Spring Football: Northview Downs Jay (With Gallery)
May 25, 2016
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Jay Royals Tuesday night in spring football action.
In a junior varsity quarter, Northview topped Jay 7-0. In a full varsity scrimmage, Northview defeated Jay 34-0.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Sentenced On Drug, Money Laundering Charges
May 25, 2016
An Escambia County man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court on drug related offenses.
Kenneth Grandison, 42, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to utilize a telephone facility to further a drug trafficking offense. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
In court, Grandison admitted that, between January 2012 and January 2016, he received illegal drugs from California, including marijuana and codeine, for further distribution in Florida. An investigation identified dozens of Bank of America and Wells Fargo accounts that Grandison used to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. In total, the Bank of America accounts received more than 200 cash deposits, and the Wells Fargo accounts received more than 600 cash deposits. This investigation involved the laundering of between $1.5 and $3.5 million.
The case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department.
Tate High School Orchestra Makes History At The State Level
May 25, 2016
The Tate High School Orchestra recently made history at the state level.
Tate High School’s orchestra performed The Odyssey by Soon Hee Newbold, Legends by Lorris Chobanian, and Odessa by David Bobrowitz.
“Our music selections really inspired our hard work. The story of Odysseus is musically portrayed in The Odyssey. I was thrilled to discover that a lot of our orchestra members are mythology buffs, who shared with us the details of Odysseus’s long and arduous journey,” said Catherine McConnell, Tate High’s orchestra instructor.
“This background knowledge made the technical details a lot more fun to master: the 16th note chromatic runs that portrayed stormy winds, the col legno bowing (striking the string with the stick of the bow) that built up ominous suspense, and muted sections that made his heartbreaking journey feel very personal.”
Tate musicians also performed three movements of Legends: “Mystic Breeze,” “Leprechauns,” and “The Wishing Well,” a unique piece with moments of intense sadness, contrasted sharply by the fast, amazing pizzicato movement in “Leprechauns,” that makes the fictitious creatures come alive.
Their final piece Odessa, portrayed the bustling port city in Ukraine on the Black Sea.
“Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy, the concert master of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra coached the first violins. He shared with all of us his first-hand knowledge that Odessa is a fast-paced, metropolitan city much like New York City,” added McConnell. “That helped us understand and communicate the lively, energetic music of this exciting piece.”
The months of hard work and the coaching paid off for the orchestra’s members. Fifty-one high school orchestras from across the state competed, and Tate High was one of only nine orchestras who received straight Superior ratings from the judges.
“We could not have done it alone! A lot of work goes into solidifying the musical details of these pieces. The Tate Orchestra has benefited from our partnership with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, which is an educational outreach program that the PSO established with my orchestra programs this year, both at Ransom Middle and Tate High,” McConnell said.
The musicians from the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra worked closely with McCaonnell to coach the students in each section of the orchestra, helped them fine tune their musicianship, and gave the students a greater appreciation for the professional musicians in our community.
“Our success at State truly reflects the culmination of time, talent, and financial support from our dedicated Tate High Orchestra students and families, our school district, and our community,” McConnell said.
Driver Flees Cottage Hill Wreck
May 25, 2016
A driver fled the scene of an accident Tuesday evening in Cottage Hill. Just before 6:30 p.m., the driver lost control on Williams Ditch Road at Wishbone Road and ran into a wooded area. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Learn About Container Gardening At The Molino Library
May 25, 2016
Area residents can learn to grow a container garden Friday with Escambia County Extension and the Master Gardener volunteers.
Adults and youth can learn about containers, soils and plants to make a small, but beautiful living display.
The program will be at 10:30 Friday morning at the Molino Branch Library in the Molino Community Complex, 6450-A Highway 95A. There will be a few plants, while they last, for participants to take home.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Howard L. Monroe
May 25, 2016
Howard L. Monroe of Oak Grove, passed away May 21, 2016, in Atmore. He was born on March 27, 1940, in Pensacola, to the late John Pershing and Alice Ruth Dungan Monroe. He retired from Monsanto as a chemical operator after 32 years of service. He was in the United States Marine Corps. He was an avid race fan.
He is preceded in death by his late parents; brother, Allan Monroe; and one stepson, William Rowell.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Dianne Gideons Monroe; one son, Douglas (Lynette) Monroe of Robertsdale; daughter, Pamella (Bernie) Perron of Cantonment; step-daughter, Angela Lynn (Andrew) Pipkin of Atmore; one special niece, Tina Davidson; brother, John (Sylvia) Monroe of Pensacola; two sisters, Peggy (Jerry) Winslow and Susan Bradley both of Pensacola; 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
Funeral services will be held Friday, May 27, 2016, at 2 p.m. for the Atmore area family and friends at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore, AL. with Bro. Butch Brown officiating. Family will receive friends one hour prior to service time at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery with military honors.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 26, 2016, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. for the Pensacola area family and friends at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. 1000 Hwy 29, Cantonment, FL.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
James W. Bowen
May 25, 2016
Last evening just before eight o’clock the pines, the oaks, and the river birch in Nokomis stirred slightly, and their branches gracefully parted, and moved aside …as the Lord called James Bowen home on May 20, 2016, in Nokomis, FL. He was born November 30, 1933, in Excel, AL to the late Robert Bernard and Mattie Coleman Bowen.
He retired from St. Regis/Stone Container after 40 years of service. He served in the U.S. Air Force and he attended Nokomis Baptist Church.
He is preceded in death by siblings, Robert Bowen, Darrell Bowen and Sandra Smith.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Gloria Byrd Bowen of Nokomis; children, Richard (Christy) Bowen of Pensacola, Douglas (Mary Anne) Bowen of Cantonment, Robbie (Lisa) Bowen of Loxley; grandchildren, Megan, Nick, Justina, Winter, Melissa, Bjay, Stevie Ray, Rhonda, Angelina, and Cody; and 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were held Tuesday, May 24, 2016, from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jim Hill and Bro. Ray Biggs officiating.
Interment was in Old Sowell Field Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Rick Golson, Joe Hubbard, John Levins, Bjay Ditto, Trevor Graham and Josh Horne.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Walnut Hill Mobile Home Fire Under Investigation
May 24, 2016
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a mobile home fire Monday night in Walnut Hill.
Smoke was pouring from the single wide mobile home in the 100 block of Juniper Street as the first firefighters arrived on scene about 11 p.m. They were able to quickly knock down the fire, which cause heavy damage.
The mobile home was apparently unoccupied and had no electric service.
There were no injuries reported.
The Walnut Hill, Century and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Fire Department responded to the blaze.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Patchy Fog Overnight
May 24, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Saturday Night: A 20 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 89.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.
Memorial Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
State Regulators, State Farm Tangle Over Insurance Policy Information
May 24, 2016
Insurance regulators are preparing for an appeals-court battle with State Farm Florida after a circuit judge blocked the release of information about the company’s property-insurance policies.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation filed a notice of appeal last week after Leon County Circuit Judge James Hankinson issued an injunction against the release of the information, which State Farm argued was a “trade secret” protected from public disclosure.
The dispute involves quarterly reports that property insurers file with the state providing information, broken down by county, about issues such as the number of policies in place at the end of each month, the total number of policies canceled, the total number of policies that are not renewed and the number of new policies written.
Regulators have long collected the information and made it publicly available, but State Farm filed a lawsuit in 2014 contending that the information is a trade secret under state law. Hankinson held a trial in March and issued a written order May 2 that said the information, known as a “Quarterly Supplemental Report,” or QUASR, is exempt from disclosure.
Hankinson wrote that a disputed issue is “whether QUASR data has value. The court finds that there is value to the QUASR data. … Accordingly, plaintiff (State Farm) has shown, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the QUASR data meets the definition of trade secret.”
As is common, the notice of appeal filed Thursday in the 1st District Court of Appeal does not detail the arguments that the Office of Insurance Regulation will pursue in trying to overturn Hankinson’s ruling.
But in a memorandum filed March 4 in circuit court, the Office of Insurance Regulation said it uses the data to create a “comprehensive report” based on submissions from all insurers.
“The Office (of Insurance Regulation) provides this report to the executive and legislative branches of government to inform them of overall business volumes, as well as risk exposure (i.e. wind) on both a statewide and county basis,” the document said. “The identification of market share and concentration of risk is vital information for public and governmental use — particularly in the event of a hurricane or other storm event. This information is utilized by individual consumers, press, other states and governmental bodies.”
But State Farm, in a memorandum also filed March 4, said it does not dispute that regulators should have the data but that the Office of Insurance Regulation “should not publish the data on its website and give competitors unfettered access to State Farm’s QUASR data. Moreover, there is no legislation that requires OIR to publicly disclose this data.”
“State Farm’s QUASR data possess independent economic value which provides an advantage to those who do not have it,” the company document said. “Specifically, the QUASR data reflects certain detailed information about State Farm at the county level. If a competitor was looking to write or market business in a certain county, that competitor would want to capture information related to other companies that write business in that county based on policy count and premiums written. Such information may be gleaned from reviewing State Farm’s QUASR.”
In its memorandum, however, the Office of Insurance Regulation disputed State Farm’s arguments about other insurers using the data.
“Plaintiff’s (State Farm’s) criteria for writing its business and rating, like most, if not all insurers, is based not on counties, but instead on numerous factors that must be evaluated and assessed,” the document said. “Other insurers determine risks in a manner completely different than plaintiff’s.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.