Featured Recipe: Quick And Easy Thanksgiving Cranberry Cake
November 19, 2012
As Thanksgiving approaches, we’ll feature several recipes on NorthEscambia.com this week. Today’s featured recipe, from columnist Janet Tharpe, is a Quick and Easy Cranberry cake that packs a punch while using a yellow cake mix.
Donald “Don” Thornton
November 19, 2012
Coach Donald “Don” Thornton, age 65 of Vernon, AL, passed away Saturday, November 17, 2012, in Enterprise. Mr. Thornton was born March 27, 1947, in Amory, MS, to the late Earl Brown and Aleen Thornton. He was a 1965 graduate of Sulligent High School and a 1969 graduate of Livingston University. He coached and taught at Kennedy High School, Carrollton High School, and Millry High School. For the next 18 years, he moved into the insurance business, but his passion for coaching continued on, leading him back to the field in 1992 at T.W. Martin High School. He then moved to Flomaton High School in 1994 and taught and coached there until his retirement in 2007 when he moved back to Vernon. After retirement, he served as a Vernon City Councilman, a member of the Oak Hill Country Club board, and a volunteer football coach for the Lamar County High School Bulldogs from 2008 to present. He was a member of Vernon First United Methodist Church.
Coach Thornton is survived by his wife, Jeanne Thornton of Vernon; three sons, Joey Thornton of Enterprise, Clint (Carrie) Thornton of Tallahassee, snd David (Tonya) Thornton of Ellisville, MS; daughter, Gina (Myles) Hudson of Hattiesburg, MS; eleven grandchildren, Taylor, Karoline, Whitney, Grant, Andrew, Carson, Avery, Alex, Lizzie, Baylinn, and Layson; three aunts, Alice Burns, Janie Waldon, and Bea McClendon; and a host of cousins.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 20, 2012, at 11 in the Vernon City Complex Auditorium with Eddie Rogers and Patrick Gunn officiating. Graveside services will follow at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Joey Thornton, Clint Thornton, David Thornton, Myles Hudson, Trent Collins, Frankie Rogers, Ken Prager, and Woodie Knight.
Honorary pallbearers will be Coach Thornton’s football players, past and present.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LCHS Football Fieldhouse Project. Donations can be made payable and sent to the Lamar County Board of Education, P.O. Box 1375, Vernon, AL 35592, with a memo specifying LCHS Football.
Paul Garfield Mauldin
November 19, 2012
Mr. Paul Garfield Mauldin, 82, passed away on Sunday, November 18, 2012, in Pensacola.
Mr. Mauldin was a native of Albermarle, NC and resident of Bratt since 1971. Mr. Mauldin was retired from the U.S. Navy, worked at the Naval Air Station for 17 years, was a Committee Man for the Republican Party, band boosters at Ernest Ward and active in community affairs. He attended the Bratt First Baptist Church.
His wife, Margaret Blanton Mauldin, precedes him in death.
Survivors include his three sons, James Thomas (Jennie) Mauldin of Pensacola; William Allen (Peggy) Mauldin of Atmore, and Gary Michael Mauldin of Pensacola; one daughter, Paula Mauldin (James) Watson of Pensacola; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at 11 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Ronald Hall officiating.
Burial will follow at the Barrancas National Cemetery.
Visitation will be Tuesday, November 20, 2012 from 6 to 9 P.M. at the Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Military Body Bearers.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements.
Marathon Runners Raise $10K For Wounded Warrier Project
November 19, 2012
Over six months ago, Brad King and Alan Moses began training for the Pensacola Marathon as an effort to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. They did not run in normal running attire, rather they ran the 26.2 marathon while wearing a 50 lb. ruck sack and military boots. The pair received donations totaling over $9,000 for their effort at the 2012 Pensacola Marathon.
The Pensacola Marathon and Pensacola Sports Association has announced it will donate $1,000 to their effort, pushing them over the $10,000 threshold.
“What these young men did was nothing short of remarkable,” commented Ray Palmer, executive director of the Pensacola Sports Association, the management organization of the Pensacola Marathon. “The event saw record growth this year and this was one aspect of the race, I believe, that contributed to the success. This is our small way of saying thank you and congratulations to these guys for what they did.”
The Pensacola Marathon, a Boston Marathon Qualifier, saw a record field of more than 1,900 entrants for the race.
Additional on-course support for King and Moses came in the form of the Phat Girlz, a local Pensacola women’s running group. Members from the club each “sponsored” a mile in which they ran a similar weighted pack alongside both men.
The pair plans to continue to run various events and challenges to raise the awareness and funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. Their goal is to reach $30,000.
People can continue to contribute to the fundraiser by visiting the events website at www.marathonpensacola.com or by e-mailing Brad King at bradwick.king@yahoo.com.
Pictured top: Charlie Sherrill, PSA President Brad King, Alan Moses and Ray Palmer. Pictured inset: Brad King and Alan Moses. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Considers Gas Tax Hike Monday; Century Says It’s Unfair To All North Escambia
November 18, 2012
The Town of Century is calling for the Escambia County Commission to reject a four-cent gas tax increase because it would be unfair to North Escambia residents.
The commission will consider the gas tax hike at a special meeting Monday in order to fund the ECAT bus system.
In a letter to commissioners, Century Town Council President Ann Brooks said “the proposed gasoline tax would adversely affect the Town of Century”. Brooks, who also represents the town on county’s Mass Transit Advisory Committee, said service stations are Century’s largest class of businesses. She said gas is typically cheaper in nearby Alabama, due in part to 27 cents in lower taxes than Florida.
“The gas tax in Florida is 53.4 cents while in Alabama it is only 26.4 cents per gallon. If the taxes on gas are increased by four cents a gallon, these service stations in close proximity to Alabama will likely go out of business,” Brooks wrote.
She said that while the entire county would suffer through a gas tax hike for public transportation, North Escambia residents would not benefit. ECAT provides limited service to Century, Cantonment and Molino — with one bus making stops in the mornings as early as 6:15, midday and nights as late at 7:05.
“The residents of Walnut Hill, Davisville, Bratt, Byrneville, and McDavid have to find transportation to Century or Molino to be able to take advantage of ECAT. The options for public transportation for the north end of Escambia County are few and not good ones,” she said.
If approved, the increased gas tax is expected to net the county about $4 million when it takes effect no earlier than January 2014. It currently costs the county about $3.2 million to fund the Escambia County Area Transit System, plus about $3.7 million from grants from the state and federal governments.
Escambia County currently collects 10-cents in tax per gallon — a direct seven-cent levy plus a three-cent levy collected by the state and returned to the county.
The public hearing on the proposed gas tax increase is set for Monday, November 19 at 10:30 a.m.
A Few Clouds Forecast
November 18, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 44. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 69.
Two Escambia Shootings Under Investigation, One Arrested
November 18, 2012
Two separate shootings Saturday night in Escambia County are under investigation.
One Shot, One Arrested
An Escambia County man was arrested following a shooting in Escambia County early Saturday night.
The shooting happened about 5:15 p.m. in the 2200 block of North G Street. The victim was shot once and transported by ambulance to an area hospital with a non-life threatening injury, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Walter Lee Bullard, 63, was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond on a charge of aggravated battery with a firearm.
Shooting Victim Arrives At Hospital
Escambia County deputies are investigating a shooting Saturday night.
Deputies responded to Baptist Hospital about 7:50 p.m. for a reported shooting victim. A male victim had arrived at the hospital in a private vehicle and was being treated for a gunshot wound. His condition was not released.
Investigators believed the shooting occurred in the area of Fairfield Drive and Mission Road.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
State Cross County Results: Jay, West Florida, Central, Pensacola Christian
November 18, 2012
Area schools Jay, West Florida, Central and Pensacola Christian competed in the state cross country finals in Tallahassee on Saturday.
Individual and team results from area schools were as follows:
CLASS 1A GIRLS
63. Jorja Agrait, Jay — 21:08.79
83. Jessica Thornton, Jay — 21:39.48
111. Savannah Brown, Jay — 22:14.33
119. Lauren Cochran, Pensacola Christian — 22:23.26
146. Jenna Thornton, Jay — 23:25.19
167. Alexis Mitchem, Jay — 24:31.66
173. Kendra Weekes, Jay — 25:25.69
174. Danielle Free, Jay — 26:08.12
CLASS 1A GIRLS TEAM
22. Jay — average 22:35.89
CLASS 1A BOYS
30. Jeremy Carlson, Pensacola Christian — 17:04.15
44. Joshua Balentine, Pensacola Christian — 17:12.62
51. Micah Kemp, Jay — 17:23.30
69. Justin Jekel, Pensacola Christian — 17:42.74
92. Kody Johnson, Pensacola Christian — 18:09.55
101. James Parker, Pensacola Christian — 18:18.75
128. John Crist, Pensacola Christian — 18:54.07
141. Christopher Peterson, Pensacola Christian — 19:09.20
CLASS 1A BOYS TEAM
11. Pensacola Christian — average 17:41.57
CLASS 2A GIRLS
16. Kaysi Roberts, West Florida — 19:27.95
63. Charlene Sanchez, West Florida — 20:47.63
83. Raleigh Nesbitt, West Florida — 21:04.37
94. Jordan Sortino, West Florida — 21:16.42
124. Miranda Wiley, West Florida — 21:56.65
139. Hanna Moore, West Florida — 22:23.12
169. Lynn Arthur, West Florida — 24:13.15
CLASS 2A GIRLS TEAM
12. West Florida — average 20:54.61
CLASS 2A BOYS
7. Alec Clark, West Florida — 16:15.68
89. Alexander Bullock, West Florida — 17:43.02
98. David Wright, West Florida — 17:54.47
105. Dylan Wakefield, West Florida — 17:58.31
120. Diamond Garrett, West Florida — 18:11.34
144. Seth Modin, West Florida — 18:34.51
165. Mark Sortino, West Florida — 18:56.38
CLASS 2A BOYS TEAM
14. West Florida — average 17:36.55
Brothers Charged With Killing Former Reporter Now In Escambia Jail
November 18, 2012
Brothers accused of killing a former Pensacola News Journal reporter and burying his body in concrete in Georgia are now being held in the Escambia County Jail.
Twin brothers William J. Cormier and Christopher Cormier, both 31, of Winder, GA, are charged with homicide and robbery in connection with the death of Sean Dugas, 30, of Pensacola. Christopher Cormier is held without bond, and William Cormier has a $250,000 bond.
On September 13, Pensacola Police Department received a report that Sean Dugas, 30, of Pensacola had not been heard from since August 27 when he talked with a friend by phone. Dugas and the female friend planned to go to lunch that day, but when she arrived at his house to pick him up, he wasn’t home.
The woman left a note on Dugas’ door asking him to contact her, but he didn’t. The female friend continued trying unsuccessfully to contact Dugas over the next few days. When she returned to the house September 7 to check on him, the house was empty except for a television.
Detectives determined the Cormier brothers had been houseguests of Dugas in the days leading to his disappearance. The investigation also determined that in addition to contents in the home, a collection of Magic the Gathering gaming cards worth an estimated $25,000 to $100,000 had been stolen from the house. Harnett said the cards were sold in Pensacola, Tennessee and Georgia.
While investigating the missing person report, officers developed leads, which led to them contacting police in Winder, Ga., on October 8. Police in Winder discovered Dugas’ body that same day buried in their father’s yard at his residence in Winder.
William and Christopher Cormier were taken into custody by Georgia authorities and charged with concealing the death of another. An autopsy determined Dugas died from blunt force trauma.
The investigation determined Dugas was murdered August 27 in Pensacola, and that William Cormier drove to Wal-Mart afterward to purchase materials to conceal the body, investigators said.
Photos: NHS Band, Dance Team, Cheerleaders
November 18, 2012
For a photo gallery featuring the Northview High band and dance team during Friday night’s playoff win over Cottondale, click here.
For a game action summary, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.