Local Bluegrass Artist Working on First Album: Free Concert Tonight
November 9, 2013
A local bluegrass artist is working on her first solo album release.
Amanda Cook has been with the group High Cotton for seven years now, frequently performing at local venues like the monthly Barrineau Park Music Night. And now she’s ready for her own album, heading to Nashville in January to finish recording the vocals. The album is a mix of contemporary and traditional bluegrass.
Cook said her love of bluegrass came from Mile Blanton, her dad and another member of High Cotton.
“It’s in my blood so to speak. He’s played bluegrass for most of my life. Bluegrass music is my pick of genre because of the legacy and tradition of the music. Acoustic music just goes to the soul. You feel every vibration of sound and with that emotions are carried much further,” she said.
The first single from the album will likely be “One Stop Along the Road”, she said.
“It’s in perspective of a woman loving a restless world traveling man and being one stop along his road. She loves him and offers to be there whenever he passes through her town and then in the end she asks him to take her along,” Cook said.
The album is expected to be released in April of next year as both a CD and as a digital download on iTunes.
“My love of music has spanned my lifetime. I’ve always loved to sing. Now that I play three different instruments (mandolin, bass and guitar) and am part of a band is just the ultimate thrill,” Cook said. “My decision to go forward with a solo project was one of determination. I want to be able to at least say that I tried to put myself out there and maybe, hopefully be able to do what I love as a career.”
A benefit to help Cook fund her album was held Saturdaynight at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Spotlight On Walnut Hill Crude Oil Facility And Its Economic Impact
November 8, 2013
During a Thursday morning site tour, leaders from the Escambia Countyarea along with state officials from Florida and Mississippi got a firsthand look at the positive economic impact Genesis Energy L.P. (Genesis) has made on Walnut Hill and surrounding communities.
Genesis commenced operations at the Walnut Hill Crude Oil Rail Unloading Facility, one of the largest crude oil unloading stations in the region, last August and is on track to receive its 100th unit train in early December.
Oil arrives by rail from states like North Dakota to the facility that fronts Corley Road near Arthur Brown Road. The property was chosen because it is at the intersection of an existing crude oil pipeline and the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway. From the location, crude flows to refineries along the Gulf Coast, including a Shell facility near Saraland, Ala.
For a photo tour of the facility, click here.
A crude oil pipeline from Jay rises to the surface at the facility. The flow from oilfields in the Jay area is cut, and the crude from the Walnut Hill train is injected into the pipeline. The process is simple enough, but it is controlled by a sophisticated computer system that monitors the operation and allows for an instant stop in the event of any problem.
“Walnut Hill is the largest crude oil rail unloading facility in the region. The facility enables Genesis to deliver crude oil from domestic shale plays to local refining markets. We have the capabilities to unload 75,000 barrels of oil per day. We are extremely proud that the local community is involved and is playing an integral part in making this operation a success,” said Genesis Rail Services Director Neal Bjorklund.
The Walnut Hill site has a 100,000 barrel storage tank in service and a second 100,000 barrel tank under construction.
Genesis is expanding its terminal in Natchez, Miss., using the state-of-the-art design of the Walnut Hill Facility. Representatives from The Mississippi Development Authority, Natchez, Inc. and advisors to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant attended Thursday’s tour as a fact-finding visit. Century Mayor Freddie McCall and local staff representatives from the offices of Florida Representatives Clay Ingram and Mike Hill were also in attendance, as were representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Pensacola area Chamber of Commerce. Genesis representatives presented the Walnut Hill Rail Unloading Facility as an example of the company delivering substantial economic benefits with minimal impact to the environment.
Genesis created 20 full-time positions through the Walnut Hill Rail Facility. These employment opportunities provide full health benefits and 401k matching contributions for retirement. Genesis expects to create additional jobs over the next five years, providing long-term economic benefits that generate revenue for the surrounding community. Company officials estimate an 10-15 indirect jobs were created by the facility through construction and rail operations.
“We strive to operate a business that protects the environmental integrity and the safety of the communities where we are located,” said Steve Nathanson, President and COO of Genesis. “We don’t just want to employ local workers – we want their workplace and the community they live in to be a safe, healthy place.”
For a photo tour of the facility, click here.
Pictured: Steve Perrigin, Genesis operations manager, explains how crude oil flows through the Walnut Hill Rail Facility Thursday. Pictured top inset: Crude oil is offloaded from trains and injected into a pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries at the facility. Pictured bottom inset: Perrigin explains the facility can be controlled on-site or remotely from Houston. Pictured below: Visitors are dwarfed by a second 100,000 barrel oil storage tank under construction at the facility. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Salutes Veterans (With Photo Gallery)
November 8, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School paused to honor veterans from the across the area Thursday morning.
“When you say thank-you, it means the world to them,” retired Marine Rob Doss, the Escambia School District’s director of transportation, told the EWMS student body and their veteran guests. “Never forget all that we have is because of these great people that have worn the uniform of the United States of America.”
The program included patriotic music, a dance team and dramatic presentation a special “Old Glory” presentation by the Northview High School NJROTC.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The annual Veterans Day program at Ernest Ward is a longstanding community tradition, held annually for over 20 years.
Pictured top: The Northview High School NJROTC presents “Old Glory” Thursday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School’s annual Veterans Day program. Pictured inset: Special speaker Rob Doss. Pictured below: Veterans salute. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
The Latest Buzz: Roadside Bees Garner Attention
November 7, 2013
A roadside bee hive in Walnut Hill is catching the attention of passing motorists. The exposed hive is located in an oak tree alongside North Highway 99 near Highway 97. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Update: The bees were removed by someone Thursday morning.
Tate Grad Hubbard Graduates From Basic Training
November 7, 2013
Air Force Airman 1st Class James A. Hubbard graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Hubbard earned distinction as an honor graduate.
He is the son of Lesley Hubbard of Deedra Avenue, Pensacola.
The airman is a 2002 graduate of Tate High School, Cantonment. He received a master’s degree in 2010 from Stony Brook University, New York, N.Y.
First Baptist Bratt Will Serve As Operation Christmas Child Central
November 6, 2013
Volunteers will soon be busy at the First Baptist Church of Bratt during “National Collection Week” for Operation Christmas Child. For the 20th year, the simple, gift-filled shoe boxes will bring Christmas joy and evangelistic materials to children in over 130 countries across the world.
National Collection Week for OCC is November 18-25. The First Baptist Church of Bratt will be the official OCC Relay Center for the north end of Escambia County, Florida. The FBC Bratt will also accept boxes from individuals, groups or churches in and Escambia County, Alabama, again this year.
“This is not about the FBC of Bratt”, says Student Pastor Tim Hawsey, Relay Center coordinator. “This is about being a blessing and bringing God’s love and hope to children in poverty around the world that would not receive it otherwise. We have gone through the intense process of been approved as a church to be a Relay Center to collect the boxes from individuals, families, and churches of our area, document and pack them into special cartons and take them to the next level for Samaritan’s Purse, and we are blessed to do it.”
Collection hours at the First Baptist Church of Bratt will be:
- Monday, Nov. 18: 8 a.m. – noon, 4-6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 19: 8 a.m. – noon
- Wednesday, Nov. 20: 8 a.m. – noon, 4 PM – 6 PM
- Thursday, Nov. 21: 8 a.m. – noon
- Friday, Nov. 22: 8 a.m. – noon
- Saturday, Nov. 23: 8 a.m. – noon
- Sunday, Nov. 24: 8 a.m. – noon, 4-6 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 25: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
The boxes collected this year at FBC Bratt will go through the Atlanta Processing Center then will be shipped to the countries of Belize, Botswana, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Haiti, Macedonia, Madagascar, Niger, Seychelles, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago, and the Ukraine.
Operation Christmas Child boxes should be packed in a specific manner, and there are changes this year. For more information, call Hawsey at the First Baptist Church of Bratt at (850) 327-6529, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call (800) 353-5949. Resources are available for churches that wish to participate.
Students Dress To Impress
November 6, 2013
Northview High School recently held a “Dress To Impress” day, with students skipping jeans and t-shirts and wearing their favorite dress clothing instead. Submitted photos for NorhtEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Peanut Butter Drive Continues
November 4, 2013
The Escambia County Extension office, the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the EscaRosa Young Farmers and Ranchers and the Florida Peanut Producer Association are collecting peanut butter now through mid-November to help take a bite out of hunger.
The groups are accepting donations of unopened jars of peanut butter to be donated to local food pantries during Farm-City Week.
“Let’s keep children eating locally grown peanuts in healthy, nutritious, and yummy peanut butter,” is a slogan being promoted for the drive. The extension service said the average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before graduating high school.
Unopened jars of peanut butter of any brand can be dropped off until November 15 at any of the following locations:
- Escambia County Extension office, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Escambia Farm Bureau, 153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 North W Street, Pensacola
- Escambia County Community & Environment Dept. 223 Palafox Place, 3rd Floor, Pensacola
- Gilmore Services, 31 East Fairfield Drive, Pensacola
For more information contact Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230.
Pictured top: Local peanut grower Rodney Helton and his granddaughters. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Escambia Students Awarded Prestigous American FFA Degree
November 4, 2013
Three Escambia County students have been awarded the American FFA Degree, which is awarded to FFA members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA. The award is presented after the FFA member graduates from high school.
Northview High School FFA graduate Lydia Weaver accepted her degree on stage during the annual National FFA Convention Saturday morning in Louisville, KY. West Florida High School FFA graduates Jake Scott and Justin Ryan Hall were also awarded the American FFA Degree but did not attend the convention.
Less than half of one percent of all FFA members receive the American FFA Degree, making it one of the organization’s highest honors. The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 579,678 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,570 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Pictured: Northview High School FFA graduate Lydia Weaver accepts her American FFA degree on stage during the annual National FFA Convention Saturday morning in Louisville, KY. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Northview Senior Night; Band and Cheerleaders
November 4, 2013
Friday night was Senior Night for the Northview Chiefs.
For a Senior Night, band and cheerleader photo gallery, click here.
(High quality prints are available of the Senior Night photos from the photo gallery, plus additional sword arch photos are available of most seniors. For information, email news@northescambia.com.)
Seniors honored Friday night were:
2013-2014 Northview Chief football Team
Tristan Creamer, Football, two years
Daulton Ray Daniel, Football, four years
Andrew Edwards, Football, four years
Brandon Freeman, Football, four years
Marvin A. Haynie, Jr., Football, four years
Holden Moore, Football, one year
Baccari Ramer, Football, one year
Neino Robinson, Football, two years
Nathan Ships, Football, two years
Danny Slay, Football, four years
Jeffrey Taylor II, Football, four years
LaQuan M Thomas, Football, two years
Daulton Tullis, Football, four years
2013-2014 Northview Cheerleading Team
Mariah Laine Albritton, Cheerleading, four years
Madison Brooke Arrington, Cheerleading, three years
Katelynne Nicole Calloway, Cheerleading, four years
Anna Elizabeth Fisher, Cheerleading, four years; Dance Team, three years
Chloe Vanessa Leonard, Cheerleading, four years; Dance Team, three years
Ali Martin, Cheerleading, four years
Olivia Neal, Cheerleading, one year
Courtney Weaver, Cheerleading, three years
2013 -2014 Tribal Beat Band
Donald Baity, Band, two years; ROTC, four years
Taylor Brook, Band, four years
Mashama Codrington, Band, one year
Hunter Dettling, Band, two years
Morgan Digmon, Dance Team, three years
Anna Elizabeth Donald, Band, one year
Cory Hester, Band, four years
Jessica Lowery, Dance Team, three years
Jasmine Maher, Band, two years
Brittany Nicole Martin, Band, two year; ROTC, four years
Shelby Nielsen, Band, three years
Rachel Presley, Dance Team, two years
Hilery Danielle Scott, Dance Team, three years
Rebekah Mary Sepulveda, Dance Team, one year
Kent Smith, Band, four years; ROTC, three years
Jeremy Logan Stacey, Band, three years
Lily Ann Townson, Dance Team, three years
Kendrick Walker, Band, two years; ROTC, four years
2013-2014 Northview NJROTC
Kasie Braun, ROTC, four years
Jessica Ann Brown, ROTC, four years
Kira Cartwright, ROTC, four years
Zacarra Davis, ROTC, four years
Casey Godwin, ROTC, three years
Courtney Jones, ROTC, three years
Shauna Walker, ROTC, four years
Victoria Wright, ROTC, four years