Byrneville Elementary Holds Annual Christmas Carnival (With Photo Gallery)
December 7, 2014
Byrneville Elementary School held its Christmas Carnival Saturday night at the school.
The annual event included a host of games, including a ring toss, cake walk, football toss and more. The day’s festivities ended with a gift basket auction, with proceeds going to benefit the school.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pearl Harbor Survivors Honored; Program Includes Tate High
December 6, 2014
Pearl Harbor survivors were honored Friday morning during a World War II Remembrance ceremony at the National Aviation Museum. The Wind Ensemble from the Tate High School Band took part in the event. Photos courtesy NAS Naval Aviation Museum and RustyBuggy.com for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Christmas Spirit: Lady Jags Softball Helps Decorate Ronald McDonald House
December 6, 2014
The West Florida High School Lady Jaguar softball team helped decorate the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola for Christmas. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos, Video: Northview Band Christmas Concert
December 5, 2014
The Northview High School Christmas Variety Show was held Thursday night in the school’s theater.
For a highlight video, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
An Old Fashioned Canoe Christmas Celebration
December 5, 2014
It was an old fashioned Christmas celebration Thursday night a dozens friends and neighbors came together with the Canoe (AL) Civic Club. The group sang Christmas carols, ate great food and just enjoyed spending time with friends and neighbors from Canoe, Bratt, Walnut Hill and surrounding areas in a celebration reminiscent of community gatherings from days gone by.
The dinner table included everything from fried chicken, chicken and dumplings to fruit cake and cake pops.
Mike Hanks from the First Baptist Church of Bratt led the crowd in Christmas carols as his wife Gayle Hanks played the piano, and a group from the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church treated the crowd to Christmas carols.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Marcella Wilson, click to enlarge.
Christmas Memories: Antique Nativity Scene Back On Display In Century
December 4, 2014
A Nativity scene that was first displayed at a Century home over 50 years ago is once again shining bright this Christmas season.
“‘When my sisters and I were children, the Christmas season started for us when Mr. & Mrs. Straughn put their nativity up,” Leslie Gonzalez, now town clerk, said.
Bill and Sarah Straughn first displayed the Nativity scene in 1963 on their screened-in porch on State Line Road, just around the curve from Highway 29 behind what was then Straughn’s Hardware, now a laundromat and self-storage facility.
Now, decades later, their granddaughter Joan Carnley and her husband Hal have moved in and fixed up the family home — and returned the manger scene to display with the help of her parents, Cal and Carol Turner.
“Mom and Dad came and spent Thanksgiving with us so we set it up together,” said Joan Carnley. “Mom said grandmother went out and bought it for my sister Judy and me in 1963. We were living here at the time while my dad was in Vietnam. When we came home at Christmas through later years we always ran to see Baby Jesus. Just a simple manger scene but it evokes memories and feelings of love, family, peace and homecomings.”
Have a Christmas story to share? Email news@NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured: An antique Nativity scene out once again at a home on State Line Road in Century, over 50 years since it was first displayed. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Animal Shelter Aims To Find Pet Homes For The Holidays
December 4, 2014
The Escambia County Animal Shelter will host a public animal adoption event “Clear the Kennels” Friday and Saturday from noon until 6 p.m. at the shelter at 200 West Fairfield Drive.
The event aims to find homes for shelter animals before Christmas with manager’s special adoption pricing:
- Dogs, three years and older, $35
- Dogs, under three years, $55
- Cats, three years and older, $20
- Cats, under three years $30
Pricing includes spay or neuter, rabies vaccination and microchipping.
For more information, call (850) 595-3075.
Byrneville Elementary First Graders Visit Century Town Hall
December 3, 2014
First graders from Byrneville Elementary School recently visited the Century Town Hall on a field trip. In addition to visiting Mayor Freddie McCall’s office and hold the “Key to the Town”, they learned about the rules regard proper display of the U.S. flag. The students from Candice Thornton and Amanda Dawson’s classes also learned about the delivery of water to homes and water billing. And the students also discovered that although Century is a small town, it takes numerous community workers laboring to make it work. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Move-In Day Set For New Ernest Ward Middle (With Photo Tour)
December 1, 2014
Work is continuing on the new Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill, with a student move-in date now on the calendar.
Students are scheduled to begin classes in the new $20 million facility on Monday, February 2, 2015. Some portions of the building are nearing completion, with furniture being moved into place. Additional furniture deliveries are scheduled throughout December, and dates are scheduled for teachers to have their items moved from the old building into the new facility.
All of the items such as computers and furniture, with the exception of library shelving, will be brand new.
Some contractors are expected to work extended hours and seven-day weeks in order to meet the completion schedule.
Pictured top: Inside the new Ernest Ward Middle School library. Pictured inset: Cabinets and shelves inside a classroom. Pictured below: A science classroom. Pictured bottom library windows. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Storytime For Ages Five And Under Held Each Week At The Local Library
December 1, 2014
The West Florida Public Library offers Story Time for children five and younger each week.
Story Time is held:
- 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A
- 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Main Library: 239 North Spring Street
- 4 p.m. Thursdays at the Century Branch Library, 7991 North Century Boulevard
- 10:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue.
For more information call (850) 436-5060 or visit www.mywfpl.com. The events area always free of charge.