Toyz For Kidz Bike Ride Provides For Needy Kids (With Photo Gallery)
December 11, 2016
Santa had some very special helpers Saturday as the LA Bikers rolled through Bratt, Flomaton and Atmore making sure that dozens of needy kids had presents for Christmas this year.
It was the 16th annual Toyz For Kidz Ride organized by the LA Bikers.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Dozens of children received new bicycles and helmets, clothes, shoes and lots of toys. Over 100 bikers took part in the event with stops at Bratt Elementary, Arrington Auto Parts in Flomaton and the Atmore City Hall. Tjhe bikers also made large donation to the Atmore Fire Department’s toy drive.
Pictured: Children received Christmas gifts from Santa Claus Saturday morning thanks to the LA Bikers Toyz For Kidz Ride. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Run Over By Parade Float
December 11, 2016
A Pensacola woman is hospitalized in stable condition after she was run over by a float during the Pensacola Christmas Parade Saturday night.
The incident occurred around 5:40 p.m. near the intersection of Spring and Garden streets.
Officer Tony Garza said Miriam Mims, 59, of Pensacola was at the beginning of the parade route where floats enter Garden Street. She was not behind a barricaded area at the time.
Garza said Mims stepped into the street and bent over to pick up something that had been thrown from a float. As she leaned over, she is believed to have been bumped from behind and fell into the path of a float that was northbound on Spring Street. The float was moving about one to two miles per hour, Garza said.
David Chapman of Spanish Fort, AL, a safety person who was walking with the float, saw Mims fall into the path of the tires. Chapman and Jimmy Fields, who was with Mims, pulled her upper body and head from the path of the float tires. The tires ran over the left side of her torso, Garza said.
The parade was delayed for about 30 minutes during the incident. The incident remains under investigation, Garza said.
Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Thousands Attend Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade
December 11, 2016
Thousands attended the annual Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade Saturday night. The parade featured over two dozen lighted floats, twirlers, antique cars, bands, marchers, Santa Claus and more.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Scenes from the Atmore Christmas Parade Saturday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Fire Rescue Offers Free Smoke Detector Installation
December 11, 2016
Escambia Fire Rescue is offering to install a new smoke detector with a 10-year battery at no charge for local residents.
The Escambia County Commission has purchased over 1,100 smoke detectors since January in hopes of helping the community reach the goal of every home in the county having a working smoke detector.
Escambia Fire Rescue Chief Patrick Grace stressed the importance of having a properly installed and maintained smoke detector year round, but especially with colder weather by saying, “As residents rely more heavily on heating devices in the colder weather, they will have additional fire risks in their homes. Statistics show that a working smoke detector in your home can make the difference in escaping a fire without injuries and with your life.”
Saturday, Escambia County Fire Rescue installed over 100 smoke detectors in 71 homes in the Lakewood area in the southern part of the county, the largest single day installation to date in the county.
For information about obtaining a home smoke detector, call 850-595-HERO (4376).
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Knights Of Columbus Receive International Award
December 11, 2016
Knights of Columbus, Santa Maria Council 7402 of Cantonment, St Jude’s Parish has again earned the distinction of Star Council, one of the organization’s top awards, for the 2015-2016 fraternal year.
The award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of membership recruitment and retention, promotion of the fraternal insurance program, and sponsorship of service oriented activities. The award was presented to the membership by District Deputy John Recke at a special ceremony held recently.
In announcing the local winner of the Star Council Award, Carl A. Anderson, chief executive officer of the organization said, “Your dedication to the Order is seen in the high standard of excellence you have achieved. At the same time, I encourage you to carry forward this enthusiasm to meet the challenges that will face the Knights of Columbus in the years ahead. May this award be a reminder and an inspiration to the members of your council to continue to promote the ideals of Columbianism for the good of the Church, your community,and the Order”.
“Receiving the Star Council Award for three years in a row is quite an honor for us. We’re extremely proud of this accomplishment,” proclaimed Grand Knight Brian Hagensick, head of the local council. The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic lay organization. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Church, their communities, families and young people.
Byrneville Elementary Holds Christmas Carnival (With Gallery)
December 11, 2016
Hundreds attended the annual Byrneville Elementary School Christmas Carnival Saturday at the Byrneville Community Center.
The event included plenty of carnival games for the kids, food, entertainment and the ever popular basket auction.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Faith Chapel Founder Swede Danielson Passes Away
December 11, 2016
N. L. “Swede” Danielson, co-founder of Faith Chapel Funeral Home, passed away Thursday. He was 94.
Danielson was a U. S. Navy veteran who honorably served his country in World War II. He was stationed at Whiting Field and Okinawa, Japan. While in Pensacola, he met and married Myrtle Davis of Brewton and together they moved to Kansas
His love for the funeral business started at age 14 while working with his uncle Arvid Danielson. Upon returning to Kansas, he completed mortuary college at Kansas City College of Mortuary Science in 1949 and worked again with his uncle. The couple returned to Pensacola in 1950 with their first son (Ray) and he went to work at Fisher Pou Funeral Home with the ultimate dream of one day owning his own funeral home.
Swede worked five jobs at one time while working to fulfill his dream. He worked as a painter, monument salesman, gravedigger, and ambulance driver — all while working at his job at the funeral home. In 1964 his dream came true after meeting the late Tommy Smith. In 1965 they partnered to open Faith Chapel Funeral Home on Beverly Parkway.
He surpassed his dream by opening the second Faith Chapel Funeral Home location in December 1999, and an onsite crematory in 2009, both in Cantonment. Danielson formally retired in 2012 and was the oldest active funeral director in the State of Florida.
Funeral services will be held at 12:30 Tuesday at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Dr. Jerry Passmore officiating and Dr. Ted Traylor assisting.
For the complete obituary, click here.
In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of Swede Danielson may be made to Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen or Manna Food Bank.
Accidental Shooting Claims The Life Of A Toddler
December 10, 2016
A young child died in an apparent accidental shooting Friday night.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 2200 block of Brookpark Road, just off East Kingsfield Road, at 7:21 p.m. They discovered the child suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The child was transported by Escambia County EMS to West Florida Hospital where the child was pronounced deceased, according to Rhonda Ray, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Ray said it appeared the shooting was accidental and occurred after the child found a loaded gun in the residence, but she said the incident remains under investigation.
Ray declined to release the age or gender of the child, but described it as a toddler.
Further details have not yet been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Senate Bill Would Allow Openly Carrying Guns
December 10, 2016
Senate Judiciary Chairman Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, introduced a controversial measure Friday that would allow the more than 1.67 million Floridians with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry handguns.
Steube’s bill (SB 140), which is filed for the 2017 legislative session, also would expand the places where people with concealed-weapons licenses are allowed to carry guns.
It would allow them to be armed at legislative meetings; local government meetings; elementary and secondary schools; airport passenger terminals; and college and university campuses. License holders would still be prohibited from carrying weapons at locations such as police stations, jails, courtrooms, polling places and most bars.
During the 2016 session, the open-carry measure was approved 80-38 in the House but failed to advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was chaired by former Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami. Diaz de la Portilla lost a re-election bid in November.
A bill that would have allowed people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on university and college campuses also died in the Senate Judiciary Committee during the 2016 session. This week, Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, reintroduced a House version of the campus-carry measure (HB 6005) for the 2017 session. Also, Rep. Jake Raburn, R-Lithia, has proposed a bill (HB 6001) that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns into the passenger terminals of airports.
by The News Service of Florida
Clean Energy Group Allowed In Gulf Power Rate Increase Case
December 10, 2016
Despite objections from Gulf Power, the Tennessee-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy was allowed this week to intervene in the Pensacola-based utility’s rate case at the Florida Public Service Commission.
The alliance, which has often clashed with utility companies, filed a petition last month seeking to formally take part in the case.
Gulf Power, which is seeking to raise base rates by $106.8 million, objected to the petition and said the alliance had not shown that its interests or the interests of its members would be “adversely affected” by the case. But Public Service Commission member Jimmy Patronis, who is serving as the prehearing officer in the case, issued an order Thursday allowing the alliance to intervene.
“The purpose of this proceeding is to determine the fair, just and reasonable electric rates to be charged by Gulf,” the order said. “The substantial interests of SACE’s (the alliance’s) members are affected by this proceeding, since increases in the cost of electricity directly affect their monthly electric bills.”
Gulf Power, which provides electricity to about 450,000 customers in Northwest Florida, filed the rate-increase proposal in October with the Public Service Commission. If approved, the increase would take effect July 1, 2017.
by The News Service of Florida