Residents Discuss Parks, Dirt Roads During Davisville Town Hall Meeting
March 22, 2016
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry held a town hall meeting Monday afternoon at the Davisville Community.
A small crowd of local residents expressed their concerns and asked question about the status of numerous county projects. Most were concerned about paving dirt roads and various park improvements.
On the subject of local parks, residents learned that water fountains are being installed in the next week or so at the Travis Nelson Park in Bratt. Construction will begin by June on a paved walking track at the Walnut Hill Community Center, then crews will move south to pave a walking track behind the Molino Community Complex on Highway 95A.
Pictured top: District 5 resident Angus Brewton speaks during a town hall meeting Monday afternoon as his wife, Gayle Brewton, listens. Pictured inset: Commissioner Steven Barry listens to a speaker during the town hall meeting at the Davisville Community Center. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Strike Out Cancer Game Earns $12K; Wins For Tate; Loss For Northview
March 22, 2016
SOFTBALL
Monday night’s Strike Out Cancer game raised an estimated $12,000 as the Tate Aggies defeated West Florida 7-1.
WP – Savannah Rowell (7 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 12 K, 2 BB).
LP – Farrah Nicholas (4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 7 H, 3 K, 3 BB).
Tate hitters – Kristin Quina 2-4 2B, 3 RBIs, R; Ashley Barnett 1-2 3 RBIs; Morgan Bolen 1-2 2B, RBI, 2 BB.
West Florida hitters – Haile Bell 1-3; Keyana Norman 1-2 BB, SB.
BASEBALL
Tate 10, East Ridge 0
The Tate Aggies beat East Ridge of Clermont in round one of the Ocoee Knights Spring Break Invitational, 10-0..
WP – Madison Lockman (5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 K, 2 BB) .
Tate hitters – Branden Fryman 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Hunter NeSmith 1-3, RBI; Logan Blackmon 1-2, run; Reid Halfacre 1-3, 2 runs; Mason Land 1-1, 3 runs; Cole Halfacre 2-4, 2 RBIs; Trevor Hoffman 1-1, RBI, run; Hunter McLean 1-2, RBI; Josh Kea 1-4.
Chipley 5, Northview 2
The Northview Chiefs fell to Chipley Monday night in Chipley, 5-2.
Northview hitters – Quentin Sampson 1-4, R; Seth Killiam 1-3, RBI; Jared Aliff 1-3, Josh Neese 1-3; Roman Manning 1-2, R; Jacob Dunsford 1-3
Chipley 3, Northview 2 (JV)
UWF Going Tobacco Free Across Campus
March 22, 2016
The University of West Florida will join the extensive list of U.S. colleges and universities to adopt a Tobacco-Free Campus Policy, effective Aug. 1, 2016.
The Tobacco-Free Campus Policy prohibits the use of any tobacco product or derivative by employees, students and visitors on all university-owned property.
“As an institution, we pride ourselves on being proactive in the reduction of the many risks associate with tobacco use,” said UWF President Judith Bense. “The adoption of this policy will align with our continued mission to create a healthy campus community.”
This decision was made following an extensive process. UWF will join more than 20 Florida campuses that are tobacco-free or smoke-free. By addressing the concerns associated with second hand smoke, this policy allows UWF to continue making strides toward creating a safe, clean and healthy learning and working environment.
The University has developed an accessible smoking cessation program to assist those who choose to break tobacco addictions. Initiatives within Wellness Services, Student Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services are readily available for students, faculty and staff.
Corrections, Private Company Battling Over Florida Prison Health Contract
March 22, 2016
A prison health-care company is asking a judge to allow it to pursue a challenge to the Florida Department of Corrections’ decision in January to award a contract to another firm to provide health services at the majority of the state’s prisons.
Wexford Health Sources, Inc., filed a document in the state Division of Administrative Hearings arguing that it should be able to continue a formal protest against the department’s award of a $268 million contract to Centurion of Florida, LLC.
The department signed the contract with Centurion in January, after another firm, Corizon Health, decided to end its contract to provide services to about three-fourths of the state’s inmates. Wexford, which serves inmates in other parts of the state, filed a protest against the department’s decision to award the contract to Centurion.
But the department filed a motion March 2 arguing, in part, that the “contract with Centurion was authorized by statute,” and that Administrative Law Judge R. Bruce McKibben should “relinquish jurisdiction” in Wexford’s protest, a move that effectively would end it.
Wexford, however, fired back by arguing that it has grounds to protest the contract award and that the case ultimately should move forward.
“The subject of this proceeding is whether the DOC acted properly and legally when it entered into a no-bid contract for the provision of health services in certain regions of the state prison system for inmates in the custody of the DOC,” the Wexford document said.
Pictured: The medical facility inside the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Matt Gaetz Running For Congress; Stafford On The Sidelines; Not Yet For Evers
March 22, 2016
State Rep. Matt Gaetz announced his candidacy Monday for an open Panhandle congressional seat with an announcement blasting illegal immigrants, Muslim terrorists and the national debt.
Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican elected to the state House in 2010, had been in a heated contest for a state Senate seat held by his father, Don, a former Senate president forced out of office this fall due to term limits.
“Washington’s failures have left the American people with trillions in debt, illegal immigrants sucking us dry, and attacks from Muslim terrorists rising. While I planned to continue serving in the Florida Legislature, the fights we must win to save this country are in Washington. Our Constitution is being ignored, our veterans have been abandoned, and our 2nd Amendment rights are under attack,” the younger Gaetz said in a statement Monday announcing his candidacy.
Gaetz’s entrance into the race makes him the first out of the gate in what could be a bare-knuckle Republican primary contest to replace U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, who recently announced he will not seek re-election to the District 1 seat he has held for 15 years. Other possible contenders included state Sen. Greg Evers, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford and Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward.
But Monday, Stafford issued a statement saying he intends to stay on the sidelines, at least for now.
“After considerable thought and prayer, I’ve decided to forgo the race at this time. I have tremendous confidence in the voters in Escambia County and Northwest Florida and have faith they will choose our next member of Congress wisely. As supervisor of elections, I look forward to continuing to do my part to ensure all voters have the opportunity to make their voices heard,” said Stafford, who previously served as chief of staff to Joe Scarborough during the MSNBC talk show host’s stint in Congress.
Evers said he intends to make an announcement regarding the race early next week.
“If I do run, it’s because I believe it’s where I can be the most effective service to my constituents, and not because I’m in a rush to enter the political fray in order to gain some sort of purely political, strategic advantage,” Evers, R-Baker, said in a telephone interview during his first visit to the nation’s capital on Monday.
“I really believe these are serious times, extremely serious times. I intend to conduct myself accordingly. That requires that I do lots of prayer and research. That’s the reason I’m in Washington. And it was very humbling,” he said. “Our country is in a serious state of affairs right now. We have to have a leader that’s going to stand up for the Panhandle. I’ve done that at the state level, but I want to be sure that I’m the right person to do that in Washington.”
The Northwest Florida district — one of the state’s most conservative — abuts the Alabama border and spans Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties and includes most of Holmes County.
The winner of the GOP primary is almost certain to go to Washington, and a match-up between Gaetz and Evers could result in the type of political slugfest that the Panhandle is known for.
“There’s a certain grit to the politicians that we produce. That’s almost out of a necessity. Those conservative values of hard work and play hard and leave everything on the field shows up in our politics,” said Steve Southerland, a former congressman from neighboring District 2, who served two terms in office before being ousted by Democrat Gwen Graham in 2014.
During his tenure in the state House, Gaetz, a sharp-tongued lawyer, earned a reputation for his oratory skills and for being willing, if not eager, to take on high-profile, often controversial issues, including medical marijuana and gun rights. He was also renowned for his blistering attacks on ideological — and political — opponents.
“I’ve never won any awards in Tallahassee for political correctness, but I tell the truth,” Gaetz said in a telephone interview Monday. “I have a six-year record. I am who I am. In Tallahassee, people have told me that my style is sharp and that I ought to be more politically correct with my rhetoric. But I only know one way to serve and one way to talk, and that is to tell the truth.”
The 33-year-old’s campaign announcement Monday was accompanied by a video posted from his Twitter account — with more than 7,000 followers, Gaetz is one of Florida’s more popular state legislators on the site — featuring the hashtags #FightWashington and #RestoreAmerica.
Gaetz’s announcement touted his conservative creds, while also referencing Trump, the billionaire real-estate and entertainment-industry magnate who handily won every county in the congressional district in Florida’s presidential primary election last week.
“When Donald Trump is president, Northwest Florida’s voice in Congress must ring loud and clear for bold, conservative reform. Mine will. Whether it was banning Obamacare-funded abortions, blocking attempts to repeal Stand Your Ground, cutting taxes by over $1 Billion, or supporting military families, I’ve been an effective leader in the Florida House. I’m ready to fight and win for Northwest Florida in Congress,” he said in the statement.
But Gaetz’s alignment with Trump cost him the support of at least one Republican — operative and lobbyist J.M. “Mac” Stipanovich, who lives in the district. Stipanovich said that he and his lobbying firm have always backed Gaetz in his previous political endeavors, including the state Senate race. But Gaetz’s endorsement of the presidential frontrunner is a deal breaker for Stipanovich.
“Based on the returns in the Alabama, Georgia and Florida primaries, it’s quite probable that you cannot win a Republican primary without being a Trump supporter. But that doesn’t make you right. That just makes you ambitious,” Stipanovich said. “I recognize the nature of politics. I recognize the nature of political expediency. But there are limits to everything. We’re talking about the fundamental structure of the United States, and expediency does not cross that line. This (Trump) is a bad man. He is a racist. He’s a xenophobe. He’s a misogynist. He’s a nativist. He’s a hyper-nationalist. He’s an authoritarian. He’s a liberal. He’s not a conservative. And it is not OK to be for Donald Trump.”
Gaetz’s exit from the Senate race leaves Bay County Commissioner George Gainer, who dumped $500,000 of his own money into his campaign and could now become a virtual shoe-in for the post. As of Monday, no other candidates had registered for the seat, according to the state Division of Elections website.
“George is one of us. George’s family is one of us. Our family has lived in the district for 200 years, and the Gainer family has been there longer than our family. So when you’re talking about founding families of our area, the Gainer family is one of those,” said Southerland, a lobbyist with Capital Hill Consulting who is backing Gainer in the Senate race. “He’s a good man and he’s honest. He will be a breath of fresh air.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Spears Running For Escambia School Superintendent
March 22, 2016
Former Escambia High School football coach Willie Spears prefiled Monday to run for Escambia County Superintendent of Schools as an independent nonparty affiliation candidate.
Spears is currently the head football coach and athletic director at Vernon High School in Washington County. On a 3-2 vote, he was fired for insubordination by the Escambia County School board about a year and a half ago. His firing was recommended by incumbent Superintendent Malcolm Thomas for playing ineligible players in an Escambia football game after allegations of football recruiting from other schools.
He was later found to not be in violation, and Thomas subsequently provided a letter to Spears indicating that he was not at fault in any capacity, according to a press release from Spears.
“I’m running for this position because I love Pensacola. This is the city where my wife and I desire to lay down roots and as such, we want to make it a better place for our children…for all children,” Spears said.
Joan Alma Fabrizio
March 22, 2016
Joan Alma Fabrizio, 85, of Cantonment, passed away Friday, March 18, 2016. Joan was born April 9, 1930, in Trenton, NJ. She married Tony Fabrizio and raised nine children. She enjoyed spending time with multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She worked in the food service industry and in retirement enjoyed many years of crafting and craft shows.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Michael Fabrizio; parents, Mildred and Rudolph Hillman; and her sisters, Evelyn Roso, Nancy Elsessor, Barbara Grzenda and Frit Shorley.
She is survived by her daughters, Toni Jennings and family, Victoria Douglas and family, and Sherri Fuqua and family; sons, Donald Fabrizio and family and John Bullaro; sister, Carol Mendicino and family; brothers, Hank Hillman and family and Charles Hillman and family.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Leslie Hardy
March 22, 2016
Leslie Hardy, 85, of Atmore, passed away Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in Pensacola. He was born on June 25, 1930, in Atmore to the late Joseph Benjamin and Hattie Phillips Hardy. He was retired from Higdon & Hardy Heating and Air-Conditioning. He enjoyed farming and gardening, was an avid cattleman, and dearly loved his family and his dog, Bo. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Atmore.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Louie Hardy and Lamar Hardy; and a sister, Lucille Zeringue.
Mr. Hardy is survived by his wife of 65 years, Florence Higdon Hardy of Atmore; two sons, Joe (Renee) Hardy and Billy (Vicki) Hardy, all of Atmore; two daughters, Bobbie (Steve) Mack of Cantonment and Melanie (Shayne Johnson) Hardy of Dallas, TX; one brother, Pete Hardy of Atmore; six sisters, Sarah (Hoyt) Coon, Betty (Gene) Singleton, Lois Hall, Nette Hardy, all of Atmore, Linda Garrick of Greensboro, NC, Tisha Phillips of Stockton, AL; six grandchildren, Jill (Bo) Franklin, Kelly (Tony) Benauer, Ben (Jamie) Hardy, Emily (Clay) Branch, Robert (Lena) Hardy and Jessi (Joseph) McDonald; and four great-grandchildren, Brooks Branch, Caroline Branch, Livia Hardy, and Gerard Benauer.
Services were held Saturday, March 19, 2016, at the First Baptist Church of Atmore with Rev. Arnold Hendrix and Brother Chris Pruitt officiating.
A private family graveside service was held at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Ben Hardy, Robert Hardy, Greg Hardy, Danny Hall, Steve Drew and Kelly Drew.
Honorary pallbearers were Bo Franklin, Clay Branch, Tony Benauer, and Joseph McDonald.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (CCFA) 733 Third Ave., Suite 510, New York, NY 10017 or the First Baptist Church Library Fund 310 South Main Street, Atmore, AL 36502.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Joyce Prestwood Henderson
March 22, 2016
Mrs. Joyce Prestwood Henderson, age 83, passed from this earthly life Saturday, March 19, 2016, in Jay. She was a native of McCullough, AL and a resident of Flomaton for most of her life. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Flomaton.
Joyce Henderson was a wife, mother and grandmother; she was the kindest, gentlest and strongest person who loved her family, her friends and her Jesus. She was a blessing to her family and all who knew her.
Joyce managed the office for Henderson Ready Mix, but she was never one to shy away from hard work, batching and loading cement, gravel, sand and water into the concrete mixers. Even with running back and forth from the home office to the concrete plant, she felt her most important job was in the home.
Her greatest accomplishments in life were being a wife to Allen for 65 years; raising her three children, Ann, Jimmy and Marie, as well as her daughter-in-law, Renita, and then watching and helping raise her seven grandchildren, James Francis, Layla, Christy, Amanda, Dorothy Zela, Allen and Beau; and nine great-grandchildren, Shayla, Leif, Crest, Ember Claire, Callum, Benjamin, Becca, Emory and Ian. Joyce could always be found in the kitchen of the Henderson home, crafting meals for her beloved family. She was eager to teach her children and grandchildren how to cook the perfect pot of lima beans, bake a prize-winning strawberry cake, and can insanely delicious fig preserves. Any family dinner was sure to feature her tender pot roast and always-in-demand shrimp creole.
Joyce had a love for babies and was eager to hold any baby. She had a comforting way of loving on babies that would always soothe them, and she wanted to encourage all new mothers to trust their instincts. She was an advocate of breast feeding and encouraged other mothers to do so as well if they were able.
Joyce loved to sing and play the piano. She never took lessons, but over the years, she taught herself how to read music and play. She played a lot by ear and could hear almost any song and play it on the piano; she passed that love of playing on to her family.
Allen and Joyce both placed their first priority in life as a relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and both shared that joy with all they met. Joyce was a member of First Baptist Church of Flomaton for more than 60 years; an active member of a community prayer chain for many years, Joyce was quick to cover family and friends with the power of prayer. She always said that when someone crosses your mind, it’s God’s prompt to pray for them, and that’s exactly what she did, regardless of the time of day.
We cry because we miss our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, but we rejoice in knowing where she is today. She always told us that we shouldn’t worry about her when she left this world because she said, “I’m going home! I’m going to see my Mama and Daddy, and I haven’t seen them in over 75 years. I’ll see my family in Heaven, so don’t cry or worry about me because I’m going home.”
We take comfort in knowing that when she breathed her last breath on this earth, she was welcomed into the loving arms of Jesus instantly, and that Allen, her beloved husband, was waiting right behind him to hug his sweetheart. They have been apart for six months now, which is the longest amount of time they had been apart since they married in 1950.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Henderson, Jr.; parents, George and Sallie Prestwood; three brothers, Terry, Leon and Alex Prestwood; and seven sisters, Georgia Gibbs Cannon, Laurie Prestwood, Frances Prestwood, Carolyn Cave, Ethel Barnett, Ruby Wyse Olmstead and Dorothy Robinson Edmisten; and two great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Henderson is survived by one son, James Allen (Renita) Henderson of Flomaton; two daughters, Ann Henderson Schmitz of Birmingham, AL; and Zela Marie Henderson of Pensacola; seven grandchildren, Christina Ann, James Francis, Layla Ann, Amanda Joyce, Dorothy Zela, Allen, and Beaureguard Prestwood; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Esther Leonard and Faye Dickey; and one sister-in-law, Willneilia Wiggins Henderson of Flomaton.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at First Baptist Church of Flomaton with Rev. Earl Lee officiating.
Burial was at Little Escambia Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Allen Henderson, Beau Henderson, Francis Henderson, Jimmy Henderson, Buddy Roberson and Eric Waters.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
June F. Walker
March 22, 2016
June F. Walker, 75, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 19, 2016, the day before her 76th birthday. She was born on March 20, 1940, in Placerville, CA to Art and Nellie Hansen and grew up in the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At the tender age of 18, she departed those foothills to seek a new life in the U.S. Navy. After basic training she found herself at NAS Norfolk, VA where she served as a clerk-typist in the Public Works Division. As fate would have it she met a younger sailor in Norfolk and after a whirl wind courtship, she and Michael Walker were married on November 21, 1959. As she would tell people the wedding was done on the cheap. Got married in the base chapel, the cake came from the Navy Galley, the photos were taken by a Navy photographer, developed in a Navy photo lab and the wedding reception was held in the Waves Barracks. But it must have worked, since that marriage lasted for over fifty-six years.
Over the years she was deeply involved with fishing, bowling, square dancing, RV’ing and finally motorcycling, making friends everywhere she went. Memberships included Sea Breezes; Waves Unit 52 of Military Women Across the Nation, The Lady Bugs of the Red Hat Society, Chapter FL1-D of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, and the Rovin’RV club, FMCA and FCOC.
She was a very patriotic person and justifiably proud of her military service. During those fifty-six years she gave birth to a girl, Rhonda E. Walker Malone; and a boy, Jeffery B. Walker. The family did a great deal of long distance moving as directed by the U.S. Navy from Virginia to California to Hawaii to Georgia to Key West to Guam and to Pensacola.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Rhonda Malone; and her brother-in-law, Louis Pledger.
June is survived by her husband, Michael Walker; son, Jeffery (Jeanne) Walker; three grandchildren, Sean Malone, and Rachel and Alex Walker; sister, Shirley Pledger; and brother, Ron Hansen.
She was a wonderful woman who will be sorely missed.
A committal service will be held Monday, March 28, 2016, at Barrancas National Cemetery. Family and friends meet at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South at 10:30 a.m. for procession.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is in charge of arrangements.