Healthy Start Celebrates With Free Shots, Wellness Checks
July 29, 2016
The Century Healthy Start program held a grand opening celebration Thursday morning at their facility on Church Street. From immunizatons were available to children of all ages from Alabama and Florida, and free newborn wellness checks were provided.
Smokey the Bear was also on hand, and children were able to enjoy a bounce house.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ascend Awards Scholarships To Three North Escambia Students
July 27, 2016
Three North Escambia students have been awarded $2,000 scholarships from the Ascend Cares Foundation.
The non-profit organization managed and funded by Ascend Performance Materials, awarded 23 scholarships to children of their employees in Alabama, Florida and Texas this summer. Applicants were required to have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average and have demonstrated a record of community service.
The three North Escambia winners were:
- Abri’ McDaniel of Cantonment, 17, a graduate of West Florida High School of Advanced Technology in Pensacola. In school, Abri’ was a varsity cheerleader and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Outside of school, Abri’ was active at the Ronald McDonald House, the NAACP’s Youth Council and the Charmettes etiquette club. She plans to attend Troy University in Alabama in the fall semester. Abri’s parents are Twana and Donald McDaniel. Donald McDaniel is a processor at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
- Jacob Norre of Cantonment, 18, a graduate of Tate High School. In school, Jacob was a member of the Beta Club, the National Science Honor Society and the school’s band, where he was drum major and played saxophone. Outside of school, he was an Eagle Scout and volunteered in The Miracle League. Jacob plans to attend Texas A&M University in the fall semester and major in aerospace engineering. His parents are Michael and Cathy Norre. Michael Norre is a project engineer at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
- Allison Woodfin of Molino, 18, a graduate of West Florida High School of Advanced Technology. In school, Allison was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Future Farmers of America. Outside of school, she raised show pigs as part of the 4H agricultural club. She plans to attend Troy University in the fall semester and major in communications. Allison’s parents are Jennifer and Walt Woodfin. Walt Woodfin is a scheduler at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
“We believe that part of being a good company means being good to our team members, their families and our community,” said Rachell Gold, executive director of the Ascend Cares Foundation. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in these dedicated young people and wish them the best as they further their education.”
Pet Oxygen Masks Donated For All Escambia Fire Rescue Stations
July 27, 2016
Escambia County Fire Rescue has received a donation of 66 pet oxygen masks, which can be used to help save the lives of dogs, cats and other pets suffering from smoke inhalation from a structure fire.
These specially-designed animal masks can be used on conscious pets suffering from smoke inhalation or pets that need to be resuscitated after losing consciousness from exposure to the dangerous toxic fumes. The masks will be washed and reused.
Escambia County resident and animal lover Jackie Harrison, with the assistance of Sherry Burton, made the $1,900 donation to ECFR.
Cat Country 98.7 Nominated For Prestigious NAB Award
July 27, 2016
Pensacola’s locally owned country radio station, CatCountry 98.7, has been nominated for a National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award. This is the station’s third nomination for the prestigious award.
CatCountry 98.7 is one of just five stations in the country nominated for the 2016 award.
The station helped United Way raise more than $240,000 for tornado relief and raised money for toys for needy children at Christmas — just two of many community events spearheaded by CatCountry during the past year.
“I’m so proud to work with this team. I genuinely believe we are the hardest working team in the business,” said Brent Lane, program director and morning show host.
“We are proud of our team and constant effort they put in to make our community a better place,” said Dave and Mary Hoxeng, owners and operators of CatCountry 98.7.
The winners will be announced September 22 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner and Show in Nashville.
Free Food, Math And Reading Help At Cantonment’s Carver Park
July 21, 2016
Hot dog in the park events are continuing at Carver Park in Cantonment, with kids able to enjoy a free meal and some educational time.
There will be free hot dog meals will be offered every Wednesday, beginning today, at noon in Cantonment’s Carver Park at 2058 Webb Street. The hot dog, chips and beverage meals are sponsored by Saint Jude Catholic Church for school-age children and served by the Cantonment Improvement Committee.
The Carver Park Resource Center will be open from 10 a.m. until noon on Wednesdays until school starts for children who want to keep up with their reading and math skills using computer games.
Photos courtesy Cantonment Improvement Committee for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ryan Awarded Nursing Scholarship
July 20, 2016
Mallory Ryan of Bratt was awarded a $1,000 scholarship Tuesday by the Atmore Community Hospital Auxiliary to continue her education in nursing. Ryan, a 2015 honors graduate of Northview High School, is currently enrolled in the Jefferson Davis Community College nursing program. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lowery Marks 10 Years As Panhandle Equine Rescue President
July 20, 2016
Tuesday, Panhandle Equine Rescue celebrated 10 years under the leadership of Diane Lowery of Cantonment as the group’s president.
The only horse rescue in Escambia County, Panhandle Equine Rescue was founded in 2005 by a small group of concerned citizens with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the court system to investigate equine cruelty in Escambia County.
“I am honored that God has called me to do this. I’m hoping it is a long chapter of my life. And I appreciate everyone who stands behind and supports me. Without all of you this rescue would not have gone this far. Everyone plays a part and brings a certain something to the table and it all comes together to make this work. I am hoping that we can save many more lives in the future,” Lowery said.
For more information on Panhandle Equine Rescue, visit www.panhandleequinerescue.org.
Barrineau Park Elementary School Reunion Held
July 17, 2016
A Barrineau Park Elementary School reunion was held Saturday at the old school with dozens of former students representing the school’s history from 1938 to 2003. Members of various classes are pictured above and below.
Pictured top: Class of 1938 members.
Above: Class of 1940 to 1949 students.
Above: Class of 1950 to 1959.
Above: Class of 1960 to 1969.
Class of 1970 to to 1979.
Above: Class of 1980 to 1989.
Above: Class of 1990 to 1999.
Above: Class of 2000 to 2003.
Above: Staff and administration.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Oak Grove Girl Competing For National Barrel Racing Title
July 17, 2016
A North Escambia girl is competing this week for national barrel racing title.
Lelia Mason of Oak Grove, a fifth grader at Molino Park Elementary School, and her horse Scoot are in Perry, GA, to compete with 2,200 youth from across the country who qualified for the 2016 National Barrel Horse Youth World Finals. Scoot, the horse, is owed by Kathy Braddock of Century.
Mason, 10, said she promised to bring pride to the local community by exhibiting a Godly attitude, good sportsmanship and great horsemanship.
July Gardening Tips
July 16, 2016
The heat, humidity and frequent rains of July are great for tropical plants. Gardeners, however, take a bit of a beating. Remember to keep the sunscreen, insect repellant and iced tea handy as you venture out into your garden to perform some needed summer maintenance.
A midsummer application of fertilizer is usually required, especially on annual flowers, lawns, shrub beds and vegetable gardens. This is a supplemental application, so don’t overdo it. A 15-0-15 slow-release fertilizer is a good general purpose landscape fertilizer for most plants.
Major pruning jobs should have been done earlier, but there is still some maintenance pruning that should be done. Deadhead, or clip old flowers, from summer flowering shrubs as soon as they fade to help insure an extended season of bloom. Crape myrtles, hibiscus, hydrangeas and althea are examples of shrubs that will bloom repeatedly if light, selective pruning is done.
Flowering annuals also respond well to deadheading. Snip off old flowers and flower spikes before they have an opportunity to form seed. Allowing annual flowers to set seed can shorten their blooming season considerably.
Inspect your lawn and shrub plantings frequently in order to identify pest problems as early as possible. The most severe damage from pest insects normally begins in July. Be on the lookout for chinch bugs in St. Augustine grass; spittlebugs in centipede grass; sod webworm in all lawns-especially new ones; lacebug and caterpillars on azaleas; whiteflies on gardenia and spider mites on lots of different types of shrubs.
Sod webworms often attack lawns in the summer. They eat the grass blades producing areas that look as if they have been mowed too short. Close inspection will reveal that the blades have not been cleanly cut as with a mower blade but have been chewed along their edges and tips. These caterpillars feed at night and rest during the day down among the runners and in the thatch.
Once an insect pest is found, evaluate the damage and determine if control is necessary. If it is, choose the least toxic option. If only a few caterpillars are found, hand picking might be the choice. Aphids and spider mites can often be controlled by spraying with an insecticidal soap solution. Chemical insecticides are sometimes required. Before choosing one be sure that the insect pest has been properly identified and that the insecticide is labeled for that purpose For vegetable gardeners that have problems with nematodes, soil borne diseases and extensive weed problems, July is a great time to try soil solarization.
Prepare the soil as you normally would for a vegetable garden including adding organic matter. Moisten the area and cover with clear plastic, not black plastic. Clear plastic will produce the highest temperatures. Be sure to weigh down the edges of the plastic so that it doesn’t blow up. Allow the soil to bake in the sun for four to six weeks. The sun will raise the soil temperature high enough to kill many soil borne problems.
Tip of the Week: The nice thing about tomatoes is that you have the option of harvesting when the fruit is green if needed. Tomatoes will ripen indoors at room temperature. To ensure even ripening, place the tomato with the stem up. The ideal time to harvest tomatoes is when they are fully colored but still firm.
In general, it is best to harvest vegetables early in the mornings while the moisture content is higher. The overall quality will quickly diminish as vegetables are exposed to hotter temperatures later in the day.