Ella Mae Branson
January 18, 2013
Mrs. Ella Mae Branson, 71, passed away on Thursday, January 17, 2013, in Pensacola.
Mrs. Branson was a native of Jay, a former resident of Perdido and resided in Century for the past 15 years. She attended the Fretwell Tabernacle Holiness Church. She was president of Garment Workers Union, worked at Bay Slacks, Masland Carpet Mill, receptionist at Century City Hall and owner of Granny’s Restaurant in Century. Her son, Thomas Franklin Byrd; daughter, Wanda Lou Byrd; parents, Walter and Thelma Branson; and sister, Mary Ann Carnely precede her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Ronald Glenn “Pee Wee” (Trish) Byrd of Jay and Frankie Eugene Peebles of Century; one daughter, Glenda Raye Branson of Jay; four brothers, Walter Branson, Jr. of Jay, John L. Branson, Sr. of Jay, Paul T. Branson of Jay and Basom E. Branson of Palatka, FL; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and a special friend, Dixie Emmons.
Funeral services will be Sunday, January 21, 2013, at 2 p.m. at Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sis. Helen Stewart officiating.
Burial will follow at the Cora Baptist Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 20, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Fill A Bowl For Manna
January 18, 2013
Fill a Bowl for Manna will be held Saturday to benefit the local food bank that serves clients across the area.
Attendees will fill their keepsake ceramic bowl with sumptuous soups from several restaurants while helping Manna fill the empty bowls of more than 44,000 people in Northwest Florida.
Fill a Bowl for Manna will take place this Saturday, January 19 at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio of WSRE-TV at 12th and College from 1-3 p.m.. Admission of $30 entitles guests to a ceramic bowl keepsake filled with soups by local eateries. Reservations are requested, but walk ins are welcome.
Reserve your spot online at www.mannafoodpantries.org.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ezra L. McCraney
January 18, 2013
Mr. Ezra L. McCraney, 82, passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, in Bluff Springs.
Mr. McCraney was a native of Rock Creek, AL and a resident of Bluff Springs since 1970. Mr. McCraney worked in the turpentine industry and farmed most of his life. His wife, Helen M. McCraney, precedes him in death.
Survivors include his son, Wayne Allen of Bluff Springs; three daughters, Patricia Bergen of Century, Olivia Christine Weaver of Bluff Springs; and Lonna Kendrick of Owassa, AL; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 19, 2013, at 11 a.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Sam Weaver officiating.
Burial will follow at Rock Creek Assembly Cemetery.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. until funeral time at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Chad Johnson, Ricky Johnson, Willie Johnson, Jeremiah Wilson, Travis Brown and A.J. Foley.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes,is in charge of all arrangements.
Atmore Native Named A Pensacola ‘Rising Star’
January 18, 2013
A second North Escambia area native was among those named as a “Rising Star 2013″ in Thursday’s issue of the Pensacola Independent News.
Cassie Boatwright, 29, is director of publishing and auxiliary services for Pensacola State College. The Atmore native grew up in Nokomis and now lives near Stockton, Ala. She graduated from the Alabama School of Math and Science and will finish her doctorate this fall.
Thursday, we introduced readers to 27-year old Ashley (Wallace) Spikes, a 2004 Northview graduate that was named to the Rising Star list (read more…).
The Independent News Rising Stars program has honored Escambia and Santa Rosa leaders in the under-35 crowd since 2008. To read more, and see the 2013 Rising Stars, click here.
Cold North Wind Tonight
January 17, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 63. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Light northwest wind becoming north 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 54.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 61.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Molino Man Gets Probation On Drug, Animal Cruelty Charges; State Wanted Jail Time
January 17, 2013
A Molino man was sentenced Wednesday on drug and multiple animal cruelty charge for chaining malnourished pit bulls in their own filth while growing marijuana plants in his back yard. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence him to jail time.
John Roland Oswald, 30, was sentenced by Judge Gary Bergosh to 36 months probation and 50 hours of community service at the Escambia County Animal Shelter. He is also forbidden from possessing dogs or any other animal during his probation.
“Our office did not agree with probation being an appropriate sentence in this case,” State Attorney Bill Eddins said. The State Attorney’s Office had recommend a period of probation following a sentence of almost one year in jail.
Last week, Oswald pleaded no contest to one felony count of producing marijuana, two felony counts of causing cruel death, pain and suffering to animals and one felony count of unlawful confinement and abandonment of animals. One additional unlawful confinement charge against Oswald was dropped by prosecutors.
John Oswald’s wife, 34-year old Amanda Leah Oswald, is awaiting trial later this month on two felony counts of causing cruel death, pain and suffering to animals and two felony counts of unlawful confinement and abandonment of animals. She previously pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
Eddins said his office will ask for a continuance in Amanda Oswald’s case
Escambia County deputies responded to a complaint about an aggressive pit bull on September 21 at a residence in on Highway 29 near Cotton Lake Road. The dog was loose in the victim’s yard and had attacked and killed her dog. Deputies kept the pit bull contained in the yard and notified Escambia County Animal Control. But before animal control arrived, the pit bull attempted to attack two officers who then utilized a shotgun to stop the dog, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies attempted to contact the owner of the dog at a nearby home on Highway 29 across from the Camp Of the Pines, deputies and animal control located two other pit bulls in the backyard of the home.
“I first observed a very skinny brown pit bill dog tied to a large chain barking at me,” one deputy wrote in his report. “I then observed a very skinny black pit bull dog lying on its side, and it appeared to be dead…I observed the black dog lift its head and look at me though due to the dog being so skinny from lack of food, the dog could not stand up.”
Both dogs were “malnourished to the point of starvation”, according to an arrest report, with access to “old nasty water” and no food. Both dogs were tied to heavy chains and were surrounded by flies.
“I then observed the black pit bull who was still lying on his side struggle and make several attempts to stand to his feet. “Once on his feet, his legs were wobbly and looked like he was going to fall over,” the deputy said.
The deputy said in his report that he first though the black dog was covered in ants crawling all over it, but it was actually a “massive amount” of fleas. The dog also reportedly had an eye infection.
The two pit bulls were seized by animal control. Amanda Oswald also voluntarily surrendered a pit bull and three Yorkie dogs from inside the residence to Escambia County Animal Control.
John Oswald was also charged with one felony count of producing marijuana. During the animal cruelty investigation, deputies reported the discovery of four marijuana plants up to five feet tall and one plant growing in a bucket in the home’s backyard.
Oswald met with a narcotics investigator and admitted that the marijuana plants belonged to him, an arrest report states. “He admitted to having a pill problem prior to being involved in marijuana and that he had started growing marijuana for personal use,” the investigator wrote in his report.
Escambia County Code Enforcement also responded to the home and opened a separate investigation for various code violations.
Navy Federal Named To FORTUNE’s ‘100 Best Companies To Work For’ List
January 17, 2013
Navy Federal was named Wednesday to FORTUNE Magazine’s 2013 list of “100 Best Companies To Work For.” This was the third appearance on the list during the last five years.
“This is an important honor for us. I believe it recognizes the enthusiasm and dedication our employees have for our mission to serve the men and women of the Department of Defense and their families,” said Cutler Dawson, president/CEO, Navy Federal Credit Union. “2012 was a record year for us—record growth in new members, loans, deposits and all our member success measures. But the real story is that we couldn’t have done this without the commitment of our employees. I am so very proud of the entire Navy Federal team.”
In 2012, the Navy Federal workforce grew to over 10,000 employees on its three campuses —Vienna, Va., Winchester, Va. and Pensacola—and 229 branches worldwide.
“We value employees who want to be part of a winning team and will embrace our corporate culture,” Dawson said. “We return that dedication by providing outstanding training, opportunities for career advancement — and excellent benefits.”
Fire Destroys Barn
January 17, 2013
Fire destroyed a large barn just east of Flomaton Wednesday night.
Fire departments from Flomaton and surrounding areas in Alabama, along with the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Jay Fire Department, responded to the scene of a fully involved barn fire on Twin Bridges Road, just off Highway 31, shortly before 9 a.m.
No other structures were damaged, and there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation Wednesday night.
Field House In The Works For Northview’s Chiefs
January 17, 2013
Approaching 20 years after it first opened , a field house is in the works for Northview High School.
At their January 22 meeting, the Escambia County School Board is set to approved an architectural and engineering services contract with DAG Architects in Pensacola for $69,913.
The new field house will be about 3,500 square feet. The building will include one weight room, coaches’ offices, storage and accompanying restrooms. The construction budget is set at $490,000, to be funded with local option sales tax monies.
The new field house will be constructed near the main building where outdoor basketball courts are currently located. There is no timetable in place for the completion of the project.
Northview is the only public high school in Escambia County without a field house. The school opened in 1995.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs prepare for a coin toss last season in their stadium. Pictured below: The Chiefs won the Florida Class 1A state football championship. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Sandra Crews Hammond
January 17, 2013
Sandra Crews Hammond, 68, of Pensacola passed away on January 15, 2013.
Sandra was born in Lawrenceburg, TN, and was a member of Myrtle Grove Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James T. Hammond; father, Thomas Lee Crews; and mother, Vivian Geneva Green Crews.
She is survived by one daughter, Breina G. Hammond; son, James Victor Hammond (Maryann); grandsons, John Thomas and James Logan; brothers, Terry Crews (Ann) and Michael Crews; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and very close friends.
Visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. until the funeral service begins at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, January 18, 2013, at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery.
Trahan Family Funeral Home, 419 Yoakum Court, is in charge of arrangements
A special thanks to everyone at Sacred Heart’s Camp Bluebird for all of their support, love, and friendship. A special mention to Joy Roche’, Anita Sue Godwin, Arelia Laster, Sid Scarbrough, Tim Gilbert, Pat Brown and all the ladies that gave mom the “party” in her hospital room.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sandra Hammond’s name to Sacred Heart Foundation/Camp Bluebird and mailed to 5151 N. 9th Avenue, Pensacola , Florida 32504.