Students Honored For Artistic Abilities
November 12, 2009
Dozens of North Escambia area students were honored for their artistic abilities at the 2009 Pensacola Interstate Fair.
The following students received awards:
Category — Mixed Media
Parish Kelley, third place, Northview High
Parish Kelley, Honorable Mention, Northview High
Cally Hayes, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Rachel Waldroup, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Category — Drawing
Dusty Kennedy, first place, Jay High
Parish Kelley, Honorable Mention, Northview High
Category — Digital Arts
Cody Maxwell, third place, Jay High
Gisele “Bai” Ronquillo, second place, Tate High
Jessica Bennett, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Erica Davis, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Mallory McDonald, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Amy Lacour, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Christa Lee, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Category — Sculpture
Travis Prescott, third place, Jay High
Gloria Ramey, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Myrinda Carver, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Amanda Gilmore, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Emily Smith, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Category — Beginning Arts
Drew Kennedy, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Dylan Nadsady, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Sawyer Gandy, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Jordan Bray, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Ciara Golden, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Dakota Ellis, Honorable Mention, Jay High
Hannah Johnson, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Ian Harrington, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Dylan Smith, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Wendy Stradley, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Erica Davis, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Category — Ceramics
Daniel Morris, second place, Tate High
Joe Fischetti, third place, Tate High
Cheyenne Robinson, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Grace Mingo, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Category — Photography
Spencer Taylor, first place, Tate High
Emily Creahan, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Lindsay Creahan, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Torie Passione, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Tyler Acosta, Honorable Mention, Tate High
Veterans Day: Three North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
November 11, 2009
Three memorial walls in North Escambia — in Century, Barrineau Park and Molino — stand as tributes to veterans from across the area.
Century
About thirty of those that served from the Century area are now honored on the Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor that was unveiled in a 2008 Fourth of July ceremony at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29. For more information about adding a name to the wall, call the Town Hall at (850) 256-3208.
Barrineau Park
“In a way, it makes me sad,” Nancy Fillingim, the local resident that proposed the Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center, said. The picture of her husband, Aubie Fillingham, was one of the first photos on the wall. He spent 20 years in the Navy as a boiler technician and a criminal investigator. Pictures of his four brothers are also on the wall.
In all, over 100 Barrineau Park area veterans are honored on the Wall of Honor.
The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society. Nita Berry, president of the organization, said the community has been very supportive of the project by providing the pictures. “It was something we could do to honor our veterans,” she said. “It’s a very small thing compared to what they did for us.”
For more information on the Wall of Honor, contact Nancy Fillingim at (850) 587-2266.
For a photo gallery from the Barrineau Park Wall of Honor, click here.
Walnut Hill
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are about 275 names on the wall, including 13 names of soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club began planning the wall in late 2001, and they decided that it would be a community project at no cost to the veterans listed.
“If you are a veteran, you deserve to be there,” Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Past-President Billy R. Ward said. “You’ve already paid your debt; we wanted this wall to honor the veterans.”
On the Walnut Hill Veteran’s Honor Wall, everyone is equal. It was decided that no service rank would be included on the name plaques, just the branch and years of service.
The Walnut Hill Veteran’s Wall is located in front of the community center at 7850 Highway 97.
If you know a veteran from the Walnut Hill area (including Bratt, Davisville, Oak Grove and Enon) that should be included on the honor wall, call Billy R. Ward at (850) 256-2907. Or mail the veteran’s name, address, city, state, phone, branch of service, dates of service and your name and phone number to: Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, P.O. Box 35, Walnut Hill, FL 32568.
For photographs that include most names on the Walnut Hill Veterans Honor Wall, click here.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
New Veterans Monument Planned For Atmore
November 11, 2009
By Veterans Day 2010, a new memorial will stand in Atmore in tribute to those that have served in the military.
The memorial, a two-year joint project of the Atmore Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Atmore American Legion Post 90, is currently being completed by Weaver Monument Company in Flomaton. It is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
The memorial will be placed at the Atmore City Hall.
Work Must Go On: Working During Ida
November 10, 2009
A few dozen people in North Escambia were hard at work Monday night and Tuesday morning during Tropical Storm Ida.
At Century Care Center, one of North Ecambia’s largest overnight employers, it was an ordinary night at work as the storm passed.
For more photos from Century Care Center, click here.
Pictured above and below: It was work as usual at the Century Care Center overnight as Tropical Storm Ida made landfall. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Fire Honors Firemen, Community Members During Fish Fry
November 8, 2009
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their annual fish fry Saturday.
Royce Ward was recognized for his part in forming the fire department in 1965. The fire department was organized by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, under the leadership of Ward who served as the group’s president.
The WHVFD presented their Community Service Award to Escambia Grain Manager Ed Nowlin for his long-time service to the Walnut Hill community.
The Officer of the Year Award was presented to Deputy Chief Kevin Mininger. Mininger joined the department in 1987, advancing to deputy chief by 2008.
Jonathan Koehn was named Firefighter of the Year. Koehn joined the fire department in early 2008 and completed his state Firefighter I certification by the end of the year.
Saturday’s fish fry marked the 40th annual event for the department, with over 550 fish and chicken plates sold.
“I would like to thank the department for all they do,” Escambia County Fire Chief Frank Edwards said. “We could not do what we do without the volunteer departments, especially up here.”
For more photos from the 40th annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry, click here.
Pictured top: Andrew Peters (left) takes fish out of a fryer with the help of Chad Rigby Saturday at the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department fish fry. Pictured inset: Community Service Ward winner Ed Nowlin. Pictured below: The department sold over 550 plates of chicken or fish. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Otta’ The Woods: Hunting Season And Rule Info You Need To Know
November 8, 2009
The archery hunting season is in full swing in Northwest Florida, and now is the time to prepare for the other upcoming seasons, including the anxiously awaited Thanksgiving weekend deer season.
The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.
If you plan to hunt one of Florida’s many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you’ll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don’t forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules differ greatly from area to area.
You can buy your license and permits over the telephone by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or online at www.wildlifelicense.com/fl. Just have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from tax collectors’ offices and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
The general gun season comes in Thanksgiving Day and lasts four days through November 29. Two weeks later, the season reopens December 12 and runs through February 17.
Hunters can take bucks having at least one antler 5 inches or longer. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two.
On private lands, hunters can take wild hogs year-round with no bag or size limits. On most – but not all – WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limit on wild hogs, and hunters can take them during any hunting season except spring turkey. Check the WMA brochure to be certain.
The highly anticipated antlerless deer season, often called “doe week,” is December 19-25.
During doe week, the daily bag limit’s one buck and one doe, or two bucks. You may not take two does in one day like you may during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. And by the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season.
If you hunt with deer dogs anywhere in Florida, special rules and registration requirements may apply, so call the FWC for details.
Fall turkey season in the Northwest Hunting Zone is November 26-29 and December 12 – January 17. Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game, and you must have a $5 turkey permit to hunt them. The bag limit’s one bird per day, and a total of two during the archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined.
Quail and gray squirrel season runs statewide November 14 – March 7. There’s a daily bag limit of 12 for each, but shooting fox squirrels is against the law.
Shooting hours for deer, turkeys, quail and gray squirrels is a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal firearms, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and handguns are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey, and quail and gray squirrel seasons.
Snipe hunting in Florida ranks second in the nation in number of birds harvested each year, and the season runs November 1 – February 15 statewide. The second phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season also comes in this month and runs November 14-29. Shooting hours for migratory game birds are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit for snipe is eight; and for doves, the bag limit is 15.
You must get a no-cost migratory bird permit if you plan to hunt snipe, doves or any other migratory game birds.
The FWC even provides an online “Dove Hunters’ Hotline,” which gives up-to-date information on Florida’s public dove fields. The address is MyFWC.com/Dove, and it’s updated every Thursday throughout the dove season. Information includes dove densities, previous weeks’ harvests and field conditions.
Whether small-game hunting with friends and family or hunting solo, going after that monster buck, boar hog or big tom, November brings loads of great hunting opportunities.
Here’s wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful hunting season.
Northwest Florida Hunting Season Dates
(not applicable on wildlife management areas)
Archery Oct. 17 – Nov. 15
Deer-dog training Oct. 31 – Nov. 19
Crossbow Nov. 30 – Dec. 6
Muzzleloading gun Nov. 20-22 & Feb. 18-28
General gun Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Feb. 17
Antlerless deer Dec. 19-25
Fall turkey Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Jan. 17
Quail and gray squirrel Nov. 14 – March 7
Bobcat and otter Dec. 1 – March 1
Spring turkey March 20 – April 25
Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except during spring turkey season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset on private lands.
For hunting regulations and dates on wildlife management areas, click the following links:
For other wildlife management area regulations, click here.
For complete Florida hunting information, click here.
Church Holds Byrneville Carnival; Century Care Residents Visit
November 8, 2009
The Mt. Zion Chapel held a fall carnival Saturday, and some of the residents from Century Care Center were their special guests.
The carnival, at the Byrneville Community Center, featured a variety of fun games and food.
Pictured above and below: Residents from Century Care Center enjoyed a fall carnival sponsored by Mt. Zion Chapel Saturday at the Byrneville Community Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival
November 7, 2009
Hundreds of people attended the annual Molino Park Elementary School Fall Carnival Friday evening. Carnival games, food, vendors, a basket auction, horse rides and pies in the face were all part of the fun.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Pie in the face. Pictured below: Face painting Friday night at the annual Molino Park Elementary Schol Fall Carnival. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Miss FHS: Taylor White
November 6, 2009
Sophomore Taylor White was named Miss FHS Thursday night at Flomaton High School.
First runner-up was Victoria Creamer, second runner-up was Hailey Lambeth, third runner-up was Summer Hinote, and fourth runner -up was Nicole Simpson.
Summer Hinote was named the talent winner and Miss Congeniality. Other talent winners were Victoria Creamer, first; Nicole Simpson, second; Blakelee White, third; and Haley White, fourth.
The Top Eight in the Miss FHS pageant were: Lori Chancery, Summer Hinote, Victoria Creamer, Nicole Simpson, Taylor White, Blakelee White, Haley Lambeth, and Dakota Lambeth.
Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography.
Submitted photos by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Fire Dept. Traces History
November 6, 2009
Saturday marked the 40th anniversary of what has become one of the biggest events in Walnut Hill and surrounding communities — the annual fish fry at the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department.
The fish fry has been held annually since 1969, according to Assistant Chief Kevin Mininger, who has been researching the department’s history in conjunction with the 40th annual event. The first fish fry on record was held about a month after the department was chartered.
The fire department’s first fish fry was held on Saturday, April 10, 1965, just after the Walnut Hill Fire Department was officially chartered on Monday, March 8, 1965, during a meeting held at the Ernest Ward High School.
Adult plates were sold for $1, and plates for children under 12 were 50 cents. According to minutes from the fire department’s charter meeting, the fish fry was suggested by O.D. Gibson. It was organized as a fund raiser, and “to let the community know what had been accomplished” with the new department. It was a two hour community event.
That first fish fry cost the department $87.62, including $43 for fish and $13.23 to Lawrence Cooper’s Grocery. The total income was $256.50, netting a $168.88 profit for the Walnut Hill Fire Department’s first fund raiser.
The fire department was organized by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, under the leadership of Ruritan President Royce Ward.
In 1968, the Walnut Hill Fire Department held an open house at their first building on November 16, 1968. The first firehouse was located under the water tower at Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road. Before the building was completed, fire trucks and other equipment was stored in members’ sheds and barns.
According to Mininger, there are no records indicating that a fish fry was held each year between 1965 and 1968, but the fish fry events have been held annually since 1969.
The department’s first truck was about a 1957 model GMC 2 1/2 ton 4×2 fuel service truck loaned from the Florida Forest Service.
Mininger has also compiled a list of the department’s fire chiefs as follows: E. C. (Chuck) Church, 1965 to September 1966; Bob Holdeman, September 1966 to August 1968; Vern Peters from August 1968 to 1983; Jack Brown from 1983 to December 1984; Ervin Schneider, 1985 to 1987; Dennis Rigby, 1988 to 1989; Bill Jackson, 1990 to February 1991; Al Bradley, March 1991 to 1992; Robert Stewart, 1993 to September 2008; and Chris Brown October 2008 to present.
The department’s first board of directors were: C.L. Byrd, Robert E. Holdeman, Kenneth Brown, W.H. Corley, Chief E. C. Church, Assistant Chief Buddy Sharpless, Assistant Chief Therman Raines, Captain Don Strickland, Captain James Pierce, Lt. roger Johnson, Lt. Glenn Thrower, J.H. Morgan, Sam Jantz and Harvey Bradberry.
To read original fire department minutes from December 2, 1968, click here (pdf).
Pictured top: This undated photograph from the early days of the Walnut Hill Fire Department shows Robert Mininger, an assistant chief; Bob Holdeman, the department’s second chief; Royce Ward, president of the Ruritan Club; and Vern Peters who served 15 years as the department’s third chief. Pictured inset: The original handwritten minutes from the department’s first meeting. Pictured below: Former Chief Robert Stewart (left) is honored at last year’s Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department. He is being presented a framed uniform shirt by current Chief Chris Brown. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
