Molino Thrift Store Ministers To Community, Helps Those In Need
January 21, 2018
At the Molino Outreach Thrift Store, the desire to help others is more important than the bottom line.
“That will be $26. You got 52 items for just $26,” proprietor – and pastor – Jason Lee told a customer Saturday afternoon as he bagged their purchases, including four or five plastic grocery bags full of clothes.
It’s a business model that from business mind standpoint that may not really make sense. But it was the decision of the boss.
Pastor Jason, as he is affectionately known throughout the community, said when the store first opened seven years ago, none of the donated clothes were over $2.99. But the Lord spoke, he said, and three years ago the price of clothes dropped to $1.99, and the store started holding 99 cent clothing sales. And now, all donated clothes are 99 cents — except when he holds 50 cent sales as he did most of the month of December.
That’s the business plan for Pastor Jason….just keep listening to the Lord.
“It’s our ministry, he said. “If we can sell the clothes for 99 cents and let people keep money in their pocket, we are helping them.”
And he’s super serious about following the Lord’s instruction for his pricing. Drop off brand new, high end clothing with the tags still attached, and he’ll still price it 99 cents.
“Recently, we had a woman stop by on the chance that we might have a wedding dress in size 16. At the moment, we didn’t. But guess what got dropped off…a wedding dress that had cost hundreds of dollars new…in a size 16.”
And how much did she pay? Just 99 cents.
Pastor Jason had worked retail as a teen before serving as a Navy corpsman assigned to the Marines. He returned to retail and then medical equipment sales. Just over seven years ago, he would travel Highway 95A on his way to work each day…except one day he happened to head up Highway 29. He noticed a “for rent” sign on the former Grocery Advantage building at Highway 29 and Molino Road.
“The whole way to work and during the day I kept thinking about what would be a good use for the building,” he said. “Things just began to fall in place, and after some serious prayer we opened.”
The Molino Outreach Thrift Store is not an ordinary thrift store that supports a ministry; the store is the ministry.
“We’ve been here through the good times and the bad times for a lot of people,” he said. “As a small church pastor you might see 30 or 40 or 50 people in your congregation on a regular basis. But we see a lot of people in here, and it’s a full time ministry where we are able to reach out to them.”
“This is what the Lord told me as a pastor I could do, using my skills in retail and as a pastor, to really help people. This is like a church. You hear Christian music playing in here like a church, and we will always stop what we are doing to pray with somebody or stop what we are doing to help people. It’s truly an outreach ministry.”
Back to that business model…those 99 cent clothes are not the only thing the store sells. From furniture to household items, to books, toys and electronics, it’s a full selection of thrift store wares along with new items like hair bows, hats, towels and linens….all well below retail. The store has added new furniture and mattresses to their offerings, at substantial savings off regular prices, once again as a blessing to those in the community. It allows many people the chance to purchase items that they might not otherwise be able to afford, while providing a minimal income to keep the ministry moving forward.
“The Lord said the way you are going to help people is helping them keep their money.”
The store has been a blessing to the Molino area in other ways, like their Angel Tree that provided Christmas gifts for 170 children.
“We had about 30 of the kids adopted, but our shoppers allowed us to spend about $3,000 to provide for the other kids,” Pastor Jason said. “It allows the community to help themselves while helping others.”
When asked about that one moment that he found most amazing, Pastor Jason paused behind the register…in front of a picture of Jesus and an American flag….and then began to tell the story.
“It was a Christmas Eve, and we had stayed open a little bit late. A mother and her young son came into the store, and she said she was looking for a Christmas tree.
“That was the one thing the little boy said he wanted most for Christmas was that Christmas tree. We had quite a few trees leading up to Christmas, but they were all gone. We looked all over this place to make sure there was not a tree left somewhere. I had walked back up front, and I was just about to give the girl that worked here money to sneak out the back and over to the Dollar General to see if they had a tree for this little boy. That’s when the mom came up to the front with a tree in her cart that she said she found behind a table leaning against the wall. It was a brand new white tree still in a box.
He paused again, taking a deep breath, rubbing his hands down the chill bumps on his arms.
“Maybe you would not think the Lord could work through a thrift store in Molino, but He can work in amazing ways any where.”
Picture above: Pastor Jason Lee checks out a customer Saturday afternoon at the Molino Outreach Thrift Store, Highway 29 and Molino Road. Pictured below: Daphne Young stocks rack of clothes priced at 99 cents each. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Arbor Day Program, Tree Giveaway Held
January 21, 2018
An Arbor Day tree giveaway was held Saturday at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Escambia County Forester Cathy Hardin said turnout was greater than anticipated, with 250 trees given away in less than 20 minutes. The native trees included tulip poplar, Chickasaw plum, Shumard oak and fringe tree.
An Eastern Redbud was planted at the community center for visitors to enjoy with the help of the Northview High School FFA.
Pieces were on display from a mail art contest “Strong Trees, Strong Communities”. Winners were:
Youth
- Tyson Smarr
- Samantha Grizzard Miller
- Karina Torres
- Beau Hazelwood
- Tucker Padgett
Teen
- Marina Deubler
Adult
- Sarah Ann Cook
- Ashley M. Davis
- Lynn Hazelwood
For more event photos and photos of artwork, click here.
Photos by Jared Sigler and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Board Declares ‘National FFA Week’
January 21, 2018
The Escambia County School Board has approved a resolution declaring National FFA Week for February 17-24, 2018.
“(FFA) is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education at the local, state, and national level,” the resolution stated .
FFA members, advisers and administrators from Tate and Northview High Schools were on hand as the school board unanimously approved the resolution.
To read the school board resolution, click here.
Pictured: Tate and Northview high school FFA members at this week’s meeting of the Escambia County School Board. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Jay Mayor Qualls Appointed To West Florida Regional Planning Council
January 21, 2018
Governor Rick Scott has announced the appointment of Kurvin Qualls to the West Florida Regional Planning Council.
Qualls, 55, of Jay, is the former mayor of the town of Jay. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning January 12, 2018 and ending at the pleasure of the Governor. Qualls had previously served as chairman of the Council while his was the mayor of Jay, but was forced to resign from the council in October of last year when he resigned as mayor.
This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
The mission of the West Florida Regional Planning Council is to provide professional planning, coordinating and advisory services to local governments, state and federal agencies and the public to preserve and enhance the quality of life in northwest Florida, according to their website.
Local Unemployment Rate Falls Slightly
January 21, 2018
The latest job numbers released Friday show the employment rate falling slightly in Escambia County.
Escambia County’s seasonably adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent in December, down slightly from 3.9 percent in November. There were 5,117 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 4.8 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly from November to December, as the estimated number of people out of work grew by 5,000 from the state’s workforce of 10.1 million.
The change pushed the jobless rate from 3.6 percent in November to 3.7 percent in December, representing 374,000 Floridians out of work as the year ended, according to numbers posted Friday by the Department of Economic Opportunity. The numbers also indicate 118,000 fewer people were classified as unemployed in December compared to the end of 2016. Fields that experienced the top growth over the past year include the service industry, office jobs and construction.
The jobless numbers released by the state do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Price Of Postage Goes Up Sunday
January 21, 2018
The price of postage increased on Sunday.
The price of First-Class Mail Forever Stamps went up from 49 to 50 cents. Postcards climbed from 34 to 35 cents and metered letters went up from 46 to 47 cents.
The prices for single-piece letters being mailed to international destinations or for additional ounces for letters remained the same.
New Shipping Services product prices increased Priority Mail 3.9 percent and Priority Mail Retail an average of 0.8 percent. The new rates are as follows:
- Small Flat Rate Box
- Current price: $7.15
- Price after increase: $7:20
- Medium Flat Rate Box
- Current price: $13.60
- Price after increase: $13.65
- Large Flat Rate Box
- Current price: $18.85
- Price after increase: $18.90
- APO/FPO Large Flat Rate Box
- Current Price: $17.35
- Price after increase: $17.40
- Regular Flat Rate Envelope
- Current price: $6.65
- Price after increase: $6.70
- Legal Flat Rate Envelope
- Current Price: $6.95
- Price after increase: $7.00
- Padded Flat Rate Envelope
- Current price: $7.20
- Price after increase: $7.25
UWF Receives Top Award For Luna Settlement Project
January 21, 2018
The University of West Florida Division of Anthropology and Archaeology recently received the 2018 Daniel G. Roberts Award for Excellence in Public Historical Archaeology for the Tristan de Luna y Arellano project. The award was presented at the Society for Historical Archaeology’s annual meeting, held Jan. 3-6 in New Orleans.
“Our Luna Project team has been working for several decades, first on the shipwrecks and recently on the settlement, to explore archaeological traces of Luna’s ships and colonists after a hurricane destroyed the colony’s food supplies, and left the survivors stranded on the shores of Pensacola Bay from 1559 to 1561,” said Dr. Elizabeth Benchley, director of the Division of Anthropology and Archaeology and the Archaeology Institute. “From the beginning, we have reached out to Pensacolians to share our findings through lectures, websites, tours, and hands on opportunities, as we piece together this important story. We are indebted to the support and interest from the community, and especially the Luna neighbors who have allowed us to excavate in their yards. We are very honored to receive this prestigious award for Excellence in Public Historical Archaeology from the Society for Historical Archaeology.”
The award recognizes the efforts of a large team of faculty, staff, and students from the UWF Division of Anthropology and Archaeology, which includes the Department of Anthropology, the Archaeology Institute, the Florida Public Archaeology Network and Marine Services Center at UWF. The team has been studying the shipwrecks and land settlement linked to the 16th-century Spanish expedition led by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano from Veracruz, Mexico to modern-day Pensacola, marking the earliest multi-year European settlement in the U.S.
The first ship, named Emanuel Point I by archaeologists, was discovered in Pensacola Bay by the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research in 1992. In 2006, UWF archaeologists identified a second shipwreck, Emanuel Point II. In December 2015, the UWF archaeology program identified the location of the Luna land settlement, serving as evidence of Pensacola being home to the first multi-year European settlement in the U.S. The team then discovered a third shipwreck, Emanuel Point III, in June 2016.
Driver In Neck Brace Flees Hwy 97 Accident Scene
January 20, 2018
A driver already wearing a neck brace allegedly fled the scene of a crash on Highway 97 near Dogwood Park Friday afternoon.
The accident happened about 2:15 in the 2400 block of Highway 97, just north of Gibson Road. The vehicle that left the scene was described by a witness as a blue, older model four door sedan of an unknown type driven by a white male who was wearing a neck brace at the time of the crash. It is believed he left southbound on Highway 97.
The driver of the vehicle that remained on scene was not injured.
The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol at (850) 484-5000.
Pictured: One of the vehicles involved in a crash Friday afternoon on Highway 97 in Molino. The vehicle was removed from the roadway following the accident. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Sentenced In ‘Flomo Klown’ Terroristic Clown Threat Case
January 20, 2018
A Flomaton woman has been sentenced in the 2016 “Flomo Klown case”.
Makayla Smith of Pecan Leaf Lane in Flomaton was sentenced to the maximum of 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to making a terroristic threat. But that sentence was then suspended and she was placed on probation for 60 months. If she violates probation, she could then be ordered to serve the full 120 month prison sentence. While on probation, Smith if forbidden to use social media.
Multiple Escambia County, AL, schools were were place on lockdown in September 2016 due to the report of possible violence from clown.
A Facebook page entitled “Flomo Klowns” that featured scary clowns with blood and other gore prompted the lockdown at Flomaton High School, Flomaton Middle School and Flomaton Elementary (all located on the same campus), Huxford Elementary north of Atmore, Escambia Academy near Atmore and a partial lockdown of Escambia County High School in Atmore.
The Flomo Klowns Facebook page said that they were from Flomaton and contained statements such as “I kill people for a living” and a Thursday post that stated “It’s going down tonight”.
At least two juveniles were also charged in the case, but information on their cases has not been released. None of the suspects had affiliation with or were attending the public school system.
Execution Date Set For Man That Brutally Murdered UWF Student
January 20, 2018
An execution date has been set for a man convicted of the brutal death of a University of West Florida student 25 years ago.
Eric Scott Branch is now set to die on Thursday, February 22 at 6 p.m. according to a death warrant signed Friday by Gov. Rick Scott.
On the evening of January 11, 1993, Branch attacked Susan Morris as she walked to her car in the campus parking lot of the University of West Florida. Branch dragged Morris into a nearby wooded area where he severely beat her in the face and head, strangled her, and sexually battered her. Branch then left Morris’ body in a shallow grave covered with dirt and leaves, and stole her car to flee out of the state.
An Escambia County jury convicted Branch in 1994 of first-degree murder and sexual battery.
Branch was previously convicted for the 1991 sexual battery and beating of a 14-year-old girl in Indiana, and was subsequently convicted in Bay County for another sexual battery that he had committed 10 days prior to killing Susan Morris.
