Main Escambia Health Dept Building To Reopen Monday After Flood Repairs
November 3, 2014
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County will reopen its main facility on West Fairfield Drive on Monday.
The facility has been closed since April 30 when heavy rains flooded the building, causing extensive damage and forcing health department services to be relocated to other facilityes in the county.
Services that will resume on Fairfield Drive Monday include the family planning clinic, child health clinic, sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic, and immunizations clinic. Escambia Community Clinics’ will return their dental clinic operations to the FDOH-Escambia facility on Fairfield Drive on Monday, and bbirth and death certificates will also be available again.
WIC program services will not return to the Fairfield Drive location until November 12.
While limited services will be available at the Fairfield Drive facility during the first few weeks of reopening, all services will continue to be offered in Escambia County, Florida at various FDOH-Escambia locations. Details regarding where the public can receive FDOH-Escambia services can be found at www.escambiahealth.com, or by calling 850-595-6500.
Veterans Programs Planned For Ransom, Ernest Ward, Bratt, Northview And Century
November 3, 2014
Several programs are planned over the next week to honor veterans in advance of Veterans Day on November 11. Veterans and the public are invited to the following events:
Ransom Middle School will host a Patriotic Program honoring active military and veterans on Wednesday, November 5 with assemblies at 2:25 and 3:15 p.m. Music will be provided by the Ransom band, orchestra and chorus. Students from the Ransom History Club and Student Leadership Team will announce and help lead the program. The Tate High School JROTC Honor Guard will give the Presentation of the Colors. Speakers include a MIA presentation, a veteran story and acknowledgement of veterans. The programs are open to the public. Veterans are encouraged to attend.
Ernest Ward Middle School will hold their annual Veterans Day Program on Thursday, November 6 at 2 p.m. in the school gym. The program will include patriotic music performed by the school’s band and chorus, a special student presentation and special performances. The guest speaker will be retired Navy Capt. Frank Smith. All veterans are welcome to attend. Veterans unable to walk long distance should park in front of the gym. All other guests should park behind the gym or football field due to construction.
The Town of Century will hold a Veterans Day Program on Friday, November 7 at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Wall at Nadine McCaw Park (the former Roadside Park) at the corner of North Century Boulevard and Hecker Road. Everyone, including all veterans, is invited to attend. Guest speaker will be Rep. Clay Ingram.
Bratt Elementary School will host a Veterans Day Event on Monday, November 10 at 9:00 a.m. The school’s fourth grade students will present “We Honor the Brave”. For more information, call (850) 327-6137.
Northview High School will host a Veterans Day Program on Monday, November 10 at 9:35 and 10:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be Major Michael Ray, United States Air Force, retired. Major Ray served 21 years before retiring in May 2014. During his 21 years of service he flew the T-1, T-34, T-39, T-38, B-1 and F-15 aircraft. He served his final tour on active duty at NAS Pensacola as the Assistant Director of Operations for the Air Forces 451st Flying Training Squadron. All veterans, their families and community members are invited to attend.
Pictured top: Members of the Ransom Middle School Band practices for their Veterans Day program on Wednesday, November 5. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
And The Survey Says: Down At The Library
November 3, 2014
Escambia County recently asked residents to complete an online survey to gauge residents’ thoughts and ideas about West Florida Public Library System facilities.
Results, as provided by Escambia County, were as follows:
Envision Escambia 2028: The West Florida Public Library System
Question #1: In which area of Escambia County do you currently live?
Nearly 51 percent of respondents to our West Florida Public Library System survey live north of Nine Mile Road. Another 3 percent came from the extreme southern portion of the County on Pensacola Beach. More than 6 percent of respondents were from Perdido Key, 8 percent represented the neighborhoods in the area East of Palafox, South of Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard to the Escambia Bay on the East and Pensacola Bay on the South and another 3 percent lives West of Palafox, East of New Warrington Road, South of Fairfield Drive, North of Pensacola Bay. No area of Escambia County was unrepresented in this survey.
Question #2: Do you have a library card?
- Yes: 86 percent
- No: 14 percent
Question #3: How often do you visit the library?
- Daily: 6 percent
- Weekly: 28 percent
- Monthly: 28 percent
- Rarely: 23 percent
- Never: 14 percent
Question #4: Why do you visit Escambia County libraries?
- To check out materials (books, DVDs, music, etc.) for home use: 82 percent
- For research or reference assistance: 8 percent
- For computer access: 4 percent
- For classes or programs: 6 percent
Comments included:
“Classes and programs for my kids.”
“Buy used books from Friends of Library.”
“Read periodicals.”
“Meetings.”
Question #5: Please choose any/all reasons you may have for not visiting the library. Choose as many as are applicable.
- Hours of operation are not convenient: 29 percent
- Location of facilities is not close to my home: 71 percent
- Security is insufficient: 0 percent
- Facilities are not well maintained: 5 percent
- I don’t know where facilities are located: 10 percent
- We are too busy or not interested: 33 percent
Comments included:
“Too many computers, not a wide enough selection of books.”
“Been years since I’ve been in a library and wouldn’t know what to do.”
“No reason. The internet has more and is convenient to all.”
“Haven’t had the need to go to the library lately. However, I am glad we have one in the north end of the county.
“My grandson has used the facility a couple of times.”
Question #6: More than $6.7 million of Local Option Sales Tax III funds has been used to build, upgrade and restore libraries throughout Escambia County. Please tell us how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements. Well maintained libraries:
Are versatile community centers, offering access to reading materials, classes and computer access:
- 73 percent strongly agree
- 19 percent agree
- 5 percent neither disagree nor agree
- 0 percent disagree
- 3 percent strongly disagree
Offers residents improved economic prospects and an enhanced quality of life:
- 57 percent strongly agree
- 25 percent agree
- 10 percent neither disagree nor agree
- 5 percent disagree
- 3 percent strongly disagree
Contribute to safe, thriving neighborhoods:
- 51 percent strongly agree
- 32 percent agree
- 9 percent neither disagree nor agree
- 6 percent disagree
- 3 percent strongly disagree
Foster learning and skills improvement:
- 70 percent strongly agree
- 22 percent agree
- 6 percent neither disagree nor agree
- 3 percent disagree
- 0 percent strongly disagree
Question #7: How would you rate each of the following library services?
- Customer service:
- Excellent: 45 percent
- Good: 29 percent
- Fair: 7 percent
- Poor: 4 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 15 percent
- Collection (books, DVDs, music, newspapers, etc.):
- Excellent: 20 percent
- Good: 39 percent
- Fair: 23 percent
- Poor: 4 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 15 percent
- Children’s programs and classes:
- Excellent: 19 percent
- Good: 23 percent
- Fair: 12 percent
- Poor: 1 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 45 percent
- Adult programs and classes:
- Excellent: 9 percent
- Good: 29 percent
- Fair: 13 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 45 percent
- Computers and printers:
- Excellent: 19 percent
- Good: 35 percent
- Fair: 9 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 35 percent
- Internet access:
- Excellent: 22 percent
- Good: 30 percent
- Fair: 10 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 36 percent
- Facilities:
- Excellent: 39 percent
- Good: 37 percent
- Fair: 8 percent
- Poor: 1 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 15 percent
- Hours of operation:
- Excellent: 19 percent
- Good: 34 percent
- Fair: 28 percent
- Poor: 7 percent
- Don’t know or not applicable: 12 percent
Question #8: How important are each of the following library services to you?
- Borrowing materials (books, DVDs, music, etc.):
- 73 percent said very important
- 16 percent said important
- 3 percent said somewhat important
- 7 percent said not important
- 3 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Reference assistance:
- 30 percent said very important
- 36 percent said important
- 14 percent said somewhat important
- 14 percent said not important
- 5 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Children’s programs (classes, storytimes, etc.):
- 28 percent said very important
- 18 percent said important
- 19 percent said somewhat important
- 14 percent said not important
- 22 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Adult programs (classes, training, book clubs, etc.:
- 32 percent said very important
- 22 percent said important
- 16 percent said somewhat important
- 17 percent said not important
- 13 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Computers, printers and internet access:
- 33 percent said very important
- 22 percent said important
- 17 percent said somewhat important
- 17 percent said not important
- 10 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Bookmobile:
- 19 percent said very important
- 22 percent said important
- 14 percent said somewhat important
- 28 percent said not important
- 18 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Genealogy research:
- 17 percent said very important
- 26 percent said important
- 23 percent said somewhat important
- 27 percent said not important
- 8 percent don’t know or not applicable
- Overall, how important is the library to you and your family?:
- 57 percent said very important
- 21 percent said important
- 11 percent said somewhat important
- 11 percent said not important
- 1 percent don’t know or not applicable
Question #9: Do you have any suggestions regarding programming or services you would like to see at one or any of our branch libraries?
Comments included:
“More weekend hours, especially in the summer.”
“Don’t close at 4 p.m. on Friday’s.”
“Employment assistance.”
“Mobile library at the beach.”
“Online newspaper.”
Question #10: What is your overall opinion of the West Florida Public Library System branches? Answer as many as applicable.
- Century Branch:
- Excellent: 10 percent
- Fair: 5 percent
- Good: 6 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- No opinion: 76 percent
- Main Library:
- Excellent: 33 percent
- Fair: 18 percent
- Good: 21 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- No opinion: 24 percent
- Molino Branch:
- Excellent: 22 percent
- Fair: 9 percent
- Good: 7 percent
- Poor: 0 percent
- No opinion: 61 percent
- Southwest Branch:
- Excellent: 21 percent
- Fair: 8 percent
- Good: 17 percent
- Poor: 2 percent
- No opinion: 53 percent
- Tryon Branch:
- Excellent: 21 percent
- Fair: 14 percent
- Good: 23 percent
- Poor: 0 percent
- No opinion: 42 percent
- Westside Branch:
- Excellent: 5 percent
- Fair: 8 percent
- Good: 8 percent
- Poor: 3 percent
- No opinion: 75 percent
- Bookmobile:
- Excellent: 5 percent
- Fair: 15 percent
- Good: 5 percent
- Poor: 6 percent
- No opinion: 69 percent
Question #11: Do you have any additional questions, comments or concerns?
Comments included:
“Please build one in Cantonment!”
“Best part of my tax dollars.”
“Looking for bus service to and from the library.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Learn How To Do Business With ECUA
November 3, 2014
The Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center will offer a free workshop on how to do business with the ECUA. The event will be held Thursday, November 6 at the Escambia County Central Office Complex at 3363 West Park Place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The informational meeting will educate attendees about the potential of doing business with the ECUA, while increasing participation in obtaining future ECUA contracts. Participants will learn about the bidding process, qualification requirements, future business opportunities, and how the ECUA hiring process is conducted.
ECUA speakers will include Stephen P. Holcomb, director of wastewater infrastructure, Peter Wilkinson, purchasing and store manager, and Frances Webb, HR generalist.
The workshop is free; however, pre-registration is recommended. For additional information contact Laura Subel, PTAC procurement specialist, lsubel@uwf.edu, (850) 474-2549 or register online at clientsfloridasbdc.org/center.
Bonus Gallery: Northview’s Zombie Band; Cheerleaders Show Support With Pink
November 3, 2014
The Northview High School cheerleaders and the Tribal Beat band showed their support for breast cancer awareness by going pink for their home game against Walton. And the band transformed into the Tribal Beat Zombie Band last Friday night at Baker for Halloween.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Frances Nadine Carlisle Ward
November 3, 2014
Frances Nadine Carlisle Ward, 78, of McDavid, died November 2, 2014, in Pensacola after a long illness.
She was born November 4, 1935, in Sayre, OK, raised in Livingston, CA, and a resident of Escambia County, FL, since 1978. She was a member of Highland Baptist Church in Molino.
Frances was predeceased by her parents Edgar C. Carlisle and Maude E. Jernigan Carlisle, and brother Glen Ivan Carlisle.
Mrs. Ward is survived by her husband of 57 years, Billy R. Ward of McDavid; daughter, Gloria Ward of Boone, NC; Son Donald Ward of McDavid; grandsons, Derek Berry, Sean Ward and ZeZe Williams; sisters, Verta (Dave) Gentry and Barbara Carlisle of Canton, TX; and brothers H. Dale (Carole) Carlisle of Oregon and Roy (Cathy) Carlisle of Gainesville, MO.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 2014, at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church with Rev. Nathan Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Ray’s Chapel Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be deacons of Highland and Ray’s Chapel Baptist churches. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Ladies Sunday School Classes of Highland and Sr. Adult Class of Ray’s Chapel.
Visitation will be Wednesday, November 5, 2014, from 6-9 p.m at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, 9260 Highway 31, Atmore.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Alabama.
David Richard Reeves
November 3, 2014
David Richard Reeves, age 61of Cantonment and Cahaba, AL, went home to Jesus on November 1, 2014, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was ushered into Heaven surrounded by his family.
David was an avid fisherman and hunter. He grew up hunting and fishing the Escambia River in Florida with his daddy, Elmer Richard Reeves. David later moved to Cahaba, AL, and fished the Cahaba and Alabama Rivers.
David was a 1971 graduate of Tate High School where he played football for the Aggies. He was an avid Alabama “Roll Tide” supporter.
David was the son of Elmer and Alvis Reeves of Cantonment. He is survived by his wife Carolyn Hane Reeves of Orrville, AL, (Cahaba, AL); sister, Marcelle (Dwight) Perritt of Cantonment; nephew, Damon (Pammie) Murphy of Cantonment; niece, DonaJean (Clay) Heist of Cantonment; and many great nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends.
David traveled with his job for many years as a crane operator and later managed a deer and wildlife farm plantation in Cahaba, AL.
David accepted Jesus into his heart at an early age but later reaffirmed his faith and his walk with Jesus while living in Alabama. He recently stated that he could only imagine what it is going to be like when he is face to face with Jesus. The Saturday before he passed he told his friend, Pastor Larry Nickles, and his family that he was getting up out of that bed the next morning and going to church. That is exactly what he did.
Visitation will be Friday, November 7, 2014, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. with services immediately following at 2:00 p.m.
Burial will be next to his daddy and mama at Roberts Cemetery, Gonzalez Methodist Church, in Gonzalez.
The family would like to express a special thank you to his friend and employer, Scott Drummond and his friend, Pastor Larry Nickles.
Thank you to the Cancer Institute of America, Atlanta; The Asera Care Hospice staff, Amy, Christy, and Kim; David’s home health care nurse, Felicia and doctors Park Chittom and Park Chittom II of Selma, AL.
Also, a special thank you to all of his friends, co-workers, high school friends, fellow hunters and fishermen. When you cast your next fishing line, cast one for David.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Crist, Scott Pull Out Big Guns In Final Push
November 3, 2014
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist marched down the street in Fort Lauderdale, visited black churches in two counties and stumped with Vice President Joe Biden in a last-minute push Sunday, the final day of early voting in Florida.
Playing to a crowd made up almost solely of blacks at Mount Hermon AME church in Fort Lauderdale, Biden linked Crist, a former Republican governor trying to get his old job back as a Democrat, with President Barack Obama, who remains wildly popular with African-American voters despite plummeting favorability nationwide.
“I have a simple, basic message for you, a message from the president of the U.S. He’s had your back and you got to get his back,” Biden told a few hundred Crist supporters. “The way you get his back is to turn out to vote.”
But to the south of Democrat-rich Broward County, Republican Gov. Rick Scott brought out another political big gun Sunday — former Gov. Jeb Bush, who urged a crowd in Hialeah to keep Crist from moving back into the governor’s mansion.
“Charlie Crist has gotta go,” said Bush, drawing applause and cheers as he was flanked by Scott, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and other GOP leaders.
Both campaigns have pushed to turn out their base supporters in early voting and now are trying to get them to the polls Tuesday. Former President Bill Clinton will campaign Monday night with Crist in Orlando, while Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Texas Gov. Rick Perry will join Scott for a series of stops in the politically pivotal Interstate 4 corridor.
Biden’s appearance was among several “Souls to the Polls” events geared to black churchgoers held throughout the state Sunday.
“The president has said restoring the middle class is the defining issue of our time. That’s just what’s at stake with this election,” he said.
Biden, who also joined Crist for a rally at Florida International University earlier in the day, contrasted Scott as one of a new breed of tea party-style Republicans who can’t identify with working-class Floridians.
“They think it all trickles down.. They think if we take care of the very, very very wealthy, somehow that’s going to get down to us. In the neighborhood I was raised in that didn’t happen, man. Nothing trickled down except the rain from the roof that you couldn’t repair,” he said. “I don’t think they get it. I don’t think Rick Scott gets it and I don’t think this new Republican Party gets it.”
Biden, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, recalled how Congress reauthorized the Voting Rights Act in 1982.
“And guess what? We didn’t count on there would be Rick Scotts left,” Biden said. “I didn’t count on the fact that you’d have a whole slew of Republican governors once again trying to convince us that we should not vote.”
Florida was one of several states that passed restrictive voting laws that critics said were aimed at curbing Democratic turnout prior to the 2012 presidential election. In 2011, Scott signed a law that cut back early voting hours and made it harder for Floridians who moved from one county to another to cast regular ballots. But last year, in response to long lines in mostly Democratic strongholds in 2012, the Legislature — with Scott’s approval — undid most of the restrictions.
Elections supervisors in 12 counties — including Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade — took advantage of the option to allow voters to cast their ballots on Sunday, the last day when voters could go to the polls before Tuesday’s election.
Democrats boasted of record turnout in Florida this year in contrast to previous mid-term elections when Democrats typically are outgunned by Republicans.
Democrats have been catching up to Republican in terms of ballots cast since early and absentee voting began last month. As of Sunday, Democrats had cast about 4.2 percent fewer ballots than the GOP, or about 125,000 votes, compared to 275,000, or a 12.7 percent advantage for the GOP in 2010, according to Democratic strategist Steve Schale, a consultant to Crist.
And black voter turnout — considered critical for a Crist win — is double that of four years ago, Schale wrote on his blog Sunday morning.
Two years ago, Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney by a 71,000-vote margin in Florida. If 6 percent fewer of the 1 million blacks who voted in Florida in 2012 had stayed home, Obama would not have won, Biden said.
“Well it’s the same thing today, guys. Let’s get this straight. We get out the vote, we win. We stay home, we lose. We lose, the community loses,” he said.
But the Scott campaign spent part of the weekend trying to encourage turnout in GOP strongholds, such as Southwest Florida. To help do so, it enlisted high-profile Republicans including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Christie, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, appeared Saturday with Scott in Naples and praised the incumbent’s leadership of Florida, calling him “my friend.”
“He tells you what he believes, he stands firm to work to get it done. You can count on his honesty. you can count on his loyalty. And you can count on the fact that if he asks you for four more years as he’s done, that he will deliver those four years in a way that will make you proud,” said Christie, who has made a series of appearances for Scott during the campaign.
Many Democrats blamed former state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s loss to Scott in 2010 on lackluster turnout in Broward County, where more than half of the 1 million registered voters are Democrats, and nearly a quarter of registered voters are black. But County Commissioner Marty Kiar said Sunday that voters — who cast more than 12,000 ballots on Saturday alone — are more enthused this year.
“Our early voting numbers have been huge,” Kiar, a former state representative, said. “People are coming out in droves. … The margin that we’re going to win by in Broward County is what’s going to put Charlie over the top.”
Appearing on stage before Biden and Crist, state Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, who has been leading an intensive get-out-the-vote effort in black neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale, urged supporters to join him and Crist for a march down Sistrunk Boulevard to a nearby early voting site.
“Four years ago we did not turn out like we should,” Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, said. “Broward County will make the difference this year.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz credited the uptick in turnout to Crist’s campaign, which has 120 workers statewide and has micro-targeted minority voters and women who cast ballots in 2008 and 2012 but stayed home in 2010.
“I have not seen a ground game like this ever in Florida,” Wasserman Schultz, who is also the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Pictured top inset: Incumbent Rick Scott campaigns on Sunday in Miami. Pictured bottom inset: Challenger Charlies Crist greets crowds in North Miami. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rev. Robert Terry Vaughan
November 3, 2014
Rev. Robert Terry Vaughan, age 76 of the Clear Springs community in Alabama, passed away on Sunday, November 2, 2014. He was a longtime pastor and servant of the Lord. He was co-pastor of First Korean-American Baptist Church in Pensacola. He was a graduate of Pensacola High School, Auburn University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a member of the Auburn University Letterman’s Club.
Bro. Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Calvin Culpepper Vaughan and Robert Herman Vaughan and his brother, Kenner Lex Vaughan.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sandra Baggett Vaughan; son, Philip (Darlene) Vaughan; daughter, Juanita (Don) Vick; four grandsons, Robert (Ashley) Vaughan, Thomas Vaughan, Brett Vick and Hunter Vick and two great- grandsons, Marcus and Byron Vaughan.
Services will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at the First Korean-American Baptist Church in Pensacola.
Visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. until services begin at 11 a.m.. Burial will follow at Clear Springs United Medthodist Church Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Dorothy Ann Blair
November 3, 2014
Dorothy Ann Blair, age 67 of Berrydale, was born on December 17, 1946, to John and Velma Dunn. She passed away October 28, 2014.
She was a great loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was devoted to her church, the Church of Christ, and loved working in the yard and decorating. Anyone who knew her, knew she loved anything that sparkled. She was dearly loved by her family and will be missed deeply. She was always ready to lend a hand to anybody that needed it.
She is preceded in death by her parents John and Velma Dunn.
She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years Ellis Blair; four children Lisa (Kenny) Tedder, Ken (Cindy) Blair, Tony (Beverly) Blair, and Deborah (Mike) Pilgrim; six grandchildren Nakisha (Jared) Gandy, Latisha (Myles) Lecesse, Trenton and Allison Blair, Blake Pilgrim, and Kaylen Blair; two great grandchildren Landyn Cooley and Eligh Lecesse; one sister Nell (Julius) Darby; two brothers Johnny (Peggy) Dunn, Woodraw (Karen) Dunn; and many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.
Pallbearers will be Bill Thompson, Kavin Borders, Jeff Barnhill, Ronnie Kirkland, Duane Kirkland, and Russell Beasley. Honorary pallbearers will be Willie Trawick and Wayne Cook.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2014, at Jay Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. with Brother Pete Davis officiating. Burial will follow at the former RLDS Berrydale Church cemetery. A visitation will be held on Wednesday November 5, 2014, at Jay Funeral Home from 6-8 pm.