Bratt Second Graders Delayed
January 21, 2009
Bratt Elementary School second graders that attended a field trip today did not arrive back at the school in time to ride their regular bus home.
The students were put on later buses and transported home.
We are told that the bus transporting the students broke down in Pensacola.
Consolidated Government Meeting Tonight; All For One Names Supporters
January 20, 2009
A public meeting tonight will give North Escambia residents the chance to learn more about Escambia All for One, the group pushing for a consolidated government in Escambia County. Meanwhile, All for One has released a list of supporters.
The meeting will be held at the 5:30 at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97. All for One representatives will be on hand to “clarify the purpose of the proposed legislation to allow the creation of a commission to study consolidation”, according to a press release from the group. The release states that Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White will attend the meeting.
The Northwest Florida legislative delegation will meet Friday night to discuss the latest draft of the legislation support by All for One. That legislation would create a commission to draft a consolidated government plan to be presented to the the county’s voters in 2010.
The group has made a list of supporters available. Click here to download the All for One supporter list (pdf).
Escambia County, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century all passed resolutions in favor of the consolidation. But the Town of Century later backed out and rescinded their support, with town officials saying that they were misled by All for One.
“We think consolidated government would bring a number of benefits to the community, including a reduction in duplication of services, lower taxes and job creation,” said Jason Crawford, co-chairman of All for One. “The purpose of these meetings is to talk about the benefits of consolidation and to hear from the public.”
Another informational meeting will be held Wednesday evening at 5:30 at New World Landing in Pensacola. The legislative delegation meeting will be held at 6:00 Friday night at the WSRE Amos Theatre on the campus of Pensacola Junior College. Both meeting are open to the public.
Century Relay For Life Kickoff Meeting Is Tonight; Still Time To Form Your Team
January 20, 2009
The Century Relay for Life’s Kickoff Team Captains’ Meeting will be held tonight at 6:30 in Carver/Century K-8 cafeteria.
All Relay team captains are encouraged to bring as many team members as they can. The 2009 Relay theme is “Get in the Game! Defeat Cancer!” so all “Relayers” are to come dressed to represent their favorite sport. Dinner will be served, with thanks to Subway of Flomaton. This meeting will launch the “official” Relay for Life season, with information about fund raising and team building.
We are continuing to recruit teams; we have 10 registered teams and would love to have 10 more to represent area churches, businesses and families. Century Relay encompasses the areas of Century, Flomaton, Walnut Hill, and all the way down to Molino. If you are interested in starting a team, volunteering, or just want information about Relay for Life, please join us.
In addition, we are going to honor those who are battling or who have overcome cancer, and would love to have cancer survivors and caregivers join us. We will register you for our Survivors’ Victory Lap and the Brunch to follow.
These are difficult times for everyone, so it is all the more crucial that we continue to help the American Cancer Society provide services to cancer patients and families, fund research for prevention and treatment, and provide information about prevention, treatment and services to the public. Century Relay has raised approximately $50,000 since it began two years ago. Let this year’s Relay Event be an example of how compassionate and giving “NorthEnders” truly are! For more information, contact Paula Jernigan, Event Chair, at 256-3842 or B.J. Davis, ACS Community Partner, at 475-0850.
For additional information, visit www.CenturyRelay.com
Submitted by Paula Jernigan, Century Relay Event Chair.
Pictured above: Last year’s Century Relay for Life. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Hard Freeze Warning; Cold Windy Day In Store
January 20, 2009
There is a hard freeze warning in effect for tonight in North Escambia, with overnight lows tonight expected to fall to around 20.
Today will be sunny and cold, with a high of 45 and a north wind of 10 to 15 mph. Tonight will be clear and cold, with a north wind of 5 to 10 mph and a low near 20.
Wednesday will be sunny and 52. The overnight low Wednesday is forecast to be around 20 once again, and Thursday’s high will be warmer at 65 by mid-afternoon.
With blustery north winds… wind chill values Tuesday morning will likely range from the middle teens to middle 20s at times.
From the National Weather Service:
Temperatures will drop below freezing this evening then bottom out in the upper teens well inland to the mid twenties closer to the coast. Temperatures will return above freezing during the mid morning hours.
A hard freeze warning means temperatures falling below 26 degrees for five or more hours are expected late tonight into Wednesday morning. These conditions will likely kill crops and other cold sensitive vegetation. Temperatures such as these can cause expose water pipes to burst.
Action should now be completed to ensure adequate warmth for outdoor pets as well as freeze sensitive outdoor plants and equipment. Check on the elderly to ensure they have proper warmth. Those who have gas heat should make sure carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. Make sure portable space heaters are in good working order and placed well away from flammable materials such as bedding and curtains.
Holiday Closings
January 19, 2009
The following will be closed today for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday:
- All Escambia and Santa Rosa county offices
- All Florida state offices
- Century and Jay city offices
- All West Florida Public Libraries, including Century
- Escambia and Santa Rosa county schools
- ECAT: No buses run today
- Santa Rosa County Libraries
- PJC & UWF
- All post offices, but mail will be collected from collection boxes and post offices boxes will receive mail
There will no trash collection changes.
Events Planned For MLK Day
January 18, 2009
Parades and special events will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Century, Flomaton and Atmore on Monday.
Century
The Century-Flomaton Improvement Association will honor Dr. King with a parade in Century Monday morning. The parade will line up at the old Carver High School on Pond Street at 8:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 9:00 and will end at the Ag Building on West Highway 4 by 10:00.
A program and celebration will follow in the Ag Building at 10:00. Bishop Johnny Frank Cunningham will be the guest speaker.
Flomaton
Flomaton’s parade will line up at 10 a.m. in the parkingl lot of Community Baptist Church at Highway 31 at Martin Luther King Drive. The parade will travel up MLK Drive. A program will follow at Damascus Baptist Church. Dunwan Walker, the assistant football coach at the University of South Alabama, will be the guest speaker. There will be refreshments following the program.
Atmore
The annual Atmore parade and march will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at Houston Avery Park. The parade will travel to MLK Drive, to Ridgely Street, to Main Street, to Ashley Street, to Carver Avenue and back to MLK Drive, ending at Houston Avery Park.
The annual memorial program will follow at the Gaines Chapel AME Zion Church. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Danny Benjamin.
Pictured above and below: Vehicles in last year’s MLK Day Parade in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Men’s Breakfasts Sunday Morning
January 17, 2009
The men at two Molino churches will their monthly breakfasts Sunday morning, and all area men are invited to attend.
The monthly Brotherhood Breakfast at Highland Baptist Church in Molino will be at 7:00 Sunday morning. Highland is located on Highway 95A just south of Molino Road.
The United Methodist Men at Aldersgate UMC will hold their monthly breakfast at 7:15 Sunday morning. Aldersgate is located on Highway 29 just south of Highway 97.
No More Icicles: Overnight Lows ‘Warming’ To The 30’s
January 17, 2009
We are going to get a reprieve from super cold nights in North Escambia, with overnight lows returning to the 30’s.
Your Saturday will be partly cloud and cool, with a high of 52. Tonigh’s low will be 42.
Sunday will be mostly cloudy and not as cool with a 70 percent chance of showers. Sunday’s high will be 62.
Sunday night will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain and a low of 35. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will be sunny with a high of 52.
Pictured above: The Nona Hightower Fountain at the Century Care Center was nearly frozen over, complete with icicles, Friday morning. The fountain is named in honor of former Century Care resident Nona Hightower. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Forestry Officials: Don’t Burn Today
January 17, 2009
Officials with the Florida Division of Forestry’s Blackwater Forestry Center are advising the public that outdoor burning Saturday should be conducted with extra care or postponed, if possible, due to low humidity and winds.
“At this time of year and for the next several months, even after recent rain, it only takes a couple windy days with low humidity to dry out accumulated dead leaves, grass, pine straw, and other fine fuels. This makes it easy for a fire to escape and spread rapidly. It’s better to wait until humidity rises and the wind dies down,” according to Ben Wolcott, operations administrator for the Division of Forestry,
“If you must burn, it’s your responsibility to have the necessary manpower and equipment to control the fire, and remember, if the fire escapes, you may be responsible for the cost of putting the fire out and for damage to the property of other persons,” Wolcott added.
In 2008, 171 wildfires in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties consumed just over 1,736 acres.
For more information about outdoor burning rules, contact the Florida Division of Forestry at 850-957-6145 or visit www.fl-dof.com.
Drip The Pipes: Hard Freeze Warning Tonight, Low Down To 17
January 16, 2009
After a cold, cold start to Friday in North Escambia, it’s going to remain cold today and be even colder tonight. There is hard freeze warning in effect for tonight, and that could mean frozen pipes without proper precautions.
Friday will be sunny, windy and cold with a high of just 42 degrees. Another cold one with a low of 17 degrees is forecast for Friday night.
Saturday will be sunny, with a high of 55. Saturday night will be warmer and 32. There’s a slight chance of rain, with a high of 60 on Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a hard freeze warning from late Thursday night through Friday morning, and a hard freeze watch for Friday night.
A hard freeze warning means that the low temperature is forecast to fall below 26 degrees for 5 or more hours. These conditions could kill crops and other sensitive outdoor vegetation. Action should be taken to ensure adequate warmth for outdoor pets. Additional insulation should be considered for exposed pipes. Check on the elderly to ensure they have proper warmth. Those who have gas heat should make sure Carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. Relief agencies should prepare additional space for those seeking shelter from the cold.