Gene M. Liddell
January 14, 2020
Gene M. Liddell passed away at the age of 72, on January 8, 2020. Gene was born on February 24, 1947, to Maurice and Elfrida Liddell in Chippewa Falls, WI. He served our country in the United States Army. Gene worked as an airplane mechanic in the military. After the military, he worked as truck driver and auto/boat mechanic. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.=
Gene is preceded in death by his father, Maurice Liddell; mother, Elfrida Nazer Liddell; and sister, Beverly Way.
Gene is survived by his wife, Elelida Liddell; son, Stan Liddell; daughter, Emeline Liddell; brothers, David Dawson, Don Liddell and Paul Liddell; and sisters, Betty Bown and Diane Bickel.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 12:30 p.m., at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South. The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Stan Liddell, Alex Liddell, Nick Liddell and Jimmy Graham.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is entrusted with arrangements.
Stanley Keith Pope, Sr.
January 14, 2020
Mr. Stanley Keith Pope, Sr., age 66, passed away Saturday, January 11, 2020, at his home in McCullough, Alabama.
Mr. Pope was a native of Pensacola, FL, former resident of Canoe, AL and had resided in McCullough, AL for the past 21 years. He was owner of S&S Farm Services and former mechanic at Roger’s Tractor Company of Atmore, AL (he was one of the finest mechanics known in Atmore, AL). He was known as a good man, who smiled all the time. He loved God, his family and was a member of the Healing Waters Church, where he served as an Elder.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Arngie and Ruby Lee Hinson Pope and sister, Betsy June Pope Tyree.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Eugenia Hanks Pope of McCullough, AL; two sons, Stanley Keith (Kandy) Pope, Jr. of Nokomis, FL and Matthew Mason Dodge of McCullough, AL; one daughter, Stephanie Grey (Terrell, Sr.) Still of McCullough, AL; three brothers, Arngie (Alieen) Pope, Jr. of Pensacola, FL, Jerry (Susan) Pope of Tennessee and Rusty (Sondra) Pope of Pensacola, FL; one sister, Julie (Mike) Winchell of Tennessee; five grandchildren, Olivia Hope Dodge, Luke Edward Still, Shyla Pope, Aaliyah Pope and Samantha Pope and numerous, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel with Pastor Richard Daniels officiating.
Burial will follow at McCullough Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. until service time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Michael Lambert, Matt Berry, Jarred Jackson, Chris Perry, Terry Still and Tommy Smith.
The family would like to thank Southern Care Hospice, especially Leigh Ikner, Leslie, Brittney and many other nurses and care givers.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Judy Weekley Pierce
January 14, 2020
Judy Weekley Pierce “Becky”, 67 of Cantonment, Florida, passed away on her birthday, January 8, 2020, surrounded by family and friends.
Becky was born in Pensacola, Florida, where she was the light in the world for many people. Her soft southern twang, vibrant smile and genuine love for others is why she was cherished by all. She was a loving daughter, mother, memal and “Aunt Becky” to many. She loved holidays, family traditions and her beloved dog, Kitty.
Becky was preceded in death by her parents, Reece Gore and Voncile Deshazo Gore; her brother, Mike Gore; and her husband, Glen Pierce.
Becky is survived by her sisters, Cathy Chalk and Clarise Trump; her daughters, Kimberly Weekley Polk and Kerry Weekley; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is loved by all of her family and friends and will be sorely missed.
Funeral services were held Sunday, January 12, 2020, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Reverend Bill Flannigan officiating.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Robert Keith White
January 14, 2020
Robert Keith White, 60, of Canoe, AL, passed away January 12, 2020, in Pensacola, FL. He was born March 7, 1959, in Atmore, AL, to the late Clifford and Martha White. He was a manager at Bondurant Ace Hardware in Atmore and worked for Bondurant Lumber & Hardware for over 27 years. He enjoyed woodworking, cabinetry, was a Christian and a member of Little Escambia Baptist Church in Flomaton, AL.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Bowers White of Canoe, AL; two sons David (Heather) White of Canoe, AL and Mark (Alicia) White of Flomaton, AL; one brother, Randy (Rosemary) White of Eufaula, AL; five grandchildren, Anna Claire, Aliva, Isaac, Hope and Faith.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. from the Little Escambia Baptist Church with Bro. Jonathan Hill officiating.
Burial will follow in Little Escambia Baptist Church Cemetery.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Escambia Fire Rescue Responds To Reported Mobile Home Fire In Cantonment
January 13, 2020
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to a mobile reported kitchen fire in Cantonment Monday afternoon.
There were no injuries and no major damage reported in the 1600 block of Old Bridge Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Attorney General Barr Says Pensacola NAS Shooting Was Act Of Terrorism As Investigation Details Are Released
January 13, 2020
The deadly shooting December 6 at Naval Air Station Pensacola was an act of terrorism, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Monday afternoon as findings from the investigation were released.
Saudi Arabian Air Force 2nd Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, was “motivated by jihadist ideology”, Barr said, adding he posted a message last September 11 that “the countdown has begun” and visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York City on Thanksgiving weekend. He made additional posts on social media, including one just two hours before the attack.
Barr said reports were not accurate that Alshamrani was accompanied by other Saudi cadets during the attack, but several were in the area and took video of erupting chaos and cooperated with investigators.
The attorney general said 21 Saudi students were being expelled back to Saudi Arabia on Monday for derogatory sentiments, including anti-American messages posted on social media. Some also possessed child pornography. The 21 are not facing charges at this time.
Barr praised two U.S. Marines — Sgt. Ryan Maisel and Staff Sgt. Samuel Mullin — for their response to the shooting. They were outside Building 633 when they heard the gunfire and ran inside to confront the shooter. Their only weapon was a fire extinguisher pulled from a wall. They also performed CPR on victims.
The attorney general also praised the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for their response; Alshamrani was ultimately shot and killed by ECSO deputies.
Navy Airman Ryan Blackwell, who was shot five times, was also praised by Barr. “Ryan still managed to jump on top of a fellow sailor to keep her from being shot. He further assisted other students and helped them escape, while taking additional fire from the shooter,” he said.
Barr said Apple has not provided substantive assistance in unlocking two iPhones used by the shooter.
FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said over 500 interviews were conducted during the investigation. He said the shooting lasted about 15 minutes, with Alshamrani engaged by military law enforcement about eight minutes after the first shots were fired. Alshamrani has 180 rounds of ammunition remaining.
Joshua K. Watson, Mohammed S. Haitham and Cameron S. Walters were killed and either others were injured in the attack.
Findings Of NAS Pensacola Shooting Investigation To Be Announced Today
January 13, 2020
Monday afternoon, federal officials will announce findings of the criminal investigation in to the December 6, 2019, shootings onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Attorney General William P. Barr and FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich will hold a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington to make the announcement.
CNN, The Washington Post and other national news organizations are reporting that over a dozen Saudi servicemen training at U.S. military bases will be expelled from the country.
The Saudis being expelled are not directly accused of aiding Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, the Saudi Air Force member who killed Joshua K. Watson, Mohammed S. Haitham and Cameron S. Walters and injured eight others.
The Washington Post reported Sunday that the probe found connections to “extremist rhetoric, possession of child pornography and a failure by a small number of people to report alarming behavior by the gunman”.
Rainy, Unseasonably Warm Start To The Week
January 13, 2020
There is a dense fog advisory in effect until Tuesday morning.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers. Widespread dense fog, mainly after 9pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 66. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A chance of showers before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between noon and 3pm, then a chance of showers after 3pm. Widespread dense fog, mainly before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday Night: Areas of fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Patchy dense fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Patchy dense fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 64. Calm wind.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Patchy dense fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 49.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
M.L.King Day: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.
Here Are This Week’s Traffic Trouble Spots
January 13, 2020
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (State Road (S.R.) 10/U.S. 90A)– Drivers will experience the following impacts to traffic the week of Sunday, Jan 12.
o Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating lane shifts as crews construct the new southbound bridge.
o U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- U.S. 98 (Pensacola Bay Bridge) Replacement- There will be intermittent lane closures at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Jan. 12.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the Graffiti Bridge.
- · S.R. 10/U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from S.R. 297 (Pine Forest Road) to U.S. 29- Due to utility conflicts, the temporary closure of Littleton Street at Nine Mile Road has been extended through 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 as crews perform drainage work. Traffic will be detoured to Milestone Boulevard and Oldenburg Boulevard. Signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary closure and direct traffic to the alternate routes.
- · U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) Widening from Beulah Road to S.R. 297 (Pine Forest Road)- The far right portion of the I-10 off ramp that connects to Nine Mile Road (Exit 5) westbound remains closed. Drivers will be able to access Nine Mile Road east and westbound using the other section of the ramp. The partial ramp closure is needed to reconstruct the ramp and will be in place for approximately three months.
- · U.S. 29 Construction Activities just north of W. Burgess Road- The northbound, outside lane just north of W. Burgess Road will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13 through Thursday, Jan. 17 as crews reconstruct a deceleration lane.
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road/C.R. 184) to Atmore Highway (S.R. 97)– Crews continue paving operations and median work. Drivers may encounter intermittent daytime lane restrictions. Motorists are reminded to watch for crews and heavy equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
- · I-10 Maintenance Operations at U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway/Exit 17)- The westbound outside lane will be closed at Scenic Highway from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15 as crews perform maintenance work.
- · S.R. 10A (Mobile Highway) Turn Lane Construction east of Beulah Road intersection- East and westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 through Thursday, Jan. 16 as crews make pavement repairs.
- · Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek- Construction activities continue. Crews are currently pouring the east side approach slab. The roadway is temporarily closed. Drivers on Hanks Road, west of the bridge, are detoured to C.R. 99 and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will utilize Pine Barren Road. The project is anticipated to be complete spring 2020.
- C.R. 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch in Northwest Century- Crews have poured the bridge deck. Efforts are now focused on pouring the bridge railing, and constructing the roadway approaching both ends of the new bridge. Traffic will remain shifted on the temporary diversion until construction of the new structure is complete.
Santa Rosa County:
- · U.S. 90 Corridor (Pace) Management Improvement Project- There will be construction activities from Lewis Funeral Home to Downtown Motors. Motorists can expect shoulder closures.
- · U.S. 98 Safety Improvement from Villa Woods Circle to Ortega Park Drive- Construction activities are underway along the following seven locations along the corridor: Villa Woods Circle to Marble Court, Oriole Beach Road, Grand Ride Circle to Fordham Parkway, El Rito Drive/College Parkway, American Avenue, Alpine Avenue, and west of Ortega park Drive. Crews will continue working on drainage near the Days Inn through Sunday, Jan. 19. Motorists may encounter lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
- · U.S. 98 (Pensacola Bay Bridge) Replacement- There will be intermittent lane closures at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Jan. 12.
- · S.R. 4 Resurfacing and Drainage Improvements from the Escambia River Bridge to C.R. 87A (Market Road) in Jay- There will be shoulder closures throughout the project limits for roadway and utility work.
- · S.R. 87 Bridge Rehabilitation and Repair Over Yellow River- Motorists may encounter daytime southbound, inside lane closures as crews begin expansion joint work.
- · S.R. 87 Turn lane and Median Modifications at South Lynn Road- Northbound left turn lane and median modifications work has begun. Operations will take place in the median area of the roadway. Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane closures.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the Graffiti Bridge.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Florida Gas Prices Begin Slow Decline
January 13, 2020
Pump prices in Florida are retreating after logging the most expensive start to a new year since 2014. Florida gas prices reached an average price of nearly $2.53 per gallon last Tuesday, but have since declined a total of 4 cents to $2.49 per gallon.
The average price per gallon was a bit higher in Escambia County at $2.52 Sunday night, while one station in Cantonment was at $2.45.
Rising crude prices dragged gas prices higher in recent weeks. However, oil prices quickly sank as tensions between the US and Iran began to ease. Last week, the price for a barrel of WTI crude dropped nearly $5; going from $64/b on Monday to $59/b on Friday.
“Drivers normally see some of the lowest gas prices of the year in January, but prices have remained elevated compared to recent months, due to the rising price of crude,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Cooling geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran has alleviated some of the upward pressure on gasoline, and now drivers are beginning to see lower prices at the pump. The state average could dip another few pennies this week. Seasonal factors like low gasoline demand and growing supplies should allow gas prices to slip even lower this month. However, seasonal factors will be at play again in the spring. Gas prices are forecast to bounce 20-30 cents higher in the coming months as refineries conduct maintenance and switch to summer gasoline.”