Several Cars Burn In Junkyard Fire
December 9, 2008
An early afternoon fire Monday damaged or destroyed over a half dozen vehicles at a Byrneville junkyard.
The cars, located at Morgan Auto Sales on Morgan Road, burned along with grass and brush around the vehicles.
Authorities say the fire began when a trash fire at the junkyard got out of control. There were no injuries, and there were no structures damaged.
Engine 519 and Engine 1819 along with the Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responed to the call just after noon Monday. The Florida Division of Forestry also responded to the call.
Pictured above: Firefighters check under the hood of a burned car at Byrneville junkyard Monday afternoon. At least a half dozen vehicles were damaged by fire. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Brush Fire Ends With A Search For A Body
December 8, 2008
A Sunday afternoon brush fire in Byrneville ended with an abandoned trailer destroyed and the search for a possible body.
Area fire departments were called to the brush fire in the 1300 block of McBride Road just after 1:00 Sunday afternoon. Officials say the resident of a double-wide mobile home told them that the brush fire started accidentally when he was burning a box in a barrel. The fire quickly spread, destroying an abandoned single-wide mobile home about 100 yards away.
After the mobile home fire was extinguished, a neighbor told firemen that a homeless man would sometimes sleep in the trailer. Concerned that the man might have been in the trailer at the time of the fire, firemen conducted two complete searches of the trailer debris, but they were unable to locate any sign of a body.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Department was called to the scene, while other deputies searched locations in Century that the homeless man was known to visit. Deputies located the man unharmed in Century.
It took firefighters about an hour to bring the trailer fire and a nearby woods fire under control. There were no injuries reported.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call, along with the Florida Division of Forestry.
Pictured above: Firemen search the remains of a burnt-out mobile home looking for a possible body. Pictured below: Firemen and an Escambia County Deputy survey the scene. Pictured below middle: A fireman works to extinguish the fire. Pictured bottom: The fire allegedly began in this barrel located about 100 yards away from the burned mobile home. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Cunningbells Perform At Century Care Center
December 8, 2008
Pictured above and below:: Accomplished handbell group the Cunningbells performed Christmas favorites at the Century Care Center Sunday afternoon. The group performed such songs as “Go Tell It On The Mountain”, “Jingle Bells” and more to the delight of Century Care residents. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
The Moorer Place, A 35 Acre Retreat, Is Dedicated
December 8, 2008
A 35 acre Christian retreat in Century that could eventually include a worship and prayer center was dedicated Sunday afternoon.
Paul Davidson of Cantonment has purchased 35 acres at the end of McCall Road for the retreat they plan to call The Moorer Place in memory of Paul’s late grandfather. Davidson’s grandfather, the late Paul Nelson Moorer of Forest Home, Ala., was born December 8, 1908.
“100 years later,” Davidson said, “he imparted his love of the land into my life.”
“I felt the land needed to be not only preserved,” he said, ” but preserved for God.”
The 35 acres adjoins the Lake Stone property and offers a scenic view of the lake and dam.
“God put this on our hearts at the first of the year,” Paul Davidson said. “He has really put Century on our hearts through prayer.”
The property was purchased from current owner Carolyn Thompson, but it is actually the home place that once belong to Century Mayor Freddie McCall’s grandfather. “It’s a generation to generation thing,” Davidson said.
“I’m glad to see the property being used for good now,” McCall said. He offered memories of moving to the property in elementary school and even logging the land as a teen with a mule cart.
In recent years, McCall said, a meth lab was found in a barn on the property.
“I think God they got this place to turn it around,” McCall told just over 50 people at the ceremony.
The property currently has only a small house and a barn. Those will be ready after the first of the year as a “place where people can come and relax and enjoy Christian fellowship,” Davidson said. The center is not planned as a church, but as an a place to “strengthen other churches”.
“We will see what God has in store for it,” Davidson said, adding that there is no set timetable for the construction of the worship and prayer center.
For a photo gallery from the dedication, click here.
Pictured above: People look toward Stone Lake from The Moorer Place as the sun begins to set Sunday afternoon. Pictured inset: Ken Malone of Forerunner Ministries offers a prayer over the facility. Pictured below: Century Mayor Freddie McCall (lef) offers memories of growing up on the property while new owner Paul Davidson looks on. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Fourth Red Bulb In Holiday Fire Safety Campaign
December 8, 2008
A fourth red bulb has been lit in Escambia County’s Keep the Wreath Green holiday safety campaign. A green bulb will be replaced with a red bulb in each wreath representing each time there is a residential fire in the county or in Pensacola.
Saturday night, a fire was reported at a triplex in the area of Highway 98 and Dogtrack Road. The caller advised that a person had been pulled out of the building. Upon arrival, firefighters provided basic medical care, extinguished the fire and searched for other occupants, finding none. Escambia County Emergency Medical Services took over care of the patient, who refused transport to the hospital. The fire was caused by unattended cooking that caught fire and spread in the kitchen. Firefighters from Myrtle Grove, Pleasant Grove, Innerarity Point, Warrington, and the Navy responded.
Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola Fire Department will continue the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign throughout the holiday season. This year, the fifth year of the campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 22 different locations throughout the holiday season. These sites are the Old Escambia County Courthouse on Palafox Place, the Public Safety Building on W Street, all 18 primary county fire stations, and two fire stations within the City of Pensacola. Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.
There have been no residential fires reported in North Escambia since the safety campaign began.
Some holiday lighting safety tips from Escambia Fire Rescue include:
- When hanging holiday lights, either on your tree or outside, do not connect more than three strands of lights per single extension cord. Make sure you do not overload electrical outlets, extension cords or circuits. Only one extension cord should be used per outlet. Do not run power cords underneath rugs or carpets.
- Use only lights tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL). All lights, new or old, should be inspected for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Lights should only be used for their intended purposes.
Molino Youth Leader A Winner In Radio Station’s Toby Mac Contest
December 7, 2008
A youth leader from Victory Assembly of God in Molino was one of a dozen winners of tickets and “meet and greet” passes for a Toby Mac concert in Mobile Sunday night.
Youth Pastor Jenny Miller and her husband Sean Miller won two tickets and the “meet and greet” passes from Power 88 radio in Mobile. They were nominated by Victory youth member Kayla Miles.
Sunday night’s concert featured contemporary Christian artists Toby Mac, Relient K and Family Force 5 at the Mobile Civic Center.
A portion of the email that Kayla wrote to Power 88 nominating Jenny Miller for the tickets is below.
Hi my name is Kayla Miles and I would like to nominate my Youth Pastor for
the contest.Her name is Jenny Miller and her husband Sean Miller they have been married
for a year and to me they are like another set of parents. I can tell them
anything and they will listen, not turn their backs.They came about a year and a half ago around my birthday I was very excited
when we got new youth pastors because some awkward things had been going on
in our church.We attend Victory Assembly of God in Molino, Florida. The youth group name
is Impact Student Ministries.
Pictured above: Sean (L) and Jenny Miller from Victory Assembly of God in Molino.
Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Installs New Officers For 2009
December 7, 2008
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club installed new officers for 2009 at the club’s annual Christmas party Saturday night. Pictured above are (L-R): Mike Godwin, president; Sammy Moore, vice president; Perry Byars, secretary; James Formby, treasurer; and Gary Welch, three year director. Pictured below: Longtime Ruritan member Glenn Key (L) installs Godwin as the new president. The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club is a 61-year old service club that works to improve and support Walnut Hill and surrounding communities. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge.
Santa Claus Arrives In Saturday Night Atmore Parade; North Escambia Groups Participate
December 7, 2008
Thousands lined the streets of Atmore Saturday night for the annual Twilight Christmas Parade that featured Santa Claus and almost two dozen floats.
Several North Escambia organizations were represented in the parade, including the Northview High School Tribal Beat band, the Northview High School cheerleaders, the Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders, FFA students from Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High, Walnut Hill Baptist Church, the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Bratt Assembly of God Church, and dozens of North Escambia residents participating with other groups.
The theme for this year’s parade was “A Nursery Rhyme Christmas”. The Grand Marshal for this year’s parade was Mother Goose.
Santa Claus arrived on a float sponsored by the First National Bank and Trust near the end of the parade. Another common site around this year’s parade was the portable TV, with many people watching the Alabama-Florida game.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery with 14 pages of photos from the parade, click here.
Pictured above: The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleader float. Pictured middle: The Northview High School cheerleaders march in the parade. Pictured below: Walkers with the Walnut Hill Baptist Church float. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Holds Annual Christmas Carnival
December 6, 2008
Byrneville Elementary School held its Christmas Carnival was held Friday night at the school.
The annual event, sponsored by the school’s P.T.O., featured a special guest from the North Pole. Santa Claus was on hand for photos and Christmas wish lists.
The carnival also included a host of games, including a ring toss, cake walk, football toss, face paiting and more. The evening’s festivities ended with a gift basket auction, with proceeds going to the P.T.O.
For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured above: Santa Claus was on hand for the annual Christmas Carnival at Byrneville Elementary School Friday night. Pictured below: Face painting was one of many activities at the event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview High School Holds Cross County Banquet
December 6, 2008
Northview High School recently held its Cross Country Banquet at the school.
Winners included the Junmi Ross Winner Jessica Bloodworth and the Jim Ross Winner Clint Davis, and the MVR (Most Valuable Runner) Coty Chance. Coaches Award Winners were Blake Luker, Dustin Lewis and Dixie Carnely.
Pictured above: The Northview High School Cross Country Team. Pictured inset above: MVR (Most Valuable Runner Coty Chance. Pictured below: Coaches Award Winners (L-R) Blake Luker, Dixie Carnely and Dustin Lewis. Pictured bottom: Jumni Ross Winner Jessica Bloodsworth and Jim Ross Winner Clint Davis. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
