Remembering A Dream And Looking To The Future
January 20, 2009
As people across the area gathered to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, the message in Century was one of both remembrance and hope.
“It is a blessing to see his dream become a reality,” Bishop Johnny Cunningham, pastor of the Beloved AFM Church of God in Selma, Ala., told those gathered to remember Dr. King in Century.
Cunningham (pictured left), a Century native, said that the community should strive to use their talents to serve before death.
“Dr. King had the dream, but we have to run with the dream,” the pastor said, adding that Dr. King’s words were for people any race, not just black Americans. “Don’t go to the cemetery with what God has deposited in you. Don’t die with the talent laying dormant inside of you.”
“What God has placed inside of you is not just for you; it is for somebody else,” he added.
Cunningham told the gathering sponsored by the Century-Flomaton Improvement Association that there is great importance in guiding young people to succeed.
“Some people have not realized that they can live above and beyond their circumstances,” the pastor said. “We can see what a great, great responsibility we have to push this generation forward…There must be something down inside of us that says ‘I can make a change’.”
“He paved the way for a lot of us,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said of Dr. King’s legacy. King also, the mayor said, paved the way for Barack Obama to be the first black man elected president.
“We need to get behind our new president, Mr. Obama,” McCall said. “The Bible teaches us that we should honor our leaders.”
The day’s events celebrating Dr. King in Century included the presentation of award winners in Century-Flomaton Improvement Association essay contest.
First place in the essay contest went to Charles Houston, 17. Second place was awarded to Ernest Ward Middle School student Natalie Suggs, 13. Third place was given to Kassandra Lett, 17, a junior at Northview High School. Carver/Century student Azeen Grissett, 13, received an honorable mention for his essay “What Dr. King Means to Me”.
Click here for a complete photo gallery from the commemorative ceremony.
Pictured top: Participants in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration join hands while singing “We Shall Overcome”. Pictured below: Essay contest winners: Azeen Grissett, honorable mention; Kassandra Lett, third place; Natasha Suggs, second place; and Charles Houston, first place. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Inauguration Diary: Reports From Washington
January 20, 2009
NorthEscambia.com will have updates on this Inauguration Day from Washington, with behind the scenes look at the sights and sounds from Washington.
In cooperation with the Pensacola Independent News, we will have reports during the day from IN staff members Sean Boone and Joani Delzen from the streets of the capital.
In their first report back from Washington last night, Boone reported it took three hours in the cold to pickup the tickets to the inaugural ceremonies from Representative Jeff Miller’s office. The two had a relative easy and calm trip to Washington, but they are expecting that to change as the day goes on.
Join us for more updates during the day here on NorthEscambia.com.
How North Escambia Voted For President
January 20, 2009
On this Inauguration Day, we thought we would look back at how the precincts in North Escambia voted in the presidential election. Of the eight precincts in North Escambia, only one — Century — had the majority of people voting for President-elect Barack Obama.
At those eight precincts in North Escambia, there were 6,311 votes cast for Republican John McCain and 2,202 cast for Democrat Obama in November.
The Century precinct at the Century Town Hall voted for Obama by a two-to-one margin. Obama received 525 votes in Century, while McCain received 320.
McCain received the vast majority of votes at the Walnut Hill precinct, 793 to 188 for Obama.
The McDavid precinct voted McCain 363 to 68 for Obama.
At the Barrineau Park Community Center, where the vast majority of Molino votes, the precinct overwhelmingly supported McCain with 2,230 to 638 for Obama.
At the Byrneville precinct, McCain recieved 500 votes while 91 people voted for Obama.
At the Quintette Community Center, there were 1,455 votes for McCain and 601 for Obama.
At the Oak Grove precinct, 297 voted for McCain and just 35 voted for Obama.
At the Bratt precinct, there were 353 votes for McCain and 56 for Obama.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Consolidated Government Meeting Tonight; All For One Names Supporters
January 20, 2009
A public meeting tonight will give North Escambia residents the chance to learn more about Escambia All for One, the group pushing for a consolidated government in Escambia County. Meanwhile, All for One has released a list of supporters.
The meeting will be held at the 5:30 at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97. All for One representatives will be on hand to “clarify the purpose of the proposed legislation to allow the creation of a commission to study consolidation”, according to a press release from the group. The release states that Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White will attend the meeting.
The Northwest Florida legislative delegation will meet Friday night to discuss the latest draft of the legislation support by All for One. That legislation would create a commission to draft a consolidated government plan to be presented to the the county’s voters in 2010.
The group has made a list of supporters available. Click here to download the All for One supporter list (pdf).
Escambia County, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century all passed resolutions in favor of the consolidation. But the Town of Century later backed out and rescinded their support, with town officials saying that they were misled by All for One.
“We think consolidated government would bring a number of benefits to the community, including a reduction in duplication of services, lower taxes and job creation,” said Jason Crawford, co-chairman of All for One. “The purpose of these meetings is to talk about the benefits of consolidation and to hear from the public.”
Another informational meeting will be held Wednesday evening at 5:30 at New World Landing in Pensacola. The legislative delegation meeting will be held at 6:00 Friday night at the WSRE Amos Theatre on the campus of Pensacola Junior College. Both meeting are open to the public.
Century Relay For Life Kickoff Meeting Is Tonight; Still Time To Form Your Team
January 20, 2009
The Century Relay for Life’s Kickoff Team Captains’ Meeting will be held tonight at 6:30 in Carver/Century K-8 cafeteria.
All Relay team captains are encouraged to bring as many team members as they can. The 2009 Relay theme is “Get in the Game! Defeat Cancer!” so all “Relayers” are to come dressed to represent their favorite sport. Dinner will be served, with thanks to Subway of Flomaton. This meeting will launch the “official” Relay for Life season, with information about fund raising and team building.
We are continuing to recruit teams; we have 10 registered teams and would love to have 10 more to represent area churches, businesses and families. Century Relay encompasses the areas of Century, Flomaton, Walnut Hill, and all the way down to Molino. If you are interested in starting a team, volunteering, or just want information about Relay for Life, please join us.
In addition, we are going to honor those who are battling or who have overcome cancer, and would love to have cancer survivors and caregivers join us. We will register you for our Survivors’ Victory Lap and the Brunch to follow.
These are difficult times for everyone, so it is all the more crucial that we continue to help the American Cancer Society provide services to cancer patients and families, fund research for prevention and treatment, and provide information about prevention, treatment and services to the public. Century Relay has raised approximately $50,000 since it began two years ago. Let this year’s Relay Event be an example of how compassionate and giving “NorthEnders” truly are! For more information, contact Paula Jernigan, Event Chair, at 256-3842 or B.J. Davis, ACS Community Partner, at 475-0850.
For additional information, visit www.CenturyRelay.com
Submitted by Paula Jernigan, Century Relay Event Chair.
Pictured above: Last year’s Century Relay for Life. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Hard Freeze Warning; Cold Windy Day In Store
January 20, 2009
There is a hard freeze warning in effect for tonight in North Escambia, with overnight lows tonight expected to fall to around 20.
Today will be sunny and cold, with a high of 45 and a north wind of 10 to 15 mph. Tonight will be clear and cold, with a north wind of 5 to 10 mph and a low near 20.
Wednesday will be sunny and 52. The overnight low Wednesday is forecast to be around 20 once again, and Thursday’s high will be warmer at 65 by mid-afternoon.
With blustery north winds… wind chill values Tuesday morning will likely range from the middle teens to middle 20s at times.
From the National Weather Service:
Temperatures will drop below freezing this evening then bottom out in the upper teens well inland to the mid twenties closer to the coast. Temperatures will return above freezing during the mid morning hours.
A hard freeze warning means temperatures falling below 26 degrees for five or more hours are expected late tonight into Wednesday morning. These conditions will likely kill crops and other cold sensitive vegetation. Temperatures such as these can cause expose water pipes to burst.
Action should now be completed to ensure adequate warmth for outdoor pets as well as freeze sensitive outdoor plants and equipment. Check on the elderly to ensure they have proper warmth. Those who have gas heat should make sure carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. Make sure portable space heaters are in good working order and placed well away from flammable materials such as bedding and curtains.
the road to the crown Part One
January 20, 2009
Join NorthEscambia.com today through Saturday for a five part series “the road to the crown”, brought to you by Tammie’s Cuttin’ Loose and Kay Brown Photography.
We will follow 32 young ladies at Northview High School in their quest for the crown and the title of “Miss Northview High School” for 2009. We’ll introduce you to each girl and go behind the scenes for a look at a Northview High School pageant like you have never seen before.
A new installment of “the road to the crown” will be posted each morning beginning today and continuing until Saturday. Then, on Sunday morning, we’ll introduce you to the new Miss Northview High School.
The annual Miss Northview High School Pageant will be held on Saturday, January 24 at 7:00 in the school auditorium.
The pageant is sponsored by the Northview High Varsity Cheerleaders. Tickets for the pageant are sold out.
Today, we begin with a group photo of all the young ladies participating. Scroll down below the photo for their names. Click the photograph to enlarge.
“the road to the crown” is brought to you by Kay Brown Photography and Senior Portraits and Tammie’s Cuttin’ Loose Salon in Atmore.
Front row (L-R): Allie Bryan, Haley Knapp, Magen Weekley, Amber McMillan, Miss Northview High School 2008 Chelsea Sims, Kayla Hall, Deniece Jordan, Ande Gideons, and Sarah Killam. Second row: Patricia Boughner, Courtney Merritt, Lauren Cloud, Charleigh McPherson, Ashley McGhee, Ashley Snow and Courtney Cooper. Third row: Samantha Macks, Brooke Tullis, Kristina Nellums, Oliva Bryan, Amanda Sellars, Ashley White and Felicia Settle. Back row: Tabitha Steege, Heather Ward, Kolbi Cobb, Lauren Wilson, Katie Mann, Amber Holland, Summer Sanders and Caitlin Roley. Not pictured: Allison Spence and Mallory Bell. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century Parade Honors King
January 20, 2009
The annual Century-Flomaton Improvement Association Martin Luther King Jr. Parade rolled through Century Monday morning.
The parade, honoring the late Dr. King, included about a dozen vehicles and wound through the streets of the town.
The parade ended at the Century Community Center on Highway 4 where a community service in honor of Dr. King was held.
In nearby Atmore, the Concerned Citizens of Atmore held their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Monday morning. Dozens of units were decorated to honor the slain civil rights leader.
A parade was also held in Flomaton to honor Dr. King on the national holiday in his honor.
Pictured above and below: Photos from the Century-Flomaton Improvement Association Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Monday morning as it traveled through Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Where Are The Kids? A Look At The Numbers
January 19, 2009
Most students that live in the Carver/Century K-8 School district do not attend the school, and that’s one reason it is now slated for closure. Instead, they take advantage of the fact that the school did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) to attend a neighboring school or they attend the Byrneville Charter School.
The Escambia County School Board will consider moving toward the final step in closing Carver/Century at their meeting Tuesday night. One of the reasons cited by Superintendent Malcolm Thomas for closing the school is the declining enrollment.
There are 473 students zoned to attend Carver/Century. Just 210 — 44 percent –attend the school. (See the complete breakdown at the bottom of this article.)
Of elementary age children, there are 307 zoned to attend Carver/Century, but only 41 percent — 126 children — are at the Century school. More Carver/Century zoned students actually attend the Byrneville Elementary charter school, with 130 enrolled from the geographic district. Another 32 attend Bratt Elementary and six are at Molino Park. Three attend Jim Allen Elementary, and one each attend Cook Elementary, Holm Elementary and Longleaf Elementary. Another six are homeschooled.
Just a fraction over half the middle school children in the geographic Carver/Century district attend the school. Of the 166 middle school children in the zone, 84 attend Carver/Century. Another 68 are at Ernest Ward, three are at Ransom and two are at Clubbs. There is one middle school child from the district at each: Workman, Brown Barge and Oasis. One child is hospital/homebound, one is under a McKay Scholarship that allows a student with disabilities to attend a private school and four are homeschooled.
“I have no authority to restrict a parent’s choice to send their children elsewhere,” Thomas said. “They are making choices for their children.” Federal law allows students in the Carver/Century district to send their children to other schools like Bratt and Ernest Ward due to Carver/Century’s failure to meet “AYP” — adequate yearly progress. As a charter school, Byrneville Elementary has an open enrollment policy that allows almost any child to attend.
If the school board approves Thomas’ plan to redistrict Carver/Century, the school will close and the students will be in the Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School districts.
Three Northview Cheerleaders Continue To Recover After Serious Crash
January 19, 2009
Three Northview High School cheerleaders injured in a single vehicle accident on January 7 continue to recover. Two of them are expected to head back to school this week, and one will miss the rest of the school year.
Troopers say Victoria Chavers, 16, was eastbound on the dirt portion of Greenland Road when she missed a 90 degree curve, struck a ditch and power pole, and overturned her Volkswagon Beetle. The vehicle came to rest upside down. Tori and her passenger and sister, Tiffany Chavers, 14, were both wearing their seatbelts. The backseat passenger, Blaze Green, 15, was not wearing her seatbelt. It took firefighters several minutes to extricate her from the vehicle. Blaze was transported from the scene by LifeFlight.
Blaze suffered a fractured vertebra in her neck, a fractured pelvis and a lacerated liver — injuries that doctors say could have been fatal.
Blaze was released from the hospital last Thursday night. She will remain in a halo cast to hold her head immobile for three months as she recovers from a neck fracture. Mom Marty Green says that Blaze is now up and walking with a walker, taking her first steps last Wednesday. She still tires easily, but is working to regain her strength.
Blaze is not expected to be able to return to Northview this year.
“I thank everyone for the prayers and concern,” Marty Green said, “that the community has shown for not only Blaze but for all the girls involved. Prayers were definitely answered for these girls. We are so thankful.”
Tori and Tiffany continue to recover from their injuries. Tiffany suffered a collapsed lung. Mom Melissa Chavers says the girls missed school last week under orders from their doctor so they could rest and heal. They are expected to return to Northview this week.
“They are on their way to a full recovery,” Melissa said. “Thanks for everyone for caring and praying for our girls. We could have never made it without you and most importantly God.”
The girls were returning home after attending church at the First Assembly of God in Atmore. The Florida Highway Patrol says the vehicle was traveling about 40 to 45 mph at the time of the accident. The 90 degree curve is not marked in any manner on the North Escambia dirt road.
Pictured above: Firefighters work to free Northview student Blaze Green from this overturned vehicle on January 7. Pictured below: Three Northview cheerleaders were injured in this single vehicle accident on Greenland Road near Davisville. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
