Northview, Tate, Jay FFA Students Headed To State
January 24, 2011
Several students from the North Escambia area placed in the District I FFA Competition recently.
FFA Chapters from Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington participated in the competition. The individuals and FFA Chapters above will represent their respective school districts and District I FFA at the 83rd Florida FFA State Convention in June. They are now the top 12 of over 40,000 students statewide.
Participating members of the Northview High School Agricultural Mechanics and Agricultural Business Teams were: Lydia Weaver, Stephanie Solari, Courtney Solari, Dillian Crutchfield, Allie Vidak, Brandon Chambless and Allyson Bullard. The group participated in other FFA Career Development Events that were sent to Gainesville to be scored; those results are not yet known.
Available results are:
High School Results
Prepared Public Speaking
1. Ashley McLeod – Laurel Hill (Okaloosa County)
Extemporaneous Speaking
1. Megan Gibbs – J. M. Tate High School
Creed Speaking
1. Courtney Solari – Northview High School
Tractor Operation and Maintenance
1. Jeff Hansford – J. M. Tate High School
Parliamentary Procedure
1. J. M. Tate High School
Middle School Results
Prepared Public Speaking
1. Hannah Price – Laurel Hill
Extemporaneous Speaking
1. Savannah Maddox – Beulah Academy
Opening and Closing Ceremony
1. Bethlehem Middle School (Holmes County)
Parliamentary Procedure
1. Jay Middle School (Santa Rosa County)
Pictured top: Courtney Solari was awarded first place in Creed Speaking at the recent District I FFA Competition. Pictured below: (front, L-R) Courtney Solari, Stephanie Solari, (middle) Lydia Weaver, Allyson Bullard, Allie Vidak, (back) Brandon Chambless and Dillian Crutchfield. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Poplar Dell Baptist, Woodmen Honor American Heros
January 23, 2011
Woodman of the World Lodge 001 and Poplar Dell Baptist Church saluted American’s heroes at a recent in-honor and in-remembrance ceremony.
Woodmen of the World Representative, Maxie W. Bondurant, performed the flag dedication for the ceremony which honored not only our fallen comrades, but those who continue to fight against terrorism and safeguard our nation and communities today as well.
Poplar Dell Baptist Church is located on Highway 4A, just west of Century.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe: Lemony Doodles
January 23, 2011
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is “Lemony Doodles” — think lemon cookies and snickerdoodles.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Seized From Abuse, ‘Lil Momma’ Needs A Home
January 22, 2011
Volunteers are looking for a good home for “Lil Momma” — a dog that was seized by Escambia County Animal Control from a Century home back in December.
The owner surrendered and released the dog, and she is being housed at a kennel. She had three nursing pups. One died, and the other two have been adopted.
Panhandle Equine Rescue is working to find a home for the three-year old dog, and they say she has a sweet temperament and has shown no aggression towards humans, dogs or cats. For more information, call (850) 587-2754.
For more information on the animal cruelty arrest and the seizure of the dog, click here for a previous NorthEscambia.com story.
Pictured above: “Lil Momma” needs a home. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gardening: Kumquats Are The Gold Gem Of The Citrus Family
January 22, 2011
Extension Agents are sometimes the recipient of home grown fare. Each winter I look forward to the annual harvest of kumquats in my Master Gardener landscapes.
Kumquats (kuhm’ kwaht) have been called “the little gold gem of the citrus family”. The name kumquat comes from the Cantonese word for “golden orange”.
Kumquats have a thin, sweet peel and a zesty, somewhat tart center. It’s the only fruit in the citrus family that you can eat “skin and all.” They are rich in potassium and low in calories. One kumquat is approximately 12 calories and yields 8.3mg calcium, 37mg potassium, 7.1mg vitamin C, and 57 IU vitamin A. They contain only a trace of fat, 3.1g carbohydrate and 15.5g water per fruit.
They are believed to be native to China and were included in the genus Citrus until about 1915 when Dr. Walter T. Swingle set them apart in the genus Fortunella, in honor of the British horticulturist, Robert Fortune who introduced the kumquat to Europe in 1846.
Two varieties of kumquats are grown in Florida. The oval kumquat or Nagami (Fortunella margarita) is the most popular. The deep-orange fruit are small ovals, have 2-5 seeds, and are pleasantly flavored. The tartness of the fruit makes them great for use in cooking and for marmalades and jellies.
The Meiwa (F. crassifolia) is sometimes called “the sweet kumquat” as this variety is not as tart as the Nagami. This round kumquat has a thicker peel, sweet pulp and juice, and is nearly seedless. While they are very good to eat, it is not recommended that you use them for cooking or for marmalade as they lack the tartness of the Nagami kumquats.
This easy-to-grow evergreen tree reaches more than ten feet tall. It has few or no thorns and small, glossy leaves. The yellow-to-bright-reddish orange fruit are very showy and borne in large numbers. The fruit is considered ripe when it reaches a yellowish-orange stage, and has just shed the last tint of green. A steady harvest is available throughout the winter.
Kumquat trees grow well throughout Florida, planted in the landscape or in large containers. The trees are very cold hardy, and are highly resistant to citrus canker. The trees require about the same care as other citrus.
Whether grown in a container or in the ground, kumquats are heavy feeders and perform best with a regular fertilizing program. Be sure to water well before and after applying fertilizer to help prevent burn. If possible, buy a fertilizer formulated for citrus and one that has at least a third slow-release nitrogen. These slower-release fertilizers provide months of continuous nutrients, reducing effort and cost.
Do not allow weeds or sod to grow up near the tree trunk. They will compete with root activity.
Although pruning isn’t required, kumquats can be pruned to shape without diminishing next year’s fruiting ability. After harvest time, pick the fruit then prune the tree before new flowers appear. Remove suckers at the base of the trees anytime as they can sap the energy from fruit production.
Kumquats are an easy-to-grow plant that pays big harvest dividends in winter. After just a couple of years, they will begin bearing fruit and are a nice evergreen addition to the landscape. Try adding one or more to your landscape or garden.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Ernest Ward Students Explore Past With National History Day Projects
January 21, 2011
History came alive through the eyes of students at Ernest Ward Middle School Thursday evening as they displayed weeks of work on projects for National History Day.
The History Fair in the school’s gym capped off a project in which EWMS students were required to do research into a topic. The research was presented in exhibit form, much like the typical science fair, or as a drama or web presentation. Students complete projects either individually or in teams.
For a photo gallery of projects, click here.
This was the second year Ernest Ward has participated in the national program, with the top projects from Ernest Ward headed next to a district competition. Those winners were:
GROUP
- Samantha Sharpless and Tamara Wise — Women’s Rights
- Hannah Gibson and Morgan Ward — Poarch Creek Indians
- Jason Perritt and Tyler Houston — Atomic Bomb
- Amy Murph and Jessica McCullough — 9/11 Debate
INDIVIDUAL
- Tristan Barrett — Cuban Missile Crisis
- Ben Linam — Iran Hostages
- Logan Lee — Atomic Bomb
- Tristan Brown — Ping-Pong Diplomacy
PERFORMANCE
- Abbie Johnson, Harmoni Till and Brittney Ward — Holocaust Drama
WEB
- Kelton Wooten and Jaylen Parker — Iran Hostage Crisis
- Shania Ward and Julie Hester — Women’s Suffrage
- Danielle Suggs and Penny Banda — Lincoln-Douglas Debates
- Joshua Borrelli and Murphy Bryan — Atomic Bomb
National Junior Honor Society At Ernest Ward Middle Adds New Members, Officers
January 21, 2011
About 40 students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Thursday night at Ernest Ward Middle School.
The NJHS is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle school students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character.
Students must have and maintain a 3.5 GPA for honor society membership.
For a photo gallery from the induction ceremony, click here.
New seventh grade National Junior Honor Society Members at Ernest Ward are: Kaitlyn Abbott, Jadlyn Agerton, Tristan Barrett, Katelyn Born, Haley Brown, William Brown , Hunter Connell, Nathan Donald, Jacob Dunsford, Amber Freeman, Nathan Galvan, Hanna Ging, Christopher Grant, Dariane Guy, Jordan Helmken, Abbie Johnson, Tonie Johnson, Kendral Langford, Trevor Levins, Thomas Moore, Jason Ogle, Brianna Parker, Liberty Peebles, Ben Preston, Bethany Reynolds, Savanna Roux, Jamilia Smiley-Knight, Jordan Taylor, David Thorpe, Harmoni Till, Bradley Van Pelt, Brittney Ward, Haylee Weaver, and Courtney Weekley.
New eighth grade members inducted Thursday night are: Autumn Ates, Annie Bobo, Kristen Byrd, Kendal Cobb, Christian Gould, Jessica McCullough and Tristan Portwood.
New officers were also installed. They are: Tamara Wise, president; Samantha Sharpless, vice president; Danielle Suggs, secretary; Austin Cunningham, treasurer; Ben Linam, reporter; Kelton Wooten, parliamentarian; and Jaylen Parker, historian.
Other eight grade members of the National Junior Honor Society Members at Ernest Ward are: Penny Banda, Megan Bryan, Tiffani Cruce, Leann Fillingim, Hannah Gibson, Kyndall Hall, Auden Lassitter, Aaron McDonald, Madison McGhee, Amy Murph, Mallory Ryan, Chelsea Turner and Morgan Ward.
Pictured: About 40 students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Thursday night at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Chinese Acrobats Perform At Byrneville Elementary
January 20, 2011
Students at Byrneville Elementary School recently enjoyed a performance by a group of Chinese acrobats. With plate spinning, impressive hula-hooping , basketball tricks and lots of acrobatics, the group amazed the BES audience.
Pictured above: Chinese acrobats perform a plate spinning demonstration. Pictured let: Chloe Smith from Mrs. Dunsford’s third grade class, gets quick instructions before hula-hooping with the group. Pictured below: A group of Byrneville students enjoy the show. Submitted photos by Candice Thornton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Civil Rights In Her Words: People Were Ready To Die
January 18, 2011
People weren’t playing.
People were ready to kill.
But people were ready to die so we could so we could go where we want to go today.
So we could sit where we want to sit today.
Profound words for a young Century girl that dreamed a dream of people overcoming.
Born and raised in Century — a product of the segregated Carver High School and Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church — there was a fire inside Mercy E. Moore.
At 17 she would ride with other youth in the back of an ambulance from Morris Funeral Home to the sit-ins at Woolworth’s Lunch Counter in Pensacola.
“They put mustard and ketchup on our heads and on our back and write notes…’N***** Stew’,” she said of the hours standing for equality at that lunch counter. “We just sat there…We were praying quietly.”
Now 72 and a retired attorney, Moore reflected on her experiences during a Martin Luther King, Jr. service in Century Monday morning.
Her story is in the video below, in her own words…
(If you do not see the video above, it is because your firewall
or filtering software is blocking YouTube videos.)
Carrigan Graduates Basic Training
January 17, 2011
Air Force Airman Christopher K. Carrigan graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Carrigan earned distinction as an honor graduate.
He is the son of Curt and Linda Carrigan of Azel Scott Lane, Jay, Fla. Carrigan graduated in 2010 from Jay High School.