Back 2 School sales tax hoilday for Alabama(7/19-7/21) & Florida 8/2-8/6 & FREE school supplies for Jackson County Students

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All school supplies for students in Jackson County will be provided by the district this year, thanks to the donations after Hurricane Michael and also a $20,000 grant award from Save the Children. Superintendent Moore said he made this decision in hopes this will provide some financial relief for families, many who are still struggling from the impact of the storm. Individual schools will give information on the way supplies will be dispersed and this will be shared closer to the start of school. So as the tax holiday is approaching and the stores are starting to put out school supplies, keep in mind they will be provided for Jackson County students this year.

The 2019 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. This sales tax holiday begins Friday, August 2, 2019, and runs through Tuesday, August 6, 2019. During this sales tax holiday period, qualifying items will be exempt from tax. For more information and a complete list of qualifying items, please visit: floridarevenue.com/backtoschool

Alabama also has a sales tax holiday for back to school items. Those 3 days you pay no sales tax on textbooks that are $50 or less, clothing(including diapers) and footwear that is $100 of less per item, schools supplies, and computers. Be sure to check with the Alabama state revue for complete rules.

Volunteers needed~RSVP for July 18th Volunteer Workshop

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Volunteer Workshop at 4540 Lafayette St. in Marianna from 10am to 2pm on July 18th. If you are looking to help others and are interested in volunteering consider joining them to learn about how you can help. They are in need of volunteers in many capacities. Building wheel chair ramps, doing yard work, crafting or sewing, cooking & baking, fundraising & helping with special events, office work assistance, support for caregivers, companionship for patients, and much more. Volunteers are needed in Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Calhoun, and Liberty counties. Please RSVP with the volunteer Manager Alisha by calling 850-753-4985 or emailing her at alishatownsendhall@choosecovent.org

 

Monday~July 15th

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West Florida Electric-Bonifay is having a blood drive. Monday, July 15th from 12pm to 5pm. All donors will receive a OneBlood Cooler and a wellness checkup. They are asking you to please sign up with Beverly Anderson at 850-547-9325, but if you don’t walk-ins are always welcome! You can also make an appointment online at www.oneblooddonor.org be sure to use sponsor code #28706. Be sure to take your ID, it is required.

Spanish Trail Farms~Grand Ridge

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Spanish Trail Farms is located at 7202 Old Spanish Trail in Grand Ridge. The phone number is 850-209-8321. Be sure to follow them on FB for up to date availability. They do a weekly fill your freezer Friday contest on FB as well. They do recommend you bring an ice chest to transport your produce. They have frozen, fresh, and cold food from the farm for you to choose from. Prices are listed as you walk in the large open shopping area. This is a local farm that sells what they grow. Recently they have had creamed field corn, squash, peas, butter beans, watermelon, bell peppers, cantaloupe, sweet corn, okra, squash, and peaches. Looking forward to what they have next!

Saturday 7/13~ Lots to do this weekend

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July 13th doors open at 9am at the First Presbyterian Church at 810 Georgia Ave. in Lynn Haven across from the Elementary School. They will have a lot of FREE new or like new household items: pots, pans, bed linens, towels, etc. Everyone is welcome , but they are really trying to reach those who are in the greatest need.
July 13th from 5pm to 8pm at the Live Oak Gallery at 156 Market St in Apalachicola. A tribute to Susan’s Life and Art. A show and sale of Original Paintings and prints. 30% of silent auction proceeds to benefit Franklin County Humane Society. Opening reception on the 13th. The show is open daily July 14th-20th from 11am to 6pm.
July 13th, 10am to 4pm Dothan Nurseries yard sale at 1300 Montgomery Hwy. They are cleaning out and are going to have a yard sale right out front in the parking lot. They are asking for cash only, they will accept credit cards but will be charging a 5% service charge. No plants for sale however they will have plenty of pots, wind spinners, some candles, jewelry, and all other types of gifts. They say they are marking things cheap, so go early!
July 13th Summer Sidewalk Sale from 10am to 5pm at 711 N. Main St. in Havana. This is a town wide sale.
July 13th at 4pm join the New Salem Baptist Church at a Sunday School Splash Bash! They will have a bounce house, music, games, food, water slide, dunking booth, and much more. Located at 3478 Kynesville Rd. in Marianna.
July 13th AND July 14th from 10am to 4pm the Broken Horn Ranch & Town will host a Old West Round Up. Go back in time to the 1800’s. They will have gunfighters, shootouts, shops, vendors, food, and drink. Be sure to take your camera. For more information call 850-557-1716. This event is not free.
Pensacola Beach will be having a airshow featuring the Blue Angels, visit Pensacola said they will be covering tolls. The kickoff began on Wednesday with Breakfast with the Blues. Be sure to go online and look at all they have planned. Too much to list. They will be increasing free parking transportation on Friday and Saturday, but traffic will still be heavy. In addition to the Blue Angels, there will be a host of world-class military, aerobatic and stunt plane performers, as well as interactive exhibits, military recruitment stations and all types of vendors on the ground.

Here are 7 things to do around the panhandle this Saturday. Read the brief description below each photo. With Barry hanging around be sure to check the weather in the area you are going and also see if the event has been cancelled or not. Be safe and try to stay dry!

Every Thursday thru August 15th

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Throwback Thursdays happen every Thursday at HarborWalk Village in Destin. Every Thursday it kicks off at 6:30pm with a Vintage flyover. Different bands will be preforming at the main stage starting at 7pm. After the show stay for fireworks which start at 9pm over the Destin Harbor. Firespinning ends the night on the main stage right after the fireworks show.                          Band lineup: 7/18~Flash Flood                                                                                     7/25~Modern Eldorados                                                                                                       8/1~Girls Rock                                                                                                                       8/8~Modern Eldorados                                                                                                               8/15~All That and a Bag of Chips(90’s music)

Alligator Point in Franklin County

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Alligator Point is located in the eastern most corner of Franklin County. It is a sparsely populated rural beach community that the locals refer to as “The Point.” It boasts some of the most pristine beaches in Florida. Alligator Point got it’s name because from the air the land is shaped like an alligator’s tail. They are a hotspot for both on and off shore fishing. The community’s protected bay, the Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve, encompasses 14,366 acres. This community offers fishing, wildlife viewing, biking, hiking, swimming, star gazing, canoeing, and basically any outdoor activity that you enjoy. All of the 9.5 miles of beach is closed to dogs to protect the sea turtles and shore birds that nest there. However they do have vacation rentals that are pet friendly. If you are looking for uncrowded beaches, fabulous fishing, and incredible wildlife viewing Alligator Point is something you should check out.

North Florida Inland Recovery.Rebuilding.Together.

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North Florida Inland Recovery Group works to coordinate recovery services and build resiliency for individuals, families and entities adversely impacted by the 2018 Hurricane Michael in Calhoun and Jackson counties. On Oct. 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in Mexico Beach, Florida. With unprecedented force, the hurricane maintained Category 4 strength as it continued inland to devastate a 100-mile wide path from the coast of Florida to the Georgia state line.
Calhoun and Jackson counties were two of the inland counties hit the hardest by Michael’s sustained winds of 150+ mph which blew through for more than four straight hours. The wreckage left is unmatched. Nearly 75 percent of all structures in Calhoun and Jackson counties received significant to catastrophic damage. Today, community and faith-based leaders, as well as non-profit partners from across North Florida have joined to take on long term recovery in Calhoun and Jackson counties. The newly formed North Florida Inland Long Term Recovery Group is working closely with Carlene Anders of the Disaster Leadership Team to develop a strong organization that will help facilitate the rebuilding of these inland communities. To volunteer, donate, or get help, please go to the website below. All donations are tax-deductible.

*Information above came from the North Florida Inland Recovery website listed below. Please contact them for any information*

https://www.northfloridarecovery.org/

New roadside picnic at entrance to Tate’s Hell State Forest

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Local legend attributes the forest’s unusual name to Cebe Tate, a local homesteader who became lost in the woods in the mid 1870s. He had ventured into the woods with his hunting dog in order to shoot a panther that had attacked his livestock. The legend is often recounted with Tate becoming separated from his dogs and lost for seven days and seven nights before coming to a clearing near Carrabelle, where he lived only long enough to say to a passerby “My name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell” before collapsing.
Check out the new Florida Forest Service Roadside picnic facility at the entrance to the Ralph G. Kendrick Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk in Tate’s Hell State Forest. The facility is located on Hwy 98 about 7 miles west of Carrabelle. After a hike on the Dwarf. Enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch while experiencing the open views of the St. George Sound, St. George Island, and Dog Island. Don’t forget your binoculars!