Next Weekend’s Jay Peanut Festival To Draw Thousands, Start Tour
September 27, 2009
The 20th Annual Jay Peanut Festival next weekend will kick-off the sixth annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour of Santa Rosa County into high gear. The month-long self-guided driving tour of Santa Rosa County features more than two dozen events. Geared toward locals and tourists alike, the tour has become an annual Gulf Coast staple.
“Once Fall season starts settling in people get motivated to get out and about,” said Karen Harrell, tour coordinator. “This is a showcase series of events for Santa Rosa County. These events are family-friendly and inexpensive, back-to-basic type of activities.” Along with great activities, Harrell said October is a great time for a weekend vacation with water temperatures still warm enough to swim and area lodging rates for out-of-towners down up to 40 percent from summer’s high season.
The Jay Peanut Festival draws upwards to 70,000 people to the 15-acre Gabbert Farm each year who have a chance to sample all types of peanuts -– boiled, green, fried, candied and more.
Admission is free and all weekend long there will be arts, crafts, antique, new items, games, rides, rock climbing wall, pony and horse rides, wagon rides, train rides, buckboard rides, anvil shoot, and a grist mill. The farm’s popular museum is also open for tours.
While the Jay Peanut Festival is being staged in the north end of Santa Rosa County, the new Navarre Beach Marine Science Station will play host to the sixth annual Coastal Encounters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at October 3 at the Navarre Beach County Park.
The newest asset to the area, the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station also celebrates its Grand Opening. Budding marine scientists can learn about sharks, water safety, disaster preparedness and other local environmental issues will be included. And there will be opportunities to try kayaking and fishing. Arts and craft activities will include making sea turtle maracas; making a shark tooth necklace, fish painting, sand casting and more. One of the event’s most popular features is the touch tank, which allows kids and adults to handle creatures that are best left alone in the wild.
A new event is the Sweet Season Farms Corn Maze which is open weekends and daylight hours only in Milton through November 3. The maze features a Blue Angels-theme design. Owners Trent and Sharon Mathews and their children, Morgan and Lucas, have worked as a family to create a full day of fun in Milton that includes not only the maze but hayrides, a barrel train, a farm-themed playground, acorn cannon and a corn crib “sandbox.”
Another weekend highlight is the Riverwalk Run 5k sponsored by the City of Milton. The run winds through historic Bagdad, Downtown Milton and the beautiful Riverbank. The race features a rare 4 p.m. start time which gives people a chance to sleep in, if they choose.
Ongoing throughout the month are tours of the Jay Historical Museum and the Dragonfly Gallery’s “Sand to Sawdust” exhibit. An, Fall is always a popular time at Adventures Unlimited, popular destination for day and overnight visitors who enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking – and of course, roasting s’mores.
For event details visit www.thebeachestowoodlandstour.com or 800-480-SAND or (850) 939-8666.
Pictured above: Large crowds attended the annual Jay Peanut Festival last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Online Audio: Listen To Northview Vs. Bozeman Game
September 27, 2009
Northview Chiefs fans can now listen to entire Northview football games here on NorthEscambia.com — the new official voice of the Northview High School Chiefs.
Join us each Sunday for a complete game playback from the Northview Chiefs. You will be able to listen to each game online, or even download the game to your MP3 player and take it with you.
The audio from Friday night’s game against Bozeman should play automatically on this page. If it does not, click the play icon below.
To download the entire game (MP3 format) for your iPod or other MP3 player, click here.
NorthEscambia.com needs sponsors to make this broadcast possible each week. Email news@northescambia.com for more information.
Due to some technical difficulties in Panama City, the first few minutes of Friday night’s game are not included in the broadcast. The final few minutes were not recorded as well, but the final score had already been reached. The missed portion is mostly Northview running out the clock.
In order to listen online, do not close this page or window. You can continue surfing the net while you listen by opening a new browser window. You can pause the audio or change the volume using the controls below the photo.
[mp3 autostart="true" repeat="true"]http://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/bozemanair.mp3[/mp3]
This audio file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited.
© 2009 NorthEscambia.com
Photo Gallery: NHS Beats Bozeman
September 27, 2009
The Northview Chiefs hit the road to Panama City Friday night, coming back home with a 22-19 win over Deane Bozeman High School. The Chiefs improved to 2-1, 1-1 in Class 2A District 1.
For a photo gallery from the Northview win over Bozeman, click here.
Pictured above and below: Action from Friday night’s Northview 22-19 win over Bozeman. Submitted photos by Brenda Garrett for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Download Northview Vs. Bozeman
September 27, 2009
To download the MP3 audio from the September 25 Northview High School game against Bozeman, click here.
Note that this is a 21 MB MP3 file. The file will take almost one hour to download on a dialup internet connection. On cable, satellite, DSL and high speed wireless connections, the file will download in just minutes. This file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited. © 2009 NorthEscambia.com
Reunion Next Weekend For 1985-1995 Ernest Ward Graduates
September 27, 2009
Ernest Ward High School alumni who graduated from 1985 to 1995 will have the chance to see old friends at a combined class reunion coming up next weekend.
The reunion will being Friday night at the Northview High School Homecoming game. Organizers are planning to have an area for alumni to sit together to enjoy the game.
On Saturday, participants are invited to family-friendly lunch at the Walnut Hill Community Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring lunch and drinks for their family.
Saturday evening there will be an adults-only event at McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola from 7 p.m. until. There is a charge of $20 per person for the evening event, which will cover non-alcoholic drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Organizers want to stress this combined class reunion event is not taking the place of the Class of 1989 reunion that is happening the weekend of October 10 at Wind Creek in Atmore.
Contact Tina Nabors at (334) 394-5437 or via email at hnabors@aum.edu for more information or for a reservation to attend the event at McGuire’s. Reservation requests must be made by October 1.
Photo Gallery: Flomaton Hurricanes Beat Central-Hayneville
September 27, 2009
There was a Category 5 hurricane in Flomaton Friday night, as the ‘Canes blew past Central-Hayneville 60-14.
For more photos, click here for a gallery and then visit mikenewtonphotography.zenfolilo.com.
The Hurricanes were coming off a loss last week to number one Leroy, and they were not going to be stopped this Friday night.
Ryheem Dixon stormed in from 12 yards out to put the Hurricanes on the board early 7-0. An impressive Jacob Newton fake and toss to Ta Ta Ellis put the Hurricanes up 14-0. Then the Cane’s were up 21-0 with a 70 yard punt return by Civonta Mitchell. And they were just getting started.
Wesley Steadham was in on touchdown runs of 62 and 10 yards. In all, he had just three carries for 114 total yards. He was out-distanced by James Jackson on eight carries, including an 11-yard TD.
Other touchdowns included A.J. Odom with a 17-yarder and a four-yard run from Shay Gipson.
Overall, the Hurricanes picked up 237 yards on the ground Friday night against Central.
The Flomaton Hurricanes will be on the road next week against Mobile Christian.
For more photos, click here for a gallery and then visit mikenewtonphotography.zenfolilo.com.
Pictured: Wesley Steadham gains yardage for the Hurricanes Friday night against Central-Hayneville. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Student Hit By Car On Highway 29 Upgraded To Stable Condition
September 27, 2009
A Tate High School student remains has been upgraded to stable condition after being hit by a car while trying to cross Highway 29 in Cantonment Friday night.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Tyler J. Spear, 15, of Cantonment, was critically injured when he was hit by a 1997 Honda Accord driven by Robbin Gerich, 42, of Molino. Gerich was not injured in the crash. Her passenger, Lawrence C. Gerich, 35, of Molino, received minor injuries in the crash, according to the FHP report.
The accident happened at 9:05 p.m. when Spear was attempting to cross Highway 29 near North Tate School Road near the Winn Dixie grocery store. The front of Gerich’s vehicle struck Spear, forcing him over the hood and into the windshield of the Honda, according to the FHP report.
Spear came to rest in the southbound lane of Highway 29. He was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition.
Charges are pending in the accident, and the crash was not alcohol related, according to the FHP.
According to the FHP, Spear was wearing all-dark clothing at the time of the accident and was crossing the roadway in an area without artificial lighting.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the call. The southbound lanes of Highway 29 were closed for over an hour following the accident.
Church To Hold McDavid Fire Department Appreciation Day
September 26, 2009
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department will be honored for 25 plus years of service Sunday morning during a special service at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia.
The second annual appreciation service will be held at 11 a.m., and lunch will be served afterwards in the church fellowship hall. The public is invited to attend and express their appreciation for the service the volunteers provide to McDavid and surrounding communities.
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated in 1982 with a 1962 firetruck on loan from the Florida Division of Forestry. They purchased a 1948 Ford firetruck in 1983. The station was constructed on land purchased from what was then St. Regis Paper Company in 1984. Many more modern trucks and pieces of equipment were purchased over the years.
Looking For Good Food And Family Fun? Seafood Festival Has It All
September 26, 2009
There will be plenty of good tastes and good fun today during the 32nd annual Pensacola Seafood Festival in historic Seville Square.
The Pensacola Seafood Festival has been consistently recognized as one of the Top 20 festivals in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. It features a variety of delicious seafood dishes and other festival fare. Some highlights of this year’s menu include southern style crab cakes, gator bites, blackened mahi mahi, bang bang shrimp, fried crawfish pistolettes, shrimp creole, boudin balls, and shark on a stick.
The festival will showcase more than 180 arts and crafts vendors who travel from around the country to participate in the festival. The artisans and craftsmen are handpicked for originality and offer one of a kind items in almost every medium – pottery, jewelry, mixed media, weavings and much more.
The Pensacola Seafood Festival features some of the area’s best bands and promotes great family entertainment. The entertainment stage is in beautiful Fountain Park at the south end of Seville Square.
The festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m on Sunday.
Today: Molino Rummage Sale To Benefit Relay For Life
September 26, 2009
A Relay for Life Rummage Sale is going on this morning in Molino.
The sale is at Aldersgate United Methodist Church near the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97. All proceeds and donations will go towards Aldersgate’s 2010 Relay for Life team goal to benefit the American Cancer Society.