Pine Meadow Elementary PTA Presents Sherry White With Honorary Lifetime Membership
September 4, 2024
The Pine Meadow Elementary PTA recently honored Sherry White with an honorary life membership at their most recent volunteer appreciation breakfast. This award recognized White’s contributions to the PTA community and her unwavering dedication to the school.
White has been an active member of the PTA for many years, serving on the board and volunteering countless hours to support the school’s initiatives. Her positive spirit and commitment to the school’s students have made a lasting impact.
“Her dedication as a board member, her countless hours of volunteering, and her unwavering support in teacher classrooms have made a significant impact,” the PTA said.
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Pete The Cat Wins ‘Kids Votes Count’ Poll At West Florida Libraries
September 3, 2024
Pete the Cat was named the overwhelming winner of the 2024 Kids’ Votes Count poll at the West Florida Libraries.
“It was not even close,” Assistant Director of Library Services Christal Bell-Rivera said.
The program was designed to help engage kids of all ages in the voting process by encouraging them to exercise their right to vote for their favorite literary character. The voting coincided with the August Primary early voting period for adults.
Over 600 kids voted during the event, choosing from a field of candidates that included:
- Eragon
- Groot
- Harry Potter
- Luffy
- Pigeon
- Nancy Drew
- Amelia Bedlia
- Pete the Cat
- Katniss Everdeen
Pigeon fished a distant second in the voting, while Harry Potter came in third.
Pictured top: Reading Pete The Cat at the Molino Branch Library recently were: (L-R) Molino Library Branch Manager Rachel Kahalley, WFPL Assistant Director of Library Services Christal Bell-Rivera, and Director of Library Services Todd Humble. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The 2024 Kids’ Votes Count at the Century Branch Library.
Ascend Volunteers Pitch In to Clean Up At Roy Hyatt
August 30, 2024
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center (RHEC) recently received a helping hand from a group of dedicated volunteers from Ascend Performance Materials’ Pensacola Plant. Over two days, these volunteers tackled a variety of tasks, contributing to the overall health and beauty of the Escambia County School District educational center in Cantonment.
The volunteers cleared 120 acres of trails, trimmed gallberry holly from pitcher plant areas, and pressure washed various structures, including pavilions, sidewalks, and the entryway. Additionally, they weeded the butterfly garden, blazed a new trail, and assisted with troubleshooting pond pump issues.
RHEC officials expressed their deep gratitude for the volunteers’ hard work and dedication. “Their continued support is invaluable to our mission of preserving and protecting our local environment,” RHEC said.
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International Paper’s Whitney Fike Named Florida PR’s Communicator Of The Year
August 26, 2024
Whitney Fike was recently honored at the Florida Public Relations Association’s Golden Image Awards and Pinnacle Awards Gala, a three-day communications and marketing conference.
Whitney Fike, Regional Communications Manager at International Paper, received an inaugural Gold Pinnacle Award for Communicator of the Year. This was awarded to a public relations or communications practitioner who does exceptional work as a solo practitioner or as part of an agency, business, nonprofit or other organization that has some element of its business in the state of Florida.
This year’s award winners demonstrated the best in public relations, marketing, advertising, digital, social, design, events, promotions, educational materials and beyond. Nonprofit and for-profit organizations throughout the United States were invited to submit their projects for consideration during the 2024 awards program.
Other local area winners were:
Brittany Sherwood, president of FPRA Pensacola Chapter received a President’s Award for Professional Development.
Visit Pensacola; Nicole Stacey, vice president | Destination Development and Lindsey Steck Jackson, Marketing and Communications Manager received an Award of Distinction for Visit Pensacola Influencer Marketing Campaign.
University of West Florida Office of Institutional Communications received an Award of Distinction for the 100K Alumni campaign.
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Northview High Students Awarded Construction Career Days Scholarships
August 23, 2024
Northview High School students received 11 of 17 Construction Career Days awarded scholarships.
The scholarships were awarded following the Contraction Career Days last spring.
The students named this week were:
$2,000 Scholarships
- Sarah Bailey
- Kendal Beasley
- Colton Criswell
- Carsyn Dortch
- Braden Glick
- Ava Gurganus
- Lauren Stinson
- Mandell Smith
$500 Scholarships
- Gabriella Burkland
- Abbie Hardy
- Darrin Leatherberry
The scholarship fund was established to assist high school graduates enrolling in college, trade/vocational education programs, or those entering directly into the workforce.
During Construction Career Days, over 1,300 high school students were treated to an interactive look into the transportation industry during the fourth annual event.
Students had the opportunity to operate heavy equipment and learn about bridge inspections, paving, concrete, traffic control, engineering, and more. Students were also introduced to a multitude of career paths available in the transportation, structural, engineering, and building industries, and were able to interact with representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), as well as various engineering firms, and contractors looking to hire in the Northwest Florida area.
Escambia Tax Collector Issues First Authenticated License Plate To North Escambia Classic Vehicle
August 18, 2024
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office has issued the first authenticated license plate to a local owner of a classic automobile. The authenticated license plate was issued to North Escambia resident, Joshua Ward for his 1963 Chevrolet pickup truck, marking a new option in classic car vehicle registration.
“I’m still working on the truck, but I am happy to get it running and legally registered,” Ward said. “My father gave me this plate a few years ago and I love how it looks now that is attached.”
Authenticated license plates may be issued to any vehicle manufactured in 1975 or earlier. The license plate must be the same year as the model year of the car or truck. The license plate will be approved for use if it is still legible for law enforcement purposes. Authenticated license plates may only be issued to cars, motorcycles, and pickups weighing 5,000 pounds or less. The tax collector reviews the colors, condition, and legibility of each plate to “authenticate” the plate for use on the roads.
Previously, authenticated license plates in Florida were issued exclusively by the state, a process that was occasionally hampered by issues such as delays and lost plates in transit. The transition to county-level issuance aims to rectify these problems and enhance the efficiency and security of the registration process. The new process allows counties to issue authenticated plates, promising a smoother experience for residents and improving overall service quality.
“We are thrilled to have issued the first authenticated license plate to an Escambia resident,” said Escambia County Tax Collector, Scott Lunsford. “This milestone is a testament to our commitment to enhancing public service and streamlining processes for our community. By handling plate issuance at the county level, we can better serve our residents and ensure that their experience is as efficient and secure as possible.”
Residents of Escambia County are encouraged to visit the Tax Collector’s website to learn more about the new process and how it may benefit them.
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Cantonment, Century Lodges Support Local Bratt, Byrneville, Jim Allen Elementaries
August 14, 2024
Local Masonic Lodges were able to show their continued support of local schools last week.
Century Lodge No. 213 “adopted” Byrneville Elementary School by supplying supplies for the students. They also provided supplies to students at Bratt Elementary School.
Cantonment Lodge No. 322 provided a BBQ lunch for the teachers and staff of Jim Allen Elementary School.
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Navy Federal Employees Donate School Supplies To Molino Park Elementary
August 13, 2024
A group of 13 Navy Federal Credit Union employees donated about 300 school supply items to Molino Park Elementary School. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smokey Bear Celebrates 80th Birthday At Molino Library (With Gallery)
August 8, 2024
“Only you can prevent forest fires!”
Smokey Bear celebrated his 80th birthday with an event Wednesday at the Molino Branch Library.
The West Florida Public Libraries and the Florida Forest Service hosted the 80th birthday celebration for Smokey. Children enjoyed a video and hearing the story about Smokey’s early life.
Children had a chance to meet Smokey and pose for a photo, and the library’’s mascot owl Who also made a special appearance.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One On One With Sidewalk Prophets (Their Live Concert Is Tonight In Atmore For $5)
August 4, 2024
With four major studio albums, five No. 1 hits, eight top 5 songs and new music on the radio and streaming, Christian music’s Sidewalk Prophets will headline the Intent Movement Sunday night in Atmore.
General admission is just $5 or a VIP package for $25 with preferred floor seating. Cash, Venmo and Cash App will be accepted at the gate. The event will take place at the Poarch Cultural Arena at 6477 Jack Springs Road. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event starts at 7 p.m.
Friday, NorthEscambia.com had a one-on-one phone interview with singer and songwriter David Frey, frontman of the Sidewalk Prophets.
“We’ve been around since 2001. I met my buddy Ben and now here we are 2024 and releasing our fifth studio album and we have a current single called ‘Hurt People’ on the radio right now,” Frey told us. “And we are really just blessed that we still keep on keeping on and excited that we have new music. We haven’t had new music since 2020. So it’s been quite some time. I became a dad twice since our last record came out and we’re just, living the dream.”
Sidewalk Prophets is more than just a music group; they are a family to make everyone feel love while sharing the love of Christ.
As the father of a 4-year-old, Frey currently spends a lot of time these days singing classic kids’ songs like “Wheels on the Bus”, “Skidamarink A Dink A Dink” (one of his daughter’s favorites) and host of Disney songs.
In May, the group released the lead track from their upcoming fifth studio album. “Hurt People (Love Will Heal Our Hearts)”. It was Sidewalk Prophets’ first new music since 2020.
Hurt People was actually written before the pandemic, but “the lyrics were just not quite right” and didn’t make the cut for the last album. Then there was a small tweak, and everything fell in place as the right song at the right time.
Hurt people, they hurt people
Is it ever gonna stop?
Hurt people, they hurt people
So give me everything you’ve got
“This is a time to release this song, and I feel like with the state of the world, state of our hearts and state of everywhere, you look around” Frey said. “There’s there’s a lot of hurt in the world, and it’s so easy to when you get hurt, man to pass that hurt on, maybe even hurt yourself, hurt those around you that don’t deserve it. But man, what an idea to know that Christ taking the cross looking after the very people that hurt him. That was the absolute example of how to stop hurt in its tracks and heal and change our hearts forever.”
The Sidewalk Prophets’ second song from the new album was released just over a week ago. “Come to Jesus” is a simple but powerful invitation. Written by Frey, Ben McDonald and Mitch Wong, the ballad encourages listeners to come just as they are to the Lord.
“It’s just a simple worship song,” Frey said. “As soon was we heard it, we knew it was tugging at our heartstrings with the idea that no matter what you’re going through, no matter what, the hopelessness or depression you’re facing; even on the best of days or the worst of days, just fall into the arms of Jesus. It’s such a powerful thing.”
“My favorite line in that song is ‘there’s kindness in his eyes’, and I think that so many times this day and age, we kick kindness around we minimize it and we, we think of it as a weak thing, but to have, to know that our God is a god of kindness. It’s a powerful thing. To now that you can always fall into the arms of our Savior who has kindness in his eyes is a powerful thing.”
The soon to be released title track of the new album is “Looking Up”, a collaboration with American Idol runner-up Megan Danielle.
“I don’t know how she didn’t just win everything because her voice is unbelievable,” Frey said. “When she walked into the studio as just this unassuming sweet Georgia girl, and then she sings and you are just floored. It’s this powerful Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton kind of mix. She’s got rock and roll in her too.”
He said “Looking Up” was inspired by the daily commute in Nashville and seeing people on the side of the road begging for change.
“It’s about our lives and how the smallest thing could put us at rock bottom. But there’s always a reason knowing how much Christ loves us, and we always have a reason to keep looking up. It’s a song about the goodness of God.”
The Intent Movement concert Sunday night in Atmore will feature some of those new songs.
“We’ll be rocking a lot of the new songs, but we’ll be playing songs you might have heard on the radio before.”
One of those classics will be “Come to the Table”.
He said come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
“That’s one that really resonates with myself,” Frey told us.
While the song is about coming to the table with Jesus, the story of how it came to be might not be what most people expect. It’s what Frey called a “funny story”.
Come to the Table was written in a place with no internet, no Wi-Fi, just because the group needed to get away, and they flew in a group of writers from Nashville to this “log cabin-ish thing” All they had was a DVD player in a cabinet and it had the 1991 Robin Williams movie “Hook” in which young children are abducted by Captain Hook. Peter revisits a foggy past in which he abandons Neverland for family life, leaving the Lost Boys to fend for themselves.
“The Lost Boys were sitting at the table, and it just inspired us to think about all the people that would sit at the table with Christ. All this motley crew of misfits, that’s who is going to be sitting there when we get to heaven. Those are the people that Christ called when he opened his arms so wide.”
“That song definitely holds a dear place in our hearts.”
What on David Frey’s playlist right now?
A lot of Disney, and a lot of “Skidamarink A Dink A Dink” for his kids. For him, it’s 21 Pilots and a lot of a old-school singer songwriters like the Eagles and James Taylor. Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” is a favorite that his son also loves.
“You just roll the window down and sing and have a lot of fun.”
The Future of Sidewalk Prophets
What’s the future of the Sidewalk Prophets in five or 10 years?
“Man, I really hope to keep doing what we are doing and making records,” Frey said. “What floors me is when people say a song meant this to me, and I’m like I didn’t even think God could use it that way. I hope we can continue to see people’s hearts changed. Not because of us, but because God takes these things. If you marry your passion to God’s will, it is a powerful thing.”
“I am super grateful that this passion of mine God has allowed us to do for so long, and I just pray in five years we are releasing our sixth or seventh record and hopefully it’s still resonating with souls.”
About Sunday Night’s Performance In Atmore
“We’re going to have so much fun, and we are excited. I hope that people come that don’t know Jesus and they get swept up in what He’s doing, and I pray that friends and family and churches all come. I pray we can just sing about the love of God and watch people be moved in mighty ways because of him.”
Photos courtesy Sidewalk Prophets for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
