Flomaton Police Seek Armed Robbery Suspects
September 21, 2016
The Flomaton Police Department is searching for two people involved in the armed robbery a local convenience store.
About 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, two unknown subjects entered the Texaco at the intersection of Sidney Manning Boulevard and Highway 31 in Flomaton. The two armed suspects demanded cash before fleeing the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Police Chief Bryan Davis said both suspects were fully disguised. Tracking dogs from the Alabama Department of Corrections were unsuccessful in locating the suspects.
There were no injuries reported during the armed robbery. The investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811.
Jay High School Announces Homecoming Court Members
September 21, 2016
Jay High School has elected their 2016 Homecoming Court. Members are (L-R) Raven Fretwell, sophomore; Taylor Scott, senior; Mattie Holt, senior; Meghan Mayo, senior; Courtney Walther, senior; Morgan Floyd, junior; and Hayden Burkett, freshman. Pictured below are senior court members Taylor Scott, Mattie Holt, Meghan Mayo, and Courtney Walther. The homecoming queen will be elected during homecoming week. Courtesy photos by Junia Fischer for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Plan Would Extend Bright Futures Scholarships Into Summer
September 21, 2016
The state university system’s Board of Governors this week will debate expanding the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover summer classes.
The proposal, which could cost up to $46.7 million, is a top priority for Gov. Rick Scott, who sees broader use of the merit scholarship program as a way to help students graduate in four years from state universities.
“I am also once again proposing to expand the Bright Futures scholarship to cover summer classes, and I am challenging every university and college president to urge the Legislature to pass this during the next legislative session,” Scott said during a higher-education summit in May.
Scott has been pushing the proposal since 2015 but has not won support in the Legislature.
The Board of Governors, which is meeting this week at New College of Florida in Sarasota, will review a report that says allowing students to use Bright Futures scholarships in the summer will provide them “with an opportunity to decrease their time-to-degree and enter into the state’s workforce more rapidly.”
The report also says a broader use of the scholarships will help reduce student debt and allow “more efficient classroom utilization” across the 12 state universities.
Data through 2015 from the Board of Governors shows only 44 percent of students graduated in four years at 11 state universities, ranging from a high of 67.3 percent at the University of Florida to a low of 13.4 percent at Florida A&M University. The survey did not include the newly created Florida Polytechnic University.
Florida universities had a 66 percent six-year graduation rate, another metric used to measure performance. The Board of Governors has set a goal of raising the system-wide four-year rate to 50 percent by 2025 and the six-year rate to 70 percent.
The idea behind expanding Bright Futures is that it will provide a financial incentive for more students to attend summer classes, increasing the chances they can graduate more quickly.
Currently, many Bright Futures students shun the summer classes since their scholarships don’t cover the costs.
In 2015, a little more than half of the Bright Futures students enrolled in the spring semester also enrolled in the summer, dropping from 90,518 students to 46,033, the report showed.
Expanding the scholarships could nearly double the number of summer Bright Futures students to 85,587, assuming each student averaged 6.3 credit hours in the summer, based on the highest estimate by analysts for the Board of Governors. That expansion cost was estimated at $46.7 million.
The lowest estimate was $25.9 million, assuming roughly the same number of Bright Futures students, 48,000, would attend summer classes but would be reimbursed under the proposal.
Funding for the summer expansion would have to compete against other proposals during the 2017 legislative session, including incoming Senate President Joe Negron’s plan to have Bright Futures cover the entire tuition cost for top scholarship students, known as “academic scholars.” That proposal would more than double the current $106 million cost for those 41,000 students.
And the plans to expand Bright Futures come against overall financial projections showing a meager $7.5 million surplus is anticipated for next budget year, which begins July 1
.
But part of the argument that could bolster the moves to expand Bright Futures is that the scholarship program, which is funded by the Florida Lottery, has dramatically dropped in cost and scope over the years.
The $212 million scholarship program, which covers some 102,000 students, is down from its $429 million peak in 2008-09 and down from its 179,000-student peak in 2010-11. The drop-off was caused, in part, by an increase in eligibility requirements, including higher test scores, and a cap on the scholarships themselves.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Martha Shiver Walker
September 21, 2016
Mrs. Martha Shiver Walker, 68, passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, in Atmore, Alabama.
Mrs. Walker was a native and resident of Atmore. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and teacher. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Atmore.
She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Myrtle Shiver.
She is survived by her husband, David Walker of Atmore; two sons, Brian (Mary Dodd) Walker of Atlanta, GA and Jonathan (Lowery) Walker of Auburn, AL; one daughter, Laura (Josh) Mixon of Spanish Fort, AL; one brother, Jeff (Laura) Shiver of West Lafayette, IN and five granddaughters, Madelyn Mixon, Martha Grace Mixon, Millison Mixon, Mary Morgan Walker and Martha Rudd Walker.
Funeral services will be Saturday, September 24, 2016, at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Atmore with Rev. Arnold Hendrix officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time at 10 a.m.
Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of all arrangements, Atmore, Alabama.
Boil Water Notice Issued For East Nine Mile Road, Holsberry Road Area
September 21, 2016
THIS NOTICE HAS BEEN LIFTED. CLICK HERE FOR INFO.
Effective immediately, a Precautionary Boil Water Notice -PBWN- has been issued by the ECUA to customers located in the following repairs to a broken water main.
- E. Nine Mile Road, from Palafox St. to Chemstrand Road
- Holsberry Road
- Nims Ln.,
- Holsberry Ln.,
- Tulsa Dr.,
- Sprague Dr.,
- Craft St.,
- Saleta St.,
- Strandview Dr.
- Holsberry Pl.
- Edith Ln.
- Allison Ln.
Precautionary Boil Water Notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
Residents located in the specified PBWN area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Two independent bacteriological samples have been initiated and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. This process routinely takes 48 hours.
ECUA crews have repaired the main and have flushed out the lines. Residents are advised that there is a possibility of discolored water as a result of the utility work, and to flush their home’s plumbing by running their taps for a few minutes. If problems persist, customers are asked to contact ECUA Customer Service at 850-476-0480 for assistance. Precautionary boil water notice guidelines are available on the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov/water-quality/boil-water-notices-and-why-we-issue-them
William G. Hill
September 21, 2016
Mr. William G. Hill, 76, passed away on Monday, September 19, 2016, in Flomaton, Alabama.
Mr. Hill was a native of Sylvester, GA and has resided in Flomaton for the past 30 years. Mr. Hill was retired from the Alabama State Correction System, was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and Unity Baptist Church.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Judy Hill; parents, Emmett and Quida Hill; and brother, James Jimmy Hill.
He is survived by his two sons, Donald Hill of Fort White, FL and Brian Hill of Brunson, FL; five daughters, Linda Douglas of Fort White, FL, Debra Hill of Brunson, FL, Tonya Black of Walnut Hill, FL, Tasha Hill of Flomaton and Sonya Hill of Pennsylvania; 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Friday, September 23, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Al Bethea officiating.
Visitation will be Thursday, September 22, 2016, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jeremiah Walston, Brandon Sutton, Chad Cook, Derrek Price, Cody Pridgen and Caleb Sutton.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dakota Sutton and Brayden Sutton.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Deputies Searching For Murder Suspect
September 20, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man wanted in connection with a shooting Monday that left one person dead and one other injured on Aquamarine Avenue.
Nicholas Omar O’Quinn is wanted for murder, attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault. According to deputies, he is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or 911.
The names of the shooting victims have not yet been released by authorities.
Bond Set At $200K For Woman In Creepy Clown Case
September 20, 2016
Bond has been set at $200,000 for 22-year old Makayla Smith of Flomaton in the “Flomo Klown” case from last week.
Escambia County (AL) District Judge Jeff White also stipulated that if Smith should be released on bond, she if forbidden to access to any device that has internet or allows access to the internet.
Smith is charged with making a terrorist threat in connection with Facebook pages that prompted the lockdown of multiple schools in Escambia County (AL). She remained in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center Tuesday morning.
Three additional juvenile arrests are expected.
A Facebook page entitled “Flomo Klowns” that featured scary clowns with blood and other gore prompted the lockdown at Flomaton High School and Flomaton Elementary (all located on the same campus), Huxford Elementary north of Atmore, Escambia Academy near Atmore and a partial lockdown at Escambia County High School in Atmore.
The Flomo Klowns Facebook page said that they are from Flomaton and contained statements such as “I kill people for a living” and a Thursday post that stated “It’s going down tonight”.
Sunny And Dry Pattern
September 20, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Century Signs Off On Budget, Property Tax Increase
September 20, 2016
The Century Town Council gave final approval Monday night to a property tax increase along with a $3.75 million budget.
The town council gave preliminary approval to raising the ad valorem millage rate from 0.9005 to 0.9732 for the next fiscal year. The levied millage rate is a 9.84% increase over the rolled back rate.
The increase will enable the town to meet their proposed $3.75 million budget for fiscal year beginning October 1. The upcoming year’s budget is down from the current year’s $5.1 million budget, which included about $2.2 million in grant income and expenditures.
