William F. (Bill) Fillingim
May 16, 2016
William F. (Bill) Fillingim, Sr., 88, of McDavid, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 14, 2016. He was born on August 26, 1927, in Barrineau Park, to Asa Mountain and Nora Fleming Fillingim.
Bill married Vivian McClammy in 1948 and they made their home in McDavid, where they raised three children: Sharon (Walt) DeWitt; Freddie (JoAnne) Fillingim; and Regina (Richard) Hudson. He retired from St. Regis Paper Company, and was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Bill was an accomplished musician and played many instruments by ear, including piano, guitar and mandolin. He entertained crowds throughout the years, playing and singing at church and other venues. Bill was a lifelong member of Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church in Barrineau Park where he played on Sundays, holidays and for special services. “Uncle Bill” loved his church family and they loved him.
In addition to his three children, Bill is survived by three granddaughters, Rachel Locklear, Alison (Jesse) Hollingsworth and Kristen (Matthew) McGehee; and three great-grandchildren, Jacob Locklear, Justin Locklear and Vivian McGehee.
Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Vivian Fillingim; and siblings, Elsie Fillingim, A.J. Fillingim, Columbus Fillingim, Cliney Miller, Thelma Altman, Margaret Grant, Quentin Fillingim, Aubie Fillingim and Martin Fillingim.
Special thanks to Pastor Pam Avery and Bill’s church family for the love they showed him through the years. Also, thank you to the physicians, nurses and techs of the ICU and ER at West Florida Hospital for the tender care they provided during his final hours.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church, Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at 11 a.m. with Pastor Pam Avery officiating.
Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Ottoway Fillingim, Craig Exner, Marcus Baker, Tristpan Baker, Gil Baron and Daniel Elder.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to LCUMC Memorial Bells Fund, 2690 Jacks Branch Rd, Cantonment
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Bennie Coley Roberson
May 16, 2016
Mr. Bennie Coley Roberson, 68, passed away on Friday, May 13, 2016, in Century.
Mr. Roberson was a native of Flomaton, and a resident of Brewton, for the past 30 years. Mr. Roberson was a friend and loved to help everyone. He worked for Freeze Gravel & Trucking. He is preceded in death by his parents, W.C. and Molly Roberson; wife, Rosie Roberson; sister, Irene Jones; stepson, Ronald Conway and grandson, Kevin Luke Crowder.
He is survived by one stepson, Leonard Conway of Stanley Crossroads; one stepdaughter, Shelia Crowder of Gulfport, MS; two sisters, Etta Marie Lambeth of McDavid and Frances Roberson of McDavid; three grandchildren, Rhonda (Timothy) of Stanley Crossroads, Candi (William) Sheets of Bay Minette and Sabrina Hall of Ponce de Leon, FL; five great grandchildren, Cheris Rogers, Rylee Rogers, Victoria Sheets, Cloe Sheets and John Luke Sheets; and one nephew, Joe D. Roberson of Opelika, AL.
Funeral services were held Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Larry Knowles officiating.
Burial was at the Wildfork Cemetery.
Pallbearers were James Emmons, Don Ward, Mike Brown, George Hendrix, John Hendrix and Logan Hendrix.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Alabama.
One Pedestrian Killed, One Seriously Injured In Cantonment
May 15, 2016
One pedestrian was killed and another critically injured when they were struck by a vehicle early Sunday morning in Cantonment.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 29-year old Jeffrey Ard of Cantonment was traveling west on Muscogee Road near Stinnis Street about 1:15 a.m. when he struck two pedestrians that were crossing Muscogee Road. Ard pulled to the shoulder after the impact.
Lawrence Knight, age 49 of Pensacola, was critically injured. The second pedestrian was pronounced deceased on the scene. The FHP has been unable to make a positive identification of the second pedestrian.
Any charges in the crash are pending the outcome of FHP’s investigation.
Sunny Today, Rain For The Week
May 15, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 70.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 80.
Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.
Crews Work To Uncover History Of Old Muscogee Cemetery
May 15, 2016
Using trimmers and saws and a lot of brute force yanking on vines, a team of Gulf Power volunteers from Plant Crist and Environmental Affairs carved a path into a patch of densely overgrown woods to uncover a section of the Old Muscogee Cemetery, forgotten by society and families alike.
At the same time, a smaller group fanned out to collect garbage — a whopping one ton of discarded fuel tanks, a broken toilet, paint cans, tires, clothes, a cooking pot, drink cans and pounds and pounds of beer bottles.
“My bachelor’s degree is in environmental, so I feel a strong sense of responsibility when it comes to participating in stewardship events,” she said. “But it’s really sad that people who come here have to look at so much trash when they visit their loved ones. Not only is it sacrilegious to pollute hallowed ground, but it’s also extremely thoughtless and cruel when the Perdido Landfill is literally five minutes away.”
The cleanup was a partnership between Gulf Power Environmental Stewardship and Northwest Florida Water Management District to help begin restoration of the late 1800s cemetery, located a stone’s throw from the Perdido River in west Cantonment.
Steve Brown, senior land manager for the Water Management District, said it would have taken him and his three-member team weeks to do what 18 Gulf Power volunteers did in half a day.
“This has been a project we’ve wanted to do for some time, but it’s very sensitive,” he said of the fragile condition of the historic gravesite. “We can’t go in with large equipment. The only way to do the brushing back and clearing out is to use hand labor. It’s tedious and labor-intensive. We are thrilled that Gulf Power employees came out to help with their expertise.”
Jeff Cole, who leads the Environmental Affairs Stewardship program, said the project was a great opportunity to help out the community.
“Cleaning up the cemetery is key for this area because a lot of historic sites in Northwest Florida are being lost to time and a lack of money and materials to get them restored,” he said. “When we can come out and help, it adds another shining star to the community and historic value of the region.”
By the end of the workday, the team revealed six headstones and numerous indentations that are believed to be unmarked or vandalized graves.
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Among the graves are three marked sites of the Owens family — Elise Owens, 1885-1961; Sam Owens – 1880-1957; and what may be a son or relative, Huston Owens, 1927-1962. Huston’s head stone indicated he served as a steward’s mate 2nd class in the United States Navy Reserve.
When volunteers carefully brushed away layers of decaying leaves from his cracked, concrete tomb, they discovered a weathered U.S. flag, dusted it off and gently draped it over his headstone.
As the cleared circumference expanded, a marble monument was released from saplings and vines. Deeper in the woods the small headstone of John Brown emerged from a thick blanket of decaying leaves with hard-to-read lettering that identifies him as a war veteran.
Monuments and marble headstones that still exist are testaments to the story of Muscogee, a once a thriving timber town-turned-ghost-town. Founded in 1857 it once boasted four mills, a school, post office, train depot and fire station before the lumber industry pulled up stakes and moved on.
Eventually, many of the estimated nearly 500 citizens moved on too, leaving behind their family plots.
About two decades ago, a citizens group began restoring the neglected white section of the cemetery but many of them passed on or become too old to do the work, according to local historian Helen Allen, who has championed the restoration of the cemetery.
At the time, with no apparent family members to tend to the black section, the woods reclaimed that land. And no one had any idea how many graves rested underneath the brush and vines.
Because of its location on the Perdido River, the Water Management District purchased the land encompassing the cemetery from International Paper Company in 2006 and took over maintenance.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
May 15, 2016
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29– Intermittent and alternating lane closures within the town of Century and from Champion Drive north continue.
- I-10/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements – Alternating lane closures on I-10 near U.S. 29 (Exits 10A and 10B) Sunday, May 15 through Thursday, May 19 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews perform resurfacing and shoulder work. The speed limit on I-10 will be reduced to 50 mph during this time.
- I-10 Widening – Intermittent and alternating lane closures on I-10, near U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway/Exit 17), from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of May 16 as crews perform bridge work.
- I-10 over the Escambia Bay and CSX Railroad- Eastbound lane restrictions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, May 16 through Wednesday, May 18 as crews perform a routine bridge inspection.
- U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) - Lane closure at Scenic Circle from 8 p.m. Friday, May 13 until 2 a.m. Saturday, May 14 for guardrail installation.
- Bayfront Parkway (State Road 196) – Road closed from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14 for a 5K run. Detour signs will be in place to direct traffic.
- U.S. 90 in Pace- Westbound outside lane closed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14 between Burger King and Pace Patriot Boulevard in front of Dixon Elementary School as crews trim trees.
- Nine Mile Road - East and westbound traffic on Nine Mile Road west of Interstate 10 near Heritage Oaks Drive in Escambia County will encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday, May 19 through Monday, May 23 as crews perform construction activities
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening – Alternating lane closures on I-10, between the Escambia Bay Bridge and S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, May 15 through Thursday, May 19 as work continues to widen this section of the interstate. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange as crews perform bridge work.
- S.R. 399 over U.S. 98 – Overnight repairs to the S.R. 399 southbound overpass over U.S. 98 will be in place from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. throughout the project. U.S. 98 will be reduced to one lane in each direction from Shoreline Drive to just east of S.R. 399 to allow westbound U.S. 98 traffic to be diverted to eastbound U.S. 98. Westbound U.S. 98 access to S.R. 399 will be closed. An on-site detour will direct traffic to turn left on Daniel Street, left on Shoreline Drive and then right on eastbound U.S. 98 to access S.R. 399 via the at grade on ramp.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling in a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Tons Of Food Collected During Annual ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Drive
May 15, 2016
Saturday was the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, with letter carriers in Escambia County collecting tons and tons of food to benefit local groups like the Manna Food Pantries.
Manna Food Pantries received 71,120 pounds of food as of Saturday, with several thousand pounds more more expected to trickle in next week. A total of 109 volunteers contributed 440.5 volunteer hours to help Manna sort the food.
Each year the National Association of Letter Carriers holds the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive, where U.S. Postal Service employees pick up donations of non-perishable food along their routes. In its 23rd year, the annual food drive has grown to be the largest national single-day effort that benefits millions of Americans who struggle to put food on the table.
“This is such an important food drive because it comes at a time when donations are typically low and the need has increased,” said DeDe Flounlacker, Manna Food Pantries’ executive director. “During the school year, many children get a healthy meal through the free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs. During the summer, those programs aren’t available. The donations from Stamp Out Hunger allow us to provide nutritious food to hungry families and children throughout the summer months.”
Pictured: Volunteers, including the Gulf Power Transformers, work to sort local Stamp Out Hunger food drive donations Saturday at the Cantonment Post Office. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Justices Gives Green Light To Traffic Stop Over License Plates
May 15, 2016
In a case that started with a dangling tag light, the Florida Supreme Court made clear Thursday that police officers have broad authority to pull over motorists whose license plates are not fully visible.
Justices, in a 5-2 decision, rejected an appeal from Jermaine D. English, who was stopped by Orlando police because a tag light and wires were hanging down over the license plate on a vehicle he was driving. Evidence found during the stop led to English being charged with possession of cocaine, marijuana and paraphernalia.
In seeking to suppress the evidence, an attorney for English contended that police did not have cause to stop the vehicle. But the Supreme Court upheld a 2014 decision by the 5th District Court of Appeal, which found that state law requires numbers and letters on license plates to be “plainly visible at all times.”
A major part of the dispute centered on whether the law applies only to license plates that have been defaced or covered in substances, such as grease, that would prevent them from being easily read — or whether it also applies to situations such as bulbs and wires hanging down.
“We conclude that the plain language of (the section of state law) is clear and unambiguous, and requires that a license plate be plainly visible and legible at all times without regard to whether the obscuring matter is on or external to the plate,” said Thursday’s ruling, written by Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and joined by justices R. Fred Lewis, Peggy Quince, Charles Canady and Ricky Polston.
But Justice James E.C. Perry, in a dissent joined by Justice Barbara Pariente, wrote that the law was intended to prevent motorists from “physically altering or obscuring the license plate.”
“Under the majority’s view, the licensing statute could lead to potentially outrageous results,” Perry wrote. “For example, families and avid bikers who utilize rear bike racks will now be guilty of unlawful activity if any part of the bicycle or bicycle rack — or the nylon straps which are used to secure the bike to the rack — covers the license plate. The possibilities under which law enforcement may now detain drivers under this statute are limited only by the imagination, potentially placing in the hands of law enforcement unfettered discretion to enforce the statute.”
In going to the Supreme Court, English’s attorney argued that the 2014 ruling by the 5th District Court of Appeal conflicted with an earlier decision by another appeals court. That decision, by the 2nd District Court of Appeal, found that police could not stop a vehicle because a trailer hitch blocked the view of a license plate, according to a brief filed last year by English’s attorney.
The Supreme Court majority, however, sided with the 5th District Court of Appeal and rejected the earlier ruling.
“The plain language of (of the section of law) requires that a license plate be ‘clear and distinct’ and ‘free from defacement, mutilation, grease, and other obscuring matter;’ it does not suggest that matter external to the license plate may constitute a permissible obstruction under the statute,” Labarga wrote.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
No More Extra Tornado Debris Removal In Century
May 15, 2016
Extra tornado debris removal in Century is over, three months after an EF-3 tornado ripped through the town.
Large dumpsters from Republic Services were placed in the hardest hit areas for debris following the tornado ; those dumpsters have now been removed. The town will resume its normal curbside pickup scheduled of the first and third Tuesday of each month. The next pickup will be this Tuesday, May 17.
On February 15, the Town of Century was struck by an EF-3 tornado that had winds estimated to be up to 155 miles per hour that damaged or totally destroyed 109 structures.
Escambia County agree to pick up the tab for the large dumpster rentals and the rentals of equipment the town did not own for a three month cleanup period, up to $75,000.
Pictured: Tornado debris is loaded into a dumpster on Front Street in Century in March. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Two Week Work Stoppage, Lockdown Over At Holman Prison
May 15, 2016
The Alabama Department of Corrections reported that a two-week lockdown at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore is over.
The lockdown was lifted on Thursday when inmates who were participating in a work stoppage there reported to work.
Approximately 30 inmates at Holman worked kitchen detail for each meal shift; 35 inmates reported to the facility’s tag plant that produces the state license plates; and 23 inmates worked in the sewing plant that manufactures bed linens for state prisons. The tag plant remained operational during the work stoppage by inmates from the Atmore Community Work Center. The tag and sewing plant are part of the Alabama Correctional Industries (ACI).
Inmates who work in the Alabama Correctional Industries are paid 25 to 75 cents-an-hour for their work. Inmates assigned to kitchen detail, the recycling plant, and laundry services are not compensated.
Prison officials said Alabama Correctional Industries is primarily a work-training program for inmates that employs approximately 70 state employees and 500 inmates. ACI offers products, custom items such as furniture, and other services to state agencies.
During the work stoppage, staff provided basic services to inmates such as food and medical care while keeping the facilities secure.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.