George Bernard Price
February 16, 2012
George Bernard Price, age 85, of Pensacola passed away February 13, 2012. George’s first love was his Lord and Savior. He was a loving and dedicated husband, father and grandfather. He loved his North Carolina heritage and he loved to travel and see new places. George was dedicated to his work and the Cantonment Masonic Lodge # 322, where he served as Past Master in 1979 and Chaplin in 1982. He took early retirement as an engineer from Monsanto and went on to work with John Brown Construction Firm until the age of 73. George has 13 U.S. registered patients.
He served in the army and was a proud WWII veteran.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Jobe J. Price and Margaret L. Roberts Price, his wife Elzona Price and his daughter Shanda Lynn Price, two brothers and three sisters.
Survivors include his three children, Janice Poolson (Jules), Stephen M. Price, Darren Price (Melissa), and one step-son Brant Webb (Cheryl), four grandchildren, Darren Price, Jr., William Moody (Lee Ann), Sherry Livingston (Jeremiah), Kevin Moody (Misty), six great grandchildren, Allie and Davis Warren, Courtney and Kelsy Moody, Addison and Fisher Moody, one sister Mary Nichols and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank all of the staff, doctors and nurses of Baptist Hospital for the loving care given to their father. Thanks also to the Health Center of Pensacola “A” wing, and Covenant Hospice especially Father John Conrad and Jessie Adelamn for their comfort and support at the end.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Pastor Brent French officiating.
Serving, as pallbearers will be William and Kevin Moody, Ben and Sam Poolson, Jeremiah Livingston and Jules Poolson.
Interment will follow at Bayview Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to service time.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Blue Jacket Jamboree Is Saturday; Win Tickets Today
February 15, 2012
The Northview FFA Alumni will present the annual Blue Jacket Jamboree on Saturday, February 18 featuring the CGMA Country Group of the Year “The Springs”.
The Springs have shared the stage with country greats like Alan Jackson, Craig Moran, Toby Keith and Reba McIntire with their high energy brand of Country/Southern Rock.
Nominated along with Steel Magnolia, Sugarland, and Lady Antebellum for the New Music Awards “Country Group of the Year”, The Springs are seen by some as the “next big thing” in country music. The all-male group has also had two Christian country number one songs.
To learn more about The Springs and hear samples of their music, click here.
To register to win a pair of tickets to the Blue Jacket Jamboree, visit our Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/NorthEscambia
On the Facebook page, comment on the post about the Blue Jacket Jamboree, and you are entered to win. (If you have not already, you must “LIKE” our Facebook page to comment.)
Tickets for the Blue Jacket Jamboree are $20 per person which includes a pulled pork sandwich meal. The event takes place beginning at 5 p.m. rain or shine on Saturday, February 18 in the Northview High School Auditorium. The event will also include an auction.
Tickets are available now at Smith Tractor Company in Jay and Atmore, Century Pharmacy and Scott’s Pharmacy in Molino. For more information, visit BlueJacketJamboree.com.
The Blue Jacket Jamboree is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com, Cat Country, 98.7 and Your Country 102.7 WXBM.
The Northview FFA Alumini uses proceeds from the event for scholarships for eligible seniors and transportation for FFA members to state and national conventions.
Details Released On Century Drug Search Arrests
February 15, 2012
More details have been released about what the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit found inside a Century mobile home last week as they executed a search warrant.
The search warrant was executed about 7:30 p.m. last Thursday at a mobile home in the 100 block of West Highway 4 near the Century Care Center nursing home.
Karen Louise Quinley, 43, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and destruction of evidence. She was released from Escambia County Jail on a $26,000 bond. Cortez Rasheen Davison, 18, was charged with cocaine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, while Nakeetric Devonte Davison, 19, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men were released from jail on $10,500 bond each.
After gaining entry to the mobile home, deputies reported finding Quinley in her bedroom. Quinley told deputies that she had tried to throw crack cocaine out of her bedroom window when she heard them at the door, but she was unable to get a window to open.
Nakeetric Davison told deputies that everything in his bedroom belonged to him, including the marijuana located by deputies. When asked by deputies if he sells marijuana, Nakeetric Davison reportedly replied “Yeah, I don’t have a job”.
Cortez Davison, according to his arrest report, identified his bedroom but refused to answer further questions, instead asking for an attorney.
During a search of Karen Quinley’s room, deputies reported finding:
- two small bags of cocaine in Quinley’s pocket
- one small bag with cocaine residue in Quinley’s pocket
- crack cocaine on the floor and dresser
- small digital scales
- about $265 in currency
- pill bottle with unknown pills and pre-packaged cocaine
In Cortez Davison’s bedroom, deputies reported finding:
- powder cocaine in box on floor
- digital scales that field tested positive for cocaine residue
- about $130 in cash on his person
During a search of Nakeetric Davison’s bedroom, deputies reported finding:
- plastic baggie with marijuana on table top
- box of sandwich bags on table top
- plastic baggie with marijuana on bed headboard
- plastic container with pre-packaged marijuana under bed
- Pringles can with pre-packaged marijuana under bed
- cookie container with pre-packaged marijuana under bed
- “Owe Sheets” on floor
- about $165 in cash on his person.
- The total weight of marijuana reported to be found in Nakeetric Davison’s bedroom was 417.6 grams.
During a search of the kitchen and living room areas of the mobile home, deputies reported finding:
- straw and baggie field tested positive for cocaine in kitchen sink
- metal measuring cup field tested positive for cocaine in kitchen cabinet
- crack cocaine on kitchen table
- plastic baggie with cocaine residue and straw field test positive for cocaine on kitchen table
- about $7 in currency
Portion Of Highway 29 To Close Nightly In Cantonment
February 15, 2012
A portion of Highway 29 near International Paper will be closed nightly for the next several weeks.
Southbound Highway in Cantonment from Muscogee Road to the Alabama Gulf Coast rail line will be reduced to one lane from Wednesday, February 15 to Friday, March 9 for road construction activities. The nightly lane closure will remain in effect from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.
Drivers are reminded to pay attention to the speed limit when traveling through the construction area, and to use caution, especially at night when driving in work zones, according to Tanya Branton, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation.
Century Mayor, Pensacola Councilman Attend Regional Cities Meeting
February 15, 2012
Century’s mayor and a Pensacola city councilman attended the recent Northwest Florida League of Cities and Suwannee River League of Cities first annual Joint Board of Directors Meeting and Fellowship Dinner.
Mayor Freddie McCall of Century and Councilman P.C. Wu of Pensacola were among representatives in attendance from 70 member towns and cities from a 27 county area in the Northwest Florida and Suwannee River region. McCall and Wu serve on the board of directors from the Northwest Florida League of Cities.
Elected officials and municipal staff members were urged to strive for excellence through education.
Pictured: Pensacola Councilman P.C. Wu (near center holding white folder) and Century Mayor Freddie McCall (just to the left behind Wu) attended a joint board of directors meeting for the Northwest Florida League of Cities and Suwannee River League of Cities. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dogs Seized After Authorities Find 90 Animals In Poor Conditions
February 15, 2012
Escambia County Animal Control officers seized about 20 dogs from a North Escambia property Tuesday after finding about 90 animals living in poor conditions.
Animal control responded to the property in the 2800 block of Lawson Lane off Jacks Branch Road in response to a dog bite complaint. When they arrived, they discovered 50 or more dogs, 20 hogs and about 17 goats, according to Kelly Cooke, spokesperson for Escambia County.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies stood by as county animal control officers seized about 20 of the dogs. “They were the ones that were in really, really bad health or bad shape,” Cooke said.
About a half dozen of the dogs were improperly tethered, while most of the 50 dogs had improper shelter or pens, according to Escambia County Animal Control.
Cooke said that the Escambia County Animal Shelter would head to court seeking custody of the animals, and criminal charges may be filed against the property owner.
Escambia County Animal Control officials believe the animals may have been involved in some type of hunting activity where the dogs were released to hunt the hogs. Cooke said most of the dogs were some sort of hound breed, while about 10 were possibly a bulldog breed. She said that animals did not appear to have been involved in any dog fighting activities.
The incident remains under investigation.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Injured In Crash With Deer
February 15, 2012
One person received minor injuries in a collision with a deer Tuesday night in McDavid.
The wreck happened just after 11 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Highway 29 at South Pine Barren Road. The vehicle came to rest in a wooded area just off the roadway. The female driver was transported by ambulance to West Florida Hospital.
The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. The McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash.
PSC Approves Lower Gulf Power Fuel Cost Rate
February 15, 2012
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a proposal that will lead to customers of Gulf Power Company receiving a break on their monthly electric bills.
The Pensacola-based utility will pass along savings stemming from lower-than-expected costs of natural gas. Effective March 1, a residential customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month — a common measuring stick — would see a $3.34, or 2.6 percent, reduction. The electricity bill for a residential customer buying 1,000 kilowatt-hours decreases to $122.46, or less than the $124.10 cost for the same amount of electricity in 2009.
Costs of natural gas and other power-plant fuels are a major component of customers’ electric bills. The PSC approved projected 2012 fuel costs in November, but Gulf Power sought a revision last month.
“We have worked very hard to manage our fuel mix to provide affordable, reliable electric service to our customers,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power Corporate Communication supervisor. “We wanted to pass these savings to customers now instead of waiting until the next scheduled filing at the end of the year.”
“The PSC’s authority to adjust the fuel charge protects customers from higher energy bills and allows consumers to stretch their dollars as Florida’s economy continues to improve,” commission Chairman Ronald Brise said in a prepared statement.
Gulf’s customer bills could change again this year, however, because the utility has proposed raising base electric rates. The PSC could make a decision on that request February 27.
The News Service Florida contributed to this report.
Drought Continues, Worries Area Farmers
February 15, 2012
Despite our recent rains, the North Escambia area remains in a drought as area farmers head toward spring planting season.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows the area in a moderate to severe drought — a drought that has persisted about a year. Most of Escambia County in Florida, except for an area along the Alabama state line, and Santa Rosa County are in severe drought. Escambia County, Alabama, and adjacent areas in Florida are in a moderate drought.
Less than half the normal precipitation fell across much of the are during the last 90 days with some areas with a deficit of as much as 10 inches in the past four months. The seasonal drought outlook for the period through April 30 does not show any improvement for the North Escambia area with overall dry conditions continuing.
Last year, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were declared federal disaster areas due to the combined effect of excessive drought and the summer’s high temperatures. Many farmers lost a large percentage of their crops to the dry soils.
The U.S. Drought Monitor is published by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln using a variety of climatic data.
Pictured top: A field of corn is irrigated last May at Highway 4 and Dortch Road in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Florida Prison Privatization Bill Dies
February 15, 2012
A bipartisan coalition of senators bucked the chamber’s Republican leadership Tuesday and rejected a proposal to privatize several prisons, but got warnings from leaders that it will have a cost in further budget cuts.
In a dramatic showdown with Senate President Mike Haridopolos and three other top leaders – one of whom controls the Senate’s budget, one who controls the calendar and one who will be the next president – opponents of the bill managed to kill it on a 19-21 vote.
The odd coalition that lined up against the bill included Republican populists who have become occasional mavericks, Democrats and some members of the GOP caucus that almost always vote with their party, but come from areas laden with corrections officers who opposed the idea.
The measure was sold as a simple savings measure by most of its backers. The bill (SB 2083) would have required bidders to guarantee 7 percent savings over what the Department of Corrections currently spends to run the prisons, which are spread across 18 South Florida counties. That would amount to about $16.5 million minimum in savings, supporters argued.
That “will buy a lot of textbooks,” said Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.
But senator after senator rose on the floor to raise objections – some said the savings wouldn’t materialize, others argued the state could just as easily find 7 percent savings if pressed. Some said the companies that would bid couldn’t be trusted to run them well – or would skimp on safety, all arguments that backers rejected.
But most said they were opposed to the measure because it would do wrong by corrections officers who have a tough life as it is, working for little pay among some of the toughest working conditions imaginable.
Sen. Paula Dockery talked about the nasty working conditions faced by guards, and noted the private companies would likely find the required cost savings by cutting benefits.
“‘This is the way we’re going to treat them?” Dockery asked. “‘We should be thanking all those brave men and women … and not try to shunt you off on a private corporation who may or may not hire you.”
Sen. Dennis Jones, who voted against the measure, also spoke up for state-employed prison guards, with a little bit of a jab at his Republican colleagues, who aren’t generally well liked by many state government workers because of their zeal for shrinking the state workforce.
“You know, what’s wrong with state employees?” Jones asked. “They’re our employees. We should be taking care of them instead of kicking them under the bus.”
But defeating the measure would come with consequences warned Sen. Don Gaetz, in line to be the next president. The Republican from Niceville predicted caustically that many of those who voted against the bill would likely be the same people coming to the Senate’s budget chairman, Sen. JD Alexander, pleading for a few extra dollars here and there for various prized programs. The money already was tight and certainly isn’t there now, he said, with at least $16 million in savings passed up with the rejection of prison privatization.
“The burden lies heavy on those who vote no and then come to Sen. Alexander” to ask for money in the budget, Gaetz said. “At a time when we are stacking pennies to take care of the critical needs of Florida, is there not some way we can find to do our jobs better?”
In addition to Alexander and Gaetz, the bill was also backed by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, rules chairman and the sponsor of the bill. He acknowledged the gallery full of corrections officers watching debate and said he appreciates them greatly. But he said he listened to the voters who sent him to Tallahassee.
“They didn’t tell me to come here and grow government, they told me to come here and limit government,” Thrasher said.
Two Republican opponents who don’t usually bolt their own party, but who vocally opposed the privatization measure were Sens. Steve Oelrich of Cross Creek and Charlie Dean of Inverness. Both are former sheriffs, and have run jails. Both also live in areas with huge numbers of corrections officers and other state workers.
Oelrich said that there are just some things that only government should do.
“I’m scared about the whole idea of private companies taking away someone’s freedom … with the primary notion that we expect them to spend less dollars, to save dollars,” said Oelrich. “I know there is a chance we could save some money…..If the governor wants to cut 7 percent out of the corrections budget then lo and behold let him to do that, he’s the chief executive.”
Dean agreed, saying savings should be found “on the back of the DOC employees.
“Jailing for profit is not the public good,” Dean said.
A few questions remain about the fate of the privatization effort this year. For one, backers say the governor has the authority to privatize prisons unilaterally, whether the Legislature wants them to be privatized or not.
Also, the Legislature passed the privatization plan last year, though it was stuck in the state budget in a way that lawmakers who opposed it couldn’t really vote against it because they supported the rest of the spending plan. A judge threw out that privatization requirement, which was the reason it resurfaced this year. A spokesman for the Police Benevolent Association, which sued over that law, said it wasn’t clear what would happen if the state prevailed in its appeal. Theoretically, it could probably move forward.
Thirdly, other efforts to privatize prisons remain – a couple of proposals for privatization are contained in other budget language filed this year.
Haridopolos said Tuesday after the vote that he isn’t sure where the money will come from to make up for the savings, but noted that education and health care, the two biggest parts of the budget, but also two of the most supported areas, are the likeliest targets.
By The News Service of Florida