Chiefs Beat Rocky Bayou
February 19, 2014
The Northview Chiefs beat Rocky Bayou Monday night in Bratt, 4-2.
The Chiefs (2-0) will be action again Thursday night on the road for district game at Baker before returning home to face the Flomaton Hurricanes on February 24. Both games begin at 6 p.m.
For a bonus photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com and Ramona Preston photos, click to enlarge.
Nola Belle Pettis
February 19, 2014
Ms. Nola Belle Pettis, age 89 of Wolf Log Road in Flomaton, passed away Saturday, February 15, 2014, in a Florala nursing facility.
Ms. Pettis was born in Brewton, and had been a resident of Flomaton since 1975, coming from Pensacola. She was retired from Monsanto and was of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by a sister, Mrs. Hazel Morris of Brewton and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with Rev. Clyde Jeffery Harris, Rev. Gregory Keith Harris, and Rev. James Henry officiating.
Interment will follow in Little Escambia Cemetery.
Carl C. Penton
February 19, 2014
Carl C. Penton, 87, of New Boston, died Monday, February 17, 2014, at the Southern Ohio Medical Center. Born on September 2, 1926 , in Jay, he was a son of the late Claude R. and Bertha Julia Diamond Penton.
Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Silvia Penton; three sons, Joseph (Mary Ann) Penton of Cantonment, Hurston (Lina) Penton of Newport, NC, and Ron (Barbara) Penton of Havelock, NC; three stepsons, Mark (Marsha) Fields of Portsmouth, David (Edie) Fields of Tennessee, and Danny Fields; a stepdaughter, Roxie (Mike) Monroe of Mulberry, Fla., and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Also preceding her in death are a brother, Lawrence Penton and a stepson, Timothy Fields.
A graveside funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2014, at the Pine Level Baptist Church Cemetery in Jay.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Peggy Scott Godwin
February 19, 2014
Peggy Scott Godwin, age 78, of Jay passed away Monday, February 17, 2014. She was a member of the Jay Church of Christ and was a strong supporter of this congregation during her lifetime. She was devoted to her family as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Terrell Wayne Godwin; children, Bruce Wayne (Debbie) Godwin, Stephanie Diane (John) Solomon, J.D., Suzette Dawn Godwin, M.Ed., Sandra Elizabeth Godwin, Ph.D.; grandchildren, Brandon (Natasha) Godwin, Aaron Godwin, M.D., Jacob (Erin) Godwin, Makenna Suzette (Justin) Hudson R.N., Ashton (Thomas) Ashworth, J.P. Solomon and Levi Solomon; great-grandchildren, Brady, Maggie, Palmer, Darby, and Kayleigh. She is also survived by her sisters, Louise Buffington and Iris La Faye Smith.
She is preceded in death by her mother, Etha Mattie Scott; father, Raymond Douglass Scott; brother, Raymond Max Scott; and granddaughter, Mattie Elizabeth Solomon.
Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.
Honorary pallbearers will be her nieces and nephews, Michael Scott, Lewie Joe Smith, Connie Autrey, Sharon Patrick, Jeanna English, Haynes Gandy, Vicki Baggett, Stacey Godwin, and Melissa Bates.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 20, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at the Jay Church of Christ.
Burial will follow at Jay City Cemetery.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Arnold G. Hill
February 19, 2014
Arnold G. Hill, 69, of Macon, GA, died peacefully Wednesday, February 5, 2014, with his family by his side after a brief and sudden battle with cancer. He was born March 29, 1944, to Fitzhugh & Mabel Hill in Flomaton. He was also known as “A.G.”, “Gator” and “Pop-Pop”. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. He married Georgia “Chickie” Hahn and they were blessed with almost 48 years of marriage. He was a veteran with the United States Air Force and retired as an engineer with Norfolk Southern after many years.
He enjoyed many hobbies, such as golfing, fishing, working in his yard, puttering in his workshop and traveling. He absolutely loved and treasured each moment with his eight precious grandchildren. He loved spending as much time as possible at the family’s rustic cabin, RAZAHABA, in the beautiful north woods of Michigan. He and his family spent every summer there making sweet memories. He always said that the cabin and north woods are as close as you could get to heaven! Arnold loved his family and friends dearly and he made sure they knew that every day. He never met a stranger, was always there when people needed him, generous, kind and always smiling…what a precious example of God’s love! He loved the Lord and his church family and was a man of deep faith. The world will forever be a better place because he was in it.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Chickie; their four daughters, Stacy (Kenny) Byrd of Macon, GA, Stephanie (Greg) Conner, Shelli (Toby) Rimes and Sara (Jason) Gibson, all of Huntsville, AL; eight precious grandchildren, Brooks Byrd, Bryson Byrd, Presley Conner, Marley Conner, Braden Rimes, Cora Rimes, Charlie Gibson & Georgia Gibson; two brothers, Harold Hill and Floyd Hill of Flomaton and many other loving relatives.
A celebration of life was held Sunday, February 9, 2014, at Mabel White Baptist Church with pastors Dr. Lee Sheppard, Franklin Etheridge and Lee Griffin officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Mabel White Baptist Church Missions, 1415 Bass Road Macon, GA.
Century To Look To China For Local Jobs
February 18, 2014
In their search for local economic growth, Century is now turning to China for possible jobs.
The Century Town Council has approved spending about $3,650 economic development dollars to send Mayor Freddie McCall, Century Chamber Economic Development Coordinator Cindy Anderson and town consultant Debbie Nickles to the U.S.-China Manufacturing Symposium that will be held in Dothan on March 26-28. Co-organized by SoZo Group and China Chamber of International Commerce, the symposium will bring up to about 400 Chinese businessmen looking to bring businesses to American soil.
The Dothan event is the combination to two events, including the smaller Alabama-China Partnership Symposium that was held a few years ago in Monroeville, Ala. That event paid off for Thomasville, , a town of 4,209 people just over 100 miles northwest of Century, landed a deal with the Golden Dragon copper tubing plant that now employs over 100 people with plans to triple that workforce in the next year. The town was able to recruit the Chinese plant that employees local Thomasville residents without ever traveling to China.
Century was the only small Florida Panhandle community invited to participate, according to Nickles, by Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz.
“I believe the symposium will provide a unique opportunity for the town,” Nickles said.
Century’s price tag for attending the event includes $2,400 in registration fees, hotel expenses for Nickles and McCall (Anderson’s lodging will be paid the Century Chamber), and $1,253 for ad agency Ideawörks to create and print 500 tri-fold brochures promoting Century.
Delays Today On Hwy 4 Escambia River Bridge
February 18, 2014
Crews will perform a routine bridge inspection on State Road 4 over the Escambia River in Escambia County on Tuesday. Eastbound traffic will encounter lane restrictions from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to travel with care through the work zone and to watch for construction equipment and workers entering and exiting the roadway.
Former Corrections Officer Charged With Child Sex Abuse
February 18, 2014
A former Santa Rosa Correctional Institution employee has been arrested on multiple child sex abuse charges.
Billy Chad Gibson was charged with 10 counts of capitol sexual battery on a child less than 12 years of age. Investigators with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit said the abuse of a male victim allegedly occurred repeatedly between 2012 and 2013.
Gibson was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail last Thursday with bond set at $1.5 million. He was fired from his position with the state on Friday.
Two Molino Residents Seriously Injured In I-10 Wreck
February 18, 2014
Two Molino residents were seriously injured in an I-10 wreck Monday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 57-year old Eugene J. Beaudry of Molino was eastbound on I-10 about the 16 mile marker when he suffered a medical condition which caused him to run off the road in his 1989 Chevrolet S-10. After twice sideswiping a 2007 Chevrolet pickup driven by 55-year old David Harkleroad of Ft. Walton Beach, Beaudry’s S-10 traveled across both eastbound lanes onto the south shoulder. The pickup then hit a slope of dirt, sending Beaudry’s vehicle airborne where it overturned, coming to final rest on top of a fence.
Beaudry and his passenger, 55-year old Cheryl Lahti of Molino, were both transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. Harkleroad and his passenger, 59-year old Joni Laflamme of Ft. Walton Beach, were not injured.
There were no charges filed in connection with the crash, according to the FHP.
Gaetz Would Back Repealing Red Light Cameras
February 18, 2014
Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, are no fans of red-light cameras — that much is clear.
Echoing comments by the speaker, Gaetz said in a televised interview last week that he would support repealing the state’s red-light camera law.
“I voted against red light cameras when they came up the first time,” Gaetz said during an interview on The Florida Channel’s “Florida Face to Face” show. “I’d vote for repeal today. I agree with the speaker.”
Weatherford said during an interview with The News Service of Florida that he would back a repeal, though he acknowledged that is not likely to happen.
Appearing with Gaetz in the television interview, Weatherford said he hopes to add regulations on the use of the cameras by local governments.
“I don’t live under any illusion that we’re going to repeal red-light cameras this year,” Weatherford said. “But we ought to be able to bring some sensible regulations and some sensible policies on how and where they put these red-light cameras.”
Red-light cameras have long been controversial, but opponents are pointing to a new study by the Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability, which they say shows the cameras haven’t reduced accidents and are a way for local governments to bring in revenues. The Florida League of Cities has questioned the fairness of the study.
by The News Service of Florida