Addie Mae Straughn
May 17, 2010
Addie Mae Straughn, age 89, of Molino, FL, passed away Wednesday, May 12.
Survivors include her children, Patricia Davis, Marietta, GA, Laura Holmes, Ruth (Howard) Thomas, John (Tami) and Clifford Straughn; ten grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren; siblings, Pearlie Williams, Bernice (Peter) Scott, Grady (Jean), Velma Wiliams; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 1pm at New Hope Primitive Baptist Church with Rev. Lovelace, Pastor, and Rev. Hamilton of Union Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at New Hope PBC Cemetery.
Viewing will be held from 12 to 9pm at Joe Morris Funeral Home Monday.
Longtime Educator Pete Gindl Passes Away
May 17, 2010
Longtime educator and Escambia County School Board member Peter R. (Pete) Gindl, Sr. of Barrineau Park passed away Sunday.
Gindl was fresh out of college back in 1957 when friends first convinced the political newcomer to run for the school board. He was a product of the Escambia School District and a graduate of Auburn. But he really did not know much about the office that was about to propel him into a lifelong quest to help children succeed.
“I was just fresh out of college, a single fellow, when a group of friends convinced me to run for the school board. I had a college education, and the other guy did not,” Gindl said in a 2008 NorthEscambia.com interview. “I didn’t know anything about the school board, but I ran. And I won — by 36 votes.”
Election after election, he continued to win, remaining on the school board for twenty years before deciding to “retire” and teach. He then spent 18 years in the classroom before “retiring” from teaching in 1996. While he supported the family as a farmer (he held an agricultural education degree, after all) for nearly 50 years, the second retirement was not forever. Education was just in his blood somewhere.
In 2004, the Escambia County native returned to the school board in District 5, ousting Linda Finkelstein from her seat. Gindl had plans to return to the board for another term in 2008, but District 5 voters had another plan, as they elected Bill Slayton to Gindl’s seat.
In all, the man that fought tirelessly for the children of District 5 and all of Escambia County spent 24 years on the Escambia County School Board — 16 years as chairman. He also served a year and a half as president of the Florida School Board Association.
But he considered his 18 years in the classroom as the most rewarding period of his career.
“I’m going to miss it,” he said in November, 2008, just hours before his school board term officially came to an end. “I’ll miss working with the parents, the educational personnel, everyone that cares about the kids. It has always been about the children…I just love the children.”
For the complete obituary and arrangements, click here.
Pictured: Pete Gindl, Sr. at an August, 2008, Escambia County School Board meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Mayor Seeks Help For Woman With Leaky Roof; Code Lien Preventing Repairs
May 17, 2010
An Century woman can’t get assistance to have her leaky roof fixed because she owes an old code enforcement lien that amounts to more than her monthly income, and Century’s mayor is asking the county to help.
The single, 58-year old female head of household takes care of her 34-year old developmentally disabled son on a Social Security disability income of $672 per month, according to a letter from Century Mayor Freddie McCall. She currently owes costs of $675 from a 2005 Escambia County Code Enforcement magistrate hearing.
To fix her leaky roof, the resident of Jefferson Avenue applied for emergency repair housing assistance through Escambia County’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. When her application was processed, it was discovered that she owed the $675 code lien and back taxes of $617.47. The back taxes have since been paid by her brother.
In the letter to the county, McCall requested that the code lien be forgiven so that the woman “may be determined eligible to receive housing assistance to replace her roof and to eliminate existing health and safety conditions”.
McCall’s request first went before the Escambia County Commission on May 6, but commissioners took no action.
According to Code Enforcement records, the woman was first cited on April 14, 2005, for an inoperable vehicle, overgrowth in excess of 12 inches, trash and debris, including mattresses on her property. On December 5, 2005, the woman faced a Special Magistrate hearing, was ordered to bring the property into compliance by January 21, 2006, and was ordered to pay costs of $675.
The property, according to Code Enforcement records, was brought into compliance by January 9, 2006 — over a week prior to the magistrate imposed deadline.
Jay Playoff Schedule, Map, Driving Directions
May 17, 2010
The Jay Royals will face Shorecrest of St. Petersberg next Monday morning in the the Class 2a baseball semifinals.
The game will be played at 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. EDT) Monday, May 24 at Digital Domain Park (pictured above, click to enlarge) in St. Lucie, Fla. Admission will be $8. The winner of the Jay versus Shorecrest game will play the winner of the 4 p.m. Westminster Christian of Miami versus Orlando Christian game for the state championship. The state championship game will be played at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, May 25.
Digital Domain park is the spring training home of the New York Mets. The facility seats 7,347 people.
For recommended hotel accommodations from the Florida High School Athletic Association web site, click here. The Hilton Garden Inn at PGA Village/Port St. Lucie offers a special rate of $79 per night through the link.
The park is 555 miles from Jay, an estimated nine hour road trip. Driving directions, according to Google Maps, are below. Click here to see a map with these directions.
- Head east on 1st Ave W/FL-4 E toward S Alabama St Continue to follow FL-4 E 31.8 mi
- Turn right to stay on FL-4 E 4.6 mi
- Turn left at FL-10 E/US-90 E 17.8 mi
- Turn right at FL-285 S 0.4 mi
- Turn left to merge onto I-10 E 226 mi
- Take exit 296A to merge onto I-75 S toward Tampa 108 mi
- Slight left at Florida’s Turnpike/Ronald Reagan Turnpike (signs for Orlando/Florida Turnpike S) Partial toll road 156 mi
- Take exit 152 to merge onto FL-70 E/Okeechobee Rd Partial toll road 1.2 mi
- Merge onto I-95 S via the ramp to W Palm Beach 7.4 mi
- Take exit 121 for St Lucie W Blvd 0.4 mi
- Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Port St Lucie 269 ft
- Turn left at St Lucie W Blvd 0.7 mi
- Turn left at NW Peacock Blvd Destination will be on the right
Slight Chance Of Rain Tonight, Tuesday
May 17, 2010
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 87. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. North northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 90. South southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 90.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89
Sports Association Awards Scholarships To Area Seniors
May 17, 2010
Several North Escambia area seniors were honored at the recent 2010 PSA Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet.
Rush Hendricks of Jay (pictured) was named an overall winner and will receive a cash scholarship to the school of his choice from the Pensacola Sports Association Foundation. Drew Kennedy from Jay was awarded a scholarship from the University of West Florida.
A total of 26 students from were offered scholarships totaling $110,000 by PSA and Pensacola Junior College.
PSA Scholar Athlete winners from the North Escambia area awarded PJC scholarships included:
- Jordan Bray, Jay, cheerleading
- Zach McMulley,, Tate, baseball
- Justin Galagher, Tate, tennis
- Travis Thrash, Tate, weightlifting
- Chelsea Hall, Tate, basketball
Cantonment Airman McCauley Graduates From Basic Training
May 17, 2010
Air Force Airman Travis G. McCauley graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
He is the son of Kevin and Lisa McCauley of Lake Suzanne Drive, Cantonment. McCauley is a 2002 graduate of Tate High School.
AirHogs Beat The Pelicans
May 17, 2010
The AirHogs (3-0) came from behind Sunday for the second time in three games to deal another gut-wrenching loss for the Pelicans (0-3) by a final of 4-3.
One big positive for the Pels was the pitching performance turned in by Aaron Jackson. Jackson was in trouble with men on base in each of the first four innings of the contest. He ended up battling through six innings, giving up only two runs off 2 hits and walking just 4 batters.
Aaron Jackson’s roommate Antoin Gray was a hot rod with the bat as he went 4 for 4 with 4 solid singles on the night.
The Pelicans scored two runs in the first on a pair of Grand Prairie errors, but RBI ground outs by Ben Petralli in the second and Camacho in the third tied the game at 2-2.
It was a pitching duel from both clubs starters and relievers until Francisco Leandro’s RBI single in the top half of the ninth brought home John Alonso to give the Pelicans a 3-2 lead.
However in the bottom of the ninth, it was another nightmare for Ron Hill A.K.A. “The Bear” and the Pelicans. Hogs 3rd baseman Jaun Camacho singled sharply to left which then skipped away from Joey Side and resulted in Camacho hustling all the way to third base on the play. Aaron Garza then roped an RBI double down the left field line tying the game at 3. Robert Perry then would knock home the game-winning RBI with a deep shot off the right field wall and win the game for the AirHogs 4-3.
The Pelicans will be off on Monday and be back at it with Day/Night Double-Header starting Tuesday morning at 10:05am against the Shreveport Bossier Captains. The 2nd game will be at 7:05pm. Chetan Chaudhari will be on the call for both of the games with the pregame starting approximately 10 minutes before each of the scheduled first pitches.
Flood Warning: Central Escambia
May 16, 2010
A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect until 1100 am CDT for
central Escambia County.
At 947 am CDT…National Weather Service Doppler radar continued to
indicate a cluster of thunderstorms over the western Florida
Panhandle from Milton to Pensacola. Although at this time…most of
the organized thunderstorms with heavy rain are just outside the
warning area…there continues to be potential for additional
thunderstorm development and flash flooding over the warned area.
Storms were moving north northeast at 10 to 15 mph.
Locations in the warning include but are not limited to Gonzalez…
Ensley…Cottage Hill…Cantonment and Beulah
Precautionary/preparedness actions…
Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Never drive your vehicle into
areas where the water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually
deeper than they appear. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful
enough to sweep vehicles off the Road. When encountering flooded
roads make the smart choice…turn around…dont drown.
Pelicans Fall To Air Hogs
May 16, 2010
The Pensacola Pelicans fell to the Grand Prairie Air Hogs Saturday 7-6 in 13 innings.
Pelicans (0-1) starter Jason Jones was solid all night long as he scattered 9 hits and only gave up 1 run in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Grand Prairie (0-1) starter James Paxton lasted only 3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. The Pelicans tallied their first run of the night off Paxton in the top of the second off an RBI single to right by John Alonso.
The AirHogs tied it back up in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch from Pensacola starter Jason Jones skipped away from catcher Lou Palmisano scoring Ben Petralli.
Paxton would get the hook after giving up three singles in a row leading to the Pelicans second run. A sacrifice fly would bring in the remainder of Paxton’s property, giving the Pelicans a 3-1 lead.
Pensacola would tack on one more in the sixth on a base hit, but would be held scoreless for the rest of the regulation nine innings.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, AirHogs third baseman Juan Camacho hit a towering pop fly that was dropped by Pensacola third baseman John Alonso, allowing two runs to score and tying the game at four.
Pensacola took the runs back in the top of the 12th inning. The first run came across on a wild pitch from AirHogs pitcher Mike Bille, moving a runner to third. A base hit would drive in the sixth run.
A triple by AirHogs catcher Flint Wipke scored two runs in the bottom of the 12th tying the game and sending it to be continued Saturday night.
The game would come to an end in the bottom of the 13th innings with Higs runners on first and second with 2 outs as Robert Perry drove in Greg Porter with a blooping single to center. Air Hogs beat the Pelicans 7-6.