Free Sports Physicals Offered For All Northview High Athletes
June 9, 2016
Free sports physical for all Northview High School athletes will be offered on Saturday at 11 a.m.
The physicals will be offered at The Andrews Institute at 1040 Gulf Breeze Parkway. The event is only for Northview High School athletes.
All paperwork, complete with a parent’s signature, must be completed prior to arrival.
Celest Nelson Spears
June 9, 2016
On Saturday, June 4, 2016, Celest Nelson Spears went to be with the Lord.
Celest was born November 4, 1940, in Pensacola. She was the daughter of William and Missouri Nelson. She graduated from Tate High School in 1958.
Celest is survived by her husband of 34 years, Herschell; brother, Donald (Janette) Nelson; sons, Rubin Holley of Lauderhill, FL; James (Maggie) Holley of Fayetteville, NC; step-son, Brad (Christine) Spears of Milton; step-daughter, Glenna (Ronald) Shephard of Opelika, AL;and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, June 8, 2016, at Lewis Funeral Home Pace Chapel.
Burial was in Elizabeth Chapel Community Cemetery in Chumuckla.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in Celest’s name to St. Jude’s Hospital, online at www.stjude.org, or by mail to: St Jude, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Jackson Gets 8-4 Win Over The Pensacola Blue Wahoos
June 9, 2016
All night Wednesday Jackson Generals DH Tyler O’Neill delivered and he did it again in the ninth inning when he hit a two-out, walk-off grand slam against Pensacola Blue Wahoos closer Carlos Gonzalez.
The Southern League Player of the Month for May drove in all eight of Jackson’s runs in its, 8-4, victory over Pensacola at The Ballpark in Jackson.
O’Neill entered the game going 1-9 with one run, a walk, one RBI and a strikeout in the series. But Wednesday, the 20-year-old was 3-4 with a run scored, a double and a home run. He’s now batting .332 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs on the season. He is second in homers and batting average and first in RBIs in the Southern League.
Both teams were tied, 4-4, after the first five innings. But both team’s relievers buckled down. Barrett Astin and Nick Routt held Jackson scoreless over 3.1 innings on two hits, a walk and three strikeouts.
But Pensacola’s Gonzalez took over in the ninth, loaded the bases and then gave up the grand slam with two outs to O’Neill.
Pensacola right-handed starter Rookie Davis worked 4.2 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk and struck out four.
Jackson relievers Forrest Snow and Dan Altavilla no-hit the Blue Wahoos over the last 3.2 innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
They came in for Generals starting pitcher Jordan Pries, who worked 5.1 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits, one walk and struck out seven.
It was a back and forth game up until the ninth inning. In the top of the second inning, Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin and first baseman Kyle Parker both hit solo home runs to left field to take a 2-1 lead. It was Ervin’s sixth and Parker’s fourth of the season. Pensacola left fielder Tony Renda singled to left field to drive in third baseman Eric Jagielo, who singled to center, to put the Blue Wahoos up, 3-1.
Jackson scored first in the first inning when O’Neill got his first run-batted in when he hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored center fielder Ian Miller to go ahead, 1-0.
O’Neill then knotted the score, 3-3, in the third inning when he smashed a single to left field that scored both shortstop Benji Gonzalez and right fielder Guillermo Heredia.
Pensacola’s Renda put the Blue Wahoos back on top in the fifth inning, 4-3, when he singled sharply to left field and scored when second baseman Brandon Dixon grounded out to second base.
O’Neill then smacked his 17th double of the season to drive in Heredia with two out and tie the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Pensacola is 15-18 on the road this season. They are now 33-25 on the season and are tied for first place with the Biloxi Shuckers.
Jackson, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, owns the best record in the Southern League and sits atop the North Division at 39-20.
Dixon earned the Southern League Player of the Week honors but in the three games since is 0-9 with five strikeouts and two RBIs. During his six game hitting streak, he was 15-24 (.625) with eight homers and 19 RBIs.
Ether Oline Kilcrease
June 9, 2016
Mrs. Ether Oline Kilcrease, 102, passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, in Atmore.
Mrs. Kilcrease was a native of Brantley, AL and was a resident of the Valley Grove Community in Opp, AL, and had resided in Atmore for the past 10 years. She was a member of the Sweet Home Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Jerry M. Kilcrease; one son, John Thomas Kilcrease; and one daughter, Lenora Bell.
She is survived by two sons, Jimmy Kilcrease of Perdido, AL and Jerry L. Kilcrease of Brewton, AL; one sister, Rev. Verna Lee Phillips of East Brewton; and 16 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 11, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Sweet Home Baptist Church in Opp, AL with Rev. Edward Russell officiating.
Burial will be at the Mt. Gillard Cemetery.
Visitation will be Friday, June 10, 2016, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jerry William Kilcrease, Woody Leon Kilcrease, Jimmy Keith Kilcrease, Jamie Lea Kilcrease, John Kilcrease, Mike Hollinghead, Greg Hollinghead and Steven Hollinghead.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
A Fallen Angel Returns
June 8, 2016
The remains of a fallen Blue Angel were flown back to Pensacola Tuesday aboard Fat Albert with a Blue Angel jet escort.
Fat Albert, flying under the call sign “Blue Angel 6″, and Lead Solo Lt. Ryan Chamberlain flew over downtown Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key as thousands paid tribute to Capt. Jeff Kuss, who was killed in the crash of his Blue Angel jet in Smyra, TN.
A public candlelight vigil will be held for Kuss this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Pensacola. The public is invited to gather with candles and American flags to pay tribute to the fallen pilot. Six minutes of silence will be observed as Kuss was the pilot of plane number six.
Kuss’ body is expected to be transported to his hometown of Durango, CO, for burial.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Just prior to Tuesday’s flyover, Blue Angels Commanding Officer Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi released the following statement:
Good afternoon to all of the Blue Angels friends and supporters in Pensacola, Florida.
Presently, our number six pilot, the Opposing Solo, Capt. Jeff Kuss, is returning to Pensacola aboard Fat Albert, where he will be reunited with his family, friends, teammates, and the Pensacola community. Jeff absolutely loved our Sunday evening arrivals. Flying in over downtown, “smokin’ the beach” from Pensacola to Perdido, and then the hitting the Delta Pitch Up Break at sunset into Naval Air Station Pensacola. The smile I would see radiating under that gold visor was truly spectacular. It emanated the pride, passion, and pure joy that he felt representing the Navy and Marine Corps, flying Blue Angel 6.
Tonight, I hope you will join the team in saluting him as he flies that special route home to Pensacola again. He is flying in Fat Albert – callsign “Blue Angel 6”, and escorted by the Lead Solo, in Blue Angel 5.
As Jeff’s family and the Blue Angels have navigated this immensely difficult time, a constant gift has been the unwavering support from our hometown of Pensacola, and from all across this great nation.
This great city, and also this great nation has lost a Blue Angel. We are all grieving this tremendous loss, and inspired by the life he lived so incredibly well.
Our number one priority now is to assist the Kuss family in honoring Jeff and returning him to Durango, Colorado, where he will be surrounded by his beautiful family. We thank you for your continuous support, and will honor Jeff with you at the Candlelight Vigil.
When you see the Solos overhead tonight, please send him your thoughts, prayers, and a Semper Fi. ~Boss
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme and Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Chamber To Fight Worker’s Compensation Coverate Rate Increase
June 8, 2016
The Greater Pensacola Chamber announced Tuesday that it will fight the spike in workers’ compensation rates that will take place this summer. As a result of a recent Florida Supreme Court ruling, workers’ compensation rates in Florida are scheduled to rise by 17.1 percent on August 1.
“We surveyed our Chamber membership and found that our local business community is adamantly opposed to this workers’ compensation rate hike,” stated Greater Pensacola Chamber Board Chairman Gary Bembry. “We also heard loud and clear that our membership wants the Chamber to join the fight in finding a solution to this onerous rate increase.”
Eighty-seven percent of respondents to the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s membership survey said this rise in workers’ compensation rates will have a negative impact on their business, and 97 percent of survey respondents want the Chamber to engage in fighting this increase.
The Greater Pensacola Chamber will partner with the Florida Chamber of Commerce and other pro-business groups to find a legislative solution to this increase.
Committee’s Plans For Former Century High School Brick Memorial Almost Complete
June 8, 2016
A committee working to decide how to preserve bricks from the former Century High School in a monument has almost finalized their plans.
They anticipate that engraved bricks will be sold at $50 each to be placed around a 1936 monument and flagpole salvaged from the former school, which was demolished due to tornado damage. In total, about 3,000 bricks were saved from the school building for the project.
The committee is exploring the possibility of constructing the monument at, or very near, the actual site of the former Century High School on Hecker Road. Other sites that were considered included the Alger-Sullivan Historical Park, the Nadine McCaw Park and Showalter Park.
It is expected that the bricks will be on sale before the end of June. Complete purchase details will be published on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured top: Mayor Freddie McCall, center, addresses the “Brick and Monument Committee” Tuesday evening in Century. Pictured below: A sample engraving on an actual brick from the former Century High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ohio Youth Groups Helps With Century Tornado Cleanup
June 8, 2016
Almost two dozen youth from the First United Methodist Church in Van Wert, OH, spent their Tuesday hard at work cleaning up tornado damage in Century.
Century was hit by an EF-3 tornado on February 15.
The youth and their leaders were on their way to Orange Beach, stopping for the day of service in Century.
“We are hopeful that what we are doing will be a blessing for the people of Century,” one of the volunteers said.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Council Schedules Workshops, Moves July 4 Meeting
June 8, 2016
The Century Town Council has scheduled several public workshops and has rescheduled their July 4 meeting.
The regular first Monday of the month July 4 Century Town Council meeting has been rescheduled for July 11 at 7 p.m.
The council will hold a public meeting with the Florida Department of Transportation on Monday, July 13 at 6 p.m.
And the town council has scheduled budget workshops at 4 p.m. on every Thursday in July and the first Thursday in August.
All meetings are open to the public will be held in the council chamber at the Century Town Hall.
Justices Look At Semantics, ‘Common Sense’ In Slots Fight
June 8, 2016
In a case that could have broad implications for the state’s gambling footprint, a tiny horse track operated by the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore on Tuesday tried to convince Florida Supreme Court justices that it should have slot machines, even without the express approval of the Legislature.
Marc Dunbar, a lawyer and part-owner of Gretna Racing in Gadsden County, relied on a semantic analysis to try to persuade the justices that a 2009 state law gave the track permission to let voters decide whether slots should be allowed at the pari-mutuel.
The Supreme Court’s ruling will likely affect gambling operations in Gadsden and at least five other counties — Brevard, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach and Washington — where voters have also approved referendums authorizing slots at local pari-mutuels.
The Gretna case hinges on the parsing of a 2009 law establishing eligibility for slot machines at pari-mutuels. The 2009 law, which went into effect the following year, was an expansion of a 2004 voter-approved constitutional amendment that authorized slot machines at seven existing horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
The 2009 change allowed a Hialeah track, which wasn’t operating at the time the amendment was approved, to also operate the lucrative slots. The law in question consists of three clauses, including one that deals with “any licensed pari-mutuel facility in any other county,” outside of Broward and Miami-Dade.
Dunbar insisted that the “third clause” gave permission to counties to hold referendums to allow slots at local pari-mutuels.
“It’s very clear,” Dunbar said. “The Legislature knows the words it uses, and uses them intentionally.”
But Deputy Solicitor General Jonathan Williams, representing the state, argued that lawmakers had no intention of such a massive expansion of gambling when they crafted the statute.
“The Legislature did not intend to legalize slot machines statewide” when it changed the law, Williams argued. The 2009 law allows counties outside Miami-Dade and Broward to legalize slot machines only if the Legislature or a constitutional amendment gives them permission, he said.
But several of the justices were troubled by both explanations of what lawmakers — historically averse to expanding gambling — meant when they crafted the statute.
Dunbar’s interpretation would amount to “a huge turn for the Legislature,” Justice Barbara Pariente said.
“Which is to basically say in 65 other counties, you just have to have a referendum, and you’re fine,” she said. “This would have been a very, very significant expansion of slot machines … and there is nary a mention in the legislative record of this kind of change.”
At the same time, Pariente, along with Justice R. Fred Lewis, seemed perplexed by the state’s suggestion that the lawmakers’ language did not authorize counties to do anything.
“If it’s creating this false sense that other counties can do this, why would it be in there?” Pariente said. “It just seems bizarre that that would be what the Legislature intended.”
Lewis appeared to dismiss the parsing of the statute.
“We can get all wrapped up in all the words and phrases and need an English professor to tell us what these things mean,” Lewis said.
“If we said that it’s an eligible facility, but you can’t get a license, this whole thing makes no sense. Don’t we have to make some common sense with this whole thing that we’re faced with?” Lewis asked.
But the Supreme Court “is the place where words are interpreted,” Dunbar said.
“That’s where policy arguments are made,” he said, pointing toward the Capitol building across the street from the Supreme Court.
Tuesday’s arguments came after the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned itself in October and ruled in a 2-1 decision that the Northwest Florida racetrack cannot have slot machines without the authorization of the Legislature, despite county voters’ approval.
The majority in the October ruling sided with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, which sought a rehearing after a 2-1 ruling last spring in favor of Gretna Racing.
In both decisions, the appellate judges asked the Florida Supreme Court to weigh in on the issue of whether pari-mutuels can have slot machines if local voters approve, or if the games require the express say-so of the Legislature.
“The Legislature obviously was only dealing with Dade and Broward. That’s what they were dealing with. Nobody was standing up and having a debate about 65 other counties. If that had happened, I know a couple of my colleagues’ heads would have exploded,” Dan Gelber, a state senator at the time the law passed, told reporters after the hearing.
Gelber, a lawyer, represents former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, arguing that Florida’s Constitution requires a statewide vote for slots outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
The Gretna facility, owned by the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore and a handful of investors, has been in the spotlight since its inception. Florida officials granted the track the country’s first pari-mutuel license for rodeo-style barrel racing, but a court later decided that gambling regulators erred when they awarded the license.
Gambling regulators in 2014 denied a slots license for the track, built to accommodate slot machines and which also operates a cardroom.
A Supreme Court decision in favor of Gretna would not only affect pari-mutuels in other counties, but could shrink state coffers.
Under a 20-year agreement finalized in 2010 between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the state, the tribe has exclusive rights to operate slot machines outside of pari-mutuels in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The state reaps about $120 million a year from the revenue-sharing agreement.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida