Featured Recipe: Chocolate Mice
December 5, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a “Chocolate Mice”, a fun and easy idea with just four simple ingredients and a few easy steps. Kids of all ages will have fund making (and eating) these decorative delights.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Flomaton Christmas Parade Photo Gallery, Video
December 5, 2010
Hundreds enjoyed the annual Flomaton Christmas Parade “The Wonder of Christmas Morning” Saturday morning.
The parade rolled through the streets of Flomaton with the Flomaton High School band plus floats, twirlers and more from across the area. The parade was highlighted by appearance by Santa Claus.
The float from Faith Bible Baptist Church won first place.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the parade, click here. For a video, click below.
Pictured above: Santa Claus make an appearance Saturday morning during the Flomaton Christmas Parade. Pictured below: The Flomaton High School Band. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chase Elliot — Catches, Chases And Wins Snowflake 100
December 5, 2010
Watch closely. Chase Elliott is ready to amaze at any moment.
A teenage sensation in every sense of the word, Elliott has only been racing for seven of his 15 years.
But each time he climbs into one of his trademark No. 9 cars, the improbable seems likely for the son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott.
It happened again in the Snowflake 100 on Saturday night at Five Flags Speedway.
Elliott started 31st out of 36 cars. When it was over, he wildly swung the checkered flag above his head as water, Red Bull and the crowd’s roar washed over him.
“It really shows how hard we worked for this,” said Elliott, who assumed the lead on Lap 86. “To have as many problems today … and to comeback, I’m just thankful.”
Elliott started near the tail end of the field after winning one of two last-chance qualifiers earlier Saturday. That was only necessary after he was disqualified following qualifying because officials ruled the nose of his car was too low.
None of it mattered. In fact, some of Elliott’s rivals thought the afternoon race might have helped him.
“He saw what was working,” said Bubba Pollard, who moved from third to second after Landon Cassill was disqualified in post-race inspection. “He’s a good little race-car driver, though.”
The good little race-car driver methodically made his way from the back of the pack while Augie Grill comfortably led for more than 70 laps (7 to 78).
Elliott began to lean on the throttle a little bit more at the midway point, as he cracked the top 10.
Then, he just began embarrassing drivers, especially coming out of Turn 4 where he shined.
He mowed down Pensacola’s Johanna Long, who finished a disappointing 13th after running in the top five early. He did away with today’s Snowball Derby polesitter Cale Gale.
Before you knew it, Elliott was up to fifth by Lap 70.
“I don’t believe it. The longer it went, the better he got,” papa Bill said.
The younger Elliott caught a burst of speed on Dwayne Buggay for third on Lap 78.
A lap later, Pollard past Grill for the lead, but the kid wasn’t far from making his final move.
“We had a good car; we just missed a little bit,” Pollard said. “I think I raced to hard at the beginning with Augie, but that’s how he races.”
After being the class of the field early, Grill fell back to sixth by the Snowflake’s end.
Long felt the sting of defeat, too, because the handling of her car continued to get worse as the race rolled on.
“It’s disappointing,” she said. “I expected so much.”
The expectations will culminate in today’s 43rd annual running of the Derby, America’s most prestigious short-track race.
It has been, unquestionably, a messy weekend out at Five Flags with some vicious crashes.
The Pro Late Models, though, proved their mettle by running green for the opening 34 laps before the first yellow came out. Dillon Oliver nudged Pensacola’s Tommy Rollins into the Turn 2 wall.
There was just one other yellow the rest of the way, as the race finished in a blazing time of right at an hour.
Nothing was as fast as Elliott, though.
“I thought at one point we were too loose,” he said.
Too loose? Now, that’s amazing.
4 North Escambia Residents Seriously Injured In Crash
December 4, 2010
Four Cantonment and Molino residents were seriously injured in a wreck Friday night on Pine Forest Road in Cantonment.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Daniel Lamar Brown, 37, of Molino was southbound on Pine Forest Road near Copper Ridge Road in a 1998 Ford pickup when he crossed the center line and entered the northbound lane into the path of another pickup at 8:46 p.m. Friday.
Brown and his passenger, Judy Renee McCrory, 64, of Cantonment, were seriously injured when they were ejected from their truck. The driver of that truck and passenger Kyle Mason Driver, 18, of Cantonment, were trapped in their vehicle. Firefighters were forced to use the Jaws of Life to free them. Both were listed in critical condition. The FHP has identified the driver of the second truck has having the last name Porter, with an unknown first name and age.
Driver was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital, while Brown and Porter were transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart. McCrory was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital.
Charges and alcohol results are pending in the crash. None of the four victims were wearing seat belts, according to the FHP.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
The Pine Forest Road and Copper Ridge intersection is between West Roberts Road and Nine Mile Road, near the Pine Forest Assembly of God Church.
Pictured above and below: For North Escambia residents were injured in this two vehicle wreck Friday night on Pine Forest Road at Copper Ridge Road. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Blog: We Love Our Northview Chiefs!
December 4, 2010
While the Northview Chiefs fell short of their shot at a state championship game, fans rallied behind the team before, during and after Friday night’s loss to Trinity Christian in Jacksonville.
Prior to the game, the Chiefs were guests of honor at a huge sendoff pep rally (read more), and a large group of dedicated fans made the cross-state trip to Jacksonville for the game, including two “spirit buses” (read more.). During the game, the visitor’s bleachers at Trinity Christian were near standing room only.
The Chiefs were not winners according to the scoreboard in Jacksonville. But the scoreboard is not the only measure of winning.
Their whole season stands as a testament to gridiron grit and determination. Blood. Sweat. And tears. They were not running backs, defensive linemen and quarterbacks. They were a team. It brings the Kenny Chesney “Boys of Fall” song to mind, “It’s I got your number, I got your back when your back’s against the wall…You mess with one man you got us all…The boys of fall.”
Two years ago, our Chiefs were 2-8. The fans were there. Granted, an extreme amount of spirit was hard to muster at times, but the fans were there. This year, at 11-2 and going to a playoff level never achieved by Northview the fans where there. And the spirit was obvious in the school, and in our communities.
Many fans never hear the post-game chant as the players, coaches and cheerleaders gather on the field after each game. It begins likes this:
“I’ll be a Chiefs, till the day I die…”
Fans are fans until the end. That’s school spirit. Sure, tears were shed after the loss and a win would have been great, but losing can be one of those life lessons. When boys become men and a team, cheerleaders, band, ROTC, fans, and a community become one.
It was when our Northview Chiefs earned the right to be called champions.
Within minutes of the game ending Friday night, our comments section and Facebook page became a testament to the fact that we are all proud to be part of the Northview Chief family. There was nothing negative, only praise for our champions. We wanted to share the thoughts of our Facebook fans, all posted within minutes of the game’s end:
- Sharon Martin-Dudley — great job Northview!
- Carl Emmons — WTG Northview Chiefs on an Awesome season !!!!!!
- Deni Deron — Great job Northview! You guys are awesome!!
- Gina Chandler Robbins — Awesome job our guy’s did playing this year..Go Northview!!!
- Jenn Castor — Way to go on an AWESOME season, Chiefs — proud of ya!
- Tammy Turner Amison — Great season Chiefs. Hold your head’s high!!!
- Terry Emmons — So proud of all you guys. Proud to be a Chief. Go Chiefs!!!!
- Brigitte Ward — Aww sad
but good job NHS! - Ashley Bonner — So proud of the guys & to be a Northview Chief! Yall had an awesome season! Go Chiefs!
- Kimberly Navarro Edmonson — Whether you won the last game or not ~You guys are Champs!!
- Brad Johnson — Great season Chiefs!
- Karen Driver — Proud of you Chiefs you had a great season.
- Laura Ziglar Gross — Win or lose I’m still proud to say I’m from Bratt home of the Northview Chiefs!
- NorthEscambia.com — We love our Northview Chiefs!
Hold your heads high. We are all proud of our Champion Northview Chiefs.
Trinity Conquers Northview In State Semifinal Game (With Three Photo Galleries)
December 4, 2010
The Northview Chiefs’ state championship dreams were crushed Friday night by the Conquerors of Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, 49-14, in the Class 1A State Semifinals.
The finals stats were good for the Chiefs, controlling the ball three times more than Trinity, three times the running plays and twice as many passes. But five Conqueror drives in five minutes gave Trinity over three times the points on the board.
For more photos from the game, click here.
For a second photo gallery, click here.
For submitted fan photos, click here.
The Chiefs (11-2) took the lead with 5:47 to go in the first quarter on a 12-yard touchdown run from Dustin Yuhasz to cap an 80-yard, six minute drive. The point after kick was blocked, and Northview held a 6-0 lead. But on the next sequence, Trinity answered with a 12-yard touchdown run of their own and a good kick. The Conquerors were on top 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second, the Trinity advantage increased to 14-6 with a 22-yard touchdown pass with 8:35 on the clock.
“We did what we needed to do in the first half,” Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley said.”We controlled the ball about 18 of 24 minutes in the first half. Taking the lead with that first touchdown was big, and overall we controlled the ball well.”
The first few minutes of the third were also looking up for the Chiefs. Trinity scored on a 15 yard run on the opening drive of the second half. Down 21-6, a 2-yard touchdown scramble from Roderick Woods put it at 21-12. The Chiefs were successful on a two point conversion attempt, put Northview within reach at 21-14.
But then there was the last five minutes of the third. “In those next five minutes, we lost the game. We didn’t play well at all during those five minutes,” Wheatley said.
In those five minutes, the Conquerors conquered the Chiefs with successive TD’s — a 20-yard pass, a 23-yard pass and a 23-yard fumble return — to end the quarter at 49-14. The fourth quarter was scoreless.
It was 1979 when the Eagles of Ernest Ward High School last brought the only modern time Class A football championship back to the area. Ernest Ward would later merge with the Century Blackcats to create Northview. Friday night marked the first ever Semifinal appearance by a Northview team.
“I”m extremely proud of the season we had. They were the first team to go that far in the playoffs, and that says a lot,” Wheatley said. “We are going to work hard and build on it next year.”
- For more photos from the game, click here.
- For a second photo gallery, click here.
- For submitted fan photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos on this page an in first listed gallery by Will Dickey, the Florida Times Union, click to enlarge. To purchase photo reprints from this article, visit jacksonville.com. Photos in the second gallery by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com. Photos in fan photo gallery courtesy Megan Carroll and Wayne Holland for NorthEscambia.com.
Despite Rain, Area Still In A Moderate Drought
December 4, 2010
Despite recent rains, the North Escambia area still remains in a drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map published this week, most of the area is in a moderate drought, while a small part of Escambia County, Ala. remains in an extreme drought. The U.S. Drought Monitor is published by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln using a variety of climatic data. Graphic by NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All 4 Area Teams Out Of The Florida Playoffs; Final Night In Alabama
December 4, 2010
Here is a complete roundup on state football playoff action from Friday night:
Florida Semifinals And Region
Class 1A State Semifinal: Jacksonville Trinity Christian 49 — Northview 14 [Read more...]
Class 2B State Semifinal: Ocala Trinity Catholic 21 — Pensacola Catholic 14
Region 1-3A Final: St. Augustine 7 — Pensacola High 3
Region 1-4A Final: Tallahassee Lincoln 34 — Navarre 33 (3 OT)
Alabama State Finals
Class 1A: Sweet Water 36, R.A. Hubbard 0
Class 2A: Leroy 34, Reeltown 7
Class 3A: Leeds 42, Hamilton 32
Class 4A: Thomasville 59, Deshler 34
Class 5A: Spanish Fort 14, Briarwood Christian 0
Class 6A: Daphne 7, Hoover 6
U.S. Marshals Nab Murder Suspect At Shopping Center
December 4, 2010
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force nabbed a suspected murderer at a Nine Mile Road shopping center late Friday afternoon.
Daniel Levi Ward, 22, is suspected of shooting and killing Linda Tate inside of her home on Blue Angel Parkway in October of 2008. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Ward was taken into custody today at 2:45 p.m. in the parking lot of a strip mall located at Chemstrand and Nine Mile Road in Pensacola.
Task Force Officers from Escambia and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Offices, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and U.S. Marshals had been working this case non-stop since they were recruited to help on Tuesday, according to Chris Welborn, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. About 2 p.m. Friday, an Escambia County investigator assigned to the Task Force made contact with Ward and convinced him to meet with him to just to talk.
“As far as we know he had no idea about the murder warrant,” said Inspector Dominic Guadagnoli, spokesman for the Task Force. “We really turned up the heat and I think his curiosity got the best of him.”
When Ward showed up he was arrested without incident. At the time of his arrest Friday, Ward was already out of jail on a $25,000 bond for selling drugs, according to Welborn.
Funeral Services Held For Hunter Fromm, 11
December 4, 2010
Funeral services were held today for 11-year old Michael “Hunter” Fromm, the young boy who died after a freak accident in Molino on November 26. The Ransom Middle School student struck his head on a tractor after jumping from a horse at a relative’s Molino home. He was transported to a Pensacola hospital where he later died.
Funeral services for Fromm were held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church with Reverend Gordon Godfrey officiating. Burial followed at Holy Cross Cemetery.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, Jay Forrest Fromm and Stacie Meredith Fromm, and his mother, Katherine Scott Fromm; siblings, Tristan Wyatt Fromm 13, Farrah Anniston Fromm 8, Ali Karsten Orlando 4; and a host of other relatives and friends.