Washington Pre-Files As Democrat For Escambia School Superintendent
September 9, 2015
Gerald Washington has pre-filed for Escambia Superintendent of Schools, as a Democrat for the 2016 election cycle, according to the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office
Washington is currently the only Democrat pre-filed for the office. Incumbent Malcolm Thomas and Jim Taylor have announced as Republicans.
Submitted photo.
Citizens Property Insurance Rate Hikes Approved For 2016
September 9, 2015
The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Tuesday received approval of rate changes for 2016, with some tweaks that are expected to spread additional costs to policyholders in coastal areas.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved the average rate changes equating to 1.8 percent on residential multi-peril accounts, an increase from the 1.3 percent requested by Citizens. The office also set an 8.3 percent increase for residential wind-only policies. Citizens had sought a 9 percent increase for the wind-only policies.
“The office modified some of Citizens’ recommended rates to address key issues cited as causes for increasing homeowners’ insurance costs for policyholders in South Florida and on the coast,” a release accompanying the order said.
The new rates will vary by county and depend on a property’s location, the home’s style, and the type of policy. Citizens’ policyholders in Southeast Florida have better chances of seeing rate increases than homeowners in other parts of the state.
Even with the average rate increases, Citizens expects rates to come down for about 60 percent of its policyholders. The order includes no changes for sinkhole coverage, while increasing rates on mobile home coverage.
The order, which came two weeks after a public hearing on Citizens’ 2016 rate proposal, also advises Citizens not to pass to policyholders all the costs of buying reinsurance but to treat that as an expense, noted Citizens spokesman Michael Peltier. Reinsurance is effectively backup coverage for insurers to help cover large claims.
Florida insurance consumer advocate Sha’Ron James had asked Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty to “strongly consider” the large amount of reinsurance purchased by Citizens before making any decision on the company’s requested rate hike.
Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway argued during last month’s public hearing that a “disturbing” rise in water-damage claims in South Florida had driven the need for much of the proposed rate increases.
Citizens entered the six-month Atlantic storm season with a $7.5 billion surplus, the highest in its history, and $3.9 billion in reinsurance coverage from private, offshore firms.
The new rates go into effect Feb. 1.
“Today’s decision by the Office of Insurance Regulation reflects Citizens’ success in reducing exposure and returning to its role as the state’s insurer of last resort,” Gilway said Tuesday in a release.
The rate proposal comes as Citizens has dropped from 1.5 million policies in 2012 to 589,456 policies as of July 31. Gilway said he expects the number of policies to be just above 500,000 by the end of the year.
Brian Allen Childress
September 9, 2015
Brian Allen Childress, 59, of Cantonment, passed away on Friday, September 4, 2015.
Brian graduated from Ardmore High School in Ardmore, OK in 1974. He attended Rose State College in Midwest City, OK and graduated with an ABT in Business Administration/Accounting in 1986. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, National Honor Society, Who’s Who, and graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Brian married Nikki (Kizer) Childress on March 14, 1974. Brian worked in the inventory and auditing field for 22 years with RGIS Inventory Specialists and retired in 2003. Later that year, he relocated to Pensacola and once again pursued the auditing field. He started working for Audit Control Inventory Service. During that time he had the opportunity to travel the world while auditing military bases across Western Europe and North Africa. After three years of extensive traveling, he and his wife, Nikki started their own local inventory business, called NBC Inventory Specialists. In 2014 Brian joined the staff of Gonzalez United Methodist Church as office administrator. He was a member of Pine Forest United Methodist Church. In addition to his church work, he was also a faithful member of The Choral Society of Pensacola and also served on their board.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Mildred E. (Kyker) Childress; and his father, M. Doyle Chidlress.
Brian is survived by his wife, Nikki S. (Kizer) Childress; brother, Steven Doyle Childress; sister-in-law, Catherine Childress; and sister, Kathleen Engleman.
Memorial services will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2015, at Pine Forest United Methodist Church.
Services will be live streamed at www.pineforestumc.org. Go to media to watch live. If viewing after, go to service dated Thursday, September 10, 6 p.m. service.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Myrtle Venelle Emmons
September 9, 2015
Myrtle Venelle Emmons, 83, of Atmore, passed away Wednesday, September 9, 2015. She was an retired seamstress and clothing inspector. She was born in Monroe County, AL, on February 6, 1932, to the late Clem and Eva Jeter Stacey. She was a loving mother and friend. She was a member of McCullough Christian Center.
She is preceded in death by her parents; five brothers; and four sisters.
Survivors include three sons, Wayne (Stella) Rutherford, Rusty (Mandy) Emmons and Gary Emmons, all of Atmore; one daughter, Teresa “Terri” (Gary) Andersen of Atmore; one brother, Charles Stacey of McCullough; one sister, Jean (Thomas) Norwood of Frisco City; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; and many friends.
Services will be Monday, September 14, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Cornelius Phillips officiating.
Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, September 13, 2015, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Edna Luverne “Sis” Smith
September 9, 2015
Edna Luverne “Sis” Smith, 81 of Century, passed away Tuesday, September 8, 2015, in Jay. She was a homemaker. She was born in Bratt on October 12, 1933, to the late Jack and Daisy Blanton Grimes.
She is preceded in death by her siblings, Ed Grimes, Jerry Grimes, Joe Grimes, Tommie Campbell, Emma Faye Grimes and Sylvia Moore.
Survivors include her husband, Curtis A. Smith of Century; one son, Curtis Edward Smith of Byrneville; one brother, Johnny Grimes of Byrneville; one sister, Patricia (Cowboy) Turner of Flomaton; two grandchildren, Brandon (Deadria) Smith and Rachal Smith; and five great-grandchildren, Julianna, Samantha, Dalton, Braydon, and Weston.
Services will be Friday, September 11, 2015, at 11 a.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Eric Bryan officiating.
Interment will follow in Beulah Chapel Assembly of God Cemetery.
Family will receive friends on Friday September 11, 2015, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 10 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Resurfacing, Widening Projects To Begin On Hwy 99, Barrineau Park Road
September 8, 2015
Work is set to begin this month to widen and resurface several miles of County Road 99 and Barrineau Park Road.
One project will widen and resurface Highway 99 from Barrineau Park Road north to Highway 97A in Bay Springs. The contractor, Panhandle Grading and Paving, will add paved shoulders and widen the road to 11-foot lanes. The project will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration Agency (FHWA) for reimbursement at an estimated project construction cost of $2.87 million. Work is expected to be completed by November 2016.
The second project will widen and resurface Barrineau Park Road from Highway 99 to Jacks Branch Road. Panhandle Grading and Paving will add paved shoulders and widen the road to 12-foot lanes. Escambia County will also seek reimbursement for $1.2 million. Work is expected to continue through November 2016.
Both projects will include other work typically association with resurfacing and widening, including drainage, sodding and pavement striping. The contractor will work to minimize interruption for area residents, and an Escambia County inspector will monitor the construction areas daily.
Work on both projects will take place 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Two Injured In Jacks Branch Rollover Crash
September 8, 2015
Two people were injured in single vehicle rollover crash on Jacks Branch Road near Molino Monday night.
The driver of a Ford F150 lost control and overturned just after 10 p.m. on Jacks Branch Road just south of Barrineau Park Road. Two people in the truck were transported to area hospitals by Escambia County EMS; their conditions were not available.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not been released.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Molino Park 1st Graders Attend Wedding Of Q And U
September 8, 2015
The letters Q and U were united in marriage last week in a wedding hosted by the first grade at Molino Park Elementary School.
First graders wore their fancy clothes to look like a QUeen or King for the royal event. Students also brought wedding “gifts” for the newly united couple, from real items to magazine cut-outs or printed items. Anything starting with “QU” was the perfect gift.
Wedding gifts ranged from QUarters, QUilts, boxes of QUinoa grain, Elsa the snow QUeen inspired items, a QUiver and even one student who said his special gift was to be QUiet for the wedding. The reception that followed involved lots of festive QUacking with the Chicken Dance song, ring pops and Little Debbie wedding cakes.
After the QUick wedding, Q and U are now QUietly at home in the vocabulary of first graders at Molino Park Elementary as they continue their QUest for learning.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
30 Percent Chance of Rain Tonight
September 8, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Northview To Hold Open House Tonight
September 8, 2015
Northview High School will hold an Open House this evening.
The even will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8 with school faculty and staff on hand to provide a more in-depth look at the education programs at Northview.
For more information, click here.