Breezy Monday, Cold Night
October 29, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 66. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. West wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 72. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 76. West wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Over 9,500 Weekend Voters Cast Early Ballots In Escambia County
October 29, 2012
Over 9,500 early voters cast their ballots in Escambia County over the weekend.
Saturday was the busiest single early voting day ever in the county with 6,421 early voters. All total, 9,518 early votes were cast Saturday and Sunday. The busiest early voting site in the county was the Tryon Library with 3,539 early voters, followed by Cantonment with 1,952 early ballots during weekend.
Early voting will be available through Saturday, November 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations:
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- West Florida Public Library, 200 West Gregory Street
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate: Molino Park Student Take Part In Food Drive
October 29, 2012
Molino Park Elementary School is participating in the “Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate” food drive along with the Escambia County School District to benefit Manna Food Pantries. The program encourages each student and their family to donate one can of fruit, one canned vegetable and one canned meat — enough for two meals — to fill a neighbor’s plate.
Donations can be made at Molino Park Elementary School through November 16.
Pictured: Food items collected last week by Molino Park Elementary School on the very first day of the “Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate” food drive to benefit Manna Food Pantries. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drug Testing Law Heads To Appeal Court
October 29, 2012
A federal appeals court will hear arguments next week in a battle about a 2011 Florida law that would require people to pass drug tests before they can start receiving public-assistance benefits.
The state is asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a district judge’s ruling that blocked the law because of concerns it violated the federal constitution’s ban on unreasonable searches.
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approved the drug-testing requirement for applicants to the program known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, which replaced more-traditional welfare in the 1990s. Florida carried out the testing requirement for more than three months, before U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven issued a preliminary injunction in October 2011.
In a brief filed early this year, the state said requiring urine tests does not violate the constitution and that TANF is designed to improve family stability and help beneficiaries get jobs.
“Drugs are antithetical to both goals, and thus drug testing furthers the program’s purposes,” the brief said. “TANF applicants, who must disclose a broad range of private information in order to participate in the program, have a substantially diminished expectation of privacy. Moreover, drug testing is commonly required in today’s society — particularly in the very job market that TANF prepares participants to enter.”
But opponents, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the non-profit Florida Justice Institute, said in a brief that the district judge properly found the state had not shown a “special need that would allow the government to impose blanket suspicionless drug testing on all TANF applicants.”
“Since 1996, the TANF program has operated in Florida without forcing applicants or recipients to submit to suspicionless drug testing,” another part of the brief said. “There is no evidence of a sudden epidemic of drug use or abuse by TANF recipients; no indication that recipients of TANF were using those funds to purchase illegal drugs at all, let alone more often than other recipients of federal funding, including students, veterans, the elderly and government contractors.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in September 2011, includes a named plaintiff, Luis Lebron, who at least at the time was a college student, a single father and a Navy veteran. Lebron applied for TANF in July 2011 and met the program requirements, but he challenged the constitutionality of the drug-testing requirement, according to court records.
The appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday in Atlanta. The case is being watched in other states, with Alabama, Kansas, Michigan and Oklahoma filing a joint brief in support of Florida’s stance.
Meanwhile, a separate case is pending in the appeals court about a Scott effort to require drug testing of state employees. A lower-court judge this year blocked that plan, prompting the governor to appeal.
In the TANF case, the state contends that the 2011 law does not force people to take drug tests, though they must pass a test to receive benefits.
“If a TANF applicant objects to the drug-testing condition, he is free to decline the offer to participate in the program and no drug test occurs,” the brief said. “If the applicant consents, he may participate in the program upon passing a drug test.”
But opponents disputed that argument, saying the district judge was correct that “requiring TANF applicants to undergo universal suspicionless drug screening as a condition for even determining their threshold eligibility for benefits is an unconstitutional condition. Applicants have no ‘right’ to receive benefits, but they do have a right to apply for them; that right cannot be conditioned on their waiver of constitutional protections.”
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
Century’s Showalter Named American League Manager Of The Year
October 29, 2012
Century’s Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles has been named the Sporting News’ 2012 American League Manager of the Year.
Baltimore, which lost 93 games in 2011, broke its streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons by winning 93 games and the AL Wild Card this past season.
“It’s quite an honor coming from my peers, but I view this as a team award. I really do,” Showalter said in a statement. “The players, coaches and everyone involved made this possible.
“We had some injuries along the way, we had some bumps in the road, but everyone does over 162 games. We never turned it into a woe-is-me situation. We played through it.”
The award was voted upon by AL managers. Showalter received four votes, Oakland’s Bob Melvin had three and White Sox manager Robin Ventura received one.
Richard “Pop” John Harigel
October 29, 2012
Richard “Pop” John Harigel , 67, of Molino passed away October 25, 2012, in Atmore.
He was born December 11, 1944, in Pensacola to the late Vincent and Ethel Harigel. He was a graduate of Tate High School. He was self-employed in the restaurant business.
He is preceded in death by his brothers, Freddy and V.J. Harigel. He served in the United States Air Force.
He is survived by his sons, Sean (Cindy) Harigel of Pace, Dr. Shane (Dawn) Harigel of Molino, Shannon (Brandy) Harigel of Molino, Malcolm Harigel of Molino, Dr. Sheldon (Kim) Harigel of Bratt, and Cody (Deanna) Harigel of Pensacola; sisters; Glenda Gulsby and Judy Herring both of Molino, Godparents W.C. and Doris Barnhill of Molino and 13 grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday, October 27, 2012, from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Richard Daniels and Rev. Rob Hines officiating. Burial followed at Pugh’s Chapel Cemetery in Molino. Pallbearers were his sons.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Darlene Janette “Bubba” Diamond,
October 29, 2012
Darlene Janette “Bubba” Diamond, a longtime resident of Jay, passed away Saturday, October 27, 2012, at her residence.
She was born on March 1, 1939, in Birmingham to Dovie and Mardis Gidden. She was a member of Jay United Methodist Church and a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend to those that knew her.
She is preceded in death by her parents and five brothers.
She was survived by her husband of 54 years, Wallace Diamond; son, Eddie (Margaret) Diamond; daughters; Amanda (Douglas) Ard, and Marybeth (Jeff) Slade; grandchildren Ashley Slade, Will Diamond, Trinty and Linda.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 30, 2012, at Jay United Methodist Church with Rev. Lara Weant and Pastor Johnny Johnson officiating.
A visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m.. Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gulf Power Crews Head North To Help After ‘Storm Of The Century’
October 29, 2012
A convoy of Gulf Power Company crews headed north Sunday to help with storm restoration expected in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The team of 70 storm restoration experts is mobilizing to the Philadelphia area.
A total of 48 line crew personnel and 22 support personnel will assist the electric utility, PECO. Mississippi Power is also sending a storm team to the area.
“It’s a two-day drive to the Philadelphia area for our crews, so they will be in the area ready to respond once the storm hits,” s aid Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “They will be focused on getting customers’ power back on as quickly and safely as possible.”
Pictured: Gulf Power crews mobilize Sunday before heading to the Philadelphia area to help restore power after Hurricane Sandy makes landfall. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florine Blackwell Knowles
October 29, 2012
Mrs. Florine Blackwell Knowles, 89, passed away on Friday, October 26, 2012. in Prattville, Ala.
Mrs. Knowles was a native of Range, Ala., and a resident of Flomaton since 1956. Mrs. Knowles attended the Flomaton Pentacostal Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill Knowles and two sons, Paul Knowles and Wayne Knowles.
Survivors include her four sons, Edmond (Luverne) Knowles of Flomaton, Edward Knowles of Flomaton, Raybon (Louise) Knowles of Byrneville and Donald (Yvonne) of Jackson, Ala.; one daughter, Jean Knowles of Prattville; two brothers, Cecil (Bobbie) Blackwell of Range, Ala., and Mason Blackwell of East Brewton; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Funeral services will be Monday, October 29, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Homer Stewart officiating.
Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Tommy Knowles, Timothy Knowles, Arnes Knowles, Stephen Levins, Brandon Knowles and Marcus Knowles.
Honorary pallbearers will be Marcus Mathis, Larry Knowles, Eric Dortch, William Blackwell, Jason Blackwell, Phillip Scott and Cody Mathis.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes was in charge of all arrangements
Lanier Mose Myrick
October 29, 2012
Mr. Lanier Mose Myrick, 89, passed away on Saturday, October 27, 2012, in Pensacola.
Mr. Myrick was a native and resident of Canoe and a resident of Fairhope for most of his life. Mr. Myrick was a Veteran of World War II.
He is survived by two sons, John (Lori) Myrick of Pensacola and Paul (Karen) Myrick of Fairhope; one daughter, Patricia (Curt) Cloninger of Deluth, GA; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, October 30, 2012, at 10 a.m. at the Myrick Family Cemetery with Rev. Gordon Milstead officiating.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.