Deidra’s Gift: Free School Supplies Distributed To Hundreds
July 23, 2017
Free backpacks and school supplies were distributed Saturday in Century to hundreds of children in need. The distribution at the Nadine McCaw Park (former Roadside Park) was thanks to a family honoring the memory of one of their own in a program called “Dedria’s Gift”.
The bookbags full of supplies were distributed in memory of Dedria Robinson, who was killed in 2005 in an automobile accident at age 11.
In addition to the annual school supply giveaway, “Dedria’s Gift” visited three area nursing homes and assisted living facilities last Christmas with gifts for less fortunate residents.
And last spring, Dedria’s Gift presented two scholarships to deserving Northview High School students.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
McCants And Team Win At Wood Bat Classic
July 23, 2017
Torianno (TJ) McCants of Quintette and the East Coast Sox’s 2020 Select won the 15U World Wood Bat Classic held in Cartersville, GA. The tournament hosted over 300 15U wood bat teams from across the United States.
McCants is the starting short stop for the 2020 Select and ended the tournament with a .389 batting average and no fielding errors.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
By reader submitted.
FHP Continues Investigation Into Fatal Motorcycle Crash
July 23, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing their investigation into a motorcycle crash Friday night that claimed the life of a Tuscaloosa man.
The FHP said 37-year old Thomas Woodrow of Tuscaloosa and 29-yearold Jonathan White of Northport, AL, were both on motorcycles traveling southbound on I-110 south of Creighton Road when Woodrow attempted to pass White.
Woodrow failed to maintain control of his motorcycle and went partially into the middle lane occupied by White. The handlebars of the motorcycle collided, causing Woodrow to lose control and collide with a concrete barrier and utility poll, ejecting him onto the roadway. Woodrow was pronounced deceased on the scene.
White was not injured.
Any charges are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation, according to FHP.
Weekend Gardening: Distinctly Southern Hydrangeas
July 23, 2017
by Santa Rosa County Extension
Nothing defines a southern landscape more than hydrangeas.
These beautiful, large flowering shrubs fill gardens with their green, leafy foliage and incredible blooms during the warm months.
In order to ensure consistent and reliable blooms, these shrubs must be cared for correctly. In addition to proper site location, fertilizer and moisture conditions, hydrangeas may require pruning. Proper pruning includes correct timing.
Hydrangea aficionados are constantly debating pruning techniques. There are many different types of hydrangeas and pruning differs according to the type. It is a big genus of plants and so it’s important to know what type of hydrangeas you may have and on what type of wood they bloom on.
Blooms on old wood, prune after flowering
The bigleaf hydrangeas, known scientifically as Hydrangea macrophylla, are what most people think of when you mention hydrangeas. Most gardeners will know these as mopheads (also called hortensias) and lacecaps. Many of these blooms will be blue or pink although other colors now are available.
Many large colonies of bigleaf hydrangeas have existed around old homes for decades, surviving and blooming in spite of neglect. This tells us that it is not necessary to prune bigleaf hydrangeas.
However, if you want to keep these shrubs within a defined boundary, control their height or rejuvenate old shrubs, it will be necessary to prune them.
Bigleaf hydrangeas can be reduced in size immediately after flowering. A general rule of thumb is that you may remove up to a third of the shrub’s height. Be sure to complete your pruning before August. This is critical because next year flower blooms start to form in August. Pruning after August will remove next year’s blooms.
There now is a small group of bigleaf hydrangeas that are everblooming or remontant. Endless Summer® is one well-known brand. According to the developers of these reblooming hydrangeas, remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom. They are quite forgiving and will not suffer if left unpruned or pruned at the wrong time because these cultivars bloom on both old and new growth.
Our native oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a large, deciduous shrub that can grow up to six feet tall. It has deeply lobed, oak-like leaves which turn bronze in the fall. This plant does not usually need pruning. If reshaping or size-reduction is necessary, prune after blooms begin to fade.
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Lacecap hydrangea
Blooms on new wood, prune in early spring
Smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) is the other U.S. native. The most common cultivar, ‘Annabelle’, produces rounded inflorescences that may reach up to a foot in diameter.
The panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) is more of an upright type. It is typically a 10 to 15-foot large shrub or low-branched tree.
Panicle and smooth hydrangeas flower on current year’s growth and can be pruned anytime from late summer until early spring. If pruning these two species in the spring, try to prune before leaves appear.
Winter pruning
Established bigleaf, panicle, oakleaf and smooth hydrangea plants can often benefit from rejuvenation pruning. Remove about one-third of the oldest stems each year. The result is a fuller, healthier plant. This type of pruning is easiest to do in winter, since the absence of leaves makes it easier to see and reach inside plants.
Hydrangeas offer a wide variety of plants which can make the timing of pruning difficult to remember. Just keep in mind, if in doubt, either don’t prune at all or prune after flowering.
Molino Church Holds Community Fun Day
July 23, 2017
Aldersgate United Methodist Church held a Community Fun Day Saturday in Molino.
The event included outdoor games and competitions. There was also be an art display, a wood carving demonstration and lessons on how to make bows for gift packages. Lunch was provided.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Center Court
July 23, 2017
Every year, around the middle of the summer, with the Legislature long gone and the governor’s office mostly silent, comes a time when courts are the center of the action in Tallahassee.
That season has come.
Courts were dealing this week with everything from quality of schools to the governor’s authority to appoint Supreme Court justices to a state abortion law. The earliest decision in any of those matters is probably weeks away, and some will take even longer.
Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Scott turned to a familiar face to fill a high-ranking state post, a reminder that his inner circle remains relatively small more than six years after he first set up shop in the Capitol.
‘A COMPLETE RECORD’
Sometimes, judges are able to keep observers guessing about future rulings. Other times, the outcomes are pretty clear. And it seems obvious where Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis is headed on a two-year-old law requiring women to wait 24 hours before receiving abortions.
Lewis during a hearing Wednesday gave Deputy Solicitor General Denise Harle — the state lawyer defending the law — another 60 days to make her case. But he also chastised her for not being ready to move forward two years after the legal challenge began, and left a hint that even the delay was a case of legally going through the motions.
“If I were in your shoes, I think I would have been ready a long time ago,” Lewis said during the hour-long hearing. “On the other hand, I think it’s very important that, whatever happens here, there is a complete record.”
The law is on hold while the case continues.
Harle told Lewis on Wednesday that the state needs more time to gather data about women in other states who have changed their minds after having to wait 24 hours before getting the procedure.
The evidence could show that what Harle called “a very short period of time,” meaning 24 hours, would be the minimum required for women to give “informed consent” prior to abortions.
But Julia Kaye, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, argued that whether women have changed their minds about the procedure is irrelevant.
The state’s focus on women changing their minds is rooted in the desire to protect an unborn child, Kaye said. But courts have already ruled that the “point of viability” doesn’t occur until at least after the second trimester begins, while the disputed abortion law deals with first-trimester procedures.
ROLE OF THE COURTS
A day earlier, a lawyer for a coalition of advocates and parents challenging the state’s education system also faced a skeptical court, this time a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal.
At least two judges directed sharp questions at Jodi Siegel, an attorney for plaintiffs in the long-running suit that alleges the state has failed to provide a quality education system.
The central issue in the appeal is whether courts can evaluate the state’s obligations under a 1998 constitutional amendment that declares it is a “paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.”
But Leon County Circuit Judge George Reynolds ruled last year that the judiciary should be hesitant to wade too deeply into the issue and should give deference to the Legislature under the separation of powers. The appellate judges at Tuesday’s hearing seemed more likely than not to agree.
“Not everybody can be in an ‘A’ school. … Is it adequate to have every school that’s a ‘C’ school?” asked Judge James Wolf.
In another case that revolves around the role of the justice system, Scott’s lawyers filed a brief this week in a battle in the Florida Supreme Court. Justices there could decide soon whether the governor has the authority to appoint replacements for three of the court’s current members when they leave the bench in early 2019 due to a mandatory retirement age.
Scott has said he intends to appoint the new justices, while critics say those appointments belong to the next governor. But that’s not enough to ask a court to intervene, Scott’s office said, because nothing has actually happened yet.
“Petitioners do not challenge any specific executive action that has been taken by the governor, but rather seek the court’s opinion regarding the scope of the governor’s executive authority to act in the future under a hypothetical set of facts,” attorneys for the governor wrote.
`TEAM PLAYER’
As governor, Scott has made a habit of turning to a relatively small group of insiders for key positions that crop up in state government. This week, South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Pete Antonacci was tapped to take over Enterprise Florida, a business-recruitment agency dear to the governor’s heart.
Enterprise Florida’s executive committee Wednesday unanimously approved a recommendation by agency Vice Chairman Stan Connally to offer the president and CEO position to Antonacci rather than to go through a search.
Scott called Antonacci, who for two years served as the governor’s top official lawyer, someone who can “get deals done.”
Connally noted that Antonacci expressed a desire to the governor’s office for the Enterprise Florida position.
“The more I learned about Pete … I learned things like his ability to quickly get up to speed on topics that may not be naturally as familiar to him,” Connally said during a conference call with the committee. “Some would call that a quick study. And I think, given the circumstances in front of us, I think that would be important.”
The agency has been working under interim director Mike Grissom since March, following the abrupt departure of Chris Hart from the top position.
Antonacci’s job offer must still be approved by the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors, which is chaired by Scott. The board will hold a conference call Monday.
“My experience with Pete is he is able to negotiate a lot of good deals. That’s part of what you have to do both as general counsel and running the water management district,” Scott told the committee members during this week’s call. “I think he will do a good job. He’ll work hard. He’ll get deals done. And he’ll also be a good team player.”
Antonacci served as Scott’s general counsel from January 2013 until early 2015. He took over the water management district, with its approximately $660 million budget, in September 2015.
Between working for the governor and water management district, Antonacci worked as a registered lobbyist with the law firm GrayRobinson. His client list included Accelerated Learning Solutions, Key West, Corizon, JP Morgan Chase Bank, the National Notary Association and PC Solutions & Integration.
STORY OF THE WEEK: A two-year-old law requiring women to wait 24 hours before getting abortions looked to be on thin ice after a hearing before a Leon County judge.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “This is not Lake Wobegon, and that’s exactly what the plaintiffs over and over again were coming up with.” — Rocco Testani, a lawyer for the state in the education case, questioning whether performance on accountability measures can determine whether the state is living up to its obligations.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Even Series With The Montgomery Biscuits
July 23, 2017
Thanks to back-to-back two out hits by right fielder Aristides Aquino and second baseman Shed Long, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored three runs in the top of the ninth to overcome the Montgomery Biscuits.
The Blue Wahoos entered the ninth tied, 4-4, Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium but earned the victory, 7-4, when Aquino singled in third baseman Nick Senzel and Long doubled on a line drive to left field that scored both left fielder Josh VanMeter and Aquino.
The five-game series is now tied, 2-2, with the final game scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Sunday. Pensacola improved to 15-14 in the second half and regained first place over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, whose game with the Tennessee Smokies was postponed. The Blue Wahoos are 55-44 overall and won the first half Southern Division title.
Montgomery knotted the game, 4-4, with two runs in the eighth inning off Pensacola reliever Robert Stock, who loaded the bases with no outs. He was replaced by Pensacola closer Zack Weiss, who got the first two Biscuits batters out but then gave up a two-run single to center field by Biscuits DH Cade Cotta, driving in shortstop Jake Cronenworth and second baseman Riley Unroe.
Weiss struck out two batters in the ninth and got the last six outs to earn the win and improve his record to 2-1 with a 0.93 ERA in nine appearances. He has given up five runs but none earned over his last 8.2 innings and struck out 12.
Pensacola starting pitcher Jose Lopez, who has made eight Double-A starts, turned in his fourth straight strong outing. He worked six innings, allowed two runs on four hits and one walk and struck out five.
Montgomery left-handed starter Logan Darnell, who made four starts for the Minnesota Twins in 2014, also worked six innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on nine hits, no walks and struck out 10. The 28-year-old tied his career high that he recorded in 2010 with the Twins rookie league team in the Gulf Coast League.
Pensacola, though, pounded out 13 hits, one of its highest totals in a game this year. Five Blue Wahoo hitters had multi-hit games. Pensacola center fielder Gabriel Guerrero was 2-5 with two runs scored for his team-leading 29th multi-hit game this season. Senzel was 3-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. First baseman Gavin Lavalley was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs. Aquino was 2-5 with a run and RBI. Long was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Showers And Thunderstorms For Your Sunday
July 23, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Five People Injured In Cantonment Crash
July 22, 2017
Five people were injured in a three vehicle accident Friday morning in Cantonment.
The accident happened at the intersection of Highway 29 and Muscogee Road. All five were transported by Escambia County EMS ambulance to local hospitals. Two other people refused medical treatment.
Further details have not yet been released by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
40 Percent Shot Of Rain On Your Saturday
July 22, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A 50 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 73.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.