Plane Slows Cantonment Traffic
July 14, 2017
Sometimes you never know what will slow traffic in Cantonment. On Thursday, it was this movement of what we are told is the fuselage of a C-130 military transport aircraft seen on Highway 29 and on Muscogee Road. There was no word on the plane’s destination. Reader photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Committee Of The Whole Budget Workshop Rescheduled For Tuesday
July 14, 2017
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners will continue its review of the 2017-2018 Proposed Fiscal Year Budget on Tuesday, July 18 at 9 a.m. This will take place during the regularly scheduled Agenda Review Meeting held in the Board Chambers at 221 Palafox Place. The agenda for the Committee of the Whole Budget Workshop can be found here.
Tuesday’s meeting replaces the previously scheduled meeting for Friday, July 14 at 9 a.m. It is a continuation of the meetings held July 11-14. Click here to view the agenda.
50 Percent Chance Of More Rain
July 14, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Triumph Gulf Coast Holds Organizational Meeting
July 14, 2017
Former House Speaker Allan Bense on Thursday kept the position of chairman of the non-profit organization Triumph Gulf Coast as it starts to oversee how BP oil-spill settlement money is spent across the Panhandle.
But in January, the Panama City Republican will be replaced in the chairmanship by former Senate President Don Gaetz, who was chosen Thursday as vice chairman of the board. The unanimous appointments for both were part of the organization’s first meeting since lawmakers approved funding for Triumph Gulf Coast in measures signed into law (HB 7077, HB 7079) by Gov. Rick Scott last month.
The board is in charge of determining how to use 75 percent of the $2 billion Florida will get from the settlement related to the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The money going through Triumph Gulf Coast is for eight counties: Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla and Walton. The legislation set minimum amounts for how much each county will receive and expanded the Triumph Gulf Coast board from five to seven members, with the goal of providing more representation to less-populated counties.
Florida has already received $400 million and is slated to receive the rest in annual payments over the next 13 years. Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who oversaw the Legislature’s initial creation of Triumph Gulf Coast, was added to the board on June 30 by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes.
The organizational meeting Thursday at the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition in Pensacola was held a day after Scott advised Bense to use the money in a “transparent” manner that has the best return on investment for Florida. Board members agreed to take public input on economic-development projects on August 16.
by The News Service of Florida
Vernon (Vern) Peters
July 14, 2017
Vernon (Vern) Peters was born to Francis and Anna Mininger Peters, on July 17, 1929, at home in the rural area near Ithaca, Michigan. He was the first of seven children in the family. He departed this life on July 12, 2017, in Atmore Nursing Center, Atmore, AL, reaching the age of nearly eighty- eight years. His death was the result of complications related to old age.
He received his formal education in the rural Smith Allen School in Gratiot County, Michigan.
At an early age, being energetic, he left home and worked for area farmers. His interest was to be independent and self- employed, later buying a gas station in Alma, Ml.
On July 20, 1949, he married our mother, Dolores Ruth Detwiler.
In December of 1953, he with our mother and children moved to Walnut Hill, FL. It was here they began to attend the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. During the winter revival they felt the call of God and surrendered their lives to the Lord and were baptized on January 22, 1954, by Min. Harry Wenger. The faith and church were precious to him and he embraced them to the end. He was very studious in the Bible and church doctrines and took a very active part in Sunday School. Many called him for interpretation of scriptures.
Vern tried different occupations to support his family such as poultry and farming. Finally, he started a machine shop. This turned out to be a very successful business. He was in this business over thirty years and it also provided work and education for his sons. This business was known as Vernz Fabrication and Welding.
Upon retirement, Dad and Mom started the Apple House and Bakery. He built his own cider press and grinding mill. Many people from far and near enjoyed his fresh apple cider and their home baked goods. On April 7, 2010, his wife, Dolores, passed away, leaving him very lonely. He lived in his own house until the last months when his physical condition required more nursing skill. He appreciated the care given him and often thanked the nurses.
He loved his family and friends, often interceding for their salvation. He also reached out to those carrying a burden.
Those left to cherish fond memories are three sons and one daughter: Larry Bill and wife Wanda of Wrens, GA; Deborah and husband Jon Litwiller of Middleton, Ml; Randy and wife Cyndi Peters of Nyssa, OR; Erich Peters of Walnut Hill, FL. Our sister Lorinda Lumbert joined our family in 1996. There are two brothers and four sisters: Wilbert and Imo Peters of Walnut Hill, FL; Beatrice Riggs of Moundridge, KS; Verle and Vesta Peters of Walnut Hill, FL; Louise and Abe Ensz of Hillsboro, KS; Lois and Willie Eicher of Walnut Hill, FL; Kathleen and John Wenger of Walnut Hill, FL. Additionally, there are 16 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild; two brothers and four sisters, a host of friends and acquaintances. Preceding him in death are his wife Dolores and one daughter in law.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, July 16, 2017, at the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church with Rev. Doug Salsbury, Rev. Galen Harms and Rev. Maynard Peters officiating. Burial will follow in Walnut Hill Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be held Saturday, July 15, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. from the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangments.
Silver Alert Issued For Missing Santa Rosa County Man
July 14, 2017
UPDATE: Mr. Flowers has been located.
A Florida Silver Alert has been issued for a missing Santa Rosa County Man.
Kenneth Flowers, 83, was last seen in the 6500 block of Sinclair Street in Milton. He was last seen wearing a white polo shirt with small stripes, blue shorts and white tennis shoes. He may be traveling in a 2016 Toyota Camry with Florida tag 362PAR.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 983-1191 or 911.
Ward Stewart Eicher
July 14, 2017
Just before midnight at Oakwood Manor, on July 9, 2017, God graciously took my husband, our father and grandfather, Ward Stewart Eicher, home to be with Him.
Ward Stewart Eicher was born August 24, 1923 to Leland Herald and Hannah Johnson Eicher on August 24, 1923 at home in Ithaca, Michigan. He was the second child in a family of 10 children. At the age of 16, Ward answered the call of God and was baptized at the Senora Hall in Summerdale, Alabama, by Minister Harry Wenger. These vows meant much to him and he was faithful to them to the end. Ward went to 1W Service at the age of 21. He served with the Forestry Department in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Sequoia National Park, California. These years held special memories for him.
On February 23, 1947, Ward married Dolly May Holdeman, at the Senora Hall in Summerdale, Alabama. They enjoyed seventy wonderful years together. In 1949, they moved to the new vongregation in Walnut Hill, Florida. Here they built up their dairy farm with hard work and muscle. Ward and Dolly welcomed two sons and four daughters to their home. He was a loving father and husband. We as children remember our Dad as a spiritual father with a very positive outlook on life. He was a good provider and a hard worker. Singing was an important part of his life. He was a song leader for much of his life and taught us to love music too. His prayers were a meaningful part of his life and were an inspiration to all of us.
In July 1973, we as a family lost our youngest son and brother, Glenn Allen, age eight, in a tragic farm accident. It was a heart-breaking time for us and we all look forward to meeting him in heaven.
During the 1990’s, Ward and Dolly spent time in voluntary service in New York City, Gallup, New Mexico; Homestead, Florida; Albany, Georgia and Albuquerque, New Mexico. They have many good memories of these times and learned to love the many young people that gave their time in service.
In their later years of life, August 2010, Ward and Dolly built a cottage at Oakwood Manor. They enjoyed the past seven years in this close-knit community of Brooksville, Mississippi. They gratefully benefited from the loving care and the positive environment of the manor.
Missing him are his loving wife, Dolly; one son: Greg and wife Rita, Fountain Run, Kentucky; four daughters: Vicki and husband Greg Benner, Newbern, Alabama; June and husband Gale Unruh, Fountain Run, Kentucky; Rosalie and husband Galen Schmidt, Walnut Hill, Florida; Andrea and husband Galen Harms, Century, Florida; and a Gallup daughter who became a part of our family, Lana and husband Amos Yost, Montezuma, Kansas. Eighteen grandchildren and
thirty great-grandchildren. Three sisters: Eunice Smith, Oakwood Manor; Imo and Wilbert Peters, and Althea Dyck, all of Walnut Hill, Florida. Three brothers: Willie and Lois Eicher, Wallace and Judy Eicher, Wendell and Mary Eicher, all of Walnut Hill, Florida; one sister-inlaw, Wanetta and Mel Huxman, of Moundridge, Kansas, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Ward was preceded in death by one son, parents, parents-in- law, two sisters, one brother, five brother-in- laws, and three sister-in- laws.
The family wishes to express their deep appreciation for the outpouring of love and support they have received from the many friends and caregivers at Oakwood Manor.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mississippi Wins Pitching Duel 2-0 Over The Blue Wahoos
July 14, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos fans were treated to a pitching duel between Keury Mella and Mississippi Braves Mike Soroka.
Mississippi and Soroka ended up getting the win, 2-0, over Pensacola to snap a four-game losing streak.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly credited the 23-year-old Mella and the 19-year-old Soroka on their performances Thursday in front of 4,497 in Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“Those were two good young pitchers right there,” Kelly said. “Soroka got the best of him but Mella really competed.”
Mella, ranked the No. 19 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, pitched his best game at home, Kelly said, and his best since his last victory June 15 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He worked seven innings, only the second time he has done that this season, and gave up two earned runs on six hits, had no walks and struck out six, which was one shy of his season-high.
“He was solid,” Kelly said of Mella. “He was very aggressive with his fastball and had good use of his breaking ball.”
Mississippi, which have now won two of its last 15 games, scored its first run in the third inning when center fielder Connor Lien scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by right fielder Keith Curcio. Curcio also hit a two-out homer into the Hill-Kelly Dodge berm in right field for the M-Braves second and final run.
Mella, who has yet to win a start in Blue Wahoos Stadium, retired the last seven batters he faced.
Meanwhile Soroka, who pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits, had no walks and struck out six. He is now 2-0 in three starts this season against Pensacola, allowing just one run in 19.2 innings for a 0.47 ERA.
A Canadian who chose baseball over being a goalie in hockey, now has 10 wins to lead the Southern League and his 2.37 ERA is only behind Pensacola starter Austin Ross, who has a 1.44 ERA.
Soroka is ranked as the No. 33 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason re-ranking lists and the 13th best pitcher.
“For a 19-year-old, he has a great feel for pitching,” said Kelly, who said Canadian baseball players are usually a year behind in development because the weather doesn’t allow them to play year-round.
Pensacola had an opportunity to score in the third inning on Soroka with runners on first and second and two outs but third baseman Nick Senzel struck out. Soroka mowed down the last eight Blue Wahoos batters he faced. Pensacola got just one more hit in the last four innings of the game when second baseman Josh VanMeter hit a bloop single to left field to start the ninth inning.
Senzel increased his hitting streak to 13 games, going 1-4 with a double off of Soroka in the third inning. The Cincinnati Reds top prospect is now 19-50 during the streak for a .380 batting average. The 22-year-old Senzel has hit in 15 of his 19 games with the Double-A team since being called up June 22 from the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Pensacola is 10-11 in the second half. The South Division champions in the first half are 50-41 overall. Mississippi is 5-15 in the second half and 39-51 overall.
Pensacola is almost done playing 20 games in a row before getting a day off July 18 after the series with Mississippi is finished. Kelly said it isn’t easy.
“Twenty-game stretches are tough in this league with this humidity,” Kelly admitted. “It’s a good challenge for the players. We just have to be smart. This is July and this is in the South.”
Kelly also reported that Nick Longhi, who was playing in his seventh game for Pensacola after being picked up by the Reds in a trade with the Red Sox, complained about soreness in his throwing arm and said it affected his swing. Longhi is hitting .316 with a homer and seven RBIs for the Blue Wahoos.
“It was precautionary to get him out,” Kelly said.
A Whopper Of A Case: FHP Looks For Burger King Hit And Run Driver
July 13, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a hit and run driver that struck the Burger King restaurant at Highway 29 and Old Chemstrand Road early Thursday morning.
The accident was reported about 2:45 a.m. while the restaurant was closed. The vehicle that struck the building had fled the scene before first emergency personnel arrived on scene. There was no description of the vehicle available.
The building suffered mostly cosmetic damage with a few bricks busted off the side of the building. The business opened as usual Thursday morning.
Anyone with information on the hit and run crash is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol at *FHP or (850) 484-5000.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Florida EMS Looks To Cut Atmore Ambulance, Flomaton Response
July 13, 2017
Escambia County may soon provide ambulance service to the Walnut Hill and Bratt areas while cutting out Flomaton as a primary response area.
Atmore Ambulance has provided ambulance service for the Walnut Hill, Bratt, Davisville and surrounding communities in the 327 telephone exchange since 1978. A similar agreement is in place between Escambia County (FL) EMS and the Escambia County (AL) Healthcare Authority for Escambia (FL) EMS to provide ambulance service in the Flomaton area as far north as I-65.
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said Wednesday that “there are serious issues” with the service level provided by Atmore Ambulance. “They are not responding in any what that we can depend on the response currently, and that’s not much value.”
Public Safety Director Mike Weaver has requested that the Escambia County Commission include 12 new EMT’s in his budget for next fiscal year, including four crews of two to staff an Escambia County ambulance in the Highway 97 area. Preliminarily, the ambulance would likely be stationed at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97, but Weaver said he would like that location eventually moved further south toward White Ash Road to provide a broader response area into Molino.
An Escambia County EMS unit is currently stationed at EMS Post 50 on Industrial Boulevard in Century. It is the primary responding unit in the Flomaton, AL, but Weaver wants to end that response across the state line, allowing increased availability for northern Escambia County.
Any changes depend on the budget approved by the commission for the fiscal year beginning October 1. Escambia County’s contract with Atmore Ambulance is to expire in November.