Tales for Tails: Volunteers Read To Dogs, Cats At Shelter During Fireworks
July 6, 2019
Ten-year old Jubilee Lampron of Cantonment spent her Fourth of July night with about 75 other volunteers reading to the dogs and cats at the Escambia County Animal Shelter to help keep them calm as fireworks boomed.
The animal shelter hosted Tales for Tails for two hours Thursday night.
“I felt like it was important to read and talk to the shelter dogs because they needed a comforting distraction from the loud noises of the fireworks,” Jubilee said. “They are already in an unfamiliar environment so I wanted to spend my Fourth of July loving on them and giving them good memories. They were all so sweet and I hope people come down and find a new family member.”
Jubile was joined by her mother, Miranda Lampron, during the event. The family adopted their dog Liberty five years ago on July 3.
Pictured top: Jubilee Lampron of Cantonment reads to a dog the night of Independence Day at the Escambia County Animal Shelter for “Tales for Tails”. Also pictured: Other volunteers read aloud at the shelter. Photos for NorthEscambia, click to enlarge.
Escambia County 4-H Wins State 4-H Horticulture Contest
July 3, 2019
The junior and senior Escambia County 4-H Horticulture teams placed first and two intermediate 4-H teams placed second and third at the 2019 Florida 4-H Horticulture ID and Judging Contest held recently in Marion County. Several individuals also placed.
The contest provided an opportunity for 4-H members to acquire knowledge and skills in identification and selection of horticulture products such as vegetables, fruits, flowers and ornamentals, and then apply these basic skills to consumer decision making.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Doughnut Strike: First Responders Collect Food For Manna
June 29, 2019
First responders spent the last three days at area stores working to collect food for those in need in our communities.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia Fire Rescue, Pensacola Police Department and Pensacola Fire Department were on strike against their beloved doughnuts in an effort to collect 20,000 pounds of food.
Pictured: Escambia Fire Rescue collected food for Manna Friday afternoon at Grocery Advantage on Highway 29 in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Summer Reading Program Continues At Your Local Library
June 28, 2019
Library patrons enjoyed juggling, magic, plate spinning and more fun during this week’s Summer Reading Program at the West Florida Library.
The series will take a break next week due to the Fourth of July holiday and will return the following week with Animal Tales — up close and personal with animals in a fun learning experience. The schedule is as follows:
– Tuesday, July 9, 11 a.m. – Southwest Branch (held at Big Lagoon Park)
– Tuesday, July 9, 3 p.m. Tryon Branch Library
– Wednesday, July 10, 11 a.m. – Century Branch Library
– Wednesday, July 10, 3 p.m. – Pensacola Library
– Thursday, July 11, 11 a.m. – Molino Branch Library
– Friday, July 12, 11 a.m. – Tryon Branch Library
Pictured: Maksat “Maks” Annaev performed this week at the Century Branch Library. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Students Head To Washington For Youth Tour
June 28, 2019
Three local students took part in the Washington Youth Tour.
Keaton Brown of Northview High School, Hannah Morris of Jay High School and Kylie Schwarz of Central High School joined more than 1,800 youth leaders representing electric cooperatives from across the country for a weeklong tour of the nation’s capital.
Highlights of the tour for delegates included the World War II, Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, Martin Luther King, Jr. and FDR memorials; Arlington National Cemetery; Holocaust Museum; and visiting many other places of interest in Washington
Youth Tour delegates also met with Congressman Matt Gaetz and visited the U.S. Capitol, where they learned more about how government works. During the Rural Electric Youth Program, they were able to gain a better understanding of rural electric cooperatives’ history and their importance in the communities they serve.
Camp Fire Kids Learn Local History
June 26, 2019
Summer campers at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Century learned a lot about local history Tuesday with a visit to the James Houston Jones Historic Park operated by the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Magical Moogician In Molino, And Next Week’s Summer Reading Program Schedule
June 21, 2019
During the Summer Reading Program this week at the Century and Molino branch libraries, kids saw The Moogician, whos does every dairy with magic and songs.
The Summer Reading Program continues next week with Maks Annaev with juggling, magic, plate spinning, cirque style performance and physical comedy.
- Tuesday, June 25, 11 a.m. – Southwest Branch (held at Big Lagoon State Park)
- Tuesday, June 25, 3 p.m. Tryon Branch Library
- Wednesday, June 26, 11 a.m. – Century Branch Library
- Wednesday, June 26, 3 p.m. – Pensacola Library
- Thursday, June 27, 11 a.m. – Molino Branch Library
- Friday, June 28, 11 a.m. – Tryon Branch Library
The Summer Reading Program will then take a break the week of the Fourth of July and return the following week with Animal Tales.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Camp Fire Century Campers Make Solar S’mores
June 15, 2019
Summer campers at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Century have been busy with several activities, including making “solar s’mores”, designing an obstacle course and a trip to the Century splash pad. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here’s What We Found When We Visited The Escambia County Animal Shelter
June 14, 2019
We recently paid a visit to the Escambia County Animal Shelter, and here’s what we found.
It was a bittersweet trip, a few weeks after the passing of our almost 14-year old Harley, a oversized Maine Coon kitty that when healthy weighed about 18 pounds.
Animal shelter staff had no idea they were speaking to anyone from NorthEscambia.com, and nothing was mentioned during our visit to give them any reason to think they should try to impress. But impress they did.
They were busy on a Saturday afternoon not long before closing time. But we were greeted quickly after entering the bright, friendly lobby. We explained we were looking for a cat, and we inquired about Roscoe (we later dropped the “e” in the spelling, so we’ll call him Rosco for the rest of this story).
We’d found Rosco using the online search linked from the county website. He caught our eye because he was a pretty big guy, about 12 pounds, and because he had been at the shelter over two months, longer than any other kitty as of that day. Also, he is three years old…past that wild kitten tearing up the couch stage.
“Oh! You’re here about Rosco,” the animal shelter staffer said. “I think he’s still here, but I’ll go look.”
In the meantime, staff explained the two areas with kitties. One, a couple of rooms off the main lobby, held felines in their kennels. Many were not yet ready for adoption, on medical holds or waiting out their time for someone to claim them. If the cat was available for adoption, it could be removed from the kennel for a play session. Visitors were playing, well trying to catch up with, a fast little fluffy grey kitten. He was going home today.
We looked around, playing with a few and reading the info cards posted on each kennel. The room and the kennel were well kept and very clean. No scary smells.
The staffer returned.
“Rosco is still here. He’s in the Catnip Cafe,” she said with a smile. Well more of a grin.
The Catnip Cafe? Had Starbucks expanded their empire to the animal shelter? Little grande catnip fraps, perhaps?
The Catnip Cafe (pictured top) was another room where the kitties had their kennels for private space but were free to roam and play. Behind the bright pink door, there were plenty of toys and lots for a kitty to do. Climbing shelves on the walls, cat towers and even toy fish tanks for entertainment. There was also an enclosed outdoor patio for the outdoor types. Again, it was all bright, clean and free of odors.
There in the middle of the room, sitting alone on the benches for people to sit and visit, was Rosco, a big guy that seemed to be in charge.
I sat down next to Rosco and started petting him. He purred, kind of loudly. Three strokes later, he bit me. My wife petted him. And he bit her.
We played with the other cats in the room, and my wife fell for Oreo. A handsome black and white in color fellow that’s five years old. He enjoyed being held like a baby. Total opposite of Rosco.
But there was just something about Rosco I just liked.
My hand had stopped bleeding, so I decided to sit down next to him and try again. He purred. And bit me again.
“Oh you found Rosco! He has been here awhile,” the staffer said when she returned. And she began to tell his story.
Turns out Rosco was a tough guy with plenty of street cred around the shelter. We were told he suffered from overstimulation aggression. That’s vet lingo for pet him and at any moment he will turn and bite or scratch when he’s had enough. Tough guy.
My wife really wanted Oreo, and I liked something about Rosco. We decided to adopt them both.
We let shelter staff know, and excited word begin to spread that Rosco was going home. All the staff knew him.
Animal shelter employee Aleisha Blair took care of the adoption paperwork, and had plenty of Rosco stories. “He can get pretty aggressive,” she said. “He would always make a good barn cat if things don’t work out as an inside cat.”
She showed us pictures of Rosco on her phone. It was obvious that Aleisha cares a lot about shelter animals, as did everyone that we met. We just can’t say enough nice things about the shelter, staff and volunteers.
Rosco and Oreo have been at their new furever home for about three weeks now. Both have fit in well and have become an important part of our family, and the NorthEscambia.com family (they are even learning that certain sounds on the fire scanner mean dad is going somewhere).
Oh, and as for Roco’s big bad aggression problem, the picture below tells the story. With a happy home away from the shelter, he’s become a big baby that loves attention and loves to sleep.
For information on the Escambia County Animal Shelter, click here. Adoption fees include spay or neuter, microchip, heartworm tests, basic vaccinations including rabies, and other veterinary care as needed while at the shelter.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Helps Prep Local 4-H Students Headed To Legislative Program
June 13, 2019
Escambia County 4-H members were busy this week preparing for a mock legislative program in Tallahassee.
Annually, 4-H high schools members from Escambia County join other 4-H members in Tallahassee to develop their debating, analyzing legislation, and public speaking skills through a mock legislature program at the state capitol. This year’s program is scheduled for June 24-28.
This civic education event allows students to write bills, act as lobbyists, pass the bills through various committees and debate the potential laws on the state house and/or senate floor as acting representatives and senators. This exercise provides the 4-H’ers an opportunity to debate issues and experience the legislative process firsthand.
In preparation for the week of mock legislature, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) hosted the students on Tuesday, June 11, in the ECUA board room, allowing the students to practice their legislative skills in a governmental chamber environment. The training prepared the students for the upcoming 4-H Legislature and gain an understanding of board proceedings similar to legislative committees that are conducted in organizations in all forms of government and private corporate enterprise.
The local students have participated in an intensive five-part training program, which was directed by 4-H agents and adult volunteers, who contributed their knowledge of parliamentary procedure, research, debate, the art of persuasion, and formal presentation in committee and chamber sessions.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
