Big Chill: Molino Church Builds Igloo With 700+ Plastic Jugs
July 26, 2009
Volunteers at a Molino church used over 700 plastic jugs to construct an igloo this week.
The igloo will be used in Aldersgate United Methodist Church’s Camp Edge August 3-7 from 5:30 to 8:30 each evening.
The igloo is held together with nothing but “lots of hot glue”, Sandra Greenwell, VBS organizer, said. For more info on the Camp Edge VBS, click here.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Interested In Seniors’ Activities In Walnut Hill? Or A North Escambia Crafting Group?
July 26, 2009
Local people are looking for others interested in seniors’ activities in Walnut Hill or a North Escambia crafting group.
If you are interested in forming a seniors’ activity group to meet at the Walnut Hill Community Center, call Billy Ward at (850) 327-4318.
If you are interested in joining a North Escambia crafting group, call Leslie at (850) 565-7128 or email lesliek1066@yahoo.com.
Danceworks Returning To North Escambia With New Teacher
July 23, 2009
Chelsea Sims has some really big slippers to fill. In the fall, she will be taking over as the teacher for Heather Leonard’s Danceworks.
Before announcing her retirement, Leonard taught dance for 14 years to hundreds of girls from North Escambia and surrounding areas. The business will reopen in the fall, under the Heather Leonard’s Danceworks name. Leonard will serve as the administrator and adviser, while Sims will teach the dance classes.
“I always wanted to teach dance,” Sims said. “I felt like this was where God was leading me. I’m very excited.”
“I’m so glad it worked out this way,” Leonard said. “There were so many girls that had put so much into dance; I wanted them to have a chance to continue.”
Sims (pictured left) is a 2009 graudate of Northview High School, where she was a majorette for two years and a varsity cheerleader for two years. She was named Miss NHS 2008, was a homecoming maid as a freshman and sophomore and was homecoming queen her senior year. She was one of Leonard’s dance students for 14 years.
The Heather Leonard’s Danceworks classes will return to the Byrneville Community Center on September 9. There will be a registration on August 20. For more information, call (850) 256-0948.
Reprinted below is the NorthEscambia.com story from April 22, 2008, with more information about Leonard and Sims.
When the music fades after a dance recital in Flomaton Friday night, Heather Leonard will take off her slippers for the very last time as a dance teacher. She’ll head off for the traditional post-recital pizza with the girls, knowing that she’s not only taught dance, but has taught grace and self-respect to hundreds of girls across North Escambia.
After 14 years teaching dance in North Escambia, Heather Leonard is retiring, and she is closing her Heather Leonard’s Danceworks. She will end her career with her students’ final recital at Flomaton High School.
She has taught not just dance to girls from Jay to Century to McDavid to Byrneville to Walnut Hill. She has taught them self-respect, self-worth and a little bit about her Lord.
She began teaching dance as her business 14 years ago after moving to Byrneville. Her first classes were taught at the Byrneville Community Center, a location she would continue to use until just after Hurricane Ivan.
“When I came here it was the biggest blessing that no one had ever really danced,” she said. “I came in and had a fresh slate. Fresh kids with no experience. They got to be mine.”
She was happy that she got to teach the girls of North Escambia that they could respect themselves and still dance.
“I am a Christian, and my values do not line up with a lot of the dance community. I’ve tried to teach the girls that they are how God made them. They are precious, innocent. They are not trashy.”
“I look at the way the dance community is as a whole…cut throat, self-centered, eating disorders to be too thin, smoking, drugs. I can’t stand those things.” Those are the things that Heather crusaded against during her 14 years.
“Once I was saved, I looked to God who showed me that those things were not what He liked,” she said. “He brought me out of the darkness into His light. I became very focused on ballet and finding a way to teach the girls to love themselves the way He made them. I’ve always been very careful to lead them in the right way.”
“We love Miss Heather,” Chelsea Sims, a senior at Northview High School said. She is 17, and she has danced 14 of those years with Heather. “She’s so much more than a teacher. She’s our friend.”
“She helps us with our lives,” Sarah Killam, a freshman at Northview said. She is 15, and she has danced with Heather for 10 of those years. “She’s like a mom to us. Sometimes we will stay after class and talk to her about what is going on in our lives.” The photo to the left shows Sarah with Heather at one of Sarah’s first recitals.
“And she’s always worked to help us be better Christians,” Chelsea said.
“We can have Sunday School sometimes after dance,” Darbi Langhorne said. She’s now in nursing school at Pensacola Junior College. She has danced with Heather for 14 years.
The theme song for Friday night’s recital will be “Sharecropper’s Seed” by Christian artist Nicole C. Mullen. “So I’m praising the Lord of the harvest…God still cares for the least of these,” the song says.
“The Lord cares about everyone. He cares about you, about me. One of my relatives was having a hard time, addicted to drugs. It could have been me. It’s impresses me so much how much God cares,” Heather said. “This dance is dedicated to him.”
Every performance for Heather Leonard’s Danceworks always starts the same. “Before every performance we circle up and pray,” she said. “It has always been that way.”
For the past few years, her dance studio has been in the back of the Country Bumpkin building in Century. It’s nice studio…a mirrored wall, a proper wood dance floor and metal ballet bars.
“That’s not how we started,” Darbi said. “We started with a mirror on a wood frame we rolled out at the community center. The (ballet) bars were PVC pipe and duct tape. But we just danced anyway.”
Hurricane Ivan proved to be a test for Heather and her students. It heavily damaged the Byrneville Community Center where her classes were held. There was no ceiling, no heat and water puddled on the floor when it rained.
“But we were determined,” she said, “that Ivan was not going to beat us. It was a lesson in perseverance. We felt like we had to continue to show that we had not been beat by Ivan.”
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Heather and the three girls gathered around on the floor looking through a box of pictures (pictured above). They would laugh as they looked at 14 years of memories. Sometimes Heather would pause, a fond memory on her mind.
“It’s been a great time,” she said.
“I love it a lot. I’ve been dancing since I was three years old. There has never been a year since then that I did not dance.”
So why is she retiring from dance?
“The Lord put it on my heart to set dance aside,” Heather said. “He wanted to make sure I love Him more than I do dancing. He changed my life. He made me; He saved me. He wants me to show others how much He cares.”
She expressed her thanks to the North Escambia community for supporting her during her 14 years. And she expressed special gratitude to her husband Stephen.
“My husband has been so supportive over the years,” she said. “He was the brains behind the business. He helped me go into business without doing into debt, and to be a good steward. I appreciate him so much.”
The final Heather Leonard’s Danceworks recital will be at Flomaton High School this Friday night at 7:00. Admission is free.
For more photos from Heather Leonard’s Danceworks, click here.
Pictured top: (L-R): Heather Leonard, Darbi Langhorne, Sarah Killam and Chelsea Sims practice their “Sharecropper’s Dream” dance. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Rotary Fiddlers’ Convention Winners Named
July 21, 2009
Results have been announced in the Atmore Rotary Club’s 30th Annual South Alabama Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention.
Proceeds from the event fund the club’s Rotary Academic All-Stars program. The Academic All-Star program is open to students who attend Northview High School, Atmore Christian School, Escambia County High School or Escambia Academy.
Prizes awarded at the Fiddler’s Convention range from $59 to $1,000.
Winners of this year’s event were:
Bands
- 1st Open Range
- 2nd Mick Norton
String Bands
- 1st Open Range
- 2nd The Bell Family
- 3rd Seminole Trio
Dobro
- 1st Steve Crain
- 2nd Robert Bell
Banjo
- 1st Winky Hicks
- 2nd Greg Youngblood
- 3rd Billy Brown
Guitar
- 1st Charlie Carter
- 2nd Chuck Eldar
- 3rd Patrick Lowery
Mandolin
- 1st Chuck Eldar
- 2nd Wayne Crain
- 3rd Peter McCartney
Fiddle
- 1st Adam Purvis
- 2nd Garrett Youngblood
- 3rd W.G. Galbreath
UWF Archeology Uncovers Possible Spanish Mission Evidence In Molino
July 21, 2009
Archaeologists from the University of West Florida working in Molino have discovered what they believe may the first evidence of a Spanish mission settlement dating back to the 1750’s.
The Pensacola Colonial Frontiers Survey Field School, led by archaeologist John Worth, centers on the search for outlying communities associated with Pensacola’s three Spanish presidios including Native American villages and farmsteads. The students are searching an area along and near the Escambia River in Molino for a missions settlement that is believed to have included a Spanish missionary church and a small Apalachee Indian village.
A wall trench was discovered last week, perhaps from the mission that archeologists are seeking. A square hand-wrought nail was located near the wall trench, suggesting European construction instead of Native American.
The wall area appears to have been a post-on-sill construction type that was commonly used on French colonial sites, but it has also been documented in Pensacola’s Spanish presidios. UWF archeologists said the Molino site also includes an apparent floor structure on the inside of the building.
Monday, field school students found a stamped lead bale seal with the letter “K” and the number “653″. The seals were often used in the 18th century to seal bales or bundles of cloth or other trade goods. Researchers said such seals are not uncommon at sites associated with Native American trading. They hope with a little research to be able to associate the seal with particular merchant on manufacturer.
Additional Native American ceramic fragments have been located, and archeologists are hoping that they are further proof they have located the remains of Mission Escambe. A native-made candlestick, called Colono Ware, was also located. The candlesticks were made by Native Americans for trade with, or sale to, Europeans. That is consistent with the presence of a Franciscan missionary, UWF researchers said.
A well-made greenstone disk was found as well. Archeologists say the disk could either be a Native American gaming piece, or a Apalachee item from the mission period of interest. The greenstone probably originated about 100 miles away in Alabama.
Last week, researchers found a “cob pit” — corn cobs allowed to burn and smolder in the pits to create smoke for mosquito control. The cob pits were very common in Spanish missions all across northern Florida. The corn cobs found in the Molino pit were from eight-row corn, the type of maize grown by American Indians during the period.
The latest digs were not “blind” — the UWF field school used ground penetrating radar to map the sub-surface in order to determine where to dig. A large area was found where the underground soil was different. Shovel tests in the area have turned up sheet metal and other modern artifacts — perhaps the location of a 20th century barn.
The Mission San Joseph De Escambe was established upriver along the Escambia River — which actually took its later name from the mission near Molino. The Apalachee Indian settlement with about 75 residents is well documented, according to archaeologist John Worth. It was established in the 1740’s. A Franciscan missionary was stationed by the Spanish at the village along with 15 members of a Spanish cavalry unit until about 1757.
The village was led by Apalachee Chief Juan Marcos Fant until it was destroyed during a Creek Indian raid on April 9, 1761. The village and the church were at least partially burned during the raid. Following the raid, the residents moved down the Escambia River to what is now downtown Pensacola.
The Apalachee Indians created pottery for trade with the Spanish in Pensacola, and Worth would like nothing more than to find some of that pottery. If he’s lucky, Worth also hopes to find evidence that the Apalachee Indians also traded with the Upper Creek Indians of Alabama and directly, or indirectly with the French, even though the French and Indian War (1756-1763) was underway.
“Historical documents have narrowed our search for Pensacola’s lost Spanish missions, but now our students are conducting the archaeological fieldwork designed to locate them on the ground and learn more about this chapter of our local history,” said Worth.
There are about three weeks left in the UWF Archeology Field School in Molino. NorthEscambia.com will continue to follow the group’s progress and bring you updates over the coming weeks.
Editor’s Note: While we have mentioned that the archaeological dig is in the Molino area of North Escambia, we are not revealing the exact location at this point. It is all on private property (public access would be trespassing), and UWF wishes to protect the area until their work is done and to not compromise the integrity of any artifacts that might be in the area. Once the project is complete, we will publish an article with the exact location of the dig.
Pictured top: UWF Archeology Field School students open a two by two meter shovel test area Monday in Molino to further study a possible Spanish missionary wall trench located last week. Pictured below: A native-made candlestick, possibly for trade with Europeans. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Ernest Ward Teacher Now Selling Her Book Online
July 20, 2009
Jean Webb, a former teacher and administrator at Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill, is busy these days promoting her book, and now she has a web site where her book is available.
Set in Richmond, VA, and Mobile during the 1880’s, “Feet of Clay” is a family saga, a historical romance, a murder mystery, a courtroom drama and a study of human behavior all rolled into one.
“There are no perfect heroes here, only men with feet of clay,” she said of her book. “They have been wronged: They have done wrong, but are honorable men with all too many human flaws.”
Webb, who spent 35 years as an English teacher and administrator at Ernest Ward High School, is currently a member of the Wetumpka Fine Arts Club and the Episcopal Church. Her interests include reading, writing, and following sports — especially football and basketball. She has four children: Letha, Rick, Jean, and Pellar. She now resides near Wetumpka, Alabama. She was recently been nominated to be inducted into the Alabama Senior Hall of Fame.
Webb’s new web site is jjwebb.com. Feet of Clay is also available at amazon.com.
Pictured top: Former Ernest Ward Middle School teacher J.J. Webb autographs her book at a signing event last year the First National Bank & Trust in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Fort Pickens Once Again Open After Ivan
July 19, 2009
Escambia County’s Fort Pickens is once again open and accessible to the general public by car.
The seven-mile road to Fort Pickens reopened just a few weeks ago for the first time since Hurricane Ivan, once again bringing accessibility to the fort that was completed in 1834.
Services in the park are still limited, with diesel generators providing electricity to some areas including the visitor’s center, some restrooms and the snack bars store near the fishing pier. Campgrounds are open, but campers must supply their own power and water.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery of Fort Pickens from Saturday, click here.
About 35,000 vehicles passed through the Fort Pickens gate in June, up from 25,000 the June before Ivan. Park officials estimate that 105,000 people entered the park in June.
Fort Pickens is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., except for registered campers. The visitor’s center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Lifeguards are on duty at Langdon Beach in the park from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
“It is important that visitors understand there is still much work to be accomplished within the Fort Pickens Area and, upon reopening, full visitor services will not be available,” said Jerry Eubanks, superintendent of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
The entrance fee is $8 per vehicle for a seven-day pass. However, there will be a free admission weekend August 15 and 16 at National Parks nationwide.
The speed limit on the road from the park entrance to the ranger station is enforced at 15 mph to protect shorebirds nesting alongside the roadway. Once nesting season is over, the speed limit will be increased to 35 mph.
Visitors should also bring cash — due to no telephone lines, the ability to use debit and credit cards is sometimes not available.
“We regret that services will be limited, however, we understand how anxious our visitors are to return and to experience once again this wonderful resource,” said Eubanks.
Pictured top: Visitors took advantage of a free admission day Saturday at Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Limited electricity at the fort is provided by the generator in the photo. Pictured below: One of the large cannons that overlooks Pensacola Pass. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Rescue Zone: Kids Get Up Close With The Fire Department
July 15, 2009
Dozens of children in Bluff Springs had the opportunity to learn about firefighting up close and personal Tuesday evening.
It was all part of the “Rescue Zone: Saved by God’s Power” Vacation Bible School at Faith Bible Baptist Church in Bluff Springs. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue gave the children the opportunity to see a 55-foot ladder truck and a fire engine. The children also had the opportunity to try their hand a fire hose.
Monday night, the children had the chance to talk with an Escambia County deputy. Wednesday night, Escambia County EMS will show off an ambulance at the VBS.
VBS at Faith Bible Baptist Church in Bluff Springs continues through Thursday from 6-8:30 p.m. for ages 5-12. For more information, call the church at (850) 256-5483.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Giving a fire hose a try. Pictured left: Touring a firetruck at Faith Bible Baptist Church in Bluff Springs Tuesday evening. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Angels Soar
July 12, 2009
Tens of thousands of people — many of them from the North Escambia area — packed Pensacola Beach Saturday for the annual Blue Angels air show.
The main parking lot at Casino Beach was full by 7 a.m., and the parking lots at Fort Pickens and Quietwater Beach were full by 10. At one point, traffic was reported to be backed up from the beach all the way back to the Pensacola Civic Center.
Despite the large crowds, emergency officials reported few problems. About half dozen people were transported to the hospital, and deputies said they made just a handful of arrests.
Click here for more photos from the Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach from Mike Newton, Alisa Hart and Brandy Gafford.
Pictured above: The Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach Saturday afternoon. Pictured below: Thousands packed Pensacola Beach as seen in this photo from the Hilton. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com by Alisa Hart and Brandy Gafford for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Names New Tribal Beat Band Director
July 6, 2009
Northview High School has named Scott Slay as the school’s new band director and Tadd Corder as an assistant band director.
After graduating from Northview in 2000, Slay attended the University of West Florida where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Teacher Education with a specialization in Jazz. Slay has four years of teaching experience. Last year, he sponsored Northview’s guitar ensemble, theatre productions, chorus and the jazz band. He will remain Northview’s Performing Arts instructor.
Corder is transferring from the closed Carver/Century K-8 School to a teaching position at Ernest Ward Middle School, but he will volunteer his time as an assistant band director at Northview. Corder has a music minor, and he was a member of the UWF symphonic band.
“We are both Northview drum line alumni under Mr. Buck,” Slay said. “We are both looking forward to leading the band where we used to march.”
Slay plans to make a few changes with the Tribal Beat band — new music, a local focus and new instruments. He also plans to use technology more in the band program, tossing out the cassette tape players that were a mainstay in the program.
While he would not say exactly what new music he is looking to add to the selections played by the band on Friday nights, during football season, he did mention Earth, Wind & Fire, the Temptations, and the addition of about a half dozen new cadences at games. But traditionalists need not worry; he plans to keep some of the traditional cadences for Friday nights. There will also be new music added to the halftime show.
“Students will be able to identify with music and enjoy it, but it probably won’t be music that they would have bought for themselves,” he said.
Slay plans to add a “pit crew” to the band, with a electric guitar, axillary percussion instruments, xylophone and bells to support the woodwind instruments.
The Tribal Beat will take on more of a local focus, the new band director said, marching and participating in local events and parades. For now, distant competitions and events are out while Slay works to improve and build the program. “It will be more of a focus of serving our communities,” he said.
If all goes as planned, a second assistant band director is in the works for the program, a person with years of experience working with marching bands in the area. Corder and the second assistant band director will be volunteers, “working out of the goodness of their heart”, Slay said.
“We will have a quality program,” Slay said. “I want our band members to feel like they are part of a good group, part of something special and that we play good music.”
Slay said he is also looking forward to working with the Northview Band Boosters, and Northview Band Booster President Norma Halteman said the feeling is mutual.
“We are looking forward to this year and providing continued support for the band,” Halteman said. “We hope it grows, and we are looking forward to a lot of exciting things.”
Corder said he is looking forward to working with Slay and the Tribal Beat.
“This was an opportunity to become involved and do something,” Corder said. “There is a lot of renewed excitement in the program right now. So far, at least 10 new kids are coming back to the band. It’s exciting. The fans will see some fruits in this year, but there will be a lot more in the future as we work with the program. We are going to keep the quality and make it better.”
“I’m excited about the new band year,” new Tribal Beat Drum Major Melissa Moretz (pictured left) said. “It will be a great opportunity to bring all of these musicians together as a team and set goals.”
Students must also pay band dues to the booster club or attend every band boosters fundraiser until band dues are paid. The next band fundraiser is this Saturday morning, with a car wash at Advance Auto Parts in Atmore beginning at 8:00.
Band camp begins the last week of July with different days for different sections of the band. Full band camp will be the first two weeks of August, from 8 until 4:30 daily.
Former NHS Band Director Charles Tucker will remain at Ernest Ward Middle School as their band director, according to Nancy Gindl-Perry. Slay said the middle and high school bands would not be marching together or holding joint concerts this year.
Slay said it is not too late for students to join the Tribal Beat Band at Northview. Basic requirements for Northview students include a previous involvement in a high school or middle school band program and band camp attendance. For more information, call Lisa Chancery in the Northview office at 327-6681 ext. 238 or Slay at 261-5954.
Pictured top: New Northview Tribal Beat Band Director Scott Slay (left) works with Drum Captain Colton Sims. Pictured middle: Drum Major Melissa Moretz files music. Pictured bottom: Majorette Captain Kolbi Cobb organizes old Tribal Beat music. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
