North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
May 25, 2009
People across North Escambia and the country paused to remember the brave men and women that have served our country today as we celebrated Memorial Day on Monday.
In North Escambia, there are memorials that honor those that have serviced in the military:
Walnut Hill
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are nearly 300 names on the wall, including 13 names of soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Veterans Wall is located in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
Century
About 30 of those 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.
Barrineau Park
The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center honors over 100 people that have served in the military. The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
Pictured above: The names of those killed in action on the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall. Pictured below: The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center. NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Go After God In A Big Way: NHS Class Of 2009 Holds Baccalaureate Services
May 25, 2009
The Northview High School Class of 2009 held their Baccalaureate service Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church of Bratt — the first time in the history of the school that Baccalaureate has not been held at the school.
The class motto sums up the story of the students’ struggle to hold a Baccalaureate service: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
The school was not able able to organize a Baccalaureate service due to a new Escambia School Board policy preventing the school from promoting any religious ceremony. That policy was implemented after a federal judge issued an order against any policy or practice where school district employees promote or take part in prayer or religious services organized by the Santa Rosa County School District.
The Baccalaureate service was organized by the Northview senior class, led by class President Luke Killam.
“I am glad that we could gather to praise God,” Killam said after the service.
“I was proud of our class organizing the service,” senior class Vice President Briana Halteman said. “A lot of the community got involved and helped us stand up for what we believed in.”
“You can’t keep God out of schools,” Jason Oxodine, youth minister at the First Assembly of God in Atmore, told the graduates. “You went against the grain..and stood up for God.”
Oxodine said the school board and court decisions concerning religion in schools have made it hard for school personnel to function as leaders in the community “when they know that what you need most in your life is Jesus Christ.”
“Go after God in a big way,” the youth pastor urged the 42 students that took part in the service.
“Everlasting God”, “Glorious One”, and “My Saviour, My God” were among the songs performed by the Senior Ensemble at Sunday morning’s service.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Northview Principal Gayle Weaver and other school personnel were at the service but did not speak during the service.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the service, click here.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from the Northview High School Baccalaureate Service Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
In The Game: Brain Surgery Allows NHS Player To Take The Field
May 24, 2009
Friday night’s Garnet and Gold game at Northview High School ended in a tie, but it was a huge victory — and answered prayers — for one family.
On November 19, Nathan Therrell underwent brain surgery at the Miami Children’s Hospital to remove something the size of a grain of rice that has caused years of problems for him. It’s called a hypothalamic hamartoma, also called an “HH”. The HH is not a tumor, nor is it a cancer; it is a tissue growth.
Last season, Nathan was sidelined by the HH, serving as the team’s manager and water boy. He stood on the sidelines, watching every play, dreaming of the day he would be on the field. Friday night, that dream became a reality as coaches put Nathan Therrill #72 in the game.
Nathan’s aunt, Kelly Sims, said Nathan has done well since the surgery. Best of all, he has been seizure-free since the surgery, receiving an “all clear” from his doctor.
“Nathan has recovered from the surgery far better than expected. He seems like a total different kid,” Sims said of her nephew. “God does answer prayers and Nathan’s family would like to thank everyone that helped during the time of fund raisers and for any donations that were given.”
“The family is very thankful for everything including the prayers that were sent out for Nate,” she added.
A typical HH like the one removed from Nathan’s brain causes seizures, a problem Nathan had for four years. His were originally controlled by medication, but the medicines failed to work, his mother Tina Therrell said. Doctors tried radiation and laser treatments, but none worked. That led the family to decide to have the surgery to remove the HH from the middle of Nathan’s brain.
Pictured top: Nathan Therrell ready to play in the Garnet and Gold game Friday night at Northview High School. Pictured middle: Nathan Therrill watches a Northview football game last season. He served as the team’s manager water boy. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Friday Payment Deadline For Escambia Real Estate Taxes
May 24, 2009
Unpaid real estate taxes in Escambia County must be paid by Friday to avoid a lien being issued against the property.
Payments must be processed in one of four ways by the close of business Friday:
- in person at one of five branch offices
- on a web site at www.escambiataxcollector.com
- through a call center (850) 438-6500 x252
- on an automated telephone system (800) 601‑1055.
Drive thru service is available at all locations except Century.
You may check the status of your taxes and pay online at www.escambiataxcollector.com. You also may get automated information on TAX TALK at 438-3299. If you have any questions, call the tax collector’s office at 438-6500, Ext. 252. (TTY users for the hearing impaired call 472‑0031.)
Byrneville Students In The Box
May 24, 2009
Students at Byrneville Elementary recently presented a musical that centered around the imagination of a child and a simple brown box.
Byrneville students presented “The Box”, a musical celebration of the imagination of a child that turns a piece of brown cardboard into a world of possibilities.
Pictured above and below: Byrneville Elementary School students present “The Box” by Mark Burrows. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Register For 5K Race For Blueberries
May 24, 2009
The Escambia County Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau invites runners, walkers, and wheelchair racers to join the 5K Race for Blueberries.
The event will be Saturday, June 13, beginning at 8 a.m. with a staggered start. The race will be one of the many fun activities offered at the Blueberry Jamboree, to be held at Barrineau Park Community Center and Historical Society, 6055 Barrineau Park School Road in Molino.
Pre-registration is $15. Registration forms can be found by clicking here or by calling (850) 475-5220. Registration is $20 on the day of the event. T-shirts will be given to all registrants and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place winners.
For more information, please contact Brandi Daigle of the Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau at (850) 475-5220 or by email at recreation@co.escambia.fl.us.
The Blueberry Jamboree is sponsored by several local organizations, including NorthEscambia.com.
Friendship Freewill Fishin’
May 24, 2009
The youth from the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church from the McCall (Ala.) community recently took a fishing trip to Steve’s Catfish Ponds in Walnut Hill.
If your North Escambia area church would like to share news and photos, email news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
It’s raining; It’s Pouring
May 24, 2009
Expect more rain for the remainder of your Memorial Day weekend. But like yesterday, it will be an on and off again type event.
A low pressure system that has moved across the Gulf of Mexico the past few days is now inland over Mississippi, but trailing showers mean more rain as they move inland.
Here is is your complete National Weather Service Forecast:
Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Memorial Day: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 83. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86.
NWE Names Maille Kilcrease Little League Queen
May 24, 2009
Maille Kilcrease was crowned the 2009 Little League Queen at Bradberry recently. The girls sold votes for a penny each, with a portion of the proceeds to sponsor the park.
The first place winner was Kylie Brook. Other contestants included Amber Gilman and Ronnie Belanger.
Pictured above: 2008 NWE Baseball Queen Brianna Parker crowned her successor recently, 2009 NWE Baseball Queen Maille Kilcrease. Pictured inset: Contestant Amber Gilman. Pictured below: Contestant Kylie Brook, 2008 Queen Brianna Parker, 2009 Queen Maille Kilcrease and Ronnie Belanger. Submitted photos by Wendy Aliff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Vehicle Rollover Accident On Highway 97 Early Saturday
May 23, 2009
A single vehicle clipped a power pole and rolled over on Highway 97 near Molino early Saturday morning, but it was not immediately known if the driver was injured.
The driver involved in the accident had already left the scene when the first firefighters arrived about 5:30 a.m. Saturday. The driver of the car apparently lost control while headed north on Highway 97 at Pilgrim Trail, struck a culvert, became airborne and hit a power pole. The power pole was sent crashing to the ground, and the vehicle came to rest on its roof nearby. The vehicle barely missed several large telephone company junction boxes.
It was not known if the driver was injured in the accident.
The Molino Station of Escambia fire rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the accident.
An unknown number of residents in the area were without power until early afternoon.
The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured above and below: The driver of this vehicle had already left the scene when firefighters arrived about 5:30 Saturday morning. The accident happened on Highway 97 near Pilgrim Trail. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
