Brooks, Riley Selected To Lead Century Town Council
January 8, 2014
The Century Town Council has re-elected Ann Brooks as council president and Gary Riley as vice-president for 2014. Pictured: Century Town Council President Ann Brooks at Monday night’s regular council meeting. Riley was absent from Monday’s meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
GED Classes Offered In Molino
January 8, 2014
GED classes will resume Monday January 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the Molino Community Center. Classes will be on Monday and Thursday evenings.
New students can take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) on Tuesday, January 14 and complete registration at the Molino Community Center, Room 123. Applications for enrollment are available at the Molino Branch Library in the community center. For more information, call the Molino Library at (850) 435-1760, or George Stone at (850) 941-6200, ext. 2121 or 2117.
More Local Winter Photos, Including Snow
January 8, 2014
Here are more winter weather pictures from North Escambia readers.
Homemade snow fell at the home of Kevin Goodson on Spring Street in Jay (top) and at the home of Bill Linhardt in West Pensacola (below).
Frozen tree and yard in Walnut Hill. (NorthEscambia.com photo)
An icy tree in North Escambia. (Courtesy Kay McCormick)
“So I read online the other day about blowing bubbles when it is in the teens or colder. Said they’;; freeze. Decided to try it this morning. They really do freeze!” — Becka Peebles, Walnut Hill
Perdido Bay along Lillian Highway. (Courtesy Mitch Mosley)
A frozen tree in Walnut Hill. (Courtesy Josh Scott)
Man Convicted Of Murdering Prison Guard Is Executed
January 8, 2014
A man convicted of killing a prison guard while already on Death Row was executed Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke. Askari Abdullah Muhammad, 62, died at 6:45 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Corrections.
He was put to death for fatally stabbing corrections officer Richard James Burke with a sharpened spoon in October 1980.
Muhammad, who was formerly known as Thomas Knight, was initially convicted of kidnapping and killing Sydney and Lillian Gans in 1974. He also escaped from the Dade County Jail while awaiting trial and was involved in a liquor store robbery in Cordele, Ga., where two clerks were shot, with one killed.
Monday Is Deadline To Apply For $50,000 In IP Grants
January 8, 2014
International Paper Pensacola Mill will award $50,000 in Foundation Grants in 2014.
The deadline for all 2014 grant applications is Monday, January 13.
Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis, Tenn., which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement, and critical community needs. Applicants must be a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, school, or qualifying government entity to apply.
For more information about the Foundation or to apply online, interested applicants should visit www.ipgiving.com. For more information on the grant process, contact Janice Holmes, communications manager, at 850-968-4203 or e-mail janice.holmes@ipaper.com.
Bondi, Wilson Ask Obama For Health Care Meeting
January 8, 2014
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson want President Barack Obama to set up a meeting for them on the Affordable Care Act with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
In a letter to the White House on Monday, the two Republican officials repeated their longstanding opposition to the federal health care law as they asked for the meeting to address a number of issues, including “specific security and consumer safety issues” involving the navigator program.
“Due to the lack of response to the multitude of concerns shared with your Administration by numerous states over the last several months, we are requesting you to direct Secretary Sebelius to meet with the concerned attorneys general to address these issues,” the letter said.
Navigators assist people who apply for insurance through online marketplaces that are key part of the Affordable Care Act.
As the system was rolled out, Florida banned the navigators from the grounds of county health departments claiming concern for consumer information that would be provided to the counselors. Bondi’s spokeswoman Jennifer Meale said in an email Tuesday afternoon that there had yet to be a response from the White House.
by The News Service of Florida
Northview Gets Big District Win Over Freeport
January 8, 2014
The Northview Chiefs opened 2014 with a district win on the road against Freeport, 77-41.
Scoring for Northview were Neino Robinson 31, Cameron Newsome 20, Tony Macroy 13, Nick Lambert 10, and Trent Howard 3. Mccroy recorded 12 assists for the Chiefs.
Northview’s varsity girls will host Rocky Bayou at 5:30 Thursday, following by the varsity boys at 7:00. In big district games Friday, the Chiefs will host Jay. JV girls at 3:30, JV boys at 4:45, varsity girls at 6:00 and varsity boys at 7:15.
Ronnie Murphy
January 8, 2014
Mr. Ronnie Murphy, age 43, passed away Tuesday, January 7, 2014. He was born October 13, 1970 in Pensacola to Howard and Judith Wilson Murphy.
Mr. Murphy was a resident of Mossy Head. He was Baptist by faith and a member of the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. He was a veteran of Desert Storm, serving his country in the United States Army for over 6 years. He worked as a Correctional Officer at Walton Correctional Institute for over 10 years. He served as a little league coach for over 16 years, and as a baseball coach assistant at Walton High School. He had a passion for coaching baseball and making a difference in children’s lives. He also served as a volunteer firefighter at Mossy Head Fire Department. He was a born again Christian and a devoted husband, father, son and brother. He was an avid outdoorsman and he loved Alabama football and especially loved his two boys.
Mr. Murphy is survived by his parents Howard and Judy Murphy of Pensacola; his loving wife Tiffany Murphy of 23 ½ years of Mossy Head; two sons Stephen and Christopher Murphy of Mossy Head; one sister Victoria Richardson and husband Scott of Molino; his mother-in-law Maxine Turner of Mossy Head, Florida; one brother-in-law Todd Turner and wife Teresa of Opelika, Alabama; two sisters-in-law Tawee Hardy and husband Robert of Lowndesboro, Alabama and Tonya Edgar and husband Tim of Pensacola. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation services will be held 12:00~2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 11, 2014, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel; 230 Park Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 11, 2014, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel; 230 Park Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435 with Pastors Owen Smith and Joel Glenn officiating.
Burial will follow at Crowder Chapel Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Larry Martin, Phillip Jones, Bob Sloan, Billy Burgess, Doug Cosson, Ronnie Bell, Kenny May, Jr., Tom Molinets and Victor Evans.
Photos: Florida’s Frozen Winter
January 8, 2014
With lows in the middle teens, there were some interesting photo opportunities around the North Escambia (Florida) area this morning. Like, pictured above, this tree on Highway 164 in Walnut Hill. (Courtesy Brandy White)
We received lots of winter photos from readers, scroll down for more.
Above: The fountain at Dr Gene Terrezza Optometry at the corner of Lillian Highway and Fairfield Drive. (Courtesy Justin Dukes)
Above: A frozen over fish pond in Bratt. (Courtesy Janie Beasley)
Above: Ice on a lily pad pond near Pollard McCall Junior High School where it dropped to 14 degrees this morning. (Courtesy Jennifer Smith)
Above: Frozen small tree in Molino. (Courtesy Lisa Weaver)
Above: Frozen hose into a pool, Molino. (Courtesy April Pawless)
Above: The fountain this morning at Century Health and Rehabilitation Center. (Courtesy Mae Hildreth)
Above: We saved this one for last. Seems that Rodney Colvin of Molino brought his wife Jennifer an “ice flower” from outside this morning. We are hoping to see how he tops this for Valentines Day.
Sheriff’s Office To Present Neighborhood Watch Academy
January 8, 2014
Applications are now being accepted forthe 18th Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Academy which will be held Tuesday, January 21 in the ECSO Administration Building at 1700 West Leonard Street in Pensacola.
The free training is being provided to neighborhood volunteers for new and existing neighborhood watch programs, or anyone interested in preventing crime. The one evening seminar begins with a complementary meal at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.
Persons wishing to start a neighborhood watch group or simply make themselves less likely to be a victim of crime, this is the class needed.Much of the curriculum covers basic safety and security tips for the home, anonymous reporting and crime prevention through environmental design.
To register, contact David Craig in the Community Services Unit at (850) 436-9281 or at gcraig@escambiaso.com.