Warmer Air, Rain On The Way
December 6, 2009
After a cold night in the 20’s, temperatures will rebound quickly into the middle 50’s with sunny skies by afternoon across the North Escambia area. But, by late afternoon, clouds will move in from the west as warmer air moves into the area.
Monday and Tuesday will be warmer, but there will be a good chance of rain both days.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 54. East wind around 5 mph.
- Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. East wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. East wind around 5 mph becoming south.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 51. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 70. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tuesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a high near 61. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
- Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 44.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.
Century Man Arrested On Felony Warrant
December 6, 2009
A suspicious person call at Century Woods Apartments landed a Century man in jail Saturday night.
As Escambia County deputies investigated the suspicious person report, they discovered that Timothy Maurice Mitchell, 40, had an outstanding felony warrant for aggravated battery.
Mitchell was arrested and booked into the Escambia County Jail where he remained on $15,000 bond Monday afternoon.
Molino Celebrates With Annual Christmas Parade (With Photo Gallery)
December 6, 2009
Hundreds of people attended the annual Molino Christmas Parade Saturday afternoon. The parade featured a variety of floats and other entries, including “Elvis”. All proceeds from the parade will benefit needy children in the Molino community.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the Molino Christmas Parade, click here.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from Saturday afternoon’s Molino Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pharmacy Holds Open House
December 6, 2009
Century Pharmacy held their annual 11th Annual Open House Saturday, giving away several prizes. Santa Claus was also on hand for photos and visits with the children and several adults.
“The 11th Annual Open House at Century Pharmacy had an excellent turnout. Hundreds of folks and dozens of children came to see Santa and to take part in the drawings for free ’stuff’,” said Jack Moran of Century Pharmacy. “Some of the parents and grandparents wanted photos with Santa too – proving you are never too old or too young to get into the Spirit of Christmas.”
The pharmacy awarded a $100 shopping spree to Georgia Square.
Pictured above: Daisy Netters of Century visits with Santa. Pictured left: Eli Jackson won the Century Pharmacy drawing for a boy’s 20-inch bicycle. Pictured below: Walter King of Century won the drawing for a giant teddy bear. Pictured bottom: The Century Pharmacy staff poses with Santa. Not pictured: Kayla Lewis won the drawing for a girl’s bicycle. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tis The Season: Flomaton Holds Christmas Parade (With Photo Gallery)
December 6, 2009
Hundreds of people braved a cold wind Saturday morning for the annual Flomaton Christmas Parade.
The Flomaton High School band, several floats, multiple twirl groups, local fire departments and more took part in the parade with ended with a special guest direct from the North Pole — Santa Claus.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the Flomaton Christmas Parade, click here.
Pictured top: The Flomaton Christmas Parade featured several floats and lots of candy. Pictured inset: Santa Claus made a special appearance in the Flomaton parade Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tennessee Man Charged After Highway 97 Wreck
December 6, 2009
(Updated) A Tennessee man that received minor injuries in a Highway 97 wreck Sunday morning now faces charges from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Marty L. Johnson, 42, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, said he was trying to dodge a deer when he ran off the road , through a fence and into a tree with his 2001 Chevrolet pickup. There was a freshly killed coyote in the road at the scene of the accident on Highway 97 just south of North Highway 99 about 6:50 Sunday morning. Johnson was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries.
Johnson was charged with careless driving and driving with a suspended license, according to the FHP.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash.
Pictured above: A Tennessee man was injured in this Highway 97 crash Sunday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Alabama Joins Florida With ‘Move Over’ Law
December 6, 2009
Alabama will soon join Florida in enforcing a “Move Over” law that requires motorists to move over when approaching emergency vehicles that are stopped on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated.
Alabama’s law formerly applied just to law enforcement vehicles and was dubbed the “Blue Light” law. But now the law has been expanded to include all emergency vehicles with flashing lights, including wreckers.
The law is effective now, and Alabama State Troopers will begin full enforcement with tickets on January 1. The law requires drivers to move over one lane on a four lane highway when approaching emergency vehicles. If it is unsafe to move over, drivers should slow at least 15 mph below the speed limit. On a a two lane highway, drivers are required to move over as far as possible without leaving their lane and slow down to a speed at least 15 mph below the posted speed limit. If the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less, drivers should slow to 10 mph.
Florida’s move over laws is a little bit different:
- On a two-lane roadway, you are required to slow to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.
- If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to five miles per hour.
- If you are driving on an interstate or roadway with multiple lanes of travel in the same direction, and you approach an emergency or law enforcement vehicle parked along the roadway, you must vacate the lane closest to that vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you are not able to safely move over, you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below the posted speed limit unless directed otherwise by a law enforcement officer.
Pictured above: An Alabama State Trooper in Dallas County was seriously injured in this crash last year. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Freeze Warning Tonight
December 5, 2009
North Escambia and Santa Rosa county are under a freeze warning tonight; while our friends in Escambia County, Ala., are under a hard freeze warning.
Tonight is going to be a cold one, with a forecast low in the 20’s. It will be all about location tonight, with places like Atmore, Flomaton, Century and Davisville getting down to about 24. Molino is forecast to bottom out at about 26, and Cantonment will be around 29. Either way, it’s time to take precautions to protect plants, pets, pipes and people for tonight.
Here is your official North Escambia are forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 20s. North winds around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. East wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. East wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: A 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 63. East wind around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 52. East wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tuesday Night: Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 56. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 69. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
- Thursday: A 10 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 61.
- Thursday Night: A 10 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a high near 62.
Poarch Creek Christmas Parade Winners Named
December 5, 2009
Float winners have been named from Friday night’s Poarch Creek Indian Christmas Parade. First place went to the Creek Indian Enterprise Development Authority (CIEDA) for “Snoopy ” (above). Second place was awarded to the Housing Authority for their float “Beauty and the Beast” (below). Third place was awarded to the Public Works/Utilities Authority for “Peter Pan” (below middle) and the Poarch Creek Fire Department received honorable mention for their float “Lil’ Abner” (below bottom). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Going Up: New Water Tower Assembled Friday In Walnut Hill
December 5, 2009
Like a giant erector set, a new water tower in Walnut Hill was assembled Friday.
The 40 foot tall, four-leg base for the tank was constructed over the past few weeks next to the Escambia River Electric Cooperative office on Highway 99-A, across the road from the Ernest Ward Middle School gym.
Friday, the remainder of the 118-foot high tower was constructed, and the 200,000 gallon, 24-foot high tank was assembled on top of the tower. The new storage tank is in addition to the current 40,000 gallon water tower nearby at the intersection of Arthur Brown Road and Highway 97, according Andrew Peters, a certified operator for the Walnut Hill Water Works.The new elevated storage tank will replace a 40,000 gallon Walnut Hill Water Works elevated tank currently located in Enon.
Once the tank installation is completed — including a paint job — it will be put in service after an 8-inch water main is installed from the intersection of Highway 99-A and Highway 97.
The tank will be served by existing wells as located at the current water tower at Arthur Brown Road and Highway 99, one on Highway 97 near Wiggins Lake, and one in Enon.
The $2.4 million project will include the tank, plus repairs to existing well houses and operating equipment and the replacement and looping of existing lines to increase water pressure.
A new water main loop is being installed along Tungoil Road to connect water mains on Highway 97 and South Highway 99. Another line will be installed from Lambert Bridge Road, down Velor Road, and along Highway 164 to Green Village Road. Another section of pipe will be installed from Morgan Road to Eicher Road on South Highway 99. In all, about 16 miles of new water main will be installed, Peters said.
The water system, which serves 699 connections, has received a $866,000 grant toward the project. The remaining $1,621,000 will come from a USDA Rural Development loan.
In 2005, the water system began to experience problems when the well at Arthur Brown Road and Highway 97 began to fail. That well house and the one at another well located on Highway 97 just north of Wiggins Lake Road are both in need of physical and mechanical repairs, according to EREC. which owns the Walnut Hill Water Works. They say the system operates with a 19 percent loss due to leaks and inefficiencies.
Click here to a photo gallery of the water tank being completed Friday in Walnut Hill.
Pictured above and below: The construction of a new water tower in Walnut Hill Friday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
