Poarch Creeks Address Indian Education Before U.S. Dept. Of Education
May 15, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education held a Tribal Consultation and Listening Session this week leading up to the United South and Eastern Tribes semi-annual meeting in Niagara Falls, NY.
Support for native language, cultural activities, and tribal history were the opening themes for educators who are taking the opportunity to speak during the consultation.
“In our schools we allow Spanish and other foreign languages to be taught and count as credit for foreign languages. But we need to show more effort to support the language that is spoken by our tribes,”said Poarch Band of Creek Indians Vice-Chair Stephanie Bryan. “Statistics show that when we have cultural activities, teach the language, and our history the dropout rate declines. Speaking of bricks and mortar, new buildings are nice things to have. But, it’s not what the building looks like; it’s what’s in the building.”
“The concept here is that our tribes need help with teaching the Native languages and cultural activity. It is shown that students show great signs of improvement when they learn about their culture, history, and know their language and improve their self esteem,” said Seneca Nation of Indians Director of Education for the Allegany Territory Chanda Grey.
Poarch Band of Creek Indian’s Megan Young said, “States don’t realize that American Indians make up only one percent of the United States population. In that perspective we are national treasure. States don’t see any value in bolstering our values and our educational systems. I want to propose an initiative to educate our state and state educators. We have to educate those who are educating our Indian students.”
Office of Indian Education Director Joyce Silverthorne said the Indian Education budget would not suffer from the federal sequestration for the current year (2013). However, if there are no changes to the current legislation regarding federal sequestration, Silverthorne says there will be a five percent reduction to the Indian Education 2014 budget.
Hubert Lee Rackard
May 15, 2013
Mr. Hubert Lee Rackard, Sr., 74, passed away on Monday, May 6, 2013, in Mobile.
Mr. Rackard was a native and life long resident of Atmore. Mr. Rackard was a U.S. Navy veteran, trained with Navy Seals Core of Engineers and NAS Pensacola for 15 years. He loved to play and sing with the guitar. He participated in Poarch Hee Haw and liked to travel with the seniors. He was a winner in Poarch Idol contest and was King of Sail Center. His son, Hubert Lee Rackard, Jr., mother, Isabelle Thead and brother, Steve A. Thead, precede him in death.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Lenna Rackard of Atmore; two sons, Kevin Lee (Trina) Rackard of Perdido and Rodney O’Neal Rackard of Atmore; one daughter, Anita Rackard (David) Glass of Flomaton; four brothers, Winston (Jean) Thead of Bristol, TN, Marlon (Emma Jeanie) of Atmore, Lavon McGhee of Atmore, and Leon McGhee of Foley; four grandchildren, Michael David (Heather) Glass, Megan Marie Rackard, Jacob Lee Rackard and Keith James Rackard and one great-grandchild, Arianna Elise Glass.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. William Bubba Rolin officiating.
Burial was in the New Home Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Leon McGhee, Lavon McGhee, Chris Blackburn, Ronnie Rolin, Charles Bray and Joe Frank McGhee.
Honorary Pallbearers were grandchildren, Michael David Glass, Jacob Lee Rackard, Keith Rackard, Melvin McGhee and Megan Marie Rackard.
The family appreciates prayers, support from family, friends, his doctors and Poarch during his illness and death.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Frank C. Coffey
May 15, 2013
Frank C. Coffey, 85 , a native of Jay, died on Sunday, May 12, 2013.
Frank was born February 27, 1928, to the late Derlie and John Coffey.
Frank served in the Army Air Corps in 1947-48. He had a thirty-two year career as an electrician at NAS Pensacola where he worked in the Naval Air Rework Facility. He looked forward to the annual NARF retirees fish fry each May where he and his retired co-workers would gather and talk about the old days.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Daphfanee; son, Darrell Wade; and a brother, Joel Coffey.
Frank leaves behind two sons, Richard (Theresa) Coffey of Cantonment, FL and Frankie Coffey of Jay, FL; a daughter, Debra (Ellison) Weaver of Mobile, AL; grandson, Michael (Deborah) Pilgrim of Jay, FL; granddaughters, Cassie (Elbert) Wheeler of Wilmer, AL, Miranda Coffey (Kevin) Lampron of Cantonment, FL, and Amanda (Chris) Stanford of Jay, FL ; his great grandsons, Blake Pilgrim of Jay, FL, Trevor Wheeler of Wilmer, AL, and Jared Stanford of Jay, FL; great granddaughters, Katie Stanford of Jay, FL, Jubilee Lampron of Cantonment, FL, and Carissa Wheeler of Wilmer, AL; three brothers, George Coffey, Mack Coffey and Carlton Coffey; and five sisters, Inez Barlow, Josie Roloph, Betty Vickers, Edna Brame, and Kay Dulaney.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at Lewis Funeral Home Milton Chapel with Bro. Howard Henry and Bro. James Copeland, officiating. Burial to follow in the Coffey family plot at Cobbtown Mennonite Church Cemetery, Jay, FL.
Family will begin receiving friends at 12 p.m. one hour prior to services.
Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel entrusted with arrangements.
Jesse Lycurgus Hart, II
May 15, 2013
Jesse Lycurgus Hart,II, 71, of Atmore, passed away Saturday, May 11, 2013, in Atmore. He was retired from the Daphne Police Dept. and was a Poser Painer. He was born in Atmore on November 16, 1942, to Jesse L. and Verda Nelle Hurst Hart,Sr. He is preceded in death by his father, Jesse L. Hart, Sr. and sister, Ramona Ellen Hart.
Survivors include his mother, Nelle Hart of Atmore; two sons, Jesse Lycurgus Hart, III and David Hart, both of Fairhope; one daughter, Cheryl Ann Hart of Fairhope, one brother, Bill Hart; two sisters, Jacquelyn Hart Harrison of Atmore and Wanda Hart Tucker of Pensacola and his Grandchildren.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore with Rev. Jonathan Hart officiating.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Martha Eugenia Powe Gross
May 15, 2013
Martha Eugenia Powe Gross, 68, of Atmore, passed away Monday, May 13, 2013, at her residence. She was a nurses aid, born in Huxford, on October 07, 1944, to the late William O. and Mary Dunn Powe. She is preceded in death by her husband, Lee Gross and brother, Thomas W. Powe.
Survivors include two brothers, William R. (Carolyn) Powe of Pine Hill, AL and James E. (Joy) Powe of Atmore; one sister, Frances Powe of Opp, AL and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be Thursday, May 16, 2013, at 11 a.m. from the Poarch Community Church with Rev. Johnny Stabler officiating.
Interment will follow in Goodway Cemetery. Family will receive friends, Thursday, May 16, 2013, at Poarch Community Church from 10 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is in charge of all arrangements.
Republicans Vote Today In House District 2
May 14, 2013
Today is the primary election for House District 2. It’s a closed primary, open only to Republican voters as the party elects a nominee for the general election.
The Republicans on today’s ballot are Ed Gray of Gulf Breeze; Mike Hill of Pensacola; Scott Miller of Gulf Breeze; Jack Nobles of Pensacola; David Radcliffe of Gulf Breeze; and Mark Taylor of Pensacola. The winner will face Democrat Jeremy Lau in the June 11 general election.
The race was necessitated after the death of Rep. Clay Ford, a Gulf Breeze Republican, in March.
Polls will open today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters that are in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Escambia Set To Slap $264K Lien On Cove Landfill For January Fire
May 14, 2013
Escambia County is set to slap a quarter million dollar plus lien on the companies responsible for the Cove Landfill in Ensley where a fire burned for a week back in January.
On January 22, Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the Cover Landfill for an unknown-type fire. The fire department, Department of Public Safety, Solid Waste Management and Public Works Department coordinated efforts to extinguish the fire because it was an imminent hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the general public. The county worked from January 22 to January 28 to bring the landfill fire under control and return control to the owners.
Escambia County previously notified the land fill operator, Industrial Fencing, Inc., through certified mail of the costs associated with fighting the fire. More than 30 days has elapsed with no payment, prompting the liens as set forth in county ordinances.
The Escambia County Commission is set to place a lien against RMC Rapid Management Company and NIT Management, Inc. to recover fire suppression costs in the sum of $267,477.86, with accrued interest.
If approved by the commission, the county attorney will seek to execute the liens in Escambia County Circuit Court.
The Cove Landfill fire prompted several health warnings and kept students indoors at nearby Pine Meadow Elementary School.
Pictured: A January file the Cove Landfill in Ensley. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Manna Nets 73,665 Pounds Of Food From Letter Carrier Drive
May 14, 2013
Saturday’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties collected 73,665 pounds of food for Manna Food Pantries. Manna said they can will feed 4,604 needy people with the donations. Pictured: Food donations from the Stamp Out Hunger food drive are unloaded at the Manna Food Pantries in Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Mutual Aid Agreements Mean Lower Insurance Rates, Better Protection
May 14, 2013
New cooperation between fire departments in Escambia County and neighboring departments will mean increased protection and lower insurance rates.
Escambia County Fire Rescue has recently entered into automatic aid agreements with the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department and the Pace Fire Rescue District. The aid agreements spell out the terms and conditions under which the departments will cooperate jointly to provide automatic aid during emergencies in Escambia County and Nokomis or Pace.
The agreement between Escambia County and Nokomis calls for the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department to automatically be dispatched to certain emergencies in a portion of the Walnut Hill fire district, and for Walnut Hill to be automatically dispatched to certain types of calls, such as structure fires, in Nokomis, Ala.
The end result, according to Walnut Hill District Chief Chris Brown, will be improved public safety and decreased insurance rates. Residents in a portion of the Walnut Hill fire district, primarily west of Highway 97 and north of Nokomis Road, may immediately see their ISO fire rating drop from a 9 to 5, resulting in monetary savings. Brown said residents in the area can contact their insurance agent for more information.
Monday night, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue hosted volunteers from the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department in a training session. Firefighters from the two departments were able to meet each other and become familiar with each department’s equipment, including Nokomis’ (Tele) Squirt 24.
For more photos from Monday night’s joint Walnut Hill and Nokomis training, click here.
“Squirt 24″ — was formerly “Truck 5″ in Century. After the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue received a refurbished 75-foot ladder truck that was formerly assigned to Ensley last year, “Truck 5″ was put up for auction and purchased by the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department for $5,000.
A similar automatic mutual aid agreement was also recently approved between the Pace Fire Rescue District and Escambia County, allowing the departments to mutually respond to certain emergencies such as structure fires.
Pictured: Operating under new mutual aid agreement, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department held a combined training exercise Monday night in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NHS Tribal Beat Band Holds Annual Banquet
May 14, 2013
The Northview High School Tribal Beat Band held their annual banquet Monday night at the school.
Seniors were presented a trophy, while the other members of the band, color guard, majorettes and dance team were presented with a certificate and a medallion commemorating a state championship.
Senior band members recognized Monday night were:
- Alison Bardin
- Autumn Bobo
- Ashley Cunningham
- Misty Doran
- Ashton Gibbs
- Cheyenne Godwin
- Melanie Heard
- Kristin Knight
- Courtney Lambert
- Shelby Lewis
- Leigha Maher
- Sandy Rainwater
- Stephanie Roach
- Clarissa Ross
Pictured top: Senor band members Stephanie Roach, Misty Doran, Ashley Cunningham, Leigha Maher, Kristin Knight and Shelby Lewis. Pictured below: Senor band members Stephanie Roach, Alison Barden, Melanie Heard, Ashton Gibbs, Courtney Lambert and Sandy Rainwater. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
