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.
Northview, Tate, West Florida, Ernest Ward FFA Members Attend State Convention
July 15, 2014
About 40 Escambia County middle and high school students attended the 86th Florida FFA Convention earlier this month in Orlando. Escambia County was represented by FFA chapters from Northview, Tate and West Florida high schools, and Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured top: Escambia County’s FFA members at the state convention in Orlando. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Montgomery Biscuits Take Series With 4-3 Win Over The Wahoos
July 15, 2014
In his last three starts, Mikey O’Brien has pitched in High-A Bakersfield, Calif., Triple-A Louisville, Ky., and then returned to Double-A Pensacola.
But O’Brien said Monday all the travel didn’t bother him as he went up against Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson and held his own, leaving after seven innings with a 3-2 lead.
However, the Montgomery Biscuits came from behind in the eighth inning with two runs to win the game, 4-3, and to take the series, 3-2, in front of 4,050 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
O’Brien pitched his longest outing of the season, going seven strong innings. He retired the last 12 batters he faced and 15 of the last 16. O’Brien allowed four hits, two earned runs, one walk and struck out three.
“I don’t mind traveling as long as I have a job and I am out on the mound every fifth day,” O’Brien said. “For the most part, I felt locked in and in a groove.”
Blue Wahoos manager Delino DeShields said it was one of O’Brien’s best outings for Pensacola.
“He ran into a little trouble in the third but outside of that he was in total control out there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hellickson, who made his season debut Tuesday in Tampa Bay against the Kansas City Royals, got in six innings of work. He had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow in January. Hellickson looked just fine Monday, striking out 11 Wahoos, including seven of the last eight batters he faced. He walked none, while giving up just one run.
“I was just treating tonight like it was a real game,” said Hellickson, a righty who is 39-31 with a 3.69 ERA in five seasons with Tampa Bay. “It’s the best I’ve felt command wise and with my changeup. I was pretty happy with how my day went.”
O’Brien said he found Hellickson’s work on the mound fun to watch.
“I’ve enjoyed watching him pitch for the last couple of years,” O’Brien said. “He showed tonight why he’s a Major Leaguer.”
Hellickson is scheduled to start for High-A Charlotte on Sunday. He rejoins Tampa Bay’s rotation at the start of its first post-All-Star break homestand, a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox from July 25-27.
“I’m looking forward to it quite a bit,” said Hellickson about his second start for the Rays, after allowing one run and six hits with two strikeouts and one walk in 4.1 innings against the Royals.
Pensacola took the lead, 3-2, in the seventh inning on an opposite field solo home run by Kyle Waldrop and a line drive shot over the left field wall by Juan Duran. Duran’s solo homer tied him with the second most homers in Blue Wahoos history in a season with 11. Travis Mattair holds the single-season record, hitting 13 dingers last season.
The Blue Wahoos are off Tuesday during the Major League All-Star Game. They start a five-game series on the road at Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate the Jacksonville Suns that gets underway at 6:05 p.m EST Wednesday. RHP Daniel Corcino (8-7, 4.40) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Suns LHP Chipper Smith (3-3, 4.02).
by Tommy Thrall
Escambia Man Gets Two Life Sentences For Two Robberies
July 15, 2014
An Escambia County man will spend the rest of his life in prison for two robberies last year.
Zethaniah Alexander Faulk was sentenced Monday by Circuit Judge Terry Terrell to Life without parole in state prison on a charge of robbery while armed with a firearm. He was also sentenced to an additional life sentence without parole on a second count of robbery while armed with a firearm. In addition, Faulk was sentenced to 40 years in prison on two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm Faulk was sentenced as a habitual felony offender and as a prison releasee reoffender on each count and all prison sentences are to be served consecutively.
The charges stemmed from two Circle K robberies which occurred approximately one hour apart on May 15, 2013. Faulk was masked and carried a firearm during both robberies. He utilized the firearm to batter the clerks from each store before stealing money and other items. He was identified with the help of a Crime Stoppers tip and the fact that a distinctive tattoo was matched to his person, according to prosecutors.
Faulk has an extensive prior criminal history which dates back to 1993. Previous convictions include robbery, aggravated battery.burglary, and numerous other charges.
Brenda Westmoreland
July 15, 2014
Brenda Westmoreland, age 62 of Jay, passed away on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. She was born on March 2, 1952, to Robert and Catheryn Henderson. She was a lifelong resident of Jay. Brenda graduated from Jay High School in 1970 and the University of West Florida in 1974. She was an elementary school teacher and retired from the Santa Rosa School System in 2006. She was a member of Jay First Baptist Church.
Brenda was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Catheryn Henderson; and brother-in-law, Lofton Westmoreland.
She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Dale Westmoreland; daughter, Alison Westmoreland; sister, Pam (Chuck) Bellerose; nieces, Megan Bellerose and Mallory (Jake) Coats; sister-in-law, Dr. Diana Harris and nephew, Harris Westmoreland.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Jay Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2014, at 11 a.m. at Jay First Baptist Church with Doctor William Rushing and Brother Chip Fox officiating.
Burial will follow at Jay City Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Roger Watson, Max Williams, Rod Gracey, Josh Marshall, Harris Westmoreland, and Joseph Bryan.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Thomas Sunnenberg and his staff and Dr. C. David Smith and the entire staff at Jay Medical Center and Twyla Cotton.
Floral or memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Chester Tolbert
July 15, 2014
Mr. Chester Tolbert, 74, passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Century.
Mr. Tolbert was a native of Brewton and a resident of Jay for most of his life. His father, Ed Tolbert; mother, Ethel Tolbert; wife, Doris Barlow; three brothers, Franklin Tolbert, John Tolbert and Bill Tolbert; three sisters, Estelle Ates, Gladys Smith and Irene Barlow precede him in death.
Survivors include his son, Chester (Twyla) Tolbert of Chumuckla; daughter, Abbie Tolbert of Paragould, AK; one brother, Robert (Pauline) Tolbert of Jay; and three sisters, Rose Richardson of Flomaton, Sara Weaver of Century and Abbie Smith of Flomaton.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at 10 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Willie Oglesbee and Rev. Mitch Herring officiating.
Burial will follow at the Cora Baptist Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Bubba Kimmons, Jesse Strickland, Howard Cooper, Jeff Mercer, Nate Cross and Roger Nowling.
Honorary pallbearers will be Walter Branson, George Crook, Tommy Macks and David Smith.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Weekend Shooting Under Investigation; Investigators Seek Man For Questioning
July 14, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a weekend shooting on Cross Street, and they have named a man they want to find for questioning in the case.
About 8:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded to an armed disturbance in the 3000 block of Cross Street. They found a black male suffering from multiple gunshot woulds under a carport. He was transported to a local hospital. An updated on his condition was not provided Monday. The incident appears to be drug related, according to a news release from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators are looking for Christopher Germaine Gill for questioning only because they believe he may have information in the case, according to a news release. Gill, 36, has an active arrest warrant in another case.
Anyone with information on the shooting or Gill’s whereabouts is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
The Usual: Afternoon Showers, Otherwise Hot And Humid
July 14, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia are forecast:
- Monday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Tuesday Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday Night A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Wednesday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
- Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 90. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Friday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
- Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
- Saturday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
- Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Sunday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.