$2.4 Million Water Project, Including New Water Tower, In Walnut Hill
November 24, 2009
A new water tower is under construction in Walnut Hill, part of $2.4 million in improvements by Walnut Hill Water Works.
The new 200,000 gallon Walnut Hill Water Works elevated storage tank is being located next to the Escambia River Electric Cooperative office on Highway 99-A, across the road from the Ernest Ward Middle School gym. This tank is in addition to a current water tower nearby at the intersection of Arthur Brown Road and Highway 97, according to Escambia Riever Electric Cooperative. EREC owns the Walnut Hill Water Works.
The new elevated storage tank will replace a Walnut Hill Water Works elevated tank currently located in Enon.
The $2.4 million project will include the tank, plus repairs to existing well houses and operating equipment and the replacement and looping of existing lines to increase water pressure. The water system, which serves 699 connections, has received a $866,000 grant toward the project. The remaining $1,621,000 will come from a USDA Rural Development loan.
In 2005, the water system began to experience problems when the well at Arthur Brown Road and Highway 97 began to fail. That well house and the one at another well located on Highway 97 just north of Wiggins Lake Road are both in need of physical and mechanical repairs, according to EREC. They say the system operates with a 19 percent loss due to leaks and inefficiencies.
Pictured top: A new 200,000 gallon elevated water tank under construction in Walnut Hill next to Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Three Drivers Charged After Weekend Wrecks; One Faces Felony Charges
November 24, 2009
Three drivers were charged following weekend accidents in North Escambia, including one facing felony charges for driving with a suspended license.
Jewitt W. Noland, 47, of Mary Ester, Florida, was charged with driving with a suspended license, a third degree felony, following a crash late Friday afternoon in Century. The Florida Highway Patrol said the wreck that sent four people to the hospital was not Noland’s fault but his license was suspended.
Ryan D. Rodarte, 23, of Madison, Alabama, was charged with running a stop sign in connection with the accident. The Florida Highway Patrol says Rodarte ran a stop sign while traveling south on Old Flomaton Road. His Nissan was T-boned by Noland’s pickup, sending the car about 85 feet into a ditch.
Rodarte and three passengers in the car were transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital. The Florida Highway Patrol identified the passengers as Jessica J. Imholz, 17, of Blythewood, South Carolina; Demario Jordain, 18, of Columbia, South Carolina; and Heather Dorner, 19, of Madison, Alabama. Imholz’s injuries were classified as severe; she was transferred by LifeFlight from Jay Hospital to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
Noland was treated on the scene and then charged with driving with a suspended license and transported to the Escambia County Jail. He was released on $1,000 bond.
For more details on the accident, click here.
One Charged In Highway 97 Crash
After an early Sunday morning accident that closed Highway 97 for four hours, a Bay Minette man was also charged by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Anthony McWilliams, 22, of Bay Minette, was charged with careless driving after he lost control of his 1977 Ford Thunderbird while traveling north on Highway 97 at Highway 164. McWilliams’ car traveled about 250 feet on the side on the highway before striking a power pole. The impact broke the pole, and sent power lines down across Highway 97 and Highway 164. He told troopers that he fell asleep.
McWilliams and his passenger, William Lewis, 22, of Bay Minette, were transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries.
The accident left an unknown number of Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers without power for four hours. For more photos and details from the accident, click here.
Pictured top: Four people were injured in the this Nissan in a two vehicle accident late Friday afternoon in Century. Pictured inset: The driver of this GMC truck was not injured. One person was injured in this single vehicle accident on Highway 97 Sunday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Annual Northview FFA Citrus Sale Going On Now
November 24, 2009
There is still time to place your order in the annual Northview High School FFA citrus sale.
The NHS FFA is selling citrus in attractive 2/5 or 4/5 bushel boxes perfect for gift wrapping. The Florida citrus is from RiverBrite in Vero Beach.
Orders must be made by Tuesday December 1. The delivery date is Tuesday, December 15.
For an order form click here. Order forms and payment can be returned to Northview by mail (the address is on the order form), or dropped off at the school office.
Fruits available include red apples, grapefruit, navel oranges, tangelos and Hamlin oranges. Mixed trio half bushels are also available.
For more information, call 327-6681, ext. 248.
Farm-City Week Recognizes Importance Of Local Agriculture
November 24, 2009
Before sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, the Florida Farm Bureau would like everyone to remember that the meal they will enjoy is made possible by Farm-City partnerships.
National Farm-City Week, celebrated annually on the week leading to and ending on Thanksgiving Day, recognizes the importance of this cooperative network to the success of America’s agricultural industry.
The following was submitted by Dorthy Cunningham from the Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
As wise steward and innovative entrepreneurs, dedicated farmers and ranchers improve our well-being by working to ensure a healthy and abundant agricultural supply. To succeed in this important enterprise, our farmers rely on essential partnerships with urban communities to supply, sell and deliver finished products across the country and around the world. National Farm-City Week recognizes the importance of this cooperative network to the success of America’s agricultural industry.
Escambia County Farm Bureau and the Women’s Committee will be recognizing the importance of the connection and partnership that exists between rural farmers and urban residents. Escambia County Farm Bureau Federation believes that events and activities of Farm-City Week will created a greater awareness of the types and sizes of farms in our area. In a county as diverse and geographically divided as Escambia County, agricultural industries are not often at the forefront of the overall population’s attention. It is the intent of the Escambia County Women’s Committee to highlight the agricultural industries that contribute to the our county’s continued economic well-being and encourage consumers to support local agriculture.
Here in Escambia County, agricultural enterprises include forestry, cotton, peanuts, wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables, livestock, and dairy. Traditional row crop and livestock production utilizes more than 30,000 acres, while 250,000 acres are used to produce timber. Together, the value of agricultural, silvicultural, and livestock was worth more than $386 million by 2007 estimates. Our farmers are known for “going green”– local producers are true stewards of our land and want to keep the environment safe for future generations to farm and enjoy. Farm-City Week is the ideal time to get the good word out about farming.
National Farm-City Week strives to increase understanding, cooperation, and relationships between rural and urban residents. As this year’s commemoration again culminates on Thanksgiving, all Americans are encouraged to thank someone who helps make it possible for you and your family to enjoy the bounty of our food supply. It’s a partnership summed up best whether you are from the farm or the city as, “Let’s eat!”
Escambia County Farm Bureau Federation represents local agricultural interests. Its mission is to implement policies that are developed by members and provide programs that will improve economic well-being an quality of life for farmers and ranchers.
For more information about Farm-City Week and local activities, please contact Dot Cunningham at (850) 587-5553. For more information about local agriculture, contact Libbie Johnson at the UF IFAS Escambia County Extension Office at (850) 475-5230.
Pictured top: Wheat is one of the crops produced in North Escambia. Pictured inset: Escambia Grain in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Showband Of The South The Only Band To Appear In Disney Christmas Parade On ABC TV
November 23, 2009
The Tate High School Showband of the South is the only band in the nation selected to perform at the 2009 Disney Christmas Day Parade.
Each year, Disney invites bands to apply for the chance to appear in the nationally televised parade. Tate Band Director Joe Hooten submitted an application back in January based upon the band’s 37 years of superior rates, their 2008 appearance in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland as well as video footage and pictures from local events.
The Tate band will travel to Orlando on Thursday, December 3. The parade will be filmed in Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park on Saturday, December 5th and will be aired on the ABC television network on Christmas morning. The band will also get to participate in opening scenes for the parade.
While at Disney, the Tate band members will also get to participate in an educational behind the scenes clinic with cast members from Cirque du Soleil.
The Tate band offered a preview of their performance this past Saturday during the Miracle Bowl game between Tate and Northview High School.
Pictured above and below: The Tate High School Showband of the South previews their Christmas music planned for the Disney Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cat Country Personality, WEAR Reporter In Iraq
November 23, 2009
A local television reporter and morning show radio personality are spending this Thanksgiving week in Iraq, visiting with local Marines and delivering thousands of letters from area residents.
Cat Country 98.7’s Dana Cervantes and Channel 3 reporter Bill Pearson landed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq Sunday night. They are spending Thanksgiving week in Kuwait and Iraq, visiting Marines, Sailors and Hospital Corpsmen based or trained in the Pensacola area.
Hundreds of Marines at Al Asad trained at NAS Pensacola or NAS Whiting Field. Cervantes and Pearson will be telling their stories on CatCountry 98.7, NewsRadio1620 and Channel 3 beginning today.
Cervantes and Pearson left Pensacola Wednesday and arrived at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait late Thursday night. They spent Friday at the Navy-led Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Kuwait with medical personnel deployed from Naval Hospital Pensacola. EMF-K is the hospital taking care of troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Late Friday, Cervantes & Pearson left Kuwait for the arduous 40-hour trip via Baghdad to Al Asad, Iraq.
Before leaving, Dana Cervantes collected thousands of letters written for the troops. Most were written by local school children in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Cervantes and Bill Pearson are delivering these hand-written letters and cards to troops in both Kuwait and Iraq.
Pictured top: Cat Country 98.7’s Dana Cervantes and Channel 3 reporter Bill Pearson are in Iraq this week visiting with local troops. Pictured bottom: Cervantes and Pearson are delivering thousands of letters of support from local residents and school children. Photos courtesy Cat Country 98.7 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fall Break This Week For Escambia, Santa Rosa
November 23, 2009
Fall break will be this week for students in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Students in Escambia County will get three days for fall break beginning Wednesday, while Santa Rosa County students will get the entire week out of school.
Students at the University of West Florida will be out of school Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving break at Pensacola Junior College begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday and continues through Friday.
Auburn Beats Alabama 730-274
November 23, 2009
Auburn beat Alabama over the weekend 730-274. With wins two years running, Crimson Tide headed into the third annual Food Bowl at Southern Family Markets in Atmore but came up way short to the AU Tigers.
The annual event raises food and money for Atmore Christian Care Ministries, an area non-profit that provides food assistance to needy families. Points were awarded to either Alabama or Auburn for each dollar or food item donated. In the end, about 830 food items and $170 in cash were donated during the event sponsored by the Atmore First United Methodist Church’s youth department.
In the end, Auburn supporters donated 730 food items or dollars, while 274 were donated by Alabama fans.
Marlboro Man, Supreme Court Justice And Teacher Honored, Inducted Into Area Hall Of Fame
November 23, 2009
Three new members were inducted into the Atmore Area Hall of Fame this weekend.
The new inductees are:
Justice Lyn Stuart, an Atmore native and graduate of Escambia County High School. Upon graduation from law school Justice Stuart worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama under former Attorney General Charles Graddick. She also served as Executive Assistant to the Commissioner and Special Assistant Attorney General for the State Department of Corrections. Upon moving to Baldwin County, she became an Assistant District Attorney for Baldwin County on the staff of District Attorney David Whetstone. Stuart was elected as district judge in 1988 and 1984. Gov. Fob James appointed her to the Circuit bench in 1997 an was elected without opposition in 1998. She has served a justice on the Alabama Supreme Court since 2001. Justice Stuart and her husband, George, have two sons, Tucker and Shepard, and a daughter, Kelly.
Annie Ruth Whitten, a teacher who passed away in June. Whitten moved to Atmore with her husband Thomas Whitten in 1944. She was a 1933 graduate of Huntington College, where she majored in math and English. Whitten was in the classroom for 35 years, including 29 years at Atmore’s Escambia County High School.
Paul Smith, who was known on stage as Paul Birch. Born in Atmore in 1912, he was the original Marlboro Man in television and print commercials. Birch appeared in well over 100 movies and television shows, including support roles on Bonanza, The Virginian, and Wagon Train. Smith died in May, 1969, at the age of 57.
Pictured top: Justice Lyn Stuart, Annie Ruth Whitten and Paul Smith were inducted into the Atmore Area Hall of Fame. Submitted and courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Highway 97 Closed Four Hours After Wreck; One Person Injured
November 22, 2009
(Updated with names) A five-mile stretch of Highway 97 was closed for about four hours Sunday morning due to a single vehicle accident.
The accident happened at the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 164 about 6:30. The driver of a 1977 Ford Thunderbird, Anthony McWilliams, 22, of Bay Minette, lost control while headed northbound on Highway 97. He traveled about 250 feet on shoulder before striking a power pole. The impact broke the pole, and sent power lines down across Highway 97 and Highway 164.
McWilliams and his passenger, William Lewis, 22, of Bay Minette, were transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries. McWilliams was charged with careless driving by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Highway 97 was closed from Highway 99A at Ernest Ward Middle School to Highway 4 in Davisville due to the wreck. Drivers were detoured onto Highway 99A, Highway 99 and Highway 4. Highway 164 was also closed. All of the roadways were reopened at about 10:30 a.m.
Several dozen Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers were without power for about four hours as a result of the accident..
Pictured above and below: One person was injured in this single vehicle accident on Highway 97 Sunday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
