Carl Peterson, Jr.
August 23, 2011
Mr. Carl Peterson, Jr., 77, passed away on Saturday, August 20, 2011. in Pensacola.
Mr. Peterson was a native of Ft. Walton Beach and a resident of Byrneville for the past 45 years. He attended the Poplar Dell Baptist Church. He was a member of the Century Masonic Lodge #213 for 50 years where he served as former Master of the Lodge, former secretary, former district deputy and district instructor, and former chairman of several committees, the Scottish Rite, the Shriners, KCCH, and a gold proficiency card holder. He was retired from Monsanto after 34 years and a well-known cattle rancher.
He is survived by his wife, Janice Peterson of Byrneville; two sons, Andy Peterson of Byrneville, and Kenneth and Betty Peterson of Cottondale, FL; a daughter, Donna and Brian Holley of Pinckney, MI; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a brother, John Peterson of Moss Point, MS; and three sisters, Betty Radford of Greenville, TN, Sandra and James Rodgers of Freeport, FL, and Patricia Peterson of Pensacola.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 25, 2011, at 11 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Mitch Herring officiating.
Burial will follow at Poplar Dell Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 24, 2011, from 6-9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Century Masonic Lodge #213.
A special thanks to Jay Hospital Staff, Dr. David Smith and Covenant Hospice for all the help and concern.
Patricia Diane Stephens
August 23, 2011
Patricia Diane Stephens, 55, a long time resident of Milton, FL, currently residing in Flomaton, AL, died Wednesday, August 17, 2011. She was a loving Mom and Granny.
Diane is survived by her mother, Jackie Stephens of Idaho Falls, ID; her daughters, Robin (Maurice) Dixon, Flomaton and Danielle (Luke) Whedbee, Silverhill, AL; her son Shawn (Tamara) Black, Greenville, SC; her sisters, Dana Stephens and Sherry Tew; her brothers, Mike, Kenneth, Terry and Timothy Stephens. Diane also has six grandchildren, Zack, Jamee, Caleb, Amari, Maurice and Ethan and many other relatives and friends.
A celebration of Diane’s life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, August 27, 2011, at the Byrneville Community Center, Hwy. 4, in Byrneville.
Cremation arrangements are by Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory, 7951 American Way, in Daphne.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
August 22, 2011
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Statement as of 6:55 PM CDT on August 22, 2011
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for…
northern Escambia County in northwest Florida…
east central Baldwin County in southwest Alabama…
* until 745 PM CDT
* at 653 PM CDT…National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a
severe thunderstorm capable of producing damaging winds in excess
of 60 mph. This storm was located 4 miles west of century…or 11
miles west of Brownsdale…and moving south at 10 mph.
* Locations impacted include…
Molino… century…
Lat…Lon 3070 8756 3098 8750 3094 8730 3089 8729
3085 8731 3081 8729 3079 8731 3073 8731
3072 8727 3069 8727
time…Mot…loc 2355z 010deg 10kt 3087 8742
Funeral Services Announced For Lance Corporal Travis Nelson
August 22, 2011
Funeral arrangements have been announced for LCpl Travis Nelson, the 19-year old Marine killed in action last week in Afghanistan.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 26, 2011, from 12:30 p.m. until funeral time at the Atmore First Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 26 at 2 p.m. at the Atmore First Baptist Church with Chaplain Lt. Commander Jeffrey Bornemann and the Rev. George Weaver officiating with military honors.
Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.
Lance Cpl. Travis Michael Nelson
August 22, 2011
Lance Cpl. Travis Michael Nelson, 19, passed away on Thursday, August 18, 2011, in Afghanistan.
Mr. Nelson was a native of Orlando, a former resident of Pace for five years and a resident of Bratt for the past eight years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, a member of the Young Marines of Pensacola for four years, a member of the Pace High School NJROTC, and the Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Morris W. Nelson, Daniel Sanspree and his great-grandmother, Gladys Brunson.
He is survived by his parents, Scott and Beckie Sanspree Nelson of Bratt; fiancee Madeline Cates of Pace; brother, Daniel and Melissa Nelson of Century; half-brother, Chandler Case of Daphne; two sisters, Jenna Nelson and Kevin McCall of Brewton and Anna Nelson of Bratt; his grandmothers, Ann Sanspree of Atmore and Louise Nelson of Brewton; and a number of aunts and uncles.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 26, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the Atmore First Baptist Church with Chaplain Lt. Commander Jeffrey Bornemann and the Rev. George Weaver officiating with military honors.
Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 26, 2011, from 12:30 p.m. until funeral time at the Atmore First Baptist Church.
Fallen Marine Travis Nelson Returns Home Wednesday, Funeral Friday
August 22, 2011
The body of local marine will arrive in Pensacola Wednesday, and funeral services will be held in Atmore on Friday.
The body of Lance Cpl. Travis M. Nelson, the 19-year old Marine killed in action last week in Afghanistan, arrived Saturday night at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. His remains will be flown Wednesday to the Pensacola Naval Air Station. The plane is scheduled to land at 2 p.m. in a private ceremony. From there, he will be escorted by Florida State Troopers and the Patriot Guard to Petty-Eastside Funeral Home in Atmore.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 26, 2011, from 12:30 p.m. until funeral time at the Atmore First Baptist Church on South Main Street.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 26 at 2 p.m. at the Atmore First Baptist Church with Chaplain Lt. Commander Jeffrey Bornemann and the Rev. George Weaver officiating with military honors.
Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.
Nelson, a 2010 graduate of Pace High School, was the son of Scott and Beckie Nelson of Bratt. He is also survived by siblings Daniel Nelson, 28, Jenna McCall, 24, and Anna Nelson, 11. He was engaged to Madeline Cates, 21.
Pictured: A U.S. Marine Corps carry team transfers the remains of Marine Lance Cpl. Travis M. Nelson at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Saturday night, August, 20, 2011. Nelson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejuene, N.C. His parents and fiance reside in Bratt. He was 19 years old. Photo by Steve Kotecki, U.S. Air Force, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment VFD Response Inadequate; Chief Asks For 24/7 Paid Fire Crews
August 22, 2011
The Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department has been unable to adequately answer emergency calls, and the department’s chief has asked for a 24/7 paid firefighter crew to be assigned to the station.
“”We can no longer provide the proper minimum fire response,” Cantonment VFD District Chief Jeffery Bingle said. “We’ve got to do something to bring a career crew in for the area.”
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue is currently staffed from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m Monday-Friday by a paid firefighter crew. Outside of those hours and all weekend, calls are answered by volunteers.
Bingle said the department has between 15 to 18 volunteers on the roster, but only five or six of those are very active. Many of those work or go to school outside of Cantonment, leaving an inadequate response to emergency calls. And Bingle said he has become less active in the department due to an increase in responsibilities as the fire chief and emergency services team leader at his employer, Ascend Performance Materials.
“We have no other choice right now than to ask for a paid crew to be assigned to the station 24 hours a day,” Bingle said.
“As District Chief of Cantonment I am officially requesting 24 hour coverage by career personnel. At this time current volunteer staffing levels do not allow for a sufficient number of responders on calls,” Bingle wrote in an email to Escambia County Fire Chief Daniel Spillman.
Spillman is currently gathering the costs associated with 24/7 paid staffing at the Cantonment Fire Station and will ask the Escambia County Commission how to proceed, according to Sonya Daniel, county spokesperson. She said that request could come as early as this week.
In the meantime, Bingle said the Cantonment volunteers are continuing to respond to calls and requesting assistance from neighboring fire stations when there is not an adequate response. He said once a paid crew is in place, the Cantonment VFD will not be disbanded; the volunteers will continue to respond and provide assistance as needed to a paid fire crew.
“I hate doing this,” Bingle said. “I really love the volunteer department.”
Pictured: Volunteers from Cantonment and other departments responded to a wreck near the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department on May 22, 2011. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Send Us Your Back To School Pictures
August 22, 2011
Take lots of those first day of school pictures, and send us a few.
NorthEscambia.com will publish a gallery of back to school photos on Tuesday, and we would love to include your child. Email the photos to news@northescambia.com for possible inclusion in our photo gallery. Please include your child’s name and school.
Superintendent: We’re Ready For First Day Of School
August 22, 2011
Today’s the first day of school in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and school officials say they are ready.
“We are off to a good start,” Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. “Summer has flown by so fast, it feels like we are just picking up where we left off.”
Thomas said he looks forward to a successful year, with last year’s school grades rebounding overall across the county. “The sets us up this year to continue our strategy and have another great year,” he said.
Northview High School Principal Gayle Weaver agreed.
“We are looking forward to a great year,” she said. “We are ready.”
Hundreds Honor Fallen Marine With Facebook Profile Picture
August 22, 2011
Hundreds of North Escambia area residents have changed their Facebook profile pictures to honor LCpl Travis Nelson who was killed last week in Afghanistan. NorthEscambia.com has made this correctly sized profile picture available for everyone to use. You can download and save the photo by right clicking on the photo on this page, or by clicking here.
You can also visit one of our two Facebook profiles:
http://www.facebook.com/northescambia
http://www.facebook.com/northescambiaWilliam
(When you visit the two Facebook profiles, make sure to “Like” our NorthEscambia.com page and become William’s friend.)