Quincy FL News Commentary and Reading Recommendations

Check out the Tallahassee Democrat's Entertainment Roundup for lots of news on local concerts and other events. Support local musicians, especially Johnny Whitehurst, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer! The Foggy Bottom Cafe in Thomasville is hosting a benefit concert.

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahass...nt/10867185.htm:
 
Tallahassee's premier groovin' Southern rock band Stillwood celebrates the release of its debut disc, "Untangled," in characteristically far-out fashion. The festivities get off to a grand start with a special listening party tonight at the Challenger Learning Center Planetarium on Kleman Plaza. The band's free-wheeling music will be pumped through the planetarium's state-of-the-art sound system and will be augmented by a 3-D digital light show.(...)

Whitehurst - (...) like so many musicians without health insurance - faces fast-mounting medical bills. The lineup includes members of Whitehurst's extensive musical family. (...) If you can't attend tonight's benefit but would like to contribute, call (229) 551-0006.

The article features dozens of other announcements, so check it out! Much fun is to be had in the Tallahassee area.

08:05 AM   

He should have gone to Dr. Payne or Dr. Dudley instead. Why drive all the way to Tallahassee to go to the dentist?

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/...ws/10839642.htm:
 
A Leon County jury late Friday awarded $256,000 to a Marianna man who claimed that his Tallahassee dentist broke a needle in his jaw, which took four months and three operations to get out.
The injury left permanent numbness, taste problems, and he always feels like he's drooling, his lawyer said.

You can't help feeling extremely sorry for that man. Fortunately, I have almost a year until I have to go to my next teeth check-up.
 
On a lighter note, now our town even has a trivia connection to Ted Bundy. According to the article, one of the expert witnesses in this case also testified about bite marks in the Ted Bundy trial.

07:05 AM   

Check it out! Also, you can find more info on www.ci.chattahoochee.fl.us .

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahass...al/10775806.htm:
 
An Intertribal Native American Powwow will be held next week in Chattahoochee. The family event will include intertribal and Creek stomp dancing, Native American food vendors, camping as well as demonstrations such as pottery making and bead work. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Chattahoochee City Park.

09:39 AM   

There is a lot of variation by area even in the panhandle. For example, Tallahassee's median sales price only rose 2% whereas homes in Fort Walton Beach gained 20% on average.

From http://rismedia.com/index.php/article/articleview/8458/1/1/:
 
Resales increased in October despite the beating that Pensacola took from Hurricane Ivan, says Julia Harbols, president of the Pensacola Association of Realtors and a broker-associate with Eric Gleaton Realty Inc.
"Following the hurricane, many people are still dealing with homes that were destroyed or need extensive repair, rentals are scarce and hotels are booked," she says. "Inventory is very tight, but our demand also remains high. Many of our residents are able to afford to buy a second home, which is what they're doing, so they can live in that home now and either keep it for an investment property or sell it when they're able to complete repairs."

There is no evidence yet of the effect of hurricanes, higher home insurance rates etc. on the real estate along the coastline. We will watch coming Hurricane seasons closely and see if there will be any fallout on the real estate market.

08:03 AM   

A very interesting topic. Few people know that while President Bush won Florida in 2000 by a few hundred votes, 2000 votes in Gadsden county were tossed because they were disqualified! And Gadsden only has about 45,000 residents overall!
 
In 2000, Al Gore won 90 percent of the nation's black vote, and many voters in Gadsden County said they feel certain Gore would have been president had all their votes been counted.

From http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ele...UZU]U^UcTYWYWZV:
 
Knight said the problem stemmed from a poorly designed ballot. Here, it was not a "butterfly ballot" but a "caterpillar ballot" that listed presidential candidates in two columns. Some voters mistakenly marked two names.
The mess was compounded by reports of voters being intimidated by police and forced to travel as far as 20 miles to cast ballots because there were not enough polling places open.

It sounds like this time around, officials and poll workers will make sure that everyone knows how to use the voting machines, so there won't be a repeat. The 2000 election was a wake-up call.
 
Sadly, Gadsden county has above-average illiteracy rates, which might have been part of the cause for the problems in 2000. This is a problem that can only be remedied in the long haul.

08:17 AM   

Depression and related disorders really are a debilitating disease. With modern treatment options, no one has to carry that burden. If you believe your life is affected by depression and anxiety - please get help before you lose years of your life.

From http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=2402243&nav=5kZQRl7W:
 
[R. Hansard] says, "It makes it very hard for people to actually seek help, because they see it maybe as a character flaw, or a sign of weakness, when in reality, it is a definite medical illness that they need treatment for." Hansard is President of The Southwest Georgia Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
(...) The screenings are Thursday from 2:30 PM until 7:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church in Thomasville.

Tip: The allnurses.com message board features some very interesting threads on depression and helpful advice by professionals in the medical field.
 
In case money is tight: If you need medication, your doctor might be able to help with free samples. Also, some common anti-depressants such as Prozac are now available as (cheaper) generics.
 
Finally, I recommend the book "Worry" by Edward M. Hallowell, MD. I tend to worry too much myself so I picked it up on a whim, and found it well worth a read. "Worry is fear elongated by memory and anticipation." So true. The book explores interesting issues (e.g.: how a vivid imagination affects one's level of anxiety), different forms of anxiety, fear, and worry, and also contains some humor ("What is Irish Alzheimer's? You forget everything but your grudges.")

09:20 AM   

Great news for West Gadsden. Currently, West Gadsden High School has 508 students of grades 7 through 12.

From http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cf...oryID=3291&on=0:
 
As an additional burden, Smith said the amont of money, $20.1 million was a major factor in determining the number of student stations. "600 [student stations] is going to be close," Smith said. The $20.1 million must pay for the site, the design costs as well as furnishings, leaving an estimated $16 million as the actual money available for the construction of the school.

07:00 AM   

He must be doing remarkable well. McDonald's has made an astonishing comeback over the last couple years.

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahass...ss/10013044.htm:
 
Casper, 31, declined to disclose terms of the deal, which includes ownership of three McDonald's in Marianna and one each in Blountstown and Quincy. The sale should be complete on Sunday.
"We're always looking for McDonald's operators wanting to sell," said Casper, who entered the Tallahassee market four years ago when he purchased its 13 restaurants. "We recently bought to the east in Live Oak, Madison and Perry. Our strategy has been to buy up restaurants in neighboring counties. Now we're going to the west."

On a slightly related note, I do believe that the McDonald's Philly Cheesesteak sandwich was a little bit too dry. A proper Philly Cheesesteak sandwich needs to be smothered in onions, cheese, and sauce. The sandwich I got only had one wimpy dry slice of cheese. Still like their Bic Mac's, though.

09:30 AM   

A great article in Florida Game & Fish Magazine, about catching 'Mr. Whiskers' in North Florida Catfish Hotspots.

From http://www.floridagameandfish.com/fl_aa060904a:
 
Florida has a reputation as one of the best states in the country in which to catch largemouth bass and, to a lesser extent, bluegills and black crappie. (...) For pure dining enjoyment, however, there's probably no better freshwater denizen than the different species of catfish that populate the rivers and lakes of North Florida. Channel catfish, white catfish and bullheads are plentiful, while an occasional blue cat and even flathead catfish also show up. All of them are fairly easy to catch.

If you want to do a little catfishing this summer, there are four North Florida waterways you should definitely check out. These are the Suwannee River; the Ochlockonee River and Lake Talquin; the Apalachicola River and Lake Seminole; and the Choctawhatchee River.

The article lists many tips and tricks, such as staying away from hydrilla, finding areas where the depth is 10 to 20 feet, finding the correct bait (shrimp, Asian clams, wigglers, red worms, live bream etc. depending on the situation and the target), and more.

09:44 AM   

After a year-long investigation, authorities made the largest marijuana haul in the county so far this year. Authorities confiscated 166 pounds of marijuana with a street value of about $160,000. It's interesting to read what put them on the drug trafficker's trail:

From http://www.gadcotimes.com:
 
The events began in August, 2003, when a semi-tractor truck driver struck up a conversation witha local individual who is known to law eenforcement and had in the past provided useful information about drug activity to the authorities. (The truck driver) bragged that he worked for an organization "that delivered marijuana to different locations around the United States."

Yet another lesson that bragging is foolish. Especially if you only have crimes to brag about. The truck driver even disclosed details about the operation and how they were covering up their activities.

09:52 AM   

After six years as Executive Director of the Gadsden County Chamber of Commerce, Sherry VanLandingham is stepping down to work with Premiere Bank of Quincy. She has some interesting comments on the root of some of Gadsden County's problems:

From http://www.gadcotimes.com:
 
"The county and the municipalities are going to have to start working together. People think that in Gadsden County the problems are about Black and White. That's not it. It's about one person not liking another because of who they like or where they live," she said.

Very true.

08:49 AM   

Congratulations to him. His winning strategy was making it personal, and tying in a bit of grandpa's wisdom.

From http://www.gadcotimes.com:
 
Tyler McKinnon, a junior at RObert F. Munroe Day School, (...) was awardded the first place prize of $1,000 when named the winner. (...) In an interview with the judges after the awards ceremony, Tyler was congratulated and told that his speech was good for several reasons. Among those reasons were the personal aspects of the sppech. It dealt with his home county of Gadsden, and he quotes his grandfather as saying, "We have the best tasting water around."

I believe anyone would agree with Tyler, especially if you tasted water in Montgomery or Birmingham, or coastal communities such as Panama City Beach.

08:10 AM   

An interesting article in the Tallahassee Democrat.

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/...cal/8479693.htm:
 
Who is Willie Sentille Smith? A full picture wasn't clear Tuesday night.
(...) But now Smith is charged with the Monday slayings of Walker, 18, her sister, 14-year-old Laterica Jackson, her cousin, 9-year-old Terrel Brown, and her mother, 35-year-old Deondra Scott.
His only explanation, according to preliminary Gadsden County sheriff's reports, was that he "got into a fight with my girlfriend, she wouldn't let me leave, so I got the gun and shot all of them," he said.

Incomprehensible.

09:53 AM   

This would be very beneficial, especially for the less affluent areas of Florida.

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/...cal/8479704.htm:
 
The bipartisan measure has overwhelming support in the House, where it is a top item on a wish list for House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, as the legislative session nears its scheduled April 30 end.
Florida drivers have been paying record gas prices for weeks.
(...) Drivers who put 20 gallons into their tanks once a week would save $8 during the month.

06:13 AM   

A great project to cut down on traffic, and to make for a more pleasant commute. With today's gas prices, it's worth looking into for anyone driving between Tallahassee and Panama City.

From http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/8469648.htm:
 
The service, known as the C-Tran Express Transit Service, is the idea of owner John Crooms, a retired New York City bus driver from Apalachicola
(...) The company, which has a taxi and limousine service, works with various real-estate agents conducting tours. Last year, for a few months, Crooms offered service from Apalachicola to Tallahassee.
This year, Crooms decided to expand the service by adding Panama City to the schedule.
"There are people here who have to go back and forth," said Crooms, who added that cab rides often are expensive. His business, he said, will target people who work in the Tallahassee and Panama City areas.

Read about cost, etc. in the article. Reservations are preferred, but people can get picked up on the way by waiting at the bus stops. C-Tran also offers a package delivery service.

09:05 AM   

It's great to have an institution like the Music Theatre right here in Quincy. Y'all go and watch the show!

From http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cf...oryID=3291&on=0:
 
The Quincy Music Theatre will be alive with the sounds of music and the beat of the drums along with the twisting, twirling, and artistic turns of African Caribbean dance on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. The African Caribbean Dance Theatre will present Homage to the Ancestors a tribute in music, dance, and drumming to the African culture.
(...) The hour-long program will also feature Aboubacar Camara on the Balafone, a uniquely African instrument. Dancers will entertain with We Say Tiriba an initiation dance for girls as well as a selection called Dance of Strength that originated on the Ivory Coast of Africa.
(...) Tickets for the performance are $7 each with part of the proceeds going to benefit Crossroad Academy Charter School.

Another cultural highlight in our town. Peel your eyes off reality TV shows and sports for an evening and watch an awesome show!

07:28 AM   

Great news not only for local residents who like to surf the internet faster, but also for businesses. Nowadays, a fast connection to the world wide web is crucial the success of almost any business (except the smallest Mom-and-Pop stores).

From http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/storie...02264775&EDATE=:
 
Alcatel (NYSE: ALA) today announced that the City of Quincy, Florida, will deploy the Alcatel 7340 Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) solution to deliver a complete range of broadband services to its residents over its high-speed optical network.
Alcatel's standards-based Broadband Passive Optical Networking (BPON) solution will enable Quincy to deliver "triple play" services - voice, video and data - over a single strand of fiber. This superior service offer includes four active phone lines; Internet access at speeds hundreds of times greater than traditional dial-up modems; hundreds of television channels without the requirement for a set-top box; as well as the bandwidth- and speed-sensitive services such as: high definition TV, online gaming, music downloads and video-on-demand.

I couldn't live without broadband. Once you've experienced high speeds, it's excruciating to surf the internet on dial-up speeds.

09:49 AM