8th Graders Check Out Northview High School
March 17, 2009
Eighth graders from Carver/Century K-8 and Ernest Ward Middle School had the chance to learn more about Northview High School, and they had a little fun doing it.
Freshmen Orientation for incoming Northview High School freshmen was held Monday evening at the school.
A quiz show game “Are You Ready To Be A Northview Chief” gave participants and the Northview students and their families on the importance of reading and high school success.
The quiz show was comprised of two teams — the Garnet and the Gold — that answered questions with a little help from the audience.
Students and their parents also had the opportunity to tour the school and learn more about classes and programs that are offered. The sports teams and clubs from the school also provided information. Teachers were on hands to answer questions from the incoming freshmen.
Click here for a photo gallery.
Pictured above and below: “Are You Ready To Be A Northview Chief” gave incoming freshmen a fun look at what high school has to offer during an orientation Monday night at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lucky 7: Chiefs Work To Keep Winning Streak Alive
March 17, 2009
The Northview High School varsity baseball team has been on a huge winning streak, winning their last seven.
“Our hitting and run production was not very good at the start of the season. Generally, hitting is ahead of the pitching early,” said Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley. “Recently though, I feel like we’ve been seeing the ball better and having better swings at the plate. It has helped us to produce more runs. We’ve also been aggressive on the bases and have been able to get some bunts down.”
Four Northview players having batting averages of .333 or better — junior Dakota Stuckey, sophomore Dabney Langhorne and senior Scooter Hamilton.
The Chiefs, now 7-2, are only about two-thirds of the way through the season. Seven straight wins is a good thing, but Wheatley realizes his team has more work to do to keep the wins rolling in.
“I’m pleased at what we’ve done so far, but I also realize we have a lot to work on and improve on. The players realize this, as well. We’re not satisfied with what we’ve done so far, we realize there is much more that we need to improve on,” Wheatley said.
Northview batting averages after nine games:
Dakota Stuckey .348
Dabney Langhorne .333
Scooter Hamilton .333
Austin Reid .310
Austin Arrington .286
Pictured above: Sophomore Austin Arrington at bat for the Chiefs. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain Ending: Flood Warning For Escambia River; Dense Fog Tonight
March 16, 2009
(Updated 5:15 p.m.)The weather service says there is slight chance of more rain in North Escambia and surrounding areas this evening. A flood warning for the Escambia River has been issued. And, after the rain clears overnight, there is a dense fog advisory through tomorrow morning.
A flood warning has been issued for the Escambia River near Century. Earlier today, the flood state was at 10.4 feet. Flood state is 17 feet. The river is forecast to rise above flood stage by Thursday morning and continue to rise to near 17.4 feet by Friday morning, with a further rise possible by the weekend. At 17.5 feet some flooding of lowlands in the area will continue until the river level drops below 13 feet.
The rain will end tonight, with just a 30 percent chance of an overnight shower. There is dense fog advisory in effect from 10 tonight to 10 tomorrow morning. A cold front will move across the area. The cooler air, when combined with the moisture on the ground from the rain will produce widespread dense fog. The overnight low will be about 53.Tuesday through Saturday are forecast to be sunny with daytime highs in the mid to upper 70’s and overnight lows in the 40’s.
In Depth: Possible Nuclear Plant In North Escambia
March 16, 2009
On Saturday, NorthEscambia.com broke the exclusive story that Gulf Power was purchasing property in North Escambia for a potential power plant — one that might be nuclear — in the Cox and Roach road areas between McDavid and Bratt.
Gulf Power Manager of Public Affairs Sandy Sims told us that the plant could be nuclear, natural gas powered or even an advanced technology like wind or solar. “We really can’t rule out any possibility right now.”
Today, we are going to take a closer look at some possibilities.
Nuclear Power Plant?
In 2007, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist issued an executive order calling for electric utilities to use renewable energy sources to generate electricity and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In August of last year, CEO Susan Story told the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce that nuclear energy and biomass — items such as wood waste, wood, municipal waste and other forms of waste — would become viable options, according to a report in the Panama City News Herald. That article also said Story commented that once Gulf Power picked a site, it could be 2020 before a nuclear plant would begin producing electricity.
Story told the newspaper that Gulf Power was looking at potential nuclear power sites in Northwest Florida “as we speak”.
At Gulf Power’s annual economic symposium in the fall of 2007, Story said “Nuclear may not be a critical option, it may be the only option.” She added that the earliest a nuclear plant could happen would be 2020.
New applications for nuclear power plants increased in 2008, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
During 2007, there were five new applications for eight new reactors. Two of those sites were new; the other six reactors were to be expansions of existing nuclear power plants.
In 2008, the number of applications more than doubled to 12, for a total of 18 new reactors. Four of those reactors were to be located at two brand new nuclear power plants; the rest were to be located at current plants.
The NRC says that at this time, there are three known applications for five reactors expected to be filed in 2009. Additional applications could be filed during year.
The nearest nuclear reactors to North Escambia is outside Dothan, Ala. The Farley Nuclear Plant is about 130 miles from North Escambia.
Is The Land Area Large Enough For A Nuclear Plant?
It would appear from the reports of area residents that Gulf Power is looking to purchase a very large area of land.
The Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan sits on 1,850 acres. That is about 2.9 square miles.
Residents near the intersection of Cox Road and Bratt Road have reported that they were contacted by a Gulf Power representative seeking to purchase their property. Those homes are about 2.8 miles from the land already purchased by Gulf Power on Roach Road.
Sims would not confirm how many acres the utility was looking to purchase, but she did confirm that the company’s land acquisition department did make contact with one of the residents we spoke with near the intersection of Cox Road and Bratt Road — 2.8 miles away.
Natural Gas?
It becomes interesting to note that there is a natural gas pipeline about one mile north-northwest of the property purchased by Gulf Power on Roach Road. The pipeline is situated almost in the middle of the area between Gulf Power’s property and the residents contacted by the utility 2.8 miles away. The pipeline is indicated by the red line on the map at the top of the page.
Natural gas would not be considered a renewable energy source.
Other Possibilities
Wood and wood product were one of the biomass, renewable energy possibilities mentioned by Story. North Escambia is, obviously, surrounded by wood products industries.
Online date from the U.S. Forest Service indicates that if Gulf Power were to attempt to replace the 945 megawatt generating capacity of their Crist Plant in Pensacola with wood fuel, the plant would need over 10 million tons of wood fuel per year.
Pictured top of page: These graphics show the location of the property that has been purchased by Gulf Power. Resident as far away as Cox Road and Bratt Road have reportedly been contacted by the utility. Pictured middle: A small house sits on the Gulf Power property. Pictured bottom: A pipeline runs through the area. NorthEscambia.com graphics/photos, click to enlarge.
Casino No Economic Jackpot For Atmore So Far; Another Town Plans Big I-65 Development
March 16, 2009
With the Wind Creek Casino opening earlier this year and businesses beginning to grow in the city’s Rivercane business development, Atmore has hedged a big bet for economic growth on Highway 21 and I-65, an area annexed into the city just a few years ago.
But so far, Atmore has not hit the jackpot. And recent announcements indicate that Atmore’s two aces in the hole may not be the only ones in the game. Another major casino could open an hour away, and another major I-65 development is in the works about half an hour away.
Atmore has not been immune to the economic downturn that has hit the nation, joining the ranks of cities that have been forced to cut back and layoff employees.
Atmore recently announced the layoff of six employees with the parks department and beautification department. The winter workload for the positions was minimal, and cutting the jobs had no great immediate impact on the city, Atmore Mayor Howard Shell said recently.
For anyone that is accustomed to traveling through Atmore, or even Highway 97 in North Escambia for that matter, it is obvious that the opening of the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel at Highway 21 and I-65 has increased traffic. While a few business people we spoke to along Atmore’s Main Street report an increase in foot traffic and sales, overall sales tax collections in the city are down slightly.
“There has not been an large upward trend in sales tax collections,” Mayor Shell told NorthEscambia.com. “They are almost at a level position and holding, but they are down a little bit from this time last year.”
Between Montgomery and Mobile, Greenville has the only exit with major retail development — a Wal-mart, numerous hotels, a host of restaurants and an eight-screen movie theater all within sight of I-65.
Atmore’s Rivercane 643-acre development at Highway 21 and I-65 is the announced home for a Hardee’s restaurant and a few hotels. The city hopes to lure more business to the development to drive sales tax revenue. The Poarch Creek Indians pay no taxes to Atmore on their casino and hotel operations, so the casino has not directly increased the city’s sales tax.
And now another nearby town has announced they are working on developing both of their I-65 exits. Evergreen, Ala., has announced that several new businesses are on the way to their exit developments — a Love’s Travel Stop and Country Store, a Vista Inn, a Sleep Inn and a Huddle House restaurant.
Also, a developer has announced he is working to build a casino and resort on the beach at Perdido Key in Escambia County, Florida, in conjunction with an Indian tribe. He has told Escambia leaders that it will be larger than the Atmore casino.
It’s the worst national economic climate Shell said he has seen during his 22 years as Atmore’s Mayor. It has caused concern in the city, he said, but for now it is business as usual in their push for economic development.
“We are working to be good stewards of the city’s finances. We are taking all the measures we can to be economically minded about how we spend money,” the mayor said. “Each time we have to be mindful about how we spend our dollars.”
“We are holding our own, and we are working everyday on ways to increase revenue,” he said. “I just hope it doesn’t get any worse.”
Escambia Sheriff’s Dept. To Shine The LITE On Crime
March 16, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is launching The Law Enforcement Initiative to Educate (LITE) Program, which will feature several public campaigns to educate members of the community about crime prevention and public safety.
Beginning in March, the Sheriff’s Office will debut the Shine the LITE on Crime campaign which brings crime prevention techniques to light and empowers community members to become more vigilant against crime.
The Shine the LITE on Crime campaign will target various areas of crime such as home invasions, residential burglaries, assaults, and sexual assaults, in an attempt to educate the community on ways to avoid becoming a victim of such crimes. The sheriff’s office will produce public service announcements and create promotional items to get the message out concerning crime prevention.
In addition to the Shine the LITE on Crime campaign, the sheriff’s office will be launching several other campaigns in the coming months to promote awareness concerning domestic violence, cyber safety and beach safety.
Were You Ever In 4-H? Tell Your Story
March 16, 2009
The Florida 4-H Youth Development Program is celebrating 100 years of helping young people develop a love of lifelong learning, leadership skills and self confidence.
As part of the celebration, Escambia County is asking former and current 4-H members, parents, volunteers and community partners to share their 4-H experiences in an essay format. “That’s My Florida 4-H Story” may recount a memorable event from your 4-H experience, or highlight a leader, volunteer, agent or parent that made a significant impact on you through 4-H.
Many youth earned significant learning experiences from the 4-H adult volunteers or professionals that guided them on their way. The stories of successful and failed project work in home and farm activities, as well as the leadership skills learned, are the basis for many of the stories 4-H is seeking in “That’s My Florida 4-H Story.”
It may also include experiences gained, activities enjoyed, skills learned and significant relationships developed with peers and adults. Also include basic contact information such as name, address, phone number and the associated 4-H club or program in which you were involved.
With more than 230,000 current members, Florida 4-H is the state’s largest non-formal youth development program. Projects range from aerospace and citizenship to horses and forestry.
Florida 4-H is the youth development program of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (CES) headquartered in Gainesville within the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). The CES is funded by a partnership between federal, state and county government agencies.
“That’s My Florida 4-H Story” may be sent to the Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Rd. Cantonment, FL 32533, or emailed to kdb@ufl.edu by March 18.
Hundreds Gather To Pray For Local Schools
March 15, 2009
Hundreds of people gathered at Jay High School Saturday afternoon to pray for schools across the area.
The prayer service came about two months after a federal judge issued an order against any prayer or promotion of religion in Santa Rosa County Schools. Saturday’s gathering was not impacted by the judge’s order since it was not a school sanctioned event.
“We are not here for any political reasons,” Pastor William Rushing from Jay First Baptist Church told the crowd. “We are here to pray for our schools.”
After a brief assembly to begin, the faithful gathered in different locations around the school to pray. In the middle of the football field, at doorways into buildings, under walkways — they stood together and raised area schools and students in prayer as a light rain periodically fell.
Two shofars — the Hebrew word for horns — were blown sevens time during the event to change the prayer focus. On the first trumpet blast, people prayed for wisdom for the school board that they might make the right decisions. The second trumpet blast signified a time to pray for teachers, administrators, counselors and support staff.
The third trumpet blast called for prayer for the parents and their service as volunteers to the teachers and activities at school such as PTO, PTA and Parent’s Support Groups. The fourth trumpet began a time of prayer for protection and safety for students. The next trumpet sounding was for prayer for a spirit of excellence in the classroom and athletic events.
The sixth trumpet played for a time of prayer for students to willingly and boldly share the truth of Jesus Christ with their classmates. The final trumpet blast called for conclusion to the event. The hundreds gathered around the school shouted praises and thanksgiving to recognize God’s work in the past and expectations for the future.
The event was dubbed “Sounding the Trumpet, A Call To Prayer” based upon Biblical scripture from Joel 2:1-18 where the prophet Joel uses the sounding of a shofar as a call to the people of Jerusalem to pray.
Over dozen area churches sponsored the event, including Berrydale Baptist, Brownsdale Baptist, Cobbtown Christian, Cobbtown Holiness, Jay First Baptist, Jay Pentacostal, Jay United Methodist, Mt. Carmel United Methodist, Pine Level Baptist and Poplar Dell Baptist Church.
For a complete photo gallery from the service, click here.
This article is part of our new “Hometown People” series, spotlighting people and places from North Escambia, Atmore, Flomaton, Jay and surrounding areas. If you know someone that you would like to see featured on our “Hometown People” series, email news@northescambia.com
Pictured above: Scenes from the prayer service at Jay High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Preston Places Second For His Violin Sonata
March 15, 2009
A McDavid youth won second place in a violin contest Saturday in Pensacola.
Ben Preston placed second in the 30th annual Pensacola Music Teachers Association Sonata Contest in the Strings One division for violins.
Ben is the son of David and Ramona Preston. He is a student at Pensacola Christian Academy.
Pen Air Names New President
March 15, 2009
Pen Air Federal Credit Union’s Board of Directors has named Ron Fields to serve as the credit union’s president and chief executive officer.
Fields has been serving as the interim president and CEO since November 2008, after the untimely death of former President and Chief Executive Officer John A. Davis, Jr.
Fields has been with Pen Air Federal Credit Union since 2001, serving as the executive vice president and chief financial officer. Fields’ career in the credit union industry stretches over 30 years, including active memberships with the Credit Union Executive Society and National Association of Federal Credit Unions.
“We have great confidence in Ron’s leadership,” said Chairman of the Board Maurice Johnson. “His talent and personal qualities, as well as his experience and knowledge of this industry will allow for a seamless transition and set the stage for a strong future.”
As president and CEO, Fields will oversee Pen Air Federal Credit Union, established in 1936, which has over $900 million in assets and over 90,000 member-owners. Pen Air Federal Credit Union has 15 locations in Northwest Florida and South Alabama, including a location in Century.
“I really appreciate the Board of Directors and their confidence in my abilities,” Fields said. “As we move forward, I will keep in mind the best interest of Pen Air’s member-owners, while ensuring the continued strength and security that our member-owners have come to expect from Pen Air Federal Credit Union.”