Longtime Newspaper Columnist, Radio Host Passes Away
October 5, 2010
Longtime Escambia County (Ala.) newspaper columnist and radio station commentator Mary Elizabeth “Mary Beth” White passed away Sunday.
White, a homemaker and resident of Pollard, Ala. for most of her life, wrote a column named “Mary-Go-Round” for nearly 50 years in The Atmore Advance, The Brewton Standard and The Tri-City Ledger. For many years, she also hosted a radio program on WTCB in Flomaton with Pollard news and safety information.
For the complete obituary, click here.
Mary Elizabeth “Mary Beth” White
October 4, 2010
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth “Mary Beth” White, age 95, passed away Sunday, October 3, 2010, in a local hospital.
Mrs. White was born in Pollard, AL, and had lived there for most of her life. She was a homemaker and was active in a number of community activities. She wrote a column for The Atmore Advance, The Tri-City Leger and The Brewton Standard called “Mary-Go-Round” for 50 years, and did a live radio broadcast on WTCB in Flomaton two days a week giving the Pollard news and a safety program.
She was a member of the Pollard-McCall P.T.A., the Ladies Aid Society, the Home Demonstration Club, Cancer Society, and was a member of Pollard United Methodist Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher and was a charter member of the Lucille Vinson Ladies Circle. Mrs. White was preceded in death by her husband, Mr. Rufus W. White, and a son, Don White.
She is survived by three sons, F.P. “Skippy” (Clara) White of Pollard, Mickey White of Pensacola, and Johnny (Diane) White of Brewton; 12 Grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday October 5, 2010 at 2 p.m. from the Flomaton Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Frank Scott and Rev. Floyd Dyal officiating. Interment will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery.
Visitation was held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Monday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Pallbearers will be Todd White, Hugh White, Josh White, Donnie White, Heath Gibson, and John Robert Fountain.
FCAT Retake Test To Be Given At Northview
October 4, 2010
FCAT retake tests will be administered next week at Northview High School.
The following information was released by the school:
FCAT Retake Test will be administered on the following dates;
- October 11th, 2010 (Reading)
- October 12th, 2010 (Math)
This test is mainly for students in the 11th or 12th grade and post high school graduates who have not passed the required 10th grade Reading and Math FCAT. Students must be at the school no later than 8:45 am to take the required test. No student will be allowed to enter the testing area late.
All post high school graduates, please contact Ms. Boyce at (850) 327-6681 ext. 233 at Northview to register. Anyone needing additional information may also call Ms. Boyce.
What Does A Vote In Century Cost? Candidates File Finance Reports
October 4, 2010
Candidates for three council seats in Century have raised a total of almost $3 for each registered voter in Century’s primary election scheduled for Tuesday.
As of late last week, the six candidates had received a total of $3,183.25 in cash and in-kind contributions. There are 1,081 voters registered for Tuesday’s election.
Click a candidate’s name below to read their complete campaign finance reports for the entire campaign.
Century Council Seat 3
Henry Hawkins
Jacke Johnston
Robert Lasher
During the most recent reporting period, Robert Lasher reported one $50 cash contribution from Don Ripley and a $250 in-kind donation from Terri Sanders for signage. During the entire campaign, he reported just three expenditures — $300 to the Tri-City Ledger for advertising, $219.24 for signs and $48 for the office qualifying fee. Lasher received a total of $580 in cash and spent $567.24, leaving a $12.76 balance headed into election week.
Challenger Jacke Johnston reported a $30 in-kind contribution of business cards and pamphlets from John B. Johnston and expenses during the reporting period. Johnston spend $374.50 on signs, with $424.50 in total expenses out of $452 in contributions during her campaign. Her campaign fund balance as of September 30 was $27.50.
Incumbent Henry Hawkins reported no contributions and no expenditures during the most recent period. Overall, Hawkins reported $200 in contributions, all from Julie Booth-Moran. He spend $48 on qualifying and $129 on labels for signs, leaving him with a $13 balance.
Century Council Seat 4
Gary Riley was re-elected to his seat 4 post on the council with no challenger. He contributed the $48 qualifying fee to his own campaign.
Century Council Seat 5
Annie Carter Savage
Sandra McMurray-Jackson
The largest campaign war chest belonged to Annie Carter Savage, with $1,097.85 in contributions as of end of the most recent reporting period last Thursday. During the September 11-30 reporting period, Savage reported one contribution — $2.85 in cash from the Southern Pit Stop gas station. Her campaign expenditures included $129 in gas, $38.14 for printer ink and copy paper, and her $48 qualifying fee. She did not report purchasing any signs or advertisements as of September 30. Savage reported a balance of $829.84.
Sandra McMurray-Jackson reported total contributions of $460.40 as of September 30 and total expenditures of $433.40. During the last reporting period, she reported a $385.40 contribution from her Jackson-McMurray Funeral Service and an equal expenditure to Xtreme Graphix in Jay for campaign signs. Other than her funeral home, there were no other outside contributors to McMurray-Jackson’s campaign.
Pictured top: A group of political signs near Showalter Park in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
$2.5 Million Appropriated For North Escambia Paratransit Services
October 4, 2010
Nearly $2.5 million is being appropriated for fiscal year 2010-2011 to provide transportation services for American with Disabilities Act paratransit riders in North Escambia.
Funding includes $2,412.843 to provide transportation services for other human services organizations through services coordinated by the CTC in the Century, McDavid, Bratt, and Molino areas, plus a portion of cantonment and Beulah.
Funding the North Escambia area is provided by: $267,000 from CTC, $1,680,000 from Medicaid, $36,000 from Escambia County, $185,600 from rider fares and $244,2423 from miscellaneous state and federal funding sources.
Escambia County, by providing mass transit services through ECAT, is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide complimentary paratransit service within a certain distance of existing bus routes. The service has been provided since 1991.
In accordance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 427, ECAT contracts with the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) designated by the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO)
for the provision of this service.
Escambia County’s total contribution to the countywide program will be an estimated $1,106,990 during the next fiscal year.
Search Continues For Tate Student Missing For Nine Years
October 4, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is once again seeking information about the disappearance of a Tate High student last seen nine years ago in North Escambia.
Danielle Arion Bell, 14, was last seen at a party in September of 2001, near Cantonment. The teenager is believed to be an endangered runaway, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. She would now be 22 years old.
Danielle attended Tate High School where she was a member of the Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
She was seen at a party on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment. Witnesses told authorities that she left the party that night shortly after a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Homecoming Week At Northview; Parade Is Friday
October 4, 2010
The second annual Northview High School Homecoming Parade will roll at 1 p.m. Friday.
The parade, sponsored by the NHS DCT class, will travel from Bratt Elementary School to Northview, with a pep rally to follow.
Parade entries are being accepted now; there is no cost to enter. Contact Tommy Weaver at (850) 327-6681 ext. 254 to participate. The DCT class will also be selling homecoming t-shirts and spirit items.
The Northview Chief’s homecoming game will kickoff at 7 p.m. on October 8 against Bonifay.
On Friday, North Highway 99 will be closed at Bratt Elementary School for the parade from about 1 until 1:15 p.m. Highway 4 from North Highway 99 to Northview High School will be closed for about 45 minutes, from 1:15 p.m. until about 2 p.m.
Pictured above: Northview High School’s first ever Homecoming Parade rolls through “downtown” Bratt last year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Colder Tonight: Low Of 40 Forecast
October 4, 2010
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Clear, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 54. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 57.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Weekend In Photos
October 4, 2010
There was a lot going on in the North Escambia area this weekend, and NorthEscambia.com was there with hundreds of photos. Click any of the items below to see a photo gallery.
Photos: Northview Tribal Beat Band
October 4, 2010
Editor’s note: We took all of these photos of the the Tribal Beat Friday night, but due to a mistake on our part, they were not posted in a photo gallery we ran Saturday morning from the football game. We apologize for the error.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
