Ernest Ward Middle School Names Students Of The Month
May 9, 2011
Ernest Ward Middle School has named their Students of the Month for April. They are (L-R) James White, Courtney Weekley and Jon Michael Hart. Submitted photo for Northescambia.com, click to enlarge.
Earline White Howell
May 9, 2011
Ms. Earline White Howell, 63, passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2011, at a Pensacola hospital.
Ms. Howell was a native of Flomaton, a former resident of Molino, and a resident of McDavid for the past 12 years. She was an employee with Stone Container, battled cancer very courageously for 18 years and attended the Gospel Light Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Narvie Lee and Agnes White, and a half-brother, James Graves.
She is survived by her son, Rodney Eugene Howell of Molino; her daughter, Robin Howell Cofield of McDavid; five grandchildren, Hunter Cofield, Levi Cofield, Josh Howell, David Thompson and Daniel Thompson; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Buddy and Vernia White of Flomaton, and Donald and Dellene Graves of Gulfport; and three sisters, Louise Harwell of Century, Carolyn and Leslie Griffin of Windfield, LA, and Dorothy and Ralph Reed of Gautier.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at 4:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Wayne Weekly officiating.
Burial will follow at Traveler’s Rest Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Monday, May 9, 2011, from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home in Atmore.
‘Thank You Jesus’ – No Injuries in Bratt Wreck
May 8, 2011
“All Is Well. Thank You Jesus” — those were the words spray-painted on an overturned Chevrolet Blazer discovered this morning on Hanks Road near Pine Barren Road in Bratt.
There was no one around the vehicle when authorities responded. Using the vehicle’s registration information, they determined the Blazer’s owner lived a short distance away. They found the driver, 50-year old Juanita Fears, about to leave her home — and head to church.
Fears told authorities that she had fallen asleep on her way home earlier in the morning. She was not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: There were no injuries in this accident Sunday morning on Hanks Road in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Man, 53, Dies In Highway 95A Crash
May 8, 2011
(UPDATED) A Molino man was killed in a wreck near his home sometime early Saturday morning or late Friday night.
Reuben B. Ard, Jr., 53, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which was discovered by a passerby about 6:30 a.m. on Highway 95A at Barrineau Park Road. Authorities said the crash had occurred perhaps several hours before it was discovered. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
Ard lost control in a curve as he traveled north on Highway 95A and ran off the road into a heavily wooded area where he struck several tree..
Pictured: A Molino man died Saturday morning in this crash on Highway 95A near his home. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Century Celebrates Sawmill Day
May 8, 2011
The Sawmill Day heritage festival was held Saturday in Century’s historical park. The event included a variety of entertainment, displays, arts, crafts, food, an antique car show and more.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event and car show, click here.
There were about 40 participants in the car show. Ron Watkins, Jr.’s 1972 Buick GS took Best of Show in the event.
Century Sawmill Day Car Show winners were:
Best of Show
9 – Ron Wadkins, Jr. – 72 Buick GS
Next Ten (alphabetical, not necessarily in finishing order)
12 – Dennis Ard – 80 Pontiac TransAm
18 – Jerry Dawson – 70 Chevelle SS
4 – Gerald DuBose – 40 Chevy Coupe
3 – Joe Linsy – 50 Ford Coupe
32 – Freddie McCall – 40 Ford 2-Door Sedan
33 – Freddie McCall – 34 Ford 3-window Coupe
1 – Betty Tharp – 67 Camaro
10 – Earl Tisdale – 30 Model A
11 – Diane Van Leer – 55 Chevy BelAir
5 – Ron Wadkins, Jr. – 57 Chevy BelAir
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Celebrating Mayfest
May 8, 2011
From beautiful babies, cute dogs, arts and crafts, entertainment and plenty of fun, Mayfest 2011 had a little bit of something for everyone Saturday at Tom Byrne Park in Atmore. Hundreds attended the annual event.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from Mayfest in Atmore, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Cantonment Farmer’s Market Huge Success
May 8, 2011
Organizers said the first Market at Saint Monica’s was a huge success Saturday with 10 vendors selling everything from grass-fed beef to homemade candles.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Participating vendors included, Hastings Grass Fed Beef, Country Baked Goods & Fresh Salsas, C & D Mill, Kelly’s Mayhaw Berries & Jelly, The Farm at Enoch’s Walk, Ladybug Acres Natural Growers, Tracie’s Candles, Shirley’s Creations, Jennifer Kizer Photography, and St. Monica’s Church. Other vendors scheduled to participate in future markets include Steve’s Farm, Bill and Patty Putters, Beck’s Lake Farm and Stephanie’s Raw Honey.
The next Market at Saint Monica’s is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 from 8 am until noon at the church, located at 699 South Highway 95A in Cantonment. Vendor applications are still being accepted at www.st-monicas.org/market.html.
Pictured: Scenes from the first Market at Saint Monica’s Saturday in Cantonment. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gas Prices Still Going Up, But Expected To Drop By Summer
May 8, 2011
As a gallon of regular unleaded gas moves dangerously close to $4 a gallon in the North Escambia area, some analysts are predicting a little relief will arrive by June with a total price drop around 50 cents a gallon.
Crude oil tumbled about 15 percent in the last week, but gas prices did not follow. The average price of a gallon of standard-grade gasoline in Escambia County was $3.91 on Saturday — slightly better than the statewide average of $3.93. That’s an increase of 22 cents per a gallon from the month-ago price of $3.71, according to the daily price survey published by AAA. The same gallon of gas was $2.89 at this time last year.
The current national retail average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline is $3.95. This is up nine cents from a week ago, 32 cents from a month ago and $1.07 from a year ago. In the last week, seven states have seen their average price rise to $4 or more for a gallon of regular gasoline, bringing the total to 13 states plus the District of Columbia at or above the $4 mark.
Pictured: A gallon of regular unleaded was $3.89 Saturday at the Tom Thumb in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
600 Students Take On Sunshine Math; Wins For Molino Park, Jim Allen
May 8, 2011
There was lots more than two plus two Saturday at the University of West Florida Field House as about 600 third, fourth and fifth grade students from almost every Escambia County elementary school took part in the annual Sunshine Math Competition.
Students competed both individually and as teams in the event that challenges their math skills. The math whizzes were chosen as the best from each school in their weekly Sunshine Math events.
Among the North Escambia participating schools, the Jim Allen Elementary School “Team 1″ took first place for the fifth grade, and Molino Park Elementary “Team 2″ took finished in third place for the third grade.
In the individual categories, Dalton Brown of Molino Park finished third in the fourth grade division.
For a more photos, click here.
The complete winner’s list was as follows:
Team Competition Winners
Third Grade
1st Place: Hellen Caro, Team 1
2nd Place: Pensacola Beach, Team 1
3rd Place: Molino Park, Team 2
Fourth Grade
1st Place: Hellen Carro, Team 1
2nd Place: Hellen Carro, Team 2
3rd Place: Longleaf, Team 1
Fifth Grade
1st Place: Jim Allen, Team 1
2nd Place: McArthur, Team 2
3rd Place: N.B. Cook, Team 1
Individual Competition Winners
Third Grade
1st Place: Lizzie Davis – Cordova Park
2nd Place: Sophie Faircloth – Pensacola Beach
3rd Place: Nolan Costa – Hellen Caro
Fourth Grade
1st Place: John Dixon – Longleaf
2nd Place: Maxwell Alderman – N.B. Cook
3rd Place: Dalton Brown — Molino Park
Fifth Grade
1st Place: Drake Taylor – Scenic Heights
2nd Place: Kareem Bataineh – Cordova Park
3rd Place: Prescott Morre — Lipscomb
Pictured top: Jim Allen Elementary School “Team 1″ took first place for the fifth grade and (pictured inset) Molino Park Elementary “Team 2″ took third place in the third grade category. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lawmakers Send Unemployment Package To Rick Scott
May 8, 2011
The Legislature on Friday gave final approval to a bill that will cut the duration of state unemployment benefits, linking the time those benefits are available to the strength of the economy.
Following a flurry of last-minute deals, the Florida House approved a measure (HB 7005) in the waning hours of the session that reduces the maximum number of weeks that employees can collect state unemployment benefits and bolsters protections for employers when workers appeal their firings and seek benefits.
Backers say the measure will save business owners about $18 per employee when begins in 2012, though the number would vary depending on the jobless rate.
“It’s a great compromise, a great gift to the business industry,” said Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice. “We don’t create jobs, here but we can create the climate for jobs… This does really help create a very good business climate in the state of Florida.”
The bill would reduce the maximum duration of state benefits from 26 weeks to 23 weeks if the unemployment rate remains above 10.5 percent. If the jobless rate drops below that, the duration of benefits declines gradually, and would max out at 12 weeks if unemployment gets as low as 5 percent. The unemployment rate in Florida in March was 11.1 percent.
The bill does not affect federal unemployment benefits – which can go on for many more weeks – or food stamps. The bill was approved by the Senate on a 27-11 vote. The House followed suit a few hours later, approving the measure 80-38.
Friday’s vote came despite the objections of union representatives who said the changes unfairly target workers during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. They also dismissed the argument that it takes less time for a worker to find a job when the jobless rate is low.
“The business community has convinced the Legislature that they shouldn’t have to pay their taxes,” said Rich Templin, a lobbyist for the labor union AFL-CIO. “The way they’re snaking out of it is to put it on the backs of workers. It’s disgusting. That bill is disgusting.”
The current maximum unemployment benefit dollar amount stays the same under the measure, at $275 a week, which opponents pointed out, is already near the bottom of states. Federal statistics show the state’s average weekly benefit is just over $230.
Employers, who pay into a state trust fund on the first $7,000 of a worker’s wages, have complained that they’ve been hard hit by increases in the tax, which has gone up as unemployment has increased.
Even worse for businesses, the state trust fund has dropped into the red and has had to borrow about $2 billion from the federal government to pay benefits. Interest on that is due, and that payment is being passed on to businesses. Backers including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and others have also focused on the appeals process, which they claim is weighted in favor of employees.
“The big benefits are procedural,” said Tami Perdue, an attorney with Associated Industries of Florida. “We’ve had a lot of employers complaining about when they dismiss an employee for misconduct, the employees are still getting benefits and they shouldn’t. We’re talking egregious stories like theft, drunkenness, stuff like that.”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida