New Cantonment Post Office To Be Named For Molino Man Today
March 1, 2008
The new Cantonment Post Office will named in honor of a Molino man at a special ceremony Saturday afternoon. The post office will be named the “Charles H. Hendrix Post Office”. Mr. Hendrix retired from the U.S. Postal Service as Postmaster of the Cantonment Post Office with 37 years of service.
“Charles Harold Hendrix was a man of service. He dedicated his life to the Lord, his family, and his community,” Congressman Jeff Miller said. “On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to thank Mr. Hendrix for his many years of public service.” Miller sponsored the federal legislation required to name the post office. It was signed by President George Bush on November 30, 2007.
Born and raised in Molino, Florida, where he met his wife of 55 years, Barbara. They had three children Chuck, Rusty, and Cheryl. Charles was a member of Highland Baptist Church, where he served as the church treasurer, chairman of the board of deacons, and as a Sunday school superintendent. He was a charter member of the Molino Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as fire chief, assistant fire chief, and secretary of the department’s board of directors.
Mr. Hendrix was also a member of the Cantonment Rotary Club for 44 years. He served as president and was an active member of the Club Service Committee. Mr. Hendrix passed away last October at the age of 75.
“Charles Hendrix proved himself not only an outstanding Postmaster, but a strong community leader, dedicated father, and loving husband,” Miller said. “I can think of no better way to honor this highly respected, admirable man than to dedicate the Cantonment Post Office in his name.
The ceremony will be held at 2:00 this Saturday at the new Cantonment Post Office on Highway 29.
Finals Of Northview’s Got Talent Program Tonight
March 1, 2008
Move over American Idol, because Northview’s Got Talent, and tonight the big winner will be named in the talent competition.
The six finalist for the Northview’s Got Talent program have been named:
1. Cordaryl Lowery — Dance
2. Sarah Killam and Chelsea Sims — Dance
3. Allie Bryan — Singing
4. Harrison Whitehead — Comedy
5. 12 Gates — Band
6. Carley Hetrick — Singing
The final round will take place at 6:00 Saturday night in the Northview theater. All proceeds benefit the Northview Performing Arts Program.
Pictured above: The band “12 Gates” performs at a preliminary round of the Northview’s Got Talent program.
Highland Baptist’s Tornado Story Featured In Statewide Publication
March 1, 2008
The story of Highland Baptist Church’s brush with the February 17 Molino tornado is a featured story in this week’s edition of the Florida Baptist Witness. The Witness is a publication of the Florida Baptist State Convention, with 42,000 copies distributed.
In the front page article, reporter Carolyn Nichols portrays the scene as the tornado destroys homes in the Crest Lane area and then rips the steeple of the church, slamming it into cars in the parking lot as 125 worshipers inside Highland take cover in the church fellowship hall.
NorthEscambia.com provided the Florida Baptist Witness with pictures of a tornado ravaged home and of the Highland steeple for use with their article.
The article from the February 28 issue of the Witness can be viewed online by clicking here.
You can read past NorthEscambia.com stories and view photos related to the EF-1 Molino tornado by clicking here.
Pictured above: The Highland Baptist steeple lies on the ground following the Molino tornado. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Northview Star Signs Football Scholarship With NY School
February 29, 2008
Northview High School’s star Nakita Myles has signed a football scholarship with Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y.
Myles racked up 1,321 rushing yards this past season on his way to 18 Chief touchdowns. The 1,000 yard mark was no stranger to Myles; he rushed over 1,000 yards and racked up at least 15 TD’s per year his last three years for Northview.
For the first time in the history of the school, the Chiefs made the playoffs for three years in a row, picking up the district title in 2005 and 2006.
Pictured above: Nikita Myles signs with Nassau Community College. From the left, seated: Myles father Charles Thomas, Myles, mother Myra Carter with nephew Ronntay, sister Ava Myles. Back row, standing: the Chiefs’ Jay Jackson and Taurus Thomas, Head Coach Cody Keene, NHS Principal Gayle Weaver, Assistant Principal Michael Sherrill, the Chief’s Cordaryl Lowery and Coach Sid Wheatley. Submitted photo.
Bratt First Graders Present Play ‘Three of a Kind’
February 29, 2008
The first graders at Bratt Elementary School presented the play “Three of a Kind” at a Thursday night PTA meeting.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the play, click here.
Three blind mice, three muskateers, Snow White, several dwarfs, Dorothy and Scarecrow, the three kittens (who lost their mittens), Little Red Riding Hood, the three little pigs, Peter Pan and a host of other childhood favorites took to the stage along with a lot of teddy bears.
But Baby Bear was missing. Three by three, the characters attempted to find Baby Bear by listening to the clues provided. After the characters learned to listen, Baby Bear was located safe and sound, asleep in a tree stump.
The play was present by the first grade classes of Mrs. Rolin, Mrs. Trice and Mrs. Gilmore under the direction of Emily Pollard. Songs included “Three of a Kind”, “Look High, Look Low”, “The Bear Song”, “All For One” and “Listen”.
During the PTA meeting prior to the play, it was reported that last fall’s cookie dough sale raised about $10,500 for the school. The money will be used for curtains, chairs and a sound system for the school’s multipurpose room.
NorthEscambia.com photos. Click to enlarge.
Highway 97 Crash In Walnut Hill Injures One Thursday Night
February 29, 2008
The third two vehicle crash on Highway 97 in less than a week happened in Walnut Hill Thursday night, sending one person to the hospital with minor injuries. The accident happened about 7:00 between County Road 99 South and County Road 99 North, just south of the Walnut Hill Mennonite School.
Authorities say it appeared that a pickup truck had pulled off the road to attempt a u-turn when it was struck by the car pictured above. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
This was at least the third two vehicle accident with injuries on Highway 97 this week. On Monday, one person was transported to the hospital after an accident south of Highway 164. Read about it by clicking here. On Tuesday morning, two people were seriously injured in an accident near Dixie Feed Store. Read about that accident by clicking here.
School Bus Collides With Molino Woman In Pensacola, No Injuries
February 28, 2008
The Florida Highway Patrol says a partially loaded school bus collided with a Kia driven by a Molino woman at a Pensacola intersection Thursday morning.
The bus, driven by Carla Burns, 38, of Pensacola was turning from Tennessee Drive to South Dakota Street when it collided with the Kia driven by Sonja Rafsky, 38, of Molino. Troopers say Burns collided with Rafsky at an intersection where there was not enough room to make a complete turn. Neither driver was injured.
Burns was charged with careless driving, according to the FHP.
There were 15 students on the bus a the time of the accident. There were no injuries transported to area hospitals, the FHP says.
Tennessee Drive and South Dakota Street are located off Fairfield Drive north of Mobile Highway.
World-Renowned Artist Performs, Teaches At Northview
February 28, 2008
World-renowned tabla player Sandip Burman brought his unique Indian folk music style to Northview High School Wednesday. Burman introduced about 50 Northview Performing Arts students to the tabla drums, his hands literally just a blur as they moved over the drums at lightning speed.
Burman has appeared at the Kennedy Center in Washington as well as many other major national venues. He has received glowing reviews from the likes of The Baltimore Sun, the Chicago Sun Times, the Boston Globe, and Billboard Magazine. He has played with solo artist and former Beatles guitarist George Harrison, jazz great Bela Fleck (Burman was a guest artist on the Grammy winning Fleckton’es album Outbound), and he even contributed to the soundtrack of the Tim Burton film Mars Attacks!.
The students sat staring in awe as he began to play a melody on the sitar. His hands flowed over the ancient Middle Eastern instrument as his soul flowed out in perfect time.In a quiet, heavily accented voice, he explained the sitar to the students. He explains how long it takes to the tune it, and the hours of practice it has taken him to reach his advanced level.
Then he pulled over his two tabla drums. His hands fly over the tablas, filling the theater not with the beat of ordinary drums, but a powerful melody.
In just a few short minutes, Burman then taught the students a rhythmic song for NorthEscambia.com readers to enjoy. That song is in the video above; click the play symbol to hear the tabla melody.
For a complete photo gallery from Burman’s visit to Northview High School, click here.
Pensacola Habitat For Humanity Plans To Build Six New Homes In Molino
February 28, 2008
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity hopes to build six homes for deserving people in the Molino area, with the first Habitat family possibly moving into their new home by Christmas.
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity will be hold two orientation seminars for prospective homeowners. The first was held Thurday night; the next will be at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 27 at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Molino.
Janet Westlake, Habitat’s volunteer in charge of church relations, told NorthEscambia.com that the first house, the “Methodist House”, will be a joint project of Aldersgate, Cottage Hill, Allen Memorial, Lathram Chapel, McDavid and Farm Hill United Methodist churches.
“We are using church groups to sponsor building the first house in Molino,” Westlake said. “Six Methodist churches will together pay to build this house.”
A Habitat home is not a free handout; home recipients must have the ability to repay a small mortgage payment each month. That money goes into the program to build future Habitat homes.
Qualification is based upon three primary criteria: the ability to pay the mortgage, the need for adequate housing and the willingness to partner with “sweat equity” of 300 hours of volunteer time in the construction of their own home or in community service with another community organization. Income guidelines are in the table to the left.
For more information on Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, visit www.pensacolahabitat.org or call 434-5456.
The homes will be located on donated lots on Schaag Road off County Road 95A in Molino.
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian ministry whose purpose is to build homes and improve communities in partnership with low and very low income families in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.
Editors note: The plans by Pensacola Habitat for Humanity to build the six homes in Molino were made prior to the tornado that damaged or destroyed 60 homes and businesses in Molino. Habitat’s plans are not a reaction to the recent devastation in the Molino community.
Walnut Hill Man Honored For Service In Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary
February 28, 2008
Harold O. “Sonny” Blum of Walnut Hill was honored for 37 years of service as an auxiliary trooper at a recent meeting of the Warrington Kiwanis Club. Blum joined the Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary on March 27, 1970. During his 37 years volunteering with the auxiliary, he logged over 30,000 hours of service.
Blum (pictured above, right) was presented with a Certificate of Retirement by Scott Lunsford (pictured above, left) of the FHP Auxilliary. Blum also received a letter from Colonel Christopher Knight, director of the Florida Highway Patrol.
“You will be missed by all members of the Florida Highway Patrol family,” the letter says. “On behalf of your many friends, we wish you the very best in your retirement.”
The Escambia County Commission honored Blum with a proclamation at their January 10 meeting. He was presented with that proclamation at the Kiwanis meeting.
NorthEscambia.com first told you about Blum back on January 11, after we sat down with him at his Walnut Hill home. He reflected on his many years of service to the FHP. To read that article, click here.