Work Must Go On: Working During Ida
November 10, 2009
A few dozen people in North Escambia were hard at work Monday night and Tuesday morning during Tropical Storm Ida.
At Century Care Center, one of North Ecambia’s largest overnight employers, it was an ordinary night at work as the storm passed.
For more photos from Century Care Center, click here.
Pictured above and below: It was work as usual at the Century Care Center overnight as Tropical Storm Ida made landfall. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Fire Honors Firemen, Community Members During Fish Fry
November 8, 2009
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their annual fish fry Saturday.
Royce Ward was recognized for his part in forming the fire department in 1965. The fire department was organized by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, under the leadership of Ward who served as the group’s president.
The WHVFD presented their Community Service Award to Escambia Grain Manager Ed Nowlin for his long-time service to the Walnut Hill community.
The Officer of the Year Award was presented to Deputy Chief Kevin Mininger. Mininger joined the department in 1987, advancing to deputy chief by 2008.
Jonathan Koehn was named Firefighter of the Year. Koehn joined the fire department in early 2008 and completed his state Firefighter I certification by the end of the year.
Saturday’s fish fry marked the 40th annual event for the department, with over 550 fish and chicken plates sold.
“I would like to thank the department for all they do,” Escambia County Fire Chief Frank Edwards said. “We could not do what we do without the volunteer departments, especially up here.”
For more photos from the 40th annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry, click here.
Pictured top: Andrew Peters (left) takes fish out of a fryer with the help of Chad Rigby Saturday at the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry. Pictured inset: Community Service Ward winner Ed Nowlin. Pictured below: The department sold over 550 plates of chicken or fish. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Otta’ The Woods: Hunting Season And Rule Info You Need To Know
November 8, 2009
The archery hunting season is in full swing in Northwest Florida, and now is the time to prepare for the other upcoming seasons, including the anxiously awaited Thanksgiving weekend deer season.
The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.
If you plan to hunt one of Florida’s many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you’ll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don’t forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules differ greatly from area to area.
You can buy your license and permits over the telephone by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or online at www.wildlifelicense.com/fl. Just have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from tax collectors’ offices and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
The general gun season comes in Thanksgiving Day and lasts four days through November 29. Two weeks later, the season reopens December 12 and runs through February 17.
Hunters can take bucks having at least one antler 5 inches or longer. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two.
On private lands, hunters can take wild hogs year-round with no bag or size limits. On most – but not all – WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limit on wild hogs, and hunters can take them during any hunting season except spring turkey. Check the WMA brochure to be certain.
The highly anticipated antlerless deer season, often called “doe week,” is December 19-25.
During doe week, the daily bag limit’s one buck and one doe, or two bucks. You may not take two does in one day like you may during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. And by the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season.
If you hunt with deer dogs anywhere in Florida, special rules and registration requirements may apply, so call the FWC for details.
Fall turkey season in the Northwest Hunting Zone is November 26-29 and December 12 – January 17. Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game, and you must have a $5 turkey permit to hunt them. The bag limit’s one bird per day, and a total of two during the archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined.
Quail and gray squirrel season runs statewide November 14 – March 7. There’s a daily bag limit of 12 for each, but shooting fox squirrels is against the law.
Shooting hours for deer, turkeys, quail and gray squirrels is a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal firearms, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and handguns are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey, and quail and gray squirrel seasons.
Snipe hunting in Florida ranks second in the nation in number of birds harvested each year, and the season runs November 1 – February 15 statewide. The second phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season also comes in this month and runs November 14-29. Shooting hours for migratory game birds are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit for snipe is eight; and for doves, the bag limit is 15.
You must get a no-cost migratory bird permit if you plan to hunt snipe, doves or any other migratory game birds.
The FWC even provides an online “Dove Hunters’ Hotline,” which gives up-to-date information on Florida’s public dove fields. The address is MyFWC.com/Dove, and it’s updated every Thursday throughout the dove season. Information includes dove densities, previous weeks’ harvests and field conditions.
Whether small-game hunting with friends and family or hunting solo, going after that monster buck, boar hog or big tom, November brings loads of great hunting opportunities.
Here’s wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful hunting season.
Northwest Florida Hunting Season Dates
(not applicable on wildlife management areas)
Archery Oct. 17 – Nov. 15
Deer-dog training Oct. 31 – Nov. 19
Crossbow Nov. 30 – Dec. 6
Muzzleloading gun Nov. 20-22 & Feb. 18-28
General gun Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Feb. 17
Antlerless deer Dec. 19-25
Fall turkey Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Jan. 17
Quail and gray squirrel Nov. 14 – March 7
Bobcat and otter Dec. 1 – March 1
Spring turkey March 20 – April 25
Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except during spring turkey season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset on private lands.
For hunting regulations and dates on wildlife management areas, click the following links:
For other wildlife management area regulations, click here.
For complete Florida hunting information, click here.
Church Holds Byrneville Carnival; Century Care Residents Visit
November 8, 2009
The Mt. Zion Chapel held a fall carnival Saturday, and some of the residents from Century Care Center were their special guests.
The carnival, at the Byrneville Community Center, featured a variety of fun games and food.
Pictured above and below: Residents from Century Care Center enjoyed a fall carnival sponsored by Mt. Zion Chapel Saturday at the Byrneville Community Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival
November 7, 2009
Hundreds of people attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival Friday evening. Carnival games, food, vendors, a basket auction, horse rides and pies in the face were all part of the fun.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Pie in the face. Pictured below: Face painting Friday night at the annual Molino Park Elementary Schol Fall Carnival. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Miss FHS: Taylor White
November 6, 2009
Sophomore Taylor White was named Miss FHS Thursday night at Flomaton High School.
First runner-up was Victoria Creamer, second runner-up was Hailey Lambeth, third runner-up was Summer Hinote, and fourth runner -up was Nicole Simpson.
Summer Hinote was named the talent winner and Miss Congeniality. Other talent winners were Victoria Creamer, first; Nicole Simpson, second; Blakelee White, third; and Haley White, fourth.
The Top Eight in the Miss FHS pageant were: Lori Chancery, Summer Hinote, Victoria Creamer, Nicole Simpson, Taylor White, Blakelee White, Haley Lambeth, and Dakota Lambeth.
Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography.
Submitted photos by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Fire Dept. Traces History
November 6, 2009
Saturday marked the 40th anniversary of what has become one of the biggest events in Walnut Hill and surrounding communities — the annual fish fry at the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department.
The fish fry has been held annually since 1969, according to Assistant Chief Kevin Mininger, who has been researching the department’s history in conjunction with the 40th annual event. The first fish fry on record was held about a month after the department was chartered.
The fire department’s first fish fry was held on Saturday, April 10, 1965, just after the Walnut Hill Fire Department was officially chartered on Monday, March 8, 1965, during a meeting held at the Ernest Ward High School.
Adult plates were sold for $1, and plates for children under 12 were 50 cents. According to minutes from the fire department’s charter meeting, the fish fry was suggested by O.D. Gibson. It was organized as a fund raiser, and “to let the community know what had been accomplished” with the new department. It was a two hour community event.
That first fish fry cost the department $87.62, including $43 for fish and $13.23 to Lawrence Cooper’s Grocery. The total income was $256.50, netting a $168.88 profit for the Walnut Hill Fire Department’s first fund raiser.
The fire department was organized by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, under the leadership of Ruritan President Royce Ward.
In 1968, the Walnut Hill Fire Department held an open house at their first building on November 16, 1968. The first firehouse was located under the water tower at Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road. Before the building was completed, fire trucks and other equipment was stored in members’ sheds and barns.
According to Mininger, there are no records indicating that a fish fry was held each year between 1965 and 1968, but the fish fry events have been held annually since 1969.
The department’s first truck was about a 1957 model GMC 2 1/2 ton 4×2 fuel service truck loaned from the Florida Forest Service.
Mininger has also compiled a list of the department’s fire chiefs as follows: E. C. (Chuck) Church, 1965 to September 1966; Bob Holdeman, September 1966 to August 1968; Vern Peters from August 1968 to 1983; Jack Brown from 1983 to December 1984; Ervin Schneider, 1985 to 1987; Dennis Rigby, 1988 to 1989; Bill Jackson, 1990 to February 1991; Al Bradley, March 1991 to 1992; Robert Stewart, 1993 to September 2008; and Chris Brown October 2008 to present.
The department’s first board of directors were: C.L. Byrd, Robert E. Holdeman, Kenneth Brown, W.H. Corley, Chief E. C. Church, Assistant Chief Buddy Sharpless, Assistant Chief Therman Raines, Captain Don Strickland, Captain James Pierce, Lt. roger Johnson, Lt. Glenn Thrower, J.H. Morgan, Sam Jantz and Harvey Bradberry.
To read original fire department minutes from December 2, 1968, click here (pdf).
Pictured top: This undated photograph from the early days of the Walnut Hill Fire Department shows Robert Mininger, an assistant chief; Bob Holdeman, the department’s second chief; Royce Ward, president of the Ruritan Club; and Vern Peters who served 15 years as the department’s third chief. Pictured inset: The original handwritten minutes from the department’s first meeting. Pictured below: Former Chief Robert Stewart (left) is honored at last year’s Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department. He is being presented a framed uniform shirt by current Chief Chris Brown. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Agriscience Students Learn At Forestry Field Day (Updated With More Photos)
November 6, 2009
Agriscience students from several area schools — including Northview and Ernest Ward — had the opportunity to learn more about forestry Thursday.
Students from Northview High School, Ernest Ward Middle School, West Florida High School, Elberta Middle School and North Baldwin High School attended a Forestry Field Day at the Langley Bell 4-H Center in Pensacola.
Students attended six rotations, learning about burning basics, wildlife species in our woodlands, best management practices in wetlands, cruising and timber estimation, increment boring, species identification and forestry industries. After lunch, a Florida Division of Forestry helicopter demonstrated how to utilize water from ponds or lakes to fight fires.
A final afternoon session involved a wooded area be properly prepared to burn and then set on fire.
For more photos from the event, click here.
The educational event was offered by the Florida Division of Forestry and UF IFAS Escambia County Extension in partnership with Resource Management Services, Southeast Timberlands Management, Beulah Volunteer Fire Department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Pictured top: Agriscience students Ernest Ward Middle schools were among those attending an Forestry Field Day Thursday in Pensacola. Pictured inset: A Florida Division of Forestry helicopter demonstrates aerial firefighting. Pictured bottom: Students from Northview High School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
National Junior Honor Society At Ernest Ward Middle School Adds New Members, Officers
November 5, 2009
About 30 students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Wednesday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School.
The NJHS is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle school students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character.
Students must have and maintain a 3.5 GPA for honor society membership.
For a photo gallery from the induction ceremony, click here.
New seventh grade National Junior Honor Society Members at Ernest Ward are: Penny Banda, Reagan Bell, Shalmali Bhadkamkar, Megan Bryan, Tiffani Cruce, Austin Cunningham, Elizabeth Fillingim , Hannah Gibson, Jessica Glick, Kyndall Hall, Julie Hester, Auden Lassitter, Benjamin Linam, Aaron McDonald, Madison McGhee, Amy Murph, Jaylen Parker, Madison Presley, Mallory Ryan, Samantha Sharpless, Danielle Suggs, Chelsea Turner, Morgan Ward, Tamara Wise, and Kelton Wooten.
New eighth grade members inducted Wednesday are: Samantha Barrow, Dale Brown, Chelsea Ward, and Karissa Strickland.
New officers were also installed. They are: Victoria Wright, president; Kasie Braun, vice president; Tamara Green, secretary; Jenny Spears, treasurer; Madison Arrington, parliamentarian; Paeton Hadley, reporter; and Courtney Weaver, historian.
Current NJHS honor members are: Anna Donald, Anna Fischer, Marina Gray, Mariah Albritton, Madison Arrington, Kasie Braun, Timothy Born, Katelynne Calloway, Kira Cartwright, Lana Clayton, Madalyn Coon, Morgan Digmon, Audra Martin, Rachel Presley, Tamara Green, Paeton Hadley, Casey Jackson, Chloe Leonard, Courtney Lewis, Jessica Lowery, Lakota Maloney, Courtney Weaver, Raven Weaver, Mallory Wiggins, Victoria Wright, Mikaela Santos, Danielle Scott, Courtney Solari, Jennifer Spears, Jeremy Stacey, Danielle Steadham, Lily Townson, and Ali Martin.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com Is Celebrating Our Second Birthday
November 3, 2009
NorthEscambia.com is celebrating our second birthday today. We want to offer you a big thanks, and offer a little insight into our little site.
We have been amazed at the response to NorthEscambia.com as it has grown into the area’s mostly widely read news source and one of the top most popular local web sites on the entire Gulf Coast.
Just a year ago, as we celebrated our first birthday, we were humbled that we stood at 2.2 million page view per month. But that has continued to grow by leaps and bounds — in October of this year, we had 6.8 million page views. That put NorthEscambia.com among the most popular websites on the Gulf Coast. And speaking of the Gulf Coast, readers of the Pensacola Independent News recently named NorthEscambia.com as the Best Blog on the Coast.
We quietly started NorthEscambia.com November 3, 2007, announcing it at the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry. Over the next weeks, we expanded our coverage into Century and Molino, building a family of loyal readers like you.
It’s a diverse family.. From elementary age kids to senior adults, people across North Escambia and in surrounding areas like Atmore, Flomaton, Jay, Cantonment and Pensacola turn to NorthEscambia.com for local news.
Online news like NorthEscambia.com is the future of journalism. Television news ratings are down. Newspaper circulations are down. Online news readers are up.
Minutes after news event occurs, we can post the information you need to know. We have the technology in place to post live updates from the scene of the news.
Over the next year, we plan a few changes to improve our service to you. You’ll see more coverage from more stories. You’ll see more videos, maybe even a live video or two. An improved system of delivery for breaking news. More chances for reader participation.
Speaking of reader participation, we added the ability to comment on our stories just over a year ago. Since then, you have expressed your views with almost 20,000 comments. Thanks for joining in. If you have not yet, we encourage you to start leaving your comments on our stories by using the form at the bottom of each story.
A few more numbers we’d like to share…we’ve posted about 12,000 stories in the past two years, with several new stories posted each day. There are almost 20,000 photos in our photo galleries.
We’ve laughed with you, and we’ve cried with you over the past year. We’ve shared those happy moments with your children at their school or on their playing field. We’ve been there as communities suffered tragedies.
We’ve been at your church, your school, your club, your business and elsewhere in your community as things have happened in your lives. If it was important you, it was important to us.
Let us know how we can serve you; that’s what we are here for. Email news@northescambia.com or use our contact form.
Thank you for helping up reach our second birthday. We are humbled and feel blessed to be part of your family in this area we call North Escambia. Thank you for welcoming NorthEscambia.com into your family.