Truck Goes Over Guardrail In Highway 97 Crash
November 22, 2009
The driver of a pickup truck escaped injury Saturday night when he went over a guardrail and into a ditch in a single vehicle accident in Walnut Hill.
The accident happened in the 3900 block of Highway 97 just north of Hendricks Lane about 8:50 Saturday night. The driver said he hit water on the roadway, hydroplaned and slammed into a guardrail. His Chrevrolet Silverado pickup then went up and over the guardrail, landing against a power pole in a ditch. A telephone company junction box was also heavily damaged in the crash.
The adult male driver refused to be transported to the hospital.
Rain is believed to have been a factor in the accident; it was raining moderately at the time of the crash. The original 911 emergency call came from a nearby resident that heard but could not see the accident.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance responded to the call.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: This truck hit q a power pole after going over a guardrail Saturday on Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill. Pictured below: Some of the damage to the guardrail. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Community Blood Drive Today In Molino
November 22, 2009
A community blood drive will take place today at two Molino churches.
Northwest Florida Blood Services will be at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Highway 97 from 8 to 11 a.m. and then at Highland Baptist Church on Highway 95A from 12 until 2 p.m.
When you donate to Northwest Florida Blood Services, you can save the life of a hospital patient in northwest Florida. Northwest Florida Blood Services is the exclusive provider of blood products to more than 24 area hospitals who need 175 blood donations a day. Each donation can save up to three lives.
Requirements for giving blood are below.
- Donors must be in generally good health
- At least 17 years of age, without permission. 16-year olds are now allowed to donate with permission granted by parents or legal guardians.
- Must bring picture ID
- Weigh at least 110 lbs
- Free of infection, fever or flu symptoms, for 3 days
- No cancer within the last 5 years
- No antibiotics within the last 48 hours
- No tattoos within the past 12 months
- No chest pain, heart disease, heart surgery (Requires written physician release with diagnosis)
- No history of viral hepatitis
- Cannot have lived in France for 5 years or more between 1980 and the present
- Cannot have lived or visited in the UK for a total of 3 months or more from 1980 to 1996
- Cannot have received a blood transfusion in the UK between 1980 and the present
- Military personnel (current and former), and their dependents, who spent time in military bases in northern Europe during 1980-1990, or southern Europe during 1980-1996, for 6 months or more
- All military personnel (active & reserve) that are returning from Iraq, are deferred for a period of 1 year after the last date on location in that country.
Jay Royals Compete In State Track Meet
November 22, 2009
The Jay High School Boy’s track team finished 18th in the state Saturday.
Individual times and places for the Jay Royals included:
- 47. Kennedy, Drew 5:41.4
- 78. Nadsody, Dylan 5:53.2
- 114. Kennedy, John 6:06.1
- 126. Keemp, Micah 6:08.2
- 141. Phillips, Chad 6:12.1
- 144. Fischer, Jeffrey 6:13.0
- 174. Trevino, Eric 6:27.7
In the Class 1A girls state meet Saturday, Emerlee Trevino of Jay competed individually, finishing 90th with a time of 6:56.1.
Rained Out Flomaton Speedway Dirt Championship Races To Be Held Today
November 22, 2009
The race will go on.
The Gulf Coast Dirt Track Championships Saturday night were rained out Flomaton Speedway, but racing has been rescheduled for Sunday afternoon.
Gates will open at 10:00 Sunday morning. Hot laps will take place at 1:00, and racing will begin promptly at 2:00, according to Jimmy Goodwin, Flomaton Speedway owner.
“It’s pretty rare for a dirt track to race in the daytime,” Goodwin said. “Having it in the daytime will be pretty exciting instead of at night.”
Adult admission is $15; $5 for children 6-11, and children under 5 are admitted free. Pit passes will be available $30 per night.
The final races of the season at Flomaton’s quarter-mile dirt track will include four different divisions: Bomber, Stinger, Street Stock and Pro Late Model.
The Flomaton Speedway is located off Highway 113 just north of Highway 29; look for the signs. For more information, visit www.flomatonspeedway.com or call (251) 296-DIRT. The Flomaton Speedway is an alcohol-free facility.
Highlights from the planned events are below:
Sunday Afternoon
- Heat races and last chance races (if required) for Late Models and Street Stock. (22 car field).
- Jim’s Furniture and Appliances Stingers will run heats and feature ($500 to win).
- Fleetpro Commercial Bombers will run heats and feature ($500 to win).
- BKW, Inc Crate Late Model Feature ($3,500 to win, $100 to start).
- Street Stock Feature ($1,000 to win).
Pictured top: Bomber feature winner Steven Fretwell (#24) has the lead as Doc McDaniel (#27S) tries to pass on the outside during September racing at Flomaton Speedway. Pictured inset: Steven Brantley won the Crate Late Model feature Labor Day race . File photos by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Photo Gallery: Art On The Farm
November 22, 2009
People from across the area had the opportunity to enjoy Art at the Farm Saturday in Walnut Hill.
The annual event features art, crafts, foods like homemade gumbo and taco soup, pony rides and more. Event organizers said the event was successful, and the rains held off until after the event.
For photo gallery from Art at the Farm, click here.
Pictured above and below: Art on the Farm was held Saturday in Walnut Hill. Photos by Seales Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore Dentist Found Dead From Gunshot Wound
November 21, 2009
The Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of Atmore dentist who was found dead from a gunshot wound in his home Saturday.
Dr. Thomas Alvin Rice, Jr., 54, was discovered dead at his residence in the 3600 block of Highway 31 in Nokomis late Saturday afternoon. Rice died from a gunshot wound, according to Escambia County (Ala.) Chief Deputy Mike Lambert. Officials are not currently saying if foul play is suspected in Rice’s death; they are awaiting autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile.
His death is still under investigation by the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department.
Dr. Rice was a 1982 graduate of the Unversity of Alabama. He has held an active dental license in Alabama since June of 1982, and has practiced dentistry at 111 East Ridgely Street in Atmore for a number of years.
Highway 97 Repaving To Begin After Thanksgiving Weekend
November 21, 2009
Work is set to begin the week after Thanksgiving on a $5 million resurfacing project on Highway 97 from Molino to Alabama that will take about 10 months to complete.
The entire 22.5 mile length of Highway 97 will be repaved from County Road 95 in Molino across Highway 29 to the Alabama state line. No major drainage changes are expected to the route’s 55 cross drains under the highway, with the exception of some possible changes near the intersection of Highway 97 and Crabtree Church Road. There will also be new and replacement guardrails installed along the state highway.
“They will probably start with some isolated drainage work,” according to Tanya Branton, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation. “There should not be any major lane closures in the first few days.”
Once work begins on the actual highway, work crews will restrict traffic to one lane through the work zone. Weather permitting, the project should be completed in September 2010.
“They will maintain accesses to businesses and residences during the process,” she Branton said.
Existing 12 foot wide travel lanes and five foot paved shoulders will be milled and resurfaced. This project does not include the four-laning of Highway 97. A four lane highway is not in any of the state’s current plans for Highway 97.
NorthEscambia.com will work with the Florida Department of Transportation and the contractor to keep you updated on the status of the project.
Pictured above: Highway 97 (running left to right in the photo) in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Learn About Home, Shopping Safety Today In Molino
November 21, 2009
The Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee is hosting a series of home and personal safety programs for North Escambia.
The first program will be at 9:00 this morning at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Highway 29 just south of Highway 97.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will present “Safety In the Home, Shopping Safety” and information on other basic safety issues. At the first meeting, Lt. Pat Spears will provide information specific to living in a rural area, as well as tips to stay safe when starting holiday shopping.
Future talks and workshops are planned around self defense and age-specific issues. For more information, contact the Molino Farm Bureau office at (850) 587-2135.
Middle, High School Girls Can Join Youth Volleyball
November 21, 2009
Middle and high school girls had the opportunity to learn about club and training volleyball at a Friday night meeting at Northview High School.
Northview’s volleyball coach, Betty Heaton, is looking to organize youth volleyball in the North Escambia area.
“The observation by coaches in the area is that there are girls that are interested in playing club volleyball, but that driving distances for club teams in Pensacola and Mobile have prohibited them from playing,” Heaton said. “We are interested in starting a club team and/or training team in the North Escambia Florida and surrounding Alabama areas.”
Club Volleyball is used to help players gain more experience playing volleyball. Club Volleyball will give players interested in developing their volleyball skills a chance to practice and play volleyball with a variety of coaches and teammates.
Training Team is a non-tournament club volleyball team. The goals would still be the same as a club volleyball team but they would not travel or play in tournaments. This would provide the players with the chance to practice and improve their skills.
To rdownload the information packet provided to interested girls Friday night, click here.
For more information, call or email Betty Heaton at bettie08@yahoo.com or (251) 253-0101 or Cheryl Bosley at Willy24@comcast.net (251) 591-0456.
Ernest Ward Gets New $50K Kitchen Hood
November 21, 2009
A new kitchen hood has been installed at Ernest Ward Middle School at a cost of $49,236.
The district awarded the $49,236 contact to low bidder Comfort Systems USA of Pensacola earlier this year. The project was completed on budget by the contractor.
Two other bids — $53,472 and $67,500 — were received on the lunchroom project.