Escambia Schools Holding Giveaways To Promote National School Lunch Week
October 14, 2014
The Escambia County School District is hosting daily giveaways for prizes and gift cards to increase school participation this week, which is designated at National School Lunch Week. The week highlights the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for a balanced lifestyle.
“Research shows there is a direct connection between eating healthy meals at school and improved academic performance,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “This National School Lunch Week, we’re encouraging kids to eat right so they can succeed in the classroom and on the field.”
School meals are healthier than ever, Putnam said. Each child is offered whole grains, protein, vegetables, fruit and milk every single day.
Pictured top: This drawing shows the new cafeteria that students at Ernest Ward Middle School will enjoy by next year when a newly constructed school opens. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Parents: Learn More About Bullying
October 13, 2014
Molino Park Elementary School will hold a free Parent Bullying Training program this Thursday at the school.
There will be two identical sessions — one at 8 a.m. and the other at 6 p.m. The evening training will include a free spaghetti dinner sponsored by the Molino Elementary School PTA. The program will be presented by Denise Manassa of the Community Drug & Alcohol Council.
The top three classes with the most family members in attendance at the presentation will win an ice cream party for their class.
Parents and guardians can click here for a printable reservation form to return to their child’s teacher at Molino Park Elementary.+
Fall Gardening: Time To Tackle The Chaos And Prepare For Winter
October 12, 2014
by Santa Rosa Extension
Towards the end of the growing season, many landscapes are overgrown and untidy. Allowing plants to tower over others can mean the demise of the smaller plant. It’s time to tackle the chaos and prepare for winter.
First and foremost, take a good look at your landscape. If a plant has outgrown its allotted space, perhaps it was the wrong plant in the wrong place. Avoid these types of problems by becoming familiar with a plant before you plant it. While you can try to control the size of the plant to fit its space, it will never be a happy, stress-free plant.
Information on the mature size of a plant and their site requirements can be found in several Extension publications. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) “Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design” is intended for homeowners who want to take the next step and design their own Florida-Friendly landscapes. Included in this book is information on landscape design strategies, a landscape planning worksheet, and the FFL plant list containing many of the UF/IFAS recommended Florida-Friendly plants for each region of the state. It’s available online by clicking here.
Even in a well-planned landscape, though, the gardener’s controlling influence is important. The most useful methods for dealing with especially enthusiastic plants are removing, pruning, supporting or creating barriers to prevent unwanted spreading.
Removing and replacing
Autumn is an excellent time to establish shrubs and trees. Consider removing oversized plants and replacing them with carefully chosen ones that will happily fit within your defined boundaries. Plants that are installed late in the year will develop strong roots systems before hot weather arrives next spring.
Pruning
When it comes to pruning, it’s good to remember that it’s better to prune lightly occasionally as needed, than to allow a plant to get way overgrown and then cut it back severely. A few prudent snips here and there will help keep more vigorous plants from overwhelming their less vigorous neighbors.
Emphasis must be placed on the word “light.” It’s important to remember that late summer pruning may stimulate an additional flush of shoot growth on species which flush several times each year. These shoots could be damaged by an early frost.
Supporting
Another technique to improve the look of an overgrown landscape is staking. Staking or otherwise supporting plants keeps them from leaning or falling over onto others. It helps the tall plant look better, and obviously benefits the plants that would otherwise be covered. The stake should be tall enough to do the job but not be too obvious.
Stakes may simply be placed in such a way that the plant is supported by leaning up against it. On the other hand, it may be necessary to tie the plant to the stake. Typically, twine or plastic ties are used for this purpose. Make sure you tie the lower and upper parts of the plant to the stake to provide proper support.
Other techniques for support include tying twine in a loop all the way around a plant, using a wire cage – this is best done early in the growing season to allow the plant to grow into it – tying a plant to a sturdier, nearby plant or using one of the commercially available support systems.
Barriers
Many perennials and tropical plants spread by underground structures called rhizomes. If growth shows up outside the area you’ve allotted for that plant, promptly dig out the unwanted growth and replant it somewhere else.
Barriers extending at least one foot down into the ground around aggressive spreaders can sometimes help keep them under control. Digging, dividing and replanting clumps of aggressive spreaders annually is another good way to make sure they stay put.
Overgrown shrubs can cause a house to lose its curb appeal. Proper, regular control measures should be employed to keep a landscape looking its best.
44th Year: Tate Showband Earns Bandmasters Superior Ratings
October 12, 2014
The tradition of excellence continued for the Tate High School Showband of the South Saturday at the Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment at Ft. Walton Beach High School.
The band was judged by a panel of expert judges in the areas of music, general effect, marching and maneuvering, and color guard. Under the leadership of Director Mike Philley, the Tate Showband of the South received straight Superior ratings in all categories for the 44th consecutive year.
Pictured: The Tate High School Showband of the South performs Friday night on their home field. NorthEscambia.com photo by Keith Garrison, click to enlarge.
Hundreds Enjoy Annual Molino Park Elementary Fall Carnival (With Gallery)
October 11, 2014
Hundreds attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival Friday evening at the school. The event featured games, food, entertainment and lots of great family fun.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward High School Alumni’s Final Walk Through School
October 10, 2014
It was a stroll down memory lane Thursday afternoon for many Ernest Ward High School graduates as they roamed the hall of their old school for what might be the final time. The old high school, now Ernest Ward Middle School, will be demolished early next year as students move into an entirely new facility.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Molino Park Community Helpers Day (With Photo Gallery)
October 10, 2014
It takes a lot of people, and sometimes a lot of big machines, to keep a community running smoothly.
Molino Park Elementary School held a “Community Helpers Day” Thursday for students to learn about some of people that are hard at work, often behind the scenes, in the Molino area.
The event includes personnel and equipment from Escambia County EMS, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Florida Division of Forestry, ECUA, J. Miller Construction and Frontier Communications.
Pictured top: Escambia County Deputy Jason Land and his K-9 Edo answer questions Thursday morning during Community Helpers Day at Molino Park Elementary. Pictured: An Escambia Fire Rescue firefighter from Molino’s Station 18 answers questions. Pictured below: Students walk past a dump truck on display from Eli Miller Construction Company. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Taking A Bite Out Of Hunger: Peanut Butter Drive Underway
October 9, 2014
The Escambia County Extension office, Santa Rosa County Extension office along with the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences and the Florida Peanut Producer Association are collecting peanut butter now through mid-November to help take a bite out of hunger.
The groups are accepting donations of unopened jars of peanut butter to be donated to local food pantries during Farm-City Week.
Unopened jars of peanut butter of any brand can be dropped off until November 21 at any of the following locations:
Escambia County
- Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Escambia County Farm Bureau, 153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 North W Street
- Gilmore Services, 31 East Fairfield Drive
Santa Rosa County
- Jay Extension Office at 5259 Booker Lane, Jay
- Santa Rosa County Extension Office at 6263 Dogwood Drive, Milton
- South Santa Rosa Service Center, Master Gardener Help Desk at 5819 Gulf Breeze Parkway
- All Santa Rosa County Library locations
- Lowe’s Stores in Pace and Gulf Breeze
Peanut butter collected in Escambia County last year was donated to food pantries in Molino, Bratt and Century.
Pictured: The Godwins of Godwin Farms in Santa Rosa County, (L-R) Steven, Laryn, Valarie, Kylei, Rachael. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local VFW Voices Of Democracy Writing, Speaking Competition Winners Named
October 9, 2014
Northview High School has named winners of their school level VFW Voice of Democracy writing and speaking competition. Winners were (L-R) Alyssa Borelli, second; Mitchell Singleton, first; and Alyssa Bell, third. The three students will now compete for cash prices at the district, state and national levels. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Farmers Learn From Fall Tomato School
October 8, 2014
UF/IFAS Extension Gulf Coast Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises held their third installment of “Fall Tomato School” Tuesday in Jay. The workshops were intended for farmers who are interested in learning about small farm tomato production.
The course combined lectures with hands-on activities with a course notebook at the West Florida Research & Education Center in Jay. The school included topics such as transplanting, varieties, nutrition, diseases, staking, insect scouting, harvesting, storage and marketing.
Pictured top: Blake Thaxton, Santa Rosa Extension, explains the importance or trellising in commercial tomato production. Pictured below: Participants learn about pest management. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
