Nancy Jo Vickery
November 18, 2016
Nancy Jo Vickery, 78, of Cantonment, FL, passed away Tuesday, November 15, 2016. She was a longtime member of Cottage Hill Baptist Church. Nancy was an avid bowler, loved gardening and yard sales.
She is preceded in death by her husband, W.L. ‘Red” Vickery; son, Randy Vickery; and her father, E.T. Pledger, Jr.
She is survived by her son, Jimmy Vickery; daughters, Janice (Tony) Chason, Sheila (Ron) Adams and Brandi Bell; mother, Neta Bell Shelton Pledger; grandchildren, Mikey, Dale, Jennifer, Michelle, Jeffery, Daniel and Amanda; siblings, Carolyn (J.E.) Vickery, Charles (Barbara) Pledger of Marianna, FL, Tommy Pledger of Marianna, FL, Marjorie (Millard) Lipford and Ann Kirkland of Mariaana, FL; 24 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Mike Stratton, Mike Kimmons, Steve Vickery, Dale Chason, Jeffery Vickery and Michael Granat.
Funeral services were held Friday, November 18, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Pastor Jason Douglas officiating.
Interment was at Cottage Hill Baptist Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Joseph Hatcher
November 18, 2016
Mr. Joseph “Jake” Hatcher, Jr., 66, passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, in Atmore, Alabama.
Mr. Hatcher was a native and former resident of Pensacola, FL and had resided in Atmore, AL since 1992. He was a member of the IBEW Union of Pensacola, former Mason, Shriner and was an avid drag racer. He was of the Baptist faith. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jake and Betty Hatcher.
He is survived by his wife, Shelby Chavers Hatcher of Atmore, AL; one son, Joseph Crawford “Jody” (Kim) Hatcher, III of Pace, FL; one step-son, Michael (Kathy) Chavers of Century, FL; one step-daughter, Libby Chavers (Ryan) Wright of Jacksonville, AR; one brother, Jimmy (Cindy) Hatcher of Pensacola, FL; one sister, Beth Hatcher of Pensacola, FL; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 19, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Kathy Chavers and Jim Brown officiating.
Visitation will be Saturday, November 19, 2016 from 1 p.m. until service time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, is in charge of all arrangements.
Jean Therese Owens
November 18, 2016
Jean Therese Owens, 87, of Cantonment, FL, passed away Monday, November 14, 2016. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She was a devoted mother and grandmother.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Douglas B. Owens; her parents, John and Hazel Marshall; grandson, Eric Crowley; and her sister, Ruth Madden.
She is survived by her sons, Paul Douglas (Pat) Owens and David Owens; daughter, Lisa Owens; granddaughters, Selena (Robert) Arnold of Navarre, FL, Kristena Owens of Panama City, FL and Melody Owens; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday, November 18, 2016, at Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Stanton officiating.
Interment was at Eastern Gate Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Deborah Flowers Digmon
November 18, 2016
Mrs. Deborah Flowers Digmon, 60, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, in Hampton, GA. She was born on December 15, 1955, to the late C.W. “Tobe” and Zelma Flowers.
Mrs. Digmon was a native of Atmore, Alabama and had been living in Georgia for the past 20 years. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. She is preceded in death by her husband, Richard Glenn Digmon; her parents; three brothers, Edward Flowers, James Flowers, and Curtis Flowers; and three sisters, Claudette Burkette, Brenda Flowers, and Annette Strength.
She is survived by her daughter, Sheena Baker of Hampton, GA; one brother, Danny Flowers of Molino, FL; grandchildren, Andrew and Emily Baker.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Pastor Doug Turberville officiating.
Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Julia Diane Ballard
November 18, 2016
Beloved wife, mother, sister, cousin, aunt and friend Diane left our world to join the Lord on Sunday, November 13, 2016, after many long years of illness. She is preceded by her mother and father, Peggy and James Nobles.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Jim Ballard; son, Ryan Ballard; daughter, Amy Carmona; nine grandchildren; her sister and brother-in-law, Jamie and Steve Dennis; her nieces, Kelly Dennis and Kristine Moore; Carolyn Nobles, her aunt, as well as many cousins and lifelong friends.
Diane loved to cook and bake. She was an avid gardener, crafter and loved helping animals. She loved antiques and anything southern.
Services were held Friday, November 18, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Reverend Chris Pinney officiating.
Interment was at Roberts Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Work Underway On Nine Mile, Highway 29 Widening Projects
November 17, 2016
Work is in the beginning stages on Nine Mile Road and Highway 29 widening projects that will continue for the next several years.
The Florida Department of Transportation says most the work drivers can see taking place along Nine Mile Road between Pine Forest Road and Highway 29 is being performed by various utility companies as they relocate and make improvements to their facilities before road construction can begin. Trees and other vegetative debris that is being removed is being burned on-site.
What drivers on Highway 29 do not see are the drainage operations taking place in the four storm water retention ponds located off the main corridor. Truckloads of 66-inch drainage pipe that will be used at a drainage pond was recently delivered.
FDOT has awarded two construction contracts totaling $46 million to improve Nine Mile Road from Beulah Road to Highway 29. The project includes widening Nine Mile Road from two to four lanes.
FDOT has also awarded a $48.9 million construction contract to reconstruct Highway 29 from I-10 to just north of Nine Mile Road. Work includes widening the roadway from four to six lanes and replacing the Highway 29 bridge over Nine Mile Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blackwater State Forest Grows By 625 Acres
November 17, 2016
The Blackwater State Forest has grown by over 600 acres.
The Trust for Public Land announced Wednesday that 626 acres of Wolfe Creek Forest has been acquired and added to the Blackwater River State Forest. The acquired property includes frontage on Big Coldwater Creek, which is widely used for kayaking, tubing, and canoeing by community members. It also includes a spring-fed state paddling trail beloved by area paddlers and birdwatchers.
This acquisition will also protect naval air base operations, water sources, public recreational activities, bird migration, and habitat for endangered species and other wildlife. The Trust for Public Land purchased the property on October 18th from CF Florida, LLC. The purchase price was $1,526,038.85 and was sold to the State of Florida for the same price on November 4.
“Incorporating this section of Wolfe Creek Forest into the Blackwater River State Forest protects it from development, forever, protecting both the natural resources on the property as well as assuring continued naval air station operations. Our goal is to make sure this land remains a recreational hub and habitat center for generations to come while investing in the future of Whiting Field,” said Trust for Public Land Project Manager Doug Hattaway.
Funding for the acquisition came by leveraging both Florida Forever funds, with the US Navy contribution through its Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program. Protecting the property ensures that land adjacent to the base will not be incompatibly developed in ways that may limit flight operations and vital military training.
NAS Whiting Field is the busiest aviation complex in the world, accounting for nearly 15 million annual flight operations including primary flight training for over 1,200 students and is the host of 21 tenant activities. Additionally, approximately 600 new helicopter pilots are winged annually and 100 percent of all Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard pilots are trained at NAS Whiting Field. The base supports over 14,000 local jobs and is a vital economic engine for the area with more than $1.1 billion in economic impact on the local economy.
The acquisition will also accelerate efforts to fill in a strategic landscape-level gap of long leaf pine forest. Land management will see to the replacement of existing commercial tree species with the native long leaf pine species. Longleaf Pine Forests once covered over 90 million acres in the Southeastern United States but prior logging practices reduced their range to only about 3 million acres.
Bringing back the native trees will provide the habitat upon which several endangered animal and plant species, such as the red cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake, black-bear, and gopher tortoise depend.
Warming Up Before A Weekend Cool Down
November 17, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 53. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 79. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 37. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 34. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 66.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74.
Molino Christmas Parade Set For December 3
November 17, 2016
The 14th Annual Molino Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, December 3 at 11 a.m.
The parade route starts at the west end of Crabtree Church Road and ends and the Molino Ballpark were Santa Will be waiting to visit with all the good little boys and girls.
To participate in the parade, preregister at Jimmy’s Grill or register the day of the parade. Registration fees are $30 for floats; $20 for vehicles, motorcycles, tractors or golf carts; and $10 each for horses. No 4-wheelers or go-carts. All proceeds go directly back to the community to help children in need.
For more information, contact René at (850) 255-3330 or Jimmy’s Grill at (850) 754-0041. Donations such as toys and non-perishable foot items can be dropped off at Jimmy’s Grill.
The rain date will be Sunday, December 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Pictured: The 2015 Molino Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
November 17, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending November 10 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
While on patrol in Pensacola Bay, Officer Allgood found numerous fisheries-related violations including possession of red snapper during the closed season, undersized red snapper and undersized gag grouper. Four criminal summonses were issued for some of the fisheries violations as well as multiple warnings and infractions for boating safety and resource violations.
Officers Allgood and Clark conducted several resource inspections while on patrol in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and found violations involving possession red snapper during closed season. Six citations and associated warnings were issued for the violations.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
No report submitted this week.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.