Top Stories Of 2012

January 1, 2013

Here are our picks for the Top 12 Stories of 2012 on NorthEscambia.com:

12. Century’s Nativity

An atheist group attacked the Town of Century’s nativity scene — which had not actually been displayed in years. The town declared the nativity scene surplus property, Baby Jesus and all, and sold it to the highest bidder. With a $5 bid from the Faith Bible Baptist Church, a spot of property from Century Marine, power from Abundant Life Assembly of God and extension wiring from the Tabernacle Baptist Church, the nativity scene found a new home just across the street from the Century Town Hall and was back on display for the Christmas season.

11. Local Elections

The election year brought new faces — Steven Barry and Lumon May — to the Escambia County Commission and the same familiar faces re-elected to the Escambia County School Board. In neighboring Alabama, Dewey Bondurant was back in as Flomaton’s Mayor, while Jim Staff was named Atmore’s mayor, ending about two decades in office for Howard Shell who did not run again.

10. Local Crime

2012 was not without crime in North Escambia — including several high profile cases in the last months of the year. A Century convenience store was robbed at gunpoint, a person was stabbed at a Century bar and Century’s Pen Air Federal Credit Union was held up by a bandit claiming to have a gun. And in Davisville, the longtime owner of a lottery story was shot to death during a robbery attempt. Two were arrested, claiming they intended to rob the store of Spice.

9. Gulf Power Nuclear Plans

The future became uncertain for 2,728 acres of land near McDavid purchased by Gulf Power for a possible nuclear power plant. State regulators ruled in July that Gulf Power could not force customers to pay for the land in advance of plans for a nuclear power plant at the North Escambia site. It became  unclear whether Gulf Power will ever build a power plant — nuclear or otherwise on the site –  as the utility never took a key first step in the lengthy approval process — a step known as getting a “determination of need.” Also, officials said it would likely take at least a decade to get permits and build a nuclear plant.

8. West Nile

North Escambia residents became increasingly aware of those pesky mosquitoes during the warmer months of the year. A total of 13 people were diagnosed with West Nile Virus in Escambia County during 2012. One case was fatal.

7. New Ernest Ward Middle School

The Escambia County School Board signed off on a new state of the art, $16.5 million Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. An architect was hired to design the school, which will be built on the school’s existing campus in Walnut Hill. Construction could begin in 2013. Students will be on site during the construction of the new school. Once the new building is complete, most of the current building will be torn down, and portables and modular buildings  currently on the campus will be removed.

6.  Not So Quiet At the Library

Things were far from quiet at Escambia County’s libraries in 2012. With budget cutbacks at Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, both of which fund the libraries, the West Florida Library system became a very public budget battleground.  Hours were slashed at branches in the county, and threats were made to close the Century Branch Library and never open a planned branch in Molino. Library supporters and Escambia County fired back at Pensacola, with the county withholding funds to make sure county branches were open increased hours. In the end, most hours were restored, and the city and county took steps to look at new library funding methods and management in 2013.

5. Highway 29 Resurfacing

A $7.7 million project to resurface about 16 miles of Highway 29 from north of Champion Drive in McDavid to the Alabama state line in Century came to a conclusion in 2012.

4. Oil In Walnut Hill

In August, a train loaded with 69,000 barrels of crude oil worth about $6.5 million rolled into a new crude oil transfer station in Walnut Hill, the largest such facility in the United States. Genesis Rail Systems, LLC  has complete phase one of the facility on 20 acres that fronts Corley Road near Arthur Brown Road. The property was chosen because it is at the intersection of an existing crude oil pipeline and the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway. From the location, crude will flow primarily to a Shell facility near Saraland, Ala., and potentially to other refineries along the Gulf Coast. Back in June, an estimated 800 people stood in line for hours at the Walnut Hill Community Center in hopes of being hired for the oil transfer station.  About 15 were hired, with the payroll expected to increase to about 30 people. The positions pay from $16 to $20 per hour.

3. Molino Community Complex

The grand opening of the new Molino Community Complex was held in October. The project included the conversion of the old Molino School in to a library, community center and museum. There was also a new 7,000 square foot facility constructed for the tax collector and property appraiser. The project was funded by local option sales tax monies.

2. Navy Federal Buys 4-H Facility

The children and teens on the 4-H County Council voted to sell their 240 acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union. Navy Federal will pay $3.6 million for the property next to the credit union’s campus in Beulah, and the Escambia County Commission is constructing the new 4-H Center on Stefani Road with $1.5 million in local option sales tax funds. Navy Federal will use the property for expansions and promised new jobs.

1. All We Do Is Win, Win

The Northview Chiefs made history in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl, winning the first state football championship in the history of the school. It was the first state championship for an Escambia County school since 2009, and the first state championship of the new Class 1A Rural division.  Chiefs fan supported their team in huge fashion, with about 1,500 make the 500 mile road trip to Orlando to cheer on their team.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News