Joyce Cotton

January 19, 2017

Joyce Cotton, the matriarch of our family passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on January 18, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

She was born on August 12, 1939, to the late Ernest and Florence Caraway Green. She was a member of Walnut Hill Baptist Church and was a born again believer in our Lord and Savior.

On Friday June 13, 1958, she was united in marriage with John David Cotton Sr. A union that stood the test of time and was an example to their children and grandchildren during their 58 years together. Along with Mr. Cotton, she is survived by her children, John Cotton Jr. (Gail), Jennifer Woodfin (Walt) and Julie Miller (Chad); grandchildren, Jonathan Cotton (Karmen), Allison Woodfin, Raeleigh Woodfin, Stewart Woodfin, John Edward Miller, Ansley Miller, Zoe Angus, and Daizee Angus; great-granddaughter, Kayley Cotton; and sister, Bernice Smith (Clifton). Preceding Joyce in death were her brothers, James Colvin, Eugene and L.C. Green.

Granny enjoyed cooking and baking for her family and was known for her signature dumplings and mashed potatoes. She looked forward to attending church on Sunday with her family and gathering around the dinner table to share good food and family time. She found great pleasure in mowing and landscaping her yard along with fishing in the pond with her grand kids.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 21, 2017, at 10 a.m. from the Walnut Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Ted Bridges officiating.

Burial will follow in the Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 20, 2017, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are Jonathan Cotton, Walt Woodfin, Chad Miller, Buddy Green, John Gene Green and Michael Floyd.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to the Walnut Hill Baptist Church building fund in memory of Joyce Cotton, 5741 Arthur Brown Road, Walnut Hill, FL 32568.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Motorcyclist Injured In Early Morning Crash With A Deer

January 18, 2017

A motorcyclist was transported to an area hospital after hitting a deer on Highway 95A near Quintette Road about 4:15 Wednesday morning. The deer ran away from the scene. The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Jay Woman Sentenced To Prison For Sex With Underage Boy

January 18, 2017

A Jay woman is headed to prison for sex with an underage boy.

Kimberly Ann Seevers  pleaded no contest to having sex with a minor and was sentenced Tuesday  to 38 months in state prison. She will be on probation for 36 months once released and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

Seevers, 46,  still faces a separate sexual battery charge  involving another teenager. She is due back in court in that case on January 24.

Her attorney, Barry Beroset, asked Circuit Court Judge Ross Goodman to depart from minimum sentencing guidelines and sentence her to just probation because the underage boy was about one month shy of his 18th birthday when the incident occurred.

The attorney cited a Florida Supreme Court decision from 2001 in which the minor victim was a willing participant was a mitigating factor in supporting download departure from the sentencing guidelines.

The Jay High School student stated that when he arrived at Seevers’ home, she was drinking more than a small quantity of wine.

“Seevers wasn’t super drunk, but she was becoming intoxicated. He described Ms. Seevers as being kind of tipsy and flirty,” Beroset wrote in a letter to the court. The victim said he could have initiated the encounter and that he was willing participant, the lawyer said.

Escambia Man Pleads To Sending ISIS Threats To Sheriff

January 18, 2017

An Escambia County man pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges for mailing threatening communications to the sheriff.

In June 2016, Walker mailed a threatening letter on notebook paper to Sheriff David Morgan at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. In the letter, Walker claimed several people who had joined ISIS would simultaneously attack military bases, beaches, and schools at a nonspecific time and could not be stopped by law enforcement.

Walker made specific reference to the recent  attack in Orlando, Florida, that killed approximately 50 people. Walker wrote that the attackers planned on “not giving up,” and that they “plan on dying.” He appeared to sign the note as “ISIS ALLAH.”

Walker faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 6 at the United State Courthouse in Pensacola.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg is prosecuting the case.

Warm Again, Maybe A Shower

January 18, 2017

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers.  Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 74. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Low around 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Friday Night: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Sign Guy Had Just One Job: But This Molino Detour Goes In Circles

January 18, 2017

The sign pictured above on Chestnut at Crabtree Church Road incorrectly advises drivers to take a right hand turn to detour around a closed bridge on Molino Road. The “sign guy”, as one NorthEscambia.com reader observed, even had written instructions marked on the pavement with a left hand arrow. Drivers that follow the detour, as incorrectly marked, will circle back to their starting point.

The Florida Department of Transportation is replacing the Molino Road (CR 182) bridge over Penasula Creek at a cost of $1,128,303. The project is expected to be completed in the fall.

Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

North Escambia’s ‘Donut Boy’ On Steve Harvey Thursday

January 18, 2017

Set those DVRs….Tyler Carach, a Bratt Elementary School student, will appear on the Steve Harvey show on Thursday.

Tyler, 9, and his mother Sheena, who is a former police officer, created the “I DONUT need a reason to THANK a cop” program. Since buying doughnuts for four Escambia County deputies at a Bratt convenience store last August, Tyler has taken his mission on the road, providing donuts for law enforcement agencies across the country.

During Thursday’s program, Tyler will explain the program to Steve Harvey. Tyler has personally handed out over 4,000 donuts in Florida, Georgia and Oregon — and thanks to his trip to Chicago to tape “Steve Harvey,” he can now cross Illinois off of the list.  Harvey will surprise Tyler with a video from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office thanking him for their doughnuts.

For a sneak peek at Tyler’s appearance on Steve Harvey, click here.

Harvey teamed up with online retailer BOXED to donate $5,000 to Tyler’s mission.

The Steve Harvey show with Donut boy Tyler Carach of Bratt will air at 2 p.m. on WPMI channel 15 on Thursday.

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Senate Panel To Take Up ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law

January 18, 2017

The Senate Judiciary Committee next week is expected to take up a proposal that would shift the legal burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases — but the panel is not slated to consider a controversial measure that would expand the ability of people to carry guns in public.

The Judiciary Committee’s agenda for a meeting next Tuesday includes the “stand your ground” bill (SB 128), filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island.

The bill stems from a Florida Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that said defendants have the burden of proof to show they should be shielded from prosecution under the “stand your ground” law. In “stand your ground” cases, pretrial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants should be immune from prosecution.

The bill — and an identical proposal in the House (HB 245) — would shift that burden of proof from defendants to prosecutors. But the Judiciary Committee’s agenda does not include a gun bill that has drawn wider debate.

That bill (SB 140), filed by Judiciary Chairman Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry handguns in public and also would allow them to be armed on college and university campuses.

Under the bill, they also could carry guns at airport passenger terminals; in elementary and secondary schools; and at legislative and local government meetings.

The committee had been scheduled to consider Steube’s bill Jan. 10, but the meeting was canceled.

by The News Service of Florida

Stead Pre-Files For Century Council Seat

January 18, 2017

The first candidate has pre-filed for an upcoming special election in Century to fill two council seats.

Kevin L Stead pre-filed Tuesday for Century Town Council, Seat 2, a non partisan office.

Stead currently hold the seat on a temporary basis, appointed as the temporary replacement for Annie Savage, who passed away in late October. The election will fill the seat until the end of Savage’s term in January 2021.

The Century election is set for February 14 and/or February 28, depending on the number of candidates that qualify. The official qualifying period is January 23 and January 24.

Ten NHS Weightlifters Advance To Girls’ Regionals

January 18, 2017

Ten members of the Northview High School Girls Weightlifting team recently advanced  to today’s regional meet…the largest number of Lady Chiefs headed to weightlifting regional in recent memory. Those qualifying fo regional competition include:

  • Audriene Odom
  • Crystal Douglas
  • Myisha Syria
  • Lexxi Broadhead
  • Peighton Dortch
  • Catie Clayton
  • Mallory Gibson
  • Daysha Kite
  • Aubree Love
  • Rayeshawanna Davidson

Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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