Pleasant Hill Baptist Celebrates 152 Years
August 26, 2008
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Bluff Springs observed its 152nd anniversary on Sunday.
The turnout for the anniversary event was small due to the threatening weekend weather from Tropical Storm Fay. The scheduled guest preacher did not attend due to the weather forecast, but lay leader Robbie McCann filled in.
The church was founded in 1856 by Rev. James Lazrus Bryars. Early family members were Crarys, Pritchetts, Sturdivants, Bratchers, and Fillingims. Rev. Bryars pastored the church for more than fifty years, until his death in 1907.
The church is no stranger to weather problems. In 2005, a large tree crashed into the church sanctuary in Hurricane Dennis.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church is located at 4600 North Century Boulevard.
Larry Walker contributed to this article.
District 5 Commissioners Respond To NorthEscambia.com Questions
August 25, 2008
NorthEscambia.com sent a brief questionnaire to all six District 5 candidates for the Escambia County Commission. We played a little unfair just to see if they would respond…we sent one email and only one email to the email addresses that we had for each. We sent that email late Thursday afternoon and gave them until noon Saturday to respond, knowing that each would be busy preparing for Tuesday’s primary election, and that each might be dealing with the approaching tropical storm.
Why did we do it that way? We are of the opinion that if you email your commissioner, it must be important, and you want an answer soon, no matter how busy they might be.
We were pleased that all six took the time to respond in detail to our questions. Be an informed voter on Tuesday. Take the time to read their responses by clicking their names below. These are responses that you will read only on NorthEscambia.com.
Republicans:
Democrats:
Ethics Case Heard Against Former Century Mayor
August 25, 2008
The state Commission On Ethics held a two day hearing last week in the case of a former Century mayor accused of abusing that office.
An administrative hearing was held Thursday and Friday into allegations against Evelyn Hammond, a one-term mayor of Century.
Last year, the Ethics Commission found probable cause to believe that Hammond, during her term as mayor of the Town of Century, misused her office by allowing her son to continue to receive utility services when his account was delinquent or by directing that late fees be dropped from his account.
The Commission also found probable cause to believe that she misused her position to retaliate against Century Little League for her son’s special benefit. Charges that she misused her office to give a raise to her son and charges that she promoted, advanced, or advocated the promotion or advancement of her relatives were dismissed.
Kerrie J. Stillman, spokesperson for the Commission on Ethics, told NorthEscambia that might be several weeks before the judge in the case issues a ruling in the matter.
The ethics complaint alleged that Hammond’s son, Eddie Hammond, did not pay his utility bills for four years while working as a supervisor for the town’s utilities department. The complaint charged that when the bills were found, Evelyn Hammond waived $200 in late charges and fines and paid the remaining $1,700.
The ethic’s complaint also charges that Hammond took over concessions at the Little League Park concession stand and hired someone from Alabama to run it. The concessions stand had previous raised funds for the Little League ball teams.
A complaint had also been filed that Hammond used her position has mayor to obtain a raise for her son, but the Ethics Commission did not find probable cause in that case.
The ethics complaints were filed by Ann Brooks, Nolan Wilson and Annie Savage.
Hammond was defeated 341 votes to 241 votes in her bid for reelection by now Mayor Freddie McCall. The race received a lot of media attention after Hammond alleged that McCall and new council member Nadine McCaw attempted to buy votes with money and watermelons, allegations that they both denied.
Pictured above: Evelyn Hammond, former Century Mayor, at the ribbon cutting of the Camp Fire USA Childcare facility in Century in January 2007. File photo.
Man Hurt In Molino ATV Accident
August 25, 2008
A 40 year old man was hurt in an ATV accident Sunday evening in Molino and transported to a Pensacola hospital by LifeFlight.
The Molino Volunteer Fire Department responded just before 6:30 p.m.. to a mobile home park located down a dirt lane in the 6000 block of Highway 95A between Nancy Lane and Marge Lane. That is near the Highland Baptist Church. He was transported by LifeFlight from the church parking lot about 6:55.
The man was reportedly injured when he flipped over the ATV he was riding. The accident is under investigation.
Scenes From A Storm
August 25, 2008
Here are some scenes from North Escambia Saturday and Sunday as Tropical Storm Fay crossed the area. Scroll down in the story to see all of the pictures. NorthEscambia photos.
Pictured above: Sandbags were placed at Cooper’s Grocery in Bratt Saturday afternoon in anticipation of heavy rains to come and water running off Highway 4.
Pictured above: Dirt remained at the old Molino Elementary School Sunday, one of the sandbag distribution sites in Escambia County on Saturday.
Pictured above: Highway 29 in Century appeared almost abandoned Saturday afternoon as most people stayed home waiting for the storm to arrive.
Pictured above: It was a wet afternoon for the Century Volunteer Fire Department on Salter’s Lake Road were two trailers were destroyed by a falling tree Saturday afternoon. Read that story and see a photo by clicking here.
Pictured above: The Escambia River near Molino Sunday afternoon. As Fay approached, the river was forecast to have flood, but it did not because the storm never dumped the projected foot or more of rain in the area.
Pictured above: He’s ready for the rain. This duck, presumably from nearby Stone Lake, was walking in a quiet Highway 4 Saturday afternoon.
Pictured above: The flag blows in a light wind Saturday afternoon at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse.
Pictured above: This flag at a home on Highway 97 in Dogwood Park did not fare well in the wind.
Pictured above: Sunday afternoon was peaceful and sometimes sunny on the Escambia River, a great improvement over the original weather forecast for the day.
NorthEscambia.com Questions Escambia School Board District 5 Candidates
August 25, 2008
Three of four candidate for the District 5 seat on the Escambia County School Board responded to a NorthEscambia.com questionnaire that was emailed to each candidate last week.
The questions were emailed Thursday afternoon to the email addresses we had for each candidate. Robert Tegenkamp did not respond to the questions we emailed to the email address he listed with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections.
To read a candidate’s detailed responses to questions about the Escambia School District, the new bus and walk policies, North Escambia Schools and the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School, click the candidate’s name below.
ECUA Candidates Repond To NorthEscambia.com Questions
August 25, 2008
The race for the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority District 5 will be decided by voters on Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com emailed a candidate questionnaire to both candidates in the race last week, using the email addresses each had on file with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections.
Both candidates responded, and you read what they have to say by clicking their names below.
Final County Update On Fay
August 24, 2008
The Escambia County Emergency Operations Center closed at 8:00 Sunday morning. Here is their final update:
Escambia County Emergency Operations
- The Emergency Operations Center deactivated at 8:00 a.m.
- Officials will continue to monitor the rivers.
- At this time, there are no anticipated closings.
Escambia County School District
- Schools will be in session tomorrow.
Shelters
- The American Red Cross shelter at Pensacola High School Gym closed this morning.
- A total of 19 people, 15 clients and 4 special needs patients utilized the shelter.
Sand Bags
- If you have sand bags and once you feel you no longer need the sand and bags, please
- Empty the sand and spread it in your yard.
- Store the bags for future use.
- The bags will not last if stored with sand in them.
Beaches
- Pensacola Beach will continue with normal operations today.
- Yellow flag conditions (swim with caution and where lifeguards are on duty).
Citizen Information Line
- The Citizens Information lines closed at 8:00 a.m. Sunday
Flood Warning Has Been Canceled For Escambia River
August 24, 2008
The Flood Warning has been canceled for the Escambia River near Century.
Sunday morning, the stage was 5.5 feet. No flooding saws occurring, and no flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 17 feet,
Power Companies Report Few Outages
August 24, 2008
Both power companies that serve North Escambia were reported few outages from Fay. By contrast, in Alabama, power companies reported nearly 50,000 people lost power, mostly in a line from Dothan to Montgomery.
Gulf Power company was reported that less than 50 people lost power across all of Escambia County. Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported just a few isolated outages Saturday, and they said crews were quickly able to restore those customers.
Gulf Power Company and Escambia River Electric were on standby to respond to problems.
EREC outages can be reported to their automated system by calling 1-877-OUT-EREC (1-877-388-3732).Gulf Power is able to detect most widespread outages during a storm and customers should wait a reasonable time before calling in an outage report. The company encourages customers to call 1-800-GU-POWER (1-800 487-6937) for reporting outages.
EREC serves about 10,000 members in northern Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, including Walnut Hill, Bratt, Davisville, McDavid and Jay. Gulf Power serves the rest of the North Escambia Florida area, including Molino, Century and Dogwood Park.