Dorothy D. Hadley

July 16, 2014

Mrs. Dorothy D. Hadley, 87, passed away on Monday, July 14, 2014, in Atmore.

Mrs. Hadley was a native of Lottie, Alabama and a resident of Perdido for most of her life. Mrs. Hadley was member of Springs of Life Church and Pleasant Plains Holiness Church. Her father, Wesley Brown; mother, Ethel Brown; husband, Tink Hadley; brother, William “Bill” Brown; and two sisters, Merle Stewart and Nora Ayers precede her in death.

Survivors include her daughter, Eula Price of Atmore; two brothers, John D. (Lucy) Brown and Joel (Shelby) Brown all of Perdido; five sisters, Estelle Morris of Denham Springs, LA, Opal Paul of Phoenix City, AL, Shirley Ward of Mobile, Christine Patterson of Bay Minette and Bobbie Bryars of Milton; two grandchildren, Vincent Ramer of Bay Minette and Adam Ramer of Wilmer, AL and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Friday, July 18, 2014, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. James Peacock and Sis. Thursa Long officiating.

Burial will follow at the Bryars-McGill Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 18, 2014, from 12 noon until service time at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Kainnan Pintarelli, Roger Hadley, John D. Brown, William Stewart, Thomas Dean and Robert Chancery.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.

Woman Indirectly Struck By Lightning In Nokomis

July 15, 2014

A 20-year old woman was indirectly struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon in Nokomis, FL.

The woman was outside a home in the 6100 block of North Pineville Road, just north of Nokomis Road, when lightning struck a nearby fence or other object about 3 p.m.

The woman was barefoot at the time and suffered a shock from the lightning strike. She was reportedly complaining of a loss of sensation in her legs. She was transported to Atmore Community Hospital with injuries that were not considered serious.

Atmore Ambulance and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Deputies Seek Suspect In Walgreens Armed Robbery

July 15, 2014

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a white male that robbed a Walgreens store at gunpoint this morning on Mobile Highway.

The man entered the store about 8:20 a.m., pulled a weapon and robbed the store of an undisclosed amount of narcotics. He fled in an older model white SUV.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.

Showers, Thunderstorms Continue Tonight

July 15, 2014

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

  • Tuesday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
  • Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
  • Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
  • Thursday Sunny, with a high near 90. North wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon..
  • Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
  • Friday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
  • Friday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph.
  • Saturday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. South wind around 5 mph.
  • Saturday Night A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
  • Sunday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
  • Sunday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
  • Monday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
  • Monday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
  • Tuesday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

FDOT: Highway 97 Collapse Repair Costs Over $100K; Work Continues This Week

July 15, 2014

The price tag is in for repairs underway to a collapsed road shoulder on Highway 97.

The total contract for repairs was issued to Scott Bridge, Inc., for $102,577, according to Tanya Branton, public information specials for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Repairs are expected to be complete by the end of this week or the very beginning of next week. Sometime in the next few days, traffic on Highway 97 will be restricted to one lane through the work area, which is near the South Highway 99 intersection – about one mile south of Ernest Ward Middle School.

Back on May 15, the shoulder of Highway 97  collapsed in an existing 50-foot deep gully after a drainage pipe separated and undermined the shoulder. About a month later, the situation worsened, with part of the paved shoulder falling into the hole, prompting temporary repairs by the Florida Department of Transportation. Crews used sandbags to shore up the shoulder on temporary basis back on June 13.

Since the damage occurred after the flooding event that led to a presidential disaster declaration for Escambia County, repair costs for Highway 97 will not be reimbursed by FEMA.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Ernest Ward Admin Office Closed Until July 21

July 15, 2014

The administrative building and offices at Ernest Ward Middle School will be closed for about a week.  The administrative building at Ernest Ward Middle school closed Tuesday afternoon. The building will reopen at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 21. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Lawyer Says Big Money Lined Up For Medical Marijuana Campaign

July 15, 2014

Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan said he has pledges of up to $6 million — not including his own substantial checkbook — to back a proposed constitutional amendment going before voters in November that would allow doctors to order marijuana for patients with debilitating illnesses.

Morgan, who largely bankrolled the petition effort that put Amendment 2 on the ballot, said Monday he is prepared to again unfold his own wallet to convince voters to support the proposal which, like all constitutional questions, requires 60 percent approval for passage.

“We’ve got people coming from all over America to help us,” Morgan said in a telephone interview from New Hampshire. “I’ve got at least $6 million committed as of today, without more money from me. I believe we’re going to be able to do it.”

Renewed support from Morgan — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s boss and close friend — comes as opponents of the measure, aided by Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate and supporter of Republican Gov. Rick Scott, double down on efforts to kill it.

Adelson, whose son Mitchell reportedly died of a drug overdose in 2005 and whose wife Miriam is a physician specializing in substance-abuse treatment, contributed $2.5 million to the “Drug Free Florida Committee,” one of two organizations lining up against the proposal.

Morgan has contributed at least $3.75 million to People United for Medical Marijuana, a political committee supporting the amendment that has spent more than $5 million so far. Supporters of the amendment recently set up a new federal 501(c)4 committee that can keep its donors secret. But “Florida for Care” organizers say the group is focused on creating a regulatory framework for the amendment if it is approved.

Debate is heating up over Amendment 2, which would allow physicians to order medical marijuana for patients they decide are suitable for the treatment. The debate comes as the state grapples with creating an infrastructure for a type of cannabis that purportedly does not get users high but can eliminate or dramatically reduce life-threatening seizures in children with a severe form of epilepsy. Lawmakers approved that type of cannabis this spring.

Scott, who has said he opposes the constitutional amendment, signed into law the measure authorizing strains of marijuana that are low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD. The law also allows patients who suffer from severe muscle spasms or cancer to be put on a “compassionate use registry” for the low-THC product as long as their doctors approve. Under the law, five growers who meet certain criteria, including having been in business as nurseries in Florida for at least 30 years, will be authorized by the state to manufacture, process and distribute the product — usually sold in paste or oil form — to patients put on the “compassionate use registry.”

“Ganjapreneurs” from around the world are flocking to Florida — the first state to implement a law in which growers will also process and distribute the low-THC, high-CBD product — in hopes of getting in on the ground floor of the cannabis industry.

“There is going to be money made and whether you’re selling beer in a convenience store or topless dances in Ybor City, you’re going to have people who want to make money. That’s just who we are,” Morgan said.

The state’s newest regulated industry has attracted “charlatans” who are likely interested in the more lucrative possibilities traditional medical marijuana holds should Amendment 2 pass, Morgan said.

“It looks like a bunch of cockroaches that just got sprayed with Raid. They’re spinning around going nowhere fast,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who think this is their way to get out of their coat and tie and walk around in their Jimmy Buffet outfit all day long. I believe that right now I could make millions of dollars if I could set up a lemonade stand saying I’m the marijuana guru, call me for information. You can’t imagine how many people are calling me thinking I’m going to be the way and the light.”

Polls have consistently showed widespread support for the medical marijuana amendment but that was before what is developing into an all-out attack on the measure, including opposition from law enforcement groups like the Florida Sheriffs Association.

Critics have accused Morgan of putting the medical marijuana amendment on the ballot to increase turnout among left-leaning voters who typically stay home during mid-term elections and who may be more likely to support Crist.

But Morgan predicted fighting the amendment could backfire against Republican candidates like Attorney General Pam Bondi and Scott, who both oppose the measure.

“It’s like if you told African Americans we’re going to shut down voting times or voting days, they said, ‘The hell you are,’ and came out and voted in record numbers,” Morgan said.

But Sarah Bascom, a spokeswoman for what is known as the “Vote No on 2″ campaign, accused Morgan of using the amendment to gin up support for Crist.

“Mr. Morgan’s comments are further proof that he’s not doing this ‘for the people,’ but as part of his own political agenda. This preoccupation with politics probably explains why the loophole ridden amendment was written so poorly,” she said.

by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida

Girl, 11, Called A Hero For Saving Younger Sisters From House Fire

July 15, 2014

An 11-year old Atmore girls is being called a hero today for saving her two younger sisters from a house fire early Saturday night.

Rubye Nix was in the living room with her sisters when it’s believed lightning struck outside the home, causing sparks to fly from a window air conditioner and start a fire. She was playing  on an iPad when the fire started and she immediately went into action.

“My one-year-old sister was asleep and my four-year-old sister was on my lap. I smelled something burning and saw a small fire, so I grabbed my baby sisters and ran them out of the house,” she said Monday as her mother Toni Capers and stepfather Jerry Capers were searching through the charred ruble for anything that could be salvaged.

Jerry was home with the kids Saturday night as Toni was at work. The power went out, so he went two doors down to check and see if a neighbor had also lost electricity. It was in those few minutes that the lightning struck, sparking the fire. As Jerry returned home and saw smoke, he rushed back into the house thinking the three girls were still inside. He suffered first, second and third degree burns on his hands as he searched through the burning home for his family.

Rubye said she had learned from her parents and her school teachers about how to get out in the case of fire.

“You teach them what to do,” Toni said, “but you hope they never have to do it.”

“I was thinking, ‘okay, there’s a fire, I’m getting out’,” Rubye said.

“Nothing makes me more proud than to know that you grabbed them and ran,” mom Toni told Rubye Monday as they stood in the debris. “Because I can get through this.”

The home on Forest Avenue was a complete loss from the fire. The American Red Cross temporarily put the family up into a hotel through Tuesday night. Beyond that, the family said they don’t have a place to go.

Picturd top: Rubye Nix, 11, and her mom Toni Capers. Pictured top inset: Rubye’s stepfather Jerry Capers suffered burns on his hands after he entered the burning home looking for his three girls. Pictured bottom inset: Rubye and her mother search though the rubble looking for salvageable items Monday. Pictured below: The family’s home was destroyed by the fire. Photos by Anthony Pura/WEAR 3, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Photo: Rainbow Over Cantonment Fire Station

July 15, 2014

Pictured: A rainbow Monday afternoon over Escambia County Fire Rescue Station 4 in Cantonment. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Summer Reading Required For Ernest Ward, Ransom Middle Students

July 15, 2014

Students attending Ernest Ward or Ransom Middle schools in the fall have a summer reading assignment. The students are assigned to read one novel from a reading list for each grade before the first day of school on August 18.

The Ransom Middle School library will be  August 5 from noon until 4 p.m.  for students to check out books that are due by August 19.

Novels can be purchased at area book stores, online or checked out from a school or West Florida Regional Library branch. They can be purchased and read on an e-reader such as the Kindle, Nook or iPad.

Projects focusing on the students’ understanding of basic literature terms and comprehension of the novel will be assigned by language arts teachers once the school year begins.

The Ernest Ward and Ransom Middle reading lists are as follows:

Incoming 6th grade:

  • A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story, Linda Sue Park
  • A Long Way from Chicago, Richard Peck
  • Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (***Ransom only)
  • Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, Jordan Sonnenblick (***Ernest Ward only)
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick
  • Mockingbird, Kathryn Erkine
  • Old Yeller, Fred Gipson
  • Slob, Ellen Potter
  • The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi
  • The Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White
  • The View from Saturday, E.L Konigsburg

Incoming 7th grade:

  • Any Which Wall , Laurel Snyder
  • Breaking Stalin’s Nose, Eugene Yelchin
  • Dragonwings, Laurence Yep
  • Eragon, Christopher Paolini
  • Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini, Sid Fleischman
  • Heart of a Samurai, Margi Preus
  • Lost in the River of Grass, Ginny Rorby
  • Moon over Manifest, Clare Vanderpool
  • One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia
  • The Anybodies, N.E. Bode
  • After Ever After, Jordon Sonnenblick (***Ernest Ward only)

Incoming 8th grade:

  • Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
  • Carver: a Life in Poems, Marilyn Nelson
  • Dead End in Norvelt, Jack Gantos
  • Fire from the Rock, Sharon Draper
  • Football Genius, Tim Green
  • Lockdown, Walter Dean Myers
  • Peter and the Starcatchers, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
  • Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood , Ibtisam Barakat
  • The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt
  • Wild Things, Clay Carmichael

For more information, contact your child’s school.

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