North Escambia Bowl: Northview To Play Tate Next Weekend
November 14, 2009
Call it the North Escambia Bowl — Northview and Tate will meeting a post-season football game next Saturday at Tate.
Neither Northview (7-3) or Tate (7-3) made the playoffs this year, so they decided to play the bowl game. The game will benefit local charities; more information will be announced next week.
The game at Pete Gindl stadium kicks off at noon.
Jay Beats Wewahitchka 28-6
November 14, 2009
The Jay Royals finished their season with a 28-6 win Friday night over Wewahitchka.
Seniors Rush Hendricks and Chris Carrigan were one yard shy of 200 Friday night, and two touchdowns each to lead the Royals to victory in their final game of the season.
Wewahitchka jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but it was all Royals after that, with Jay scoring 28 unanswered points.
Hendricks had 112 yards on 23 carries, and Carrigan had 87 yards on a dozen carries for Jay, including a 40 yard touchdown dash. Quarterback Steven Brabham, senior, carried the ball seven times for 25 yards.
Old Molino Jail Restoration Celebrated
November 14, 2009
Area history buffs gathered in Molino Friday morning to celebrate the restoration work done on the old Town of Molino Jail — a nearly 100 year old single-cell structure that was hidden away for years.
The jail was built about 1915 and repaired in 1927, said Lil King of the Molino Mid-County Historic Society. The faint outline of the 1927 date written in the concrete doorway at the time of the repair is still visible today. The jail was repaired in 1927 after an explosion took off the door, possibly in an escape attempt, King said.
The jail, located on Brickyard Road, a short distance northwest of Molino Road, had been hidden away behind thick growth for years before being “uncovered” in February, 2008. Since that time, inmate carpenters and craftsmen from the Escambia County Road Prison have worked to restore the jail.
“It still looks old,” said Tom Helms, member of the Molino Mid-County Historic Society. “All work was done without giving a new look to any of it. Even the new facing rafters were stained to look weathered.”
The small brick building was remarkably good shape when county crews uncovered it in 2008. The tongue and groove wood ceiling looked virtually undamaged. The roof needed some minor repair; and there was some water damage to wood around the bar-covered windows. But all of that damage has now been repaired by the road prison inmates.
There is just a single room in the old jail. It contains a single cell in the room, with a small area to walk around three sides of the cell. The door of old cell still swings freely, and does not even squeak. There is no obvious sign that the building was ever heated in winter.
The Town of Molino was established in 1913 and was dissolved after hard financial times during the Great Depression. In 1933, the Florida Legislature abolished the town and distributed the assets of the town to Escambia County.
In the document pictured to the left, known as House Bill 322, the Legislature directed the county to keep the fair grounds as a public park and that “the jail and city hall be maintained by the said County of Escambia for the use of peace officers of the said county”. Click the photo to the left to read a copy of the document.
The city hall was believed to be located directly in front of the old jail, but it is no longer standing.
It was after King located this document while researching Molino history in Tallahassee that they historical society was able to get the county to clean up the lot around the jail since it became clear the county owns the property.
Pictured top: The single cell inside the old Town of Molino Jail. Pictured top inset: A side window of the old building. Pictured bottom inset: House Bill 322 directed Escambia County to maintain the jail. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy’s Playoff Bid Ends With Loss To Monroe
November 14, 2009
Escambia Academy’s dream season came to an end Friday night with a quarterfinal playoff loss to Monroe Academy.
It was the first time in Escambia Academy’s history that the school had advanced to round two of the playoffs. But the trip to Monroeville spelled an end to the Cougars’ season.
Monroe Academy beat Escambia Academy 20-0. The Cougars finished their season at 8-5.
Monroe Academy (9-3) advances to the AISA Class AA championship game next Friday night at Troy State University.
Tate Beats Crestview 44-15
November 14, 2009
The Tate Aggies racked up nearly 500 yards as they pounded the Crestview Bulldogs Friday night, 44-15.
The Aggies had 422 rushing yards with 38 carries on the ground and 73 yards on two successful passes Friday night. The Aggies were led by Petey Jones with seven carries for 161 yards and one touchdown. Deauntay Johnson had half a dozen carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
Ernest Ward Honors Veterans, Presents $2,580 To Honor Flight
November 14, 2009
A tearful service honored veterans Friday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School, as the school presented $2,580 to Emerald Coast Honor Flight.
“Today we honor you for the sacrifices you have given for our country,” Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry told the dozens of veterans in attendance at the annual program.
Walnut Hill resident Billy G. Ward, who recently took an Emerald Coast Honor Flight to the World War II Memorial in Washington, told the students that the Honor Flight was an experience that he will never forget.
“There was a fountain out there; that was beautiful,” Ward said about the World War II Memorial. He also related the experience of returning to the Pensacola airport to see hundreds of people providing a hero’s welcome for the 102 veterans on the recent honor flight.
The two words he will most remember about the entire Honor Flight, he said, were “mail call”.
“It was two words that I had not heard in such a long time,” Ward (pictured left) said of the mail call aboard the flight bound for Washington. “Every soldier knows those two words.”
During the mail call aboard the honor flight, the veterans were presented with letters and cards from area schoolchildren, thanking the men for their service to our country.
Gindl-Perry announced Friday that Ernest Ward take part in “Penny Wars” again this year with goal of sending at least two more veterans on an upcoming Honor Flight next April.
When Ward took the Honor Flight to Washington, he had a NorthEscambia.com camera with him. To read about his trip and see his pictures, click here.
Pictured top: Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Club members reenact a scene from the Vietnam Ward. Pictured top inset: Students portray an modern-day scene from Iraq. Pictured bottom inset: Veteran Billy G. Ward recently took an Emerald Coast Honor Flight to Washington. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
H1N1 Vaccine Offered Next Week At Bratt, Byrneville Elementaries
November 14, 2009
Voluntary H1N1 vaccination clinics will be held for students at Bratt and Byrneville elementary schools on Wednesday; permission forms must be returned by Tuesday.
Vaccination is voluntary, free and offered only to students; these are not vaccination clinics for the general public, according to Molly Payne-Hardin, spokesperson for the Escambia County Health Department.
Bratt and Byrneville will be the third and fourth North Escambia schools where the vaccine has been offered to students. Voluntary H1N1 vaccinations were given on October 28 at Jim Allen Elementary and November 12 at Molino Park Elementary.
“We will get to every school but right now are only able to forecast out one week in advance because of vaccine supply,” Payne-Hardin said.
Vaccine information sheets and permission forms were sent home with students on Thursday. Parents that did not receive a permission form can click here to print a permission form and information sheet. Alternatively, parents can call Bratt at 327-6137 or Byrneville at 256-6350 to request another form.
For more information on the priority groups that can receive the vaccine and where vaccine is offered to the general public, visit www.EscambiaHealth.com.
No Injuries, No Major Damage In Cantonment Kitchen Fire
November 14, 2009
Firefighters responded to a Cantonment kitchen fire just after 7:00 Friday night.
When the arrived at the home in 100 block of Sheppard Street, they found the grease fire had already been extinguished. There were no injuries and no major damage.
The Cantonment, Molino, Ensley and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the fire.
NWE, Cantonment In Football Playoff Action Saturday
November 14, 2009
The Northwest Escambia Midgets and the Cantonment Juniors are each just a couple of games away from a Gulf Coast Youth Football Alliance Championship..
The NWE Midgets will take on the Albritton & Gant (A&G) Rattlers at 1:30 Saturday afternoon in Cantonment. A win will put the NWE Eagles in a championship game next Saturday against either Brent Blue or Ensley Blue.
The Cantonment Juniors will take on Pensacola at 5:00 Saturday afternoon in Cantonment. A win will put the Cantonment Juniors in a championship game next Saturday against either Ensley or Navarre.
The Cantonment ballpark is located at 681 Well Line Road, less than a mile west of Highway 29.
A total of 7,000 children ages 5 to 14 in 16 cities take part in youth tackle football and cheerleading in the Gulf Coast Youth Football Alliance.
Junior Humane Society Thrift Store Grand Opening Saturday In Cantonment
November 14, 2009
The Junior Humane Society will celebrate the grand opening of its own Thrift Store in Cantonment on Saturday.
The grand opening will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new store, located the corner of Highway 29 North and Neal Road. In addition to the grand opening sale, the Junior Humane Society will have lots of puppies and dogs looking for new homes, plus cookies and punch.
Proceeds will benefit JHS activities, such as finding homes for homeless cats and dogs, while also providing unbelievable bargains for area residents battling tough economic times.
The store features a variety of clothing for all ages, shoes, office furniture, kitchen supplies, books, toys, pet supplies and other items with new merchandise arriving daily. It will be open four days a week, but days and times could change in the months ahead.
The store is a dream come true for Frankie Van Horn Harris, director of the Junior Humane Society.
“It’s something I didn’t think I would ever see in my lifetime, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do as a fundraiser,” said Harris. She said a volunteer, Amanda Gifford, heard about the property being available.
A deal was made, and soon, Gifford, along and two other volunteers, Kristi Kirby and Crystal Clanton, were busy preparing the store for customers.
The store also features a wall featuring photos of dogs and cats looking for new homes through JHS.
“We are all excited about the thrift store. We hope to hold pet adoptions, bathing parties, and other events here,” she said.
JHS welcomes donations — just leave items on the front porch if the store is closed.
The JHS Thrift Store is open Wednesday – Friday from noon until 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pictured top: JHS Volunteers (L-R) Kristi Kirby, Amanda Gifford, Crystal Clanton, Mary Foster, Director Frankie Van Horn Harris, Christa Pettijohn, Elizabeth Irby and Janet Lewis outside the new JHS Thrift Store in Cantonment. Pictured inset: Frankie Van Horn Harris, director of the Junior Humane Society. Pictured below: Map showing the store location.