Tropical Smoothie

Tropical Smoothie Cafes will join the company's other locations nationwide for the third annual National Flip Flop Day celebration, an event sponsored with Camp Sunshine to raise funds to send children with life-threatening illness to camp. The first 500 customers who visit any of the 10 Tallahassee locations Friday wearing flip-flop sandals will receive a free 24-oz. "Jetty Punch" smoothie. It's also a chance for customers to learn how they can support Camp Sunshine by purchasing $1 paper flip flops, which are posted throughout the store the month of June.

"There is no better way for us to celebrate our third annual summer kick-off day than to partner with an organization that helps children and their families who truly need an escape," said Sam Osborne, Tallahassee area developer of Tropical Smoothie Cafes. "Camp Sunshine is an exceptional group of professionals and volunteers who provide a positive experience for everyone involved."

Founded in 1984, Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat in Sebago Lake, Maine, that provides respite and fun for youngsters with life-threatening illnesses and their immediate families. In honor of National Flip-Flop Day (Again, who knew? But that’s my kind of holiday!), Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be giving our FREE 24 oz. Jetty Punch Smoothies to the first 500 customers at each location wearing flip-flops on Friday, June 19th.

Quadruple Witching

Quadruple witching,” which marks the simultaneous expiration of a number of different options contracts. Stocks usually push higher during such periods, which can also bring jumpy trading. The gains followed those in markets overseas and a round of buying on Thursday. Better-than-expected economic data is suggesting that the United States economy might be in better shape than some investors had feared.

Traders drew some optimism from European Union leaders who said at a financial summit in Brussels that economic stimulus measures are cushioning the worst effects of the downturn. They said the steps would allow a sustainable economic recovery and that no new stimulus is needed right now.Health care, technology and retail stocks led the market, while consumer staples and utilities lagged.

In midmorning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was 50 points higher, while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose 0.84 percent. The technology heavy Nasdaq increased 1.55 percent. Earlier, markets in Europe and Asia rose on newfound optimism by investors that the American economy may recover from recession this year.

Juneteenth 2009

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is the name given to emancipation day by African-Americans in Texas. On that day in 1865 Union Major General Gordon Granger read General Order #3 to the people of Galveston. General Order #3 stated “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.

Large celebrations on June 19 began in 1866 and continued regularly into the early 20th century. The African-Americans treated this day like the Fourth of July and the celebrations contained similar events. In the early days, the celebration included a prayer service, speakers with inspirational messages, reading of the emancipation proclamation, stories from former slaves, food, red soda water, games, rodeos and dances.

The celebration of June 19 as emancipation day spread from Texas to the neighboring states of Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. It has also appeared in Alabama, Florida, and California as African-American Texans migrated.In many parts of Texas, ex-slaves purchased land, or “emancipation grounds,” for the Juneteenth gathering. Examples include: Emancipation Park in Houston, purchased in 1872; what is now Booker T. Washington Park in Mexia; and Emancipation park in East Austin.