Week Long Open House Continues At Century Care Center
May 15, 2008
A week long open house continues today at Century Care Center to celebrate National Nursing Home Week.
Today will be “Field Day” with BBQ, games, a bake sale. There will also be a dunking booth with Administrator Don Ripley and Greg Brock. A pie-in-the-face booth will feature Doris Jackson, Florida’s nurse administrator of the year.
Friday’s activities will include a special performance by Canticle, featuring music for the harp, woodwinds and voice.
Looking For Something To Do? Need To Tell People About Your Event?
May 14, 2008
If you want to know what is going on in the North Escambia area, visit our community events calendar listing. There are currently about two dozen reader submitted events in the next few weeks listed on the page.
To see the community events page, simply click “EVENTS” in the bar near the top of the page, or click here.
We will be happy to run your church, civic or other non-profit community event taking place in North Escambia at no charge. Please submit your event(s) as early as possible prior to the event date to news@northescambia.com or click here for our contact form.
FHP Plans Checkpoints
May 14, 2008
The Florida Highway Patrol will be conducting driver license and vehicle inspection checkpoints this week in Escambia County at the locations listed below.
Checkpoints will be setup on:
- State Road 97 northern Escambia County
- Johnson Avenue east of Davis Highway
- Massachusetts Avenue west of Hollywood Blvd.
- Tonawanda Drive east of 61st Avenue
- Border Street at SR10A overpass
- Avery Street west of “W” Street
- Hancock Road east of Old Palafox Highway
- Pipeline Road south of Rambler Drive
- Jernigan Road south of Nine Mile Road
- Patricia Drive north of Fairfield Drive
Recognizing the danger presented to the public by defective vehicle equipment, troopers will concentrate their efforts on vehicles being operated with defects such as bad brakes, worn tires and defective lighting equipment. In addition, attention will be directed to drivers who would violate the driver license laws of Florida.
The patrol has found these checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing the equipment and driver license laws of Florida while ensuring the protection of all motorists.
Northview NJROTC Students Take To The Seas
May 14, 2008
Northview High School’s NJROTC recently left the classroom and took to the waters around Pensacola on the USCGC Bonito.
Twenty four cadets were underway for two hours observing the operations of the 87′ Coast Guard coastal patrol boat from Pensacola NAS. They spent time on the bridge, in the engine room, in the ship’s galley and on deck.
The NHS students manned the helm and handled lines upon returning to port. They also participated in a simulated man overboard situation.
The Officer in Charge of the Bonito is BMCM Przybylski, and it has a crew of 10. The USCGC Bonito is capable of a number of missions, but its primary role on the Gulf Coast is search and rescue, combating smuggling and illegal immigration.
For a complete photo gallery, click here.
Pictured above: Northview NJRTOC students on the USCGC Bonito. Pictured below, kneeling (L-R): Deniece Jordan; Ashia Brown; Anna Baker; Thomas Walston; Tyler Garrrett; Dan Jordan; Zach Byers; Colton Kawamuara. Standing: Zach Lamb; John Waters; Willie Davis; Katie Mann; Josh Chavers; Aaron Hammond; Monica Mclain; Ryan Busbee; Charles Rolin; Will Conway; Tyler Hunter; Brantley Gardner; Jessica Bloodsworth; Miranda Scott; Clint Davis. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
PER Seeks Home For Young Colt
May 14, 2008
Panhandle Equine Rescue is seeking foster care or a permanent adoption home for a nine month old colt.
“He is very sweet and is currently in obedience training. He’ll be gelded next week,” PER President Diane Lowery said. “We need to place him in a safe and loving home after that. His trainer says he is going to make someone a very nice gelding.”
Panhandle Equine Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. It is authorized by the Escambia County court system to investigate equine reports in the county.
For more information, call 587-2754.
Driver ID’d In Alcohol Related Crash That Leaves Part Of Century In Dark; Leads To Helicopter Search
May 13, 2008
An alcohol-related one vehicle accident in Century Monday night 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.
A Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Vinita M. Hertz, 33, of Milton struck a power pole along North Century Boulevard just before 8:30 Monday night. The passenger door of the truck struck the pole, breaking the pole and sending power lines down across Highway 29. The accident happened near the intersection of Henry Street, just south of Radio Shack.
Hertz reportedly told authorities that she was a passenger in the vehicle, not the driver. That prompted a search by rescue crews and then by dogs from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and the Sheriff’s Department helicopter for a possible second victim. Another person was not located after an extensive search. Hertz was transported from the scene by ambulance to Jay Hospital in serious condition.
Hertz was headed south on North Century Boulevard when she passed out at the wheel, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, and rotated into the utility pole.
The FHP crash report indicates that alcohol was a factor in the crash and that charges are pending. The FHP says Hertz was not wearing a seatbelt.
The broken power pole and downed lines cut power in Century from the power substation at Howard Street and North Century Boulevard, north to the Alabama state line. That left 156 customers without power, according to Gulf Power. Power was fully restored by 3:21 a.m. Tuesday.
By 10:30, traffic on Highway 29 was once again flowing both north and south with some delays as Gulf Power worked to replace the broken pole.
The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
For more photos from the crash scene, click here.
Pictured above: This truck crashed into this power pole Monday night in Century, plunging the north part of the town into the dark. Laundry is seen scattered around the truck. Pictured below: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Department dog arrives on scene to search for a possible second person from the truck. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
NWE Panhandle Cafe Cooks Jay Shell
May 13, 2008
Northwest Escambia beat Jay Shell by a score of 7 to 1 Monday night.
EWMS and NHS Bands Hold Their Annual Spring Concert
May 13, 2008
Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High school bands held their annual Spring Concert Monday night at Northview.
The concert included performances by both the beginning and advanced band students from Ernest Ward. Musical arrangements included When the Saints Go Marching In, Monmouth Overture and Go Big Blue, the EWMS Fight Song.
The Northview High School third period chorus group entertained the audience in the NHS theater with their rendition of The Music of the Night by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Colors of the Wind.
The Northview High School Color Guard for 2007-2008 performed to Crazy In Love. The new Color Guard for 2008-2009 gave the audience a glimpse of what they have to look forward to when they take to the field in the fall with a performance that included songs from The Lord of the Rings; Jump, Jive and Wail and China Grove. The NHS Majorettes had fun performing to the Meet the Flintstones theme song.
Also performing Monday night was the Percussion Ensemble with The Elmhurst Quintet; the Clarinet Ensemble to the music of Mozart’s Allegro and the Brass Ensemble playing Three Renaissance Dances by Susato.
The Northview High School “Tribal Beat” Band closed the evening with Devonshire Overture under the direction of Charles Tucker with Assistant Director Joe Wright.
Pictured above: Band Director Charles Tucker leads the Ernest Ward Middle School Beginning Band to start Monday night’s annual band concerts at Northview High School. Pictured below: Tucker takes a bow. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gas Prices Soar To New Record High Monday In North Escambia
May 13, 2008
On Monday, gas prices once again hit a new record across the North Escambia area.
The Tom Thumb in Molino, traditionally one of the cheapest gas stations in North Escambia, was selling a gallon of regular unleaded for $3.75 late Monday afternoon. Monday night in Century, that same gallon of gas was at $3.79. Meanwhile, diesel in Molino climbed to a new high of $4.29 per gallon.
A barrel of oil closed up at $124.23 on Monday. The national price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $3.71, the highest average price ever recorded by AAA.
The McDavid Hard To Find Serious Accident That Wasn’t Serious
May 13, 2008
Two area fire departments spent about 15 minutes searching for a reported serious accident on Highway 29 Monday afternoon, only to find a very minor accident and a person that may have been suffering from a medical problem.
Authorities say a 911 caller reported about 6:40 that they had been involved in a one vehicle accident on the northbound side of Highway 29 just north of the sawmill and Champion Drive in McDavid. The caller reported that they had struck a utility pole or a tree, and that they were trapped in their vehicle unable to open the car’s doors. The McDavid and Molino volunteer fire departments were dispatched to the area along with Baptist Hospital’s LifeFlight helicopter.
After about a 15 minute search of the area, the firefighters were unable to locate the accident north of the sawmill. They did, however, locate a vehicle matching the caller’s description about a mile and a half south of the sawmill on the southbound side of Highway 29.
The vehicle had lightly struck a fence post at a low speed, causing only very minor damage to the Pontiac Gran Prix’s front bumper. The caller was not trapped.
Since LifeFlight had already arrived over the scene at the time the vehicle was located, officials made the decision to transport the victim to Baptist Hospital by helicopter. The southbound lanes of Highway 29 were shut down for a short time while LifeFlight landed.
Authorities say the female victim did not appear to have been seriously injured in the accident, but she was possibly suffering from a medical condition.