New Book Offers Glimpse Into Local Church Histories
May 20, 2013
A newly transcribed book offers a glimpse into local history through the documents of local Methodist churches during the 1800’s. “Methodist Episcopal Church South, Pollard Circuit (Revised to Powelton Circuit) 1878-1897″ was transcribed by Jacqueline Freisinger of Molino.
It is the ledger of the many circuit riders in the Powelton Circuit during that time period. Powelton was in the vicinity of the Gonzalez area on the west side of Highway 29. The Methodist movement in that area came out of the large campground and meetings held there where Lathram Church in Escambia County and Clearsprings Church in Baldwin County were organized.
The book includes information about church memberships, infant and adult baptisms, marriages, and deaths.
The Methodist churches listed are Byrneville, Canoe Station, Clearsprings, Crabtree’s, Ferry Pass, Lathram’s Chapel, Muscogee (Marvin), Myrtle Grove, Oak Grove, Pollard, Powelton (Shephard’s), Rehobeth (Hendrix), and Walnut Hill.
The book sells for $20 and includes a copy of the ledger. For more information, contact Freisinger at (850) 587-2247 or email jacque12162@frontier.com.
Registration Set For Atmore Swimming, Tennis Lessons
May 20, 2013
Swimming and tennis lesson registration Swimming/tennis lessons registration at Tom Byrne Park in Atmore will be held Tuesday, May 28 from 5-6 p.m. at the park pool for Session I. Registration will remain open until classes are filled.
Session I will be June 3 – June 21 (registration May 28), Session II will be June 24 – July 12 (registration June 10) and Session III will be July 15 – August 2 (registration July 8). The registration will be for the morning and evening classes each registration date.
The morning classes are one hour group classes held Monday through Friday from 9-10 and 10-11 with the evening classes being one-on-one held on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:20 – 5:50, 5:50 – 6:20 and 6:20 – 6:50. Tennis lessons are held from 9-10 a.m. Monday through Friday.
The cost is $35.00 per class per student. Call (251) 368-2322 for additional information until the pool opens on May 28th. After May 28, call the pool phone at (251) 368-8280.
The Atmore City Pool at Tom Byrne Park will open for summer on Tuesday, May 28 at 2 p.m.
Tate’s Chris Shelby Signs With Huntington College
May 20, 2013
Tate High School senior Chris Shelby has signed a football scholarship to play at Huntington College in Montgomery. Pictured are (bottom, L-R) Kenneth Shelby, Chris Shelby, Tami Shelby, Caleb Shelby (top, L-R) Dean David Venettozzi and Principal Rick Shackle,. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Reverend Robert H. Porter, Jr.
May 20, 2013
Brother Porter finished his fight and entered into glory on Friday, May 17, 2013, from his home in Dogwood Park in Molino. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Henry Porter, Sr. and Margaret Mitchem Porter; his sister, Myrtle Young and a very dear daughter-in-law, Brenda Porter.
He is survived by his faithful and loving wife of 67 years, Daisy Marie Seals Porter; four sons, Bobby (Earlene) Porter, Bert Porter, Ben (Donna) Porter, and Bernard Porter; two daughters, Betty (Larry) Houck, and Bonnie (Ron) Carnley; one sister, Essie Willis; and also left to cherish his memory are his 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, all of whom he loved dearly.
Brother Porter was founder and former pastor of the Farm Hill Holiness Church for 43 years. His ministry touched the lives of thousands. His faithful and loving congregation will miss Brother Porter. The Porter family wishes to express appreciation to the Farm Hill congregation for their love and support during our father’s declining health.
The family also wishes to express a special thank you to a special family friend, Susie Conners, for her faithful service to the Porter family. Also, a very special thank you to Regency Hospice nurse, Lynette Spanganberg, for her compassionate care of dad during these last six months.
Funeral services will be held at Farm Hill Holiness Church on Madrid Road in Cantonment on Tuesday, May 21 at 10 a.m., with Pastor Donice Bowman and Pastor Clyde Hughes officiating. Brother Porter will lie in state in the church sanctuary prior to service.
Burial services will follow at Morgan Cemetery located on Highway 29 north of Molino.
Pallbearers will be Craig Kast, Brian Porter, Dayton Porter, Dillon Vardeman, Stanley Carnley and Roger Emmons.
Honorary pallbearers are all members of the Farm Hill Holiness Church.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Rex A. Walker
May 20, 2013
Mr. Rex A. Walker, 52 of Atmore, passed away Sunday, May 19, 2013, in Pensacola. He was born in Ozark, AL on October 1, 1960, to the late Elvin Richmond and Willie Dean Brown Walker. He was a carpenter most of his life. He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Johnny Walker and sister, Willie Pearl Reeves.
He is survived by his wife, Angel Pugh of Atmore; two daughters, Miranda Walker of Montgomery, AL and Betty Nichole Walker of Gordon, AL; two sons, Aaron Morris and Edward Powell both of Atmore; brothers, Wayne Walker, William Walker, Sr. and Gerald Walker all of Ozark, AL; and his grandchildren, Alyssa-Ann, Alexis, Jeremyah and “Dubby”.
A Memorial Service will be handled by the family at a later date.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mobile Beats Wahoos In 11
May 20, 2013
The Mobile BayBears offense awakened late in Sunday’s contest, tying the game in the ninth before winning it with three runs in the 11th inning, 6-3, over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Mobile’s Jon Griffin proved to be the difference in the contest, providing the game-tying single to right in the ninth inning before smacking a two-run base knock up the middle in the 11th. The BayBears added two more tallies in the 11th on a wild pitch scoring Griffin and an RBI single from Rossmel Perez.
The BayBear comeback nullified an outstanding outing from Daniel Renken. He made his first relief appearance since 2010 due to Manny Parra’s Major League rehab start. Renken was phenomenal in six-plus innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four. Parra faced the minimum in two innings, walking one and striking out one.
Pensacola got on the board early with a first-pitch leadoff home run from Bryson Smith in the first inning. It was Smith’s fifth blast of the year, tying him for the team lead with now Major Leaguer Donald Lutz.
After Mobile tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Wahoos retook the lead in the last of the fourth on a sac fly from Tucker Barnhart scoring Ryan LaMarre, but lost another runner at the plate as Travis Mattair was thrown out from left field trying to score on David Vidal’s single with two outs.
The series continues on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. Josh Smith (3-3, 3.86) will start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Michael Bolsinger (2-0, 3.63)
story by Kevin Burke
Photos by Gary McCracken, click to enlarge.
Body Of Missing Autistic Boy Found
May 19, 2013
The body of a missing 7-year old autistic boy was located in the water off Perdido Key Sunday afternoon.
“A citizen in Perdido Key observed him in the water washing toward shore. An immediate response has determined that he succumbed to drowning. There are no indications of foul play; however the standard investigative and medical examiners protocols will apply,” Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said. “We ask for the community and nation’s prayers for this family in mourning and our thanks are again extended to all law enforcement, military, state and federal agencies as well as the hundreds of volunteers who responded to Owen’s call.”
Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of volunteers joined multiple law enforcement agencies and search and rescue teams on Perdido Key looking for Owen Elliot Black.
He was last seen Friday afternoon on Perdido Key Drive in the vicinity of the Needle Rush condos. Black was on vacation with his mother, but wandered away on his own. Authorities had hoped that Black was simply hiding, avoiding strangers like he was taught.
Saturday’s major search ended at dark, but a small group searched into the night, riding through neighborhoods and with flashlights. The full scale land, air and sea search began again at daybreak Sunday.
Pictured below: Escambia Search and Rescue K-9 “Neko” searches from boat near Perdido Key. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Forecast: Bumping Into 90
May 19, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: Patchy dense fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night: Patchy dense fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light southeast wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Northview Splits Two Spring Jamboree Games (With Photo Gallery)
May 19, 2013
The Florida 1A state champion Northview Chiefs took on a couple of Alabama teams in spring football games Saturday afternoon in East Brewton, Ala.
The Chiefs defeated Andalusia High School 12-6 in a two-quarter game before losing 22-12 to Hillcrest of Evergreen (Ala.).
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Andalusia, click here.
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Evergreen, click here.
For Northview Coach Sid Wheatley, Saturday was a chance to check out the strengths — and weaknesses — of a team that’s full of new, young faces with 24 seniors graduating. There were three ninth graders starting for the Chiefs Saturday.
“We’re talking about fundamentals…we’ve got to get better as blockers and tacklers,” Wheatley said after Northview’s 1-1 jamboree performance. “Our young offensive linemen are going to keep getting better and better because we are going to coach them up. We are kind of struggling right there at this moment…this was kind of a landmark to see where we are at and were we will progress from here.”
Summer will bring long days at practice and new plans for the Chiefs.
“We will evolve our offensive package during the summer,” Wheatley said. “I did not want to throw too much at the young faces during the spring.”
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Andalusia, click here.
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Evergreen, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Powerball Frenzy Fairly Tame In North Escambia; One Florida Ticket Wins All
May 19, 2013
The frenzy over Saturday’s $600 million Powerball drawing wasn’t much more than a stir in North Escambia during the early evening hours.
A billboard displaying the $600 million estimated prize lured drivers across the state line from Atmore. Just feet into Florida, the parking lot at the Grey Goose lounge was full of mostly Alabama tags as a short line formed outside the building. Just down Highway 97 at the Davisville BP, the parking lot — and, at times, the side of Highway 97, was full of wannabe millionaires.
Saturday night’s drawing was winner takes all, with one winning ticket sold at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills.
The winning Powerball numbers drawn late Saturday were 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 with Powerball number 11.
Pictured top: A small line for Powerball tickets forms outside the Grey Goose lounge, just feet from the Alabama state line. Pictured inset: Atmore drivers were tempted by this $600 million billboard located on the state line. Pictured below: Millionaire hopefuls fill the parking lot of the Davisville BP Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
