Flomaton Christmas Tour Of Homes

December 3, 2009

The Flomaton Chamber of Commerce presents Flomaton’s first annual
Christmas Tour of Homes. Saturday December 12, 2009 from 4-7 PM.

For those who love the holidays as much as we do, tis the season to
shine, entertain, be thankful, and unwind with family and friends old
and new. So we invite you to come and enjoy a night of holiday fun. We
start the night at Flomaton’s historical Welcome Center where you can
pick up a map and enjoy some wonderful refreshments. And then on to the
five homes on the tour: Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Blankinchip, Mr. and Mrs.
Scott Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. Jason Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Nall, and Dr.
and Mrs. John Vanlandingham. These homeowners have so graciously opened
their doors to us to get everyone in the spirit of the season. It’s the
spirit of celebration, wonder, giving, and expectation. Please come and
let’s not forget the Reason for the season.

Tickets are $10 each and $15 per couple and may be purchased at the
Flomaton Welcome Center, Escambia County Bank, and United Bank.

ECATS transportation will be available on a first come, first serve
basis.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Average Cost Of Thanksgiving Dinner Down This Year

November 26, 2009

Menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings dropped 4 percent in price this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

AFBF’s 24th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $42.91, a $1.70 price decrease from last year’s average of $44.61.

“As we gather this Thanksgiving for food and fellowship, it’s fitting to take a moment to recognize and give thanks, not only for the abundant food we enjoy as Americans, but for the hard-working farm and ranch families across our nation who produce it,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10.

The cost of a 16-pound turkey, at $18.65 or roughly $1.16 per pound, reflects a decrease of 3 cents per pound, or a total of $.44 per turkey compared to 2008.

Milk, at $2.86 per gallon, dropped $.92 and was the largest contributor to the overall decrease in the cost of the 2009 Thanksgiving dinner.

“Consistent with the retail food price declines seen throughout the year, consumers will pay just a bit less for their Thanksgiving feast this year,” said Jim Sartwelle, an AFBF economist.

“Consumers are benefiting at the grocery store from significantly lower energy prices and the effects of the economic slowdown. Again this year, the cost per person for this special meal is less than a typical ‘value meal’ at a fast-food outlet,” Sartwelle said.

Other items showing a price decrease this year were: a ½ pint of whipping cream, $1.55; a dozen brown-n-serve rolls, $2.08; a 1-pound relish tray of carrots and celery, $.72; and a 12-oz. package of fresh cranberries, $2.41. A combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter) also dropped in price, to $2.50.

Items that increased slightly (less than 5 percent) in price this year were: a 14-oz. package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.65; two 9-inch pie shells, $2.34; and a 30-oz. can of pumpkin pie mix, $2.45.

Two items, green peas and sweet potatoes, stayed the same in price at $1.58 for one pound and $3.12 for three pounds, respectively.

Sartwelle said despite retail price increases during the last year or so, American consumers have enjoyed relatively stable food costs over the years, particularly when adjusted for inflation.

The 4 percent decrease in the national average cost reported this year by Farm Bureau for a classic Thanksgiving dinner tracks closely with the organization’s 2009 quarterly marketbasket food surveys (available online at http://newsroom.fb.org) and the federal government’s Consumer Price Index (available online at http://data.bls.gov/), Sartwelle noted.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, General, News

Download Northview Vs. West Florida

November 15, 2009

To download the MP3 audio from the November 13 Northview High School game against West Florida, click here.

Note that this is a large MP3 file. The file will take up to one hour to download on a dialup internet connection. On cable, satellite, DSL and high speed wireless connections, the file will download in just minutes. This file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited. © 2009 NorthEscambia.com

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Hurricane Tips: After A Storm

November 10, 2009

Keep listening to your local radio, TV stations or check NorthEscambia.com for information. Remember if your power is out, NorthEscambia.com is available on most internet enabled cellular phones.
If you evacuated, return home only when authorities advise that it is safe. Make sure you have plenty of gas, and bring any supplies you may need (batteries, water, non-perishable food).
Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. Immediately following the passage of the storm, debris and downed power lines may be covering roadways making them impassible. Emergency crews will be working to clear roadways but it may take hours or even days to clear them all. Avoid sightseeing. Roads may be closed for your protection so if you encounter a barricade, turn around and go another way.
Do not drive in flooded areas. Avoid weakened bridges and washed out roadways. If water is touching the span of the bridge, do not cross over.
Stay on firm ground. Moving water only six inches deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may be electrically charged from downed power lines.
Beware of downed power lines. Lines may be charged and dangerous.
Beware of snakes, insects or animals driven to higher ground by flood waters.
Enter your home with extreme caution. Beware of fallen objects or damaged roof and wall sections.
Remove shutters or plywood and open windows and doors to ventilate or dry your home if necessary. Replace screens if you removed them prior to the storm.
Check gas, water and electrical lines and appliances for damage. Do not attempt to repair damaged gas or electrical lines. Call a professional.
Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated.
Avoid using candles or other open flames indoors. The fire department may not be able to respond if you have a fire. Use a flashlight, glow sticks or battery-powered lighting.
Use the telephone to report emergencies only. This includes cellular phones. An older “corded” phone can be used if your power is out but your phone lines are up.
Be especially cautious when using a chainsaw to cut fallen trees. Ambulances may have difficulty responding to accidents, and roads to hospitals might be impassable.
Never connect portable generators to your house. Use them only to run necessary appliances and plug the appliance into the generator.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Hurricane Tips: During A Storm

November 10, 2009

If you stay at home during a hurricane you should take the following precautions in addition to those mentioned on the before the storm page as the storm approaches:

Stay away from windows and doors, even if they are covered.
Take refuge in a small interior room, closet, hallway or basement if available. If you live in a two-story home, choose a room on the first floor.
Close all interior doors and brace exterior doors if possible.
Lie on the floor under a table, or another sturdy object. Some protection is afforded by covering with a mattress during the height of the storm.
If the eye of the storm passes over, it will be calm for a short period of time. REMAIN INDOORS! As soon as the eye passes over, winds will increase rapidly to hurricane force from the opposite direction.
Remain calm. It may take several hours for the storm to pass.
Listen to local media for the most current information, or visit NorthEscambia.com. If your power is out, you can still access NorthEscambia.com on most internet enabled cellular phones.

The Result

The illustrations below depict a category two hurricane and a category four hurricane at the beachfront. The illustrations show the beach in profile to demonstrate scale. Notice the differences in the two scenarios. The category two hurricane causes dune erosion and minor ocean overwash on well-nourished barrier islands. Thus the damage is typically minor as compared to what will likely occur during a category four hurricane.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Download Northview Vs. Sneads

November 1, 2009

To download the MP3 audio from the October 30 Northview High School game against Sneads, click here.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Download Northview Vs. Freeport

October 17, 2009

To download the MP3 audio from the October 16 Northview High School game against Freeport, click here.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Download Northview Vs. Baker

October 3, 2009

To download the MP3 audio from the October 2 Northview High School game against Baker, click here.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Download Northview Vs. Bozeman

September 27, 2009

To download the MP3 audio from the September 25 Northview High School game against Bozeman, click here.

Note that this is a 21 MB MP3 file. The file will take almost one hour to download on a dialup internet connection. On cable, satellite, DSL and high speed wireless connections, the file will download in just minutes. This file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited. © 2009 NorthEscambia.com

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

Hurricane Ivan Animated Landfall

September 16, 2009

The image above shows Hurricane Ivan making landfall on September 16, 2004. North Escambia was on the very northeastern corner of the eye as the storm moved northward. Radar estimates indicated sustained winds about 100 mph with higher guests about 4 a.m.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General

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