Junior Miss Ernest Ward Middle School Pageant Tonight
January 9, 2009
The annual Junior Miss Ernest Ward Middle School pageant will be held tonight in the school’s gym at 7:00. Girls competing for the crown include: (front row, L-R) Ariel Kaye Holland, Clarissa Paige Ross, Ashley Renea’ Cunningham, Rachel Ann Presley (middle row) Cheyenne Godwin, Karmen LeeAnna Watson, Kendal Brooke Cobb, Savannah Paige Vanderpol, Ashlynn Nannette Webster, (back row) Sabrina Cheyenne Cox, Hope Marie Coggins, Elizebeth Leann Fillingim, and Kachanne Thomas. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Students Head Back To School
January 6, 2009
Students in Escambia County Schools head back to class today after a long Christmas vacation.
Motorists are reminded to obey the lower speed limits in school zones, and they are reminded to be on the lookout for school buses loading and unloading.
Teachers and staff were back at school Monday for an in-service planning day.
The next school holiday will be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19.
Dense Fog Advisory, Chance Of Rain
January 5, 2009
A dense fog advisory is in effect until 9:00 this morning for North Escambia and the surrounding area.
A dense fog advisory means visibilities will frequently be reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving, slow down, use your low beam headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
There is a 50 percent chance of rain today, with a high of 73. The rain chance remains at 40 percent tonight, 50 percent on Tuesday, 80 percent Tuesday night and 20 percent Wednesday.
Daytime highs Tuesady will be about 72, with a low of 58.
Wednesday will be sunny and cooler, with a high of 62 and a low of 35.
Blog: 2009 Predictions; 2008 Reflections
January 1, 2009
Out with the old; in with the new. Black eyed peas and football. Resolutions, weight loss plans and diets. Can’t figure out the date to write on checks. Must be the New Year.
We have worked a bit on a set of predictions for 2009. Those are a little later in this post. But first, we want to look back at 2008 and take a look at some predictions we made a year ago today.
On New Year’s Day 2008 we thanked you for making NorthEscambia.com a success. We were proud that during the two months we were online in 2007, we posted 200 stories, 800 pictures and had over half million page views in two months.
We are humbled to look back at 2008 and tell you that we posted about 2,500 stories and over 10,000 pictures from North Escambia. We now average over 2 million page views per month. During 2007, we served over 20 million pages. While we spend our days crafting the words to tell you the stories we report, words can’t begin to describe our gratitude to you for welcoming NorthEscambia.com into your life and making it the number one source for local news in the area. Thank you.
Now, looking backing out the predictions we made a year ago for 2008:
- We predicted a lot of bickering among the Escambia commission. King Mike Whitehead resigned as chair of the commission before the other commissioners gave him the boot. Whitehead got the boot from the commission, as voters voted him right out of office.
- We predicted “the county commission just might notice that “north Escambia” extends beyond 10 Mile Road”. Now they know. They read and they learn from NorthEscambia.com. Commissioners have been seen at events in North Escambia. A former District 5 commissioner, Wilson Robertson, now holds Mike Whiteheads seat. Some of them have been up here enough they don’t even need their GPS.
- “Things will get hot concerning volunteer firefighters in the county. There are those that are pushing for end of our volunteer departments. The McDavid, Century, Molino and Walnut Hill volunteer fire departments are a vital part of our communities. We, as the communities of North Escambia, will not stand by and let them be closed, or our volunteers replaced with a few paid firefighters,” we wrote on January 1, 2008. We wrote several editorials and offered a lot of coverage on the issue. In the end, North Escambia was not forgotten, nor were the volunteers.
- “We’ll see an expansion of leisure services in North Escambia. Perhaps a new park will be announced, and the county will move forward on the conversion of the old Molino Elementary into a community center,” we predicted a year ago. A new park was announced in Bratt, and the county has named the Molino community center a top priority. That one is just waiting on the dollars to make it a reality.
- “The Escambia County School Board will feel the budget crunch. The district will consider closing at least one North Escambia School,” we predicted. The budget crunch is on, the the board pretty much had key in hand ready to lock the doors at Carver/Century K-8.
Now for 2009 predictions:
- We predict that our predictions are going to be harder this year. We are living in uncertain times. Recession. Budget crunches. Layoffs. Bailouts. Closures. They are words that we have not used in a long time in our country, and those words are filtering down to North Escambia. It’s going to be a rough ride, but we are a tough people. We will prevail.
- We predict that the opening of the Wind Creek Casino in Atmore will impact North Escambia. But we may not like what we get. Increased traffic. More accidents. Crime will increase. Casinos are not just the glitz and glamour we see in Wind Creek’s advertising. If a casino’s payout is 10 percent, that means 90 percent of the money that heads up Highway 21 will be lost. Divorce lawyers and bankruptcy lawyers are going to love that place. Times are tough. People can’t afford to be losing money at a casino. “Hellhole” is the word Dr. Ted Traylor, the pastor of Olive Baptist used to describe Wind Creek. All that glitters is not gold.
- We predict that you will not see an advertisement for the casino on NorthEscambia.com. We will refuse them. Their ads are everywhere you look or listen. But not on our site. If you choose to head to the casino, that’s your business and we won’t be judging you. But we know enough about elementary school math to know it’s just a bad idea, and we are not going to promote something where 90 percent lose. It’s bad math.
- We predict that county leaders will continue to remember that North Escambia exists. We will not let them forget, nor will we be second rate cousins to the rest of the county.
- We predict that major changes in North Escambia schools are not over. We will continue to hear talk of closing Carver/Century K-8 School. But if it closes, don’t expect the building to be empty. Don’t be surprised to see the school district offer the charter on the school to the current Byrneville Elementary. Dee Wolfe-Sullivan and the other folks at Byrneville have done some amazing things.
- LHS EV…the electric car company planned for Century with hundreds of jobs. It’s not the great picture that has been painted. This one is going to be a stinker.
- The budget crunch is not over. From county government, to businesses to our dining room tables.
- There will be two named hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and they will both head toward Texas or Mexico. Well…everybody else offers predictions, so we thought we’d toss one in there too. We can guess as good as the next guy.
- NorthEscambia.com will continue to grow and serve you in 2009. We have several new features planned and a few fun things also.
- We’ll all learn a little more about our community by visiting here at NorthEscambia.com. There’s so much more here than the things we mentioned so far in these predictions. Predictions aside, we know that North Escambia will continue to be a great place to live and work. That’s why we call this area home. Thanks again for being part of the NorthEscambia.com family.
Last Day To Trade Food For Library Fines
December 31, 2008
If you owe a fine at the library, you can “settle up” and help the Manna Food Pantries at the same time. But you better hurry, because today is the last day to take advantage of this offer.
All branches West Florida Library will accept food donations for fines until closing time today, including the Century Branch Library.
For each canned good, pasta, box meal, cereal or other non-perishable food item you donate, the library will give you credit toward your fines. One item counts for $1. All food items will be donated to the Manna Food Pantries.
The Century Branch Library is located at 7991 North Century Boulevard, next to the Century Town Hall. The food-for-fines program is also in place at the other locations of the West Florida Library on West Gregory Street, North Ninth Avenue, Gulf Beach Highway and Cervantes Street.
Today Last Day To Get Discount On Taxes
December 31, 2008
Today is the last day to pay your Escambia County real estate and tangible personal property taxes and save a little money. A three percent discount is available on those taxes, but only if you pay up by the close of business Wednesday.
In order to receive the three percent discount and have your tax payment receipted with a December date, payment must be:
· received in the Escambia Tax Collector’s office by close of business December 31;
· made on the tax collector’s web site by midnight December 31; or
· made on our after-hours automated telephone (800) 601-1055 by midnight December 31.
Additionally, payments mailed with a December 31 postmark or left in the tax collector’s 24‑hour drop boxes after hours on that date will receive the three discount but will be dated in January.
Drive thru service is available at all locations except Century; 24‑hour drop boxes are available at all offices.
You may check the status of your taxes and pay online at www.escambiataxcollector.com. You also may get automated information on Tax Talk at 438‑3299. If you have any questions, call the tax collector’s office at 438-6500, ext. 252.
Finally! Cooler Temps Coming
December 29, 2008
After a warm and muggy Christmas weekend, cooler temperatures are finally on the way to North Escambia.
Today will still be warm; the high is forecast to be 72 with just a slight chance of rain by afternoon.
Cooler temperatures will arrive by tonight, with an overnight low of 35. Tuesday will be sunny and 68.
Tuesday night will be clear and 42. Wednesday is forecast to by sunny and 65; Wednesday night’s low will be 40.
A slight chance of rain creeps back into the forecast by New Year’s Day, with a high of 58.
Rain On The Way
December 27, 2008
Our unseasonably warm weather will continue today in North Escambia, with a forecast high of 78. There is a 20 percent chance of rain today under partly cloudy skies.
Tonight, the rain chance increases to 50 percent, with a low of 62.
There’s an even better chance of rain for Sunday at 70 percent, with a high of 68. Sunday night will be cloudy and cooler, with a 60 percent chance of rain mostly before midnight and a low of 52.
The rain chance continues at 50 percent for Monday morning, with a high of 65. The rain is forecast to end by Monday afternoon. It will be colder Monday night; a low of 38 is forecast.
Tuesday will be sunny and 68.
Rain is back in the forecast for Wednesday through Friday.
Holiday Closings Continue, Trash Days Changed
December 26, 2008
Trash pickups have changed and several offices remain closed today for the long Christmas holiday weekend.
The following are closed today:
- All Jay city offices.
- All Escambia and Santa Rosa County offices.
- All State of Florida offices.
- Some post offices will close at noon, but there will be regular mail delivery.
Century town offices will be open today. All branches of the West Florida Library will be open, and ECAT bus service will run as normal.
Allied Waste routes from Thursday will be picked up today, and Friday routes will be picked up on Saturday.
Area Churches Plan Christmas Eve Services
December 24, 2008
Several North Escambia area churches are planning special Christmas Eve services or events tonight.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino will hold a Christmas Eve Service beginning at 6:30 tonight. Everyone is invited to attend. The church is located on Highway 29 just south of Highway 97.
Walnut Hill Baptist Church will hold a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00. Everyone is welcome to attend. The church is located on Arthur Brown Road, about one and a half miles from Ernest Ward Ward Middle School.
A “Come and Go Communion” will be held from 5 until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve at Century Methodist Church at 530 Church Street. Everyone is invited to “come as you are” and take part in this service. For more information, contact Rev. Janet Lee at 256-3503.
Gonzalez United Methodist Church at 2026 Pauline Street in Cantonment will have a Christmas Eve service, “What Was the Fourth Gift For Jesus From the Magi?”at 2 p.m. and a family Christmas Eve service with Holy Communion at 5 p.m.
The First Baptist Church of Atmore will hold a Candlelight Communion service at 6 p.m.
The Perdido United Methodist Church will have a candlelight service at 7 p.m.
If you are in the Pensacola area tonight and would like to attend a candlelight service, services will be held at 6:00 and again at 11:00. A nursery will be provided for children under three years old only during the 6 p.m. service.