Karen Lorraine Gilley
May 4, 2011
Karen Lorraine Gilley, 53, of Cantonment, passed away on May 1, 2011.
Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at Bible Baptist Church, 1173 Jo Jo Road, Pensacola. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until service begins at 11:00 a.m. also at the church.
Trahan Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Florida Budget Deal Reached
May 3, 2011
Setting the stage for a timely ending of session, House and Senate conferees early Tuesday reached a deal on the state’s $68 billion spending plan that includes $308 million in tax breaks, and no cuts to the state’s Medically Needy program or substance abuse efforts.
In what Gov. Rick Scott called “a great first step” and a “huge win” for business owners, the plan will take some businesses off the corporate tax rolls. Though that falls far short of the tax rate cut he wanted, Scott pledged that he will continue to push for more, and said getting a reduced version was “part of the legislative process.”
“The House and Senate budget committees have produced a budget that meets my core principles,” Scott said in a post-Cabinet availability with reporters. “The business tax cut is a huge win for business owners in Florida. It’s a great first step toward phasing out the business tax over seven years.”
Legislative budget chiefs Sen. JD Alexander and Rep. Denise Grimsley announced the pact Tuesday morning after nearly all-night negotiations between the chambers to bring the budget in for a landing, a difficult task as they faced a $3.8 billion shortfall.
“This has been a remarkable year for all the wrong reasons,” said Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, told members following the budget announcement.
The last major sticking point was in the health and human services area, but several issues came together on that to greatly reduce the likelihood of an overtime session.
Alexander also told reporters Tuesday morning that an agreement was at hand over expanding the use of managed care to serve the state’s 2 million Medicaid recipients.
The budget deal includes a total of almost $700 million in Medicaid rate cuts for hospitals and nursing homes. Of that, hospitals took a $510 million hit, as they absorbed a 12 percent cut. But lawmakers spared some other big ticket programs from cuts, including adult mental health and substance abuse treatment and the Medically Needy program, which serves people who have debilitating illnesses but don’t qualify for Medicaid.
By The News Service of Florida
Gene Inman
May 3, 2011
Mr. Gene Inman, 72, passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, in Jay.
Mr. Inman was a native of New Brocton, AL, a resident of Jay, FL, for the past 60 years and attended the Holy Ground Holiness Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Carrie Inman; a great-grandson, Joshua Caleb Wilson; and a grandson, Joseph Tyler Morgan..
Survivors include his wife, Patty Inman of Jay; two sons, William Inman and Allen Inman, both of Jay; a stepson, Daniel Wood of Jay; two daughters, Frances and Wesley Norton of Bay Minette, AL, and Alice and Jesse McLemore of Cantonment; two stepdaughters, Evelyn and Cliff Emmons of Brewton, and Belinda and Daniel Morgan of Atmore; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a arother, J.C. Inman of Pace; and two sisters, Ruby and Mike Egenlauf, and Mary Ann and Wesley Smith, both of East Point, FL.
Graveside services will be held Friday, May 6, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the Cora Baptist Cemetery with Sister Cathy Stophel and the Rev. Bobby Carnley officiating.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 5, 2011, from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Chris Wood, Eric Wood, James Inman, Daniel Wood, Rex Allen and Daniel Morgan. Honorary pallbearers will be Brenton Emmons, Byron Ratliff and Cliff Emmons.
Century Awards $74K Contract For HVAC Replacement At 3 Buildings
May 3, 2011
The Town of Century has awarded a $74,367 contract to replace the heating and cooling systems at three town buildings.
The contract was awarded to Andrews Air of Pensacola to replace all of the HVAC systems at the Century Town Hall and the town’s Agricultural Building and the former Helicopter Technology building in the Century Industrial Park.
The older HVAC systems at the three buildings are being replaced to with new, energy efficient units in an effort to reduce the town’s annual power consumption.
Bids on the project ranged from Andrews Air’s low bid of $74,367 to Shuford Heating & Air’s high bid of $101,421.
Bids received on the project were:
- Andrews Air of Pensacola, $74,367
- Lunsford Air Conditioning & Heating, Milton, $78,315
- Commander Air, Pensacola, $81,652
- J. Miller Construction, Pensacola, $94,583
- Peaden Hobbs Mechanical, Navarre, $95,552
- Air Refrigeration & Contracting LLC, Brewton, $98,303
- Shuford Heating & Air, Pensacola, $101,421
Future Dimmer For Florida Bright Futures Scholarships
May 3, 2011
Students eligible for Bright Futures scholarships next year will see their awards slashed by 20 percent in the biggest cut to the popular college aid program since its inception.
Under a budget deal lawmakers agreed to late last week, Bright Futures awards will be cut 20 percent per student. Lawmakers also agreed to raise the number of community service hours students have to complete to be eligible for a scholarship, and will start requiring students to complete a federal financial aid form to get a scholarship.
Lawmakers say these cuts were a necessary evil in a difficult budget year.
“This is the worst budget we’ve ever had, ever since I’ve been in the Legislature, let’s see, 18 years,” said Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, the head of the Senate higher education budget committee. “The revenue to the state is extremely low and everyone in every sector of the state will have to lower their budgets from where they were.”
At the same time that the state’s popular student aid program is being cut, lawmakers also want to raise tuition by 8 percent, giving universities the option to hike tuition another 7 percent above that amount. Florida’s in-state tuition is one of the lowest in the nation and universities have used double-digit increases in a bid to move closer to the national average.
Opposition to the cuts in the higher education budget has been muted. Even many Democrats, who in general oppose the Republican-written budget, say they understand the decision to cut Bright Futures.
“It’s a good program, but I don’t think it really meets all the needs it should be meeting,” said Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa. “The students that really need it are not able to receive it.”
Some critics of Bright Futures believe it favors students that don’t need help paying tuition because it’s based on merit, not need.
Many lawmakers said they would support adding a needs-based component to the scholarship. Requiring students next year to fill out the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid to get a Bright Futures is a small step toward gathering the data as a possible precursor to adding that needs-based component.
“The whole purpose of merit was to make sure we have more students stay in Florida, go to school in Florida, graduate and then remain at getting jobs here,” said Lynn, indicating she wouldn’t support a needs-based component.
The merit-based scholarship program was established in 1997 to prevent a brain drain of Florida students to out-of-state colleges. It has largely achieved that goal, with over 180,000 students last year, up from the roughly 42,000 students who applied during the program’s first year.
This is the third year average awards for the Bright Futures scholarship will drop. The program gives students who receive certain SAT scores and grade point averages a scholarship to use for college.
Last year lawmakers agreed to a $1 per credit hour drop and toughened eligibility requirements. Several years ago the Legislature also voted to stop paying the full tuition cost with Bright Futures awards.
Spending on Bright Futures peaked at $429 million in the 2008-09 fiscal year with an average student award of $2,533. This year, lawmakers decided on a budget of just over $350 million for Bright Futures.
That means students who were eligible for the Academic Scholars award of $1,875 for 15 credit hours this year would receive only $1,500 for 15 credit hours next year. Students receiving the Medallion Scholars award this year got $1,410 for 15 credit hours; next year they will get $1,128 for the same amount of hours.
These cuts are a compromise between Senate and House positions. The Senate originally wanted a steeper cut of $1,000 per award while the House suggested a cut of roughly 15 percent.
Students question whether cuts to Bright Futures will eventually unclog the brain drain, tempting students away from Florida. Florida A&M University graduate student Gallop Franklin, the head of the Florida Student Association, said it’s time for “a complete restructuring” of Bright Futures.
Franklin said that since Bright Futures was changed two years ago so that it no longer covers the full tuition cost, it has not proved as valuable to students. He supports adding a needs-based component.
“It’s not meeting the needs and it’s not providing the type of support for students it did years ago,” Franklin said.
By Lilly Rockwell
The News Service of Florida
Todd Creighton Wilson
May 3, 2011
Todd Creighton Wilson, 42 of Cantonment passed away Thursday, April 28, 2011. He was a lifetime resident of Cantonment and a 1986 graduate of Tate High School. He was employed by IP for 21 years. Todd loved spending time with his family, watching the Food Network and cooking for his guys. Todd loved boating at the beach on beautiful days and eating at Peg Leg Pete’s. He was very kind and giving. Todd adored his wife, Rosa, his soul mate and was most proud of his son, Seth.
Todd was preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert B. Creighton, Sr.; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Felisia Kennedy and James (Pop) Kennedy.
Todd is survived by his wife of 16 years, Rosa Wilson; six-year old son, Seth; grandparents, Mary C. Creighton and Annie Wilson of Pensacola; parents, Bobbie Jean Wilson and Mark Baird; father, Ned Wilson, Jr. of Cantonment; brother, Ned Wilson III (Ana) of Missouri; sister, Brandy King (Tracy) of Cantonment; brother and sister-in-law, Matt & Sandie Kennedy of Milton; nieces, Brittney Kennedy and Elisa Wilson; nephews, Travis & Justin King, and Jayden Wilson; and loving family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. God Bless you, we love you and we will always miss you.
Funeral service were 2:00 p.m. Monday, May 2, 2011, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Eddie and Jane Faircloth officiating. Burial followed at Cottage Hill Community Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be L.T. Thomas, Kevin Parker, Brian Parker, Brian Pitts, Kevin Wiggins and Greg McCreless. Honorary pallbearers will be Rip Holt, Steve Shelby, Terry Williams, Stuart Dorman, Tommy Hilley, Robert Creighton, III, Shawn Creighton, Edgar Navida, William Cox (Wildman), and Al Buchanan.
Doris L. Barnes
May 3, 2011
Doris L. Barnes, 84, of Warsaw, Mo., formley of Uriah, Al. died Sunday May 1, 2011.
She was retired from Monsanto, born in Monroe County, Alabama on July 9, 1926, to the late Lee and Stella Simpson Holder.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John R. Barnes and a son Robert Bobby Barnes.
Survivors included a daughter, Susan Boyer and husband, Bill of Warsaw, Mo.; three grandchildren, Corey Boyer, Dustin Boyer and Ryan Boyer; five great grandchildren; two brothers, Harold Holder of Molino, and Charles Holder of Rio, Wis. and one sister, Jeanette Brannon of Panama City.
Services will be at 10 a.m., Friday May 6, 2011, from the First Baptist Church of Uriah. Interment will follow in Uriah Cemetery.
Family will receive friends, Thursday evening May 5, 2011, at Atmore Memorial Chapel Funeral Home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc. in Atmore in charge of all arrangements.
Ernest Ward New Student Orientation Today
May 3, 2011
Ernest Ward Middle School will hold an orientation for new students Tuesday evening.
The orientation for incoming sixth grade students and those attending Ernest Ward for the first time next school year will be held at 6 p.m. in the school gym.
Students and their parents will have the opportunity to meet faculty members, discuss academics, extracurricular activities, programs and career academies while receiving information about middle school.
Rain Leads To Much Cooler Nights
May 3, 2011
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then a chance of showers between 7pm and 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 76. North wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 42. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 46. Southwest 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 54. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 87.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
NJROTC Cadets Recognized (With Photo Gallery)
May 3, 2011
Northview High School’s NJROTC cadets were recognized last week during the annual awards ceremony at Escambia High School.
Numerous national and local organizations presented medals, ribbons and even savings bonds and cash to the cadets that have excelled in the NJROTC programs at Northview, Pine Forest, Escambia and Washington high schools. The cadets were recognized for exhibiting outstanding leadership, commitment and dedication to their unit, school and community.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“The awards ceremony wraps up a year that has been the busiest in several years. The returning cadets have their sights on higher goals and sustaining the momentum begun this year,” said Charlie Code, Capt. USN (ret), senior naval science instructor at Northview.
Northview NJROTC students receiving awards were:
American Veterans ROTC Award
- PO1 Tim Rackard
Order of the Daedalians JROTC Achievement Award
- CPO Jonathan Moretz
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Award
- PO3 Victoria Wright
CAPT James O. Haughton Memorial Award
- LCDR James Garrett
Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership Award
- MCPO Kiani Okahashi
Military Order of the World Wars Award
- LT Melissa Moretz
Women of the Sea Services (WAVES) NW Florida Unit #52 Award
- PO3 Alanna Johnson
The Reserve Officers Association ROTC Medal
- CPO Nathan Waters
Navy League Award
- CPO Arron Mccants
- PO1 Kayla Miles
- SN Casey Godwin
National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution JROTC Award
- PO2 Aaron Rausch
Scottish Rite Award
- SN Amber Francis
The National Sojourners ROTC Award
- PO3 Johnny Robbins
Military Officers Association of America ROTC Medal
- ENS Jody Day
Stephen Decatur Award
- Jr. – PO1 Lantz Jones
- Fr.- SN Kasie Braun