Century Seeks Local Bidders For Lighting Project
May 18, 2011
The Town of Century is continuing their efforts to find local contractors to bid on town projects — this time for a lighting replacement project.
Prior to last month, the town had placed their bid solicitations only in the Pensacola News Journal. But now, the town is also posting the bid announcements on NorthEscambia.com in an effort to reach more contractors in Century and surrounding areas.
The town is accepting bids for the replacement of the existing lighting at three municipal buildings, including the town hall. Interested contractors must attend a mandatory pre-bid construction conference on May 19. Click here for the complete bid notice.
Future bid notices will be published on the Northescambia.com Classifieds page, available from the link at the top of this page or by clicking here. NorthEscambia.com is publishing the bid solicitations as a public service at no charge to the town.
Northview Student, Businesses Honored For Ethics
May 18, 2011
Tuesday, the BBB of Northwest Florida presented its sixth annual Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, Customer Service Excellence Award and Student Ethics Scholarships for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The BBB also awarded three, $1,000 Student Ethics Scholarships each to Sarah Malinda Killam from Northview High School, Amber Briana Cotten from Pace High School and Sarah Renee Green from Pace High School. At Tuesday’s awards ceremony, the scholarship winners read their essay on character building, submitted as part of the application process.
The Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics was created to publicly recognize business and charities that insist on exceptionally high standards of behavior dealing with customers, vendors and employees.
This year, your BBB Foundation received several outstanding nominations. Island Realty of Pensacola Beach and the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce both received Honorable Mentions for the Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.
The Torch Award winner for a small business, Medi-Weight Loss Clinics, was recognized for their values-based management. The Torch Award winner for a mid-sized, Sea Gallery Stores, plays an active role in the community and chamber of commerce to promote other businesses in the area.
The recipient of the Torch Award in the charity category goes to Gulf Coast Kid’s House. The non-profit provides child-friendly services, minimize trauma to affected families, and educate the community about child abuse.
The Customer Service Excellence Award honors an individual that goes above and beyond in their customer service activities.
BBB’s Customer Service Excellence Award winner, Gretchen Shields with Granny Nannies, was highly recommended by her both her boss and clients. Amber Wright, BBB Dispute Resolution Specialist, was also recognized with a Customer Service Excellence Award.
Pictured top: Sarah Killam of Northview High School accepts a $1,000 BBB Student Ethics Scholarship Tuesday. Pictured inset: Killam reads here essay on character building, which was required as part of the application process. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Opal Lambeth Valenzuela Free
May 18, 2011
Mrs. Opal Lambeth Valenzuela Free, 55, passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2011, in Davisville.
Mrs. Free was a native of Atmore, a former resident of Bay Minette, and a resident of Davisville for most of her life. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 188 in Century and the Vision Ministry Church of Bay Minette.
Survivors include her husband, Marvin L. Free of Davisville; her son, Chad and Lori Lambeth of Rabon; three daughters, April and Steve Kelley of Perdido, Angel and Denny Carlton of Bay Minette, and Mina Lambeth and Robert Day of Rabon; her mother, Ruth Hadley of Elanor; 11 grandchildren; two brothers, Shannon and Selena Vinson of Elsanor and Daryl and Diane Bryars of Perdido; and a sister, Peggy Sue Naylor of Ft. Myers.
Funeral services will be held Friday, May 20, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Ronald Hall officiating. Burial will follow at White Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 19, 2011, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Denny Carlton, Robert Day, Steve Kelley, Derrick Crocker, Stoney Shiver and Tony Carlton.
Scott Signs Property Insurance Rewrite
May 18, 2011
A sweeping and controversial measure aimed at reducing costs to property insurers and liability for taxpayers was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Rick Scott, who said it was a significant first step in restoring the private insurance market in Florida.
Equally important, Scott said the measure (SB 408) will help lower the number of Florida coastal residents now insured by the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s largest property insurer with 1.3 million policies, by making it easier for private companies to compete.
“We’ve got to recruit other companies, other insurance companies,” Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday in an interview with the News Service. “We’ve got to make sure Citizens goes back to being the insurance company of last resort.”
Among its changes, the bill allows insurance companies to charge more for policies that pay replacement costs up front while offering discounts to policyholders who opt to get reimbursed for lost items as they are replaced.
A major provision places more restrictions on sinkhole coverage. The law makes it easier for insurers to challenge claims and shortens to two years the window in which policyholders can file claims.
“This bill focuses on addressing cost drivers in the system and will yield long-term benefits for Florida by stabilizing the property insurance market and attracting new capital investment to our state.” Said Kevin McCarty, Florida’s insurance commissioner, who supported similar changes that were vetoed last year by then Gov. Charlie Crist.
Less enthused, however, were critics of insurers, led by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who said the changes left many policyholders at risk of losing private insurance altogether and being forced to go into Citizens – the opposite of one of the bill’s intended effects.
“Unfortunately, what happens next is that every home owner, every condominium condo owner, every mobile home owner, and every small business owner will be paying higher premiums to private insurers and will see their rates go up in the next 18 months,” Fasano said in an interview.
Scott’s decision drew immediate praise from the Senate sponsor, business groups, and the industry as a whole.
“(The bill) closes loopholes that invite fraudulent claims by restricting misleading advertising and misleading solicitations,” said Richter, R-Naples, sponsor of the bill. “It also attacks cost drivers in an effort to responsibly lower insurance premiums. With hurricane season quickly approaching, this legislation is critical to ensure a solvent industry that policyholders can rely on.”
The insurance industry lobbied the issue hard. State Farm, Florida’s second largest property insurer behind state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp, spent at least $150,000 for the quarter to press its case to lawmakers. FCCI, a regional commercial insurer, spent more than $250,000 in lobbying fees.
Business groups including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida lauded the signing Tuesday, calling the measure a good first step.
“We should not be requiring all Floridians including businesses, charities, homeowners, churches and automobile policyholders to pay hurricane taxes,” said Jose Gonzales, of AIF. “We should not be subsidizing million dollar beach homes on Florida’s coast and we should not be going into every hurricane season hoping for a miracle.”
Fasano, however, said he hopes to return to the issue when lawmakers return next year after policyholders feel the effects.
“Gov. Scott ran on a platform of no new taxes or fees,” Fasano said. “The law pretty much ensures that we will see a rise in fees, a tax if you will, on all rate payers,”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Robert “Earl” Gafford
May 18, 2011
Mr. Robert “Earl” Gafford, Sr., age 58, passed away Monday, May 16, 2011, at a Crestview hospital.
Mr. Gafford was a native of Pensacola and a resident of Holt for the past 11 years, coming from Pensacola. He worked as a surveyor and was of the Baptist faith. He loved to watch his grandchildren play sports, was a loving family man, and an avid LSU fan. Mr. Gafford was preceded in death by his father, Mr. Otto Stokes, Jr.
He is survived by his mother, Barbara Stokes of Century; his wife, Teresa Broxson of Holt; two sons, Robert Earl Gafford, Jr. of Holt, Jamie Gafford of Century; daughter, Charity Gafford of Milton; stepsons, Joshua and Joseph Johnson of Holt; stepdaughters, Sara Booker of Baker, Amanda Mackey of Pensacola; brothers, John William Gafford of Century, and Otto Stokes III of Century; sisters, Ruby Patricia Tolbert of Brewton, and Barbara Ann Flowers of Pensacola; and 16 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 11 a.m. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Barrow officiating. Interment will follow in Bay Minette Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Wednesday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Katherine R. Cooper
May 18, 2011
Mrs. Katherine R. Cooper, 91, passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2011, at a local hospital.
Mrs. Cooper was a native of Talasheek, LA, a resident of Atmore, for the past 41 years, a retired co-manager of the Super 5 & 10, and attended the Baptist church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She lived here as a child and was a 5th and 6th Grader at Rachel Patterson School.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John E. and Olive Ritchey, Sr., and four siblings, Herbert Doyle Ritchey, Thelma Ritchey Nall, Margaret Ritchey Pattillo, and John E. Ritchey, Jr.
She is survived by her Husband of 70 years, Benjamin Yancy Cooper, Jr. of Atmore; two sons, Benjamin Yancy and Kay Cooper II of Falls Church, VA, and Kenneth Milton and Dawn Cooper of Atmore; her daughter, Kay Cooper Porter of St. Louis, MO; five grandchildren, Claire and Peter Newton, Colin Porter, Alex and Maggie Cooper, Benjamin Yancy Cooper IV and Courtney Cooper; and a great-grandchild, Cooper Newton.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 19, 2011, at 4:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Jerry Keese officiating Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 19, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. until funeral time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Gladys M. Middleton
May 18, 2011
Gladys M. Middleton, 89 of Atmore, died Saturday May 14, 2011, in Atmore. She was born on July 05, 1921, in Milton to the late Nealy Jefferson and Nettie Sanders Martin.
Earlier in her adult life, Gladys was an auto parts salesperson at her family’s business, Martin Automotive Supply in Atmore, and later with Haskew owned and operated Middleton’s Grocery in Atmore.
She was preceded in death by a grandson, Will Middleton.
She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Haskew Middleton of Atmore; one son, Bob Middleton of Orange Beach; one daughter, Pam Middleton of Irvington, NY; one sister, Edna Barrentine of Spanish Fort; two grandchildren, Adam Middleton of Atlanta and Jill Middleton of Daphne; and one great-grandchild, Will Middleton.
Services were held Tuesday May 17, 2011, from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Arnold Hendrix officiating, Interment followed in Oak Hill Cemetery. Active Pallbearers were Floyd Adams, Adam Middleton, Steve Jernigan, James Norris, Fritz Curry and Lowell McGill.
Family received friends Monday evening May 16, 2011, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Charles Van Kilgore
May 18, 2011
Mr. Charles Van Kilgore, age 70, passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at his Flomaton residence.
Graveside funeral services for Mr. Kilgore will be held on Friday, May 20, 2011, at 10 a.m. at Green Acres Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be held at Craver’s Funeral Home on Thursday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
I-65 Wreck, Detour Causes Traffic Problems In Atmore, Nokomis
May 17, 2011
A wreck on I-65 between the Perdido and Jack Springs Road exits had northbound interstate traffic detoured through Atmore Tuesday evening. For about two hours, traffic was detoured along Highway 31 to Industrial Drive and then to Jack Springs Road and back to I-65.
The detour was caused by a 18-wheeler wreck and fire at the 46-mile marker on the interstate, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation. Further details about the I-65 wreck were not available from Alabama State Troopers.
There was also a three-vehicle accident on Highway 31 near Main Street during the detour period that caused additional problems in Atmore.
By 8:15 p.m., traffic in Atmore and Nokomis had returned to normal as I-65 northbound reopened.
One Dead, One Injured In Escambia County Shooting
May 17, 2011
One person is dead and other is recovering after a double shooting in Escambia County.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Diego Circle of Massachusetts Avenue about 11 p.m. Monday where they found Broderick J. Jermaine, 31, shot to death in a driveway. Michael V. Wells, 24, suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot would to the leg, was found in a nearby park.
Several witnesses were located but provided few details about the shootings, according to the Sheriff’s Office. There were no arrests.