United Way Reports Pledges Toward $2.37 Million Goal
November 8, 2010
Fifty-nine area workplaces have submitted final or estimated fundraising results for the 2010-11 United Way of Escambia County Campaign. The cumulative amount pledged is an estimated $865,000, which represents 36.5% of the $2.37 million goal.
Comparing results from 56 of the workplaces that participated last year and again this year, giving is up 4.2%. Three workplaces are participating for the first time this year. These workplaces contributed an estimated $65,000 of the total amount pledged to date to date.
Nearly 250 workplaces are still conducting fundraising activities. Most are expect to report results by Dec. 9.
Jean Norman, president/CEO of United Way of Escambia County, said she is appreciative of the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to raise funds for United Way this year.
“The enthusiasm and creativity shown by the Campaign volunteers is impressive,” Norman said. “Hundreds of volunteers are engaged in this year’s fundraising effort, and 10,000 are expected to make a pledge. These early figures point to a very strong, successful finish.”
The United Way of Escambia County Campaign launched Sept. 13. A final, projected total will be announced Dec. 9, 11:30 a.m. at Sanders Beach Community Center.
Temps Warming This Week, No Rain Forecast
November 8, 2010
Temperatures will begin to moderate this week, and it will remain dry with no chance of rain.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Calm wind.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.
- Veterans Day: Sunny, with a high near 78. East wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Four Families Homeless After Apartment Building Destroyed By Fire
November 8, 2010
Four families were left homeless after a Sunday afternoon apartment fire in Atmore.
The fire was reported just after 2 p.m. at the apartment complex on Everette Street, near Swift Lumber Company. The multi-family building was destroyed by the fast moving blaze.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Atmore and Poarch fire departments extinguished the blaze. There were no serious injuries reported.
Pictured above and below: Fire destroyed an apartment building in Atmore Sunday afternoon. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Missing 8-Year Old Found After 6 Hours In Woods
November 7, 2010
An 8-year old boy missing for six hours in a heavily wooded area Sunday was found unharmed after a massive search.
Scores of volunteers spent hours searching for Harley Walker around a home on Rockin J Farm Road west of Century. Harley was reported missing to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office about 1:30 Sunday afternoon, but his mother says he was last seen about 11:00 Sunday morning, according to deputies.
Harley was found on the Alabama side of State Line Road by Sarah Killam (pictured left), a Northview High School senior, as she drove to church about sunset.
His mom, Suzanne Walker, ran down the a long driveway to meet the SUV that returned her son home. She grabbed Harley and held him in a long hug, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Oh buddy you had me so scared,” she told him. “”I’m so glad you are home; I missed you so much.”
“I followed Molly and got lost,” Harley said, continuing to explain that he had followed Molly, a dog belonging to the Walker’s landlord, into the woods where he became lost. Eventually, Harley and Molly made their way to State Line Road where they were found.
“I was waving at the helicopter,” he said. He did not realize that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office air unit was searching for him.
“I saw this little boy on the side of the road,” Killam said. “It was him, just standing their with his dog waving at the helicopter.”
Killam said she did not consider herself a hero. “It was all Jesus,” she proclaimed. “We had prayed that they would find him and find him before dark. That’s exactly what happened.”
Mom Suzanne Walker said her son would spend Sunday night in her room. “He will be right there with me,” she said.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia Search and Rescue, a K-9 unit from Century Correctional Institution and dozens of volunteers search the remote area for hours. The Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office helicopter and an ultralight aircraft from Escambia County, Alabama also took part in the search.
For more photos from the reunion of mom and son, and from the search, click here.
Pictured top: Harley Walker, 8, is reunited with his mother Suzanne Walker. Picture top inset: Walker thanks Sarah Killam (left) for finding her son.Pictured below and bottom inset: Escambia Search and Rescue begins a search for a missing 8-year old this afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Edna Merle Floyd
November 7, 2010
Edna Merle Floyd, 66 of Jay, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, November 4, 2010. She was a member of Jay Assembly of God Church.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father, J.B. Lewis and Merline Strength; grandson, Joshua R. McNac; brothers, Willie Joe Lewis, Ray Lewis; and nephews; Ken Lewis and Ricky Still.
She is survived by her husband and best friend, Curt Floyd; 3 daughters; Terri (John) Hallman, Cindy (Jon) Smith, Kristy (Gary) McMillan; 3 grandchildren, Joslyn Trahan, Jessica McNac, Zachary McMillan; 2 great grandchildren; Joshua Trahan, Harmony Trahan; 2 sisters; Mary Haigler and Faye (Carl) Still.
In lieu of flowers make donations to Covenant Hospice, 5041 N. 9th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32504 and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in Edna’s memory.
Visitation will be 6-8 pm, Sunday, November 7, 2010 at Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel. Funeral service will be 2:00 pm, Monday, November 8, 2010 at Lewis Funeral Home Milton Chapel.
Caught on Video: Candidate And Wife Charged With Stealing Campaign Signs
November 7, 2010
A former candidate and his wife will face criminal charges for the theft of political signs belonging to newly elected District 1 State Representative Doug Broxson.
Gregory Brown, Jr. and his wife Jennifer were each charged with one count of petit theft. Both have entered into a pretrial diversion program and will be required to complete 50 hours of public service and write a letter of apology to Broxson.
In July, the Browns were caught on video as they removed campaign signs belonging to opponent Broxson from an intersection near Milton. Greg Brown maintained that the signs were on private property where he had permission to remove them.
An investigation later determined that the signs were on public right of way along Highway 87, not far from Whiting Field. Florida State Attorney Glenn Hess said there was insufficient evidence to charge Doug Broxson or his son Jason Broxson with placing the signs on the right of way because there was no evidence who actually placed the signs and when that occurred.
Hess also determined that there was no violation of Florida law when Jason Broxon used a night vision camera to video the Browns during the theft. The State Attorney’s Office said there is no expectation of privacy in conversations that take place on the public right of way.
“The video in question was deliberately taken and distributed to appear as if I had participated in some type of juvenile campaign trick.” Brown said in July. “After witnessing me removing the signs, as I had permission to do, rather than call the property owner or myself, Doug Broxson’s campaign anonymously dropped off the video with press, email lists, and the Sheriff’s department to discredit me.”
The video has sound, with Brown and his wife caught speaking. The volume of the conversation is very low; however, text superimposed on the video suggest what is being said.
“Is that good?” the video alleges that Jennifer Brown said after removing signs.
“Wait…your fingerprints are still on the ones laying down,” the video claims Brown responded.
Broxson defeated Brown in the primaries and went on to win the House seat during the November general election. The State Attorney’s Office delayed any charges in the case until after the election to avoid any impact on the political process.
Pictured top: This still frame from a night vision video camera shows Florida House candidate Greg Brown and his wife Jennifer removing an opponent’s campaign signs from Highway 87 near Milton. The video is below.
Walnut Hill Fire Honors Firemen, Community Members During Fish Fry
November 7, 2010
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their annual fish fry Saturday.
The Officer of the Year Award was presented to Diann Stewart, who has given “a lot of blood, sweat and tears to the department and stayed in the department while taking care of her family in an exceptional way,” according to District Chief Chris Brown.
Gerry Steege was named Firefighter of the Year, an award chosen by his peers.
Founding members Vern Peters and Bob Mininger were recognized for their part in forming the fire department in 1965.
Saturday’s fish fry marked the 41st annual event for the department, with 613 fish and chicken plates sold.
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department also presented their annual Community Service Award to NorthEscambia.com for service to the Walnut Hill community and the department.
Pictured top: Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Chad Rigby breads catfish Saturday morning during the department’s annual catfish fry. Picture inset: Diann Stewart was named Officer of the Year. Pictured below: Gerry Streege was named Firefighter of the Year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
County Road Grader Stolen; Road Heavily Damaged
November 7, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after someone took a county road grader on a short ride and heavily damaged a road Saturday night.
The grader, which was parked at Arthur Brown Road and Pineville Road, was stolen sometime before 9 p.m. Saturday. The thief was apparently unable to properly operate the piece of heavy equipment. The blade was dropped onto Arthur Brown Road, digging up full lane’s width of asphalt. The grader was then taken a short distance north on Pineville Road where it became stuck when the driver ran the wheels up onto a small embankment, burying the blade in the dirt road.
Deputies said the thief could face felony charges in connection with the incident.
The Escambia County Road Department was called to the scene to remove the stuck grader and make temporary repairs to the road.
The intersection of Arthur Brown Road and Pineville Road is an extremely rural area, about seven miles west of Walnut Hill.
Pictured top and below: A stolen Escambia County road grader became stuck on Pineville Road Saturday night. Picture inset: A section of Arthur Brown Road was destroyed by the blade on the road grader. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Did You Remember To Fall Back? Daylight Savings Time Is Over
November 7, 2010
Did you remember to “fall back”? Daylight savings ended early this morning. Pictured above: The clock at the Escambia County Bank in Flomaton is one of the largest clocks in the area. Bank officials say the clock is rather easy to “fall back”; it is all electronic. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Gulf Power Offers Money, Energy Saving Cold Weather Tips
November 7, 2010
As colder weather descends on the Gulf Coast, Gulf Power offers tips to stay warm and conserve energy.
Things you can do to save money and energy
- Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to conserve energy. For every degree below 68 you set your thermostat, you’ll save 8 percent on your heating costs.
- Don’t use your oven to heat your home — it’s not efficient and most importantly, it’s very dangerous.
- A fireplace is not always an efficient heat source. If not used properly it can actually make the rest of the house cooler because airflow up the chimney removes the heated air. When using the fireplace, close all doors and warm air ducts to the room where the fireplace is located. Glass doors on a fireplace will reduce the outflow of warm air. And a fireplace with a blower system is ever better because it actually blows the warm air around the firebox back into the room.
- An electric blanket is more economical than heating the entire house all night long.
- Use a portable electric heater to heat only a small area. Buy models that are thermostatically controlled. Keep it at least three feet from items that could catch fire like curtains or furniture. Make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor and in every sleeping room of your house.
- Make sure vents and return air registers are not blocked by furniture, draperies, doors or other obstacles.
Things you can do to prepare your home for the whole winter season.
Temperature settings
Heating a house makes up about half of your electricity bill so set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower in the winter. Did you know that you can decrease the amount of energy you buy for heating by 8 percent or more for every degree below 68 degrees you set your thermostat?
Programmable thermostats are a good investment, or you can take advantage of Gulf Power’s Energy Select. Energy Select is Gulf Power’s advanced energy management program that offers a lower price for electricity 87 percent of the time. Energy Select features a programmable thermostat and a special rate of four price periods based upon time of day, day of week and season. Installation and meter-based surge protection are both free with Energy Select. Only $4.95 per month.
Heating and cooling equipment
The system heating the home is extremely important. If it’s an older, less efficient unit, upgrading to a geothermal heating and cooling system — or a high efficiency air-source heat pump may be a wise choice. Contact Gulf Power at 1-877-655-4001 for a free Energy Check-Up.
- Routine maintenance — A well-maintained heating system runs more efficiently. A complete tune-up of the home heating system can cost anywhere from $50 to $100 and more, but this is a very worthwhile investment and can reduce your heating bill from 3 to 10 percent. Some companies offer regular service contracts, which are a convenience if you tend to forget system maintenance. Remember to replace the filter every month.
- Ductwork — Duct leakage can account for 20 percent of the heating and cooling cost. Getting ducts sealed up should be at the top of the list for making your home energy efficient.
Insulation
- Adding insulation to your attic is one of the most cost-effective energy saving measures. Different types of insulation material have different R-values. The recommended level is R-38 in the attic.
Weather-stripping and caulking
- Weather-strip door jambs and caulk any cracks around windows to prevent cool air from entering your home.
Window units
- If you have a window air conditioning unit, remove it for the winter months to prevent heat from escaping through and around the unit. If it can’t be moved, put a cover over it to prevent drafts.
Humidifier
- Use a humidifier to keep your home more comfortable. Adding moisture allows you to reduce the thermostat setting without feeling colder.
Other tips are available on the Energy Tips section at www.gulfpower.com, along with an extensive set of Frequently Asked Questions on energy use in the home.