Century Proclamations Honor The Lives Of Willie Dortch And Regi Burkett
September 21, 2022
The Town of Century issued proclamations Tuesday night honoring the lives of two longtime residents that passed away recently after serving their community for decades.
Willie C. Dortch passed away September 10. A proclamation from Mayor Ben Boutwell described him as a “pillar” in the town. A heavy equipment operator by trade, he spent his own time and materials as groundskeeper at the Century Cemetery and worked to serve his community in any way that he could.
Regi Burkett passed away August 20. Burkett spent nearly 40 years in the fire service for his community, retiring as chief of the Century Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue. “Burkett’s fight for the people of the Town of Century was both resolute and uncompromising,” according to the mayor’s proclamation.
After accepting the proclamation, Burkett’s widow Ann said he dedicated his life “to getting everything the department needed, and the Town of Century and the surrounding communities what they needed in fire protection” while doing what he loved.
Pictured top: Regi Burkett’s widow Ann Burkett accepts a proclamation in his honor during a meeting of the Century Town Council Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Volleyball Tops West Florida (With Gallery)
September 21, 2022
Tate High School volleyball defeated West Florida Tuesday night with the Aggies taking three of four sets.
The Lady Aggies also honored educators during a teacher appreciation night.
Up next, Tate will host Gulf Breeze Thursday night.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos by Matt Durham for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Clear, Around 70 Tonight
September 21, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 87. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 64. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 88. East wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Calm wind.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 88.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 87.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 84.
Registration Underway For Tri-City Children’s Choir
September 21, 2022
Registration is underway for the second season of the Tri-City Children’s Choir (TCCC), a regional initiative of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus.
TCCC welcomes young singers in grades 1-6 who reside in Century, Flomaton, Jay and the surrounding areas.
The choir will one again be under the direction of Holley Driver, a Century-based music teacher.
Singers will meet weekly on Thursdays from 4:30 until 5:15 p.m from October 6 to December 15 at Century First United Methodist Church, 530 Church Street. A performance is scheduled for December 16. TCCC is a tuition-based program and costs from $15 to $65 per week. Families may choose the weekly amount that works best for their household finances, and scholarships are also available.
For more information on joining the choir, or make a contribution, visit www.tricitychoir.org.
Driver directed the TCCC during their first season this past spring. She taught music in the Escambia County School District for over 15 years, served as the choral director at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino for nine years, and teaches in her own studio.
If you need more information, call Driver at (850) 324-6182.
Pictured: A May 2022 by the Tri-City Children’s Choir. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Anderson “A.C.” Corrie Collier
September 21, 2022
Anderson “A.C.” Corrie Collier of Pensacola, Florida passed away on September 16, 2022. A.C. could always be found riding a motorcycle, hiking, working, camping, going on adventures with his brother, and spending time with his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed!
A.C. spent his life serving and protecting others. He started his security career at NYCO. He also served with the Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary for 13 years. He then spent more than 35 years as a licensed private investigator. He took great pride in his privately owned investigative company, Information Specialists Inc. A.C. also worked in the security business for many years with Securitas and more recently with G4S as a security officer at Sacred Heart Hospital. He took his work to heart and always went above and beyond to ensure the safety of those he was responsible for protecting.
A.C.’s survivors include his daughters Alison (Adam) Leja and Katie (Colton) Plumley; grandsons Noah, Elliott, and Elias; granddaughter Ella; and brother Neal (Sandy) Collier. Anderson was preceded in death by his father and mother, Luther and Margaret Collier.
Visitation will be held Thursday, September 22, 2022 at Pensacola Memorial Gardens from 5:00-7:00 pm. The funeral service will be held Friday, September 23, 2022 at Century United Methodist Church at 10:00 am. The graveside service will follow at Pensacola Memorial Gardens at 12:00 pm. Pallbearers will be Adam Leja, Colton Plumley, Jacob McCafferty, Jon Winters, Craig McCormick, and Stephen Simandira.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Century United Methodist Church 530 Church Street Century, FL 32535-2913.
Truck Rolls Over On I-10
September 20, 2022
A driver received minor injuries when his truck and trailer overturned on I-10 Tuesday morning in Escambia County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 55-year old man from Atlanta was driving east on I-10 approaching the Highway 29 exit at 10:17 a.m. when he “failed to maintain single lane of travel and failed to use due care”. That caused his truck to drift off the interstate onto the shoulder of the roadway.
The load shifted, according to FHP, when the driver overcorrected, causing the truck to overturn.
I-10 was reopened by 11:40 a.m.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Transported After Highway 29, Tate School Road Wreck
September 20, 2022
A morning crash caused traffic delays on Highway 29 at Tate School Road Tuesday morning.
One person was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital after the crash that heavily damaged two vehicles.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash and has not released additional information. The Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Through Fence, Into Tree On Molino Road
September 20, 2022
There were no injuries when a SUV crashed through a fence and into a tree Tuesday morning in Molino.
The single vehicle crash happened about 7:25 a.m. in the 900 block of Molino Road near Veazey Lane.
The driver refused EMS transport to the hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Molino and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Board To Discuss Terminating Superintendent Tim Smith’s Contract
September 20, 2022
Update: Click here for an update on the outcome of the meeting.
The Escambia County School Board is set to discuss terminating the contract of Superintendent Tim Smith at a meeting today.
The termination discussion has been added to the board’s agenda for a 5:30 p.m. meeting.
In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent, and Smith took office in November 2020.
Smith and the district have come under fire in recent days over a “Rights and Responsibilities” handbook quiz question.
The question given to middle and high school students discussed the exchange of nude photos, revenge porn and ultimately the suicide of a student.
In the question narrative titled “Selfie Suzie” (click image to enlarge), Suzie was a 17-year old high school senior talked into sending her 18-year old boyfriend three nude photos. The couple broke up, and the boyfriend sent Suzie’s nude photos to the football team, basketball team, soccer team, track team and other students.
Suzie was harrassed, degraded and called a slut, the scenario continues. Suzie enrolled in the community college to get her diploma, but there were high school students there that harassed her.
“Two weeks later, she was so miserable and depressed that she took her own life,” the fictional quiz narrative states.
In a statement released Monday, Smith said:
“The test was intended to reinforce our focus on ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment for all of our students.
“After the issue was brought to my attention and listening directly to the concerns of parents who brought this issue forward, I‘ve made the decision to order the test be discontinued from future use.
“Our school district has over 5800 employees. By necessity, independent decisions must be made by employees at various levels of the organization. I believe our employees care deeply about the well-being and education of our students. That said, when unsatisfactory decisions are made, it is my responsibility to gather the facts and take corrective measures to prevent re-occurrences of the problem.
“In order to become the school system we envision, we must build a culture of continuous improvement, learn from our missteps and always find ways to do things better. This situation revealed a need for us to review and evaluate approval processes that were used in this instance, and to make changes to ensure any materials distributed to our students are age appropriate. I am asking our executive leadership team to evaluate the decision-making protocols used in this case and to make recommendations for improvement.”
Smith said he asked for the report to be on his desk by October 28 so that he could present recommendations to the school board in November.
According to Smith’s contract, the board can terminate him without cause at any time with a majority vote. If that happens, he will get 20 weeks severance pay and benefits and waives any right to object to his termination. If the board should find a reason to terminate Smith for cause, he would only receive earned pay and benefits. If terminated with cause, he would be entitled to request a hearing.
Smith was hired at a base salary of $160,000.
Highway 95A Resurfacing Begins; New Traffic Pattern Recommended For Jim Allen Elementary Area
September 20, 2022
Work started Monday to resurface Highway 95A from Molino to Cantonment, and a new suggested traffic pattern will be introduced this week in an attempt to alleviate problems near Jim Allen Elementary School.
Highway 95A Resurfacing
Highway 95A is being milled and resurfaced by contractor Roads, Inc. from Highway 29 in Molino to the intersection with Highway 29 and Morris Avenue in Cantonment. The 9.16 mile, $2.1 million project will also include the shoulders and turn lanes.
“I’m so excited for the beginning of the much needed resurfacing of over 9 miles of Highway 95A from Molino all the way south to the heart of Cantonment,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said Monday.
Lane closures are planned from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
According to Escambia County, paving near Jim Allen Elementary on the southern end of the project is planned for Saturday, October 2 in order to not interfere with school traffic.
Weather permitting, the resurfacing should be completed by October 7. About two weeks later, final thermoplastic striping will be installed over the temporary paint striping.
Improving Jim Allen Elementary Traffic
Officials are hoping that a new suggested traffic pattern will alleviate big traffic problems near drop-off and dismissal times at Jim Allen Elementary School on Highway 95A.
As NorthEscambia.com reported in late August, vehicles line the side of the roadway waiting to turn into the school during car rider times, and vehicles travel on the shoulder to get around a backed up turn lane.
“We will have signage installed attempting to direct through, non-local, traffic away from the area in front of Jim Allen Elementary during the student drop-off times in the morning and student pick-up times in the afternoon. We are hoping all non-local traffic will utilize Neal Road and Highway 29 to make their way between Molino and Cantonment during these high congestion times in front of the school for the increased safety of all involved,” Barry said.
The signs asking drivers to use Neal Road, and avoid Jim Allen Elementary during peak times, are expected to be installed by the end of this week.
Pictured top: In late August, an Escambia School bus became stuck when attempting to pass traffic on the shoulder of Highway 95A near Jim Allen Elementary School. Pictured below: A dump truck passes traffic near the school. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
