Year In Review North Escambia’s Biggest Stories Of 2008: July
January 2, 2009
NorthEscambia.com is looking back at 2008 with our “Year in Review” series. Each day, we will review the biggest stories of 2008. Today, we take a look at the biggest stories of July 2008.
A major drug raid was held in Century early on the morning of July 11 (pictured above). NorthEscambia.com was there, with complete coverage. We had photos here, the only local coverage of the sheriff’s news conference here, video of the raid here, and a complete story here.
The Fourth of July was celebrated in many ways around the area, including a big celebration at the Century Branch Library with a watermelon seed spitting contest. Read more…
Roads, zoning, taxes and economic development topped discussion at a town hall meeting at Molino Park Elementary with top Escambia County leaders. Read more…
We reported that changes could be coming at the Solutia Plant in Cantonment, including the possibility that the entire facility could be for sale. Read more…
Escambia Sheriff Ron McNesby brought his campaign message to Walnut Hill Thursday, talking budgets, crime and more. “If I stood up here and told you what I am going to do the next four years, you would have to ask me what I did the past eight years,” McNesby told the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club. Read more…
Gas jumped over $4 a gallon, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. Read more…
Royal Pizza and Subs in Century was destroyed by fire the first Sunday of July. The fire was reported just before 3:30 a.m. The first firemen on the scene moments later reported heavy smoke when they arrived. It took firefighters just over an hour to bring the fire under control. Read more….
The Town of Century dedicated its new Veteran’s Wall of Honor on the Fourth of July at the town’s Roadside Park on Highway 29. Read more…
A zebra was spotted in Walnut Hill on the Fourth of July. In one of our most fun stories every, we teased for a few days that a zebra had been spotted in Walnut Hill. And he was with a grizzly bear. People across the area were guessing what we were making up. But, in fact, the zebra was spotted with brown bear. Seriously. Read more…
Water problems on Backwoods Road continued to plague the Town of Century as the council debated the future of a $1.5 million project. Read more…
Carver/Century K-8 School got the official news during the July that the school had improved from an “F” to a “B” rating with the Florida Department of Education. Read more…
The owner of Helicopter Technologies told the mayor of Century the company’s building will be sold by mid-July, and the town council has voted to file emergency foreclosure against the company in the event the sale does not take place. Read more…
The sale of the Helicopter Technologies building did not take place; the owner backed out, saying that he did not realize that he would have to partner with the Town of Century in order to complete the deal. Read more…
In response the failed sale of the Helicopter Technologies building, the Town of Century filed foreclosure proceedings against the company. Read more…
In ratings released by the Florida Department of Education. Bratt Elementary School was named the number one school in Escambia County. Read more…
An explosive situation in Walnut Hill: NorthEscambia.com had exclusive coverage when the bomb squad was called to blow up an explosive liquid found in Walnut Hill. Read the story, and see the photos…
It’s more than some people can bear to go to the dentist and see the assortment of tools that a modern dentist uses. But a complete dentist kit in a box donated to a Century museum makes modern dentistry seem a bit more pleasant. It was a treasure chest of dental history. Read more…
A Jay man was arrested for growing marijuana after deputies found him leaving a wooded area in the Brownsdale community southwest of Jay with the tools of the trade in his possession. Tharon “Buckshot” Godwin, 66, was was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, a third degree felony. Read more… A few days later, more pot was found near Jay. Read more… A few days after that, even more pot plants were discovered near Jay.
Where exactly is the Town of Century? The town council has determined that it did not exactly know, and they might need to turn to an engineering firm to find out. Read more…
Two Foley men were arrested for burglary after a manhunt in McDavid. Read more…
A Flomaton man was arrest for firing a shotgun into a trailer with children inside a Wawbeek Road trailer. Read more…
Our neighbors in Flomaton saw their downtown evacuated at the end of July due to a gas leak. Read more…
The Southern Pit Stop on North Century Boulevard was robbed. Read more…
Gulf Power was granted a rate increase in July. The increase was to take effect in September. Read more…
Baptist Purchase Of West Florida Hospital A Dead Deal
January 2, 2009
The $245 million dollar purchase of West Florida Hospital by Baptist Health Care is a dead deal.
A statement released Thursday by Baptist says the deal was the victim of a weak national economy and the financial meltdown that left the hospital unable to obtain financing for the purchase.
Hospital Corporation of America, the parent company of West Florida, notified Baptist on Thursday that it was exercising a contact option to terminate the sale. HCA says that West Florida is no longer on the market.
Closer to North Escambia, Baptist operates Atmore Community Hospital, Jay Hospital, Century Family Practice and Lakeview Center in Century.
Pictured above: Artist rendering of the new cancer center that was to be located at the new location of Baptist Hospital on Davis Highway.
Work For Minimum Wage? You Got A Pay Raise
January 1, 2009
If you work for minimum wage in Florida, you got a pay raise Thursday.
Minimum wage in the state jumped from $6.79 to $7.21 on January 1.
It was part of a 2004 measure approved by voters that raises the minimum wage in the state in each year. In July, the federal minimum wage goes from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour.
Year In Review North Escambia’s Biggest Stories Of 2008: June
January 1, 2009
NorthEscambia.com is looking back at 2008 with our “Year in Review” series. Each day, we will review the biggest stories of 2008. Today, we take a look at the biggest stories of June 2008.
A Flomaton teen died a in fiery crash in Bryneville. Cody Ray Gafford, 16, of Flomaton died in the crash (pictured above). Read more…
The Town of Century will greatly reduce a Century woman’s $3,000 sewer bill, but only because they had to do so. The council said Leola Robinson would have to pay up$624. The council also voted not to help pay for Fourth of July fireworks in Flomaton. Read more… The Century council also turned down an offer by Allied Waste to feed the entire town. Read more…
Molino Park Elementary fourth grade teacher Sharon Smith was set to retire Friday, June 6. She stood outside the school, waving goodbye on the last day of school to her students. She turned back toward her Molino Park Elementary school and lost her breath. Sharon Smith, 57, passed away a short time later. Read more….
Escambia County School Board Member Jeff Bergosh received a handwritten letter from a Carver/Century K-8 School student opposed to closing the school, and he responded with a handwritten letter of his own. Bergosh explained why he felt Carver/Century K-8 School should be closed. Read more…
Byrneville Elementary School has scored an extra ten grand for its P.E. department compliments of the governor. James “Coach Mac” McDaniel, Byrneville’s physical education teacher, received a $10,000 check from Governor Charlie Crist as part of the Governor’s Fitness Challenge. The money will be used to purchase new P.E. equipment for the charter school. Read more…
Century businessman Georges Van Nevel and council member Henry Hawkins got into a verbal argument at a Century Town Council meeting, calling each other “crooked” and “corrupt”. Read more…
Smoke could be seen from miles away the first Friday afternoon of June as an accidental fire raged through a harvested wheat field on Highway 164 near Oak Grove. It made for interesting pictures. Read more and see the photos…
Mike Whitehead stepped down as chairman of the Escambia County Commission Thursday night before District 5 Commissioner Kevin White had the chance to call for his removal because of his “arrogance”. Read more…
The space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station were visible June 7 as they moved across the skies of North Escambia. We had the photo…
About 1,500 people attended a 39 team softball tournament in Molino. Read more…
Closing ceremonies were held for Northwest Escambia Little League. Read more…
Many North Escambia churches held Vacation Bible Schools. Read more…
An apparent lighting strike sparked an electrical fire at a well house belonging to the Walnut Hill Water Works. The fire was confined to the power meter and electrical box on the outside of the building. The outside of the concrete block structure was blackened by the fire, but was otherwise undamaged. Read more…
About 70 Century residents rallied behind Carver/Century K-8 School at a public forum. Read more…
Escambia County voted to makea $2 million offer to purchase the old Wedgewood Middle School property in Pensacola and the old Molino Elementary School. Plans call for the old Molino school to become a community hub, possibly including a 5,000 square foot library, a museum highlighting Molino history, a small health clinic, a business incubator, renovation of the gym and one additional building for community events and private party rental along with other uses. Read more…
Perhaps the most “a-maize-ing” entertainment in the North Escambia area in June was in Bratt, and it is a challenge that few could meet. It was just plain “cornfusing”. “Bratt’s A-maize-ing” cornfield maze is once again open on Highway 4 near Bratt. It was an elaborate maze cut into a six acre cornfield. Read more…
NorthEscambia.com was the first media to break the story that Carver/Century K-8 School would not be closing for the 2008-2009 school year. Read more…
The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation recently honored the restoration project of the old Walnut Hill School House. During the Trust’s 2008 Preservation Awards ceremony, the Walnut Hill School House project was awarded Outstanding Achievement in the Restoration/Rehabilitation Awards category. Read more…
A local pastor was among the 7,000 gathered at the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, where the man nominated by another Escambia County preacher was named president of the 16 million member group. Read more…
Rather than going to court, Century decided to settle a billing dispute with the Florida Department of Corrections for about $282,000, far less than the $569,000 they had originally hoped to receive. Read more…
An Escambia County deputy was involved in a two vehicle accident in Bratt, slamming his patrol car into a power pole while trying to avoid another vehicle. Read more…
It was the end of an era in late June at Cooper’s Store in Bratt as the store’s gas pumps and tanks were removed. Read more…
A girls’ week in New York City ended with a North Escambia woman getting a surprise complete makeover on national television Friday morning. Cheryl Golson of Davisville was selected from the crowd at Rockefeller Plaza in New York for a “Plaza Ambush Makeover” from NBC’s Today Show. Cheryl received a complete makeover…hair, makeup and new designer dress. Read more…
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church named a new pastor. Read more…
The first weekend of summer was not be one that emergency responders in the area soon forgot. In the span of less than 72 hours, four people died and at least 13 were injured in vehicle accidents and a structure fire in the North Escambia area. Read more…
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library kicked off in Century, with plans to provide a free book every month for every child under five years old. Read more…
New Year’s Eve Brush Fires
January 1, 2009
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to two brush fires early New Year’s Eve evening.
The first was reported on Ashcraft Road near Highway 99 about 6:45 Wednesday night. The second was reported on Breastworks Road near Hall Road about 8 p.m.
The Breastworks Road fire was reportedly started by a downed power line.
Walnut Hill was also dispatched to another brush fire before 5 a.m. Thursday on Highway 97 in the area of Highway 164, but that fire turned out to be remnants of an earlier control burn.
There were no injuries in either incident.
2008 Person Of The Year: Paula Jernigan, Those Touched By Cancer
January 1, 2009
Paula Jernigan of Bogia has been named one of our NorthEscambia.com Persons of the Year. Along with Paula, we honor all those that are cancer survivors or have been touched by cancer in the lives of someone they know.
Each day through Monday, NorthEscambia.com will name another person as a NorthEscambia.com Person of the Year.
As curriculum coordinator at Carver/Century K-8 School, Paula is one of those folks that always has a smile on her face. Speaking to the children that she passes in the hallways and breezeways, she always has a kind word, a word of encouragement for each and every one.
In 2009, Paula will coordinate Century’s third annual Relay for Life. She’s a cancer survivor, working in the fight to cure cancer.
“Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer,” Jernigan said. “No one ever told me about the American Cancer Society and what they would have provided for me.”
“I don’t what that to happen to anyone else in the north end of the county,” she said.
Cancer is ugly disease that has touched most every family in North Escambia. We honor those touched by the disease, and all of those that have walked or will walk in Relay for Life, whether it be in Century or another community.
At a Century Relay for Life meeting at Carver/Century K-8 School, the lights in the cafeteria were cut and about a dozen Luminaria bags were lit as some in attendance reflected on why they walk in Relay for Life.
“I walk for my son who died from cancer,” one person said.
“I relay with the hope that no mother will every have to hear that her child has cancer,” said another.
“I relay because my father died from brain cancer,” one woman tearfully said.
“I relay because by husband died from cancer three years ago. I walk because my mother died from cancer a month ago,” another woman said.
Paula Jernigan walks for all of us, for all of our friends, neighbors and families touch by cancer. For that, we name her a NorthEscambia.com 2008 Person of the Year.
Each day through Monday, NorthEscambia.com will name another person as a NorthEscambia.com Person of the Year.
Pictured top: Paula Jernigan (far right) walks the Victory Lap as a cancer survivor at last year’s Century Relay for Life. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century & Molino To Pensacola Bus Is ECAT’s Most Expensive; Riders Say Most Valuable
December 31, 2008
The Escambia County Area Transit bus that runs from Century and Molino to Pensacola is the most expensive bus per person and the most expensive bus per hour in the entire public transportation system in the county. But to those that ride it, the “Route 60″ bus in the one of the most important buses in the ECAT network.
The “Route 60″ bus makes three weekday trips between Century and the ECAT transfer center where it allows riders to connect to the rest of the ECAT network. It makes the run twice on Saturdays.
“It’s so valuable,” Brenda Spencer said. Spencer is a frequent passenger on the bus, riding between her home in Century and her job downtown in the county attorney’s office. “It is truly needed in Century, even if it does need more passengers. I wish more people would take advantage of it.”
The bus costs $16.27 per passenger to operate, according to ECAT numbers from the last fiscal year. That’s the most expensive cost per passenger by far over any other bus in the system, with every other route falling below $10 per person (except for a free tourist route that runs to Pensacola Beach). In fact, is almost twice the next most expensive route per person, a 12th Avenue area route that costs ECAT $8.68 per person. The Century and Molino to Pensacola bus is also the most expensive per hour to operate in the ECAT system, at $78.29 per hour.
But the bus provides transportation to and from Pensacola for Century and Molino residents that otherwise might not have a way to get to and from Pensacola, Spencer said. And, it’s much easier and cheaper than driving.
“It has saved me so much money,” Spencer said. “And it has saved me mentally and physically. It’s given me time to do my reading, do my Sunday School lesson and more while riding to work.”
A total of 7,819 riders took the Route 60 bus over a one year period. That compares to 145,883 riders on a Fairfield Drive area bus.
Spencer said she would like to see more Century residents take advantage of the bus, whether it be for shopping trips, or doctor visits, or any other trip to Pensacola.
“It is such a wonderful group of people to ride with,” she said. “It’s like a family atmosphere. We’ve gotten to know each other.”
“Ride the bus, ride the bus, ride the bus,” Spencer added. “I can’t advertise that enough. Ride the bus.”
For a printable pdf Route 60 map, schedule and rate information, click here.
Pictured above middle: The “Route 60″ Century and Molino to Pensacola ECAT route map. Pictured below: A timetable for the bus. Click to enlarge.
Year In Review North Escambia’s Biggest Stories Of 2008: May
December 31, 2008
NorthEscambia.com is looking back at 2008 with our “Year in Review” series. Each day, we will review the biggest stories of 2008. Today, we take a look at the biggest stories of May 2008.
NorthEscambia.com was the first to report that the Escambia County School Board was considering closing Carver/Century K-8 School. We had complete coverage, with stories here, here, here, here and here..
Escambia County’s top leaders held a public meeting in Molino to discuss department consolidation and budget cuts. Read more…
A wild spring storm caused major damage to homes in McDavid (pictured above). Read more…
The discussion to unify the county’s volunteer fire departments continued, with leaders meeting with the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department. Read more..
The building occupied by Helicopter Technologies in the Century Industrial Park was listed for sale for $1.75 million, and that had one Century councilman upset. Read more..
Carver/Century K-8 held a celebrated huge FCAT gains. Read more…
The Class of 2008 graduated from Northview High School in late May. Read more…
Angel Mitchell was crowned Junior Miss Ernest Ward Middle School. Read more…
Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul and his top staff met with Carver/Century supporters to discuss the school’s future. NorthEscambia.com was the only media at the meeting. Read more…
The annual Escambia County Farm Tour took to the roads of North Escambia. Over 100 county, city and state leaders joined leaders from the agricultural community on a tour of farm locations across the area. Read more…
Ernest Ward Middle School named their cheerleading squad for 2008-2009. Read more…
Brianna Parker was crowned 2008 Baseball Queen for the Northwest Escambia Little League. Read more…
The North Pensacola Relay for Life was held the first weekend of May at Tate High School. The goal for the annual relay event was $97,000, but it actually brought in $111,000. North Escambia teams in the event included Molino Park Elementary School and Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Read more… Students at Molino Park Elementary held a storybook character wagon parade to celebrate a successful Relay for Life campaign. Read more and see the photos..
Dozens of people representing numerous churches gathered in Molino to pray on the National Day of Prayer. “We pray for a special sense of You here in Molino, Lord,” Pastor Bryan Calhoun of Highland Baptist Church prayed. “We pray for revival here in Molino, and we pray that it would spread to Pensacola and around the world.” About a dozen different churches were represented at the service. Read more….
Dozens of disabled people fished around Chester Jantz’s Walnut Hill catfish pond in the Pen Wheels Fiesta of Five Flags 34th Annual Fishing Rodeo. A thunderstorm put an early end to the fishing. Read more…
A dedication ceremony was held the first Saturday of May for the Leaning Post Ranch in Molino, a state-licensed facility and prevention program for developmentally disabled and at-risk young people. The facility was established in 1992 by Fran and Newman Gersin. They started with one horse, and a dream to use that horse to encourage kids and keep them off drugs. Read more…
Over 100 Century residents came gathered to pray as the mayor turned the key to the town over to God. Much of the prayer centered around saving Carver/Century School, and on saving the town. Read more..
The Northview Senior Play “Our Town” was presented by the Class of 2008. There were 22 cast members in Northview’s production of Thorton Wilder’s classic play. Read more…
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church held a mother-daughter banquet. Read more…
Molino Park Elementary School help their annual Field Day. Read more…
The Minority Culture Club at Northview High School hit I-10 and took a trip to Tallahassee. Read more…
The Century Town Council discussed a $3,000 sewer bill they said resident Leola Robinson owed, and tempers almost flared. Read more…
Incoming sixth graders at Ernest Ward Middle School got a sneak peek at middle school with an open house at the school. Read more…
FCAT scores released by the state showed that Bratt Elementary school fourth graders scored among the best in the county in the recent FCAT Writing+ Essay test,with 85 percent of them scoring at grade level or above. Read more… The scores also showed that Carver/Century students had the worst scores in the county. Read more…
Gas prices continued to rise, hitting $3.64 a gallon. Read more…
The Northview High School Tribal Beat Marching Band held its first ever NHS Band Banquet in May with an emphasis on fun. Read more…
Northview High School’s FFA held their annual banquet, an especially emotional one for FFA sponsor Perry Byars. After four years in the NHS FFA, his daughter was about to graduate and leave the program. Read more…
Carver/Century K-8 held their annual Field Day. Read more…
The Atmore Rotary Club recognized an outstanding group of area high school students as Academic All-Stars, including about three dozen Northview High School students. Read more…
Bratt Elementary School students spent a “Day With the Arts”. Read more…
An alcohol-related one vehicle accident in Century shut down Highway 29 for several hours and left the north part of the town in the dark, while the Sheriff’’s Department helicopter searched from overhead. Read more….
Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High school bands held their annual Spring Concert at Northview. Read more…
Molino Park Elementary held their annual Spring Carnival. Read more…
Many Century residents attended an Escambia County School Board meeting in support of keeping Carver/Century K-8 School open. Read more..
XII Gates, the youth band from the First Baptist Church Bratt, took to the stage for a free outdoor contemporary Christian and Christian rock concert at the First Baptist Church of Flomaton for “Rock the Block”. Read more…
An investigative report from NorthEscambia.com found that most children in the Carver/Century K-8 School district don’t actually attend the school. Read more…
On May 18, Northview High School held its Class of 2008 Baccalaureate Service. Read more…
Ruritan Meeting Rescheduled
December 31, 2008
The normal first Thursday night of the month meeting of the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 8.
The meeting will take place at 7:00 at the Walnut Hill Community Center. The meeting was rescheduled due to the New Year’s holiday.
NorthEscambia.com To Name Citizens Of The Year
December 31, 2008
North Escambia residents showed just how much they care about our community over the past year, working to improve our communities and the people that call our area home.
Beginning Thursday, NorthEscambia.com will name five of those individuals as one of our Persons of the Year. Each day Thursday to Monday we will name one Person of the Year. Each person will also represent a group of individuals sacrificing a bit of themselves to make North Escambia a better place.
Scores of individuals were nominated as Persons of the Year. Some that made our list of five received multiple nominations; one received no nominations outside of our own. It was not a popularity contest, for doing something for others is not about popularity. Undoubtedly you will know most of the names on our list, but you may not know others.
It was a difficult job to narrow the list to just five, and we hope you will join us everyday Thursday to Monday, January 5 as we share our choices for the North Escambia Persons Of The Year with you.