Category: Misc.

Welcome Back to School~2019/2020 is going to be a great year!  Here are a few reminders about driving safely especially during morning and afternoon school times.

School bus safety reminders~ Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended. Check out the different scenarios in the bus photo below to help understand the rules. Be alert! The area 10 feet around a school bus is where children are in the most danger of being hit. Children walking to and from their bus are usually very comfortable with their surroundings and more likely to take risks, ignore hazards, or fail to look both ways when crossing the street.

~Slow down in residential areas. Watch for children crossing the street and congregating near bus stops.

~Always stop when directed to do so by a school patrol sign, school patrol officer, or designated crossing guard.

~Parents please also talk to your kids about safe walking, bike riding, and bus riding safety.

~According to the Transportation Research Board, a division or the National Academy of Sciences, every year nearly 100 children are killed walking to or from school. The afternoon hours being especially dangerous, nearly 1 in 4 child pedestrian deaths have happened before 3pm and 7pm.

~For more tips on school safety check out the National Safety Council’s Back to School Safety Checklist.  https://bit.ly/2KIPh8T

 

Celebrating 8/11~August 11th, which serves as a reminder for homeowners and professionals alike to ALWAYS call 811 before digging to avoid injury, damages, and service interruptions. Please be sure to share this info with neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends to keep our communities safe.

8/11 is a reminder to natural gas, propane and electric customers as well as all contractors to call 811 to have utility-owned underground lines marked prior to digging. A survey conducted earlier this year by the Common Ground Alliance, the national association that promotes the 811 phone number and safe digging practices, projected that 42 percent of homeowners who planned to dig this year for various projects, were likely to put themselves and their communities at risk by not calling 811 prior to digging.

Dialing 811 at least 3 days prior to digging in Florida you will get Sunshine811, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of the intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the locations of underground lines with flags, stakes and/or spray paint. Once lines are located, customers and excavators must understand the markings and look for evidence of unmarked lines, such as water and sewer lines on private property. Sewer clean-outs and water valve covers are examples of equipment that can indicate the presence of underground lines.

Jackson County native and resident Madeline Wright just took international pageant title of Miss. Teen International. She is studying at Chipola College for her AA degree and after her graduation next May she plans to transfer to the University of Central Florida for a degree in communications and journalism. Miss Teen International showcases the achievements of young women ages 13 to 18. Although a resident of Florida, pageant rules allowed her to compete for the Alabama title, since she lives nearby in the bordering state and because she did her “platform work” in Alabama, wherein she promoted agricultural awareness in many classrooms doing hands-on projects with children. She and the youngsters did several activities, like making ice cream in a bag and butter in a jar. She said she is looking forward to expanding her reach in promoting the theme and she is excited to put the crown to work promoting agriculture literacy among her peers. So many in her generation are removed from understanding how their food comes from the farm to their plate and she wants to change that so everyone makes food choices that best support their beliefs.” Congrats to the Jackson County native!

Happy 4th of July!

                                                   Here are a few ideas to keep your pets safe. Many dogs get scared when they hear fireworks.                                                                                                                  ~Be sure your dog has a visible and up to date id tag.                                                                                                                                    ~Take a current photo of your pet just in case they get lost and you need a current photo.                                                         ~You can leave music or a TV on to distract your dog from the noise of the fireworks.

The Florida Housing finance Corporation has put this out as a Hurricane Michael Recovery Loan Program for those in the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Taylor, Wakulla, and Washington. Borrowers who qualify will be get up to $15,000 in assistance.  You do not have to be a first time buyer to be eligible. However the home must be owner-occupied. Be sure to go to the link provided below to see if you qualify and to learn more about it. Then click on “Homebuyer Programs Wizard.” www.floridahousing.org

This photo was taken today, it is a selfie of my father and I. My father is a retired Navy Veteran who served and fought for our Country and worked all his life for his family. He taught me right from wrong and to not waste time. So I want to take the time to say THANK YOU DADDY for being my father and THANK YOU for serving our Country so we can be free to celebrate Father’s Day. I wish all you dad’s a Happy Father’s Day in honor of my dad.

Marianna Police Department posted this last Thursday on their Facebook page and it never hurts to repeat information like this:
~Florida Law states that a parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for a child younger than six (6) years of age must not leave the child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for a period in excess of 15 minutes or for any period of time if the motor vehicle is running, the health of the child is in danger, or the child appears to be in distress. For the safety of your children and pets, never leave a child or pet unattended in a vehicle, even for a short period of time.

The Marianna Police Department is located at 2890 Green St. Marianna, FL 32446 and you can call them at 850-526-3125.

If you live in the Panhandle I am sure you have heard we are going to have record high’s this weekend. This blog isn’t so much about just our Panhandle but for dogs everywhere. I just wanted to post a few reminders about caring for your pet during the heat. I know we all watch out for heatstroke during the summer in our human loved one’s but do you know what to watch for in you dog? Here are a few photos with advice. Hope it helps. And don’t forget to take care of yourself too, be sure to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen/hats, and find shade where you can!

 

 

Did you know May is Electrical Safety Month. Not an exciting subject but a necessity. Here are a few safety tips for your home.

~Replace or repair damaged power cords and be sure to not plug a bunch of stuff into one outlet or extension cord.

~Don’t overload your outlets.

~Be sure to correctly label all fuses, circuit breakers, and switches in power box and replace damaged ones.

~Don’t yank an electrical cord from the wall, it can damage the plug or the outlet.

~Make sure all electrical cords are tucked away, pets could chew on the cords and people could trip and fall over them.

~And don’t forget to test smoke alarms in your home(every month) and change the batteries(twice a year). Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.