normal storm activity, people along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts should remain prepared and vigilant, especially now that the peak months of the hurricane season have started.”
Two tropical storms already have struck the United States this year. Ana made landfall in South Carolina in May, and Bill made landfall in Texas in June.
The 90 percent probability of a below-normal season is the highest confidence level given by NOAA since seasonal hurricane outlooks began in 1998.
The updated outlook also lowers the overall expected storm activity this season. The outlook now includes a 70 percent chance of 6-10 named storms (from 6-11 in the initial May Outlook), of which 1-4 will become hurricanes (from 3-6 in May), and 0-1 will become major hurricanes (from 0-2 in May). These ranges — which include the three named storms to-date (Ana, Bill, and Claudette) — are centered well below the seasonal averages of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Forecasters attribute the high likelihood of a below-normal season to three primary factors:
- El Niño has strengthened as predicted, and NOAA’s latest El Niño forecast calls for a significant El Niño to continue through the remainder of the hurricane season;
- Atmospheric conditions typically associated with a significant El Niño, such as strong vertical wind shear and enhanced sinking motion across the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, are now present. These conditions make it difficult for storms to develop, and they are predicted to continue through the remaining four months of the hurricane season; and
- Tropical Atlantic sea-surface temperatures are predicted to remain below average and much cooler than the rest of the global tropics.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.
Escambia County Back To School Tips
August 7, 2015
Here are the links to information you need for the first day of school on Monday in Escambia County:
For last minute shopping, click here for the elementary supply list; click here for the middle school list.
To find your school zone information, click here.
For school start and dismissal times, click here.
To find school bus routes and schedules, click here.
Meal prices have increased at some schools this year, click here for info. Meals are free for all students at other schools, click here for info.
To pay for school meals, click here. To apply for free and reduced price meals, click here.
For breakfast and lunch menus, click here.