A White Hummingbird?
October 13, 2008
Cindy Voorhees in Davisville reported a strange little visitor recently.
The pictured hummingbird, which is mostly white, visited her feeder at her home on Highway 4 for several days.
She said the bird is all white, except for darker areas on his wings, tail and head. She said he was shy compared to her other birds.
Submitted photos.
Masland Moving Machines, Some Jobs To Atmore
October 13, 2008
The Dixie Group, which owns Masland Carpets, has announced that it is closing a plant in Eton, GA, and move that equipment and some jobs to Atmore.
The equipment from Dixie’s carpet tufting operation in Georgia will be moved to their tufting, dyeing and finishing facility in Atmore.
The company could call back some of the 40 employees that were laid off from the Atmore plant this year, or could lead to more employees being hired at the 360 worker plant.
Dixie has reduced their total employment by nine percent so far this year, and the Georgia closure is expected to reduce their total number of employees by another five to seven percent when coupled with administrative and organizational changes.
The company continues to lose money, according a released statement, rather than reaching their goal of an eight percent profit. The company statement says the losses are due to “continuing weakness in the sales of new and existing homes and deteriorating credit conditions”.
“We are disappointed that residential carpet markets have continued to weaken and commercial carpet sales have declined faster than anticipated,” said Dan K. Frierson, chairman and chief executive officer. “As a result, we expect to report a loss from continuing operations for the third quarter, which will result in earnings well below current analyst estimates.”
Dixie markets their carpet and rugs to high-end residential and commercial customers under the names Fabrica International, Dixie Home and Masland Carpets.
Northview Yearbooks Now On Sale Online
October 13, 2008
The 2009 Tribal Yearbook for Northview High School is now on sale.
Yearbooks can be purchased online at jostensyearbooks.com now.
Extras such as name stamping and icons are available with online ordering only.
Some books may be available for in-school orders in the spring. Books are $53.00 with a $2.00 handling fee. Contact yearbook sponsor Alison Robinson, at 327-6681, ext.230 for
more information.
NWE Eagles Mites Crush NEP Wildcats, 40-8; The Midgets Eagles Win 30-12
October 12, 2008
The Northwest Escambia Mites dominated the Northeast Pensacola Wildcats Saturday in Walnut Hill, while the NWE Mini-Mites lost to NEP and the NWE Midgets beat NEP.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
NWE Mites 40 NEP 8
There was no stopping the NWE Mites offense Saturday, as they quickly racked up the points against the Northeast Pensacola Wildcats.
Just a couple of minutes into the game, the Eagles’ Luke Ward gained over 50 yards on a fourth down to put the Eagles on the board early, 6-0. The field goal attempt by Chason Freeman was no good.
But Freeman was not going to miss scoring for long. Less than a minute later, he intercepted a Wildcat pass and ran 45 yards for the TD. The point after was good, and the Eagles were up 13-0.
With less than seven seconds to go in the first, Andrew Edwards crossed the goal line and a good extra point put NWE up 20-0 going into the second.
The Wildcats were not able to gain much yardage in the second, thanks to the Eagles strong defense and numerous backfield slams by Jared Aliff.
With five and half to go in the second quarter, Chasen Freeman scored again, this time on a 40 yard run on a punt recovery.
The Wildcast tried and failed three times to move the ball. Thomas “Smiley” Booth was in on a sack keeping the ball away from a Wildcat first down.
The NEP Wildcasts fought back, with a 15 yard pass and a 35 yard run. They got their first an only TD of the game, making the score 26-8 Eagles.
Zach Payne went airborne for the Eagles for an interception with 2:18 to go in the first half, giving NWE Eagles offense the ball for the remainder of the half.
The third was slower for the Eagles, with several failed sweeps and handoffs but little yardage.
But the fourth quarter was all Eagles, with the Wildcats hardly touching the pigskin. With 2:00 in the game, a handoff to Andrew Edwards gave the Eagles another touchdown. A good extra point and the Eagles soared.
With 19 seconds to go in the game, the Eagles added another touchdown, this time on a Zachary Holland run for a final score of 40-8.
NWE Midgets
The NWE Midget Eagles beat the NEP Wildcats 30-12.
The Eagles began with Dalton Tullis receiving the ball. Tullis picked up the first touchdown for NWE. That was followed by a touchdown by a 12 yard run by Dalton Tullis for another six and a good kick by LaMikeal Banks.
Dalton Daniel recovered the kickoff for the Eagles, and Dionte Mitchell picked up a big tackle in the backfield.
Daniel ran 10 yards for first down. Then Banks ran for 15, and Colton Williams added eight for a touchdown. The extra point by Banks was good.
Williams added another touchdown for the Eagles on a seven yard run, and the kick by Banks was good.
Taylor Reyes and Elijah Harbison both picked up eight yards late in the game for NWE.
NWE Mini-Mites
In Mini-Mite action in Walnut Hill Saturday, the NWE Eagles lost to the Wildcats of Northeast Pensacola.
NEP was up 13-0 at the half, and they continued to dominate the second half of play.
With 7:23 to go in the third, NEP picked up a 60 yard far side run. A missed point after, and NEP was up 19-0.
With 4:20 to go in quarter number three, NEP added another 30 yard run to moved ahead 25-0
The Wildcats picked up another touchdown with 1:30 to go in the game.
The NWE Eagles will be off next week and on the road October 25 at Brewton.
Wendy Aliff and Stephanie Piniewski contributed to this article.
Pictured above: Touchdown Eagles! Pictured below: He’s got the look. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ride A Bike? Local Chapter of CMA Forming Soon
October 12, 2008
A local man is working to establish a local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclist Association, a group that loves to ride and spread the gospel at the same time.
Doug Chandler of Atmore is currently a member of the CMA’s Baldwin County chapter, but he’s organized a meeting for a potential Ecambia County chapter of CMA at 6:30 p.m. on October 23 in the white building behind the Atmore First Methodist Church on Horner Street in Atmore.
Chandler said he expects several bikers from the Walnut Hill and Century areas to be interested in the Escambia County (AL) group, which plans to eventually find a meeting place in Flomaton.
“I wanted to find a way to use my love for motorcycles and riding for the Lord. After looking at various organizations and after much prayer I decided to join the Christian Motorcyclists Association. I was excited about the various ministry opportunities available through the world wide reach of CMA,” Chandler said. “There are many great Christians in our area who also love motorcycles. Starting a local chapter will provide an opportunity to fellowship, develop friendships and work in the community while sharing the Lord with others. If anyone loves the Lord and motorcycles they will be blessed with the CMA.”
For more information about the local chapter of CMA that is forming, email BigDCMA@mchsi.com or call (251) 294-0386.
Back in March, NorthEscambia.com ran a feature article about the Pensacola Chapter of CMA. That article is reprinted below.
Yes Lord, We’ll Ride With You; Riding For The Son
Sometimes in life, the courage to walk up to someone you don’t know and say those first words can be tough. Finding the courage to walk up to the stereotypical tough man biker and just start talking about salvation…well, that can be even tougher.
But it is a courage that disabled Vietnam vet Michael Largay has obtained, and it is a courage that has become his passion.
“Excuse me sir, but do you know about Jesus,” he asked when he first walked up to this reporter in Century Saturday. “I wondered if I could tell you a little bit about Him.” He was unaware at the time the he was speaking to a reporter.
That’s what Michael does. Everywhere he goes, even if it is in the middle of a rough biker gang. He has turned his Honda Goldwing into a tool for reaching the lost and pointing them toward the Golden Gates of Heaven.
“We ride for the Lord,” he said of the group he participates with, the Christian Motorcycle Association (the CMA).
The Bible says in Luke14:23 “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” That’s the motto of the bikers that ride with the group. They hit the highways and let other bikers know about the Lord. Anytime, anywhere. Even if it is at the Florida Welcome Center on I-10 waiting for bikers on their way to the notoriously wild Daytona Bike Week.
“Just being on this bike opens doors,” Michael said of his Honda Goldwing, which was recently named the best in class at the Florida Goldwing Rally. “This is a missionary tool. Just being on this bike has a way of attracting other bikers to speak.”
“A lot of bikers are not the typical people that would go to a regular church on Sunday. They say ‘a church ain’t cool’, so they are not going to come to know the Lord that way. “But if you go up to them and say ‘hey, can I bless your bike’ that usually works. That opens the door. You can ask them before you start if there’s anything you can pray for in their lives.”
“Lord, bless this bike, and keep it and its rider safe on the highways,” he said his prayer usually beings. “Then you add ‘Lord, bless this man and his problems’. They come to realize that God is their God too, and He cares about them. And that they can come to know Him.”
“Bikers know when they see this patch that they can get anything they need, whether it be medical help, mechanical help, money or prayer,” he said pointing to his CMA patch that says “Riding for the Son”.
Another man walks over, admiring the Honda Goldwing.
“I wish I could get a bike like this,” he told Michael, “but my wife would never let me.”
“Do you know Jesus,” Michael asked the man.
“Yes sir, I do. We love Him, and we go to Ray’s Chapel,” the man said.
“Well, tell her that you could get a bike and do missionary work for the Lord. She might let you get one.”
Michael’s friend and fellow CMA member David Davis (pictured left) both sing in the choir at East Brent Baptist Church in Pensacola. Davis said he never misses the opportunity to witness, especially to children.
“I like meeting other people, especially children, and telling them about Jesus,” David said.
“Yeah, he will practically chase a child down to give them a Bible, Michael said.
Michael never missed an opportunity to tell others about Jesus either. He recently joined a Honda Goldwing group in Pensacola. “That’s open more channels for me to tell others about Jesus, because I got to lead prayer for the group.”
“If just one person, just one, can come to know the Lord because of what I do, I will be a happy man,” he said. “It is not about the number of people you lead to Jesus. It is about talking and talking to people until the Lord leads you to that one person that needs to be saved.”
“It’s all about Him. It’s all about Jesus.”
For more photos of Michael and his Honda Goldwing, click here.
Pictured top of page: Michael Largay (center) talks with a Barney Fife lookalike and Billy R. Ward of Bogia in Century on Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click any photo on this page to enlarge.
Michigan Man Found Dead In Escambia, Alabama; Authorities Seek Info
October 12, 2008
The body of a Battle Creek, Michigan, man was found hanging near his vehicle near the Conecuh River in Escambia County, Alabama, and authorities are seeking the public’s help to find out what happened.
The body of Claude VanDusen, 57, was found late Thursday near his vehicle under a bridge near Highway 29 and Escambia County (AL) County Road 4. A fisherman had called authorities to report the vandalized vehicle, and the body was located by authorities a short distance away. They say VanDusen had been dead for several days.
The results of an autoposy have not been released, but authorities are calling the death suspicious.
Back in Michigan, VanDusen’s family says he left home Wednesday morning, cashed his $800 biweekly check, and headed to a hardware store to buy some insulation. That was the last time anyone in his hometown knew of his whereabouts until Escambia County (Alabama) authorities notified Battle Creek Police about the discovery of the body.
Authorities in Michigan say VanDusen had no known connections to anyone in Escambia County, Alabama, or North Escambia, Florida. If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call your local law enforcement agency.
Florida Attorney General: Mortgage Crisis/Fraud
October 12, 2008
Submitted by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum
Mortgage fraud is wreaking havoc on our economy, and this week my office took aggressive steps to address the growing crisis. We reached a multimillion dollar settlement with Bank of America and Countrywide which will provide much-needed relief to thousands of Florida homeowners who are in untenable situations because of Countrywide’s lending practices. The agreement could provide nearly $1 billion in total relief to Florida homeowners alone.
My Office of Statewide Prosecution also filed criminal charges against an active mortgage fraud ring in South Florida, accusing the participants of more than $1 million in mortgage fraud against various financial institutions. If convicted, the people involved could face sentences ranging from 24 to 420 years in prison.
Mortgage fraud causes a ripple effect that creates many victims. The mortgage lenders take a financial hit that impacts their business, their customers and shareholders, neighborhoods suffer when homes go into foreclosure, and all of Florida’s citizens ultimately pay a price as property values and tax revenues drop.
The Attorney General’s Office will keep fighting on behalf of everyone affected by this type of illegal and destructive behavior. My Mortgage Fraud Task Force and Office of Statewide Prosecution are reviewing new information and complaints every day and we will pursue these cases and criminals to the fullest extent of the law.
District Disappointment: Gators Bite Northview Chiefs 34-21
October 11, 2008
The Northview Chiefs suffered a district loss on the road Friday night to Baker, 34-21.
At the half, Baker was up 21-7. Northview was behind by six in the fourth when the fans rallied to their feet, many of them hitting the sideline fence to cheer on their Chiefs, but the Gators added another half dozen by the end of the quarter.
Senior Jay Jackson had 21 carries on the night for the Chiefs for 210 yards. Jackson picked up three touchdowns and had 11 tackles.
Shakel Holmes, a junior, had seven carries for 34 yards, and Montaio Mitchell picked up a big interception.
Junior Austin Reid was a lean, mean tackling machine Friday night, with 14 total tackles. Seven of those were big solo tackles.
Not far behind Reid was junior Ka’Daris Grice, with 10 tackles for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs are now 1-1 in district play, 2-3 overall.
Northview will be on the road again next Friday night in Blountstown. Next week’s game is not a district contest.
Click here for a photo gallery from the game.
Photos and information submitted by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com
Pictured above: Northview versus Baker Friday night in Baker. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Beaches To Woodlands Tour Continues This Weekend In SR County
October 11, 2008
Santa Rosa County wants their neighbors to visit this month during the annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour.
The tour highlights attractions in the county and features festivals and events from the Alabama state line south to the Gulf of Mexico. The month-long event kicked off last weekend with the Jay Peanut Festival. The tour is designed to market Santa Rosa County to area residents, including those in North Escambia and South Alabama.
The second weekend of the 5th annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour provides participants with many opportunities to enjoy art and live entertainment while exploring the Santa Rosa County’s rich heritage and vast natural beauty.
Activities started Friday with the Navarre Beach Fall Festival of the Arts and Butterfly Festival on the on the south end of the county. Thrill seekers can also enjoy carnival rides at St. Rose of Lima Fall Festival. All three events will be on-going through Sunday, when Juana’s Pagoda will also hold a Charity Chili Cook-off and Beach Volleyball Tourney.
Starting Saturday, participants can experience life as it was many years ago in the rural Florida panhandle in Blackwater River State Forest at the Munson Community Heritage Festival, a celebration of the area’s rich history featuring heritage artisans and living history exhibits. Additionally, history buffs can share memorabilia with the www.SantaRosaVirtualMuseum.com online local historic preservation project and enjoy “The Legend and Lore of Historic Bagdad Cemetery,” which will feature costumed volunteers telling interesting stories.
Outdoors enthusiasts will also have many recreational opportunities such as a bike festival on Blackwater State Heritage Trail, a Florida Trails Association hike on Garcon Point Trail, and the Coldwater Creek Kayak & Canoe Race at Adventures Unlimited, where they can enjoy an overnight murder mystery dinner package.
Tour guidebooks with detailed venue information are available at any chamber of commerce in Santa Rosa County. Updated schedule information is also available at www.BeachesToWoodlands2008.com. For more information, call 1-800-480-SAND (7263).
The annual Beaches To Woodlands Tour in Santa Rosa County began last weekend with the Jay Peanut Festival. This sign at the Peanut Festival marked it as an official stop on the tour. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Escambia County, Escambia Academy Lose; Other Area Scores
October 11, 2008
It was not a good night for the two Alabama Escambias; both Escambia County High School and Escambia Academy lost Friday night.
For the Blue Devils, it was a homecoming loss to Gulf Shores, 35-14.
ECHS was behind 15-0 at the half in Atmore after Bernard Nesbitt caught 37 and 4 yard touchdown passes. ECHS is now 1-5.
For the Escambia Academy Cougars, it was a beating by Clarke Prep, 42-7. The Cougars are now 0-5 on the year.
Other area scores:
UMS-Wright 35, W.S. Neal 13
T.R. Miller 14, Luverne 13