Herby E. Wilson
February 13, 2015
Herby E. Wilson, 65, of Cantonment, passed away Wednesday, February 11, 2015. He retired from Solutia after 36 years as a maintenance follower. He had a lawn care business and enjoyed working with plants and flowers. His children and grandchildren were very important to him.
He is preceded in death by his father, Cecil Wilson.
He is survived by his loving wife, Carol Lee Wilson; children, Collen Hadley, Courtney Huot (Jeff), Michelle Page (Cole) and Angela Hansard; 13 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren; his mother, Betty Wilson; and his brother, Cecil Wilson, Jr. (Linda).
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Covenant Hospice in Herby’s memory.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2015, beginning at 6 p.m. with the memorial service at 7:30 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.
Royal Classic Winterguard and Percussion Competition Saturday In Jay
February 13, 2015
The Royal Classic Winterguard and Percussion Competition will be held Saturday at Jay High School.
The competition beings at 4:30 with scoring to be announced at 9:15. Admission is $10; full concessions will be available during the entire event.
Over 20 groups are scheduled to perform
Navy Helicopter Suffers ‘Training Mishap’ In Pace
February 12, 2015
A training wing helicopter suffered a “training mishap” this afternoon at Naval Air Station Whiting Field’s Navy Outlying Landing Field Spencer in Pace.
Initial reports from the scene indicate that the helicopter rolled on its right side while landing, and the two pilots exited the helicopter on their own accord. The pilots were evaluated by NAS Whiting Field EMS personnel and weretransported to Santa Rosa Medical for a routine evaluation.
The incident is still being investigated and further details will be released as they become available, according to a statement from the Naval Air Station Whiting Field Public Affairs Office.
Four People Injured In Cantonment Crash
February 12, 2015
Four people were injured in a two vehicle crash in Cantonment this morning.
One vehicle came to rest on its roof following the accident on Highway 95A just north of East Roberts Road this morning. In addition to the four injuries that were transported to area hospitals by ambulance, one other person involved in the 5:50 a.m. crash refused medical treatment.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not yet been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Century Still Seeking Slogan Suggestions
February 12, 2015
The Town of Century is still looking to the public for a help in finding a new identity, and there’s still just a day left to make suggestions.
The town is accepting new slogan ideas through February 13, with the town council to consider a winner at their regular meeting on February 16. Century Mayor Freddie McCall is personally contributing a $50 prize for the winner.
The town council has previously voted to eventually remove “Welcome to Century” signs that welcome visitors into Century from the north and south on Highway 29. The signs, dedicated two years ago, were built by Century Correctional Institution and feature a giant saw blade with the town’s most recent slogan “The Dawn of a New Century.”
“Our image needs to change,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said recently, noting that the town’s sawmill has been closed for over 50 years. “We are not a sawmill town anymore.” He said the signs would be donated to the local Alger Sullivan Historical Society for use in their museum.
To submit a slogan idea for the Town of Century, click here for an entry form.
The change is coming after a recommendation from Brice Harris of the University of West Florida’s Haas Center, author of the town’s new strategic plan.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Cold Blast: Low To Mid 20’s Tonight
February 12, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 24. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Sunny, with a high near 49. Wind chill values between 15 and 25 early. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 28. West wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Sunny, with a high near 64. West wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 35. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
- Sunday Sunny, with a high near 50. North wind around 10 mph.
- Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Washington’s Birthday A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.
- Monday Night A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 51.
- Tuesday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.
- Tuesday Night A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.
- Wednesday A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.
Three Winning Tickets In $564 Million Powerball Drawing
February 12, 2015
There were three winning tickets sold in North Carolina, Texas and Puerto Rico in Wednesday night’s $564 million Powerball lottery drawing — one of the country’s largest prizes in history. The tickets matched the winning numbers 11, 13, 25, 39, 54 with a Powerball of 19.
The odds at winning with a single ticket were estimated at 175 million to one.
The Powerball is played in 44 states, but Alabama does not participate. That led to a steady stream of hopeful winners at lottery retailers on Highway 97 south of Atmore Wednesday afternoon and into the evening.
Pictured: A billboard just a few feet into Florida teases a $500 million jackpot to those driving into Florida early Wednesday afternoon on Highway 97 from Atmore, AL. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Offers Cold Weather Safety Tips: Pets, Plants, Pipes And More
February 12, 2015
With temperatures expected to drop well below freezing tonight, Escambia County residents should prepare their family, pets and home for the extreme cold. Considerable attention should be provided to people performing outdoor activities to make sure they have the appropriate layered clothing on to protect themselves from the near zero degree wind chill. Parents need to provide special consideration to those children waiting at school bus stop in the morning and making sure that children cover exposed skin and dress in layers.
Escambia County offers the following cold weather safety tips:
Protecting People
- Stay indoors, dress warmly and use safe heating sources.
- Guard against wind chill – One of the gravest dangers of winter weather is wind chill. The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also effected by wind chill.
Pets
- Do not leave pets out in the cold.
- Bring all pets indoors and make sure they have a warm blanket to lie on, as well as plenty of food and water.
- If pets must stay outdoors, provide a pet house or other type of shelter and line the bottom with plenty of blankets or hay along with extra food and water. Try installing a light bulb flood light in the pet house at a safe distance away from the pet to avoid burns. The heat from the bulb will help keep them warm. However, do not use light bulbs when bedding with hay.
Pipes
Water expands when it freezes and can shatter pipe seals or the pipes themselves, sending water pouring through your house if ice forms. You can avoid thousands of dollars of damage to your home by taking a few simple measures to protect your home:
- Use faucet covers, wrap rags, paper, trash bags or plastic foam around faucets and outdoor pipes.
- Cover any vents around your home´s foundation.
- Protect outdoor electrical pumps and bring water hoses indoors.
- Open the cabinets under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around water pipes.
- Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is secure.
- If you have a swimming pool, either drain the circulation system or keep the pump motor running. Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could cause damage.
- Let faucets drip, but do not run a big stream of water.
- If you leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. Make sure the faucets are turned off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.
- If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility for instructions on protecting your water heater.
If Pipes Freeze
- Turn off the water at the shut-off valve and call a plumber for help.
- Do not use lamps or electrical appliances to thaw frozen pipes. Leaking water from thawing pipes could cause a short and you can be electrocuted.
- If you try to thaw your own pipes, apply heat slowly, and move the heat toward the coldest spot on the pipe. Never concentrate heat in one spot – cracking ice can shatter a pipe.
Practice Fire Safety
- Use extra care with supplemental heating units.
- Make sure that all-combustible materials such as drapes or chairs are at least three feet away from any heating unit.
- Avoid using flammable liquids to start fireplaces and do not leave a fireplace unattended.
- Most importantly, check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly.
Plants
- Water your plants thoroughly. The water will act as an insulator. Dry plants are more susceptible to freezing.
- After watering, cover plants with a breathable material, such as fabric not plastic.
- Place mulch at the base of your plants and do not prune prior to a freeze. Pruning encourages soft growth, which is susceptible to freezing. Spraying the leaves of plants with liquid seaweed will also toughen them against cold.
ECSO To Honor Jail Explosion Heroes, Other Deputies
February 12, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will hold its annual award ceremony today during which several deputies will receive the Medal of Courage for rescues during the flooding and jail explosion last April.
Escambia County Jail employee Kelley Bradford will be recognized with the Civilian Gold Medal of Honor, and Chris Hankinson will be honored with the law enforcement Purple Heart. Hankinson was paralyzed as a result of the natural gas explosion, while Bradford is credited for saving his life.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore’s Traffic Nightmare: Most Railroad Crossings Closed For Another Week
February 12, 2015
Traffic has been a nightmare in Atmore for the past several days, and the delays are set to continue as most of the city’s railroad crossings remain closed.
CSX is currently upgrading and repairing railroad crossings in Atmore, with six of eight crossings closed. According to the Atmore Police Department, railroad crossings are closed at Industrial Drive, Swift Street, Wilson Avenue, Trammell Street, Presley Street and Martin Luther King Drive.
The only crossings currently open are Main Street and Second Avenue, which are slated to close February 18 if all other crossing repairs are completed by that date.
Thursday morning about 8:00 a.m., a three block trip across the tracks at the Main Street intersection took our photographer about 25 minutes. And drivers — or even emergency vehicles — can’t even think about hopping across the tracks at one of the closed crossings because they are physically blocked by piles of asphalt.
NorthEscambia.com has contacted CSX for comment on this story, and we are awaiting a response.
Pictured top and inset: Approaching the Main Street crossing in Atmore Thursday morning, and even waiting on a slow moving train (top). Pictured below: Crossings, like this one at Industrial Drive, are closed and blocked by piles of asphalt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge
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