Blood Drives Scheduled In Honor Of Tate Senior Halee Boyd
January 10, 2013
Friends and family of Tate High School student Halee Boyd have scheduled blood drives to help with her cancer treatments.
Boyd, 18, was diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer. Her medical treatments have interrupted her senior year at Tate.
Blood drives at two locations are planned Saturday, January 12 in her honor:
- The Spinal Center, 2921 Michigan Avenue, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Red Lobster, Cordova Mall, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Generally, healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.
Humane Society Seeks Owner Of Shot In Santa Rosa, Monetary Help
January 9, 2013
[Updated] The Humane Society of Escambia County (Ala.) in Flomaton is looking for the owner of a dog found shot in northern Santa Rosa County on Monday.
The dog is a male husky or malamute and appears to be a family pet. He was found on Highway 87 in Santa Rosa County and picked up by a good Samaritan that took him to a veterinarian in Brewton. The veterinarian was unwilling to treat him because there was no one to handle the cost, according to the Humane Society’s Facebook page.
The Humane Society later arranged for a medical assessment of the dog.
“X-rays reveal a small caliber bullet that has shattered the spine. He will be getting steroid injections for a couple of days to see how things go,” said Renee Jones, Humane Society director.
Anyone with information about the dog’s owner is asked to call the Humane Society of Escambia County (Ala.) at (251) 296-2275. After hours, call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 809-0741 and tell the operator that you need to speak to Renee as soon as possible about the injured husky dog.
Donations are being accepted to help with dog’s care. Click here and look for the “Donate Now” button near the bottom of the right column.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11 a.m. on January 9 to reflect new information that the dog had been shot. It was originally believed that he had been hit by a car until an X-ray and examination revealed the true nature of the injury.
Pictured: This dog, now in the care of the Humane Society in Flomaton, was found shot Monday in northern Santa Rosa County. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cruisers Unlimited Donates To Ronald McDonald House
January 8, 2013
The Cruisers Unlimited car and truck club of Atmore recently presented a generous donation to the Ronald McDonald House in Atmore.
Last summer, the car enthusiast group also held a small car show and grilled dinner for the Ronald McDonald House residents. The local Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for family members of children who travel from their homes to receive medical treatment in Pensacola.
Pictured top: Todd Parker of Cruisers Unlimited presents a check to Twana Bright, event manager for the Ronald McDonald House. Pictured below: Cruisers Unlimited provided dinner and a small car show for the Ronald McDonald House last summer. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Grad Leads Alabama’s Million Dollar Band
January 7, 2013
A Tate High School graduate led the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band during Monday night’s BCS National Championship game.
Drum major Benjamin Carmichael is a 2009 Tate graduate. This is his fourth year with the Million Dollar Band and this third National Championship performance. He served as trumpet section leader for two years before being named drum major this year. He will graduate from UA with a degree in mechanical engineering in May and will enter graduate school in the fall.
Carmichael marched for four years in the Tate High Showband of the South.
Pictured: University of Alabama Million Dollar Band drum major Benjamin Carmichael, a 2009 Tate High School graduate. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
For 10th Year, Weight Watchers To Meet At Aldersgate UMC
January 6, 2013
Now in its 10th year, the Molino Weight Watchers class will meet again this year at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino. Weight Watchers is a program which provides a healthy method to loose and maintain your goal weight.
The first class is Monday, January 7. Classes are held on Mondays, with weigh-in from 6 until 6:30 p.m. and the class is from 6:30 until 7 p.m.
For more information, contact class leader Sandra Greenwell at (850) 587-2489.
Featured Recipe: The Ultimate Game Day Chili Warm Up
January 6, 2013
Bold, flavorful chili is the ultimate game day grub, offering hearty portions to feed a hungry crowd and personalized toppings to suit every palate. For a delicious twist to your go-to, wow guests with a hearty, versatile pork-based chili with layers of savory flavor.
Smoky ingredients are all the rage, with fire-roasted tomatoes, bacon and chipotle peppers on the rise in restaurant menus across the country. Give this delicious trend the home-cooked treatment with Smoky Pork, Bacon and White Bean Chili, a simple recipe that takes only 20 minutes to prepare and can be conveniently made in the slow cooker.
With this versatile recipe, it’s easy to add a personal touch. Make your hearty chili even more smolderingly smoky by adding finely chopped chipotle chiles (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce) along with the onion. Or, to amp up the heat, add a dash of cayenne pepper powder along with the chili powder.
To round out the meal on game day – or any day – serve with warm corn tortillas or corn bread and a refreshing side salad with radishes and cilantro. Prepare a topping bar with sour cream, roasted tomato salsa, sliced avocadoes, scallions and shredded Jack cheese.
Smoky Pork, Bacon and White Bean Chili
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
8 ounces bacon, thick-cut, (5 or 6 slices), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 pounds pork loin roast, cut into 3/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, (white kidney) or other white beans, drained
Salt
1/2 cup sour cream, (optional)
2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
In large saucepan or small stockpot over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add onion to bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in chili powder and paprika. Stir in tomatoes (with juices) and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
Stir in beans and about 2/3 of bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Free Trees: Seedlings To Be Given Away In Walnut Hill
January 5, 2013
In celebration of Florida’s Arbor Day, Escambia County, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) Extension and the Florida Forestry Service (FFS) will be giving away 4,000 seedling trees at two locations, including Walnut Hill.
Species include crabapple, mayhaw, cherrybark Oak, river birch, wax myrtle and bald cypress. Participants will receive two tree seedlings of their choice.
The first event will be held on Monday, January 14, at the Walnut Hill Community Center (Ruritan Building) at 7850 Highway 97 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The second event will be held on Friday, January 18, in conjunction with the grand opening of the Southwest Greenway at the Jones Swamp Preserve Trail entrance at 198 Patton Drive, near the intersection of Brigadier and Patton Drive, in Warrington, also from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Extension agents and master gardeners will be available at both locations to advise participants on tree types and tree placement in the landscape.
Weekend Gardening: What To Do With Those Holiday Plants
January 5, 2013
People often give and receive decorative plants during the holiday season. Many of these plants can last long past the holidays, but only if you care for them properly.
Use the following tips to keep Christmas cactus, poinsettia, amaryllis, kalanchoe, and cyclamen healthy and vibrant long after the holidays are over.
Light & Water Conditions
Keep your holiday plants in bright, indirect light, such as a sunny window. You can also put plants under incandescent or fluorescent lamps if a room is too dim.
Keep the room temperature cool. The ideal temperature ranges are 65º to 75ºF during the day and 50º to 60ºF at night.
Make sure the plants are watered enough to stay evenly moist, but do not overwater. Even Christmas cactuses need to be regularly watered since they are not true cactuses.
Flowering
Most plants are already flowering when you give or receive them. Eventually the flowers will fade and you should remove them.
You can prepare some plants for next season’s flowering. Remember that plants like poinsettia and Christmas cactus need to be kept away from artificial light at night to stimulate flowering, usually beginning around October.
Amaryllis
Since amaryllis is a bulb, it easily flowers if you force the bulb. After the last flower fades, remove the bloom stalk, but let the leaves continue to grow. Keep amaryllis under bright light and fertilize it regularly.
In late summer, the leaves will die and the bulb will go into a resting stage. Reduce the amount of water it receives and store the bulb in a cool, dry place for two to three months.
Begin watering again and the bulb should reflower in four to six weeks.
Poinsettia
Poinsettias are hard for home gardeners to force to reflower.
When the poinsettia begins to drop its leaves, this signals the start of its resting stage. At this time, only water the poinsettia often enough to keep the stems and roots from drying out.
In April, prune the stems to six inches high, resume a regular watering and fertilization schedule, and place it where it will receive bright light that is not direct.
Planting
Most holiday plants are cold-sensitive, so only people in the southern part of Florida can consider planting their holiday plants outdoors without too much worry. Residents in northern parts of Florida can try growing their plant outdoors, but will most likely need to pay attention to weather reports and have some way of protecting plants from the cold.
Select the plants that have remained healthy and lush, and plant them after the chance of frost is past.
Poinsettias
Plant your poinsettia in a sunny spot that will not receive artificial light at night. The soil should be well drained.
Cut off fading bracts, leaving four to six inches of stem on the branches. Mulch around the plant, and keep it well watered during establishment.
Fertilize monthly from May to September.
Prune regularly during the growing season to keep the poinsettia from looking “leggy.” Stop pruning in September and flower buds will form in October.
If the plant was damaged by cold, cut it back to 12 to 18 inches of the ground or to living tissue in the spring after the chance of frost is passed.
Area Woman On People Magazine Cover, TV’s 20/20 After Losing 137 Pounds
January 4, 2013
A Santa Rosa County woman is on the cover of the latest edition of People magazine and was featured on ABC’s 20/20 Friday night because of her dramatic weight loss.
Ashley Donahoo, 27, was chosen for the cover of People’s 11th annual Half Their Size issue after losing 137 pounds since 2010.
“Eighteen months ago my son Zach gave me a hug and said, ‘Mom! I can reach my hands all around you.’ I started bawling because I never realized that he could never completely hug me,” the Pace resident told People.
People’s Half Their Size issue is on newsstands now. The ABC special 20/20 and People Half Their Size aired Friday night.
Meatless Mondays: Health Dept. Encourages Skipping Meat One Day
January 4, 2013
The Escambia County Health Department is advocating a program called “Meatless Monday” — encouraging residents to reduce the amount of meat in their diets.
The health department says eating less meat will improve personal health and the health of the planet. Supporting the international Meatless Monday movement, the Escambia County Health Department will provide information and resources about the benefits of eating more plant-based proteins and less meat.
“We’re not advocating complete avoidance of meat – that’s not realistic,” says Registered Dietitian and Community Health Education and Nutrition Director, Versilla Turner. “This campaign is about helping residents take small, manageable steps toward better health.”
The Escambia County Health Department will work with local restaurants, schools, and other establishments to promote eating less meat as a step toward a healthier diet. Weekly recipes, frequently asked questions, and an overview of why and how to eat less meat can be found on the campaign webpage on EscambiaHealth.com.
According to the Escambia County Health Department — Eating less meat can improve health, save money, and help sustain the environment. Excess meat consumption is linked to increased risks of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Replacing some meat with plant-based proteins improves health by increasing the variety of vitamins and minerals consumed, as well as providing more fiber and less saturated fat. Individuals can easily meet protein needs and still feel full and satisfied by eating more plant-based proteins and less meat. Finally, eating less meat can also help sustain the planet by decreasing energy usage and dependence on fossil fuels.