2011 In Photos: August
January 1, 2012
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from August.
Scott and Beckie Nelson of Bratt remembered their son, LCpl Travis Nelson shortly after he was killed in action in Afghanistan.
The body of local Marine LCpl Travis Nelson arrived back at Dover AFB after he was killed in Afghanistan.
Funeral services were held for LCpl Travis Nelson, a 19-year old Marine killed in action in Afghanistan.
The Northview Chiefs beat Panama City Bay 26-17 in a preseason football classic.
The Tate Aggies lost their preseason classic 35-14 to Pensacola High.
Crowds turned out in August to meet the Northview Chiefs in anticipation of a great season.
Century residents began training workshops to become disaster ready.
August brought the first day of school across the area, including Bratt Elementary (above).
Several area churches, including Ray’s Chapel (pictured above) held special events to get youth geared up for back to school.
The chief of the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department announced that his department was unable to adequately respond to calls and asked for a paid 24/7 fire crew. Escambia County denied the request.
Phillip Arnold, 66, was found guilty in the stabbing death of a pregnant Cantonment woman and her baby.
A member of the United States Blue Angels signs autographs after a later summer practice at Pensacola NAS.
Michael Aaron Killam was convicted of DUI and sentenced to 2.5 years in state prison.
A man and his children were rescued in good condition after being lost for three days on the Perdido River.
Annie Carter Savage was sworn in to the Century Town Council after the death of Nadine McCaw.
Make A Resolution To Be More Wildlife Friendly
January 1, 2012
The tradition of the New Year’s Resolutions dates back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was said to have two faces which allowed him to look back on past events and forward to the future.
The beginning of a new year is a great time to reflect on the issues of the past and resolve to do better in the upcoming year. The 2010 Gulf oil spill had a devastating impact on local wildlife. Florida is a state renowned for its diverse and unique ecosystems. But rapid development and environmental disasters, particularly in coastal areas, is continuing to destroy wildlife habitat. Resolve to be more wildlife-friendly in 2012 by following these easy tips from the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program.
Provide food
Select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, or flowers that butterflies, birds, and other wildlife like to eat. Berries, fleshy fruits, nuts, and acorns are all treats for many animals.
Supply water
Any water you provide will attract wildlife. You could have running water in the form of a natural feature, such as a pond, creek, or other body of fresh water, but a fountain or birdbath will also beckon wildlife. Empty and clean your birdbath every few days. Do not clean it with soap or bleach—just physically scrub all surfaces with a brush or scouring-type sponge. Change the water regularly to prevent mosquito breeding and bacterial contamination.
Leave snags
Leave snags, which are the trunks of dead trees, in place if they do not create a hazard. Many birds use snags for perching, nesting, and feeding. Snags are often removed from yards or land mistakenly thought of as no longer having value. Nothing could be farther from the truth. A tree’s full life cycle at this point, is far from over.
Manage pets
If you permit pets to harass or kill wildlife, you will only hinder any efforts you make toward attracting wildlife. This is especially true for cats allowed outdoors.
Reduce insecticide use
Each time you apply an insecticide to your landscape, you reduce insect populations, which form an important food source for birds. Some chemicals can also poison birds and other animals that feed on affected insects.
Reduce the amount of mowed lawn area
Unmowed areas can contain more plant species than mowed areas, providing more potential food sources and habitat for wildlife. Reduce the mowed area around your house, especially in low-traffic areas, such as corners of the yard.
Increase vertical layering
Plant a variety of plants in different sizes and heights to provide more cover and feeding opportunities for diverse species of wildlife.
By following the simple tips in this chapter, your Florida-Friendly lawn and garden can become a sanctuary for wildlife, as well as part of a migratory passage between one wild space and another. Animals need to move from place to place, just like people. They have trouble traveling in heavily urban and suburban landscapes, but you can help them by joining your Florida-Friendly yard with others in the neighborhood to create a “natural corridor”—a safe, traversable route between woodlands, wetlands, or other wild areas.
For more specific information, visit the University of Florida/IFAS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscaping_for_wildlife or call your local Extension Office.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
2011 In Photos: July
December 31, 2011
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from July.
Federal and state authorities raided a Jay medical practice with Dr. C. David Smith and his son Dr. J. S. Michael Smith surrendering their DEA licenses to prescribe narcotics.
Mayor Freddie McCall (right) congratulates two-time Super Bowl champ Anthony Pleasant as a Century park is dedicated in Pleasant’s name.
Youth involved in Mission Molino did yard work for widows around Molino and witnessed on Pensacola Beach during July.
Copper was stripped from two air conditioning units at the Byrneville Community Center.
The alleged work of an arsonist destroyed an unoccupied Century mobile home.
Lightning from a summer storm destroyed this storage shed in Bratt.
Summer meant Vacation Bible School for hundreds of children across the area, including the Big Apple Adventure at Highland Baptist Church.
Black ribbons were placed on the door of Century Town Hall and the flag was flown at half staff in honor of Council member Nadine McCaw following her death.
July marked the final lift off of the space shuttle, taking with it part of Florida’s economic engine.
Molino and Century were mentioned on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, thanks to a “genius” criminal.
Children enjoyed a shadow puppet show and numerous other activities during the summer reading series at the Century Branch Library.
Thousands of people attended Fourth of July fireworks shows, with hundreds choosing a show in Flomaton that was joint project of Flomaton and Century.
A brush fire off Highway 97A created a smoke fire that could be seen for miles in early July.
2011 In Photos: June
December 30, 2011
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from June.
Hundreds of North Escambia area students graduated in June. Pictured above: Valedictorian Sarah Killam addresses the Northview High School Class of 2011.
Poplar Dell Baptist Church celebrated its 100th anniversary with the opening of a time capsule that had been hidden away for 50 years.
Temperatures topped the 100 degree mark in early June.
A mobile home in Bratt was sliced in half by a falling limb.
A pedestrian from McDavid died when he was struck by two semi-trucks hauling logs on Highway 29 in Bluff Springs.
A massive wildfire scotched over 1,500 acres north of Flomaton
Fire destroyed the media center at Pollard McCall School, just north of the Alabama/Florida line.
A farmer’s John Deere tractor and a Walnut Hill Water Works tower are dwarfed by a massive storm cloud west of Walnut Hill in mid June.
Low water levels from drought led to the discovery of an 1800’s era steamboat in the Escambia River near McDavid.
Drought led to near-historic lows on the Escambia River, including at the Molino Boat Ramp on Fairgrounds Road.
A major archaeological dig is underway near the Escambia River in Molino unearthed evidence of a 1740’s Spanish mission along with artifacts believed to be 6,000 years old.
Six people were involved in this two vehicle crash at Molino Road at Highway 29.
A Geraldine, Alabama, man died in this wreck at Fountain Prison in Atmore.
A participant is hit by a water balloon during an Escambia County Extension Service Water Camp at Lake Stone.
Ernest Ward December Students Of Month Named
December 29, 2011
December Students of the Month have been named for Ernest Ward Middle School. They are (L-R) Hannah Godwin, sixth grade; Troy Stuckey, seventh grade; and Haley Brown, eighth grade. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2011 In Photos: May
December 29, 2011
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from May.
Northview High School presented their senior class play “Bye Bye Birdie”.
The annual Sawmill Day was held in Century.
Hundreds of elementary students participated in a Sunshine Math competition at the University of West Florida, with Jim Allen Elementary taking first place.
A driver that wrecked on Hanks Road in Bratt left messages spray painted on their vehicle.
A Century man was shot outside of the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 in Davisville.
The annual National Day of Prayer was held.
A Century man drowned in Bluff Springs lake in early May.
Our NorthEscambia.com cameras caught up with the Google Street View car in Walnut Hill.
The annual Relay for Life events were held at Tate High and in Century.
The annual Danceworks recital was held at Flomaton High School.
A woman was shot and killed outside of a Highway 29 convenience store.
The impending closure of the Atmore and Brewton animal shelters was announced.
A drought in the North Escambia area was officially labeled as “extreme” in late May.
Gov. Rick Scott signed a new budget that slashed $615 million.
Four people were left homeless after an early morning fire near Molino.
A new monument was dedicated on Memorial Day in Atmore to honor those that have served from Atmore and North Escambia.
2011 In Photos: April
December 28, 2011
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from April.
About 250 people attended a community meeting in April in Jay to learn about potential future plans for Jay Hospital.
Deputy David Bashore works to remove a bottle that was allegedly part of a meth lab thrown into a stream that feeds a gravel lake in Century.
A K-9 team prepares to search for a suspect along the Alabama/Florida line after an attempted home invasion at the home of a law enforcement officer in Escambia County, Ala.
North Escambia area residents collected hundreds of pounds of supplies for Alabama tornado victims. In this photo, goods are collected in Flomaton.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan (right) presents a Life Saving Medal to Senior Deputy Rudy Brown of the Century Precinct in April.
Both Northview and Jay were defeated in softball Regional 1-2A Quarterfinals.
Partial demolition of this building on North Century Boulevard near the Alabama State Line revealed signage for the former Ash Dept. Store and Worley’s Food Store.
McCullough Christian Center marked Good Friday with a reenactment of the Crucifixion in Atmore.
Youth from the Greater First Baptist Church pick up trash from along Booker Street during an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office “Clean Sweep” in their neighborhood.
Extension Service To Offer Forest Stewardship Invasive Plant Workshop
December 28, 2011
Escambia County Extension Services will offer a forest stewardship workshop focusing on some of the more common and troublesome invasive exotic plants and the current methods being used to control them.
The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Escambia Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment.
Registration is $10 and will cover the cost of lunch and materials. Preregistration by Monday, January 9 is requested. For more information, contact Libbie Johnson at Escambia County Extension at libbiej@ufl.edu or call (850) 475-5230.
Pen Air Donates To Toys For Tots
December 28, 2011
Pen Air FCU teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corps and Department of Defense to provide toys to underprivileged children in the community for the holidays. Each Pen Air FCU branch served as a drop-off location for donations, accumulating more than $5,000 worth of toys that were distributed prior to Christmas. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chet Truett Named Ernest Ward Teacher Of The Year
December 27, 2011
Eighth grade science teacher Chet Truett has been named the Ernest Ward Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Teachers of the year are chosen by the faculty and staff at each school in the county. The Escambia County Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual Golden Apple Awards Dinner in February 2012.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.