New Radio Station Takes To The Airwaves
January 27, 2017
The area’s newest radio station took to the airwaves Thursday afternoon for their first official broadcast.
WGYJ-LP, The Light is a low power station broadcasting at 93.5 FM in Atmore. The station, owned by Gospel Light Church, is operating at a diminished power at the present time. Once a tower and new equipment are installed in the coming months, the station will broadcast with a power of 100 watts from 100 feet high…giving it expected coverage area of Atmore, Poarch, Canoe and small area of North Escambia around Bratt and some of Walnut Hill.
The Gehman family behind the station was synonymous with broadcasting in Atmore for a numbers of years, with brother Dale, David and Jerry operating WASG AM 550 radio beginning in November 1981 and eventually WYDH-FM before selling both stations in the early 1990’s. David and Jerry, along with other family members and friends, will be involved in the new station.
Sadly, brother Dale Gehman passed away last November unexpectedly after completing most of the engineering work to bring the new low power FM on the air. Much of the station’s first official hour on the air Thursday was devoted to remembering Dale.
The station currently broadcasts from inside the sanctuary of Gospel Light Church on Trammell Street. They plan to move into the renovated space in the church’s education building soon.
The station’s initial broadcast schedule will be 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. until additional equipment is installed. At that time, WGYJ-LP will broadcast a Christian format 24 hours a day with an emphasis on local news, weather and other Atmore information.
Pictured: WGYJ-LP 93.5 FM took to the air for its first official broadcast Thursday afternoon with David Gehman behind the microphone and guests that included his parents, Martin and Verna Lee Gehman. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Students Dress As 100-Year Olds
January 26, 2017
Molino Park Elementary School students celebrated the 100th day of the school year this week by dressing up like 100-year olds.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Molino Boy Scouts Learn About First Responders
January 25, 2017
Boy Scout Troop 430 of Molino visited the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue Tuesday night to learn what it is like to be a first responder. They also learned about fire trucks and scene safety. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Crime Fighting Duo — A Deputy And His Dog — Present Library Program
January 24, 2017
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Joseph Marcum and his K-9 partner Benga took part in a special Community Hereos Story Time Monday morning at the Molino Branch Library. The crime fighting duo taught children about what to do in the event of an emergency. They also demonstrated how they are trained to work together as a team. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Tips for January
January 21, 2017
Here are gardening tips for the month of January from the IFAS Extension Service:
Flowers
- Refrigerated bulbs such as tulip, daffodil and hyacinth should be planted in prepared beds.
- Start seeds of warm season flowers late this month in order to have transplants in March.
- There’s still time to transplant some cool season annuals such as carnations, foxglove, pansies, petunias and snapdragons.
- Re-fertilize cool season flowerbeds, using a liquid or dry form of fertilizer. Be careful not to apply excessive amounts and keep granules away from the base of stems.
- Finish dividing crowded perennials. Don’t wait until spring for this job.
- Plant bare root roses immediately after they are purchased.
Trees and Shrubs
- Plant trees and shrubs. This is an ideal time of year for transplanting larger specimens.
- Plant bare root plants such as deciduous ornamental shrubs and trees.
- Prune dormant shade trees, if needed.
- Stick hardwood cuttings of fig, grape, honeysuckle, Althea, Catalpa, Forsythia and Wisteria.
Fruits and Nuts
- Apply dormant oil spray to peach, plum, nectarine and other deciduous fruit trees. This practice is necessary when growing the stone fruits in locations along the Gulf Coast. Note: This applies to the flowering peaches and cherries since they are susceptible to the same pests as their fruiting cousins.
- Plant bare root deciduous fruit trees
- Prune dormant fruit trees if needed
Vegetable Garden
- Start seeds of warm season vegetables late this month in order to have transplants in March.
- Lime (if needed), and begin preparing vegetable gardens for the spring planting.
- Cool season vegetables that can still be planted in the garden are: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, leek, mustard, bunching onions, parsley, English peas, Irish potatoes, radishes and turnips.
- Irish potatoes can be started from January through March by planting seed pieces 3 to 4 inches deep in rows. Always purchase certified seed potatoes.
Lawns
- Check soil moisture during winter and water as needed.
Family Celebrates Three Generations Of Birthdays
January 20, 2017
Against tremendous odds, a local family had three members celebrating a birthday on Friday
Janis O’Farrell of Walnut Hill, born in 1935, turned 82 Friday. Her son Dennis O’Farrell of Walnut Hill, born in 1959, turned 58. His daughter Candi O’Farrell Lusk of nearby Perdido, AL, was born in 1981 and turned 36 Friday.
What are the odds? 1 in 1 in 133,225, according to published reports.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Installs First Solar Panels On Local Large-Scale Projects
January 19, 2017
Executives from Gulf Power and Coronal Energy, powered by Panasonic, joined officials from Eglin Air Force Base and Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola for the installation of the first two solar photovoltaic panels on two large-scale solar projects. The projects at Eglin Air Force Base and NAS Pensacola’s Navy Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Saufley, along with a third project at NAS Whiting Field’s NOLF Holley, comprise the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio.
When complete, the combined facilities will be among the state’s largest solar projects with approximately 1.5 million solar panels capable of generating up to 120 megawatts of electricity, enough energy to power approximately 18,000 homes annually.
“These projects exemplify our commitment to leveraging strong partnerships and innovative solutions to develop large-scale solar projects that deliver clean energy to a diverse set of customers,” said Jonathan Jaffrey, chairman and CEO of Coronal Energy™. “The collaborative approach to the development of the Gulf Coast Solar Center Portfolio represents a smarter approach to pursuing solar energy, and may serve as a model for future public/private sector renewable energy initiatives.”
Coronal Energy, powered by Panasonic, is constructing the three facilities on Department of Defense property in Northwest Florida – one at NAS Pensacola’s NOLF Saufley, one on NAS Whiting Field’s NOLF Holley, and one at Eglin Air Force Base. Construction began at all three locations in November 2016 and are expected to become operational during the summer of 2017.
Stan Connally, Gulf Power chairman, president and CEO, pointed out that the solar projects are vital to building a sustainable energy infrastructure while easing the impact on the environment. They also help further diversify the company’s energy portfolio and support the mission to provide safe, affordable and reliable energy to its Northwest Florida customers.
“We’re proud to work with Coronal Energy, powered by Panasonic, the Air Force and the Navy as we work toward meeting critical energy needs as well as the energy needs of the region,” said Connally. “Gulf Power is investing in smart renewables such as these solar projects that make economic sense for our customers as part of a balanced energy mix.”
Jim Doyle, president of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, added: “Solar is the world’s fastest-growing energy source. With these projects, Gulf Power — in cooperation with the Air Force and the Navy — takes a big step forward adding clean, resilient, domestic renewable energy to its portfolio for the benefit of its customers. They’re showing how going solar translates to smart business and smart government, not just for residents and businesses in Florida but also across the country.”
“We continually seek to balance the military mission with the stewardship of this environmental national treasure and look for innovative ways to excel in both arenas,” said Col. Craig Johnson, 96th Civil Engineer Group commander at Eglin AFB. “This project does that by leasing 240 acres of underused land to Gulf Power and in turn Eglin AFB will receive lease payments we will use to improve the energy resiliency of our installation. At the same time, the project will provide a substantial amount of clean energy back to Eglin and the surrounding community.”
“It’s rewarding to be part of this project, which will provide an opportunity for us to assist local and state partners in understanding the Department of the Navy’s overall strategy and commitment for renewable energy,” said NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Martin.
“It is gratifying to be part of a partnership that truly is beneficial to everyone,” NAS Whiting Field Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Bahlau stated. “This effort will develop cost-effective, renewable sources of energy, which will also enhance the Navy’s energy security. Our team is excited to play a role in this collaborative project.”
Energy produced by the projects will serve Gulf Power customers across Northwest Florida and were unanimously approved by the Florida Public Service Commission in April 2015. Together, these facilities will be among the largest photovoltaic arrays in Florida and have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 3.5 million tons over 25 years. Combined they will be one of the largest solar projects east of the Mississippi.
The solar facilities are estimated to generate the following amounts of energy:
· NAS Pensacola’s NOLF Saufley: approximately 600,000 photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 50 megawatts producing enough energy to power nearly 7,400 Escambia County homes for a year
· NAS Whiting Field’s NOLF Holley: approximately 475,000 photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 40 megawatts producing enough energy to power nearly 6,100 Santa Rosa County homes for a year
· Eglin Air Force Base: approximately 375,000 photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 30 megawatts producing enough energy to power nearly 4,500 Okaloosa County homes for a year
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Last Man To Walk On The Moon Dies; Remembered By Local Friend
January 17, 2017
Former U.S. astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the surface of the moon, died Monday at age 82.
Cernan was a Navy captain that trained in Pensacola. NASA chose him and 13 other astronauts for the pioneering Apollo program, created after President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. When Cernan stepped off the moon in December 1972, he left his footprints and his daughter’s initials in the lunar dust.
“He was very kind and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experiences,” pilot David Gehman of Atmore said. Gehman and Cernan met a few years ago at a Learjet pilot meeting Kansas. They became friends, years after Gehman had watched him blast off of Kennedy Space Center on Apollo 17.
“He was a Navy pilot, and flew out of Pensacola. He was familiar with Atmore. We talked about having him come to Atmore but it never happened,” Gehman said.
“He was very kind and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experiences.”
Cernan flew on Apollo 10 in May 1969, the final test flight before the actual moon landing two months later.
He was part of the last manned moon mission in December 1972 — Apollo 17.
“We had a lunar rover, we were able to cover more ground than most of the other missions. We stayed there a little bit longer. We went to a more challenging unique area in the mountains, to learn something about the history and the origin of the moon itself,” Cernan later recalled of the mission.
Just before leaving the moon as the last man to walk on it, Cernan said man would return there one day “with peace and hope.”
He was still waiting at the time of his death. Speaking on the 40th anniversary of the last mission, Cernan said he is not proud to be the last man to walk on the moon because of a fading interest in space travel.
“It is tremendously disappointing that here I am, 40 years later, and still hold that title,” he said.
Cernan retired from the Navy and NASA in 1976 and later did television commentary for early space shuttle flights.
Pictured top: Cernan on the moon. Pictured bottom: Cernan in the lunar module of Apollo 17. NASA photos, click to enlarge.
IEA Equestrian Team Qualifies For Upcoming Regionals
January 15, 2017
Local middle and high school equestrian teams from Trinity Farm have qualified for regionals.
The teams compete in Interscholastic Equestrian Association “IEA” horse shows. in which they “blind ride” — drawing a horse to ride at the event ratheru than riding their personal horse. The show judges the riders primarily on their abilities for the chance to win college scholarships.
The regional competition will be held February 5 at the Escambia County Equestrian Center.
Pictured: Trinity Farm of Northwest Florida team members (front center) Paige Keener, (first row, L-R) Lexi Bryant, Megan Gulsby, Sarah Hodge, Olivia Stone, (back) Morgan Mickel, Tessa Walsingham, Lilli Bonner, and Athena Critides, Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Cheerleaders Perform During Sugar Bowl Halftime
January 14, 2017
The Jay High School cheerleaders were among 10 squads from across the country that performed during the halftime of the recent Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
The squad, coaches, and parents spent five days and four nights in the city practicing for the half time performance, participating in the Sugar Bowl parade, touring the Mardi Gras World, and enjoying a Cajun Barn Dance.
Squad members are seniors Savannah Seevers, Madelyn Godwin, Rebecca Boutwell, Courtney Walther, Marisa Kirkland, and Meghon Mayo; juniors Jescie Roberts, Morgan Floyd; sophomores Carsen Arrant, Maci Holt, Jaeci Cooley; freshmen Catrina Crandall and Carly Willis. Coaches Junia Fischer, Heather Willis and Assistant Principal Carlise Griffin also attended.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
