The Annual Peanut Butter Challenge Is Accepting Donations Now
October 11, 2022
There’s still time to donate in the Peanut Butter Challenge in Escambia County to help families in need.
The Peanut Butter Challenge, UF/IFAS Extension’s annual jar collection for local food pantries, first launched in the Florida Panhandle in 2012. It has since launched statewide, giving counties the chance to compete for most jars of peanut butter donated. The challenge serves a way to feed hungry families ahead of the holidays and also promotes peanuts grown in Florida.
Unopened, unexpired jars of peanut butter can be donated at the following locations through October 31:
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Escambia County Farm Bureau, 153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 North W Street
- Gilmore Services, 31 East Fairfield Drive
- Escambia County Administration, 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor
- Holy Spirit Catholic, 10650 Gulf Beach Highway
In addition to the community donations, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) have partnered with the project for years. These organizations are based in the northwest and northeast peanut-producing regions of the state and will again contribute to the totals distributed to food pantries in those regions.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Inmates Accused Of Assaulting Century Correctional Institution Officers
October 11, 2022
Two Century Correctional Institution inmates assault correctional officers in separate incidents recently, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Inmate Wendell Clarke (pictured left) assaulted an officer. He is serving a five year sentence from Citrus County for obstructing a firefighter and throwing bodily fluids at correctional staff.
Inmate Israel Adorno-Ocasio also assaulted an officer. He is serving a life sentence out of Orange County for two first degree murder counts from Orange County.
“All assaults are investigated, and disciplinary action is imposed in accordance with policy,” FDC said in both instances. “”Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued.”
Jeannine Lane Hensey
October 11, 2022
Jeannine Lane Hensey, a resident of Cantonment, Florida, passed away on Monday, October 10, 2022, at the age of 82. She was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, on May 7, 1940. S
he was a graduate of Pensacola High School and was a leasing agent at Northwoods Apartments.
She was preceded in death by her parents John Goff Jr. and Winnie Davis Turner and her foster mom, Thelma Calhoun; brother, Jack Calhoun.
She is survived by her husband of 30 years Kenneth Alan Hensey; daughter, Kathy (Mark) Jones; grandchildren; Joshua (Amber) Bailey, Danielle Bailey, Meagan (Chance) Schindler, Matthew Bailey; great grandchildren; Gavin Bailey, Lucas Bailey, Theo Bailey, Taylor Jones, Ellie Schindler.
Memorials can be made to Surfari Pals, 1933 Woodberry Ave, Shreveport, LA 71106-8550 or surfaripals.org.
Funeral Services will be Thursday October 13, 2022 at 12:30pm at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Visitation will begin at 11:30am until service time.
Margie Dee Johnson
October 11, 2022
Mrs. Margie Dee Johnson, age 86, passed away Friday, October 7, 2022 at her Century, Florida residence.
Mrs. Johnson was born in Bluff Springs, FL and had been a life-long resident of the Century area. She worked as a Respiratory Therapist at Century Hospital and was a member of Beulah Chapel Assembly of God. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Harvey Johnson; her parents, Corbett and Ila Dee White; a sister, Lorelle Van Rossum; and a great-grandson, Tyler David Palmer.
She is survived by two sons, Wayne (Marie) Johnson of Baker, FL and Gary (Polly) Johnson of Byrneville, FL; special nieces, Karen Cash of Flomaton, AL and Donna (BJ) Jernigan of Cantonment, FL; four grandchildren, Jessie Dixon, Jennifer (Heath) Wilson, Denise (Shannon) Palmer, Pam (Julian) Perez; eight great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. Beulah Chapel Assembly of God with Bro. Tim Floyd and Bro. Ray Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in Beulah Chapel Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Tuesday.
Pallbearers: Dylan Dixon, Austin Dixon, Ashton Wilson, Johnathan Palmer, Zac Perez, and Kevin Dixon
Honorary Pallbearers: John White, Levon Little, BJ Jernigan, David Johnson, Jeffery Johnson
Escambia County Public Schools Foundation Awards $78,458 To 32 School Projects
October 10, 2022
The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation has awarded Grants for Excellence totaling $78,458 to 32 local school projects.
Tate High School was awarded four grants, more than any other school in the district.
Instructional coach Kristin Maum was awarded $4,932 to purchase iPads and Apple Pencils for the Tate High School math department. She is thrilled that her grant was chosen because now “math teachers can easily model how to solve math problems while also moving around their room to check on individual students. They’ll be able to ensure that each and every student in their classroom understands what they are doing and they’ll be able to quickly adjust their instruction based on students’ needs.”
Reading teacher Carla Urquhart was awarded $2,000 to purchase flexible seating options for her students. “This will have a positive impact on the students who have ADHD, Autism, and other individualized needs often seen in the Intensive Reading Classroom. Most students need to fidget or move in order to focus on tasks such as listening, reading, or writing. The opportunity for flexible seating helps the student to determine which seat works best for them and allows them to get the most out of their time in the classroom,” she said.
Theater teacher Lauren Williams was awarded $1,961 to purchase digital media equipment for both her English Language Arts classes and her drama classes. She is so excited to use the grant cross-curricularly: “iPads, tripods, and green screen equipment will allow my students to film play trailers to promote our mainstage shows. It will also help theater students learn about film acting and short films. Students in my English classes can record things such as persuasive commercials to learn about rhetoric.”
Fine Arts teacher Elerene Walters was awarded $2,000 to purchase high quality cameras and printers for her art classes. This will allow students to practice real-world skills: “Students will learn how to scan and print artwork and how to print digital art and photography. These are skills that will help them get jobs at online companies like Shutterfly and Minted. This project will even help students who want to pursue a career in art because they will be able to create a portfolio for College Board, art scholarships, Gallery Nights, and as a professional artist.”
The grants are intended to support innovation in the classroom and enhance the quality of education for students.
Here is the complete list of Grants for Excellence recipients for the 2022-2023 school year:
High Impact Grant Recipients
- Briana Leatherwood — Warrington Middle School
- Matthew MacGregor — West Florida High School
- Kristin Maum — J.M. Tate High School
- Wayne Menges — L.D. McArthur Elementary School
- Molly O’Connor — Roy Hyatt Environmental Center
- Jared Stanley — Hope Horizon
- Erin Steinmetz — Booker T. Washington High School
- Patricia Swanz-Reiners — N.B. Cook Elementary School
- Miranda Williams — Cordova Park Elementary School
Teacher Opportunity Grant Recipients
- Adam Bretschneider — Roy Hyatt Environmental Center
- Elizabeth Brown — Ransom Middle School
- Liberty Davis — R.C. Lipscomb Elementary School
- Catheryn Grantham — Escambia High School
- Barbara Guarino — Pine Meadow Elementary School
- Tally Hawthorne — R.C. Lipscomb Elementary School
- Jacquelyn Johnston — Byrneville Elementary
- Andrea Lowery — Hellen Caro Elementary School
- April Matteis — West Florida High School Department
- Erica Minchew — Kingsfield Elementary School
- Rachel Odom — L.D. McArthur Elementary School
- Elizabeth Shaw — L.D. McArthur Elementary School
- Bernadette Smith — Global Learning Academy
- Cindy Speed — Ransom Middle School
- Rachel Stallworth — Ferry Pass Middle School
- Stefany Tompkins — Booker T. Washington High School
- Mary Beth Tubbs — Kingsfield Elementary School
- Carla Urquhart — J.M. Tate High School
- Bradley Vinson — West Pensacola Elementary School
- Elerene Walters — J.M. Tate High School
- Lauren Williams — J.M. Tate High School
- Erica Zink — Pleasant Grove Elementary School
- Candice Zolnoski — C.A. Weis Elementary School
Grants for Excellence are funded by the Escambia County Public School Foundation and matching grant funds from the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program. Grants are available for teachers of students in grades K-12.
High Impact Grants were funded between $2,000 and $5,000. Teacher Opportunity Grants were funded from $500 to $2,000.
Pictured: Escambia County Public Schools Foundation Grants for Excellence were awarded to four Tate High School teachers. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Voter Registration Deadline Is Tuesday
October 10, 2022
The voter registration deadline for the November general election is Tuesday, October 11.
The Supervisor of Elections office will remain open until 7 p.m. on October 11 for voters wishing to register to vote or update their record. Florida law mandates that registration books close 29 days before an election. New registrations must be completed and received or postmarked no later than October 11 for the November 8 election. Address changes within Florida can be made after the books close. If you are unsure of your registration status, visit EscambiaVotes.gov and click “Am I Registered?” to verify your status, or call the Supervisor of Elections office.
Escambia County citizens have several ways to register to vote or update their record:
Online: Simply go to EscambiaVotes.gov to register to vote, or to update or change your current registration, including your address or party affiliation. It’s a quick and secure way to make sure you are ready to vote.
In Person: You can register at the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver’s License Office, public library, and several other governmental offices and public assistance centers. Registration forms are also available to pick up at many locations countywide. For a complete list of locations throughout Escambia County, visit EscambiaVotes.gov or call or e-mail the Elections Office.
By Mail: Visit EscambiaVotes.gov and complete, print, and sign the online application. Be sure to include a valid Florida Driver’s License or Florida ID number, or if you have neither, the last 4 digits of your social security number in the appropriate space. Completed applications must be received or postmarked no later than October 11. Mail to: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591-2601, or take the completed application to the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola. To have a form mailed to you, call (850) 595-3900 or e-mail the Elections Office at soe@escambiavotes.gov.
Vote-By-Mail Requests Still Being Accepted
For voters who wish to cast a ballot by mail, requests are being accepted until 5 p.m. on October 29
Week Begins Sunny; Cold Front Brings Rain Chance By Wednesday
October 10, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 52. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 53. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79.
Fire Prevention Week Story Times This Week At Your Local Library
October 10, 2022
During Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Pensacola Fire Department will visit libraries across the county for special story times.
The schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 10:30 a.m. – Bellview Library (ECFR)
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 10:30 a.m. – Southwest Library (ECFR)
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m. – Pensacola Library (PFD)
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m. – Molino Library (ECFR)
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m. – Century Library (ECFR)
Thursday, Oct. 13, 10:30 a.m. – Tryon Library (PFD)
Thursday, Oct. 13, 10:30 a.m. – Westside Library (PFD)
Tate Volleyball Hosting Dig Pink Event Tuesday To Support Breast Cancer Research
October 10, 2022
Tate High School Volleyball will host a Dig Pink event Tuesday to support the Side-Out Foundation.
The Side-Out dedicates the majority of donations to their own metastatic breast cancer research. In addition to research, Side-Out allocates a portion of their funds to high-quality support services for cancer patients and their families, as well as college scholarships for students.
Tate will host Washington with the freshmen beginning at 4:30, junior varsity at 5:30 and varsity at 6:30. All Tate students who wear pink will get in free.
Pictured: The 2021 Dig Pink event at Tate High School. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Has Filled Every Sworn Position — All 447 Of Them
October 10, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has announced that every sworn position with the agency has been filled — all 447 of them — as of last Friday.
That includes 20 new sworn positions added during the past two years, the agency said.
The ECSO is continuing to accept applications for sworn positions, along with non-sworn openings like an administrative support assistant, dispatcher, accounting and more.