the road to the crown Part Three
January 17, 2008
Today, it’s part three of our five part series “the road to the crown”. We are following 25 young ladies at Northview High School in their quest for the crown and the title of “Miss Northview High School” for 2008.
Today, we have posted a photo gallery with a “headshot” of each girl. You’ll notice that they are numbered; the numbers are their contestant numbers. Click here to view the gallery.
Nerves were…nerves were…well, let’s just say the contestants were on edge Wednesday afternoon at Northview High School for the final practice — a full dress rehearsal — for Saturday night’s pageant. But that’s what practices and dress rehearsals are for.
Speaking of dresses, Wednesday’s practice was truly a dress rehearsal, pageant gowns and all. NorthEscambia.com took photos for you to see, but we decided to do something different. Since so many people take such interest in the gowns, we decided we’d show them too you without giving away everything. So we got all “artsy” and shot all of the gown pictures in black and white.
Call it a “teaser”. It’s like telling you most of what happened in a TV show without giving away the ending. We’ll post lots of the gown pictures in their glorious black and white splendor in Friday’s installment of “the road to the crown”. We don’t want to spoil the excitement of seeing the gowns at Saturday night’s pageant.
In yesterday’s installment, we mentioned one young lady with a real interesting gown buying experience, perhaps the most interesting story we’ve heard in the three weeks NorthEscambia.com has been popping into pageant practices. We’re going to make you wait at least another day for that story. It’s a good one.
All of the tickets for Saturday night’s pageant have been sold. The final practice is over. Now it’s just our series “the road to the crown” continuing Friday and Saturday mornings. The pageant is Saturday night at 7:00, and NorthEscambia.com will have the new Miss Northview High School and all the photos here Sunday morning.
Click here to view today’s photo gallery of all the girls and their headshots.
Click here to read part one of this series from Tuesday.
Click here to read part two of this series from Wednesday.
Pictured above: Pageant coordinator Anna Berry talks to the young ladies in the Miss Northview High School Pageant Wednesday afternoon. Pictured below: Another shot of the girls competing for the title of “Miss Northview High School”. Click the photos to enlarge.
Atmore City Councilman Passes Away
January 16, 2008
Atmore City Councilman John Watkins passed away Monday evening. “Come on, Lord,” were his last words, according to a story on atmorenews.com.
Funeral services for Watkins were held at 6:00 Wednesday night at Gaines Chapel AME church in Atmore. Burial was Thursday afternoon at 1:00 at Fairview Cemetery.
Watkins, 79, had served on the Atmore City Council for 16 years.
Bradberry Park Locked And Closed Following Crimes
January 16, 2008
The ball fields and playground at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill now sit quietly behind a closed and locked gate following recent vandalisms and thefts.
“We don’t want to have to keep that park locked,” said Escambia County’s Chief of Recreation Michael Rhodes. “But it had to be locked following vandalism and the theft of several items.”
All 13 athletic parks in Escambia County are managed by the athletic associations that play there. The seven acre Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill is managed by the Northwest Escambia Little League.
League President Steve Hanks tells NorthEscambia.com that over $12,000 worth of athletic equipment and other items were stolen from the field house in the park. The thieves actually busted into a wall of the building in an attempt to gain entry.
“We are probably going to keep locking and unlocking the park for now,” Hanks said. “Once baseball season starts, we will probably leave it open all the time.” The league’s first games are scheduled for early April after Spring Break.
Rhodes said most athletic parks in the county are kept locked, opened only for events, practices and games. Walnut Hill’s Bradberry Park was one of the few that were open all the time.
For parents that want to let their children play on safe playground equipment, there is a nearby alternative to Bradberry Park. There is a complete playground, including swings, at the county owned Walnut Hill Community Center (also known as the Ruritan Club building) on Highway 97 just north of the fire department.
Presidential Candidate Giuliani Visits Escambia Today
January 16, 2008
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani plans to stop in Escambia County today. There will a press conference at 4:30 at the south end of Palafox Street at the site of the old Bayfront Auditorium. That location may, of course, change depending on today’s weather.
He is expected to attend a campaign rally at the Fish House Restaurant in downtown Pensacola at 6:00 this afternoon. The event, at 600 South Barracks Street, is open to the public.
A recent poll show Giuliani running a close second for the Florida Republican nomination.
Free Trees For Arbor Day
January 16, 2008
Escambia County Neighborhood and Environmental Services Department will celebrate Arbor Day by giving away 175 six to eight foot canopy trees. Tree varieties include southern magnolia, savannah holly, and live oak.
The tree giveaway is part of a grant-funded program from the USDA Forest Service and Florida Division of Forestry.
the road to the crown Part Two
January 16, 2008
Today we continue with part two of a five part series “the road to the crown”. We are following 25 young ladies at Northview High School in their quest for the crown and the title of “Miss Northview High School” for 2008.
In today’s installment of “the road to the crown”, we’ll introduce you to a few of the girls, and take you behind the scenes at Tuesday afternoon’s pageant practice.
“Smile,” says Anna Barry, the pageant coordinator. “You’ve got to smile at the judges, and speak into the microphone. The judges don’t know you…you’ve got to make a good impression.” Anna is pictured in our little “the road to the crown graphic” on the left.
Anna has worked with the girls for weeks now, all in preparation for Saturday night’s show. “Keep your head up”, “smile”, “stand like you are proud of yourself”, she tells the girls over and over.
After all, Miss Northview High School is not a beauty pageant. It’s not all about looks. It’s about poise, athletic fitness, public speaking and self worth.
Alisha Holland, a freshman at Northview, agrees.
“I want to prove that you don’t have to be skinny and beautiful to be Miss Northview High School,” Alisha said when asked why she aspires to be Miss Northview High School. The other girls around her applauded her comments.
She said the hardest part of the pageant practices so far has been the physical fitness routines. “It is kind of scary if you don’t have rhythm. But I really enjoy working with the other girls.”
Samantha Merritt, a Northview junior, says she wants a chance at the crown because “Miss Northview sets a good example for the other girls; they look for a role model.”
“I’ve never taken part in anything like the pageant,” said junior Olivia Bryan. “The most frightening part was the first day of practice, being so nervous. But the whole thing has been great.”
Most of the girls will tell that one of the toughest parts of the pageant is picking out the dress. Not just any dress will do. It has to be the perfect dress.
For Olivia, shopping began online. But she ended up finding the perfect dress three states away at a friend’s shop in Louisiana.
But one girl has an even better story to tell about buying her dress. We at NorthEscambia.com think her dress buying story is unique enough that we are going save it for another day in our series “the road to the crown”. Check back. We’ll post her story either Thursday, Friday or Saturday morning as part of our series.
A new installment of “the road to the crown” will be posted each morning until Saturday. Then, on Sunday morning, we’ll introduce you to the new Miss Northview High School.
To view yesterday’s installment of “the road to the crown”, click here.
The annual Miss Northview High School Pageant will be held on Saturday, January 19 at 7:00 in the school auditorium. Admission is $5 per person. Advance tickets are on sale now in the school office. Tickets must be purchased in advance; they will not be available at the door.
All photos on this page are NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, and can be clicked to enlarge.
Parents Warned After Masked Man Attempts To Lure Child
January 16, 2008
Parents of students Jim Allen Elementary School have been called and warned about a masked man that tried to lure a girl into his car last week.
Authorities say the man in an older white Lincoln or Cadillac tried to entice the first grade girl on Booth Avenue into his vehicle with candy and a portable Playstation.
The sheriff’s departments says they’ve stepped up patrols in the area, especially around bus stops.
Blood Drive Held At Walnut Hill Farm Supply
January 15, 2008
The Northwest Florida Blood Center held a community blood drive Monday at the Walnut Hill Farm Supply at the corner of South Highway 99 and Highway 97. A total of 28 units were donated.
There is a need for all blood types, but there is currently a significant need for type AB-, according to the Northwest Florida Blood Center.
If you missed this opportunity to donate, blood donations are accepted on a regular basis at the blood center’s main location at 1999 Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. They are open Monday through Thursday from 9-6 and Friday from 9-5. For more info, call 473-3853 or visit their website at www.nfbcblood.org.
Pictured: The “Bloodmobile” Monday morning at the Walnut Hill Farm Supply.
the road to the crown Part One
January 15, 2008
Join NorthEscambia.com today through Saturday for a five part series “the road to the crown”. We will follow 25 young ladies at Northview High School in their quest for the crown and the title of “Miss Northview High School” for 2008.
We’ll introduce you to each girl and go behind the scenes for a look at a Northview High School pageant like you have never seen before.
A new installment of “the road to the crown” will be posted each morning beginning today and continuing until Saturday. Then, on Sunday morning, we’ll introduce you to the new Miss Northview High School.
The annual Miss Northview High School Pageant will be held on Saturday, January 19 at 7:00 in the school auditorium.
“This year we have 25 talented and lovely young ladies competing for the title of Miss NHS 2008,” said pageant coordinator Anna Barry. The pageant is sponsored by the Northview High Varsity Cheerleaders.
Admission is $5 per person. Advance tickets are on sale now in the school office. Tickets must be purchased in advance; they will not be available at the door.
Today, we begin with a group photo of all the young ladies participating. Scroll down below the photo for their names. Click the photograph to enlarge.
Top Row L to R: Blaze Green, Tiffany Barrows, Kolbi Cobb, Summer Sanders, Amber Holland, Katie Mann, Heather Ward, and Caitlin Spence
Next Row L to R: Shakeria White, Alicia Holland, Ande Gideons, Olivia Bryan, Allison Spence, Haley Knapp, and Felicia Settle
Next Row L to R: Brooke Tullis, Ashley McGhee, Samantha Merritt, Chelsea Sims, Ashley Snow, and Ashleigh Rooks
Bottom Row L to R: Magen Weekley, Lauren Cloud, Kayla Hall, and Tori Chavers
In Front: Miss Northview High School 2007, Miss Dani Tyree
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Memorial Fund For Deputy’s Family Continues To Grow
January 15, 2008
A memorial fund for the family of Escambia County Deputy Lt. Raymond Simmons continues to grow. The fund was established by The Northwest Florida Chapter of the Police Benevolent Association. Simmons died November 24 in Walnut Hill.
About 35 people have pledged a total of $5,400 for the fund so far, according to Eric Haines, a Northwest Florida PBA board member.
The association is asking for 100 deputies to pledge to work one side security job and donate $150.00 to the fund in Simmon’s memory. Deputies typically work extra duty security jobs and earn about $150.00 for eight hours. Any deputy willing to make the pledge is asked to email nwfpbawebmaster@yahoo.com with their name and fulfill their pledge within 90 days.
Anyone else wishing to make a donation for his children can do so at any branch of Pen Air Federal Credit Union, including the branch at 8460 North Century Boulevard in Century.
“We have an opportunity to work extra duty employment outside our jobs as officers,” benevolent association President Bain Custer told NorthEscambia.com last month. “We are asking each officer to commit an eight hour shift. But anything would help.”
“It is important to us that we do this for Ray’s children and his wife Summer,” Custer said.
Funeral services for Simmons were held Friday, November 30 at Faith Chapel North in Cantonment. He was laid to rest at Bayview Memorial Park. He had served 14 years with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.
Picture above and below are submitted photos from the funeral of Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Raymond Simmons.
