Gaines Street
To reduce traffic distractions, no construction is scheduled on Gaines Street on Saturday. Businesses on Gaines Street will be open and accessible. As revitalization efforts continue, which limit traffic capacity in that area, a new post-game route has been designed to provide a more efficient way out of the area for motorists parking in Booster Lot 14 (the intramural fields) or to the west of Woodward Avenue. Post-game traffic beginning at Gaines Street and Woodward Avenue will be directed west to Lake Bradford Road. Traffic will then proceed south on Lake Bradford Road, where motorists will be allowed to choose their direction of travel east or west on Orange Avenue. While traffic delays are inevitable, this is the most efficient and safe route for motorists parking near Doak Campbell Stadium. Pre-game/post-game traffic along Gaines Street will remain a two way.

Pensacola Street
Pre-game traffic from Monroe Street to Doak Campbell Stadium will be one-way westbound. Post-game traffic will be one-way eastbound to Monroe Street.

Check out the full map of the game day closures. (PDF)

Downtown Getdown
On Friday, September 3, the United Way of the Big Bend will host a Downtown Getdown along Adams Street between Park Avenue and Jefferson Street. The event hours are 6-10 p.m. The downtown area will be transformed from a bustling work environment to a fun filled family event, complete with inflatable trampoline houses, food and live entertainment. Beginning Friday at 3 p.m., many metered spaces will be posted ‘No Parking.’

College Avenue
Closed from South Monroe Street to Duval Street; 4-11 p.m. on Friday.

Adams Street
Closed from West Park Avenue to West Jefferson Street; 4-11 p.m on Friday.

Seminole Experience
Also on Friday, Seminole ISP will host the “Seminole Experience” at Kleman Plaza. The event is new to Tallahassee and is expected to draw a crowd in support of the Florida State Seminoles. The event hours are 6-10 p.m. In order to ensure the safety of pedestrians, Duval Street will be closed from West Pensacola Street to West College Avenue; 6-11 p.m. Entry and exit from the Kleman Plaza parking garage will be via South Bronough Street.

In an effort to ensure the safety of all citizens and to maintain efficient traffic flow, the Tallahassee Police Department will have additional officers directing traffic. In addition, staff in the city’s Traffic Management Operations Center will be adjusting signal timing to assist traffic operations.

FSU Game Day Shuttle
Fans are encouraged to park at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center to ride the shuttle to the game. While this service has been provided in the past by StarMetro, due to federal regulations the service will be provided this year by a private transit company, Annett Bus Lines. Annett has increased the shuttle cost from $3 to $5. For information about Annett Bus Lines FSU game-day shuttle, please call (800) 282-3655 or visit Annettbuslines.com.

Contact
David McCranie, Public Information Officer, 891-4255

Source: City of Tallahassee

When: Saturday, August 28th. 9:00pm

Where: Midtown Filling Station

Details:

Revenge of the Nerds!!! Dress up like a nerd, square, smarty pants, whatever looks like you have been reading the dictionary for fun lately and can quote the Encyclopedia Britannica!

*LIVE DJ ALL NIGHT LONG*

$1 RAFFLE TICKETS FOR WAKA KICKBALL SHIRTS, AND 2 FREE REGISTRATIONS!! THAT’S AWESOME!

*-FREE DRAFT BEER FOR ALL NERDS UNTIL 11PM*
-$2 DRAFTS AFTER 11pm
-2-4-1 WELLS
-$3 CHAMPAGNE FLUTES
-$4 GLASSES OF WINE
-FREE SHOTS ALL NIGHT FOR REGISTERED KICKBALL PLAYERS!!!!!!
(This includes Summer 2010 and Fall 2010 players)

***NOT ON THE ROSTER YET? SIGN UP AT THE PARTY!***

Check out kickball.com and register today!

It’s the thing of legends and NYP wants to help you relive your elementary school glory days. So, put down that Snack Pack, put on those EG socks and let’s play some kickball!

This year, NYP has decided to put together its own World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) team for the Florida Capital Division. Lovingly called “The 925ers”, or The Nine-to-Fivers, this group of kickball fanatics and self-described work-a-holics will mark NYP’s inaugural season with WAKA. Whether you are a current or past NYP member, a friend of NYP or just a person in need of a solution from the weekday blues, we’re your team. Registration closes on Thursday, September 9, 2010.

Details:

• Schedule: Games are held Thursday nights at 6:45 PM starting September 30. A typical game lasts 45 minutes but may last an hour.
• Season: The seven game Fall Season begins September 30 and ends December 9, 2010. Additionally, there is a single-elimination tournament to determine the season’s champion.
• Registration Fees: The $75 registration fee includes a team t-shirt
• Game Location: Springsax Park (1000 Springsax Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32301)
• Team Structure: We need 16 people to form a team and can have up to 26 people on the roster. If there are not enough people signed-up on The 925ers team before registration closes, you’ll be placed on another team but we really want to make this NYP group happen. So spread the word!
• More Information: Visit the official WAKA Florida Capital Division website for more information http://www.kickball.com/season/flcapitalfall2010.

Steps for Registration:

• Visit http://www.kickball.com/season/flcapitalfall2010
• Click on the register icon on the right-hand side of the screen
• After you have created an account team, you will be given the option to select a “Team or Friend Group preference” – select “The 925ers” and you’ll be slated for our team
• Please note the team size is limited to the first 26 registered players who select our team
• E-mail Rachel Gustafson – rachel@coremessage.com – once you have successfully registered and paid your registration fee to be placed on the internal NYP roster

Interested in playing on NYP’s 925ers team but still have more questions? Contact Rachel [see above e-mail] and she’ll get you more information on how to register for NYP’s team.

Friday, August 6th

First Friday Gallery Hop Selected Exhibits

Rubbage Walk –Features art, fashion & more created from recycled and reclaimed materials.  Opens at 6 P.M. in the Art Alleys off of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue.

Thicker Than Water: An Exhibit of Community Concern –Featuring artwork that reflects on the Gulf Coast oil spill. 6-9 P.M. at the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts.

Deconstruction/Reconfiguration and Smashed Menagerie –New exhibits by artists Greer Dauphin and Liz Gibson at 621 Gallery in Railroad Square Art Park, 6-9 P.M.

Downtown Nights in Thomasville
Shops and restaurants stay open late on the first Friday of every month with in-store specials, entertainment and delicious dining choices. Historic Shopping District of Downtown Thomasville, Georgia.

Saturday, August 7th

Kleman Plaza Summer Movie Series
The Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority presents a free outdoor screening of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” on the green at Kleman Plaza. 8:30 P.M. For more information, call 224-3252.

Sunday, August 8th

Comedian Jon Reep, winner of Last Comic Standing, visits the Comedy Zone on Sunday at 7 P.M. $18.

The Gandy Brothers Band & Big River Bluegrass in Concert
Thomasville Municipal Auditorium, $10 per person. 7:30 P.M.

Looking for more? Check out COCA’s morethanyouthought.com and the Tallahassee Democrat’s calendar of events.

Red light safety cameras have been operational in Tallahassee since the end of June, but as of August 1st, instead of only receiving a warning, red light runners now face a $158 fine.

The cameras can be found at two intersections: Tennessee and Monroe (pointing towards drivers traveling east)  and Killearn Center Boulevard and Capital Circle NE (aimed at drivers traveling west).

These two intersections were chosen because they have some of the highest numbers of red light violations and traffic accidents related to red light running in Tallahassee. Specifically, more than 450 violations were recorded in a 16-hour period at the Tennessee-Monroe intersection.

A violation constitutes entering the intersection and crossing the stop line after the light has turned red. They will be reviewed by the red light camera vendor, ACS State & Local, and a Tallahassee police officer. Violators will have 30 days from the date the notice of violation is mailed to pay the $158 fine. If the fine is not paid, it becomes a traffic citation and goes to traffic court, where the fine increases to $271.

The plan is to have cameras operational at six major intersections in the future, including the following: Ocala Road at West Tennessee; Apalachee Parkway at Capital Circle Southeast; Apalachee Parkway at Magnolia Drive; and West Tennessee at Capital Circle Northwest.

Stay safe, Tallahassee.

Download an information brochure from the City of Tallahassee.

Sources: Talgov.com, Tallahassee Democrat

July 9, 2010

Tallahassee Democrat

It’s a strange thing growing up in Tallahassee and coming of age in its music scene, as I did. I’ve witnessed so much unique talent here, I’ve come to think there’s something very special, even eccentric, about this town. We don’t get a lot of outsiders defining us in any sort of context, so that eccentricity is both unexpressed and hard to express.

Maybe it’s the geographical isolation and the lack of a big city-type music scene, supported by an arts economy with lots of inspiring success stories, that makes our music scene turn inward, forcing us to build something ourselves.

Surely, it has something to do with the creative freedom that’s inherent in a college town like ours. Here, we’re closer to the idea that in life we never stop learning, never stop experimenting, and our music scene reflects that.

The reason I’m most tempted to give, however, is that the South just has a mojo to it that compares to no other place in the world, and Tallahassee is undeniably a part of that. There’s so much untapped talent lying in wait among the workplaces, churches, high schools, colleges and youth leagues in our area.

But when you think of where cultural hubs and artistic opportunities are in the United States, your default answer won’t be a college town our size. You may not even think of a Southern city at all. The most common, and obvious, answer is New York or Los Angeles. But for about two centuries before the New York-L.A. axis became a given, New Orleans was a giant cultural hub and America’s most diverse cultural center, making major contributions to two of the most profound musical genres any society has ever given humankind — blues and jazz.

Tallahassee exists in the wake of that primordial stew of Americana. I’m a fan of the Greil Marcus-coined term “Old, Weird America.” Its spirit definitely exists in NOLA’s blues and jazz, but it’s also present in a more modern form in Atlanta’s rap music, Nashville’s country and Memphis’s soul and rock ‘n’ roll. Those cities may get a lot more national attention than we do, but Tallahassee’s badges of honor are nothing to sneeze at. We’re the home of T-Pain, Dead Prez and the Adderley brothers. We have Florida A&M’s Marching 100 and are the namesake of Freddy Cannon’s “Tallahassee Lassie.”

It’s not super glamorous, but it’s ours. We have all kinds of music coursing through our streets and souls, and we’re blessed to be so close to such an original, primal source. Below you’ll find just some of what you can move to and be moved by on any given week in Tallahassee. Offerings include electronica, hard rock, heavy metal, synth pop, blues, indie rock, folk and way more. Some of these artists are sticking around, some just passing through. Either way, please show them your support and enjoy.

See the Limelight in Friday’s edition of the Tallahassee Democrat to get your weekly entertainment round-up.

Tallahassee Democrat

June 20, 2010

Tyler Huston is not just content to call himself a Florida State University graduate and a financial adviser for Northwestern Mutual Life. He’s quick to point out he’s a Tallahassee resident.

For Huston, 25, part of his education as a student and thereafter has been getting acquainted with the community as a young professional.

“There is so much about Tallahassee that the university doesn’t know,” he said of his college environment. “The more I found out about Tallahassee, the more I liked it.”

As a growing number of young professionals have done, he has made the community connection, becoming president of the Network of Young Professionals and making a commitment to expanding the group’s roster to 150 paid members. “We’re on track to do that,” he added.

He grew up about 10 miles from West Point in the town of Washingtonville, N.Y. As a youth, he participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a four-day intensive training that the organization sponsors to build future leaders. It was a turning point for him.

“I am very extroverted at this point in my life and I can trace that right back to my experience at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards,” he said of the change in his confidence. Today, he belongs to the Sunrise Rotary Club in Tallahassee.

No surprise then that he was the district chair for the event this year, working with youth from North Florida who are on the cusp of taking charge as leaders, but who need a boost.

Dr. Bill Martin, a fellow Rotarian who is an orthodontist in Chiefland, noticed the young guy who was in charge of the RYLA program this year.

“The thing that impressed me the most was that someone as young as he is would take on something like this, and he did an excellent job,” Martin said of Huston.

“It’s hard to find young guys who are sort of going after it at that level. He was like a breath of fresh air,” Martin said.

In Tallahassee, Huston said he’d like to see more young adults get involved the Network of Young Professionals. The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce’s Access Tallahassee organization, likewise, extends a similar invitation to young professionals ages 21 to 40.

“What I would like to see is more diversity in terms of demographics and industry,” Huston explained. He believes the growth will be there eventually. “It probably won’t happen as quickly as it should.”

Mallory Brooks serves on NYP’s executive board. She, too, found her place in Tallahassee after graduating four years ago from FSU. “My experience has been great. I have met a whole lot of people and made a lot of great friends as well,” she said, her connection to the community that much stronger.

By Merry Ann Frisby

Tallahassee Democrat

June 16, 2010

There is a resurgence of enthusiasm about natural foods in modern-day Egypt. One Egyptian keenness is that they love to eat roasted, salted watermelon seeds.

The seeds are a traditional Egyptian snack, usually prepared at home. Egyptian food bloggers are distressed that watermelon growers are abandoning seeded watermelons in favor of seedless varieties.

Much like our renowned retired FSU football coach Mickey Andrews eats sunflower seeds, Egyptians eat roasted salted watermelon seeds and spit out the hulls. Finding the seeds to roast is an increasing problem in Egypt, and contemporary Egyptian foodies are now interested in growing their own seeded watermelons, both to eat the sweet, juicy flesh and to secure the morsels they claim are digestive aids.

Monticello used to supply hungry Egyptians with their watermelon seeds. In 1884, W.M. Giradeau made Monticello famous as the watermelon seed capital of the world. Simpson’s Nursery, founded in 1902, continued to ship watermelon seeds until the 1970s. Simpson’s shipped all over the world and sold boxcars full of watermelon seeds to Egypt.

The current president of Simpson’s Nursery, Fred Beshears, says that in the 1970s the nursery even sent representative Felix Bullard to Europe and North Africa for a month to market the Monticello seeds.

The process of extracting the seeds from the pulpy melon is fairly simple. A machine takes the watermelon sludge into a tank, cleans and sorts the seeds. The seeds are then passed through screens for sizing and grading. The seeds were loaded into 100-pound sacks, taken to the railroad depot in Drifton and sent to a port for export to the seed-eating world.

The Monticello seed processing operation followed the crop as it was harvested. Simpson’s seeded the first melons of the season from South Florida, and moved north as the crops matured. At their peak, Simpson’s was grinding melons from Florida to Colorado.

As hybrid and seedless melons became popular, the seeding operations diminished. No watermelon seeding happens in Monticello now. However, the melon in all its juicy, sticky glory is still celebrated there each June.

The 60th annual Jefferson County Watermelon Festival will draw melon-lovers from all over (possibly even Egypt) to Monticello this weekend. The fest is in swing with an arts and crafts show from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Dogwood and Cherry streets. There’s a Rotary Club barbecue dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Monticello Opera House, with a street dance from 7:30 to 10:30 and Historic Monticello Ghost Tours at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The grand parade struts through the historic downtown streets at 10 a.m. Saturday. This year’s festivities also include breakfast at Farmers and Merchants Bank (7 to 9 a.m. Saturday), the Kiwanis Melon Run (8:15 a.m.), children’s storytelling sessions at Tupelo’s Bakery, children’s theater at the Monticello Opera House (7 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m. Saturday) and lots of live entertainment on festival platforms.

When you’re eating your cool melon, you can spit the seeds (test your skills in the seed-spitting contest) or stuff them in your pocket, if you want to try roasting them at home. Although there won’t be roasted seeds at the festival, here’s how they do it in Egypt:

Roasted Watermelon Seeds

Place 1 cup of raw watermelon seeds in a colander and rinse to remove any remaining pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet or paper towels in a single layer and allow to dry thoroughly (in Egypt, they are placed outside to dry in the sun — the seeds roast better when they are completely dry).

Place the seeds in a frying pan over medium high heat and stir well to turn and prevent burning until they are almost completely roasted.

Add 1 Tbsp. of salt to 1 cup of water and stir until dissolved. Pour salted water over the seeds in the frying pan. Continue to roast the seeds, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates. Remove seeds from heat and allow to cool completely before eating your salted treats.

Seeds can also be roasted in the oven at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash and dry seeds as directed above, then spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Spray seeds with cooking spray and sprinkle evenly with salt. Allow to cool completely before eating.

The inaugural Boca Chuba Run, to benefit the currently under-construction Cascade Park in Downtown Tallahassee, will be held on Saturday, June 26th.

The race will take participants through historic Myers Park and along the outskirts of the future Cascade Park.

Registration begins at 7 A.M., and the race starts at 8 A.M. The entry fee is $12 before June 23rd, and $15 day of race. Fee includes t-shirt.

To register online, click here.

For more about Cascade Park, visit www.cascadepark.org.