Emma Cleo Phillips Bynum Keating
August 18, 2017
Emma Cleo Phillips Bynum Keating, age 92, died peacefully at home on August 15, 2017. Cleo as she was known by most of her family and childhood friends was born March 8, 1925, in McCullough, Alabama, the daughter of Della Walker Phillips Albritton and Joseph Thomas Phillips.
Her family moved to Nokomis, she spent her childhood in close proximity to Poarch, Alabama, where her Creek Indian family originated. God first then family was her life goal.
Emma was first married to Meador Bynum they lived in Laurel, MS and had four children; Evelyn, Toxie Carl, Faye Marie and Paul Bynum.
During the mid- 1950’s, after a divorce, Emma was employed as a waitress in many of well-known restaurants of downtown Pensacola where she met her beloved husband of 55 years, John Keating. They married September 12, 1957. They had three children Ann Marie, Catherine Theresa, and Karen Lorraine Keating. he loved her family. She made memorable times with her children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. At family reunions Emma’s coconut cake was famous. She enjoyed gardening and liked to grow flowers especially gardenias and roses. All who knew her will sorely miss her and her sweet spirit. She was preceded in death by her husband John J. Keating, a son Paul Bynum, two of her sisters Etta Mae Phillips and Mary Virginia Phillips Ealy Dorman.
She is survived by her two sisters Pauline J. Phillips Parker and Patricia Ann Albritton Smillie, her children Evelyn Bynum Everidge, Toxie Carl Bynum(Sandra), Faye Marie Bynum Gaspard Boutwell (Cleve), Ann Keating Thames(Chuck), Catherine Keating Siewert, and Karen Keating Hall (Tim), her grandchildren Ronnie, Michael, and Donna Doebler; Karen, Becky and Yancey Gaspard; Robert, Ben, and Lydia Bynum; John and Joseph Hall; Zachary and Benjamin Thames; 23 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren.
Special thanks to Minnie Hassell and Myrtis Nims for lovingly caring for Emma Cleo in her final years. The family will receive friends at Woodbine Methodist Church, 5200 Woodbine Rd., Pace, FL on Saturday, August 19, 2017 from 1:00pm-2:00pm. Funeral service will follow immediately at 2:00pm with internment at Elizabeth Chapel Cemetery, 8008 Chumuckla Hwy., Pace, FL.
Marcia Johansen Stanley Andrews
August 18, 2017
Marcia Johansen Stanley Andrews of Pensacola, Florida passed away after a brief illness on August 16, 2017 in her home in Pace, Florida. Born in Pensacola to Carl Edward and Mary Alice Johansen on December 15, 1948, she graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School.
Marcia married Kenneth Raye Andrews on January 1, 2011. The couple enjoyed vacationing in the mountains and cruising the Bahamas. After 25 years of service she retired from Southern Bell (AT&T.)
She is preceded in death by her parents Carl Edward and Mary Johansen.
Survivors include her spouse, Kenneth Andrews; children, Scott Stanley, Andree Bey (JJ,) and Mary Beth Stanley; stepsons, Bradford (Lexie) and Stephen Andrews; grandchildren, Ashlynn Stanley, Madison Stanley, Kelly Bey, Mia Bey, and Matthew Bey; siblings, Janice Mattair (Tom,) Michael Johansen, Pat Johansen (Becky,) Theresa Moyer (Chris,) Cathy Potter (Rick,) Paul Johansen (Ann,) and Stephen Johansen (Kathy,) as well as many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be Wednesday, August 23, 2017 from 5-7 pm. A funeral service will be Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 10 am with an hour visitation prior to the funeral service. The interment will immediately follow the funeral service at Barrancas National Cemetery at 12 pm.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Covenant Hospice.
Oak Lawn Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
Man Dies In Early Morning Mobile Home Fire
August 17, 2017
One person died in a mobile home fire Thursday morning in Escambia County.
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the fire at a mobile home in the 7100 block of Lillian Highway. An adult male victim was found inside during a search of the home.
Escambia 911 received a call at 3:06 a.m. reporting a mobile home with smoke and flames visible. The first crew arrived on scene at 3:10 a.m. to find approximately half of the home on fire. The home was a total loss. The victim was the only resident of the home.
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Cantonment Man Crashes Into Sacred Heart ER In Domestic Violence Incident
August 17, 2017
A Cantonment man crashed his Jeep into the Sacred Heart Emergency Room early Thursday morning in what police are calling a domestic violence incident.
Pensacola Police said the jeep was driven by 25-year Kevin Pryor of Cantonment. Hospital staff members and at least one bystander struggled with Pryor following the incident hand held him until police arrived. At last report, Pryor and a female passenger were being treated in the Sacred Heart ER for his injuries.
Police said it all began with a domestic violence incident in Cantonment.
“The driver looked at the passenger and said hold on” before he rammed into the hospital, Pensacola Police Public Information Officer Mike Wood told Channel 3 News.
The emergency room remained open following the incident.
Criminal charges against Pryor are pending.
More details will be posted as they become available.
Pictured: A Cantonment man crashed his Jeep into the Sacred Heart Emergency Room early Thursday morning in what police are calling a domestic violence incident. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Highway 29 Crash
August 17, 2017
There were no injuries in two vehicle crash Thursday morning on Highway 29 between West Roberts and 10 Mile roads. Both drivers refused medical treatment at the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the accident. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Teen Injured In Cantonment Rollover Crash
August 17, 2017
A teenager was seriously injured in a single vehicle rollover accident Wednesday night in Cantonment.
The 16-year old girl lost control of her vehicle, ran off the road and overturned into a ditch alongside East Kingsfield Road between Elevenmile Creek and Highway 297A. She was trapped in the vehicle, with first responders using the Jaw of Life to free her.
The driver was transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola hospital as a “trauma alert.”
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not yet been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
A Slightly Lower Chance Of Rain
August 17, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 105. West wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
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.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Florida Prisons Cancel All Weekend Visitations
August 17, 2017
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced the cancellation of weekend visitations at all institutions for Saturday and Sunday. This cancellation includes all major institutions, work camps and annex facilities such Century Correctional and Santa Rosa Correctional institutions.
“In response to credible intelligence indicating that small groups of inmates at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety and security, FDC has, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of staff, inmate and public safety, cancelled all visitation statewide. FDC looks forward to resuming normal visitation as soon as possible,” A FDC statement said.
The department declined to answer any questions about what the threat may be and if it originated with any specific institutions.
This cancellation does not apply to work release centers.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Denied: Losing Firm Protests Escambia Jail Bid
August 17, 2017
A challenge to the selection of a firm to build the Escambia County Jail project failed on Wednesday. Yates Construction asked for an informal protest hearing after losing the bid last week to Whitesell-Green/Caddell.
“We’re really just looking for an apples-to-apples comparison of the bids,” Yates Construction’s Attorney Dodds Dehmer said.
Their argument is over a retention pond. Whitesell-Green/Caddell presented a proposal to county commissioners on Thursday that showed a retention pond in the area that was designated for future retail space. Yates Construction proposed an expensive underground water storage in that same area.
“Clearly in our mind, this property was not to be used to build the facility, but rather for future development,” Dehmer said.
Dehmer argued that if they would have included a retention pond instead, it would have lowered their bid price by $3.5 million. That would have made them the lowest bidder.
County staff said that is a moot point.
Assistant County Administrator Amy Lovoy said commissioners chose the best value for the project, not necessarily the cheapest bid.
“With respect to the pricing, it simply wasn’t a selection criterion,” Lovoy said.
James Brown, the director of estimating and preconstruction services for Yates Construction, questioned that statement. He points to the time commissioners spent tallying up the numbers before the vote.
“You have a county that has budget pressures, you have it out in the media that they were the low price and I just don’t see an elected official making any other decision,” Brown said.
Paul Nobles, the county’s purchasing manager, upheld the commissioner’s decision to choose Whitesell-Green/Caddell. He said their original proposal submitted back in July complied with the county’s guidelines and that is what he will hold them to, not the changes presented to commissioners two weeks later.
“That was not an official proposal,” Nobles said. “That was just a discussion on what potentially could be done.”
Yates Construction can now ask for a formal protest. That would bring in an outside firm to hear both the county’s side and Yates Construction’s side. Then it would go to commissioners to consider.
Commissioners are set to ratify their selection at Thursday’s board meeting.
FHP Sending Message: No Ticket Quota
August 17, 2017
A prohibition on ticket quotas will become part of training for supervisors and higher-ups in the Florida Highway Patrol, a top highway-safety official told Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet on Wednesday.
Terry Rhodes, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said the move is part a response to a report that Maj. Mark Welch of the patrol’s Troop H in Tallahassee had sent an email to troopers requesting “two citations each hour.”
“You have my commitment here today that no quotas will be tolerated within the Florida Highway Patrol,” said Rhodes, whose department includes the patrol.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was “troubled” by Welch’s directive, which she called “a stupid statement.”
“One misplaced, reckless statement like that can give everyone a bad name,” Bondi said. “Thank you for clarifying something that is a given. It’s illegal to have quotas, and it’s wrong.”
On Wednesday night, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Welch had submitted a letter of retirement effective Sept. 5. The one-line letter did not provide an explanation.
Col. Gene Spaulding, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, told reporters earlier in the day that Welch’s comments in the email to troopers were “unfortunate and inappropriate” and that the need for disciplinary action for Welch was under review.
“The rank and file know that they have never been disciplined, they have never been evaluated, there has been no punitive damages, they’ve never been rewarded for strictly writing citations,” Spaulding said. “They know they have a job to do, because their job is public safety.”
Welch — in his email to troopers patrolling Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties — stated the directive wasn’t a quota, yet “when you look at citations per hour, we are at 1.3 so we have a goal to reach.”
He also wrote that more tickets would help reduce the fatality rate within Troop H’s area.
“Many times,” Welch wrote, “it is easier to issue a warning opposed to a citation for behaviors observed. But the only way to try to alter that behavior is by impacting the motorist with the sanctions surrounding a traffic citation.”
Spaulding disputed that tickets are more effective than warnings.
“Our main focus is high visibility and hot spots in areas that we’ve identified through crash data throughout the state,” Spaulding said. “We have approximately 240 hot spots throughout the state, three to five in each county, where there is a high volume of crashes. Our emphasis is not about citations. It’s not even about warnings or faulty equipment notices. It’s about visibility, being in those areas, being visible and taking action when you need to.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida