Northview’s Student Athletes Rank No. 6 Academically In Florida Class 1A
August 6, 2021
All of Northview High School’s student athletes were collectively ranked No. 6 academically in the state in Class 1A for the 2020-2021 school year, according to rankings from the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Northview High School students not only work hard athletically, but also in the classroom,” said Obreonne Smith, Northview athletic director. “This is a great accomplishment for the students, staff and school.”
Pictured: Class of 2021 members of the Northview High School Lady Chiefs softball team. Pictured below: Last year’s Chiefs baseball team celebrates a district win over Jay. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Escambia Considers Zoning Change To Allow Larger Retail Space In Some Rural Areas
August 6, 2021
When Dollar General considered building a new store in Walnut Hill earlier this year, their development company ran into a problem with Escambia County zoning. But now the Escambia County Commission is considering a Land Development Code change that would make such development possible in rural areas.
Teramore Development had three properties under contract at the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 99A in Walnut Hill, next to Ernest Ward Middle School, for a 10,640 square foot Dollar General.
The property is currently zoned Rural Mixed Use (RMU) which allows commercial buildings up to 6,000 square feet. There is currently no provision whatsoever to grant any exceptions to construct a larger commercial building.
Now, the BOCC is considering an ordinance recommended Escambia County Planning Board that would allow up to 15,000 square feet in RMU districts with a conditional use approval for any business, not just a Dollar General. That conditional use provision, County Attorney Alison Rogers told NorthEscambia.com, would mean each request for RMU retail sales construction up to 15,000 square feet would required individual approval by the Board of Adjustment.
The county commission held the first of two public hearings on the ordinance Thursday night. The second public hearing and final vote will come on August 19.
Properties zoned as RMU in Escambia County are typically located near rural community centers and most are not currently used for agriculture.
To date, a Dollar General for Walnut Hill has not moved forward in the development or permitting process.
Pictured: A proposed Dollar General for Walnut Hill as presented in February 2021 by their development firm. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
John David Loewen
August 6, 2021
John David Loewen was born January 31, 1947 to John and Sally Allen Loewen in Merced,
California. He peacefully departed this life early in the morning of August 4, 2021 at his residence
in Oakwood Manor, Brooksville, Mississippi, having reached the age of 74 years.
His first childhood home was in Merced, but owing to circumstances beyond his control, his
young world became fractured when his parents separated. When he was around age 10, he was
permanently taken in and raised by his paternal grandparents, Dave and Catherine Loewen, who
had moved some years earlier to Walnut Hill, Florida. His uncle Jim was like an older brother,
mentor, and even surrogate father at times, helping to mold his young life and teaching many
valuable skills and lessons for life. He resided in Walnut Hill nearly all his life until difficulties with
his health necessitated moving to Oakwood Manor in August of 2020.
He answered God’s call at age 16 and was baptized into the Church of God in Christ,
Mennonite by minister Wilbert Peters. He grew up in the same community as Barbara, the girl who
later became his wife, and they were married on a Friday evening, November 24, 1967. They shared
53 years of married life, and their home was blessed with four children—two sons and two
daughters—Pam, Michael, Faye, and Winston. In the earlier years of his married life, he searched
for a deeper understanding of God’s will for his life, and his search was rewarded with a greater
appreciation for spiritual things. His belief in the Church being his spiritual family increased as the
years passed.
He was a diligent worker and provided for his family with autobody repair and painting,
row-crop farming, and aquaculture. For much of his life, beginning even in his childhood, he
suffered from significant health issues, enduring numerous hospitalizations and multiple surgeries.
Despite these setbacks, he was not a complainer but rather forged ahead as his strength permitted
and worked to the best of his ability.
His personable nature coupled with his quick wit and sense of humor earned many dear
friends, and his attitude was an encouragement to many. Singing was special to him, and he enjoyed
quite a number of years singing tenor in a quartet with his friends. His life is an example of God’s
ability to create a valuable object from broken pieces, and this perhaps will be his most inspiring
legacy.
He will be missed and never forgotten by his wife Barbara, four children: Pam, Michael &
Lynette, Faye & James, and Winston & Renee together with their families; one brother Michael
and one sister Thalia, thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild; two brothers-in-law:
Richard & Wilma and Lynn; two sisters-in-law: Alice & Norman and Virginia Koehn together with
their families.
Funeral service will be Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Walnut Hill Mennonite
Church in Walnut Hill, FL with Minister Galen Harms, Minister Mike Koehn and Minister
Wilbert Peters officiating. Interment will follow at Walnut Hill Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Walnut Hill
Mennonite Church in Walnut Hill, FL.
Summer Afternoon Showers Possible Through The Weekend
August 6, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 94. West wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 73.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
BOCC Releases Legal Opinion That 401(a) Annuity Plan Is In Fact Legal
August 6, 2021
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to release an outside legal opinion that states the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is in fact legal for elected officials and senior management.
The item was brought to the agenda by Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, who does not participate in the plan but still holds an Florida Retirement System pension plan from his time on the Escambia County School Board. It passed 4-0, with Commissioner Doug Underhill off the dais and not participating in the discussion.
In late July, Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers asserted that state has told her that the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is illegal. Thursday night, she sat silently on the dais as commissioners carried on their conversation.
The board obtained an outside legal opinion from Michael Mattimore of Allen Norton & Blue, which Bergosh described as a “very expensive, high end government firm out of Tallahassee”.
“It is my opinion that the Local 401(a) Annuity Program is legal,” Mattimore wrote of that plan. To read the complete opinion (pdf), click or tap here.
Commissioners Stephen Barry, Robert Bender and Lumon May all opted for the plan.
Barry said there was additional documentation in Internal Revenue Service code and from Westlaw, an online legal research service and proprietary database for lawyers and legal professionals, that references the legality plan type. The commissioner’s vote also allowed the release of that information.
“Once we share (the legal opinion), I want to share everything,” Barry said in response to releasing the legal opinion.
“It’s been alleged that it is illegal because it is not a local annuity. That’s not true,” Barry added.
“To think that I did something illegal be completing a piece of paperwork that HR gave me when I started this position,” Bender said. “I didn’t have vote in it. I didn’t do anything with it. They (HR) said here are your three options, and I chose one.”
“No one could fault you for that,” Bergosh replied.
“The plan goes back to 1997, 25 years give or take, and we’ve had 25 audits that have never pointed to any issues to the plan,” Barry remarked.
“We should certainly not only get an opinion, but we should get a court order,” May said. “It should be brought forth because it deserves to be decided whether by commission or omission is this legal, is it ethical, or is it right. I do believe that it is.”
The board also voted 4-0 Thursday night to instruct Rogers “procure some outside help” on the matter, “without defining exactly it is”.
401(a) Annuity Program
It’s called a 401(a) annuity program, and under state statute was offered only to senior management service employees and commissioners that opt out of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). It’s available statewide, not just in Escambia County.
The plan does not cost Escambia County taxpayers anything extra when contributions are made in a timely fashion; the employee contributions are exactly the same whether or not the money goes into FRS or the annuity program. FRS has significant administrative overhead and fund liability that is funded from employee contributions. The 401(a) annuity plan participant costs are lower, so participants can earn significantly more retirement dollars.
Escambia County has offered a 401(a) annuity program to senior management employees and elected officials since 1997.
15-Year Old Charged With Armed Robbery Of Pine Forest Road Dollar General
August 6, 2021
A 15-year old has been charged with the armed robbery of a Pine Forest Road Dollar General on Monday.
Logan Alexander Hardy was charged Thursday with armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Hardy was armed with a gun when walked into the Dollar General on Pine Forest just north of Highway 297A about 9:23 Monday morning and asked the clerk for $5. He fled in a yellow car with “small amount” of cash.
Everything Is Free At Church Yard Sale Saturday In Cantonment
August 6, 2021
The Church of Christ at Milestone is holding a “Giveaway Day” on Saturday.
The church said it is like a yard sale, but everything is free from 9-11 a.m. The Church of Christ at Milestone is located at 4051 Stefani Road, about 500 feet north of Nine Mile Road.
Burdick And Conine Homer Again In Wahoos 10-2 Loss To The Shuckers
August 6, 2021
The Shuckers used a five-run sixth inning and hit a combined four homers in their 10-2 win over the Wahoos on Thursday at MGM Park.
Pensacola got off to the perfect start when Griffin Conine hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first off Justin Bullock (W, 2-0) to put the Wahoos up 1-0. For Conine it was his third homer in two days and his 29th of the season, which is the most in MiLB.
Unfortunately, Zach McCambley (L, 0-4) he was hit hard early and failed to make it past the fifth inning for the third time in five starts. David Hamilton and David Fry each homered off McCambley in the bottom of the first. In the second, Ryan Aguilar hit a two-run home run to put the Shuckers up 4-1.
After Peyton Burdick hit a solo home run in the top of the third, the Shuckers responded with a Mitch Longo home run to extend Biloxi’s lead up to 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Biloxi sent 10 men to the plate and scored five times. After Tyler Stevens was lifted for Jefry Yan, Pensacola had a chance to escape the inning with no damage dealt. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yan induced a ground ball from Mitch Longo, however, the ball was misplayed by Demetrius Sims. Four more runs came home to score after the error, and when the dust settled, Biloxi led by eight.
Tevin Mitchell and Zack Kone each made their Double-A debuts, and both players tallied their first career Double-A hits. The loss snaps Pensacola’s three game-winning streak and is only the fourth loss in 15 tries against the Shuckers this year.
LHP Jake Eder (3-4, 1.95) gets the start for Pensacola in Friday’s contest against Biloxi. He will be opposed by RHP Noah Zavolas (3-6, 5.40).
Central Water Works Extends Office Closure After Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19
August 6, 2021
Central Water Works has extended their office closure through August 16.
The utility’s office was closed August 2 after staff exposure to COVID-19, and a Central Water Works employee tested positive for COVID-19 on August 5.
Following quarantine guidelines, the office will remain closed until Monday, August 16. Customers may leave payments in the dropbox on the front of the building, mail their payments, pay online at centralwaterworks.com, or call (850) 256-3849 to pay by phone.
Customers who need to connect or disconnect service, or have emergency issues should call the office at (850) 256-3849 for assistance.
Priscilla “Po Po” (Sarver) Lamb
August 6, 2021
Priscilla “Po Po” (Sarver) Lamb of Plattsmouth, NE, lost her battle with CNS lymphoma on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born on January 18, 1946 in Allison Park, Pennsylvania to Cyril C. and Martha E. ( Hill ) Sarver. Priscilla was raised in Pennsylvania and graduated from Hampton High School in Hampton Township, PA in 1963. She later attended California State Teacher’s College in California, Pennsylvania and Beauty School.
She met Gerald David Lamb formerly of Cottage Hill, Florida, while he was attending the Mina Wanca 4-H Camp at Stony Lake in Shelby, Michigan. The two courted for several years before uniting in marriage
in July 26, 1969, in Deer Creek, Pennsylvania. While David served in the Air Force, they traveled around the Orient and extensively around the United States, before making their home in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. They celebrated their 52 nd wedding anniversary in July of 2021. Throughout her life, she cared for her family, enjoying attending the various activities that her children and grandchildren participated in throughout the years. She had a love for
music and enjoyed singing, playing the piano and participated in Christmas Cantatas at her church. She was an excellent cook, enjoyed attending musical productions and enjoyed shopping trips to places like Von Maur. Above all she was a wonderful mother and friend. Priscilla was a member of Midwestern Baptist Church where she sang in the choir, and previously taught Sunday School, worked in the Jr. Church and the nursery, as well as made sure that Sunday School rooms were clean and that the pews were kept straight and orderly.
She is survived by her husband, G. David Lamb of Plattsmouth, NE, children, Hugh (Bret) & Hilary Lamb of Trinidad, CO and their children, Taylor (Vynce) Francis, MaKayla, Preston, Tessa (Brendan) Sanders, and Bret, Martha (Joey) & Harold Layne of Plattsmouth, NE and their children, Abby & Audrey, Joshua & Wendy Lamb of Plattsmouth, NE and their children, Kaleigh (Nick) Cannady, Kohlten, Kobi, Kyler, Kycen
& Kinslea, Lara & Pastor Tom McConkey of Yuma, AZ and their children, T.J., Justus and Harmony, Leah & Josh Glenn of Plattsmouth, NE and their children Parker, Cooper, Gracie, Bryar, Leo and Maverick-Barkley, Jared & Elizabeth Lamb of Schererville, IN and their child Lyric, Cyrina Lamb of Plattsmouth, NE. She is also survived by two sisters, Barbara Vogelsang of Madison, WI and Sally Cypher of The Villages, FL, brother, Robert
Sarver of Rock, Island, IL, numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother John Sarver and grandson Kenoch Lamb.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Midwestern Baptist Church, 1025 N. 72nd Street, Omaha, NE.
Visitation will be Monday, August 9, 2021 from 4-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Harvey Funeral Home, Plattsmouth, NE
Burial will be in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Plattsmouth, NE
Memorials may be directed to Midwestern Baptist Church.