Bratt Park Completed
October 28, 2010
Work is substantially complete at the new Bratt Park on West Highway 4, and the park is open for use.
The 13-acre park includes an eight-foot wide, seven-tenths of a mile walking track, a well equipped playground and two covered pavilions with picnic tables.
The park also includes two softball fields, a full basketball court and exercise and rest stations positioned along the track. The softball fields will not be lit for night play; in fact, the park’s hours will follow that of other county parks — sunrise to sunset.
The park was funded with $200,000 in LOST (local option sales tax) monies set aside for the park’s construction. Bratt Park is located near the First Baptist Church of Bratt, just west of Northview High School.
For more information, or to reserve the park for a birthday party, church event, family reunion or other event, contact Escambia County Parks and Recreation at (850) 475-5220.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview, Ernest Ward, Tate FFA Fair Booths Awarded
October 27, 2010
Northview High School’s FFA booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair took top honors, while Tate place second and Ernest Ward placed fourth.
The FFA booths showcased each school’s FFA chapter.
Northview’s booth showcased career development experiences, while Ernest Ward showcased Ag in the classroom and an EWMS project where FFA students from Ernest Ward visit and read to students at Bratt Elementary each year.
Pictured top: The blue ribbon Northview High School FFA booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Pictured below: The Ernest Ward Middle School FFA booth. Pictured bottom: The Northview High FFA Alumni and Friends booth. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Showband Takes Top Honors At Marching Classic
October 27, 2010
The Tate High School Showband of the South took first place in Panhandle Marching Classic at Pace High School.
Ten marching bands from schools in Florida, Alabama and Georgia took part in the competition. Bands were ranked on ensemble music, general music, ensemble visual, percussion and auxiliary.
Bands placed as follows:
- Tate High School
- Escambia High School
- Fort Walton Beach High School
- Fairhope High School
- Daphne High School
- Pine Forest High School
- Alpharetta High School
- Spanish Fort High School
- Davidson High School
- Navarre High School
Pictured top: The Tate High School Showband of the South marches past the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” home on Sunday. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
See The Video: Century Relay Purple Glove Dance
October 27, 2010
The kickoff event for the Century Relay for Life was held Tuesday night, complete with the premiere of the “Century Relay Purple Glove Dance” video.
The Purple Glove Dance video (see below) features local residents — in purple gloves — to promote Century’s Relay for Life event. The video was produced by Century Relay Chair Jacke Johnston and edited by Elaine Holk.
For more information on Century’s Relay, or to sign up online, visit CenturyRelay.com.
(If you do not see the video below, it is because your home, work or school firewall is blocking external videos.)
Pictured top: The Century Town Council takes part in the “Purple Glove Dance” at a recent meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Molino’s ‘Vampire Ladies’ Lead Northview Student To First Blood Donation
October 27, 2010
One Northview High School sophomore used his day of school on Monday to become a blood donor for the very first time — thanks, in part, to the “Vampire Ladies” of his childhood.
Zac Cole, 16, said had looked forward to the day since elementary school. While Cole was a student at Molino Elementary School, then-Principal Dale Cooey and group of parents known as the “Vampire Ladies” created a program to teach students the importance of giving blood.
After the September 11 tragedy, Molino Park held blood drives, encouraged students to recruit adult donors all while teaching the students about blood donations.
“These first students that were taught about blood donation are now old enough to donate themselves. They no longer have to be recruiters. They can now be someone else’s hero,” said Zac’s mom Peggy.
Zac, his mom and cousin Heath Cole visited Northwest Florida Blood Services in Pensacola Monday morning so Zac could make his first blood donation.
“That was easier than I thought it would be,” Zac said about giving blood on his day out of school.
Zac will be eligible to donate blood again on December 20; just in time to “give the gift of life” for Christmas, he said.
For more information on Northwest Florida Blood Services, click here. The Bloodmobile will be in North Escambia on Saturday, November 6 beginning at 11 a.m. for the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department Catfish Fry.
Pictured top: Heath Cole (left) and Zac Cole pose with a new Kia Soul being given away by Northwest Florida Blood Services to one lucky donor. Pictured inset: Zac Cole makes his first blood donation.
Photos: Move That Bus! Extreme Home Makeover Reveal
October 25, 2010
With superstar Mariah Carey, the Tate Showband of the South, a Christmas parade and thousands screaming “Move That Bus!”, Finis Gaston saw his new “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” home for the first time Sunday afternoon.
Crowds waited for hours as bands and cheerleaders and TV production crews practiced in front of the new 3,600 square foot house, which was completely decked out with Christmas decorations. The Extreme Makeover episode filmed Sunday in Pensacola will air as a Christmas special on December 12.
For more photos from the “Big Reveal”, click here.
Then the excitement erupted as a white van drove up to the home on Rainbow Avenue, and out stepped Mariah Carey — a pop legend with more number one songs to her name than Michael Jackson.
But the crowning moment was the one we’ve all seen played out on TV so many times — a limousine drove up behind the Extreme Makeover bus. On cue, the crowd yelled those famous words — “Move That Bus!”. And then Finis Gaston, along with the nieces and nephews in his care, stepped into their new home.
The design of what they saw — four bedrooms, three baths and a nursery — will remain a secret until the show airs in December.
For more photos from the “Big Reveal”, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Weekend In Photos
October 25, 2010
There was a lot going on in the North Escambia area this weekend, and NorthEscambia.com was there with hundreds of photos. Click any item below for more photos.
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Photos: Flomaton’s Great Homecoming
October 24, 2010
Flomaton took part in the statewide Alabama Year of Small Towns and Downtowns Saturday with their first ever Flomaton Great Homecoming.
Arts and crafts vendors, foods and entertainment set the stage for the event. During the Flomaton Great Homecoming, the town opened the doors on their brand new library which will be complete and officially opened in a few weeks.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured above: The Flomaton Great Homecoming was held Saturday. Pictured below: Residents got a sneak peek of the town’s brand new library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Williams Station Day
October 24, 2010
Thousands attended the annual Williams Station in Atmore on Saturday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured above: Crowds at Saturday’s Williams Station Day in Atmore. Pictured below: The reunion of the “Kool Tools” band, a popular local band formed in the 1960’s. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe: Prime Rib – Without The Fear
October 24, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a Simple No Fear Prime Rib. This dish will leave you feeling “gourmet” with tender meat a punch of flavor.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
