FDLE Arrests U.S. Air Force Officer In Escambia County On Child Porn Charges
October 2, 2019
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested a U.S. Air Force Officer on child pornography charges Tuesday.
FDLE arrested John Morgan, 29, on two counts of possession of obscene material. Morgan is an active duty and stationed in Pensacola.
The investigation began in August after an agent identified images and videos of child pornography being downloaded and shared from a residential computer on Klondike Road. The images depicted children under the age of 10.
Morgan remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Lois Bell Davis
October 2, 2019
On Sunday September 29, 2019 our Mother, Lois Bell Davis, 88, went home to be with Jesus. Lois was born on September 1, 1931 to Marion Eda Hart Bell and Joel Webster Bell in Pensacola, Florida. She was the middle child of seven.
Lois would have been married for 68 years on October 6th to Oscar Ruel Davis. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She is survived by daughters, Miriam (Mickey) Neese (Joseph) and Vicki Sharp (David); grandchildren, Kimberly Joylin Neese Nelson (Chad) and Christine Elizabeth Wilson Nieves (Jeff); great grandchildren, Chase Nelson, Bianca Nieves and Enzo Nieves; sister, Joanne Cobley Presley (Tommy) and numerous nieces and nephews. We would also like to thank a special friend and helper, Eileen Ogaltree for her loving care of Mom.
She is preceded in death by her daughter, Robbie Davis.
Lois was a proud 1951 graduate of J.M. Tate High School. She supported her husband in his many job endeavors as an entrepreneur. She was always active in her Church until her health began to decline. She was a member of Plainview Baptist Church until recently. At the time of her passing she was a member of Hillcrest Baptist and Lois, along with her husband Oscar, were charter members of Hillcrest Baptist. Lois had lived with her daughter Mickey for the past 18 months.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, November 9, 2019 from 4:00 – 6:30 pm at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Harold Quentine Williams
October 2, 2019
Harold Quentine Williams age 91 of Pensacola, Fl passed away on Thursday September 26th, 2019 at his home. Harold was born on September 19th, 1928 in Enterprise, Alabama to parents Howard Lee Williams and Willie Tom Williams.
He served in the Army from September 16th, 1953 to December 31st, 1961. He served in the Korean War where he received honors including National Defense, a Service Medal, United Nations, and a Korean Service medal after that he received an Honorable discharge. He then went on to work for Murphy’s Oil Company for 12 years and then on to be a truck driver for McKenzie Tank Lines for 35 years from which he retired. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He had a loving heart and spirit with a smile that could light up a room. He was a hard worker and loved working outside gardening and tending to anything that would keep him busy in the yard.
He is preceded in death by his parents Howard and Willie Williams. His two brothers Howard Junior Williams and Jack Roland Williams. His sisters Marylin Williams Sparks and Angie Williams McKowan.
He is survived by his wife Marion Williams: sisters Margaret Calhoun and Carolyn Brown: children Stan Shaffer Sr, Jenny Hatcher, Jim Shaffer, Beverly Sweeney, and Leonard Shaffer; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on October. 3rd, 2019 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home on Beverly Parkway in Pensacola, Fl. The family viewing is at 9:30 AM followed by the public viewing from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Services will be from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM followed by a police and motorcycle escort to Barrancas National Cemetery where he will receive full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations are made to help with funeral expenses.
Firefighters Battle Nearly Two Dozen Fires Near McDavid And Flomaton
October 1, 2019
Firefighters battled nearly two dozen brush and grass fires in the North Escambia area Tuesday afternoon.
The largest in Florida was a five acre fire in the area of Honeybee Lane and Roach Road, just west of Highway 29. There were no structures damaged, and no injuries reported. The Florida Forest Service and multiple Escambia Fire Rescue stations responded to the fire, which was reported about 3 p.m. The fire was declared out just after 5 p.m.
Something also sparked multiple fires alongside southbound Highway 29. The fires were both north and south of Champion Drive.
Fire departments in Escambia County, Alabama, responded to about 15 separate fires along Highway 31 east of Flomaton. Steve Stanton, Flomaton fire chief, said the fires were sparked by log truck traveling with blown out tire.
Forestry officials in Florida and Alabama are asking residents of both states not to burn outdoors until significant rainfall is received due to the extreme fire danger.
Pictured: Fire rages alongside Highway 31 near Flomaton Tuesday afternoon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mobile Home Destroyed By Fire
October 1, 2019
Fire destroyed a mobile home in Ensley Tuesday afternoon.
The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m. in the 9700 block of Fowler Avenue, just south of 9 1/2 Mile Road. The mobile home was about 75 percent involved in fire when Escambia Fire Rescue arrived on scene.
No one was home or injured in the fire, but at least one family pet perished. The American Red Cross is assisting two adults and three children left without a home.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Plans Resubmitted For New Convenience Store At Hwy 29, Hwy 97 In Molino
October 1, 2019
Developers have headed back to the Escambia County Development Review Committee with plans for a new convenience store the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
The pre-application drawings submitted the Development Review Committee show a slightly scaled-down store compared to plans considered earlier this year for the 8.22 acre property.
Drawings that went before the committee in January showed a 6,000 square foot store, while the new plans show the store to be about 4,700 square feet with two additional gas pumps.
The property is owned by DGS Holdings of Atmore. In late 2017, plans were submitted to Escambia County by Diamond Gasoline of Atmore for a convenience store on the property, but that project was not completed.
The Escambia County Development Review Committee will hold a pre-application meeting on store plans this week. Before construction could begin,the plans must go through several more steps in the county approval process. At the pre-application stage, there is no assurance that plans will ever reach the construction stage or that the facility will have the currently outlined layout.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Hot And Dry For Now, But Finally A Rain Chance For The Weekend
October 1, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Calm wind.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Calm wind.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
ECUA Rate Increase Effective For Water, Sewer And Garbage
October 1, 2019
Rate increases took effect Tuesday for Emerald Coast Utilities Authority water, sewer and sanitation customers.
In late August, the ECUA board approved a 2.3% rate increase for water and sewer, which ECUA said translates to just a few cents for the average customer.
“For the single-family residential, it means an increase of .28 on the base rate and an increase on the volume charge of .06. In total, the proposed increase to a household with an average consumption of 6,000 gallons would be an increase of .64 per month,” ECUA Public Information Office Nathalie Bowers said about water rates.
For sewer, the base rate increase equates to 33 cents plus 17 center thousand gallons, or $1.01 for the average residential customer.
Following a motion by District 5 board member Larry Walker, the motion to increase water and sewer rates pass unanimously.
The board also approved a sanitation rate increase on a 3-1 vote, with District 1 member Vicki Campbell dissenting.
Base sanitation collection rates will increase 5%, but a disposal fee on sanitation bills will remain constant. For single family residential customers with one 90-gallon or smaller container, the sanitation rate will increase 91 cents from $23.25 to $24.16.
The water, sewer and sanitation rate increases also includes commercial accounts.
Rachel Weber Named Kingsfield Elementary Teacher Of The Year
October 1, 2019
Rachel Weber has been named the Kingsfield Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She is a third grade teacher. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Charter Review Committee To Hold First Meeting Thursday
October 1, 2019
The Town of Century Charter Review Committee will holds its first meeting on Thursday, but only general housekeeping topics are scheduled to be discussed.
The 11-member committee will learn about the Sunshine Law and public records requirements in advance of future meetings.
The committee is tasked with exploring the town charter – the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The current Century charter has not been updated in almost 40 years.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.