Fire Departments Respond To Brush Fires; Red Flag Warning Today
September 27, 2008
Firefighters responded to several small grass fires along Highway 97 Friday afternoon.
The fires were reported about 1:30 along Highway 97 near Mason Road south of Walnut Hill. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fires.
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department and the Molino District Fire Department responded to the scene. A supervisor for the Florida Division of Forestry was in the area and also responded to the call.
The cause of the fires was not known.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for North Escambia for Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Outdoor burning of any kind is discouraged; the combination of warm temperatures and low humidity will cause explosive fire growth potential.
Century Relay For Life To Hold Registration Event This Afternoon
September 27, 2008
It’s time to go purple for a good cause…an Early Bird Registration for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life will be held Saturday afternoon at Whataburger in Century.
Teams from last year, as well as new teams, are encouraged to register Saturday between noon and 4:00 p.m. for next year’s Century Relay.
Teams that are registering will need contact information for their team captain as well as the $100 team commitment fee.
“The $100 is easy to raise,” said Paula Jernigan, the Century Relay chairperson. “Just get 10 members on your team and collect $10 from each one.”
Persons interested in registering their team for Century’s Relay can also visit the Century Relay for Life website at www.CenturyRelay.com and click “Sign Up” in the left column.
“We would like to encourage people around Walnut Hill and Bratt to register teams for Relay,” Jernigan said. Century’s Relay event, scheduled for April 25-26 is the the closest American Cancer Society Relay event in Florida for residents in Walnut Hill, Bratt and McDavid.
Century’s Relay for Life is also looking for cancer survivors and caregivers to honor at next year’s events. Cancer survivors and caregivers can register at Whataburger on Saturday, or visit the website at www.CenturyRelay.com.
Information about cancer, treatments and the American Cancer Society will also be available during Saturday’s Early Bird Registration.
The domain www.CenturyRelay.com is provided as a public service by NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured above: The theme for last year’s Century Relay for Life was “Racing for a Cure”. Pictured below: Survivors in the survivor’s lap at last year’s Relay. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Fire Damages Gandyville Storage Building
September 27, 2008
Fire damaged a small building near the Gandyville community Friday afternoon.
The fire in the concrete block storage building was reported about 2:30 Friday afternoon. It is located on Highway 4A, about a half mile from Broomes Road.
The cause of the blaze was not known. There were no injuries reported.
The Century District Fire Department and the Flomaton Fire Department responded to the call. Several other fire departments across North Escambia were dispatched to the scene, but they were canceled prior to arriving.
Pictured above: Firefighters work at the scene of a fire on Highway 4A in the Gandyville community Friday afternoon. Pictured below: A firefighter with an axe (left) begins to work to vent the roof of the building. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firemen Discover Car In Soybean Field Early Friday Morning
September 26, 2008
Firefighters returning from a medical call early Friday morning discovered a wrecked vehicle in a Highway 97 soybean field, but they were unable to locate the driver or any passengers of the car.
Walnut Hill Volunteer firefighters were southbound on Highway 97 just north of Kansas Road about 3:15 Friday morning when they noticed the white Buick LaSabre in a soybean field to the west of the roadway. The car had overturned at least once after leaving a curve on Highway 97.
Firefighters and Atmore Ambulance personnel conducted a thorough search of the thick field but were unable to located anyone. A thermal imaging camera was used to assist in the search.
An empty infant carrier, baby formula and other items suggested the possibility that an infant might have been in the car.
The vehicle’s registration indicated that it belonged to someone out of Pensacola.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: Passing firemen discovered this car in a soybean field near Highway 97 and Kansas Road early Friday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
County Approves Fire Department Unification Plan
September 26, 2008
The Escambia County Commission approved the final plan to unify the county’s fire departments at a Thursday morning meeting.
The county’s 15 separate departments will be joined together as one unified department on October 1.
The revised plan allow firefighters without Firefighter I certification, the state’s most basic course level, to continue in their current positions until April 1, 2009, with exemption letters signed by their chiefs. The first draft of the plan would have demoted those firefighters to the level of firefighter trainee on October 1 and kept them from entering a fire zone. After April 1, firefighters will be required to complete a Firefighter I training course.
The plan also allows firefighter officers that do not meet the minimum job requirements for the position they hold to continue in that position for up to three years, giving them time to meet those certification and training requirements.
“We’ve come together on a good unification plan that involves both the career and volunteer side,” Troy Johnson, chief of the Bellview Fire Department said. Johnson was one of several firefighters from the south half of Escambia County to encourage the commission to pass the unification plan.
“I think this is good for the citizens to see the spirit of what we can do,” Commissioner Grover Robinson said, “to improve services and the efficiency of those services…I’m excited about the future of fire services in Escambia County.”
“I do believe too that it is time for a celebration,” Commissioner Marie Young said. “We look forward to having a celebration of one fire department in Escambia County.”
The plan passed 4-0, with Commissioner Gene Valentino absent. The approval was followed by a standing ovation from commissioners and audience members.
Escambia County Eagles Over Ernest Ward Golden Eagles, 26-6
September 26, 2008
The Escambia County Middle School Eagles downed the Ernest Ward Middle School Golden Eagles Thursday evening in Walnut Hill.
The Big Green ended the game with a 26-6 win over EWMS in a hard fought battle of the Eagles.
Atmore hit the score board first early in the first quarter, returning a Ernest Ward punt for a touchdown. Kevin Bell stopped the two point conversion in the backfield for the Golden Eagles.
Escambia County added another half dozen with 5:46 in the second quarter of play on a long pass, and they made the two point conversion for a 14-0 lead.
In the third, the Golden Eagles recovered an Atmore fumble on their 40 yard line, but the Golden Eagles fumbled on the very next play. Atmore regained possession on the Golden Eagle’s 45 yard line.
Atmore then completed about a 40 yard pass to about the two yard line, but a frustrated Escambia County player realized he had caught the ball while standing out of bounds.
But Escambia County scored on a quarterback keeper on the next play. They missed another two pointer, holding a 20-0 advantage with 4:52 to go in the third.
With 45 seconds on the clock in the third, Escambia County crossed the goal line on an almost 90 yard quarterback keeper. But the TD was not good, and it was back to the 20 yard line for Atmore’s Eagles with a holding flag on the play.
Early in the fourth, LaDerious Franklin hit pay dirt for Ernest Ward, putting them on the scoreboard for the first time. The Golden Eagles missed a two point attempt, making the score 20-6.
Escambia County went on to add another half dozen to the board, making the final 26-6.
In a seventh grade single quarter scrimmage prior to the regular game, Escambia County downed Ernest Ward 6-0.
For a complete photo gallery from both games, including the band and cheerleaders, click here.
Pictured above and below: Action from Ernest Ward versus Escambia County in Thursday evening middle school football action in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats South Walton In District Volleyball
September 26, 2008
Northview’s varsity volleyball team picked up its first district win Thursday night, taking three from South Walton on the road.
The Chiefs downed South Walton 25-15, 26-24, 25-12.
Sophomore Shawna Montgomery had four kills, five aces and dig for the Northview. Senior Brittney Thompson had 10 kills and three aces. Junior Angela Rodriguez had four kills and an ace for the Chiefs, and Caitlin Hall, also a junior, had 19 assists, a couple of aces and a couple of blocks.
The Chiefs are now 5-5, 1-2 in the district.
Youth Rally Tonight In Molino
September 26, 2008
A youth rally will be held tonight at Victory Assembly of God in Molino.
The event will take place from 7:00 until 10:00 at the Victory Assembly of God on Highway 29. There will be live music, giveaways, food and more.
For more information, email youth@victorycan.org or call 587-2295.
West Nile Case Confirmed
September 26, 2008
A confirmed case of West Nile virus has been diagnosed in Escambia County, Alabama, Alabama’s Department of Public Health said Thursday. Two cases of the virus had previously been reported in Escambia County, Florida.
That, health officials say, means that residents in North Escambia should be especially careful not to be bit by mosquitoes that could be carrying the virus.
The Escambia County (FL) Health Department says everyone in North Escambia and surrounding areas should follow the “5 D’s of prevention”.
The 5 D’s of Prevention
• Dusk and Dawn: Do not go outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood during the
twilight hours of dusk and at dawn.
• Dress: Wear clothing that covers most of your skin.
• DEET: When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing
DEET are recommended. Check labels before using a product on infants and children. If
an infant is too young to wear repellent and must be outdoors, a parent should place
mosquito netting over the infant’s carrier. Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are other
repellent options for individuals who cannot wear DEET.
• Drainage: Check around your home to rid the area of standing water, which is where
mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Elimination of breeding sites is one of the keys to
prevention.
• Screens: Make sure window and door screens are in good condition, without any tears
or holes that allow mosquitoes to enter your home. Place screens on open windows.
Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites
• Clean out eaves, troughs and gutters.
• Remove old tires or drill holes in those used in playgrounds to drain.
• Turn over or remove empty plastic pots.
• Pick up all beverage containers and cups.
• Check tarps on boats or other equipment that may collect water.
• Pump out bilges on boats.
• Replace water in birdbaths and pet or other animal feeding dishes at least once a week.
• Change water in plant trays, including hanging plants, at least once a week.
• Remove vegetation or obstructions in drainage ditches that prevent the flow of water.
What is West Nile Virus?
• West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness – about one in 150 people infected with
WNV will develop severe illness.
• The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor,
disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness
and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may
be permanent.
• Mild Symptoms in Some: Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have
symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes
swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last
for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several
weeks.
• No Symptoms in Most People: Approximately 80 percent of people (about 4 out of 5)
who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
Blog: NorthEscambia.com Readers Can Rent Movies For Free
September 25, 2008
You can rent movies for FREE with a two week free trial of Netflix and help us at NorthEscambia.com at the same time.
We asked you to try this several months ago, and many of you did. Many people are still happily enjoying their subscription to Netfix, and we made a little money in the process.
So how does this online rental thing work? It’s easy. You sign up for a free trial to make sure Netflix is going to work for you. Then you pay a monthly fee, currently from $4.99 to $16.99 per month for Netflix, for UNLIMITED video rentals, up to a certain number at a time in your hands. You mail the movies back for free (no stamps or postage needed). Then within about a, new movies show up in your mailbox. There are never any late fees, and you can cancel anytime. No contracts, no strings, no small print.
Why are we telling you this…for a few good reasons. One…gas is expensive for trips to the video store. Two…we got tired of the nearest rental store to us being out of their two copies of the movie we wanted to see for weeks. Three…we tried Netflix and it worked as advertised. Four…if you will try the Netflix FREE two week trial, NorthEscambia.com will make a little commission to support the work we do.
Understand this: You sign up for the free two weeks. They are FREE, no charge on your credit card. You can cancel prior to the end of the two weeks, and you are NEVER charged a dime. You do not have to continue beyond the FREE two weeks. If you will take the FREE two week trial, NorthEscambia.com makes a commission on day one of your trial, whether or not you keep the service. But we think you’ll like it, and those plans do begin at just $4.99 a month.
NorthEscambia.com has arranged for our readers to try Netflix, with unlimited three at a time rentals, for FREE for two weeks. If you watch your movies and send them right back, you could probably watch 15 or more movies for free during the two weeks. From old movies that you’d never find at the rental store, to the latest releases on the day of the release, Netflix has thousands of movies to choose from.
So here’s the bottom line deal…you can try Netflix for FREE for two weeks, and you’ll be supporting what we do here at NorthEscambia.com at the same time. You can cancel at the end of the two weeks and pay nothing and be under no obligation. We think, however, that you’ll probably want to stick around longer than two weeks. (Just to be clear…we don’t make anymore money if you do keep using Netflix, but we think you’ll like it!)
It’s our little gift to you…you get to try renting Netflix movies for FREE for two weeks, and you help NorthEscambia.com at the same time.
To try Netflix for free for two weeks, click on the Netflix ad on the front page of NorthEscambia.com; the ad is on the right side of the page. We do ask that you sign up for the service before midnight Monday for us to receive the maximum commission.
NorthEscambia.com only receives the commission if you click the ad on the front page of our site for the free trial..
Enjoy your movies, and thanks for help us here at NorthEscambia.com!
—William