on Below are a few local farms that are having events during the next month. Be sure to go to the farm on line that you want to visit and read all current information for them. What a great way to make memories with your family and friends, have fun, and support local farms.
Also Mosier’s Farm located at 2565 Standland Road in Cottondale. They have a haunted corn maze! Open October 25-26 and November 1-2 from 7pm to 10pm. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes, no flip flops.
on Panama City Beach is a resort town in Bay County on the Gulf of Mexico Coast. It became officially incorporated in 1909. It averages 13 feet above sea level. The area was founded by loyalists during the Revolutionary War. They utilized the land to grow indigo and to develop prosperous industries, like naval stores and lumbering. Later, during the Civil War, the fishing village of St. Andrew housed fisheries and saltworks that were destroyed by the Union. And when World War II happened the population boomed thanks to the increase in industrialism. George Mortimer West is credited with the name of the town. He wanted to spur more real estate in the country, and people were interested in the area thanks to the Panama Canal. If a line was drawn from Chicago to Panama, this city was right in the pathway, hence Panama City.
Panama City and Panama City Beach may be coastal neighbors but the two cities are totally unique. This is cause for confusion in many conversations. They both have beaches and are separated by the St. Andrews Bay along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Panama City is larger and the more historic of the two. While Panama City Beach seems to be the more well known. Panama City came first and it was decades later after the St. Andrews Bay Bridge was built connecting the mainland to the barrier islands. They are both referred to often by just Panama City.
Panama City is the largest city between Pensacola and Tallahassee. The town has an arts and theater district, entertainment hub, shopping district, and a small handful of college campuses. Four marinas and miles of coastline along the St. Andrews Bay.
Panama City Beach is a globally renowned tourist destination, appearing in rankings for its stellar beaches and family-friendly amenities like amusement parks and mini golf courses. It’s also bracketed by state parks, giving plenty of opportunities to swim, fish, hike, and sightsee in nature. Also in the 90’s it became a hot spot for Spring Breakers.
This is one of Florida’s most popular tourist spots. Sunny beaches and countless seasonal events bring people from all over. You can find many family-friendly activities to help celebrate the history. Historic St. Andrews is a must see. The community has a free guided walking tour that leads throughout the town and lets you in on all the historical locations. Panama City Publishing Museum can’t be missed either. This attraction was built by George Mortimer West and was home to the city’s first newspaper. Admission is free here as well. Be sure to visit the Bay County Historical Museum, yes this too is free. It is only open 3 days a week so check before you head there. This museum has been preserving and displaying historical documents and items for over 75 years. September through May they also host a regular lecture series. One more fun historical site is the Robert Lee McKenzie House. Robert was the first mayor of Panama City and was also a state representative. Some may remember him from putting together the Gulf Coast Development Company, pushing the city to become the coastal center it is today.
on The Sheltering Tree which is a pregnancy care center located at 1616 Cincinnati Ave. in Panama City, however Hurricane Michael brought its services to a halt. They basically have had to start from scratch. They were able to help some along the way however now that they have reopened they can do so much more. The Sheltering Tree works to give women in need a safe and confident place to prepare for motherhood. They have maternity clothes, pregnancy tests, bottles, wipes, diapers, formula, food, car seats, strollers, basically anything you would need for a newborn baby or toddler. A long with the supplies they offer love, hugs, spiritual needs, confidential counseling, and a listening ear. They average 5 new moms a day walking in the doors and they ask for nothing in return.
They are always looking for volunteers, donations, and places of businesses or church groups to organize food/clothing drives. Please contact them for more information.
The hours are Monday and Tuesday from 9am to 12pm. and Wednesday from 11am to 2pm. The phone number is 850-763-1433.
on Lake Ella Park is located in Tallahassee on North Monroe Street. This park is a beautiful and well maintained park. There is a .7 mile paved path around the lake with a fountain. Lots of natural beauty. This park has ample parking around the whole park. This is a dog friendly park with a drinking fountain/place to fill water bowls. They have bag/trash stations so you can pick up after you dog if you left your bags at home. The Shops of Lake Ella have a variety of locally owned shops. They have a stage and every other Thursday they have live music and food trucks from 5:30 pm to 8:30pm. 
on The Jackson County Teachers Credit Union(JCTCU) was created in 1954 to support Jackson County educators. Later they added Chipola College teachers, followed by the board of County Commissioners’ employees and families. Three years ago membership became open to anyone who works or lives in Jackson County. The staff at this branch provide personal service and care about their members.
The JCTCU is a financial co-operative that exists for the benefit of its members. The member’s satisfaction and well being is the number one priority of this Credit Union. The Credit Union was built on the foundation of people helping people. This organization has never been bought out, sold, or changed their name. They offer online banking, mobile app, bill pay, teller line, debit cards, ATM cards, gift cards, CDs, checks, payroll deduction, direct deposit, loans, credit cards, and much more.
They use their profits to serve their members and community. One special project involves financial literacy being taught to seniors, students, and groups free of charge. They are active in the school system and help during disasters.
They are located at 4466 Clinton St in Marianna. Hours are Monday thru Friday from 9am to 4:30 in the lobby and 9am to 5pm in the drive thru. Phone number is 850-526-4470 and the fax number is 850-526-5813. They do have a FB page and you can like and follow them.
on August 28th at 5:30pm The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Penello’s Italian Cuisine will have a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Penello’s Italian Cuisine located at 4217 Lafayette St. The hours will be Wednesday-Thursday 10:30am until 9pm, Friday-Saturday from 10am until 10pm, and Sunday’s from 11am to 5pm. For more information you can call them at 850-546-5200. After the ribbon cutting on the 28th they will have their grand opening with the first dinner service being served at 6pm. The public is invited to help celebrate this occasion.
Penollo’s is owned by Arty, Paula, and son Bryan who will be cooking New York Style Italian Cuisine from family recipes passed down over time. The family was born and raised in New York where Arty worked for the transit authority. Arty and Paula owned some property in Compass Lake and in 2006 someone made them an offer. So the family decided to come to the area and take a look at their investment. During the visit they fell in love with the area and moved here in July of 2006. Bryan’s love of cooking developed early in life and continued into high school where he was part of the culinary program at Marianna High School for 3 years and later at Gulf Coast State College. Bryan is not the only one in the family with culinary experience. Dad Arty operated a successful catering business for 10 years serving a wide variety of events.
The sauces they will be cooking will take between 12-24 hours to prepare. They will be sweetened with natural ingredients, no sugar, and very little salt. They plan to have New-York style cheesecake that stands 2 1/2 inches tall. They are focused on doing business locally. They are working with Southern Craft Creamery to create a specialized surprise ice cream for the restaurant. They will have zucchini and squash noodles to provide healthier options as well. The owners plan to server locally grown vegetables for side dishes. Wine and beer will be available.
on National Second-Hand Wardrobe Day is breathing new life into old clothes, allowing consumers to offset their carbon footprint by exchanging or recycling their used garments. It is celebrated on August 25th each year. Buying clothes second hand and donating your used clothing creates a positive cycle that is crucial for cutting back our waste.
Second hand shopping saves you money, has a positive impact on the environment, helps those in need, and if done correctly can lead to a closet with some cool clothes! A few second hand shops in Marianna are:
~Habitat For Humanity Restore located at 4736 US-90. They are closed on Sunday and Monday and Tuesday through Friday they are open 10am to 6pm. On Saturdays they are open from 9am to 3pm. They have a FB page and if you like and follow them they have a word of the week that when said to the cashier you receive 10% off what you buy and on Thursdays they offer 10% off as a senior discount. ~Innovative Charities of Northwest Florida, located at 1994 FL-71. Closed on Sundays however they are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. ~Saint Anne Catholic Church Thrift Store. It is located at 3009 Fifth St. Hours are normally Tuesday and Thursdays from 9am to 1pm however they have a sign up saying it is temporally closed. ~Goodwill located at 2800 FL-71. They are open on Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Monday through Saturday they are open 9am to 8pm.
Do you have a favorite thrift store in the panhandle? If so please send the name to debson1999@gmail.com with blog in the subject line. HAPPY SHOPPING!
on Thanks to all who came to Fat John’s Pizza on Friday night and said hi! We need to do these night’s out more often! We had 4 bottles of wine that we pulled the door prize tickets for at the end of the night and the winners have been notified by text or phone call already this morning! Congratulations to Phillip Dryden, Pam Phelps, Bill Sellers, and Cindy Eade. And a special thanks to John Lamar the owner who let us hang out for the evening.
on The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced recreational bay scallop season for Gulf County is opening Friday, August 16th and will remain open through September 15th. The region includes waters from the Mexico Beach Canal to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Inland. The FWC says that swimming, boating, fishing and scalloping in the restoration marked areas south of Black’s Island is prohibited.
Scallops can be harvested by hand or with a net. The limits are two (2) gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or one pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a max of ten gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or a half gallon bay scallop meat per vessel. Continuous transit of scallops is allowed through closed areas as long as the boat does not stop in areas closed to harvest.
Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. except from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops(ex. feet do not leave bottom), and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location.
For more information be sure to check out the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation commission website by clicking on this link http://myfwc.com
on Guess where you can find Debbie Roney Smith this Friday, August 16th? If you guessed Fat John’s Pizza in Marianna you would be right! Fat John’s Pizza is located at 4527 Lafayette St and the phone number is 850-372-4600. Normal hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 10:30am to 8pm and closed on Sunday and Monday’s.
I am offering a $5 gift certificate for you to use toward your meal if you come see me. My first 10 friends will receive this $5 gift certificate. I will be there from 3:30pm to 8pm. All you have to do is like and follow my FB page and tell me one (1) thing that has been on my blog in August. Life gets so busy we don’t have as much time as we would all like to see each other, I’m looking forward to seeing you! My friend Elisabeth who writes most of my blogs will also be there and you will get a chance to tell her things you would like to see mentioned on my blog.
Fat John’s Pizza is authentic stone cooked pizza, they do accept credit cards. You can order pizza to go or enjoy it there. They offer pizza, calzones, salads, breadsticks, wings, and Stromboli, to name a few menu items.
