Cecil Marion McKinley
October 25, 2013
Mr. Cecil Marion McKinley, 81, passed away Wednesday, October 23, 2013, in Atmore.
Mr. McKinley was a native of Atmore, former resident of Goldsboro, North Carolina and had resided in Atmore for the past nine years. Mr. McKinley served in the Army in 1946 to 1966 as a medical specialist, was in the Vietnam War, and was stationed in Germany for many years. His father, John Alfred McKinley, mother, Ila Allen and wife, Gerthrude McKinely, precede him in death.
Survivors include his brother, John Raymond McKinley of Atmore; two half-brothers, Billy Stintson of Frisco City and Randal Stintson of Toledo, Ohio; two sisters, Francis Chandler of Loxley and Lenora Booth of Toledo, Ohio; and one niece, Diane Hudson of Milton.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Forest Service Battles Small Wildfire
October 24, 2013
Firefighters responded to a fire deep in a wooded area off Highway 168 near Wawbeek Road outside Century Thursday morning. The wildfire, estimated at a few acres, was reported to be in area at least half mile north of the highway and inaccessible to firefighters from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue. The Florida Forest Service responded with a bulldozer to reach the fire. There were no structures threatened by the fire. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Eight Sentenced On ‘Operation Blister Pack 2′ Drug Charges
October 24, 2013
Eight North Escambia residents have sentenced on methamphetamine and amphetamine related charges stemming from “Operation Blister Pack 2″.
Three defendants — Nikki Lynn Night, Henry Allen Miller and Brandy Suzanne Tucker — were sentenced to state prison, while the other defendants were sentenced to probation, community control and/or time in the county jail.
Over a dozen North Escambia residents are awaiting trial or sentencing dates later this year in connection with the undercover operation that targeted persons involved with drug groups dubbed “The Village Group”, centered around “The Village” area of Forrest Street and Lakeview Avenue in Cantonment; and “The Ayers Group” for a group centered around Ayers Street in Molino.
About 75 people were arrested on state charges in Operation Blister Pack 2, while a dozen were arrested on federal charges. For details on federal defendants sentenced to date, click here for an earlier NorthEscambia.com story.
Many of those arrested were “smurfs” — those that go out and purchase quantities of pseudoephedrine and other ingredients need to manufacture methamphetamine, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit investigator said.
- Nikki Lynn Kight, 45, Lakeview Avenue, Cantonment — convicted of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical. Sentenced to 24 months state prison with credit for time served.
- Henry Allen Miller, 38, Muscogee Road, Cantonment– found guilty on charges of trafficking in amphetamine or methamphetamine, possession of a listed chemical. Sentenced to 27 months in state prison with credit for 134 days.
- Brandy Suzanne Tucker, 39, Lakeview Avenue, Cantonment — found guilty. Sentenced to three year minimum mandatory state prison on charges conspiracy to traffic in amphetamine or methamphetamine, possession of a listed chemical.
- Jonathon Michael Argerenon, Jr, 34, Forrest Street, Cantonment — found guilty. Sentenced to 11 months 15 days with credit for 174 days on charges of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical.
- Anthony Trevor Buttitta, 32, Frand Ard Road, Cantonment — adjudication withheld on charges of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical. Sentenced to three years probation after 30 days in the county jail with credit for 16 days served, plus 100 hours community service.
- Clinton Keith Edmonson, 22, Molino Road, Molino — adjudication withheld on charges of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical. Sentenced to to years probation and 50 hours community service.
- Danielle Suzanne Lowery, 18, Lakeview Avenue, Cantonment — adjudication withheld on charges of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical. Sentenced to six months community control followed by 18 months probation.
- Lindsey Marie Murphy, 32, Muscogee Road, Cantonment — found guilty. Sentenced to 11 months 15 days with credit 104 days on charges of criminal attempted conspiracy, possession of a listed chemical.
Addresses and ages listed above were provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at the time of each defendant’s arrest.
Mark Your Calendars — Walnut Hill VFD Sets Annual Fish Fry
October 24, 2013
Mark your calendars — the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department has scheduled their 42nd Annual Catfish Fry.
The event will be Saturday, November 2 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97.
Plates will be $7 each with your choice of catfish fillets or grilled chicken, plus baked beans, cole slaw, hush puppies, homemade bread and cake. There will also be drawing for door prizes beginning at 1 p.m. and a live auction.
The Northwest Florida Blood Center Bloodmobile will also be on hand for a blood drive.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Drama To Present ‘Jabberwock’
October 24, 2013
The Tate High School Drama Department will present “Jabberwock” nightly through Saturday.
Jabberwock is based on the early life of James Thurber who was an American author and cartoonist who contributed to The New Yorker during the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee adapted Thurber’s writings and drawings into this play that tells the story of a young Jamie Thurber and his eccentric family in the years before and during World War I.
Jabberwock will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the school cafetorium. Tickets are $7 at the door.
Pictured: The Tate High School Drama Department’s presentation of Jabberwock. Photos by Jennifer Beal for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Prescribe Burns Allow For Rare Orchids, Other Flowers To Bloom
October 24, 2013
A grouping of rare orchids and other flowers blooms bright in Blackwater River State Forest this year. The brilliant colors are, the Florida Forest Service says, proof of a healthy forest aided by a robust prescribed burning program.
The forest service’s statewide land management program has also brought a resurgence of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker in Blackwater, once down to a dozen pair and now standing at almost 100 pair.
“Our forestry management programs, especially prescribed burns, bring our state forests back into good health,” said Florida State Forester Jim Karels. “The burns are a crucial part of our statewide endangered plant conservation program, one of the longest running such programs in the country.”
The blooms in Blackwater now include Pot-of-Gold and Catesby’s lilies, White Top Pitcher Plants, and several species of rare orchids, including four Yellow Fringeless Orchids (Platanthera integra) blooming together, more than has ever been seen in the state forest since the program began. Conservation efforts will ensure these plants continue to bloom on state forest lands for many years to come.
Prescribed burning helps manage the health of forest lands, control pests and disease, and improve wildlife habitat and control hardwood encroachment in sensitive areas such as pitcher plant bogs or red-cockaded woodpecker clusters. It also contributes to the restoration and maintenance of biological communities and reduces the hazard of wildfire.
Since 1991, Florida has worked with state universities, researchers and other nonprofits to support about 10 endangered plant conservation projects each year. Other than prescribed burns on managed lands, projects include removing exotic and invasive species, inventory of state forest lands for rare plants, and collection and propagation of plants. The program has protected more than 100 species of endangered plants on more than 150 public lands.
ECAT Union Reaches Deals, Workers Getting Multiple Raises
October 24, 2013
A deal has been reached with the union to avoid an ECAT strike and give workers multiple raises.
On Wednesday night the union members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395 approved and accepted a tentative agreement reached between the union negotiating team and the management of First Transit, which manages the Escambia County Area Transit bus system on behalf of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners.
With the ratified agreement and 90 percent of the union membership approving it, a strike was adverted. ”
We are pleased that we reached an agreement and especially pleased that ECAT transit workers finally received security at the workplace and we can now continue our focus on improving and expanding our bus service for our bus riders” stated Union President / Business Agent Michael Lowery.
All union workers will receive a three percent across the board raise retroactive to October 1, and they will receive addition three percent raises in 2014 and 2015.
Transit workers wanted to be covered under the Florida State Retirement System, but that was not included in the package. But Lowery said the union and management agreed to work toward a transit authority to oversee mass transit in five county transit authority. Under such an authority in the Panhandle, ECAT workers would fall under the state retirement program.
Also under the new labor agreement, 401K contributions will increase to five percent and then six percent in 2015.
ECAT workers had not received a raise since 2008 and their prior labor agreement had been expired since 2010. The Union had set a strike date of this past Monday, but decided to continue negotiations instead.
High School Football District Standings, Schedules
October 24, 2013
Here is a look at local high school football district standings, scores from last week, and Friday night’s schedule for Florida schools:
Under Fire: Enterprise Florida Gives Peek At Job Creation Numbers
October 24, 2013
After facing criticism from a national group, Enterprise Florida on Wednesday released a brief preview of its annual report on efforts to expand the state’s economy.
The annual report, which is expected to be presented to the Enterprise Florida board October 31 in Miami, will claim the public-private agency was responsible for 35,393 new and retained jobs in Florida last year, with $1.955 billion in capital investments by private companies.
The preview doesn’t mention the amount of incentives the state has offered to private firms to move to Florida or to expand within the Sunshine State.
Enterprise Florida released the information shortly after Good Jobs First, a national group that promotes corporate and government accountability in economic development, issued a report highly critical of privatized economic-development agencies such as Enterprise Florida.
“The cultures of these private development corporations fail on such basic competencies as vetting deal applications or accurately monitoring and honestly reporting job-creation outcomes on costly subsidy packages — not to mention vetting of staff and oversight of spending,” the Good Jobs First report said. The report also questioned a $70,000 bonus that was awarded to Secretary of Commerce and Enterprise Florida President Gray Swoope in August.
The Good Jobs First report relied heavily on media reports and Integrity Florida, a group that has criticized Enterprise Florida for Swoope’s bonus and for a lack of transparency in contracting and in the agency’s website. At the Enterprise Florida meeting in Miami the board is expected to also approve a $45,000 base-salary increase for Swoope as part of a new contract that would increase his pay to $275,000 a year.
Betty Jean Cash
October 24, 2013
Mrs. Betty Jean Cash, age 71, passed away Thursday, October 24, 2013, at her Flomaton residence.
Mrs. Cash was born in Molino and had been a resident of Flomaton for the past 56 years. She was a homemaker and was a member of Friendship Free Will Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Mr. O.D. Cash of Flomaton; three sons, Danny Cash of Nashville, TN, Roger (Bama) Cash of Brewton and Robert (Debbie) Cash of Flomaton; three daughters, Linda (Randy) Baggett of Brewton, Marilyn Cash (David Churich) of Brewton, and Carolyn (Joey) Settle of Brewton; three sisters, Louise Stacey of Flomaton, Carlie Mae Whitehead of Cantonment and Myrtice Morris of Cantonment; 14 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, October 27, 2013, at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with Rev. Jerry Brantley officiating.
Interment will follow in Fort Crawford Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Sunday, October 27, 2013, from 1 p.m. until service time at 2 p.m.