Marie Driver Whitehead
December 17, 2011
Marie Driver Whitehead, age 94, of Cantonment passed away Friday, December 16, 2011. She was born in Monroe County, Alabama.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Willis Floyd and her daughter, Helen Emerich.
Survivors include her three sons, James (Carlie) Whitehead of Cantonment, Wayne (Joan) Whitehead of Pensacola and Willis Whitehead, Jr. of Mobile; one brother, Robert Driver of Gonzalez along with numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Monday, December 19, 2011, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment with Rev. Robert Porter officiating. Interment will follow at Cottage Hill Assembly of God Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to service time.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South in Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Jim Allen Students Receive Free Bikes, Helmets
December 17, 2011
Thirty students at Jim Allen Elementary School in Cantonment received new bicycles and helmets from Academy Sports and Outdoors.
Pictured: Jim Allen Elementary School third grader Riley Williamson could not wait to get home Friday afternoon to enjoy her new bicycle compliments of Academy Sports and Outdoors. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Head Coach Gibson Resigns
December 17, 2011
Escambia Academy’s Heath Gibson resigned Friday as head coach and athletic director.
Gibson had led the Cougars to a couple of Alabama Independent School Association semifinal games and was named AISA Coach of Year in 2009 after recovering from an 0-11 season the in 2008.
Gibson was head coach for the EA Cougars for nine seasons.
Manna Hat Auction Sets New Record
December 16, 2011
The sixth year of the annual Manna Hat Auction from Cat Country 98.7 set a new record Friday morning at $1,676, up from $1,250 last year.
All of the proceeds will be presented to the food bank before Christmas. That, according to the radio station, will allow Manna Food Pantries to feed 57 area residents for five days.
High bidder was Larry Clemons of Pace. He said “the fact that Manna is able to help of some folks who can’t eat” is the reason he continued to drive for the winning bid.
Country artists like CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton and his wife Miranda Lambert helped out by autographing the special hat that was sold on eBay.
ACA Artist of the Decade Toby Keith, a second time signer, said “it is awesome to be able to help.”
“This year the need is particularly great,” Brent Lane said about the need at Manna Food Pantries. “There has been an increase of 24 percent in services.”
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Convenience Store Burglary Suspect Caught In The Act
December 16, 2011
A Cantonment teen was arrested early Friday morning after deputies caught him in the act of burglarizing a Cantonment convenience store, while a second suspect managed to escape.
Jacob Michael Westbrook, 18, was charged with burglary, grand theft, possession of burglary tools, wearing a mask while committing a felony and resisting an officer without violence.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglar alarm at 2:49 a.m. at the Speed Mart at 1800 South Highway 29, near Tate School Road. When deputies arrived, they found a broken window and could see Westbrook inside the business. Westbrook fled on foot toward nearby railroad tracks where deputies found him hiding in tall grass and took him into custody a short time later.
According to an arrest report, deputies found items including cigarettes from the store on Westbrook’s person at the time of his arrest.
Westbrook was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $23,000.
Surveillance video indicated that a second person was involved in the burglary, according to an arrest report. He was described as possibly being a black male with short hair and wearing glasses. Westbrook told deputies that he knew him only as “J” and that he lived somewhere in a nearby neighborhood.
Anyone with information on the second suspect is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Smoke Forces Temporary Closure, Evacuation Of Century Whataburger
December 16, 2011
Fire departments from across the area responded to Whataburger in Century late Thursday night after employees reported that smoke was filling the building.
The first firefighters on scene reported light smoke showing about 11 p.m. Firefighters were able to narrow the source of the smoke down to a burned up motor in an appliance used to mix soft drinks. Other than the appliance motor, there was no other damage reported.
Employees and customers were evacuated from the restaurant in the 8000 block of North Century Boulevard after the fire alarm activated. The restaurant was closed into the early morning hours as maintenance personnel worked to repair the equipment.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Flomaton Fire Department responded to the call.
Pictured above and below: Firefighters responded to Whataburger in Century after smoke began to fill the building late Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deputy Shooting Suspect Dies
December 16, 2011
The man accused of shooting a deputy last week in Santa Rosa County died Thursday night.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said 34-year old David Christopher Lewis (pictured) died at 8:40 p.m. Thursday as a result of injuries he received during the shooting incident.
Investigator Steve Hough of Fort Walton Beach was working as part of the US Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force serving a warrant in the 5400 block of Camille Gardens Circle near Milton when he was shot about 1:59 p.m. Friday. He was shot once in the face and twice in the leg when authorities say Lewis came out of a home shooting.
Hough remains in fair condition at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
Lewis had active warrants for failure to appear, resisting an officer without violence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, display of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Lewis was known by officers to be violent, armed with firearm, and had made threats towards law enforcement.
The incident remains under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The Big Move Begins Into The New Jay High School
December 16, 2011
The big move began Thursday at Jay High School as students, teachers and staff began the transition into a new $7.5 million school building.
Personnel will continue the move during the Christmas break, with students returning to class January 2 in the new school.
The idea of a new school for Jay began shortly after Hurricane Dennis in the summer of 2005 as cracks began to appear in the interior and exterior walls. Temporary repairs were made the make the buildings safe as plans got underway for the new building.
It took over three years to build the new school, which includes 24 classrooms plus computer labs, art rooms, a new media center and an administrative wing.
The process will soon begin to demolish the old school building. The next phase of the project will include a new cafeteria, a music and band room and possible more classrooms.
Man That Opened Fire Because Business Was Out Of Crawfish Gets Prison Time
December 16, 2011
A man who fired an AK-47 into an Escambia County seafood business because they were out of crawfish was sentenced to prison Thursday.
Larry Wayne Kelly was sentenced to 146.5 months in state prison by Circuit Court Judge Jan Shackelford. Kelly had entered a straight up plea to 11 counts of shooting into a building, one count of shooting from a vehicle, and one count of fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer at high speed.
On May 29, 2011, Kelly called L&Ts Seafood about picking up an order of crawfish. Upon being informed that L&Ts did not have any crawfish to sell that day, Kelly became irrate – cursing at the employee and calling back 10 times in a matter of minutes. After the business closed Kelly traveled to the business on Highway 29 in Ensley and fire 11 AK-47 rounds into the building. The shots were fired at around 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday evening.
Multiple 911 calls from motorists and business owners up and down Highway 29 provided law enforcement with a description of Kelly and the truck he was driving.
When Kelly was located by law enforcement a short distance away he fled in his vehicle. During the pursuit Kelly rounded a corner in the wrong lane and had a head-on collision with another vehicle. Four firearms and approximately 200 additional rounds of ammunition were recovered in the vehicle.
Photo Gallery: Molino Park Presents Jingle Bell Jukebox
December 16, 2011
The second graders at Molino Park Elementary School present “Jingle Bell Jukebox” twice on Thursday — once in the afternoon for the entire school and again in the evening for parents.
For a Northescambia.com photo gallery from the musical, click here.
Picture: Molino Park Elementary School second graders perform “Jingle Bell Jukebox” Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
