Green To Run For Property Appraiser
April 24, 2012
A political newcomer pre-filed Monday to seek the office of Escambia County Property Appraiser.
Charles M. Green IV of Navy Boulevard pre-filed as a Republican for the office currently held by Democrat Chris Jones. There are currently no other announced candidates in the race.
Louise A. Narramore
April 24, 2012
Louise A. Narramore passed away at her home on Saturday, April 21, 2012. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Edward Narramore and her son, Anthony B. Narramore.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Edward Lee and Evalyn Narramore, grandchildren, W.E. “Ward” Narramore (Denise), Lea Narramore, Shandy Ruvalcaba and step grandson, Thomas Hollinger as well as five great grandsons. One of seven children, she is also survived by two sisters, Maxine Cocoris and Mary Taylor.
Louise was born on March 14, 1922m in Atmore and graduated from local schools. During WWII she worked in Mobile where she met her husband of 52 years. She retired from the Escambia County School System where she was the cafeteria manager at Edgewater Elementary School. Mrs. Narramore, commonly known as “Oma” was devoted to her family and loved to laugh. She was liked by all who knew her.
Her family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Covenant Hospice. The funeral will be held at Bayside Memorial Park on Thursday, April 27. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. and the service at 1 p.m.
BREAKING NEWS: 4-H Kids Vote To Sell Langley Bell
April 23, 2012
The children and teens on the Escambia County 4-H Council have voted to 21-16 sell the Langley Bell 4-H Center by approving a memorandum of understanding.
The vote results were announced tonight by Supervisor of Elections David Stafford at the Escambia County Extension Service office before a group of 4-H supporters.
Navy Federal will pay $3.6 million for the 240 acre property.
Complete reaction and details later on NorthEscambia.com.
The Informant: Subject Of Matt Damon Movie Speaks
April 23, 2012
His life story was so compelling that Matt Damon portrayed him in a 2009 Warner Brothers movie. He was one of the top executives at one of the largest companies in the world. Making $3 million per year, living in a huge house with his wife. He was on top of the world.
Until his wife called the FBI.
Then, he discovered his real happiness behind bars in a federal prison — making not millions, but $20 a month.
Mark Whitacre, now 54, made history as the highest level corporate whistleblower ever, working undercover with the FBI for years to expose a price fixing scheme at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), a massive global food processing corporation.
“Society will give you a second chance and they will forgive you,” Whitacre said as he addressed a group of GED graduates and their fellow inmates at Century Correctional Institution. Whitacre is no stranger to being in prison; he spent nine years in federal prison after ADM accused him of embezzling $9 million while he was working as a FBI mole. “It is about redemption and second chances.”
In the early 1990’s, Whitacre’s wife began to notice that something was wrong with him. He fessed up, telling her about the price fixing scheme.
“I told her that it effects everyone that goes to the grocery store,” he said, “that we were stealing from them.” ADM makes food additives such as high fructose corn syrup and other products found in most of the processed foods in the average grocery store. “It was wealthy people taking advantage of poor people.”
“She turned me in,” Whitacre said, “within an hour to the FBI.”
In federal prison, he knew things had to change.
“I knew I had to come out different than I went in,” he said. “I came out better.”
A few months into his prison sentence, Whitacre said he made the decision to help his fellow inmates. Whitacre helped inmates obtain their GED certificates and their correspondence course college diplomas. He finally felt he was earning his keep in life, while making $20 a month behind bars — a far cry from that $3 million a year ADM salary.
“Helping people…I will continue that until I am gone,” he told the Century Correctional inmates.
There are three steps that all inmates need to take, he said….steps that can also be applied to those on the outside.
The first is taking personal responsibility and not blaming others for being in prison.
“I got everything I deserved; the 9.5 years were my fault,” he said. “I had a catch me if you can attitude. It took a stay at home mom to start the probe into the largest price fixing scheme in U.S. history….but it was all my fault.”
The second step is surrounding yourself with positive influences.
“Show me your friends, and I will show you your future,” he said.
The third step, he said, is giving back.
“There is nothing more rewarding than giving back in your community, even in prison.
Once released from prison, Whitarce went to work for the biotech company Cypress Systems, Inc., a company that is heavily involved in cancer research. He started at the bottom of the employment ladder and eventually worked his way up to his current position of chief operation officer and president of operations. He often speaks at FBI events and was the guest speaker in 2011 at the Quantico FBI Academy where he told his story of second chances.
As for his wife…they couple is still married. She is a recent teacher of the year at Warrington Middle School in Pensacola.
“I stand here as living proof,” he said to Century Correctional inmates, “that America does forgive and give you second changes. You can get your life back.”
Whitacre’s story was later made famous in the Warner Brothers movie “The Informant!” with Matt Damon was Whitacre.
For a previous story about the Century CI graduation, click here.
Pictured top: “The Informant” Mark Whitacre addresses GED graduates at Century Correctional Institution. Pictures top inset: Century Correctional inmates listen to Whitacre speak. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Miss Century Care Participates In NWFL Senior Pageant
April 23, 2012
The Annual Miss Senior Northwest Florida Pageant was held Friday, with Sally Kenney from Uni-Health of Santa Rosa taking the crown.
Miss Dorothy Roper was the Century Care Center entrant in the annual event. “She didn’t win, but she still feels like a princess,” Century Care Activities Director Mae Hildreth said.
In the question and answer portion of the pageant, Roper was asked “What is your favorite time of the year and why?”. Her response was “Summer, ’cause it’s hot, hot, hot!”.
Pictured top: Miss Century Care Center Dorothy Roper at the Miss Senior Northwest Florida Pageant Friday with program host Sue Straughn of WEAR. Pictured below: Pageant contestants. Pictured bottom: Century Care Center staff work to get Dorothy Roper ready for the pageant. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
IP Awards Grants To Ransom, Tate And A Dozen Other Groups
April 23, 2012
International Paper Pensacola Mill (IP) has awarded $50,000 in Foundation Grants to local community organizations. Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis, Tenn., which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement and critical community needs.
Grant recipients included Ransom Middle and Tate High schools.
Ransom’s “From Dirt to Dinner” initiative involves the Ransom Eco Club, FFA and agriculture student groups in school garden. The project presents a unique opportunity to address recent challenges, such as increased global food prices, and rethink the role of agriculture and its economic and ecological benefits. The project also improves the school campus environment with a green zone.
Tate’s “Recycling Fever, It’s an Epidemic” project will all the school’s Environmental Club purchase 120 tall plastic recycling bins which will replace cardboard boxes that are currently used but not up the job — they become flimsy when wet, they tear and teachers complain that they don’t hold enough. Large bins that roll will also be purchased for weekly clean sweeps of recyclables such as moving materials from copy rooms to the recycling dumpster.
IP grant award recipients were:
- Autism Pensacola – “Kids for Camp Summer Learning Lab”
- Ballet Pensacola - “Discover Dance”
- Community Action Program Committee – “Code Enforcement 2012”
- Council on Aging of West Florida – “Big Green, Little Green”
- Escambia County Extension Horticulture Program – “Sustainable Gardens”
- Escambia County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence – “Literacy Grant Partnership with International Paper”
- Every Child a Reader – “Project Ready”
- JM Tate High School – “Recycling Fever, It’s an Epidemic”
- Pensacola Promise – “New Wave Project”
- Pensacola State College Foundation – “Summer Environmental Camp”
- Ransom Middle School – “From Dirt to Dinner”
- United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Florida – “Building Literacy Skills for Pre-School Children with Special Needs”
- UWF Foundation – “College Reach Out Program”
- WSRE-TV Foundation – “Raising Readers for Tomorrow”
Man Allegedly Caught Hiding Cocaine In His Mouth
April 23, 2012
A Century man is free on bond after being arrested late last week when deputies allegedly caught him with a baggie of cocaine hidden in his mouth.
Justin Wayne Kyles, 20, was charged with felony cocaine possession and later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $1,000 bond.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, deputies made contact with 10-12 people in the 6700 block of Jefferson Avenue. Deputies watched as Kyles began to walk away from the group. When asked for his identification, Kyles just mumbled and deputies could see that he had something in his mouth, the report states.
Deputies said Kyles then allegedly spit out a small plastic bag containing crack cocaine.
Potential Record Cold And Patchy Frost Tonight
April 23, 2012
Cold air flowing into the region will begin potentially record-breaking low temperatures for Monday night. Patchy frost will be possible across the northern part of the North Escambia area.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 37. Northwest wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Tuesday: Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 76. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Thousands In Prize Money Awarded In Log A Load Bass Tourney
April 23, 2012
Thousands of dollars were raised for Sacred Heart Hospital Children’s Hospital during the annual Log A Load For Kids Bass Tournament Saturday at Live Oak Landing in Stockton.
Over $11,000 was awarded to the top ten teams, including $5,000 to the first place team of Travis Glidden and Lee Grandquest with a total weight of 16.63 pounds. Second place and $2,000 were awarded to Skip Thompson and Price Thomas for 15.48 pounds.
The top ten teams, the total weight of their catch and prize awards were:
- Travis Glidden and Lee Grandquest, 16.63 lbs - $5,000
- Skip Thompson and Price Thomas, 15.48 lbs –$2,000
- Nick Peturis, Jr. and Dewayne Smith, 14.7 lbs - $1,000
- Dean Caine and Mike Neese, 13.8 lbs - $800
- Keith Craft and Ronnie Summers, 13.48 lbs - $700
- Tyler Godwin and Dustin Simmons, 12.86 lbs - $600
- Jim Smith and Robbi Smith, 12.75 lbs - $500
- Sammy L. Tholmas and Lavon White, 12.71 lbs - $400
- Cory Glasscock and Alford Glasscock, 12.46 lbs - $300
- Clifton Smith and Robert Pearce, 12.13 lbs - $200
Also awarded were:
- 1st Lunker — Matt Lemon and Mike Swoboda, $972, 6.25 lbs
- 2nd Lunker — Joe Barnett and Crawford Odom, $648, 5.25 lbs
- Mystery Weight Fish — Robert Lee and Wayne Mixon, $110, 2.03 lbs
By The Numbers: Jay Relay For Life
April 23, 2012
The 2012 Jay Relay for Life was held Friday and Saturday.
For a photo gallery and previous Jay Relay for Life story, click here.
Here’s a look at the top teams and individuals that took part in the event:
- Total dollars raised: $41,410.95
- Top team: Jay Hospital – $5,929.89
- Second place: Kids for a Cure – $4,675.52
- Third place: Mount Carmel UMC – $3,685.35
- Luminaria Committee: $1,136.00
- Best Campsite: EREC
- Second Best Campsite: Purple Power
- Third Best Campsite: Jay Elementary PTO
- Survivor’s Choice Campsite: EREC
- Event Spirit: Jay Elementary PTO
- Most Team Laps: Jay Elementary PTO – 548
- Most Laps: Trudy Routley – 55 laps
- Teams already registered for 2013: Six
Pictured: A portion of the EREC campsite with several EREC team members at the Jay Relay for Life. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.