2014 In Photos: November
January 5, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from November. For photos from earlier in 2014, click the corresponding month below.
NOVEMBER 2014 PHOTOS:
In one of our most talked about photos of the year, a firefighter pulls a line to begin the battle against a house fire on Highway 97 in Davisville on November 11.
Another photo of the Highway 97 house fire.
The Blue Angels were back in the skies in November over Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Northview High School held a baseball clinic with major leaguer Caleb Gindl of the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during a record-setting 45th annual fish fry.
Fire damaged the Cantonment Burger King.
Ernest Ward Middle School honored veterans.
A photo that went viral on a local scale on Facebook — our cameras caught a politician that sweeps around his own door — literally. Atmore Mayor Jim Staff is seen sweeping outside the main entrance to the Atmore City Hall.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue held live burn demonstrations.
The Tate High School’s playoff run came to an end as the Aggies lost to Niceville 35-0 in the Region 1-7A semifinal.
About 200 students from schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties worked in fields near Jay Monday to harvest turnips and bag sweet potatoes that fed hundreds of needy families for Thanksgiving.
A Georgia church reached out to Century and provided a Thanksgiving lunch.
The Tate High School Showband of the South marched in the 2014 Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
The Atmore Fire Department held a “Heroes For Christmas” toy drive.
It was the kind of traffic problem you only see in the country in Oak Grove — a 6,000 pound bale of cotton blocking part of an intersection.
he Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) sponsored a student led worship event in the school gymnasium.
A home on Kathleen Avenue was destroyed by a November fire.
Molino Park Elementary School celebrated the receipt of a $25,000 technology grant from Monsanto.
Century worked toward completion on the repair of a leaking section of natural gas pipe under Highway 29 in Century, three and a half years since the leak was publicly revealed as a “major public safety issue”.
Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center held a Thanksgiving feast the children and their parents.
The BP in Davisville was robbed at gunpoint; the gunman arrested in Mississippi after another holdup.
Members of the Tate High School Showband of the South placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery.
Gas prices for Thanksgiving weekend were at their lowest level in five years.
A t-ball field at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill received some much needed attention from Eagle Scout candidate Benjamin Stott of Bratt.
The Escambia Academy Cougars won the AISA Class AAA state championship.
Sparks fly as a fireman cuts open the hood of a burning truck on Highway 4 in Davisville.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Senior Dining Program Offers Hope
January 4, 2015
The Council on Aging of West Florida’s senior dining site program offers more than a hot meal — it gives seniors an incentive to get up every day, according to Joyce Raney, manager of the Chumuckla senior dining site.
“Many of the participants can’t drive, and live alone,” Raney says. “The senior dining site program offers them fellowship and an opportunity to see their neighbors. They appreciate that they have this to come to every day.”
The senior dining site program is a neighborhood-based program offering nutritious meals, activities and socialization for seniors age 60 and older. Council on Aging operates nearly 20 dining sites in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties including sites in Cantonment, Century, Jay and Chumuckla.
Hours for each site vary, but most are open from 9 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday. A donation of $2 or more per person is recommended, but it is not mandatory. Donations are returned to the senior dining site program to support the provision of meals and activities at the sites.
Each month, a calendar of the meals and activities is provided at each site. Meals are prepared fresh daily and typically include an entrée, two sides, fresh fruit and milk. Meals meet one-third of the minimum daily nutritional requirements for an adult, complying with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs Guidelines, and are approved by a certified dietician.
Seniors also engage in fun and mentally-stimulating activities at the sites. Common daily activities include puzzles, word games, field trips, guest speakers and bingo.
Deborah Williams, the Century site manager, says participants are dealing with difficult situations like sickness and the death of loved ones.
“Some are not ready to go home when it’s time to go,” Williams says. “Being around others brings them comfort.”
Individuals interested in participating in the senior dining site program or getting loved ones involved, should call Council on Aging of West Florida at (850) 432-1475 or visit
www.coawfla.org for more information.
Pictured top: Cantonment senior dining site participants enjoy lunch. Pictured top inset: A little entertainment at the Cantonment senior dining site. Pictured inset: Lura Thomas receives a donation at the Cantonment site. Pictured below: Participants at the Chumuckla site. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2014 In Photos: September
January 4, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from September.
A Walnut Hill woman returned home, two days after being bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake.
September was peanut harvest time in Escambia County…with enough peanuts harvested for 212 million peanut butter sandwiches.
Puppies in K-9 tracking training at Century Correctional Institution.
Northview High School’s NJROTC Annual Inspection was held at the school, with cadets undergoing face to face scrutiny with a retired Navy commander.
Hundreds of students gathered to pray at their schools in across the area during the annual See You at the Pole event.
About two months after repairs were completed to a collapsed shoulder on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill, the heavily traveled state roadway once again crumbled into a deep gully.
The Tate Aggies bounced bag for a 33-32 overtime win over Pine Forest.
Daisy Robinson, an Escambia County School District bus driver, received statewide recognition at the Florida capitol ifor saving a young boy found wandering along in the middle of Kingsfield Road.
The Tate High School Showband of the South was busy with fundraisers for a trip to Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
The Town of Century approved a budget for the next fiscal year that was up $2.2 million.
Firefighters practiced their skills in a training scenario in which a car rear-ended a school bus.
The Century Chamber of Commerce as named the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center as the winner of the September Community Pride Award.
The 1A Northview Chiefs practice for a road game against the Class 6A Choctaw Indians.
Prisoners worship in the chapel of the Century Correctional Institution.
Volleyball season was underway in September.
Ransom Middle School staff members responded to the ice bucket challenger for ALS.
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension program celebrated 100 years.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
2014 In Photos: October
January 4, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from October.
Northview High School officially dedicated its stadium as the Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in honor of the late Tommy Weaver, a beloved teacher and coach.
A fire destroyed an Atmore business and threatened an entire city block.
Hundreds of students from Bratt Elementary School took a virtual trip to Kenya, thanks to the Global Corner Learning Center.
The tradition of excellence continued for the Tate High School Showband at the Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment at Ft. Walton Beach High School, receiving straight Superior ratings in all categories for the 44th consecutive year.
The Automation and Production Technology Academy at Northview High School is being used as a model for similar academies at middle and high schools across the region.
The Florida Chamber Foundation honored the Town of Century for their commitment to regional economic development.
Geometry students at Northview High School completed a really sweet project — scaling ordinary candy packages into supersized replicas.
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, a local women’s philanthropy group, awarded 10 grants worth $102,500 each to community groups.
Work continued on a $1.8 million project to replace the Fannie Road Bridge outside Century.
The 1A Northview Chiefs battled to a 35-28 win over the 4A Walton Braves of Defuniak Springs.
An October tradition – the annual Allen Memorial United Methodist Church Men’s Pumpkin Patch was open on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
Northview took on Baker in volleyball action.
Kamryn Brock was name the 2014 Northview High School Homecoming Queen.
The annual Northview High School Homecoming Parade rolled through Bratt.
Community Helpers Day was held at Molino Park Elementary School.
The Ernest Ward Eagles defeated the Excel Panthers 44-20.
A Jay couple was found dead in murder-suicide.
The Tate Aggies beat Washington.
Over 1,230 volunteers from nearly 100 companies were hard at work across Escambia County as part of the United Way’s annual Day of Caring on 54 projects at nonprofit agencies and 30 schools, including painting a gazebo at Bratt Elementary School.
The Community Action Program celebrated the opening of their newest Head Start location in the Molino Community Complex on Highway 95A.
Hundreds attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival.
The Cantonment Cowboys celebrated homecoming.
Tate High School presented “Saturday the 14th” — a parody of the “Friday the 13th movies”.
The Northview High School FFA chapter was awarded one of the highest national honors presented by the National FFA in Louisville, KY.
There were no injuries when a train slammed into a vehicle in Bogia.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
2014 In Photos: August
January 3, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from August.
The annual back to school Prayer Walk was held at Molino Park Elementary School. Students and adults from Highland Baptist Church prayed for the Lord’s blessings on the upcoming school year.
Work began in August on a leaking section of natural gas pipe under Highway 29 in Century, three and a half years since the leak was publicly revealed as a “major public safety issue”.
A Farm Share food distribution for the needy was held in Century.
Two people were arrested after a 56-mile police chase from Santa Rosa County to just outside Atmore.
The Cantonment Improvement Committee’s annual Back to School Bash was. The event included free school supplies and a hot lunch at Carver Park.
The driver of a SUV was not injured when she slammed into a cow on Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill.
A free “Day of Hope” provided free school supplies, food and an encouraging word in Molino.
A new Walmart officially opened in Atmore.
Georgia Pacific announced an investment of more than $375 million into an energy improvement project at the company’s mill in Brewton, AL.
A “topping out” was held at the new Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
A community “glow run” at Travis Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free school supplies were available in Century for 300 children in need, thanks to a family honoring the memory of one of their own, in a program called “Deidra’s Gift”.
After a summer of hard work, the Tate High School Showband of the South held a Preview Night at Pete Gindl Stadium for parents and friends.
CrossFaith Church in Molino presented “cardboard testimonies” at a Highway 29 intersection in Cantonment.
Ernest Ward Middle School took on the Jay Royals.
The Northview High School dance team performs.
The Northview Chiefs held a scrimmage game.
The Jay Royals lost to Flomaton.
The Tate Aggies beat West Florida.
A late August sunset.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
2014 In Photos: July
January 2, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from July.
The Blue Angels were back for the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show.
A stolen car was torched in a Century ballpark.
Nothing says July like a fresh Walnut Hill watermelon.
Northview High School graduate Casey B. Wilcoxon was among a group of soldiers deployed from Fort Bragg to Afghanistan.
Fourth fireworks at Showalter Park in Century.
Firefighters battled a barn and hay fire for hours in Molino.
Scenic Highway reopened in July after being washed away during the April floods.
A rainbow frames the Cantonment Fire Rescue Station.
Gov. Rick Scott visited Escambia County to talk about jobs.
The employees at Cantonment Pharmacy gathered one last time before the business was sold to Winn Dixie.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt held a very special “Freedom Sunday” and burned the mortgage on their family life center.
The 2014-2015 Ernest Ward Middle School Cheerleaders attended a three-day Universal Cheerleaders Association camp at the school.
A shelf cloud moves over Pensacola Beach.
The Northview High School varsity cheerleaders attended a two-night stunt camp at Florida State University.
The Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department held a joint training with the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue.
The old Ransom Middle School on Muscogee Road was demolished to make way for a school bus compound.
Afternoon storms roll across Corley Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
2014 In Photos: June
January 1, 2015
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from June.
Hundreds of people turned out despite the heat and humidity for the first annual Twin Cities Volunteers Watermelon Festival in Century.
An open house was held at the new Escambia County 4-H property on Chalker Road in Molino.
Escambia County made a funding commitment of over a quarter million dollars for a red light at the Highway 29 and Highway 97 intersection in Molino.
The Town of Century received a $50,000 state grant to renovate the existing playground area at Showalter Park.
A Walnut Hill man was jailed for shooting his son on a riding lawnmower.
With an offering of smoked pork and baked beans, the Town of Century took their gas franchise dispute to Walnut Hill, making their case and hoping to drum up support against Pensacola Energy.
The Fizz, Boom, Read: Summer Reading Program made science and reading exciting for kids of all ages at both the Century and Molino branch libraries.
Rep. Clay Ingram announced that the Town of Century has received a $400,000 gas and water system grant.
The Tate High School Class 0f 2014 graduated at the Pensacola Civic Center.
The 113 members of the Northview High School Class of 2014 graduated.
The Molino Volunteer Fire Department held their annual Open House event at the their firehouse on Molino Road.
New Booster Seat Law Begins In Florida
January 1, 2015
Beginning January 1, children ages 4 and 5 were required to sit in a child safety seat or a booster seat rather than only being buckled in a seat belt in Florida.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45 percent for children ages 4–8 years when compared with seat belt use alone.
“Safety belts save lives, but only when used and used correctly,” said Terry Rhodes, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Booster seats help elevate children to the height at which the safety belt will properly secure them.”
Many children may need booster seats beyond the age required by law, depending on the size of the child and where the seat belt crosses the body. The following recommendations can help determine if your child, after age 5, is ready to wear a seatbelt without a booster seat:
- the child is at least 4’9” tall;
- the child can sit all the way back in the seat and bend knees at the edge of the seat;
- the shoulder belt lays across the chest, not the neck;
- the lap belt lays across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
Children under the age of 13 should ride in the back seat of the vehicle whenever possible for additional safety.
Tips From The IRS On Year-End Gifts To Charity
December 31, 2014
The Internal Revenue Service today reminded individuals and businesses making year-end gifts to charity that several important tax law provisions have taken effect in recent years. Some of the changes taxpayers should keep in mind include:
Rules for Charitable Contributions of Clothing and Household Items
Household items include furniture, furnishings, electronics, appliances and linens. Clothing and household items donated to charity generally must be in good used condition or better to be tax-deductible. A clothing or household item for which a taxpayer claims a deduction of over $500 does not have to meet this standard if the taxpayer includes a qualified appraisal of the item with the return.
Donors must get a written acknowledgement from the charity for all gifts worth $250 or more. It must include, among other things, a description of the items contributed.
Guidelines for Monetary Donations
A taxpayer must have a bank record or a written statement from the charity in order to deduct any donation of money, regardless of amount. The record must show the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Bank records include canceled checks, and bank, credit union and credit card statements. Bank or credit union statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the amount paid. Credit card statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the transaction posting date.
Donations of money include those made in cash or by check, electronic funds transfer, credit card and payroll deduction. For payroll deductions, the taxpayer should retain a pay stub, a Form W-2 wage statement or other document furnished by the employer showing the total amount withheld for charity, along with the pledge card showing the name of the charity.
These requirements for the deduction of monetary donations do not change the long-standing requirement that a taxpayer obtain an acknowledgment from a charity for each deductible donation (either money or property) of $250 or more. However, one statement containing all of the required information may meet both requirements.
Reminders
The IRS offers the following additional reminders to help taxpayers plan their holiday and year-end gifts to charity:
- Qualified charities. Check that the charity is eligible. Only donations to eligible organizations are tax-deductible. Select Check, a searchable online tool available on IRS.gov, lists most organizations that are eligible to receive deductible contributions. In addition, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies are eligible to receive deductible donations. That is true even if they are not listed in the tool’s database.
- Year-end gifts. Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2014 count for 2014, even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2015. Also, checks count for 2014 as long as they are mailed in 2014.
- Itemize deductions. For individuals, only taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A can claim deductions for charitable contributions. This deduction is not available to individuals who choose the standard deduction. This includes anyone who files a short form (Form 1040A or 1040EZ). A taxpayer will have a tax savings only if the total itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes, etc.) exceed the standard deduction. Use the 2014 Form 1040 Schedule A to determine whether itemizing is better than claiming the standard deduction.
- Record donations. For all donations of property, including clothing and household items, get from the charity, if possible, a receipt that includes the name of the charity, date of the contribution, and a reasonably-detailed description of the donated property. If a donation is left at a charity’s unattended drop site, keep a written record of the donation that includes this information, as well as the fair market value of the property at the time of the donation and the method used to determine that value. Additional rules apply for a contribution of $250 or more.
- Special Rules. The deduction for a car, boat or airplane donated to charity is usually limited to the gross proceeds from its sale. This rule applies if the claimed value is more than $500. Form 1098-C or a similar statement, must be provided to the donor by the organization and attached to the donor’s tax return.
If the amount of a taxpayer’s deduction for all noncash contributions is over $500, a properly-completed Form 8283 must be submitted with the tax return.
2014 In Photos: May
December 31, 2014
We are looking back at the top events of 2014 in photos. Today, we are featuring photos from May.
Two people were killed and nearly 200 were injured in an explosion at the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility.
Over 2,000 homes and businesses were damaged by flooding. One of the hardest hit areas was the Bristol Park Subdivision.
Gov. Rick Scott and local officials toured flood damage.
The West Florida Lady Jaguars won the 4A state championship in almost impossible grand style. The Lady Jags were down 5-1 with two outs in the seventh, before coming back to beat P. K. Yonge 6-5 in Vero Beach.
Northview High School presented “Shrek The Musical”.
The 40th annual Pen Wheels disabled fishing rodeo was held in Walnut Hill, a project of the Pensacola Fiesta of Five Flags organization.
Warm weather made for a great Field Day at Molino Park Elementary School.
Six people, including two children, were rescued from the flooded Perdido River at Barrineau Park.
The Northview Chiefs outscored the Jay Royals a total of 50-21 during a Spring Jamboree Friday night at Merle North Stadium in Jay.
The Tate High School Concert Bands presented their Spring Concert at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Fire destroyed the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church north of Jay.
The Ernest Ward Middle School Chorus and Band held their Spring Concert on the front lawn of the school.
Dozens of performers delighted hundreds of people Saturday night during the 19th annual Heather Leonard Danceworks recital at Northview High School.
Young mocking birds hatched in May at our NorthEscambia.com office.
The track and field portion of the Escambia County Specials Olympics was held at Tate High School after numerous rain delays.
A portion of Highway 97 in Walnut Hill collapsed in an existing 50-foot deep gully.
An afternoon of heavy rain across the North Escambia area gave way to a beautiful sunset above wheat fields in Walnut Hill.
Nearly 5,000 Escambia County residents had applied for FEMA flood aid by the middle of May.
Over 30,000 pounds of food was distributed in Cantonment to hundreds of families in need following the flooding in Escambia County from the non-profit group Farm Share.
About 200 people gathered in Atmore for a Memorial Day service to recognize those that have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice from Atmore, Walnut Hill, Bratt and surrounding areas.
The Niceville Eagles upended the Tate Aggies 21-13 in a two-quarter spring football jamboree at Pete Gindl Stadium in Cantonment.
Northview High School named the Class of 2014’s honor graduates.
Noah James Heintz was named the Class of 2014 valedictorian, while Eion Michael Blanchard was named salutatorian for the Tate High School Class of 2014.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.