Gertrude Bradley
July 20, 2011
Mrs. Gertrude Bradley, 86, of Walnut Hill, died Friday, July 15, 2011, at a Pensacola hospital.
She was a native of Monroe County and a resident of Walnut Hill for most of her life. She was retired from the Escambia Co. (Fla.) Board of Education and a member of the House of Prayer in Walnut Hill.
She is survived by three daughters, Willodean Knighten of Pensacola, Annette (Alfred) Williams of Walnut Hill, and Bobbie (Johnny) Longmire of Chicago, IL; three sons, Alvin (Yvone) Bradley and Glenn Bradley, of Walnut Hill, and James (Debra) Bradley of Chicago, IL; one brother, Aubrey Daughtry of Monterey, CA; a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren and a great-great grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 23, 2011, at the house of Prayer in Walnut Hill with the Rev. Darryl North, eulogist and the Rev. Fountain, host pastor. Retirement of her remains will be in the Williams Cemetery in Quintette with Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC directing.
Public viewing will be held from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Navy Cutting NJROTC Program At Escambia County High
July 20, 2011
The Navy has announced that it will disestablish 29 Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) units next summer, including the unit at Escambia County High School in Atmore.
Military.com reports the units, including the one at Escambia County High, are already on probationary status for not meeting statutory and regulatory minimum student enrollment standards.
“Our goal is to maintain a high-quality program that ensures the full range of NJROTC activities are available for participating students across the nation and overseas,” Rear Adm. David F. Steindl, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC). “We are extremely proud of what the NJROTC program offers participating students, so it was important for us to work with each non-compliant high school and continue to support the NJROTC program as long as possible. However, due to projected future funding levels, it is no longer possible to maintain NJROTC units that fail to meet minimum enrollment requirements and are not in compliance with program directives.”
State Gives Warrington Middle One More Year – Or Else
July 20, 2011
The State Board of Education voted Tuesday to give Escambia County’s Warrington Middle School and seven others in Miami-Dade County more time to turn themselves around.
The schools were on “intervene” status for poor performance on state tests and federal accountability standards. Only one state board member – John Padget – voted against granting these schools more time, saying he wants to send a message that the schools should take their poor performance seriously.
The board is giving these schools one year to show increased improvement in learning gains in math, science, reading and writing. The board has yet to take up a similar request for more time from Duval County, which has four schools on “intervene” status. If the board had not approved these requests for more time, the schools would have to privatize, close or become charter schools.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Photos: Rising Rivers
July 20, 2011
After reaching near all-time lows, area river levels are up following a wet weekend that dumped several inches of rain in and upstream from North Escambia.
The Escambia River at Century had dropped to 2.90 feet about two weeks ago. By Sunday the river reached 7.96 feet and had fallen to 6.5 feet by Tuesday night.
The Perdido River at Barrineau Park fell to a low of 1.23 on July 11. By Sunday night, the river was up to 7.46 feet. Tuesday night, the Perdido River was at 5.73 feet.
Pictured top: The Escambia River at Molino two weeks ago with the dock and boat ramp completely dry. Pictured below: the Escambia River at Molino on late Tuesday afternoon. Note that the end piers on the dock are nearly submerged. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bradley Grant Winch
July 20, 2011
Bradley Grant Winch, age 35, was born in Wauseon, OH, on October 10, 1975. He lived in Florida for 26 years until he died at home in Cantonment on July 15, 2011. He never gave up hope when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. His long and courageous fight with admirable strength was an inspiration to all his friends and family.
Bradley graduated from Zephyrhills High School in 1994 before beginning his career in excavating. He enjoyed tinkering with his antique John Deere tractors.
He leaves his memories to his loving wife, Kathy; his daughter Megan; his son Matthew; his granddaughter Jocelynn; along with his mother Cynthia Armstrong; granddad Fred Armstrong; grandma Sandy Armstrong; sister Crystal W inch; brother Brian W inch; his favorite Aunt Lisa and many friends.
The family is thankful for the amazing care he received from Covenant Hospice under the care of Dr. James Smith and his loving and caring nurse, Stacey. We also give a continuous thank you to all the continuous care nurses that helped Brad through this rough time.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Gilliam E. Webb, Jr.
July 20, 2011
Gilliam E. Webb, Jr., 52 of Walnut Hill, formerly of Nolensville, TN, died July 14, 2011.
His father, Gilliam E. Webb, Sr. preceded him in death.
He worked in the concrete business for 31 years in Atmore and served as president and vice president of Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association. Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Kathy Webb; sons, Gilliam E. Webb, III and James Wesley Webb; mother, Carol Ann Webb; sister, Cindy (Hal) Lancaster; and brother, Eric (Faith) Webb.
Funeral services were held Sunday, July 17, 2011, at Woodbine Funeral Home, Hickory Chapel, 5852 Nolensville Road, Nashville, TN, with the Rev. Jim Norton officiating. Interment was held in Nolensville Cemetery. Visitation was held from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Woodbine Funeral Home Hickory Chapel.
Active pallbearers were Eric Webb, Hal Lancaster, Ernie Bryant, Hal Lancaster, Jr., Ryan Lancaster, Bill Bryant, Clifford Bryant III and Curry Saeger.
Cantonment Women, 87, Crashes Into Dentist Office
July 19, 2011
An 87-year old Cantonment woman crashed her vehicle into a dentist office in Pensacola on Monday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Charlotte Lucas was traveling through the parking lot of a Doctor Monte Treadway’s office on Village Oaks Drive in Pensacola when she failed to stop in handicap parking place in front of the business. Her 2002 Toyota Avalon continued into the front of the building, causing about $1,500 in damage to the building and $5,000 in damage to the car.
She was not injured.
Lucas was charged with careless driving.
Annie Savage Appointed To Century Council; Late Nadine McCaw Honored
July 19, 2011
The Century Town Council paused Monday night to remember late Councilwoman Nadine McCaw and to appoint a successor to fill her seat.
The council unanimously voted to appoint Annie Carter Savage to fill the vacant Seat 2 until the end of McCaw’s term which ends in early January of 2012. Last year, Savage ran an unsuccessful campaign for Seat 5, defeated by current council member Sandra McMurray Jackson.
According to town council President Ann Brooks, Savage was the only person that expressed an interest in filling the seat. Savage will be sworn in at the council’s next regular meeting on August 1.
The Seat 2 position will appear on Century’s October ballot. As of Monday, no one had prefiled to run for the seat.
The Century Town Council also adopted a resolution honoring McCaw, who passed away July 7, and accepted a letter of condolences from the Town of Jay.
Pictured top: Anne Carter Savage sits in the audience at Monday night’s Century Town Council meeting. She will be sworn in as a council member on August 1. Pictured below: A resolution adopted by the Century Town Council honoring the late Nadine McCaw. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Incumbent Ann Brooks Prefiles For Century Council Seat
July 19, 2011
Incumbent Century Town Council member Ann C. Brooks prefiled Monday to seek reelection.
Brooks, an accountant, currently holds Seat 1 and also serves as president of the town council. She was was first elected in 2007 after running unsuccessfully for Seat 4 on the council in 2003 and 2006.
Brooks is the first candidate to file for a council seat in the October general election.
Court Rules Pensacola Beach Residents Must Pay Escambia Property Taxes
July 19, 2011
Residents of Pensacola Beach must pay property taxes like everyone else, the 1st District Court of Appeal affirmed Monday in a case that addresses an issue that has persisted on Santa Rosa Island since shortly after World War II.
In an opinion affirming a lower court ruling and setting the stage for possible Florida Supreme Court review, the First DCA ruled that Escambia County can collect property taxes from residents even though the residents don’t own the land on which their residences sit. All of the homes on the island are built on land that is leased by Escambia County to the homeowners.
“We’re satisfied with the outcome,” said Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones of Monday’s ruling. “It vindicates what we have been saying for some time.”
Monday’s ruling affects about 2,400 properties that have been assessed $39 million in property taxes since the case was brought forward in 2004, said Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley. Of that, residents have paid $26 million in anticipation that the ruling might go Escambia’s way.
The case is only the most recent to challenge the county’s taxing authority. Since 2004 there have been lawsuits challenging about $90 million in property assessments.
Monday’s ruling is the latest in what 1st DCA Judge Van Nortwick called a “long and rather tortured history” of tax battles on the island over how local governments should tax residents who lease the property on which their homes are built.
Santa Rosa Island is home to Pensacola Beach in Escambia County and Navarre, which is governed by Santa Rosa County. What was once a rather desolate and isolated stretch of sugar-sand beach owned by the federal government was donated to Escambia County in 1947 with the restriction that it could not sell parcels. Escambia officials, in turn, leased the eastern portion of the island to Santa Rosa County.
Both counties entered into long-term lease arrangements with leaseholders who were allowed to build, take out mortgages, sublet and transfer title to residences built on parcels that were protected by 99-year lease agreements. Originally, leaseholders did not pay local property taxes but were assessed intangible taxes.
Over the years as parcels began filling up with permanent residents, Santa Rosa and Escambia officials began looking at ways to shift to property tax collections. Numerous lawsuits followed. Santa Rosa County now levies property taxes on the land and the improvements. That levy, upheld by the 1st DCA in April, is also likely to be challenged in the state’s highest court.
In Monday’s ruling, the appeals court sided with Escambia County officials who, unlike those in Santa Rosa, are only trying to tax the improvements and not the land upon which they stand.
“There is nothing inherently unlawful in subjecting the appellants to ad valorem taxes, as leaseholders on Santa Rosa Island were subject to,” Nortwick wrote. “Looking at the benefits and burdens of ownership, these Escambia County leaseholders are no different than the Santa Rosa County leaseholders.”
Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte, a Tallahassee attorney representing property owners in both Santa Rosa and Escambia counties, says the ruling leaves the island with three distinct taxing structures, a discrepancy that could lead to the high court taking an interest in answering the question once and for all.
“Right now it’s a mess,” D’Alemberte said Monday.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida