Back To School: Lunch Menus

August 21, 2011

Here are the elementary lunch menus for the first week of school in Escambia County:

(As of Sunday, the school district had not yet made the middle and high school menus available.)

Elementary

Monday, Aug 22

Poptart
Cheese Wedge
Mixed Fruit

Orange Chicken w/Sticky Rice
Pepperoni Pizza
Fresh Fruit
Peaches
Broccoli
Garden Salad

Tuesday, Aug 23

Cinnamon Toast
Sausage Patty
Mandarin Oranges
Chicken Alfredo

Hotdog
Chef Salad w/ Crackers
Fresh Fruit
Pineapple
Carrots
Roll

Wednesday, Aug 24

Breakfast Pizza
Pears

Fried Chicken
Country Fried Steak
Fresh Fruit
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Garden Salad
Cornbread

Thursday, Aug 25

Chicken Biscuit
Applesauce

Taco Salad
Cheeseburger
Fresh Fruit
Fruit Juice Slush
Corn

Friday, Aug 26

Waffle
Sausage Links
Peaches

Chili Fiesta Stix
Grilled Cheese
Sandwich
Fresh Fruit
Mixed fruit
Green Peas
Garden Salad

Elise Scott Crook

August 21, 2011

Elise Scott Crook, 92 of Fairhope, Al formally of Atmore, Al died Friday August 19, 2011, in Daphne.

She was a retired school teacher. She was born in Cedar Hill, Alabama, on January 27, 1919, to the late George English and Elizabeth Lee Morrissette Scott.

She was the president of the Atmore Red Cross chapter, past president of the United Methodist Women’s, member of the DAR Society, an Atmore Citizens of the Year, and was active member of Alabama Women’s Dental Auxiliary.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Samuel F. Crook and A son Samuel F. Crook, Jr.

She is survived by two sons, Charles Crook and wife, Cindy of Culpepper, VA and Fred Crook and wife, Karen of Fairhope; two brothers, Charlie Scott and wife, Leah, Gorin Scott and wife, Joyce all of Uriah; one sister, Blanche Binford of San Antonio, TX; five grandchildren, Alison C. Hulsey, Elizabeth C. Dickinson, C.J.Crook, Carrie Crook, and Rachael Crook.

Funeral services will be Monday August 22, 2011, at 11 a.m. from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jim Reece, Rev. Tim Trent, and Rev. Diane Everette officiating.

Interment will follow in Oak Hill cemetery.

Active Pallbearers are, Fred Crook, Charles Crook, C.J. Crook, Charles Scott, George Alford, George Scott and Rob Scott.

Family will receive friends, Sunday, August 21, 2011, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore in charge of all arrangements.

Driskells Celebrate 50th

August 21, 2011

Gene and Liley (Jernigan) Driskell recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with dinner and cake with family. Their family surprised them with a cruise to Mexico.

The Driskell’s were married on August 4, 1961, in Flomaton. During their life together they have enjoyed taking motorcycle trips alone and with friends. They also enjoyed having a houseboat on the Alabama river.

Gene was a meat cutter. Liley was a sewing machine operator at Vanity Fair. In 1976, they opened Driskell’s Grocery in Byrneville. They retired after 32 years of operating the store.

They are the proud parents of Lynette Brock and husband Kevin of Pace, and Allen Driskell and wife Michelle of Byrneville. They have three grandchildren, Jessica Johnson and husband Jeremy, Drake Allen Driskell, and Maddie Mae Driskell. The also have one great grandchild, Kayla Nicole Johnson.

Gene and Liley’s Parents were Allen and Lena (Emmons) Driskell and Lawrence and Nettie (Blanton) Jernigan.

Back To School: School Start Times

August 21, 2011

School start and end times are the same this year at Escambia County Schools.

  • Elementary: The earliest drop time for students will be 7:20. School will begin at 7:45 and will dismiss at 2:00. The North Escambia area elementary schools — Bratt, Byrneville, Molino Park and Jim Allen — will all follow this schedule. The 7:45 to 2:00 day is the standard elementary day in Escambia County. On early release days, students will be dismissed at 11:00.
  • Middle School: Ernest Ward will begin the school day at 9:05 and dismiss at 3:45. The earliest students can be dropped off at school will be 8:55.  Ransom Middle School, will follow the standard 9:20 to 4:00 school day with  drop off time of 9:05.  On early release days, Ernest Ward will dismiss at 12:35 while Ransom will dismiss at 12:50.
  • High School: Northview High School will have an 8:30 drop time, and an 8:45 to 3:20 school day. Early release time will be 12:10. Tate High School will have an 8:30 to 3:05 day. Morning drop time will be 8:15. Early release time for Tate will be 12:00.
  • For a detailed list of start and dismissal times for all Escambia District Schools, click here (pdf).

Back To School: Lunch Prices, Free And Reduced Guidelines

August 21, 2011

There’s a little good news for parents sending their children back to school Monday in Escambia County — school lunch and breakfast prices are the same as they were last year.

And there’s no need to worry about cash or checks — pay online at mealpayplus.com.

Escambia Breakfast And Lunch Prices

  • Elementary Breakfast: $1, full; $0.30, reduced; $1.80, adult.
  • Elementary Lunch: $2, full; $0.40, reduced; $3, adult.
  • Middle/High Breakfast: $1.50, full; $0.30, reduced; $1.80, adult.
  • Middle/High Lunch: $2.50, full; $0.40, reduced; $3, adult.
  • Extra Mile (Elementary): $0.50

Free And Reduced Price Meals

Applications will be sent home with students during the first week of school, or apply online.

To view the income guidelines for the free and reduced price meal program, click here.

Antoinette Alesci Perkins

August 21, 2011

Antoinette Alesci Perkins, age 85, of Cantonment,  passed away Wednesday, August 17, 2011. She was born August 26, 192,  in Messina Sicily, Italy to Antonio and Maria Alesci. She was raised in Oswego, New York. She resided in Cantonment for 50 years. Mrs. Perkins was a devoted member of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. She was a member of various organizations including St. Jude Alter Society, Legion of Mary, and Diocese of Catholic Women.

Preceding her in death was her husband of more than 61 years, Avery W. “Smokey” Perkins, Jr.; her sister; Francis Baker; her identical twin Mayme Bradshaw and her brother Lucian Alesci.

She is survived by her two children; Kathi (Michael) Guy and Bill (Shelly) Perkins; eight grandchildren; Jeremy, Mary, Lora and Carolyn Guy, Matthew, Ashley, Caitlin and Daniel Perkins, three great grandchildren; Ashley, Begonia and Tony; her brother; Frank (Muriel) Alesci; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2011, at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church with Monsignor Raymond Mullins officiating. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment from 5-6p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 2011, with a rosary at 4:00 p.m.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Donna Judson and her staff.

Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.

Fallen Marine’s Family: He Was Our Hero

August 20, 2011

Their world was shattered about noon Thursday at the Nelson home in Bratt as three men in military uniforms stood at the door.

“I just screamed and said no,” Beckie said Friday, just over 24 hours after she learned that her son, LCpl Travis Nelson, was shot and killed while conducting combat operations in in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  “I just went to my knees and said don’t let them come  in. I knew right away that he was gone.”

Late Friday afternoon, Beckie  sat holding a framed 5×7 photo of Travis. She has held onto the photo practically every moment since Thursday afternoon.

“He will always be our hero,” Scott Nelson said of their son.

Travis Nelson’s first love in his young life was fishing. At four years old, he would spend hours with relatives fishing on the Escambia River. No matter how old he got, he never gave up the love for a fishing pole and hook.

“He did not go to the beach to swim or watch the girls in their bathing suits,” Beckie said. “He loved to fish.”

He also loved playing baseball at Northwest Escambia’s Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill. “He couldn’t tie his shoes; he would trip on his shoelaces. But he sure could hit those home runs,” she said with a smile.

The Nelsons knew  that Travis wanted a career in the military from a young age, and they supported him.  At 14, he joined the Young Marines of Pensacola.

“We talked it out for hours, Scott said. “He wanted to serve his country. I was so proud that he had a direction in his life.”

Beckie Nelson, who served in the Navy, also supported Travis’ decision to join the Marines, but she encouraged him to go into avionics, not the infantry.

“I knew he would be safer in a plane than he would with a gun in his hand,” Beckie said.

“But he would not have it that way. He would tell me that it did not always have to be somebody else serving in the infantry. He was not scared.”

Travis Nelson was set to marry Madeline Cates upon his return from Afghanistan. She moved to Bratt after he shipped out overseas, sleeping in his room. It made her feel closer to him.

The family last saw Travis on July 13 as he deployed for Afghanistan. Their last phone conversation was Monday as he requested items for a care package. That package still sits by the front door. It never made it to the mail.

Now the Nelsons, and Cates, await the return of Travis’ body from Afghanistan. His remains are scheduled to arrive at an Atmore funeral home mid-week. In the meantime, they work to comfort each other amongst family and friends.

And they’ve found great solace in the words of the community and complete strangers.

Beckie sat Friday afternoon in the middle her bed with a laptop, reading the scores of reader comments on a NorthEscambia.com story about Travis Nelson’s death.

“The support has been tremendous,” she said. “We want to thank everyone for their comments. When you read what they have say, especially the comments from complete strangers around the country, you know that what Travis did in 19 years was more than some people do in a lifetime.”

“He really was our hero.”

For an earlier story about the death of Travis Nelson and to read the comments mentioned in this story, click here.

Pictured: Scott and Beckie Nelson hold a photo of their fallen son, LCpl Travis Nelson, who died Thursday while serving in Afghanistan.  NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

County Worker Dies After Being Trapped In Ditch Under Mower

August 20, 2011

An Escambia County worker died Friday as the result of injuries he received when he was trapped last month in a deep ditch under an overturned mower.

Jerry W. Milam passed away at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. He was mowing high grass and weeds on the shoulder of Olive Road about 9 a.m July 26 when he did not see a ditch. The mower fell about 15 feet into the ditch, struck a culvert and trapped the 64-year old underneath for about four hours.

A pedestrian discovered the accident  several hours after Milam became trapped. It took rescue workers several minutes to free Milam from the ditch.

Arnold Found Guilty Of Murdering Pregnant Woman, Baby

August 20, 2011

A Cantonment man was found guilty Friday in the stabbing death of a pregnant Cantonment woman and her baby last summer, despite claims that the murders were self defense.

Phillip Arnold, 66, took the stand Friday, continuing to claim that he acted in self defense. He showed no emotion as the jury verdict was read — guilty of second degree murder for the death of Angela Brown, and first degree murder for the death of her baby. He will be sentenced on September 15.

“Yea, my name is Phillip Arnold. I did some stabbing up here on what’s the name of this road?…Stacey Road. “Tell police to come pick me up,” Arnold said in a 911 call on July 5, 2010.

Arnold claimed Brown had picked up knife and he stabbed her before she could stab him.

The state argued that Arnold planned the murder, saying that a witness claimed Arnold has stated that he was going to kill someone just before the murder. But the defense said the statement was just talk.

After the stabbing, Brown’s child was delivered in an emergency c-section and lived for seven hours later. The baby’s father said on the stand Thursday that Brown was six months pregnant, but defense attorneys said that was not the case and  that the baby could not have survived on its own.

Pictured top: Double murder suspect Phillip Arnold took the stand in his own defense Friday. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Back To School: Meet The Teacher

August 20, 2011

Bratt Elementary School students had an opportunity to meet their teacher and drop off supplies Friday morning. School will begin bright and early Monday morning, August 22.

Pictured above: Students drop off supplies during the Meet the Teacher event at Bratt Elementary School Friday morning. Pictured inset: Third grader Audrey Odom met her new teacher, Lisa Albritton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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