Clarence Clayton Armstrong
January 20, 2021
Clarence Clayton Armstrong, age 80, of Pace, FL, stepped into his heavenly home on Monday, January 18, 2021.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Bettie of 58 years; his three children, Joy (Wally) Jordan of Pace, FL, Jan (Jamie) Clark of Spring, TX, and Paul (Amy) Armstrong of Calera, AL; five grandchildren, Caleb and Brooke Clark and Emily, Hannah and Brady Armstrong; two brothers, Herman Armstrong of Byrneville, FL, and Virgil (Anita) Armstrong of Pollard, AL; one sister, Helen Armstrong of Century, FL, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Betty Gay Armstrong, and brothers, Bill George and John Armstrong.
Clayton was born on April 21, 1940 in Bluff Springs, FL, and moved to Pace in 1977, where he lived until his death. He retired from Westinghouse after 25 years as a machinist, and also worked at the Santa Rosa County Jail for seven years.
Clayton was a deacon at First Missionary Baptist Church in Pace. He loved his wife and family, second only to Jesus and never net a stranger who didn’t become a friend.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 22, 2021 at Flomaton Funeral Home Chapel from 6 to 8 P.M.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Flomaton Funeral Home Chapel at 10 A.M. with Bro. Paul Armstrong, Bro. John Burris and Bro. Robert Horton officiating.
Interment will follow in Byrneville United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Gaetz Says He Won’t Run For Rubio’s Senate Seat, But He Might Run For Commissioner Of Agriculture
January 20, 2021
Northwest Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has put an end to speculation that he might run in 2022 for the seat currently held by Sen. Marco Rubio.
But he’s not ruling out a possible run for a state office with a seat on the Florida Cabinet.
“I have no interest in running against Marco Rubio for the US Senate,” Gaetz tweeted Tuesday afternoon. “In 2022, the only statewide position I would consider running for in the current political climate is Commissioner of Agriculture. But things can change! (Not the Senate thing though).”
Gaetz is now in his third term in the U.S. House. He is known for his staunch support of Donald Trump, appearing at numerous Trump rallies and opening for the president at the Republican National Convention. He’s also known for his frequent appearances on Fox News.
Democrat Nikki Fried is the current Florida agriculture commissioner and as such is the highest elected Democrat in the state.
Gaetz tweeted: “Florida deserves a Commissioner of Agriculture who will print on every weapons license: ‘The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights authorizes every American to openly bear arms.’ Regardless of party.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia Reports 127 New COVID-19 Cases
January 20, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 127 new COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths reported in Escambia County Tuesday by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 27,733 (+127)
Non-Florida residents: 2,975
Recovered: 22,948
Total deaths: 448
Long-term care facility deaths : 188
Current hospitalizations: 274 (-2)
Number of tests reported last day: 841
Percent positive reported last day: 12.8%
Percent positive reported last week: 17.4%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 20,408 (+96)
Cantonment: 2,487 (+15)
Century: 1,085 (+3)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 354 (+4)
McDavid: 172 (+1)
Walnut Hill: 47
Bellview: 43
Perdido Key: 19 (+1)
Gonzalez: 11
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 13,958 (+105)
Non-Florida residents: 174
Total deaths: 178 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 51 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 647*
Number of tests reported last day: 399
Percent positive reported last day: 20.1%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 6,648(+52)
Navarre: 2,777 (+25)
Gulf Breeze: 2,528 (+12)
Pace: 1,131 (+13
Jay: 424 (-1 data adjustment)
Bagdad: 29
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,589,097
Florida residents: 1,560,015
Deaths: 24,436
Hospitalizations: 68,478*
*“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.
**On cases by location, the city is based upon zip code and is not always received as part of the initial notification. There may be a delay in reporting locations as a result, and locations will not total the daily case increase as a result.
***The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals. Escambia County is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered by Escambia County.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Wanda Collins Patterson
January 20, 2021
Mrs. Wanda Collins Patterson, age 70, passed away Tuesday, January 19, 2021 in a Pensacola hospital.
Mrs. Patterson was born in Thorsby, AL and had been an off and on resident of Flomaton for the past 20 years, and had also resided in Bay Minette, AL. She was a homemaker and assisted her husband in his ministry. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, and reading. Mrs. Patterson was a member of Little Escambia Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband of over fifty years, Larry Patterson of Flomaton, AL; two sons, Clint (Stacy) Patterson of Flomaton, AL, and Kevin Patterson of Birmingham, AL; one daughter, Belinda Patterson (Tim) Jolley of Maysville, MO; one brother, Sammy (Bennie Gail) Collins of Thorsby, AL; two sisters, Ann Howard of Jemison, AL, and Doris (Elmer) Porter of Clanton, AL; three grandchildren, Austin (Summer) Patterson, Dylan Patterson, and Amanda Jolley; five great-grandchildren, Noah Patterson, Sadie Patterson, Savannah Patterson, Brooklyn Jolley, and Elaina Jolley.
Graveside funeral services will be held at Little Escambia Baptist Church Cemetery on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. with Larry Patterson officiating.
James “Ray” Archer
January 20, 2021
Mr. James “Ray” Archer, age 82, passed away on Monday, January 18, 2021 in Atmore, Alabama.
Mr. Archer was a native of Robertsdale, AL, former resident of Pensacola, FL and had resided in Atmore, AL for the past 16 years. He was a brake and alignment mechanic for 43 years, in the Pensacola, FL area. He loved fishing, hunting, country music, singing, playing his guitar and telling jokes. He was a member of the True Hope Baptist Church. He is preceded in death by his parents and son, Randal Ray Archer.
He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Kathryn “Kay” McGhee Archer of Atmore, AL; one son, Rodney Archer of Pensacola, FL; step-children, Richard Crosby of Seattle, WA, Terry Crosby Vega of Newnan, GA and Gerald Crosby of Los Angeles, CA; two brothers, Lowell Archer of Cantonment, FL and Billy (Frances) Archer of Cantonment, FL; special step-grandson, Luke Vega of Newnan, GA; special step-granddaughter, Bama Coburn of Atmore, AL; numerous grandchildren; great grandchildren and many friends.
Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Baseball Hall Of Famer Don Sutton, Formerly Of Molino, Has Passed Away
January 19, 2021
Hall of Fame pitcher and former Molino resident Don Sutton has died at age 75.
“My dad passed away in his sleep last night,” Don Sutton’s son Daron Sutton said Tuesday afternoon on Twitter. “He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever known and he treated those he encountered with great respect…and he took me to work a lot. For all these things, I am very grateful. Rest In Peace.”
Sutton attended Tate High School where played basketball, football and led the Aggies baseball teams to two state championship games, one ending with a win. He was the Tate High Class of 1963’s “Most Likely to Succeed”.
During his career as a right-handed pitcher, he won 324 games, including 58 shutouts and earned the seventh place spot on baseball’s all-time strikeout list with 3,574. Sutton played over a decade with the LA Dodgers, and also played for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland A’s and California Angels before returning for one last season with the Dodgers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
“My mother used to worry about my imaginary friends ‘cause I would be out in the yard playing ball,” Don Sutton said in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 1998. “She worried because she didn’t know a Mickey, or a Whitey, or a Yogi, or a Moose, or an Elston, but I played with them every day.”
Sutton also had a successful broadcasting career, working for major networks including TBS and NBC, along with the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.
The Don Sutton Ballpark in Molino is named in his honor, and a portion of Highway 29 in Molino is known as the Don Sutton Highway. There is also a display devoted to Sutton in the Molino Museum in the Molino Community Complex.
“My heart is broken, hearing of Don Sutton’s passing,” longtime WEAR 3 sportscaster Dan Shugart posted on Titter. “Our first Hall-of-Famer, but so much more. I’ve never met anyone more gracious with his time nor more generous with his praise for that young sportscaster way back when. I have few heroes. I lost one today.”
Sutton was born April 2, 1945, in Clio, Alabama.
Pictured below: The display devoted to Don Sutton in Molino Museum and photos of Don Sutton will his son Daron Sutton. Photos by NorthEscambia.com and others, click to enlarge.
Local Publix Stores Offering COVID-19 Vaccines Beginning Thursday; Register Online Wednesday
January 19, 2021
Publix stores in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will begin taking appointments early Wednesday morning for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Starting Wednesday, January 20 after 6 a.m., eligible residents can access COVID-19 vaccine appointment availability beginning Thursday, January 21. Vaccination appointments are scheduled online only. Appointments cannot be made by calling Publix or the Publix Pharmacy.
CLICK OR TAP HERE TO REGISTER.
The following persons are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida, by appointment only:
- healthcare personnel with direct patient contact
- residents and staff of longterm care facilities, and
- adults aged 65 years and older
A limited number of vaccines are available at the following local Publix stores:
Escambia County
- 13390 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola
- 5055 North 9th Ave., Pensacola
- 9251 University Parkway, Pensacola
- 5998 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- 2180 West Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- 1100 E. Cervantes St., Pensacola
Santa Rosa County
- 852 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze
- 1430 Tiger Park Lane, Gulf Breeze
- 8244 Navarre Parkway, Navarre
- 4739 Highway 90, Pace
- 5580 Woodbine Road, Pace
Customers with health insurance will need to bring their insurance card to their scheduled appointment. Customers without health insurance will need to provide their driver’s license or Social Security number.
You cannot make or confirm an appointment by making a comment on this story. You must follow the link above.
Pictured: The Public store at 2180 West Nine Mile Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Over $1.5 Billion Up For Grabs As Lottery Jackpots Soar
January 19, 2021
More than $1.5 billion is up for grabs ther week as America’s dueling jackpots, Mega Millions and Powerball, continue to climb.
Tuesday, the Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated $865 million and on Sunday, the Powerball jackpot rolled to an estimated $730 million.
Jackpot winners have the option to receive their winnings in 30 annual installments or as a one-time, lump-sum cash option of approximately $638.8 million for Mega Millions and $546 million for Powerball. In addition to the jackpot prize, players can win lower-tier prizes of up to $2 million with Powerball and up to $5 million with Mega Millions.
The next Mega Millions drawing will be held Tuesday night, January 19, at 10 p.m. Tickets must be purchased by 9 p.m.
The next Powerball drawing will be held Wednesday at 9:59 p.m., but tickets must be purchased by 9 p.m.
Jay Couple Arrested On Child Sex Charges; Sheriff Described Victim As The Youngest He Has Seen
January 19, 2021
A Jay couple has been accused of sex crimes against a child that Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Bob Johnson described as “what is probably the youngest victim I’ve ever seen in 38-years of law enforcement.”
Brandi Nacole Harper, 38, and her boyfriend, 35-year old John David McKenzie were described as “mutts” by Johnson during a press conference Tuesday morning.
“If I had my way, I’d take them to the vet and have them put down like a dog. But that’s just me,” Johnson said.
McKenzie, 35, was charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. Each count is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Harper, 38, was charged with two counts of capital sexual battery on a victim under 12. If convicted, she faces two consecutive life sentences.
Johnson said Harper’s adult son was going through his mom’s bedroom and found McKenzie’s unlocked phone that contained multiple images of what the sheriff described as obvious child pornography. He turned the phone over to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office where investigators download the phone’s contents and found multiple images of child pornography.
The sheriff said Harper appeared in “a very disturbing video” with the young child.
“One of the platforms that I ran on was zero tolerance for crimes involving our most vulnerable victims — whether they’re juveniles, elderly individuals or those involved in human trafficking,” State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said.
“I do anticipate and expect to go full force on these types on crimes,” Bowden said. “I think that these are the most egregious types of crimes that we deal with, and unfortunately, it’s much more prevalent than we would like to acknowledge. But it’s there.”
Johnson said more charges against McKenzie are expected in the near future.
“It just make s me sick to my stomach when you realize what human beings are capable of doing to other human beings, especially human beings that can’t take of themselves,” the sheriff said.
McKenzie remained in the Santa Rosa County Jail with bond set at $75,000, while Harper was held in the jail without bond.
Pictured below: Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson listens as Stat Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden speaks about the arrests of Brandi Nacole Harper and her boyfriend, John David McKenzie, during a press conference Tuesday morning. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
U.S. Marshals In Texas Nab Atmore Man Wanted For Teen’s Murder
January 19, 2021
A man wanted for the shooting death of a teen last November in Atmore has been arrested by U.S. Marshals in Austin, Texas.
Rodarious Tyrig Dailey, 22, is awaiting extradition back to Alabama to face a murder charge.
Just before 4:30 p.m. on November 27, 2020, , the Atmore Police Department received a 911 call reporting that one person had been shot at 163 Harris Street. Atmore officers arrived to find the 17-year old male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body area, according to Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks.
The teen was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital where he later died.
Witnesses told police that the Atmore teen was sitting in the back seat of a vehicle parked at the residence when a lone suspect entered the property. Police were told the gunman then fired into the car, striking the victim.
The shooting happened less than two months after Dailey was released on bond from the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center after being charged with five counts of breaking and entering a vehicle, six counts of theft of property third degree and give counts of theft of property fourth degree. Those charges stemmed from citizen complaints after personal items were taken during vehicle burglaries July 24, July 25 and August 4, 2020.