Escambia Academy’s Best Season Ever: Cougars Advance In Playoffs
November 7, 2009
The Escambia Academy Cougars beat Springwood Academy 46-38 Friday night in round one of the 2009 Class AA AISA playoffs.
Friday night’s win marks the first time in Cougar history that Escambia Academy has advanced to the second round of the state playoffs.
Next week, the Cougars will travel to Monroeville to take on number one ranked Monroe Academy in round two of the AISA playoffs. Monroe had strong 42-7 win over Autauga Academy Friday night.
Mom Charged With Tossing Her Dead Baby In Trash Says She’s Not Guilty
November 7, 2009
The Escambia County woman accused of throwing her dead infant daughter in the trash and leaving two of her other children alone while she reported them missing has pleaded not guilty.
Christian Rochelle Woods, 21, entered the plea in Escambia County Circuit Court on Friday as her friends and families told the judge that she is a good mother. She is due back in court in February with her trial scheduled to being March 1. She remains in the Escambia County Jail on $250,000 bond.
Woods is charged with manslaughter and two counts of child abuse for leaving the children, ages 18-month and two years, home alone for two days in a home with no power or water. The children were left with only a few cups of Jello to eat.
Authorities said that the little girl found in the trashcan, Myleahya Woods (pictured left), weighed just 11 pounds. Prosecutors say she starved to death. The other two children found in the home, Myleahya ’s twin sister, Mykayhala (pictured right) and Jaterius Woods, 2, were also severely malnourished. When deputies found Mykayhala under a bed in the filthy Escambia County home, she was in a coma. Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said deputies first thought Mykayhala was dead until her eyes fluttered.
Woods called deputies to report that her children were missing. But deputies became suspicious. They found Jaterius and arrested Woods on child neglect charges because he showed what they said was obvious signs of abuse. About 12 hours after her arrest, Woods admitted that Myleahya was dead in a trashcan on the back porch of her home.
Prosecutors said Woods’ family members had no idea what was going on with the children, and that she never asked for help.
Walnut Hill Fire Department’s Annual Fish Fry Today
November 7, 2009
The 40th Annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department Catfish Fry will be held today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97.
Each $7 plate will include catfish fillets or grilled chicken, hush puppies, baked beans, cole slaw, homemade bread and dessert. There will also be door prizes, with the drawing at 1 p.m. Baked goods and reflective address signs will be for sale. The Northwest Florida Blood Center will also be conducting a blood drive during the event.
NHS Cheerleaders Bagging Groceries Today
November 7, 2009
The Northview High School cheerleaders will be bagging groceries today in Cantonment to raise money for a trip to a national competition.
The cheerleaders will bag groceries for tips today from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Winn Dixie on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
Circus This Weekend In Atmore
November 7, 2009
An old-fashioned big top circus is at the Atmore YMCA this weekend with jugglers, acrobats, clowns, tigers and more. This morning, workers were busy putting up the big top and preparing the animals for the show.
The circus show, to be performed by the Lewis & Clark Circus, will harken back to earlier days when such events came bustling into town for a day and then mysteriously disappeared overnight.
Lewis & Clark is a one-ring European style circus with continuous action going on in the center ring. Traditional circus acts such as hi-flying trapeze artists, amazing acrobats, zany clowns, and liberty animal acts that include horses and camel are featured.
The Circus attracts all types of people, from the young to the young at heart, which may be why it remains a popular form of family entertainment. The circus is one of about 10 traditional big top shows that operate in the United States. The circus troop presents about500 shows a year and will be in Atmore on Saturday, November 7 with performances at 4 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 8 at 3 p.m. You can relive childhood dreams while your children create their own dreams and memories from this fun filled event.
Tickets can be purchased at the Atmore Area YMCA, United Bank in Atmore and from any YMCA Board Member. Advance discount tickets are $10 per adult and children under 14 are free when accompanied by an adult. Non-discounted tickets will be available on circus day.
For more information, call the Atmore Area YMCA at (251) 368-9622.
Pictured top and bottom: Workers raise the big top tent this morning. for the Lewis & Clark Circus. Pictured inset: This camel is one of many animals in the show. 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.
Barrineau Park Bridge To Remain Closed For At Least Two More Weeks
November 6, 2009
County officials say it will be about two more weeks before bridge work on Barrineau Park Road will be completed.
Barrineau Park Road from Jacks Branch Road to Barrineau Park School Road was closed October 16 so that repairs could be made to the the Penasula Creek Bridge which is located north of the intersection of Barrineau Park Road and Jacks Branch Road.
Sonya Daniel, Escambia County spokesperson, said Thursday that the bridge is expected to be closed for at least two more weeks.
The only detours around the closure are Chestnut Road or Highway 29 between Barrineau Park Road and Molino Road.
The closed bridge is marked with the green icon on the map below.
Commissioner Plans District 5 Town Hall Meeting
November 6, 2009
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White will hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
The District 5 meeting will begin with comments from the commissioner and proceed into an open forum. The public is encouraged to attend and ask questions and share comments.
For more information about this meeting, contact White’s office at 595-4950
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.