Ransom Gifted Students Hosting Chick-fil-A Spirit Night
December 12, 2013
Ransom Middle School’s eighth grade gifted students will be hosting a Chick-fil-A spirit night from 5:00-8:00 p.m. tonight at the Nine Mile Road store location.
The proceeds from the patrons dining-in or going through drive-thru will be donated to the “Toys for Tots” program. This is the third year for this event and the school would like to make it even better this year.
Anyone interested in helping out can drop toys or donations off at Chick-fil-A tonight night or go to Ransom Middle before December 18, 2013. For more information, contact Lori Johnson, Gifted Language Arts 6-8 at Ransom Middle School, at (850) 937-2220.
Christmas Parade Tonight In Century
December 12, 2013
For the first time in several years, a Christmas parade will roll through Century this evening.
The parade will line-up beginning at 4 p.m. on Front Street and will begin at 5 p.m. The route will go from Front Street to Jefferson Avenue, turn onto Pond Street, cross Highway 29 to West Pond and turn onto Highway 4 to Lake Stone.
Additional festivities will take place at Lake Stone with Christmas Carols, lighted floats on the lake and Santa Claus. BBQ sack dinners will be available for a $5 donation, the Lions Club will offer hot chocolate and cookies and the Century Lodge will have homemade fried pork skins.
For more information, call the Century Chamber of Commerce at (850) 256-3155. For a list of other area Christmas parades, click here.
Editor’s note: Portions of the parade route are unlit and very dark, especially West Highway 4 from Industrial Drive to Lake Stone where there are few, or even no, street lights.
Beer Can ‘Festivus’ Pole Now Stands In Florida’s Capitol
December 12, 2013
Festivus, the sitcom-created holiday,” went on display Wednesday in the first floor of the Florida Capitol through a state-approved pole comprised of beer cans. South Florida political blogger Chaz Stevens delivered his 6-foot-tall “Festivus” pole — made of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans.
The pole is a not-so-subtle protest to a Christian nativity scene that was put up December 3 by the Florida Prayer Network. Stevens, an atheist and member of the American Civil Liberties Union, wants to make a political statement on the need for the separation of church and state.
“When I asked to put this up, I hoped that I could make a circus out of this whole thing, to make it ridiculous,” Stevens said. “It’s six feet of beer cans … the government doesn’t belong here.”
Festivus, celebrated Dec. 23, is a “holiday” created for the TV sitcom “Seinfeld” as a non-commercial festival “for the rest of us” in the Christmas and year-end holiday season. A symbol of the holiday is an unadorned aluminum pole.
Pam Olsen, president of the Florida Prayer Network, attended the non-ceremonial standing of the pole Wednesday morning. “I’m not shaking and my God’s not afraid either,” said Olsen, who had a brief exchange with Stevens. “We’re all in the Capitol exercising our freedom of religion.”
The pole stands next to a banner from the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. The state Department of Management Services, which oversees displays in the Capitol, continued Wednesday to review additional requests for seasonal banner space in the Capitol’s entry rotunda. Those requests were by the American Atheists Florida Regional Directors, the Tallahassee Atheists and the Satanic Temple of Tallahassee.
The Festivus pole is approved for display until January 3.
‘American Pickers’ Coming To North Escambia Area
December 12, 2013
The American Pickers from the History Channel are coming to the North Escambia – Pensacola area in January and they are looking for people with barns, warehouses, buildings full of odd, unique, and interesting collections. They also love to explore the history of the locations tied to the items.
Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, are longtime “pickers” or as they call themselves “modern archaeologists”. They drive the back roads of America knocking on doors, digging through barns and basements, and sifting through junkyards and warehouses. The dirty, rusty treasures and antiques they pull out of these places are not just given a new life; they’re saved for future generations to appreciate. Along the way the guys meet the amazing people and interesting places that make America great.
A list of wanted items the American Pickers sent NorthEscambia.com is below. They are looking for the items in Florida only.
Police Investigate Double Shooting
December 12, 2013
Police are investigating a double shooting that occurred Tuesday night.
The incident occurred around 10:45 p.m. at 711 Underwood Avenue. Upon arrival, Pensacola Police officers found an 18-year-old male in a parking lot with a gunshot wound near his left elbow and a bullet hole in his pants near his right hip.
The male told police he was randomly shot while walking through the apartment complex. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The second male also was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a gunshot to his buttocks.
While a motive for the incident remains under investigation, investigators say it may have been drug related.
Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Ricky Chewning
December 12, 2013
Ricky Chewning, 47, was born in Pensacola on October 15, 1966. He was the son of Rev. Roy and Marilyn Chewning. Even though Ricky was born with Downs Syndrome he worked at ARC Jackson County potting plants. He attended Hope School in Marianna. Ricky moved into the Emily Hill group home in Marianna at the age of nine. After Mrs. Hill passed away, he and the other boys moved to the Melody Smith M.J. Group Home in Marianna. Ricky was a resident at Southern Oaks in Pensacola a week before his death. Ricky was an avid fan of Florida State University.
He was predeceased by his mother, Marilyn Whitney and his group home mama, Emily Hill.
He is survived by his father, Roy (Connie) Chewning; two sisters, Karen (Larry) Mallory and Kathy (Lamar) Resmondo; step-sister, Deborah (Mark) Rittiner; two step-brothers, Doug Rhodes and Sean (Tara) Rhodes; and nieces, nephews, several aunts, uncles and many friends.
The family expresses thanks to the aids and families of the Hill Group Home and Smith Home, as well as the nurses at Southern Oaks. Thanks also to Covenant Hospice in Marianna and Pensacola.
Active pallbearers are the minister’s assistants at Gonzalez Baptist Church, Frank Hansford, J.D. Day, Cecil Jernigan, Floyd Coleman, Tom Norris and Roland Oswald.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be may be made to the Gonzalez Baptist Church for the AWANA program or the Step By Step Children’s Enrichment Center.
The funeral service will be conducted from the chapel of Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, Friday, December 13, 2013, at 10 a.m. with Rev. Marshall Barrentine officiating.
Interment will follow in Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Your Photos: Santa Visits Friendship Kids
December 12, 2013
Santa Claus visited with the children of the Friendship Learning Lodge on Wednesday.
Have a Christmas photo to share? Email news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Kendra L. White
December 12, 2013
Kendra L. White age 26 of Jay, and formerly of Abilene, Texas, passed away on December 11, 2013. Kendra was very creative and had a kind heart. She loved her children and family unconditionally. Kendra was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend to those that knew and loved her. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her devoted husband, Daniel White; children, Libby Jean White and Hudson Drake White; mother, Linda (Billy) Griggs of Abilene; father, Tommy (Lori) Frymire of Abilene; two sisters, Kelli Sullivan of Tennessee and Abby Frymire of Abilene; three brothers, Chad (Monica) Frymire of Abilene, Jonas Griggs of Dallas, Texas and Justin (Misty) Griggs of San Angelo; grandparents, Jack (Betty) Carlson of New Mexico; special friends, Amanda Jessup Summit and Jessica Turner; mother-in-law, Pamela (Michael) Ivey; father-in-law, Robert (Robin) White; grandparents-in-law, Ben (Faye) Hudson; brothers-in-law, Nathan White and Ryan Ivey; sisters-in-law, Tarrah White, Jessica Ivey, and Tiana Ivey and other extended family and friends.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2013, from 6p.m. until 9 p.m. at Jay Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 16, 2013, at 11 a.m. at Jay Funeral Home with Brother Frederick Barrow officiating services.
Burial will follow at Berrydale Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Derek Smith, Nathan White, Jeffrey Bauldree, J.B. Hudson, Mason Hudson, and Miles Zimmerman.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Florida Moves Toward Electronic Proof Of Insurance For Motorists
December 11, 2013
Motorists might soon be able to use their cell phones or other electronic devices to show proof of insurance when they are pulled over by police.
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet — Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam — approved without comment a request Tuesday from the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to allow people to display electronic copies of their motor-vehicle insurance through cell phones, tablets or other electronic devices.
The use of electronic copies is in state law, but the department’s administrative rule currently requires motorists to carry “3 1/2 inches × 2 1/4 inches” identification cards that list personal-injury protection benefits and property-damage liability insurance providers and policy numbers, along with the vehicle year, make and vehicle-identification number. The rule has been on the books since 1989.
Pedestrian Critical After Being Hit By Car
December 11, 2013
A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a car Tuesday night on Davis Highway south of Northcross Lane.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 52-year old Jeffery Kucinski of Pensacola was attempting to cross Davis Highway about 6:55 p.m. when he walked into the path of a 2002 Cadillac driven by 66-year old Christina Smith of Gulf Breeze.
After being hit by the vehicle, Kucinski was thrown forward about 60 feet. He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition.
Smith was not charged.