Exclusive Interview: Santa Talks About Tonight’s Visit To North Escambia Area
December 24, 2009
Tonight’s the big night for the jolly old elf, with Santa Claus expected to visit all the good little boys and girls in the North Escambia area tonight.
NorthEscambia.com spoke to Santa Claus by phone late Wednesday from the North Pole, and we learned that he has a long list of girls and boys to visit tonight in area.
“There have been a lot of good boys and girls around North Escambia this year,” Santa Claus told us. “I’m going to be making a lot of deliveries. Let’s see…Molino, Century, Walnut Hill, Bratt, McDavid, Bogia, Christian Home, Davisville, Barinneau Park, Dogwood Park, Gandyville, Atmore, Flomaton, Cantonment, Byrneville, Cottage Hill…they are all on my list tonight.”
“The boys and girls at Bratt Elementary, Molino Park Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, and Ernest Ward have been so good in school this year. Even most of the big kids at Northview have been good this year,” Santa said with a chuckle.
What kind of toys will Santa have in his sleigh this year? Most everything he said.
“Wii, Wii, Wii. Ho, Ho, Ho,” Santa said with a grin. “There will be a few of those on the sleigh. Star Wars toys, Zhu Zhu pets, Webkinz, Barbie, mp3 players, laptop computers, toy trucks and tractors, makeup and even a few clothes will be on the sleigh tonight. But, best of all, there will be a lot of surprises!”
Santa’s funniest request from North Escambia this year came from a lady in Dogwood Park. She asked for a rich husband.
“I won’t have any rich husbands on the sleigh tonight,” Santa Claus said. “I emailed her request over to Cupid. I think he might fix her up for Valentine’s Day.”
Santa said he won’t be able to bring everything that every boy and girl asked for this year, but he’ll do his best.
“Sometimes kids ask for things I just can’t bring to them,” Santa Claus said. “But I always try to surprise them with something I know they will enjoy. I know the boys and girls will enjoy Christmas morning.”
Santa spent a lot of time in North Escambia this year. From riding fire trucks around neighborhoods, to the ballpark in Molino, to the library in Century, to the parades all around, Santa said he enjoyed meeting all the boys and girls in person.
In our exclusive interview, Santa let NorthEscambia.com into a little secret. That red light you see blinking in the sky around here might not be a big radio tower. It might be Santa’s most famous reindeer of them all.
“I really enjoy visiting down there in the summer,” Santa Claus said. “I like to take the reindeer down there to enjoy the warm weather. I have a buddy in Walnut Hill. We fly down, and the reindeer get to run around the woods there in Walnut Hill. Then we head over to Bluff Springs and do a little fishing. I like to visit the diner in Molino for lunch, in a disguise of course, and then head up to Century and get some ice cream.”
The most important thing for all the children in North Escambia to remember tonight is to get to bed early. Santa said he expects to be in North Escambia pretty early this year.
NorthEscambia.com has teamed up with NORAD to track Santa all day. To see Santa’s latest location, click here.
If you have Google Maps on your cell phone, you can track Santa by visiting m.noradsanta.org
Holiday Closings, Trash Schedules
December 24, 2009
The following will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday:
- City offices in Century, Jay, Atmore, Flomaton and Pensacola will be closed Thursday and Friday.
- All county offices in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will be closed Thursday and Friday.
- All county offices in Escambia County, Ala. will be closed Thursday and Friday.
- Alabama state offices will be closed Friday.
- All Florida state offices will be closed Friday.
- West Florida Public Libraries, including the Century Branch, will be closed Thursday and Friday.
- All Santa Rosa County libraries, including Jay, will be closed Thursday and Friday.
- There will be no ECAT bus service on Friday.
- U.S. Postal retail windows will be closed from noon Thursday through Sunday. Regular mail will not be collected or delivered on Friday. Express Mail will be delivered Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Trash Collection
ECUA’s Friday residential routes for trash, recycling and yard trash will be collected on Saturday. ECUA’s Friday commercial routes will be picked up on Thursday. All other routes will remain as normal.
Watch: Escambia Commissioners In Christmas Barn Dance, Disco Videos
December 24, 2009
It seems that even the Escambia County Commission can get into the Christmas spirit. We ran across a couple of videos online showing commissioners dressed as elves at a Christmas barn dance and at a Christmas disco party.
We were not able to verify the authenticity of the videos, but if you’ll pay attention to District 5 Commissioner Kevin White in the disco video, it looks like he’s done that before.
The videos are below. (If don’t see them, it is because your employer or personal firewall is blocking them.)
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Storms On The Way For Christmas Eve; Wind Advisory Issued
December 23, 2009
It looks like Christmas Eve may be a stormy one across the North Escambia area with the chance of heavy rainfall and even an isolated tornado.
A Wind Advisory is in effect on Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for gusty winds.
Here is our official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 53. East wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Thursday: Periods of showers and thunderstorms. High near 65. Southeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
- Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then isolated showers. Cloudy, with a low around 45. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. West wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. West wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. West wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. West wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 58.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.
Rain Returning
December 22, 2009
Rain is forecast to return to North Escambia by Wednesday night and continue through Christmas Eve.
Here is your official forecast:
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. East wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Thursday: Periods of showers and thunderstorms. High near 67. Breezy, with a east wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 55.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 61.
Flooding Continues: Escambia River On The Rise
December 20, 2009
The Escambia River is on the rise again, and still causing flooding in North Escambia.
The flood warning continues for the Escambia River until further notice. At 9 a.m.. Sunday, the stage was 21.9 feet; flood stage is 17 feet. The river will continue rising to near 22.7 feet by early Monday morning, then begin falling. Flooding of pastures and farmland in the area will continue, and water will begin reach Mystic Springs Road, Worley Road, Bamer Holley Lane and River Bend Road. The public boat ramps at Mystic Springs and Fairground Road (pictured) are underwater.
Pictured above and below: Flooding in Molino on Fairground Road at the Escambia River. The boat ramp and park on Fairground Road are flooded. Submitted photos by Deni Deron for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Organist To Perform Christmas Music Tonight On Pipe Organ He Built
December 20, 2009
A Molino man will perform an organ recital of seasonal music tonight on a pipe organ that he designed and built.
Tom Helms, Jr., has designed and built organs for churches around the nation, and tonight he will perform at his home church, Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino.
Helms, a gifted organist and composer, grew up as a member of Aldersgate. He designed and built the church’s Matthews-Helms Memorial pipe organ in honor of his grandparents.
Tonight’s recital beings at 6:30 at Aldersgate UMC, located on Highway 29 just south of Highway 97. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Santa In The McDavid and Century Areas This Morning
December 19, 2009
If you hear sirens in the McDavid or Century areas this morning, you might want to take the kids outside. Santa Claus has been spotted on the back of a fire truck in the McDavid and Century areas this morning making his rounds to see all of the good little boys and girls.
Sunday morning NorthEscambia.com will have photos of some of Santa’s visit.
Pictured above: Santa Claus and one of his elves in McDavid this morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Dry, Cool Days; River Warnings Continue
December 19, 2009
Cool sunny days, clear cold night — and no rain. It’s a perfect December forecast in the North Escambia area for the next few days.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 28. South wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East wind around 10 mph.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 64.
- Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 46.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
- Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
River Flood Warning statements from the National Weather Service:
The Flood Warning continues for
the Escambia River near century
* until further notice
* at 8pm Friday the stage was 21.3 feet
* minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast
* flood stage is 17.0 feet
* the river will continue rising to near 22.0 feet by tomorrow evening then
begin falling.
… Flood Warning extended until Saturday evening… the Flood Warning continues
for
the Perdido river near Barrineau Park
* until Saturday evening
* at 8am Friday the stage was 14.3 feet
* minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast
* flood stage is 13.0 feet
* the river will continue to fall to below flood stage by early tomorrow.
Afternoon.
. Flood Warning extended until Wednesday evening… the Flood Warning continues
for the Conecuh river at Brewton
* until Wednesday evening
* at 8pm Friday the stage was 30.9 feet
* minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast
* flood stage is 27.0 feet
* the river will continue to fall to below flood stage by Wednesday early
afternoon.
Traffic Problems: North Century Boulevard, Also Hilltop Road
December 18, 2009
Motorists traveling through the construction zone on North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) just south of the Alabama state line can expect delays this morning. A large hole has washed out in the single open southbound lane. Motorists should avoid the area if possible.
In the 200 block of Hilltop Road in Century, a tree and power lines are reported to be down.