Escambia Firefighters, EMS Crews Work To Keep School Zones Safe
August 25, 2014
Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS units were in school zones across the county with lights flashing as a reminder to drivers to slow down during the first week of school. In an email to NorthEscambia.com, Jim Allen Elementary School offered a special thanks to the crew of Escambia Fire Rescue Engine 4 (pictured) in Cantonment for slowing down the traffic on Highway 95A to help keep students safe. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Farm Bureaus Donate 1.5 Tons Of Peanut Butter To Manna
August 25, 2014
The Florida Peanut Producers and the Farm Bureau in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties teamed up to donate one and a half tons of peanut butter to the Manna Food Bank.
After discussing the flood that damaged the Manna warehouse and food supply, the Escambia County Farm Bureau voted to spend $1,000 to buy peanut butter, Manna’s most needed item. The Santa Rosa County Farm Bureau board then voted to donate $1,001 toward the peanut butter donation.
When notified of the purchase of peanut butter, the board of directors of Florida Peanut Producers and Ken Barton, executive director and agreed to match the purchase and donated a pallet of peanut butter.
With the two counties cooperation and the match from the Florida Peanut Producers, the total number of peanut butters jars donated will be 2,880. The second of two pallets of Peanut Proud peanut butter is expected to ship later in August to complete the donation.
Church Takes Cardboard Testimonies Highway 29, Sharing Stories Of Faith
August 24, 2014
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But a few words on piece of plain brown cardboard can tell a life story and story of faith in a way a thousands words could not touch.
The concept is simple. A piece of cardboard. A permanent marker. On the first side of the cardboard for all to see is the story of a sin, a trial, a struggle or battle. On the flip side is where the person stands today though Christ.
“I was broken and tried to kill myself,” read one side of a piece of cardboard a woman stood holding alongside Highway 29. “But God made me whole!”
Her “cardboard testimony” was one of dozens from CrossFaith Church in Molino at the Highway 29 and Muscogee Road intersection in Cantonment Saturday morning. The biggest challenges, hurts, and prayers of a lifetime condensed into seconds for passing traffic on plain cardboard.
“I was a womanizer, a[n] adulterer, drug user, acholic [sic], dealer, verbally abusive,” tough words for a grown man to admit on one side of his sign. The other: “God cleansed and set me free.”
For a photo gallery with more CrossFaith Church cardboard testimonies, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Looking Back: Escambia Railway Engines In 1942
August 24, 2014
Here are two photographs of Escambia Railway engines that were taken 72 years ago this weekend. The Escambia Railway was operated by Alger-Sullivan Lumber Co. in what is now present day Century.
The above photograph — taken in Century on August 23, 1942, shows Escambia Railway Engine Number 99. It was bought new and purposed as a woods logging engine. It was damaged in 1922 by a boiler explosion caused by low water, killing the fireman. It was repaired and returned to service. Engine Number 99 was retired in 1945 and scrapped in May 1957.
Below is Escambia Railway Engine Number 96, photographed in Century on August 23, 1942. The engine was formerly the T.R. Miller Mill Co. #7 and was used as a woods logging engine. It was retired sometime prior to 1945 and scrapped in April 1957.
Photos courtesy the State Archives of Florida.
Photos: Northview Band, Dance Team, NJROTC And Dance Team
August 24, 2014
The Northview High School Chiefs played a Garnet and Gold scrimmage game Friday night.
The Tribal Beat Band, cheerleaders, dance team and NROTC were also out under the Friday night lights.
For a photo gallery, click here.
For football action photos, click here.
Pictured top: Members of the Northview High School Tribal Beat band. Pictured inset: Fans join in a cheer. Pictured below: Dance team members perform. Pictured bottom: JV & Varsity cheerleaders pose and members of the Northview NJROTC. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Students Head Back To Class (With Two Photo Galleries)
August 19, 2014
Monday was the first day of school across the area, with tens of thousands of students heading back to class.
We asked NorthEscambia.com readers to submit their back to school photos.
For a photo gallery, click here.
For a second photo gallery, click here.
We apologize, but due to a tremendous response, we were unable to publish all photos, and we are unable to add additional photos to the galleries.
Pictured top: In this “fun” photo, Molino Park Elementary School second grader puts up a first day of school “fight” at her front door Monday morning. Pictured inset: Mia heads off to second grade at Byrneville Elementary School. Pictured below: Benji and Jamie, kindergarten; London, first grade; and Sydney and Jada, Pre-K — all attend Bratt Elementary. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore Native Donates Gospel CD To Florida Prison Inmates
August 19, 2014
An Alabama pastor, gospel singer and teacher donated boxes of her new CD to the Florida Department of Corrections Monday morning in Century.
Annette Haston’s “Love Through Time” was donated so that those doing time would remember God’s love for them. Enough copies of the contemporary gospel CD were donated at Century Correctional Institution Monday for every chapel at state prisons, faith-based facilities, re-entry facilities and privately run lockups in the state.
Haston was born and raised in Atmore, the daughter of the late Ernest and Alma Thomas and the youngest child of five. She is a graduate of Escambia County High School in Atmore and a graduate of Alabama State University, Montgomery, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education.
She is co-founder of the Walls of Salvation International Church located in Prichard,and co-pastors alongside her husband, Dr. Julius V. Haston. She is a mother, grandmother and public school teacher.
Tax Offices Collect Hundreds Of Pounds Of Food For Manna
August 19, 2014
Escambia County Tax Collector offices recently concluded a food drive for Manna Food Panties. Tax collector offices in Molino, Marcus Pointe and downtown collected 738 pounds of food for Manna. Pictured top: Jenny and Nicole from the downtown office. Pictured inset: Kathy and Clara from the Molino office. Pictured below: Tonya, Melissa, Kimson, and Janet from the Marcus Pointe office. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Need To Apply For Free Or Reduced Lunches?
August 18, 2014
Parents can expedite the processing of free or reduced lunch applications in Escambia County by submitted the form online.
For the 2014 – 2015 online free and reduced meal application, click here for a secure form.
The National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs as administered by Escambia County School District provides free and reduced priced meals for children unable to pay the full price.
Students from households who receive food stamps and/or Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and who have a social security number on file at the school may be eligible for direct certification. Students approved by direct certification are not required to have an application on file.
Application forms are sent to all homes with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reduced priced meals, parents of students not approved by direct certification must fill out the application and return it to the school. Additional copies are available in the front office.
Children from households with incomes of less than or equal to the income criteria may be eligible for either free or reduced priced meals.
Each school and the school system’s Food Services office have copies which are available to the public.
Meal prices are as follows:
Elementary
- Full price breakfast – $1.00
- Reduced price breakfast – 30¢
- Full price lunch – $2.00
- Reduced price lunch – 40¢
Secondary
- Full price breakfast- $1.50
- Reduce price breakfast – 30¢
- Full price lunch – $2.50
- Reduced price lunch – 40¢
Three Years: Remembering LCpl Travis Nelson
August 18, 2014
Today marks the three year anniversary of the death of local Cpl. Travis M. Nelson. LCpl. Nelson gave all on the battlefields of Afghanistan on August 18, 2011.
A world was shattered at the Nelson home in Bratt as three men in military uniforms stood at the door. “I just screamed and said no,” Beckie Nelson of Bratt said shortly after she learned that her son, LCpl Travis Nelson, was shot and killed while conducting combat operations in in Helmand province, Afghanistan. “I just went to my knees and said don’t let them come in. I knew right away that he was gone.”
It was a tragedy that began a wave an emotions and events that touched the entire North Escambia area and a nation. The community grieved as hundreds if not thousands changed their Facebook profile pictures to a single image in honor of Nelson. Tears flowed as powerful photos were published that showed an honor guard removing Nelson’s flag-draped coffin from a plane at Dover AFB in Delaware.
The rain poured down at Pensacola Naval Air Station a few days later as the final leg of Nelson’s journey home began. The rain did not send them running; they stood silently — many holding American flags — as the hearse carrying an American hero departed on a 55-mile journey to Atmore. Along the way, some of Pensacola’s busiest roadways came to a complete standstill as the motorcade passed. Many motorists stood outside their vehicles and paid their respects. In Walnut Hill, just a few miles from Nelson’s boyhood home in Bratt, the motorcade slowed as it approached Ernest Ward Middle School. Nelson was Golden Eagle, attending Ernest Ward in the sixth and seventh grades.
Hundreds of Ernest Ward Middle School students and teachers dressed in red, white and blue lined Highway 97, American flags in hand, waiting for the arrival of the motorcade.
As the procession passed, the students stood with their hands over their hearts, waving Old Glory. The thunder of 127 Patriot Guard motorcycle riders vibrated the ground and echoed across the country fields near the school.
Six Florida Highway Patrol trooper vehicles led the hearse past the school. Many students broke down in tears at the sight of a flag draped coffin. Others cried as they made eye contact with Nelson’s parents and their daughter — a sixth grader at Ernest Ward.
The motorcade continued into Atmore, where crowds stood along the route, waving Old Glory. At a local bank on Highway 31, people stood with large flags as the Northview High School NJTROC stood steadfast at attention. Across the way at the iconic Atmore train station, a group of local veterans stood proudly and saluted as Nelson’s remains passed.
Nelson’s funeral was held in Atmore where, again, hundreds paid their final respects.
Nelson was not forgotten. His name was added to the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall of Honor and other area memorials. A scholarship was announced. The Bratt Community Park was renamed the LCpl. Travis M. Nelson Park. Nelson’s family was honored at the annual Veterans Day program at Ernest Ward Middle School.
LCpl Travis Nelson left behind a short, simple note just in case he did return from the battlefield in Afghanistan.
“Dear friends and family, if you are reading this, I didn’t get to come home. I love each and every one of you. I have no regrets, I died for a meaningful cause.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
