Downed Power Line Sparks Fire, Leaves Hundreds Without Electricity
April 2, 2015
A downed power line in Cantonment sparked a brush fire and set a power pole on fire Wednesday afternoon, leaving 207 homes and businesses without electricity for over eight hours. An equipment operator reportedly cut the line while trimming trees along the utility right of way near Cantonment Building Materials. There were no injuries. Power was restored to all Gulf Power customers by just after midnight.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price and reader submitted photo (top) by Haley Smith, click to enlarge.
Alice Lorene Tolin
April 2, 2015
Mrs. Alice Lorene Tolin, 82, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2015, in Poarch.
Mrs. Tolin was a native of Poarch, former resident of Bay Minette, and had resided in Poarch for the past 17 years. Mrs. Tolin was an employee of Jr. Foods for 20 years and Wal-Mart for the past 9 years. She is preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Tolin; brother, Gilbert Rolin; parents, Quitman “Dick” and Bess Rolin and her beloved dog, Missy.
Survivors include her son, Thomas D. (Shelia) Tolin, Jr. of Theodore, AL; daughter, Wanda Gail (Jay) Nilson of Brookings, SD; sister, Lillie Brooks of Poarch; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and dear friend and caregiver, Maxine Brooks.
Funeral services will be Friday, April 3, 2015, at 10 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Johnny Stabler officiating.
Burial will follow at the Bay Minette Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Zac Hopp, Dave Ries-Clark, D.J. Brooks, Elton Brooks, Garvis Sells and Tony Sells.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
James Butler Killam
April 2, 2015
James Butler Killam, lovingly known as “Paw-Paw” went home to be with Jesus on Monday, March 30, 2015.
He joins his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 63 years, Aline. He was a United States Army and Air Force Veteran, and had retired from NAS, Pensacola. He was known as an extraordinary individual who lived every day to the fullest. He loved his God and country and he cherished his family. As an American Creek Indian, James enjoyed living off of the land. Farming, cattle ranching, and gardening was his natural way of life and his passion.
He was preceded in death by his youngest brother, Winston Killam.
James is survived by his four children, Sandra (Tony) Coker; Jeaneen Hill; Brady (Connie) Killam, and Jamie (Philip) Renfroe; grandchildren, Anissa, Jameson (Sonya), Justin, Ashley, Jessica (Matt) Stewart, Alysia, and Chandler; and great-grandchildren, Matt and Elizabeth.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2015, with Rev. David Rogers officiating.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Linda Resmondo Potts
April 2, 2015
Linda Resmondo Potts, 66 of Pensacola, was called home Monday, March 30, 2015.
She was born in Panama City, FL on July 7, 1948, to the late Otto and Beulah Resmondo. Linda was a proud mother and home maker that loved to camp, fish, and travel with her family.
She is preceded in death by her cherished husband, Jerry Potts; son, Mark Potts; parents; and two sisters, Janis Crabb and Doris Ramsey.
Linda is survived by her two loving sons, Jason (Stephanie) Potts and Justin Potts; grandsons, Michael and Laine Potts; brother, Alvin Resmondo; her devoted sister, Gloria Resmondo; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 3, 2015, at Windy Hill Baptist Church with Bro. Ricky Skaggs officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Windy Hill Baptist Church Youth Group.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Helen Ramsey Lumpkin
April 2, 2015
Helen Ramsey Lumpkin, 102, of Atmore, passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atmore. She was owner and operator of Helen’s Beauty Shop. She was born in Indiana on May 5, 1912, to the late Hugh Lively and Lillian Coyle Ramsey.
She is preceded in death by her husband, William E. “Red” Lumpkin; siblings, Alice Mason, Roberta Holloway, Jane Turner and Ruth Allen.
Survivors are two nephews, Phillip (Sharyn) Allen of Jackson, MS and Hugh (Jeanie) Allen of Kernersville, NC; three great nieces and a host of friends.
Services will be Friday, April 3, 2015, at 10 a.m. from the First United Methodist Church of Atmore with Dr. Debora Bishop officiating.
Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Family will receive friends, Friday, April 3, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church of Atmore from 9 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Century Partners With UWF To Develop Marketing Plan
April 1, 2015
Century is taking part in a University of West Florida program to work with UWF marketing professors to develop a marketing plan that will help the Century community develop its business assets and promote them to site selectors and companies looking to expand or relocate.
Century and the Community Economic Development Association for Escambia County are the first participants in the UWF Office of Economic Development and Engagement’s Northwest Florida Asset Valuation and Marketing Support Program.
“We are very pleased to have the Town of Century and the Community Economic Development Association partner with the UWF Department of Marketing and Economics to produce a comprehensive marketing strategy for the town,” said Brice Harris, director of strategic initiatives for OEDE. “This is exactly the type of project that we envisioned when launching the Asset Valuation and Marketing Support Program, and so we are delighted to provide funding to support this important initiative.”
Century Mayor Freddie McCall said the town is excited to work with UWF faculty.
“The town is very appreciative of these partners in helping the town to move toward achievement of its vision to be the model for rural economic redevelopment, excelling in cultivating its workforce, facilitating the growth of regional industry and enhancing the quality of life for its residents and the surrounding communities,” McCall said.
Likewise, UWF faculty members look forward to working with economic development officials in Century.
“The Town of Century has a wonderful story to tell, and we would like to help tell that story to a wider audience,” said UWF associate professor Stephen LeMay. “Century has a history, access to wilderness areas and a strong logistics infrastructure. Those things, among others, should not be secrets.”
UWF associate professor Felicia Morgan said the partnership will provide an opportunity for her to use her marketing skills to help Escambia County grow and prosper.
“The Town of Century and the area around it hold so much potential for human and economic development, and I hope that our work on the marketing plan will be a spark for that engine,” she said. “In short, this is simply an incredibly worthwhile endeavor that I think will be both challenging and fun.”
Century has much that makes it an attractive place to grow or expand a business, said UWF professor Scott Keller.
“It is clear that the Town of Century has many jewels that when promoted to the public will be of great interest to a variety of consumer and industrial target market segments,” Keller said. “It is a pleasure to collaborate with the people of Century, and help the city build a successful marketing plan.”
Launched in February, the $250,000 Northwest Florida Asset Valuation and Marketing Support Program provides participants with funding to help offset the cost of hiring UWF faculty, staff and students to conduct market studies, create promotional campaigns and deliver other services that enhance the marketability of locales and geography-based assets in Northwest Florida.
Individual awards can be no larger than $20,000, and participating organizations must contribute at least $1 for every dollar awarded through the program.
The program is not open to for-profit organizations. OEDE will continue to accept applications until all the money allocated to the program is used.
Texting While Driving Targeted In Florida Senate
April 1, 2015
A Senate committee Tuesday narrowly approved two bills that would strengthen the state’s ban on texting while driving. The Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee voted 5-3 to approve the bills by Sen. Thad Altman, R-Rockledge, and by Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach.
Both bills would lead to enforcement of texting while driving as a “primary” offense — meaning police could pull over motorists for texting behind the wheel. Currently, police can only cite motorists for texting while driving if they are pulled over for other reasons. The bills were considered separately because Sachs’ proposal also would double fines for texting while driving in school zones or at designated school crossings.
“Texting and driving kills people,” Sachs said. “That’s the bottom line.”
The committee, however, voted 5-3 to reject a proposal by Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, that would make it a felony if motorists are texting while driving and cause fatal accidents. Also, the committee approved a proposal by Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, that would ban the use of cell phones while driving in school zones, at designated school crossings or on school-district property.
House versions of the Altman, Sachs and Thompson bills have been filed but have not been heard in committees.
by The News Service of Florida
Florida House Keeps Guns, Ammo In Proposed Sales Tax Holiday
April 1, 2015
Guns and ammunition remain in a proposed Independence Day sales-tax holiday on hunting gear that is part of a wide-ranging tax cut package that advanced Tuesday in the House.
In supporting the $690 million tax-cut package (PCB FTC 15-05), the House Finance & Tax Committee rejected efforts by Democrats to remove firearms and ammo from a proposed one-day sales tax holiday for July 4. Also, it rejected a separate amendment to remove a tax exemption on admissions and membership fees for gun clubs.
The tax package, which is expected to next go to the House Appropriations Committee, awaits a Senate counter offer.
“I think we’ve got a great broad-based tax package that’s going to help millions of Floridians, all 20 million of them,” said House Finance & Tax Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach.
Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, sought to remove firearms and ammo from the Independence Day tax holiday. He said the proposal sends mixed messages, as law enforcement will be telling people at the same time not to fire guns into the air.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that it really is a bad policy when we have law enforcement expending resources to address a public safety issue and in our tax code he have the exact opposite incentive and we’re encouraging people to purchase ammunition for the holiday,” Rodriguez said.
But Rep. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, said the proposal could help increase tourism by promoting hunting and fishing in the state.
In addition to rifles, shotguns, spearguns, crossbows, and bows, the July 4 sales-tax event would cover camping tents and fishing gear.
“While I understand my Democratic colleagues don’t like firearms and ammunition, the reality is that fish hooks also kill fish,” Artiles told Rodriguez. “But apparently fish are not important to you.”
National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer called the Fourth of July tax holiday “tremendously appropriate.”
“On Independence Day honoring our founding fathers, who used firearms and ammunition to purchase our freedom, is not only symbolic, it is a tribute to the patriots who carried firearms and ammunition against our enemies and built our new nation,” Hammer said.
The committee, in being asked to consider 15 amendments to the tax plan, agreed to a couple of minor changes, including one that would maintain a tax credit for groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Building Homes for Heroes when those projects are within areas of former enterprise zones.
Lawmakers are allowing the reauthorization of enterprise zones to die at the state level, Artiles said.
The Senate, which continues to review individual bills offering tax cuts and business incentives, has held off on introducing a tax package as Florida continues to negotiate with the federal government over funding for the Low Income Pool program. The program helps pay for health care for low-income and uninsured patients.
Katie Betta, a spokeswoman for the Senate President Andy Gardiner, said in an email Tuesday that no timetable has been set for the Senate’s tax-cut package.
The House tax-cut proposal is $17 million larger than a $673 million package requested by Gov. Rick Scott. Both packages are highlighted by a Scott proposal to reduce taxes on cell-phone and pay-TV bills by 3.6 percentage points.
The House package also includes such moves as eliminating sales taxes on college textbooks and cutting a tax on commercial-real estate leases from 6 percent to 5.8 percent.
The package also would lead to a three-day period starting July 31 when back-to-school shoppers would be able to avoid paying sales taxes on clothes and other school-related items. Also, the House has proposed a small-business tax holiday two days after Thanksgiving.
by The News Service of Florida
Mira Awards Honor Escambia County’s Most Creative High School Seniors
April 1, 2015
About 70 of Escambia County’s most creative high school seniors were honored recently during the 2015 Mira Creative Arts Awards Banquet at New World Landing.
Mira Creative Arts Awards recipients were nominated for the award by their high school teachers and will receive commemorative engraved medallions as well as Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Jeff Miller.
Northview High School
- Autumn Leanna Ates, Visual Arts
- Tristan Brown, Theatre
- Ryan Chavers, Prose Writing
- Desiree Elliard, Prose Writing
- Julie Hester, Dance
- Jessica L. McCullough, Graphic Design
- Natassja Scott, Visual Arts
- Shania Lynn Ward, Graphic Design
- Tristan Williams, Instrumental Music
Tate High School
- Sarah Colburn, Instrumental Music
- Chandler Cotton, Instrumental Music
- Reema Eqab, Fine Arts
- Jamie Hendren, Vocal Music
- Jacob Howard, Instrumental Music
- Abreona Nixon, Mock Trial
- Gabriele Pyron, Visual Arts
- Kara Rhodes, Photo Journalism
- Jessica Roser, Ceramics
- Kristin Wheeler, Drama
West Florida High School
- Delaney Anderson, Journalism
- Ashley Cobb, Theatre
- Addie Leah Davila, Graphic/Digital Design
- Katarina Dombek. Visual Arts
- Lewis Elliott, Musical Theatre
- Antonio (Kai) Estrada, Photography
- Dalton Kristopher Merritt, Instrumental Music
- Hannah Power, Visual Arts
- Kaitlyn Tran, Graphic/Digital Design
- Devin Walker, Instrumental Music
Pine Forest High School
- Taylor Erdman, Carpentry
- Jada Espinoza, Design Services
- Alesandra Fatcheric, Visual Arts
- Ashley Frye, Vocal Music
- Nathan Kirk, Visual Arts
- Tyler Meatte, Instrumental Music
- Bekah Potter, Yearbook
- Destiny Redd, Technical Theatre
- Shayanne Ridenour, Theatre
- Alyssa Webb, TV Production
Escambia High School
- Ryan Berg, Instrumental Music
- Charlotte Blessing, Digital Media
- Drew Coats, Visual Arts
- Holly Coker, Vocal Music
- Savannah Daw, Yearbook
- Melvini’Quie Gordon, Visual Arts
- Evan Dawn Harris, Theatre
- Josh Johnson, Instrumental Music
- Johnathan Pierce, Instrumental Music
- Kirsten Serene White-Wood, Culinary Arts
Pensacola High School
- Erik Blount-Douglas, Instrumental Music
- Claire Escobedo, Visual Arts
- Matthew Ferguson, Drama
- Chelsea Gay, Instrumental Music
- Dana Jaalouk, Photography
- Caroline Johnson, Instrumental Music
- Elizabeth Parra, Visual Arts
- Heather Sartain, Creative Achievement
- Anne Schultz, Drama
- Nigel Walden, Drama
Washington High School
- Kaleb Broom, Instrumental Music
- Aleina delaCruz, Drama
- Samantha Marie Johnna Earley, Visual Arts
- Hallie Rana Friedman, Drama
- Allison Leigh Fuller, TV Production
- A. J. Pryor, Vocal Music
- Stephanie Rosemore, Visual Arts
- Alicia Katherine Diane Umbreit, Vocal Music
- Natalie Williams, Nonfiction Writing
- Avion Wright, Instrumental Music
In 1987, a group of teachers at J. M. Tate High School created the Mira Awards to recognize talented and creative students in the arts and sciences. The following year, the committee approached the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation to bring the awards under its umbrella and to initiate county-wide student participation each year in the areas of writing, performing and visual arts, and other creative disciplines. The term “Mira” is Latin for the name of the brightest star in the constellation Cetus.
Pictured top: Mira Award winners from Tate High School. Pictured below: Northview High School Mira winners. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Health Department To Offer Immunization Clinics For Kids In Century And Molino
April 1, 2015
Mark your calendars….the Florida Department of Health Escambia County will hold three walk-in immunization clinics for children ages six weeks to 18 years in Molino and Century.
The clinics will be held at the Molino Service Center at 3470 Highway 29 on Thursday, April 23 and Thursday, May 21 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and Wednesday, June 17 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Healthy Start in Century, 501 Church Street.
For more information call (850) 595-6500 ext. 1700.