Santa Claus Arrives In Saturday Night Atmore Parade; North Escambia Groups Participate
December 7, 2008
Thousands lined the streets of Atmore Saturday night for the annual Twilight Christmas Parade that featured Santa Claus and almost two dozen floats.
Several North Escambia organizations were represented in the parade, including the Northview High School Tribal Beat band, the Northview High School cheerleaders, the Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders, FFA students from Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High, Walnut Hill Baptist Church, the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Bratt Assembly of God Church, and dozens of North Escambia residents participating with other groups.
The theme for this year’s parade was “A Nursery Rhyme Christmas”. The Grand Marshal for this year’s parade was Mother Goose.
Santa Claus arrived on a float sponsored by the First National Bank and Trust near the end of the parade. Another common site around this year’s parade was the portable TV, with many people watching the Alabama-Florida game.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery with 14 pages of photos from the parade, click here.
Pictured above: The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleader float. Pictured middle: The Northview High School cheerleaders march in the parade. Pictured below: Walkers with the Walnut Hill Baptist Church float. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Holds Annual Christmas Carnival
December 6, 2008
Byrneville Elementary School held its Christmas Carnival was held Friday night at the school.
The annual event, sponsored by the school’s P.T.O., featured a special guest from the North Pole. Santa Claus was on hand for photos and Christmas wish lists.
The carnival also included a host of games, including a ring toss, cake walk, football toss, face paiting and more. The evening’s festivities ended with a gift basket auction, with proceeds going to the P.T.O.
For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured above: Santa Claus was on hand for the annual Christmas Carnival at Byrneville Elementary School Friday night. Pictured below: Face painting was one of many activities at the event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jingle Bells: Bratt Elementary Second Grade Presents Christmas Play
December 5, 2008
Bratt Elementary School’s second graders presented their Christmas play “A Place in the Christmas Choir” Thursday.
From a barked version of Jingle Bells to a swinging cat dance, the play told the story of a Christmas choir made up of elves, cats and dogs.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the play, click here.
The play was directed by music teacher Emily Pollard and featured the second grade classes of Genia Bashore, Tracy Foster and Ericka Nelson. Volunteers Jennifer Lehmann, Ashley Long, Stephanie Booth and Stephanie Berry also assisted with the production.
Students in the play were:
Elves: Gabbrielle Peebles, Delaney Reynolds, Kaitlin Berry, Radley Belanger, Titianna Williams, Janie Kite, Brandon Dean, Christian Heritage, Isaiah Thigpen, Aurora McCann, Madison Rainwater, Bailey Hayles, Catherine Casey, Gabrielle Kline, Allison Rice, Noah Moore, Jared Gibbs, Cody Comalander, Roger Dockens, Michael Ward
Dogs: Cameron Long, Larry Philyaw, Jordan Capps, Tanner Deese, Matthew Windham, Justin Powell, Dalton Brown, Jessey Reaves, Anthony Harrelson, Cameron White, Logan Chavers, Brandon Berry, Hadden Barlow, Isaak Armstrong, Justin Cruce
Cats: Shelby Bashore, Madison Sherouse, Reini Bodiker, Leia Godwin, Madison Nassar, Gia Singleton, Kayla Baggett, Danielle Stuckey, Samantha Roux, Meggan Brown, Ann-Margaret Boothe, Susannah Amerson, Lexxi Baggett, Aaliyah Tucker, Memory Peebles
Santa Claus: Zachary Hilton; Mrs. Claus: Lydia Smith; Happy: Henry Wiggins.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from the Bratt Elementary School second grade Christmas play Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pensacola’s Winterfest Celebration Stars Ernest Ward Student; Win Tickets From NorthEscambia.com
December 5, 2008
Winterfest is Pensacola’s favorite holiday celebration, and this year’s performance includes an Ernest Ward Middle School student in a starring role.
Angel Mitchell, 12, portrays the “hero girl” from the book “The Polar Express” in this year’s elaborate production. The Polar Express scene includes a large scale fiberglass train engine, accented by fog, steam and sound effects.
The Winterfest tours and performances light up downtown Pensacola from Historic Seville to the Palafox Business District. This year, there are six different exciting tours for the whole family, including a special Santa’s Express Tour that’s great for young children, and the flagship Performance Tour featuring 14 fun stops over 45 minutes with your favorite holiday characters.
All of the tours begin in Plaza Wonderland, a lovely historic park we fill with holiday cheer with photos with Santa Claus, tasty treats at the Gingerbread House, and rides on Santa’s Little Choo Choo.
NorthEscambia.com has joined in the promotion of Pensacola’s Winterfest, and we will have lots of tickets to give away. We will also have continuing coverage of Winterfest. To register to win tickets, click here.
For more information about Winterfest, visit pensacolawinterfest.org.
Pictured above: Santa Claus, gives a bell as a gift to Joe Minshew as “the boy” from the book The Polar Express at Pensacola’s Winterfest. Looking on are Bill Whalen as the conductor and Ernest Ward Middle School student Angel Mitchell as “hero girl”. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
A Spectacular Planetary Show
December 2, 2008
Pictured above: Venus and Jupiter were visible near the moon Monday night about 6:00. Here, the two planets and the moon are pictured over the Walnut Hill water tower at Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road. Neptune was also visible just out of the photo frame. You can see the same celestial show tonight in the southwest sky just after sunset. For the photo buffs: This was a seven second bulb exposure at 1600 ISO taken from Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview NJROTC Participates In Drill, Meet
December 1, 2008
The Northview High School NJROTC recently participated in a drill and athletic meet at Milton High School.
Northview placed sixth out of 12 teams in the event, and they received one trophy. The Northview NJROTC female cadets took third place in pushups.
“It was our first meet and the also the first opportunity for many of our new cadets to meet and compete with all the local schools,” Captain Charlie Code, Northview NJROTC instructor, said.
For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured above: Northview NJROTC cadets at a recent meet in Milton. Pictured below: Cadets in the athletic portion of the meet. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Century Historical Group Holds Boxcar Barbecue
November 30, 2008
Southern barbecue, bluegrass and gospel music, time with friends and a little history were all part of the annual Boxcar Barbecue in Century.
The annual Alger-Sullivan Historical Society fund raiser was held Saturday in the town’s historic district.
With church choirs, music from groups like the Sons of the Pines, and more, there was plenty of entertainment for everyone. There was also a display of antique tools, pottery making, civil war reenactors, an attic sale, museum tours and more.
And what would a Boxcar Barbecue be without…barbecue? Hot barbecue from Big Stevie’s Barbecue from Brewton, hot dogs and soft drinks were available.
Visitors were also able check the progress on the restoration of Old 100, the historic steam locomotive at the ASHS’s railroad museum.
The event is the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society’s last fund raiser of the year.
Click here for a photo gallery from Century’s Boxcar Barbecue.
Pictured above: With fire shooting from the barrel, this picture captured the actual shot of an Civil War era gun Saturday at Century’s Boxcar Barbecue. Pictured inset above: A Civil War reenactor. Pictured below: A gospel group performs. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Author With Local Ties Signs Copies Of ‘The Know It All Kitty’
November 30, 2008
Children’s book author and storyteller Kathy Jernigan signed copies of her book The Know It All Kitty and the Peanut Butter Factory in Century Saturday.
Jernigan is a storyteller and songwriter that grew up in Brewton and spent a lot of time with her grandparents O.P. and Eula Mae Renfroe. Her mom, Adelaide (Renfroe) Jernigan, was raised in Century.
Jernigan, who now lives in Century, signed books at the Country Bumpkin and at the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society’s Boxcar Barbecue.
She said the book promotes sharing, courage and fun. She wrote the story to entertain her nieces and nephews when they were two and three years old.
In the book, the kitty really does know everything, it’s just the Know It All Kitty needs a lot of help along the way to live up to his name. He wants to share peanut butter goodies with his friends, so he musters his courage to do the one thing he hates to do… go underwater. He has to face his fears once again as he discovers a lake wizard in an underwater cave, and a hidden peanut butter factory. He sets off the alarm in the factory and it scares him silly, but he makes it out with a sack full of goodies for his friends.
Autographed copies of the book are available for sale at the Country Bumpkin on North Century Boulevard. It is also available for order from Amazon.com and Trafford.com (click either site name for order information).
Pictured above: Author Kathy Jernigan of Atlanta signs copies of her book The Know It All Kitty and the Peanut Butter Factory at the Country Bumpkin in Century on Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Thanksgiving Meals Provided For Three Area Families By Rotary Club
November 27, 2008
The Tri-City Rotary Club delivered Thanksgiving meals to three needy families in the area on Wednesday.
A deserving family was chosen in Century, Jay and Flomaton to receive the meals, which included a smoked turkey from Archie’s Catering Smokehouse in Molino and the Northview High School FFA. The club also provided each family with a variety of staple foods to help them with their grocery budgets.
“We picked three deserving families,” Bo Brantley, club president, said. “A member of each family is employed, but they have just fallen on hard times and needed a little help.”
The Century family included a mother and three children. Their house was destroyed by fire Monday night. The Jay family was a mother and four children, and the Flomaton family included a grandmother that is raising her two grandchildren.
Pictured above: Tri-City Rotary Club members (L-R) Don Ripley, Bo Brantley, Bill Cox, Terri Sanders and Dietrich Bondurant prepare food boxes Wednesday afternoon for needy families in Century, Flomaton and Jay. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Local Students Cast In Upcoming ‘Chatterbox’ Movie
November 25, 2008
Two best friends, both students at Ernest Ward Middle School, were cast in an upcoming movie. Angel Mitchell and Cheyenne Godwin both had roles in the new movie “Chatterbox”.
Chatterbox is a teen movie about a 13-year old girl that wants to prove her worth to her parents by winning the talent, popularity, and community competition known as the Chatterbox competition. Along the way, lead character Chelsea cheats to win the entire competition. She learns that was the wrong thing to do, makes a public apology and gives up the Chatterbox crown.
Angel (pictured in red on the movie set) played Carlie Mitchell, a dancer and a top five finalist in the Chatterbox competition. Cheyenne (pictured in the cheerleader uniform) was cast as a cheerleader. Other locals Jessica Warner, also a student at Ernest Ward, and Jenson Warner, a student at Byrneville Elementary, had parts as extras in the movie.
“Oh I made it.” That was Angel’s big line in Chatterbox. “I sounded so Southern when I said it,” she said. “It sounded so bad.”
Cheyenne does not have any complete lines in the movie, but she’s heard in the background of a few scenes.
“You could hear me backstage cheering,” Cheyenne said. “There are a couple of spots were you see me between the main characters, but no speaking. But I loved acting in the movie.”
Both girls say the best part about being in the movie, besides their big screen appearances, was meeting new friends. The worst part? Getting called at 1:00 in the morning and being told to be in Gulf Breeze were the movie was filmed. One time, they checked out of school and went to the shooting location. They were home by 3:00 a.m., and they got a call at 4:30 a.m. to be back by 5:00.
“It was a lot of work, but it was fun,” Cheyenne said. “Sometimes the late nights were like a giant sleepover,” Angel added.
Angel, 12, and Cheyenne, 14, recently attended a private screening of the unreleased film.
“It was so weird being up on the big screen,” Angel said. “It was not like I was even looking at me.”
Release plans are in place to show Chatterbox in Indonesia, and producers hope to have a U.S. distribution in place in 2009 for the family-friendly move.
To learn more about the movie and watch a trailer, visit www.chatterbox-themovie.com.
Pictured top: Ernest Ward students Cheyenne Godwin (left) and Angel Mitchell (right) were cast in the movie “Chatterbox”. Pictured below: Angel Mitchell (far left) with cast members from the movie. Pictured bottom: Brianna Chomer (left), the star of Chatterbox, with Angel Mitchell. Submitted and NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
