Ernest Ward Names Students Of The Month
January 9, 2014
Ernest Ward Middle School has named their December Students of the Month. They are Shelby Bashore (left), Baily Van Pelt (right) and Lari McCann (not pictured). Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cogongrass In The Panhandle Workshop Planned
January 9, 2014
Escambia County University of Florida/IFAS Extension will hold a Cogongrass in the Panhandle Workshop on Tuesday, January 14.
Held at the Escambia Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST attendees will discuss identification and biology of cogongrass in Northwest Florida and current methods being used for control.
Pre-register by calling Escambia Extension, or by clicking here (specify which location you wish to attend).
The $25 cost of the program also includes lunch.
For more information contact Libbie Johnson, Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230 or libbiej@ufl.edu.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
GED Classes Offered In Molino
January 8, 2014
GED classes will resume Monday January 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the Molino Community Center. Classes will be on Monday and Thursday evenings.
New students can take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) on Tuesday, January 14 and complete registration at the Molino Community Center, Room 123. Applications for enrollment are available at the Molino Branch Library in the community center. For more information, call the Molino Library at (850) 435-1760, or George Stone at (850) 941-6200, ext. 2121 or 2117.
More Local Winter Photos, Including Snow
January 8, 2014
Here are more winter weather pictures from North Escambia readers.
Homemade snow fell at the home of Kevin Goodson on Spring Street in Jay (top) and at the home of Bill Linhardt in West Pensacola (below).
Frozen tree and yard in Walnut Hill. (NorthEscambia.com photo)
An icy tree in North Escambia. (Courtesy Kay McCormick)
“So I read online the other day about blowing bubbles when it is in the teens or colder. Said they’;; freeze. Decided to try it this morning. They really do freeze!” — Becka Peebles, Walnut Hill
Perdido Bay along Lillian Highway. (Courtesy Mitch Mosley)
A frozen tree in Walnut Hill. (Courtesy Josh Scott)
Photos: Florida’s Frozen Winter
January 8, 2014
With lows in the middle teens, there were some interesting photo opportunities around the North Escambia (Florida) area this morning. Like, pictured above, this tree on Highway 164 in Walnut Hill. (Courtesy Brandy White)
We received lots of winter photos from readers, scroll down for more.
Above: The fountain at Dr Gene Terrezza Optometry at the corner of Lillian Highway and Fairfield Drive. (Courtesy Justin Dukes)
Above: A frozen over fish pond in Bratt. (Courtesy Janie Beasley)
Above: Ice on a lily pad pond near Pollard McCall Junior High School where it dropped to 14 degrees this morning. (Courtesy Jennifer Smith)
Above: Frozen small tree in Molino. (Courtesy Lisa Weaver)
Above: Frozen hose into a pool, Molino. (Courtesy April Pawless)
Above: The fountain this morning at Century Health and Rehabilitation Center. (Courtesy Mae Hildreth)
Above: We saved this one for last. Seems that Rodney Colvin of Molino brought his wife Jennifer an “ice flower” from outside this morning. We are hoping to see how he tops this for Valentines Day.
Helpful Hints To Prevent Frozen Pipes
January 6, 2014
The following recommendations, from ECUA, are a few simple measures residents can take to ready their home’s plumbing for our potentially record breaking freezing cold.
External, exposed pipes are naturally the most vulnerable to freezing. Homeowners may:
Insulate Pipes or Faucets in Unheated Areas: Pipes located in unheated areas of your house, such as a garage or crawl space under the house or in the attic, are subject to freezing. If you have time to do this before freezing temperatures arrive, wrap these pipes with insulation materials made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers.
Disconnect And Drain Outdoor Hoses: Detach all hoses from faucets and allow them to drain. This will prevent the water in the hose or pipe from freezing and bursting the faucet or pipe to which it is connected.
Run a Trickle of Water: When forecasts call for sustained and / or severe freezing temperatures, run thin trickles of water from the faucet furthest from the water line coming to your house. Usually this is in a room at the back of the house or outside, in the yard. Allowing the water to circulate through your home’s plumbing helps to keep it from freezing. Some consider this a waste of water, but the cost of the water used is extremely slight compared to that of repairing broken pipes and the resulting water damage.
Remember the Backflow Preventer: Residents and business owners who have backflow preventers on their properties for water lines, fire lines, irrigation systems, and swimming pools need to protect their backflow preventers from freeze as well. Extended freezes can burst the body of the backflow assembly, rendering it useless. Wrap these pipes with insulation materials, made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers. If the device and the water lines are not in use at this time (i.e., irrigation system or swimming pool lines), shut off the water supply line and drain the backflow device.
2013 Persons Of The Year: Shelby Godwin
January 6, 2014
NorthEscambia.com is naming several Persons of the Year for 2013. An additional honoree will be named on Tuesday.
Shelby Godwin of Bratt has been named one of our North Escambia persons of the Year.
At 10, Shelby is by far the youngest person we’ve ever named one of our persons of the year. At just 10, she exhibited a heart of gold and a love for her fellow man that touched thousands across the area as she touched the heart of a young man she’d never met.
Shelby had never met Wyatt Johnson, a 17-month old from Century who is suffering from a chronic liver disease. But she saw a fundraising flyer at CVS with Wyatt’s picture and was so emotionally touched by the young man that she wanted to do something to help him.
Her idea? A fresh orange juice stand along East Highway 4 in Bratt, under the shade trees last September in front of her house. The 10-year old used her own money to purchase the oranges and supplies for her little business venture and borrowed an old fashioned juicer from a friend of her mom. All the proceeds went to Wyatt’s cause.
When Shelby had the chance to meet Wyatt in October, hugs, smiles and happy tears filled the Bratt Elementary School Library. There was already a special bond between the two, a little boy in need of all the help the world will give him and a young lady with an unselfish heart.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas was on hand to recognize Shelby, and the Town of Century issued a proclamation in her honor. And the nationally syndicated John Boy and Bill Show got wind of a NorthEscambia.com story and named Shelby as one of their heroes.
But the greatest honor of all for Shelby was the giant smile on Wyatt’s face.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
2013 In Photos: November
January 6, 2014
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2013. Today, we are featuring photos from November.
Four people were left homeless by this November fire near Century.
A Georgia church provided Thanksgiving dinner for Century residents. As part of their “Compel Century” outreach event, Rivertown Church of Columbus provided the free meal.
Students from several northern Santa Rosa County schools put in a hard day’s work to help make sure hundreds of families have a good Thanksgiving dinner.
Hunting and fishing licenses are now available at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
Citrus canker was discovered in Santa Rosa County.
Century residents protested against a new barnyard animal ordinance.
Fans react as the Northview Chiefs lose to Cottondale.
Northview’s Keondrae Lett reacts emotionally after the Chief’s regional final loss in Cottondale.
Firefighters from Alabama and Florida battled a train engine fire near the state line.
A wreck involving a semi-truck and a car claimed one life at the intersection of Highway 29 and Muscogee Road in Cantonment.
Two brand new Escambia County EMS units were delivered to Century.
A biker group built a ramp for an injured motorcycle rider in Molino.
An item suspected to be a possible pipe bomb found alongside Highway 29 in Cantonment turned out to be harmless.
Northview High School held their annual Veteran’s Day program.
A driver that allegedly fell asleep on Highway 97 late took a wild ride that ended with his SUV heavily damaging a house.
The Tate Aggies ended their best regular season in 10 years at 8-2.
Ernest Ward Middle School held their annual Veteran’s Program.
A unique roadside bee hive in Walnut Hill on Highway 99, just off Highway 97.
Southwest Airlines first flight to arrive in Pensacola.
Fire destroyed this home on Bradberry Road in Bratt.
The Northview High School FFA chapter was awarded one of the highest national honors presented by the National FFA in November. Northview’s FFA received the Three Star Chapter award on live national television during the National FFA Convention & Expo in Louisville, KY.
2013 Persons Of The Year: Richard Freisinger
January 5, 2014
NorthEscambia.com is naming several Persons of the Year for 2013. More honorees will be named on Monday.
Richard Freisinger of Molino has been named one of our North Escambia persons of the Year.
Freisinger, a Tate High School graduate, has dedicated decades of service to the Molino community.
Freisinger was a charter member of the Molino Ruritan Club—a rural service organization—giving back to the community through its efforts of supporting the schools, the fire department, scholarships, and residential fires through fundraisers to meet these needs. Freisinger was employed in 1954 in the research laboratory with Monsanto Textiles and later the analytical research laboratory working 29 years until an early retirement in 1985. He currently operates a small tree farm after row cropping corn and soybeans for many years.
Freisinger and his wife, Jacqueline, saw the need for a rural, central water system for the Molino community and in 1965 after many hours of door-to-door contacts Molino Utilities was founded with over 200 users (members). This system followed the first system of this type located in Walnut Hill. Today this utility has over 2,000 members and has been extended to the Barrineau Park, Dogwood Park, and the Pine Barren communities. He served as a director for over 40 years.
He was involved with others in the community with the formation of the Molino Volunteer Fire Department and served as a volunteer firefighter for 10 years.
In 2001, Freisinger was appointed to the board of the Escambia Soil and Water Conservation. He served for 12 year, including six years as chairman, before retiring this year. He served on the board of Three Rivers RC&D for 29 years to the present time. In 2006 he received appreciation from the Board for ‘Outstanding Efforts on the Big Escambia Restoration Project.’ This was the culmination of a long-time effort to remove the log jam on the Escambia River.
Freisinger is active in his church and has been recognized by the Escambia County Commission.
Pictured top: Sheriff David Morgan talks with Molino residents Jacqueline and Richard Freisinger following a town hall meeting at Fran’s Diner. Pictured inset: Richard Freisinger. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlrage.
2013 In Photos: October
January 5, 2014
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2013. Today, we are featuring photos from October.
Fire ripped through the remnants of a previously burned and now abandoned home on Juniper Street in Walnut Hill.
Century added their first CNG vehicle to their fleet in October.
Hundreds attended the annual Williams Station Day in Atmore where the Alabama Blues Brothers performed on their farewell tour.
The Northview Tribal Beat Band took top honors in their class during the annual Dixieland Band Showcase at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton.
The Tate High School Drama Department presented “Jabberwock”.
Jim Allen Elementary Principal Rachel Watts goes down in the dunking booth at the school’s annual fall carnival.
Dozens of families turned out to enjoy a free outdoor showing of the movie “Despicable Me” on a giant inflatable screen at Walnut Hill’s Bradberry Park. The event was sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
Anna Fischer was crowned Northview’s homecoming queen.
The sophomore float in the Northview High School Homecoming Parade as it rolled through Bratt.
The Allen Memorial Pumpkin Patch on Highway 29 is an annual fall tradition.
Two members of the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue — Lt. Drew Manning and Julia Cleckley — were united in marriage in October. Their wedding was held at the Molino Fire Station.
Hundreds attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival.
This pickup collided with a tree on Highway 99 in Bratt.
A wreck in Santa Rosa County was just nuts. Seriously nuts. A peanut wagon apparently came loose from a truck and hit three parked cars, sending peanuts everywhere near the Allentown crossroads.
The Northview High School dance team performs.
Thousands attended the annual Jay Peanut Festival
The Northview Chiefs shut out the Jay Royals.
Molino Park students try on a fireman’s hat as they learn about fire safety.
PCA topped Tate and Northview during a cross country meet in Jay.