Molino: Worship The Newborn King
December 25, 2012
Highland Baptist Church in Molino recently presented the production “Worship The Newborn King.”
Pictured: Highland Baptist Church recently presented “Worship the Newborn King”. Courtesy photos by Sara Calhoun, click to enlarge.
FBC AWANA Celebrates Christmas
December 25, 2012
The AWANA Club at the First Baptist Church of Bratt recently held a “Happy Birthday Jesus” party with about 60 children and teachers taking part.
The children enjoyed a hot dog supper and a “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake, recreational activities and relays on brand new Scooter boards.
The AWANA Club, for ages 3 through the fifth grade, meets every Sunday in the First Baptist Church of Bratt’s Family Life Center from 5-7 p.m., learning about missions, memorizing scripture, learning Bible stories, earning awards and much more. The group is open to children from across the area.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Need Last Minute Gift Wrapping? The Tate Band Has You Covered
December 24, 2012
The Tate High School Showband of the South will be wrapping those last minute Christmas gifts today.
The band members will be at Walmart on Highway 29 in Ensley until 7 p.m. wrapping presents for donations.
Christmas Eve Shooting Under Investigation In Pace
December 24, 2012
A Christmas Eve shooting is under investigation in Pace.
About 6:30 Monday morning, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the shooting in the 4800 block of Pembrook Place. An adult male victim told deputies that he heard noises outside near his vehicle and went to investigate.
He encountered a male suspect wearing all black trying to burglarize his vehicle and a physical confrontation followed. A second suspect wearing all black joined the altercation.
One of the suspects pulled a gun, shooting in the victim in the left and his finger before both suspects fled. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Anyone with information concerning the identity of the suspects is asked to contact the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 983-1190, or call Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers at (850) 437-STOP.
Dense Fog Advisory; Stormy Christmas
December 24, 2012
A dense fog advisory is in effect until 4 am Tuesday for the entire North Escambia area. Severe storms are possible for Christmas Day. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Increasing clouds, with a low around 52. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Christmas Day: Showers and thunderstorms. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain. High near 71. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
- Tuesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a chance of showers. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain. Low around 46. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 55. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 36. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 57.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Christmas Holiday Closures, Trash Pickup Changes
December 24, 2012
For the Christmas holidays:
Escambia and Santa Rosa county offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
Century, Jay and Pensacola city offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
The Perdido Landfill will be open normal hours on Monday.
ECAT: — All service ends at 5 p.m. Monday.
ECUA – All residential routes for garbage, recycling and yard trash scheduled for Tuesday, December 25 will be made on Monday, December 24. Commercial (dumpster) customers scheduled for Tuesday will be picked up on Wednesday.
Track Santa Live
December 24, 2012
NorthEscambia.com is teaming up with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to track the progress of Santa Claus around the world.
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Christmas Gas Prices Down, Travel Forecast Higher
December 24, 2012
Christmas gas prices are down just pennies over last year, according to the latest numbers from AAA.
The average price per gallon of regular unleaded gas was $3.15 Sunday night in the Escambia County area, compared to $3.18 on year ago and an improvement from $3.28 on month ago.
AAA projects 93.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holidays, an increase of 1.6 percent over the 91.8 million people who traveled last year. This increase brings holiday travel figures to within half a million of the decade high mark seen during the 2006/2007 season. The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Saturday, Dec. 22 to Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013.
“The year-end holiday season remains the least volatile of all travel holidays as Americans will not let economic conditions or high gas prices dictate if they go home for the holidays or kick off the New Year with a vacation,” said AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet. “Primary economic indicators all show modest improvement from last year and AAA is projecting an increase in the number of Americans stuffing their stockings with airline tickets and hotel reservations.”
“As we enter the New Year, one unknown for travel is the looming ‘fiscal cliff’ and the resulting uncertainty related to near-term tax and benefit changes. Having these items unresolved complicates many travelers’ ability to develop an accurate household budget as they plan for future spending and saving decisions. It is important that Congress and the President work together to quickly resolve the situation for the good of the nation,” said Darbelnet.
Impact of gasoline prices on travel plans
AAA estimates the national average price of gasoline will slowly drop through the end of the year and average between $3.20-3.40 a gallon by New Year’s Day. Gas prices dropped about 50 cents a gallon on average from September through early December, but remain at record highs for this time of year. AAA does not expect gas prices to have a major impact on travel volume, but consumers could have more money to spend on holiday shopping, dining and entertainment if prices drop through December as expected.
Automobile travel remains dominant mode of transportation, air travel increases
Approximately 90 percent of travelers (84.4 million) plan to travel by automobile this holiday season. This is a 1.3 percent increase over the 83.3 million people who traveled by auto last year. Air travel is expected to increase 4.5 percent as six percent of travelers or 5.6 million will take to the skies.
Those traveling by air will find lower airfares according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index. For the year-end holiday period the average lowest round-trip rate is $203 for the top 40 U.S. air routes, a three percent decrease from last year. Approximately 3.3 million travelers will choose other modes of transportation, including rail, bus and cruise ship.
Pictured: A gas delivery at a station in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
New Legislative Hires Get Raises
December 24, 2012
A spokeswoman for Senate President Don Gaetz has confirmed a newspaper report that several top legislative staffers have gotten pay raises.
Most state workers have gone six years without a pay raise. But The Miami Herald reported that more than 60 top staff in the Legislature are now making more than $100,000 a year, and that the 17 highest paid legislative staffers all got raises.
Chris Clark, who was Gaetz’ top aide in his Senate office and now will be chief of staff in the president’s office, got a $77,000 raise and will now make $150,000 a year. House Speaker Will Weatherford’s chief of staff, Kathy Mears, will make $145,000. Gaetz also hired Lisa Vickers at $135,000 as an advisor, a $15,000 raise from when she was the director of the Department of Revenue.
By The News Service of Florida
For The Kids: Santa Talks About Tonight’s Visit To North Escambia Area
December 24, 2012
Tonight’s the big night for the jolly old elf, with Santa Claus expected to visit all the good little boys and girls in the North Escambia area tonight.
NorthEscambia.com spoke to Santa Claus by phone Sunday from the North Pole, and we learned that he has a long list of girls and boys to visit tonight in our area.
“There have been a lot of good boys and girls around North Escambia this year,” Santa Claus told us. “I’m going to be making a lot of deliveries. Let’s see…Molino, Century, Walnut Hill, Bratt, McDavid, Bogia, Christian Home, Davisville, Barinneau Park, Dogwood Park, Gandyville, Atmore, Flomaton, Cantonment, Byrneville, Cottage Hill…they are all on my list tonight.”
“The boys and girls at Bratt Elementary, Molino Park Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, Jim Allen, Ransom and Ernest Ward have been so good in school this year. Even most of the big kids at Northview have been good this year, plus they won that state championship” Santa said with a chuckle.
What kind of toys will Santa have in his sleigh this year? Most everything he said.
“Wii, Wii, Wii. Ho, Ho, Ho,” Santa said with a grin. “There will be a few of those on the sleigh. Lots of Xbox boxes. Star Wars toys, iPods, iPads, mp3 players, laptop computers, toy trucks and tractors, makeup and even a few clothes will be on the sleigh tonight. But, best of all, there will be a lot of surprises!”
Santa’s funniest request from North Escambia this year came from a lady in Cantonment. She asked for a rich husband.
“I won’t have any rich husbands on the sleigh tonight,” Santa Claus said. “I emailed her request over to Cupid. I think he might fix her up for Valentine’s Day.”
Santa said he won’t be able to bring everything that every boy and girl asked for this year, but he’ll do his best.
“Sometimes kids ask for things I just can’t bring to them,” Santa Claus said. “But I always try to surprise them with something I know they will enjoy. I know the boys and girls will enjoy Christmas morning.”
Santa spent a lot of time in North Escambia this year. From riding fire trucks around neighborhoods, to the ballpark in Molino, to the library in Century, to the parades all around, Santa said he enjoyed meeting all the boys and girls in person.
In our exclusive interview, Santa let NorthEscambia.com into a little secret. That red light you see blinking in the sky around here might not be a big radio tower. It might be Santa’s most famous reindeer of them all.
“I really enjoy visiting down there in the summer,” Santa Claus said. “I like to take the reindeer down there to enjoy the warm weather. I have a buddy in Walnut Hill. We fly down, and the reindeer get to run around the woods there in Walnut Hill. Then we head over to Bluff Springs and do a little fishing. I like to visit the diner in Molino for lunch, in a disguise of course, and then head up to Century and get some ice cream.”
The most important thing for all the children in North Escambia to remember tonight is to get to bed early. Santa said he expects to be in North Escambia pretty early this year.
NorthEscambia.com has teamed up with NORAD to track Santa all day. To see Santa’s latest location, click here.