Voters Approve New Escambia Children’s Children’s Trust And Small Property Tax Increase To Fund It
November 4, 2020
Escambia County voters approved a new Children’s Services Council (CSC).
Complete, but unofficial, totals show 97,625 Escambia County residents (60.90%) voted in favor of creating the Escambia Children’s Trust, while 62,689 (39.10%) voted against
The Escambia Children’s Trust is the proposed name for the CSC in Escambia County. The sole purpose of a CSC is to invest in the well-being of children by maximizing resources and ensuring accountability.
The trust will not deliver service. Instead, it will fund community providers who can demonstrate measurable desired outcomes through a competitive review and accountability process.
The Escambia Children’s Trust will receive a new 0.5 mill county property tax that will cost the average Escambia County homeowner $40 per year. Other property owners will pay an average of $67 per year. The additional half mill will not be collected until 2022.
Of the funds collected, 90% of funds will go into direct programing, 4% will be paid to the Escambia County Tax Collector for collecting the funds, and 6% will be used by the trust for administrative costs.
The trust will have an initial 10 year life before it must go back to the voters.
A 10-member board will govern the Escambia Children’s Trust. Five members will be appointed by the governor. The other five members will be the superintendent of schools, one school board member, the district administrator for the Department of Children and Families; one member of the Escambia County Commission and a a judge assigned to juvenile cases.
The board will be required to submit quarterly and annual reports to the Escambia County Commission.
According to supporters, the Escambia Children’s Trust was needed in Escambia County because:
- The substantial needs in Escambia County, especially now with the negative impacts of COVID-19, dwarf the resources of the service providers working in early childhood education, detection, prevention, and wellness.
- We are 4th in the State in reported child abuse cases and 3rd in the arrest of Black males under 18.
- Escambia County is 47th out of 67 counties in child well-being, an index of 16 areas that look at children’s overall quality of life. Santa Rosa County ranks 8th.
- The Trust would provide additional success-based investments in programs to meet the critical needs of all of our children with evidenced based proven expanded and new programs.
- The Trust would also have trained, experienced staff to help coach existing service providers and their staff in creating systems and processes to set programmatic success metrics and capture the data required to measure and report successes.
- The Trust will have a significant advantage in that it will have a sustainable, recurring revenue stream with a ten (10) year life that is controlled locally.
- Its funding comes directly to the Trust and is not dependent upon fluctuating annual governmental appropriations or the strength of the economy, which is particularly important in unstable times like these when contributions to service providers can drop while demand for services increase.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Leonard White Elected To Seat On Century Town Council
November 4, 2020
Political newcomer Leonard White has been elected to a seat on the Century Town Council.
White, with 58.37% of the vote, defeated Shelisa D. McCall (41.63%) for the seat formerly held by Ben Boutwell who ran successfully for mayor.
Dynette Lewis Defeats Century Council President Ann Brooks
November 4, 2020
Dynette Lewis has defeated incumbent Century Town Council President Ann Brooks.
Lewis received about 58% of the vote to 42% for Brooks.
Brooks, the current council president, was first elected in 2007. Lewis has 28 years experience in the financial services industry.
In the primary election, Brooks garnered the most votes in the race against two challengers, but Century’s charter requires a candidate to receive one more than 50 percent of the vote in order to be declared the winner. In the primary, Brooks received 148 votes (44.85%), followed by Dynette Lewis with 122 (36.97%) and Calvin Kenneth Cottrell, Jr. with 60 (18.18%) of the vote for the non-partisan seat.
Complete Election Results For Santa Rosa County
November 4, 2020
Here are Santa Rosa County complete but unofficial election results from NorthEscambia.com.
Sunny, Middle 70s For Wednesday
November 4, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. East wind around 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. East wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Georgia Irene Sanders Parsons
November 4, 2020
Mrs. Georgia Irene Sanders Parsons passed at the home of her granddaughter in Madisonville, LA on Wednesday the 28th of October, 2020. She was 92 years of age. Mrs. Parsons had been residing in Madisonville for the last six months undergoing radiation treatments. Mrs. Parsons was a native of Greenville, AL but had been a long-time resident of Atmore and Uriah, AL. She was a member of the Atmore Church of Christ and was retired from Vanity Fair with many years of service.
Mrs. Parsons was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Joe Everette Parsons, Jr.; parents, John T. Sanders, Sr. and Kathleen Barganier Sanders; two brothers, Joseph C. Sanders and John T. Sanders; two sisters, Annie Pearl Gentry and Sarah Nell Smith and son-in-law Joseph C. Sands.
She is survived by her two daughters, Jean Sands of Atmore, AL and Renie Jo Lassitter (Ed Hales) of Uriah, AL; one sister, Doris Duncan of Greenville, AL; five grandchildren, Jeanna Encalade of Madisonville, LA, Shelley Henderson of Alpine, CA, Lynn Venn of Cantonment, FL, Leslie Vice of Uriah, AL, and Joe Hayles of Uriah, AL; 17 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Services were held Tuesday, November 3, 2020, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
William Harris
November 4, 2020
Mr. William “Billy” Harris, age 71, passed away on Monday, October 26, 2020, at his home in Perdido, Alabama.
Mr. Harris was a native of Uriah, AL, former resident of Loxley, AL and had resided in Perdido, AL for the past 21 years. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend and he loved to fish and being outdoors. He was retired from Winston Stewart Construction with 50 years of service and was a member of the Fretwell Tabernacle Holiness Church.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Cleveland and Gertrude Harris; one sister and two brothers.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Cindy Harris of Perdido, AL; four sons, Michael Harris of LaGrange, GA, Justin Harris of Perdido, AL, Scott Harris of Perdido, AL and Westley Harris of Bay Minette, AL; two daughters, Theresa Harris of LaGrange, GA and Renee May of LaGrange, GA; one brother, Eugene Harris of Robertsdale, AL; 19 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Monday, November 2, 2020, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sis. Helen Stewart officiating.
Burial was at the White Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Michael Harris, Justin Harris, Scott Harris, Westley Harris, Casey Williams and Logan Williams.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Escambia Records 74 New COVID-19 Cases, One Additional Death
November 4, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST UPDATE.
The Florida Department of Health reported 53 new COVID-19 positives in Escambia and Santa Rosa County on Monday with no additional fatalities.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 13,804 (+74)
Non-Florida residents: 1,406
Total deaths: 273 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths : 127 (+1)
Current hospitalizations: 59 (+5)
Number of tests last day: 704
Percent positive last day: 11.6%
Percent positive last week: 5.0%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 10,056 (+56)
Cantonment: 1,014 (+7)
Century: 945 (+1)
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 160 (+1)
McDavid: 77 (+2)
Bellview: 19
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 10
Gonzalez: 7
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,073 (+25)
Non-Florida residents: 70
Total deaths: 88
Long-term care facility deaths: 20
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 369*
Number of tests last day: 218
Percent positive last day: 10.3%
Santa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,039 (+8)
Gulf Breeze: 885 (+2)
Navarre: 827 (+6)
Pace: 508 (+2)
Jay: 160
Bagdad: 14
Florida cases:
Total cases: 816,700
Florida residents: 805,924
Deaths: 16,890
Hospitalizations: 49,715*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. Most of these people are longer be hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Lauretta Mae Hanks
November 4, 2020
Our beloved, Christian, wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 1, 2020. Her husband, Grover (Cleve) Hanks, her children, Martin Hanks and Victoria Ashton, and all who knew her will remember her forever and cherish the memory of her loving, Christian spirit.
She enjoyed travelling, painting landscapes, and shopping for antiques. She loved her family with all her heart, and enjoyed having large family gatherings. She was a long time member of Olive Baptist Church, and is now enjoying the company of Jesus.
Mrs., Hanks is survived by her husband, Grover (Cleve) Hanks; her siblings, Richard McGougan, Jr., Rachel Strawbridge, Carolyn Taylor, and her children, Martin Hanks, and Victoria Ashton; her grandchildren, Nathaniel Ashton, and Marc Anthony, Brandon, and Daniel Hanks.
She was predeceased by her parents, Una and Richard McGougan, Sr., and four siblings, Laura Butler, Lowell McGougan, Charles McGougan, and Raleigh McGougan.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, 2020, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Reverend Jerry Passmore officiating.
Burial will follow in Bayview Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 12:30 p.m. prior to services.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Doug Broxson Reelected To Florida Senate District 1 Seat
November 4, 2020
Incumbent Doug Broxson will win reelection for the Florida Senate District 1 seat.
With most precincts reporting, Broxson had 65% of the vote to 35% for Democratic challenger Karen M. Butler.
NorthEscambia.com photo.