Sea Turtles

Debbie Roney Smith on

Did you know sea turtles have a season they are most active? May 1st to October 31st is the most active season for sea turtles. When you go to the beach please remember to leave only footprints, knock over your sandcastles, fill in any holes, and if you go at night no flashlights. Any time you see a sea turtle you should know they should never be touched.

A few interesting facts about sea turtles:
~They do not retract into their shell
~Green sea turtles are named for the color of their fat layer
~Female sea turtles return to the same beach to lay eggs using magnetic “clues”
~Baby green sea turtles are carnivores and transition to eating seaweed as they grow older
~The actual lifespan of green sea turtles is unknown
~The sex of turtles is determined by the temperature of sand, cooler the sand the more males

The oldest known sea turtle fossils date back about 150 million years, making them some of the oldest creatures on Earth. Just for some context, dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago. Green sea turtles can stay underwater for up to five hours, but their feeding dives usually only last five minutes or less. Sea turtles have glands that help to empty excess salt from their eyes, making it appear as though they’re crying, but not to worry, they’re just doing some spring cleaning. Have you ever seen a sea turtle?

 

Cottondale boil water effect today(May 19) at 7am

Debbie Roney Smith on

Cottondale residents will be under a boil water notice starting Tuesday, May 19th at 7am due to a water line repair. City leaders say this planned notice will cover the west side of Magnolia Street between Railroad Street and Highway 90, Faney Street from Magnolia Street to Highway 231, Church Street from Magnolia Street to Highway 231, and St. Andrews Street from Magnolia Street to Highway 231.

City leaders say all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes should be boiled at a rolling boil of one minute. They say you can also use bottled water. The notice will remain in effect until a bacteriological survey shows the water is safe to drink.
If you have questions, you can call Floyd Scott, the Public Works Director, and the City of Cottondale at 850-486-6000.

Full Phase 1

Debbie Roney Smith on

Effective Monday, May 18th Full Phase 1 will begin.  This flyer is from the State of Florida outlining what is and what isn’t opening and what is going to open at full compacity or partial. A few basics are: ~Retail may operate up to 50% ~Schools will continue distance learning ~Gyms may operate up to 50%. Check with each individual county for specific to the area openings.

Be safe, cover your coughs with your elbows, continue practicing social distancing of at least 6 feet from anyone else, wear a mask when in a public place, stay home if you are sick, and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm/hot water.

Falling Waters is open for day use

Debbie Roney Smith on

Falling Waters State Park in Chipley is open for day use! Camping and playground are still closed. For more information call (850)638-6130. They are asking if you use cash to have exact change or use your credit/debt card. They are asking you to also limit your group to less then 10 and to stay at least 6 feet away from other guests and employees. Restrooms may be closed so prepare ahead.

 

yard sale~May 16th

Debbie Roney Smith on

People are starting to have yard sales again. This one is today from 7:30am to noon. Located at 1034 Tri County Road in Graceville. Shoppers are limited to 8 at a time. Please be safe out there ~ and have fun!

 

Cottondale cleanup May 18th- 22nd

Debbie Roney Smith on

Cottondale City is sponsoring a city wide cleanup for one week only. So this weekend if you live in Cottondale hopefully you can find some time to clean up your property a little. They will be picking up May 18th thru May 22nd. The flyer below has a list of what is and isn’t accepted. Anything left after May 22nd will NOT be picked up. Hopefully other cities will follow suit and we can all clean up!

Burn Ban

Debbie Roney Smith on

Most counties in the panhandle have issued a burn ban. Please check with your individual county before you burn again. Jackson, Gulf, Bay, and Washington county have published the burn ban. Effective immediately all outdoor burning of yard trash, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires, outdoor fire places, chimneys, and cooking fires is prohibited unless: 1) authorized by the Florida Forest Service; 2) for cooking of food exclusively within a contained gas or charcoal grill.  The setting of fires to any grass, brush or forest covered land, unless authorized by the Florida Forest Service, shall constitute a violation of the law. Be safe!

 

 

March 6th~Battle of Natural Bridge

Debbie Roney Smith on

Friday, March 6, 2020 was the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge, fought just south of Tallahassee near present-day Woodville in the final months of the American Civil War. Joshua Hoyet Frier was a Confederate soldier from Florida who wrote down his recollections about the war. The memoir was later transcribed by one of Frier’s descendants, and a copy of it now resides at the State Archives of Florida.

Map showing Natural Bridge and the surrounding area (1865).

Chipley in Washington County

Debbie Roney Smith on

Chipley, Florida is in the panhandle area of Northwest Florida about halfway between Tallahassee and Pensacola. It has a population of about 3,600. It is the county seat of Washington County. This small city was founded in 1882 and was originally named “Orange.” When the railroad came through town in the 1880s, the town was named Chipley after William Dudley Chipley. Mr. Chipley was president of the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad and was also a Florida state senator from 1895 to 1897. The railroad was the first across the largely unpopulated Florida panhandle. The railroad ran 160 miles from Pensacola to Chattahoochee on the Apalachicola River. The railroad originally intended to establish a station a few miles away from Orange. Some town fathers – some of them fellow Confederate Army veterans – approached Chipley and convinced him to move the proposed station into Washington County. This is how Orange became Chipley. The railroad was an important part of the Chipley economy for many years. Forestry was a dominant industry in the panhandle, and spawned many other ventures such as saw mills and turpentine camps. Agriculture in general also developed in the area. Livestock, and poultry became important economic factors. As the town prospered and was the center of much of the area’s business, it was named the seat of Washington County in 1927. Chipley is far enough north in Florida that it actually has seasons. The leaves turn colors in the fall, and people crank up their fireplaces in the winter. The record low temperature recorded in Chipley was 2 degrees above zero in January 1985. It is the second coldest temperature ever recorded in Florida.

Chipley today is a busy little place that is a living reminder of the way it was in Old Florida. The city has done a good job of preserving historic buildings and revitalizing their neighborhoods. For a small city, Chipley has a nice assortment of shops and restaurants in their downtown area. Thrift stores, an outdoor market, antique shops, and so much more.

Chipley Postcard from 1906, from Florida Memory, Florida State Archives

Recreation openings in Washington County~Phase 1

Debbie Roney Smith on

Washington County has made a flyer for what is opening during phase 1 of the stay at home order due to COVID-19. The flyer says to check the FB page of the respective place on the list for current information. Falling Waters, Seacrest Wolf Preserve, and Old Cypress Canoe Rentals are 3 that are still closed. Will be keeping an eye out for what is opening in the recreation department for phase 2!