Good Deal: Northview Band, Ernest Ward Hold Yard Sales
May 10, 2009
Groups from two area schools held yard sales Saturday morning to raise funds for their programs. Ernest Ward Middle School held their “Super Yard Sale” at the school (above). The Northview High School Band Boosters held a yard sale (below) at the VFW in Atmore.
For more photos from the two yard sales, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blog: Every Knee Shall Bow
May 10, 2009
The ACLU is asking a federal court to find a Santa Rosa County School District employee in contempt for offering a prayer at a school function.
At the time administrative assistant Michelle Winkler prayed at the February 20 Employee of the Year Banquet, a federal injunction was in place ordering school employees to refrain from praying at school functions. That injunction was upheld Friday by federal judge Casey Rogers, implementing a five year ban on prayer and religion in Santa Rosa Schools. Read that story here.
Escambia County has taken note, ordering schools not to take part in events such as Baccalaureate that are religious or Christian in nature. For the first time in 13 years, there will be no school-sponsored Baccalaureate program for Northview’s graduating seniors.
Winkler was instructed by District Administrator Jud Crane to offer a two to three minute “thought for the day” that was to not include a prayer. In an email exchange, Crane assumed that Winkler would withdraw from speaking if she could not offer prayer.
“I’m still on, and be unfearful of the current events, with your ‘off the record’ permission, I would like to use the prayer that I had prayed about and received from God and will suffer whatever consequences for,” Winkler wrote in an email. “I cannot be silent as God is my very life and Christ is who I am.”
“I simply cannot compromise my LORD. Like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,” she wrote in another email, “I simply won’t bow down to another god.”
In our land of “free speech”, Casey Rogers’ federal order issued Friday prohibits school employees from communicating with a deity, including prayer and reading from sermons or sacred texts. Our nation and so much of world history is based upon the Bible, the mostly widely published book in the history of the world. Presidents and kings have prayed, and many of those prayers are an integral part of history. Prayer is a part of America. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it well — ” To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”
But under Rogers’ order, the Bible is not a historical or scientific text acceptable in Santa Rosa Schools. The Bible, under the order, is in the same class as a comic book.
Teachers will not be allowed to display crosses, drawings of Jesus or other items depicting their faith in their classrooms. Teachers are not allowed to pray at school events. Pastors and clergy are not allowed to pray at school events. Not even bless the food.
“School officials shall prohibit the person making the address from offering a prayer,” the order says of persons speaking at school events. That is freedom of speech?
The order does allow students to lead prayer in certain circumstances. But a teacher cannot participate in the prayer. School employees are forbidden from folding their hands, bowing their heads or kneeling. That is freedom of speech?
Teachers with web pages are forbidden from acknowledging their religious beliefs on their web pages. School student clubs cannot have a chaplain. From the FFA to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, there’s no chaplain permitted. That’s freedom of speech?
Escambia School officials will be forced, perhaps eventually by a court order, to follow the same rules. Our teachers are at the forefront of the battle, and they need the prayer that the ACLU seeks to prohibit. We are one nation under God. We will stand and pray for our teachers and students. Our students have many rights under the court order to lead prayer, and we will see the Lord do mighty works through them.
The ACLU has a court order. Christians have the almighty power of the Word.
I ask that you share this article with your friends, your neighbors and your churches. Pray for teachers and school employees like Michelle Winkler that they stand strong.
Here are the words that Michelle Winkler spoke at a school employee awards ceremony that have the ACLU seeking the federal contempt order:
“I love the way You have created each of with a purpose which includes the need to serve one another in ways that bring encouragement and inspire each of us to help one another to excel.
Tonight we celebrate some of those who are an inspiration to us and in whose deeds we have been blessed.
There is a Tree (Christ), on which grows the fruits of life: love joy and peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
May we each eat freely from that tree and thereby extend that same grace and mercy to one another as You have faithfully committed Yourself of lavish on us.
Thank You, Father God- in Jesus’ holy and precious name – Amen.
To our teachers and school staff — it takes courage to stand. But keep standing strong. Peter 3:14-15 says: “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
And there is a final argument on this issue that all, the ACLU included, should remember.
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11.
Letter Carrier Food Drive Today, Help The Hungry
May 9, 2009
Last year, North Escambia area residents contributed over 20,000 pounds of food at their mailboxes for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, and today is the time to do it again.
Mail carriers will be collecting food tomorrow at mailboxes across North Escambia and across the nation for the 17th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive.
Residents can participate in the annual event by leaving a bag of nonperishable food by their mailboxes for their mail carrier to collect.
NALC Food Drive is a national food drive sponsored by the Letter Carrier’s Union and conducted annually all over the country on the same day. The local NALC drive benefits ACTS Ministries, Bay Area Food Bank, Manna Food Pantries, St. Vincent de Paul, Warrington Emergency Aid and We Care Ministry. For Manna, it is the largest food drive of the year and comprises almost 30 percent of annual food donations.
Here’s a breakdown of the food collected last year along the routes at each North Escambia area post office:
- Cantonment: 14,098 pounds
- Century: 1,906 pounds
- Jay: 1,998 pounds
- McDavid: 2,000 pounds
- Molino: 608 pounds
Pictured above: Food awaits collection in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive last year on Wiggins Lake Road in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Yard Sales Today To Benefit NHS Band, Ernest Ward Middle School
May 9, 2009
Two big Saturday yard sales will benefit area schools.
Ernest Ward Middle School is holding a Super Yard Sale at the school today until 2 p.m. There will also be a silent auction for half hog cut and wrapped. Click here for more info on the silent auction.
The Northview High School Band Booster Yard Sale is going on today at the VFW on Ashley Street in Atmore. Directions: Heading north on Main Street, turn left on Ridgeley Street (one block north of the railroad tracks). Turn right at the stop sign, go one block and look for the building with the flag.
Pictured: The Super Yard Sale this morning at Ernest Ward Middle School lives up to its name in size. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Federal Judges Orders Prayer, Religion Out Of Schools
May 9, 2009
A federal judge has upheld an order that keeps prayer and educator led religious activities out of the Santa Rosa County Schools. The order even dictates that school employees are not allowed to pray at school events.
U.S. District Court Judge Casey Rodgers signed the federal order Friday requiring school officials in Santa Rosa County to stop promoting their personal religious beliefs in public schools.
The order prohibits, among other things, any prayer in schools, “reading from a sacred text”, “calling upon a deity to offer guidance, assistance or a blessing” and religious services such as baccalaureate services. There are circumstances were student-led prayers are permissible, but school employees are prohibited to participate in the prayer, even prohibited from “a posture or manner that is likely to be perceived as an endorsement of prayer, e.g. bowing their heads, kneeling or folding their hands”.
The consent decree is the result of a lawsuit filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Florida on behalf of two Pace High School students who alleged that school officials regularly promoted religion and led prayers at school events. Among other things, it prohibits school officials from promoting or endorsing prayers during school functions and organizing school-sponsored religious services. The two families were awarded $1 each by the judge.
“Religious freedom is best promoted when the government stays out of religion. Now, students and their families can feel comfortable holding and expressing their own religious beliefs, knowing that school officials will no longer impose their particular religious beliefs on students at school,” said Benjamin Stevenson, an ACLU of Florida staff attorney based in Pensacola who led the case.
The ACLU lawsuit was filed in August 2008 and charged school officials with committing widespread violations of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. After months of litigation and discovery, the school board, the superintendant and the principal filed an “Admission of Liability” with the court, owning up to the district-wide constitutional violations.
Following the school board’s admission, ACLU attorneys worked closely with district officials to develop an accord that would bring the school district into compliance.
Judge Rodgers’ order states:
- School officials’ promotion of their personal religious beliefs in school and at school functions violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the “no aid” provision of the Florida Constitution;
- School officials are permanently prohibited from promoting, advancing, endorsing, participating in or causing prayers during or in conjunction with school events;
- School officials are permanently prohibited from planning, organizing, financing, promoting or sponsoring religious services, including baccalaureate services;
- School officials are permanently prohibited from holding school events at a religious venue when an alternative secular venue is reasonably suitable;
- School officials are permanently prohibited from promoting their personal religious beliefs to students in class or during a school event;
- The district shall pay damages to both plaintiffs in the amount of $1.00; and
- School officials shall comply with the Federal Equal Access Act.
The order also requires that school officials distribute it to all district employees.
Century Courthouse To Close; Tax Collector, Court Services Gone By June 1
May 9, 2009
The Escambia County Tax Collector and Escambia County Clerk of the Court are pulling out of the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century by the end of May. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department will remain in the building.
“Usage of the office in Century has dropped off to the point it needs to be merged with Cantonment,” Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley said. “The public wants us to reduce spending, and this will save us $200,000 a year.” The money savings, mostly in salaries, will come from retiring employees and no layoffs, she said.
Holley said that her Century office, which is currently open just three days per week, sometimes sees less than 10 people per day. She said that her office sees more Century area residents in Cantonment than in Century. When we spoke to her late Friday afternoon, Holley told NorthEscambia.com that she will provide us with the numbers and documentation on Monday.
NorthEscambia.com left messages for Clerk of the Court Ernie Lee Magaha multiple times during the past week, and he has refused to return our phone calls.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan told NorthEscambia.com Friday afternoon that his Century precinct will remain open.
“We have never even discussed closing the Century office,” Morgan said. “We’ve never even brought it up. We plan to stay in Century.”
In addition, Morgan said he still plans to add two to three deputies to the Century precinct, and he plans to reopen the Walnut Hill office for two or three days per week.
“I’m highly disappointed,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “This is not fair. This is not right. We pay our taxes like everyone else.”
McCall said the closure will be especially hard on the poor in his community because many do not have transportation go get to court in Pensacola.
“It’s a tough budget cycle,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White said. “We can ask them to hold off on the closures while we look at funds to see if there is way to keep it open.” But White said the commission could not force Magaha or Holley to keep their offices open because they are constitutional officers not controlled by the commission.
The nearest tax collector office to Century will be in Cantonment, 28 miles to the south of the Billy G. Ward Courthouse. The nearest physical location to access court services, including paying a traffic ticket in person, will be 45 miles away in downtown Pensacola. Both agencies do offer many services online.
The following information released Friday afternoon from Escambia County details what the county calls a “redirection” of services:
Tax Collector Services
- Effective May 29, services at the Century branch of the Escambia County Tax Collector’s office will be redirected to the Cantonment branch, 470 South Highway 29. The Cantonment office offers all tax collector services including driver’s licenses by appointment.
- Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Call 438-6500 ext. 252 for information and to schedule an appointment for a driver’s license.
- For more information including how to make payments online, visit the Tax Collector’s website, www.escambiataxcollector.com.
Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Tuesday, May 26 will be the final day of court in the Century office.
- Court appearances after May 26 will be at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 Governmental Center.
- The Clerk and the County have worked together with the Judiciary on this redirection.
- Payments for traffic fines and citations will be accepted at the Century office through May 29.
- Payments at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building are accepted Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as online.
- For more information visit the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website at www.clerk.co.escambia.fl.us.
Fish Fry, Bake Sale Today In Molino
May 9, 2009
Aldersgate United Methodist Church will hold a fish fry and bake sale today at the church from 11:00 to 1:30.
The Aldersgate UMC Men’s Fish Fry will include fried mullet with baked beans, cole slaw, hush puppies and a slice of cake for dessert. Plates are $7 each and proceeds will support the Aldersgate UMM Missions.
The Ladies Bible Study and Sunday School class will also have many types of baked goodies for sale including pies, cakes and cookies. Be sure to pick up some of these delicious baked goods to go with your fried fish dinner.
The church is located in Molino on Highway 29 just south of Highway 97.
Man Arrested For Century Stabbing
May 9, 2009
Escambia County deputies have arrested a Milton man in connection the stabbing of a Century man in his home.
William Edward Perry, 48, of Milton, is being held in the Escambia County Jail on $66,000 bond in connection with the stabbing of Jerry Wall, 50. Perry was charged with battery, felony battery, aggravated battery, criminal mischief and resisting an officer with violence.
Wall was stabbed multiple times inside his home in the 100 block of McCall Road after Perry entered, according to deputies. Wall, who was cooking at the time, picked up a kitchen knife in an attempt to defend himself. Wall suffered an injury that took part of his lip, a stab wound to his back and mutiple cuts and wounds to his hands an arms from an apparent attemp to defend himself.
The suspect, Perry, was also stabbed in the incident.
While the incident was reported to have occured in Wall’s McCall Road home, he was actually found bleeding on Hudson Hill Road with Perry found nearby Thursday evening.
Pictured above: William Edward Perry.
J.B. The Donkey Update
May 9, 2009
Here’s the latest update on J.B., the orphaned baby donkey, from his adoptive mother Lindley Barden:
Well the JB Report is early this morning, as JB decided to make it that way!
JB’s lust for Foal-Lac finally ended his bottle-feeding days . . . at his 0500 meal, he sucked the end off of his Nuk baby bottle nipple! This led to experimentation with the calf bottle, which is much larger and has a longer, more slender (more rubbery) nipple. JB would have none of that–”Feed me NOW! Figure it OUT!” (I really expected to see his head spinning around and pea soup coming out of his mouth at that point.)
Anyway, out of desperation, I poured all of his remaining formula into a Country Crock Butter Spread tub, and held it up before him. After trying to suck the edge of the tub, looking at me in disbelief, and sucking the tub again, he accidentally stuck his nose in the milk . . . he must have correctly gasped, because before HE knew it he was drinking! He managed to drink about 1 1/2 baby-bottle’s-worth (I’ll need to come up with a new unit of measure now!), which was his usual.
But the 0700 feeding wasn’t that easy–you know, two steps forward, one (GIANT) step back. I prepared his formula in bulk this time, and took a butter-tub-full to him. He sniffed all around, tried to nurse my knee, then STUCK HIS WHOLE FACE IN IT! After taking a few gulps, he tossed his head and covered me, the floor, and the walls with formula; he then proceeded to wipe his wet beard/muzzle/nose all over me. I was laughing so hard that I didn’t even try to stop him!
Hopefully the learning curve on this “drinking from a bucket” thing isn’t very steep; if it is, you should all go out and buy stock in Foal-Lac, because we’re going to use a lot of it!
I’ve got to go sponge-bathe a white donkey foal, wash down the walls, and start a load of laundry, and shower . . . hopefully I’ll get the other updates loaded onto the blog, and comment about him from THERE tomorrow!
Lindley (GOT MILK?)
Hendrix Lawn And Cycle In Molino Holding Open House Event
May 9, 2009
Hendrix Lawn and Cycle in Molino will celebrate 40 years with a big open house even today and Saturday.
Hendrix has sold Snapper and Simplicity mowers and products in Molino for over 40 years. At the weekend event, the company will offer free refreshments and the chance to win a $300 Snapper string trimmer and edger.
There will also be special sale on Echo handheld equipment on Friday and Saturday.
Unlike the “big box” stores in Pensacola, at Hendrix Lawn and Cycle, customers have the opportunity to test drive items like mowers before buying.
The open house event at Hendrix Lawn and Cycle on Highway 29 in Molino will be held from 7:30 until 5:00 on Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until noon.
For more information, call (850) 587-2145.