Photos: Northview Senior Night
November 2, 2015
Northview High School held Senior Night Friday, honoring football players, band members, cheerleaders, dance team member and NJROTC members that have been part of the 2015 football season.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Delaney Reynolds and Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
Escambia Commission Reschedules November Meeting
November 2, 2015
The Escambia County Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, has been moved from 5:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. due to a scheduling conflict with the Florida Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Amelia Island. A public forum will begin at 8:30 a.m., and a Community Redevelopment Agency meeting will begin at 8:45 a.m.
The meetings will be held in the Board Chambers of the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building at 221 Palafox Place. All commission meetings are open to the public.
Downpours Make For Wet Halloween And Fall Celebrations
November 1, 2015
People across the North Escambia area dodge showers and heavy downpours Saturday night at various Halloween and alternative fall carnival events.
Hundreds of people attended a community-wide Fall Festival in Molino Monday night. Sponsored by area churches, the interdenominational event provided a safe Christian alternative on Halloween night. The event featured a variety of games, bounce house, a hayride and lots of free food.
The usual crowds in Molino were a bit smaller this year due to the weather, but attendees enjoyed the activities between downpouts.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Living Together Unmarried In Florida? It’s A Crime, For Now
November 1, 2015
A South Florida senator has filed a proposal that would repeal a longstanding law designed to bar men and women from living together if they are not married.
The bill (SB 498), filed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, will be considered during the 2016 legislative session and is identical to a measure filed by Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee.
A House staff analysis said a law passed in 1868 bars cohabitation and carries a potential penalty of a second-degree misdemeanor. The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee last month gave initial approval to Rehwinkel Vasilinda’s repeal bill.
Thousands Take Part In Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk
November 1, 2015
Thousands of people decked out in pink took part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk Saturday morning, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Making Strikes walk is a chance for the community to honor and celebrate breast cancer survivors, raise awareness about the disease, and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives from breast cancer by funding groundbreaking breast cancer research, providing free comprehensive information and support, and helping people take steps to reduce their risk of the disease or find it early when it’s most treatable.
Photos (except aerial photo) courtesy Cat Country 98.7 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
November 1, 2015
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
- Nine Mile Road from west of I-10 to Heritage Oaks Drive in Escambia County – Eastbound and westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3 through Saturday, Nov. 8 as crews perform construction activities.
- I-110 Bridge Painting – Drivers may encounter intermittent daytime restrictions on city streets under I-110 between Maxwell and Garden Streets as crews clean the bridges. The $2.6 million rehabilitation project is anticipated to be complete summer 2016.
- Mobile Highway (S.R. 10A) between U.S. 90 and S.R. 727 ( Fairfield Drive) in Escambia County – Drivers can expect slow moving vehicles from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Nov.1 through Friday, Nov. 6 as crews perform striping operations.
- U.S 98 (Chase Street) between 9th Avenue and 12th Avenue in Escambia County. Eastbound lane closure will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday, Nov. 2 through Wednesday, November 4 as ECUA performs inspections.
- U.S. 98 (Garden Street) in Escambia County- Lane closures will take place from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on U.S. 98 (Garden Street) on the following dates and locations as crews clean and video sanitary sewer lines: Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Thursday, Nov. 5; Nov. 5 Garden Street median crossover at Tarragona Street, Garden Street westbound outside lane at Tarragona Street.
- Thursday, Nov. 5 Garden Street eastbound outside lane at Manresa Street.
- I-10 Six Lane, Santa Rosa County – I-10 east and westbound between the Escambia Bay Bridge and State Road (S.R.) 281 (Avalon Boulevard) in Santa Rosa County. Alternating lane closures Sunday through Thursday beginning Nov, 1 and continuing through the end of 2015. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews perform construction activities.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone. All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Photos: It Happened One Night At The Molino Library
November 1, 2015
About 250 people attended “It Happened One Night At The Molino Library” Saturday night. The event began with a delightfully funny musical and then trick or treating in the library. Afterwards, those who dared were able to tour the haunted Molino Museum.
Photos courtesy West Florida Library for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bonus Photos: Northview Cheerleaders, Dance Team, Band, NROTC
November 1, 2015
For a bonus photo gallery from Friday night’s Northview Chiefs game click here. The gallery includes the band, cheerleaders, NROTC, dance team and more.
For an action story and photo gallery from Friday night’s game, click here.
Senior night photos will be published Monday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blood Donor Gives 10 Gallons
November 1, 2015
Tracy Judson, a senior engineer in Gulf Power’s Transmission Services department, estimates he has squeezed a rubber ball more than 10,000 times while giving blood.
But here’s a more impressive number — recently he reached the 10-gallon donation mark. To put that in perspective, the average adult has 1.2 to 1.5 gallons of blood, so 10 gallons is certainly a “wow” factor.
“My dad had quite a few surgeries where he needed some blood so I started giving,” he said. “And I haven’t stopped. After I give, I put down the date on my calendar when I can give again and I’m usually back within that week.”
For more than 13 years, Judson has been letting a technician stick a needle into his vein and draw out blood. That’s 80 trips to the blood bank. For 11 years, he has donated double red cells so it counts as donating twice.
Double red cell donation is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning back the plasma and platelets to the donor.
Judson is able to donate every 16 weeks and schedules an appointment every time he is cleared to donate again.
Betty Roberts, public relations and media manager for One Blood in Pensacola, said there are not many 10-gallon donors.
“Each donation provides blood for three people, so Tracy’s an extraordinary individual,” she said. “There is no substitute for blood so when you can give back, that is a good thing. There’s no way to thank people for that.”
Judson shrugs off any accolades. His calendar in November is marked for his next donation.
“If you can donate, then you should think about doing it,” he said. “I know there are some people who can’t talk about blood without getting sick. But it saves lives.”
Pensacola Sports Association Wins State Award
November 1, 2015
Ray Palmer and the Pensacola Sports Association (PSA) are committed to enhancing the Pensacola sports scene, promoting health, fitness and sportsmanship and growing sports tourism in the Pensacola area. Their efforts were recognized recently by the Florida Sports Foundation as they were awarded the 2015 Florida Sports Leadership Award.
Florida Sports Foundation President John Webb made a special trip to Pensacola to attend the PSA’s monthly board meeting, during which he made a brief announcement and informed the board and Ray Palmer, PSA Executive Director, of the recognition. The Florida Sports Foundation, a Division of Enterprise Florida, supports 27 sports commissions in the state, awards this recognition once a year to a director and commission based on its ongoing success in the sports tourism industry.
“Just as Florida with the leadership of Visit Florida leads the nation in the tourism industry, the Florida Sports Foundation sets the bar nationally as the model in the sports tourism segment, said Ray Palmer on his recognition. “Florida is where the world comes to play and sports and recreation spending is responsible for $44.4 billion in economic output. The 27 sports commission’s directors and staffs are some of the most highly respected names in the entire industry. For the Pensacola Sports Association to be recognized with this award by the Governor of Florida and the Florida Sports Foundation is truly an honor second to none.”
“The Pensacola Sports Association has a long heritage of hosting a variety of amateur, leisure and collegiate sports in the Panhandle of Florida,” said FSF President John Webb. “Over the years, their sports tourism events have brought in a significant number of out-of-state visitors from the Gulf Coast region of the United States and the Southeast to enhance the quality of life of those living in Northwest Florida. Because of the professional efforts of Ray and the PSA the area will continue to experience sports tourism growth.”
“This honor is certainly well deserved,” said Steve Hayes, President of Visit Pensacola. “With each event that PSA brings to the Pensacola Bay Area, a new group of people are introduced to our beautiful destination. When they plan their vacations, we hope they remember the great time they had here in Pensacola.”
The PSA is one of the oldest sports associations/commissions in the United States, beginning in 1954. Today the PSA manages or assists in numerous events a year throughout the Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa county areas. Events include a high school all-star series, flag football, 5K-15K runs, marathons, triathlons, bicycle races, collegiate national championships, and annual awards and scholarships banquets.
File photo.