Out Of Africa: The Story Of The Walnut Hill Zebra And His Missing Giraffe Friend
July 7, 2008
A zebra and black bear in the back of a pickup truck created a stir in Walnut Hill on Friday afternoon, with some people nearly running off the road and others snapping pictures on their cell phones.
The zebra and the black bear were simply moving from one home to their new one in the Walnut Hill community. A far cry from their first move…about 9,000 miles from South Africa to Walnut Hill.
The attention-getting duo were being moved on the Fourth of July (pictured left on South Highway 99) to the new home of Richard and Vickie Beck on Tungoil Road in Walnut Hill. The Becks recently built their new home after selling their farm in South Africa.
The home features a wide variety of mounted animals from South Africa…from the zebra, to wild hogs, to monkeys, to big cats, even to a map of Africa painted on a preserved elephant ear.
But the largest mounted trophy is yet to come…it is a 19 foot tall full body mount giraffe that Vickie shot. There have been some paperwork delays in getting the giraffe out of Africa.
“This entire house was built to hold the giraffe,” Richard told NorthEscambia.com.
Six years ago, the Becks bought a 3,500 acre farm near of Alexandria, South Africa, near the Indian Ocean coast. They lived there April to August for each of the past six years, offering hunting and photo safaris during the South African winter. (Remember, the seasons are opposite south of the equator, so April to August is their winter.)
They have owned a sod business in Walnut Hill for the past 19 years. They had originally purchased the property in South Africa with the intent of opening an orphanage, but they ran into problems with local officials that just “wanted to pad their pockets instead of helping the children”. So they quickly turned their interest to hunting.
“I was fortunate enough to have a wife that would follow me 9,000 miles around the world to hunt,” Richard said.
Their hunting safaris did end up helping children in South Africa after all, he said. The meat from the animals often went to feed needy children in the area. The meat of most of the 27 different species hunted on the farm was customarily consumed by the South Africans, including the zebra meet. “It tastes like prime rib,” Richard added.
After owning the farm for six years, the Becks decided to sell. And the time could not have been better.
With the sluggish U.S. economy, the sod business has reached a historic low because of less new construction. If the Becks had not sold the farm in South Africa, Richard said they would have been in danger of losing the entire sod farm.
“The Lord has blessed us. We’ve been very blessed,” he said. “I definitely want to give Him the glory for all of this.”
The profits from selling the farm in South Africa allowed the Becks to build their new Tungoil Road home, and has provided money to make the payments on the sod farm. They have also been able to furnish the home with a complete African theme. The home features African hand carved cabinet doors, and an elaborate hand carved dining room set (pictured left).
The only thing missing from their new home is the giraffe, and Richard said he hopes it will soon be in a 40 foot shipping container on its way to the United States. Once in the states, the giraffe will join the zebra at home in Walnut Hill.
And Richard promised that he will invite NorthEscambia.com back once the giraffe arrives, so our readers can see the rare site of a full body mount giraffe.
For a complete photo gallery from the Beck home, click here.
Pictured top: The Walnut Hill giraffe was moved into his new home on the Fourth of July. Pictured below: An African scene painted on an elephant’s ear cut in the shape of the continent. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com Selected For Inclusion In Google News
July 7, 2008
Google has selected NorthEscambia.com for inclusion in its Google News service.
“Google News is a computer-generated news site that aggregates headlines from more than 4,500 English-language news sources worldwide, groups similar stories together and displays them according to each reader’s personalized interests,” according to Google.
In the North Escambia area, only the Pensacola News Journal, WKRG TV 5, the Mobile-Press Register and the Northwest Florida Daily News are included in Google News. The other area papers and television stations are not in the service. In order to be included in the news.google.com service, a site such as NorthEscambia.com must be selected by a human at Google as a quality news service.
While news.google.com has indexed only about 65 NorthEscambia.com stories so far, the site is expected to add a more complete index of our stories in the coming weeks. Once NorthEscambia.com adds a new story, it is available for users worldwide searching Google news within minutes. Our stories are also available to users of the regular google.com service, with about 1,000 NorthEscambia.com stories currently indexed by Google.
Century High Blackcat Class of 1948 Holds 60th Class Reunion
July 7, 2008
The Century High School Class of 1948 held their 60th reunion recently at the McDavid United Methodist Church.
Some of the class members present were Wilford Reid, Lillian Green, Elizabeth Armstrong, Doris C. Cooper, Lillie S. Entrekin, Jacqueline B. Freisinger, Christine S. Crockett, Earlene K. Hayles, James. E Kennedy, Frances H. Lee, Henry Ray, Jr., and W. Fred Petty.
Submitted photo by Junia Fischer.
Royal Pizza Destroyed By Fire Early Sunday Morning
July 6, 2008
Royal Pizza and Subs in Century was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning.
The fire was reported just before 3:30 Sunday morning. The first firemen on the scene moments later reported heavy smoke when they arrived. It took firefighters just over an hour to bring the fire under control.
The state fire marshal was called at 5:30 a.m. to the scene at 9441 North Century Boulevard, just south of the Alabama state line. Fire units were on the scene until 6:41 a.m.
The entire building suffered heavy smoke and water damage. The roof over the restaurant’s kitchen partially collapsed from the fire. Firemen used Century’s ladder truck to battle the blaze from over the rear of the building (pictured left).
The restaurant had been closed Friday and Saturday for the holiday weekend, according to a sign in front of the store.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. There were no injuries reported.
The Century Volunteer Fire Department, the Flomaton Fire Department, the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department, the Molino Volunteer Fire Department, Escambia County EMS, the Flomaton Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department all responded to the scene.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the Royal Pizza fire, click here.
Pictured above: Firemen use Century’s ladder truck to fight a blaze at Royal Pizza and Subs early Sunday morning. Pictured below: Firemen enter the front of the building. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Recycling Gets Closer To Home In Molino, Oak Grove And Century
July 6, 2008
With the addition of a new recycling bin in Molino, there is now a recycling location in or near each of the larger communities in North Escambia.
The Escambia County Division of Solid Waste Management added a new drop-off site this week behind the Molino Volunteer Fire Department at 1459 Molino Road. There is also an recycling drop-off location at the Oak Grove Convenience Center on North Highway 99 in Oak Grove, and one was added in the parking lot of the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century about a month ago.
tems eligible for recycling are aluminum cans, steel cans, glass food and beverage containers go on one side of the container (you can mix the items). The other end of the container is for plastics, cardboard, junk mail, paper, magazines and newspapers. The recycling containers at the drop-off sites are checked daily, Monday-Saturday.
For more information on recycling in Escambia County, escambiarecycles.com
VBS This Week In Bogia
July 6, 2008
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in the Bogia community will have Vacation Bible School from 6:00 until 8:30 each evening this week.
This year’s theme will be Veggie Tales “Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything–Calling All Heroes”.
All kids ages 5-12 are welcome to join in with crafts, science lab, snacks, games, fun and learning from the Bible. There will be a special program for parents on Friday, July 11 at 7:00.
Children should arrive a bit early on Monday night to register.
Now Is The Time To Enroll in Livestock Compensation Program
July 6, 2008
The time is here for producers to enroll in the 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation Program.
Kevin L. Kelley, State director of U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Florida, reminds Florida livestock producers they have until July 18, 2008, to enroll in the 2005 – 2007 Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). Signup began on Sept. 10, 2007, for the two programs that provide aid to livestock producers who suffered eligible livestock or livestock feed losses between Jan. 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2007, because of a natural disaster.
“The deadline to enroll in the 2005 – 2007 Livestock Compensation Program and Livestock Indemnity Program is rapidly approaching,” said Kelley. “I encourage all eligible producers to enroll soon because sign-up ends on July 18, 2008.”
The LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who incurred the death of livestock because of a natural disaster. LCP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and cash lessees who suffered feed losses or increased feed costs because of a natural disaster.
More information about LCP and LIP is available online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. For more information on FSA programs, visit your local USDA Service Center or the agency’s Web site, http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
Rollover Accident Seriously Injures One Early Saturday
July 5, 2008
A one vehicle accident seriously injured one person early Saturday morning.
The accident happened on Fannie Road near Carnley Road just northeast of Century. The driver of a pickup truck headed north on Fannie Road lost control and overturned about 2:20 Saturday morning.
The pickup truck rolled through a fence before landing upside down in a pasture. The driver of the pickup was ejected, and they were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola by Lifeflight helicopter.
The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The FHP has not yet released the driver’s name.
Pictured above and below: The driver of this pickup truck was seriously injured in this one vehicle accident about 2:20 Saturday morning near Century. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
A Quiet Fourth In North Escambia
July 5, 2008
The Fourth of July was quiet in North Escambia, with very few problems reported.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department responded to a few fireworks complaints across the area.
There were no major accidents, fires or injuries reported through midnight Friday in the North Escambia area.
The sheriff’s department did respond to an alarm call about 10:15 Friday night at the Century Pharmacy on Mayo Street. Officers arrived to discover that the pharmacy had been burglarized. The sheriff’s crime scene unit was called to the pharmacy to investigate. Further details were not immediately available.
Century Dedicates Wall Of Honor On The Fourth
July 5, 2008
Marion Brown stood quietly to the side as he Town of Century dedicated its new Veteran’s Wall of Honor Friday.
In her hands she held a picture frame with memories from her husband’s five tours in Vietnam. There is a purple heart and other medals from Willie H. Brown’s service in the 101st Airborne divison of the U.S. Army.
Willie Brown passed away last September from pancreatic cancer. Now the picture frame of memories honors his service to the country. But his name will soon be added to the new Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor.
“I wish he could be here today to see the wall,” Marion (pictured left) told NorthEscambia.com. “He had went to the mayor a few years ago and asked about some memorial to honor veterans. He would be so proud that it has finally happened.”
“He did not really like to talk about going to Vietnam,” she said. “But he served his country well. He was a courageous hero, just like all of the others.”
About thirty of those others that served from the Century area are now honored on the Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor that was unveiled in the Fourth of July ceremony at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29.
Several dozen families joined local dignataries in dedicating the wall, some waving American flags and wiping away tears as the crowd sang “God Bless America”.
Pictured top: The Rev. Willie Carter (right) prays a prayer of blessing over the new Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor Friday morning as an audience member holds a flag. Pictured above: Marion Brown holds a picture frame with items honoring her husband’s service in Vietnam. Pictured below: A young girls runs her finger along one of the names on the Veteran’s Wall of Honor. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
