Spring Takes A Break: Frost Advisory Tonight
March 21, 2016
Areas of frost are expected to develop late tonight in the North Escambia area. Sensitive vegetation should be covered to prevent damage. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Areas of frost after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 74. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 10 mph.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.
Century Council To Discuss Tornado Recovery Efforts
March 21, 2016
The Town of Century will discuss tornado recovery during their regular count meeting tonight.
Greg Strader, director of BRACE (Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies), is scheduled to address the town council and provide a recovery update. BRACE continues to coordinate with volunteer organizations that have been active in the disaster to being plans for long-term recovery.
There were 160 homes damaged or destroyed by the February 15 President’s Day EF-3 tornado that tore a 16-mile long path through North Escambia with winds up to 152 mph. The total estimated dollar amount of the damage was $3.9 million.
Federal aid following the disaster has, to date, been denied. Florida has made $2.1 million in housing funds available following the Century tornado on February 15 and an EF-3 tornado in the Ferry Pass area of Pensacola on February 28. Century has not yet learned what their share of the funds will be or determined how applications will be accepted.
The Century Town Council will meet at 7 p.m. at the Century Town Hall on North Century Boulevard. The meeting is open to the public.
Pictured: A home destroyed by an EF-3 tornado on February 15 on Jefferson Avenue in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Late Night Molino Wreck
March 21, 2016
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash late Sunday night in Molino.
The accident happened about 11:30 on Highway 29 at Booth Lake Road with one vehicle reported in a ditch. The driver of the vehicle was transported to an area hospital; his condition was not available.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details including the driver’s name have not been released.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Camp Fire Century Students Are ‘Absolutely Incredible Kids’
March 21, 2016
The Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center recently celebrated Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Each child’s parent wrote a letter to their child letting them know why they are an Absolutely Incredible Kid.
“You are such a funny kid. Never know what you are going to say. You can be the most sweet and loving kid ever. The most incredible this is you’re ours,” one letter said.
“I am a loving, caring, smart young man who loves helping mommy do chores around the house. I am absolutely incredible kid because my beautiful smile always makes mommy smile,” another letter stated.
Pictured: Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center celebrated Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Registration Dealine Extended For Miss Tri-County Beauty Pageant At Northview
March 21, 2016
The Northview High School Senior Class is sponsoring the “Miss Tri-County Pageant on Saturday, April 2 beginning at 10 a.m. at the school. And the entry deadline has been extended.
All applications need to be mailed by March 26 or delivered to the school the morning of March 28. (March 21-25 is Spring Break, and the school will be closed.)
For complete details and a registration form, click here (pdf).
District 5 Commissioner Barry To Hold Town Hall Meeting
March 21, 2016
District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry will host a town hall meeting on Monday, March 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Davisville Community Center at 10200 Highway 97. Residents are invited and encouraged to attend the open forum event.
For more information, contact Barry’s office at (850) 595-4950
Ernest Ward Names Students Of The Month
March 21, 2016
Ernest Ward Middle School has named Students of the Month for February. They are (L-R) Nevaeh Brown, sixth grade; Amber Gilman, seventh grade; and Ashlyn Harigel, eighth grade. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Creating Good Woods
March 21, 2016
by Cathy Hardin, Escambia County Forester
Richard Winkler showed off his little piece of heaven recently . He is proud of his nearly 300 acres on Nokomis Road.
When asked what the name on his Forest Stewardship plaque will say, with a twinkle in his eye, he admits he calls it the Hillbilly Hunt Club. The Forest Stewardship Certification and Tree Farm Certification Winkler is receiving show he has met certain standards of forest management. His dedication to the land gives him the motivation to manage the property to such standards.
Certified landowners like Winkler are honored with signs to display on the property. The Forest Stewardship program was created to encourage active, long-term management of private forest. The American Tree Farm System was designed to promote sustainable land management and recognize landowner commitment to do the best for their land.
To qualify for certification, Winkler has thinned timber, conducted prescribed burns, treated cogongrass and maintained food plots. To make these management practices happen, he worked with private contractors, the Florida Forest Service and the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service. Why he does all this for a patch of woods is simple: He wants to see his forest live up to its ultimate potential.
Not only does his managed land benefit him, it also benefits his neighbors. Thinning timber helps prevent outbreaks of devastating pests; prescribed burning has numerous benefits including lowering wildfire risk and increasing wildlife habitat; treating cogongrass helps slow the spread of a crippling invasive species to neighboring properties.
Then there are benefits to the greater community from having trees. For instance, trees help remove pollution from the air and protect water quality. These and other benefits provided by trees are known as ecosystem services and have been valued at roughly $5,000 an acre.
If Winkler had one recommendation for other forest landowners it would be to make sure to get any professional help you need. For landowners who want to do something for their land, a first step is simply to know your property. Know where your property lines are and walk the property watching for signs of problems or potential problems such as trespassers, invasive or harmful pest or plant species and potential for damage by wildfire, flood or hurricane. If you are not sure what to look for or how to take care of what you see, take Winkler’s advice and call for help from a professional forester.
If you are interested in creating your own good woods, please contact the Escambia County Forester at (850) 587-5237 for more information.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages 37 state forests on more than 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
Pictured top: Escambia County Forester Cathy Hardin and Richard Winkler. Pictured inset: Winkler with his Stewardship Forest sign. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Way We Worked: Smithsonian Exhibition Open In Molino
March 20, 2016
“The Way We Worked,” a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, opened Saturday in Molino.
The exhibition, which celebrates the history of American workers, will be on display at the Lillian F. King Museum located in the Molino Community Complex, 6450 Highway 95A North in Molino Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 30.
“The Way We Worked” has been made possible in Molino by the Florida Humanities Council. “The Way We Worked”, an exhibition created by the National Archives, is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
In addition to the traveling exhibition, the Library and the Molino Mid-County, Alger-Sullivan, and Barrineau Park historical societies, have partnered to create six weeks of interesting related events showcasing the unique work history of North Escambia. Join us for a look back in time to the way we worked in North Escambia.
Other events include:
“The Way We Worked”: Molino History
- Thursday, March 31, 6 p.m. – Molino Branch Library, Auditorium
Enjoy video-graphic stories of long-time residents who recount memories of growing up in rural Escambia. Several of the interviewees will be present for a question and answer session.
“The Way We Worked”: Agriculture in North Escambia
- Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Barrineau Park Community Center
Join Barrineau Park Historical Society for a day of farming fun featuring a presentation from Extension Services at 1 p.m. Come learn how farming fed us all.
“The Way We Worked”: Farm Fabric – Feed Sacks
- Thursday, April 7, 6 p.m. – Molino Branch Library, Auditorium
Coletta Stejskal Bailey, Textile Coordinator at the Baldwin County Heritage Museum, will discuss the cotton bag’s origin from the late 1840s to its impact during the Depression and World War II.
“The Way We Worked”: A New Beginning for Old Industry: History and Archaeology of Molino Mills
- Thursday, April 14, 6 p.m. – Molino Branch Library, Auditorium
Join UWF graduate student, Melissa Maynard for insights into Molino Mills, a lumber mill which operated from 1865-1884 that helped develop a community and an industry.
“The Way We Worked”: From Can’t See to Can’t See
- Saturday, April 16, 1 p.m. – Pensacola Library, Meeting Room A
- Thursday, April 28, 6 p.m. – Molino Branch Library, Auditorium
Up before dawn and home after dark describes Teniadé Broughton’s talk on African American work experiences in rural Escambia County. The event also features the “Change Gang” performing historical work songs.
“The Way We Worked”: Escambia County Railroads, 1830s – 1950s
- Saturday, April 23, 1 p.m. – Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, Century
All aboard, at the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society Museum with Jerry Fischer and Russell Brown. Come learn about the county’s early railroads. Climb aboard Old 100, a sawmill transport steam engine, and tour the museum.
“The Way We Worked”: Colonial Work Story Times
- Saturday, April 9, 1 p.m. – Molino Branch Library, Auditorium
- Thursday, April 14, 6 p.m. – Pensacola Library
- Saturday, April 16, 1 p.m. – Tryon Branch Library
- Thursday, April 21, 6 p.m. – Century Branch Library
Join Sandra Pettis, retired Ferry Pass Elementary Librarian and a costumed member of the UWF Historic Trust for a story, demonstrations and hands-on activities about the way we worked in Colonial times.
“The Way We Worked”: Displays in Escambia County
- March and April – Tryon Branch Library
View a fascinating collection of antiques from the area belonging to Mr. Charlie Booher of Pensacola.
- March and April – Southwest Branch Library
This library features a collection of work-related items from the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society located in Century.
- March and April – Molino Branch Library
In addition to housing the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, The Way We Worked, this facility also spotlights artifacts belonging to UWF Collections from Mission Escambe and the Molino Mills archaeological dig sites in Molino.
- March and April – Century Branch Library
This display houses a small collection of memorabilia from the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company once located in Century.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chilly Lows Of 35
March 20, 2016
Here is your official NorthEscambia area forecast:
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. South wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.