Ronald Lee Yockey
November 17, 2017
Ronald Lee Yockey, 71, passed away in Sacred Heart Hospital, Tuesday, November 7, 2017.
Ron was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Williamsburg High School in Williamsburg, Ohio, and joined the United States Air Force. He served 22 years, with his last ten years being in Special Forces. Ron enjoyed movies, playing golf, and watching sports. He was a member of ECCGC Golf Club.
Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Ruth Yockey.
He is survived by his wife, Judith Yockey; his son, Jason (Marsha) Yockey; two grandchildren, Logan and Grant Yockey; his sister, Phyllis Cooke; his niece, Shelly Dale; his nephews, Todd Hutchinson and Bryan Miller; and numerous cousins and friends.
A memorial service was held Friday, November 17, 2017, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Reverend Joel Treick officiating.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Kenneth Wayne Lambeth
November 17, 2017
Mr. Kenneth “Kenny” Wayne Lambeth, 47, passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, in Silverhill, Alabama.
Mr. Lambeth was a native of Atmore, AL and had resided in Pensacola, FL for most of his life. He attended the Pace Community Church. He is preceded in death by his step-father, R.D. Greene; maternal grandparents, Sidney and James Evans; maternal grandfather, Thomas Gallops; and paternal grandparents, Wilson Lambeth and Ethel Boutwell.
He is survived by his father, Kenneth Jackson “Jack” (Denise) Lambeth of Walnut Hill, FL; mother, Brenda Greene of Pensacola, FL; wife, Mary Ann Lambeth of Pensacola, FL; one son, Kenneth Jackson Lambeth of Pensacola, FL; two daughters, Heather Lambeth of Pensacola, FL and Kenzie Joyce Lambeth of Pensacola, FL; two step-daughters, Myriah Hale of Pensacola, FL and Alyssa Hale of Pensacola, FL; one brother, Tommy Lambeth of Pensacola, FL; two step-sisters, Tina (Scott) Francis of McDavid, FL and Regina (Steven) Ross of Atmore, AL; one grandchild, Jeremiah Lambeth; nephew, T.J. Lambeth of Pensacola, FL; cousin, Dan Denrell; very special friends, Jerry Blair and Mike Sundie; and numerous uncles, aunts, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be Monday, November 20, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Ron Christian officiating.
Burial will follow at the Pine Barren Cemetery.
Visitation will be Monday, November 20, 2017, from 1 p.m. until service time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jerry Blair, T.J. Lambeth, Tommy Lambeth, Scott Francis, Shane Osburn, Mike Sundie and Jeremiah Lambeth.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Charles Ray Nichols
November 17, 2017
Mr. Charles Ray “Cowboy” Nichols, 66, passed away Saturday, November 11, 2017, in Pensacola, Florida.
Mr. Nichols was a native of McDavid, FL and had resided in Flomaton, AL for the past 32 years. He was an over the road trucker and was of the United Pentecostal Faith. He is preceded in death by his father, Clifton Skinny Nichols; mother, Odell Nichols; two brothers, William Nichols and Alfred Nichols; and wife, Annette Simmons.
He is survived by three brothers, Lee Edward (Jean) Nichols of Flomaton, AL, J.W. (Mary) Nichols of McDavid, FL and David L. (Janice) Nichols of Wilmer, AL; very special stepson, Tommy (Amber) Simmons of Flomaton, AL; and three grandchildren, Jessie Simmons, Shea Nall and Toni Simmons.
Funeral services were held Thursday, November 16, 2017, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Joe Eddie Macks officiating.
Burial was at the Byrneville Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ron Tullis, Johnnie Joiner, Keith Moore, Buddy Wilson, Christopher Evan Nichols and John Richardson.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Lester Norman Waddell, Jr.
November 17, 2017
Lester Norman “Norm” Waddell, Jr., 82, died on November 16, 2017, in Pensacola, Florida. He was born on September 9, 1935, in Monroe, Louisiana to Lester Norman Waddell, Sr. and Gladys Brasher Waddell.
Norm graduated from the University of Alabama, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1958. He worked as an engineer with Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi for 32 years retiring as Director of Facilities and was very proud of the excellent work Ingalls and his group there did over the years. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Norm and his wife, Carol, relocated to Pensacola.
Norm is preceded in death by his parents; brother Gerry; and granddaughter, Ashleigh Krin.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carol Perdue Waddell; his children, Wayne (Jennifer) Waddell of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Camille (Tom) Ashton of Cantonment, Florida; and Glenn (Mary Ann) Waddell of Birmingham, Alabama; and 10 grandchildren.
Norm loved his family, his dogs, reading, history, and the University of Alabama. He made the most important decision of his life shortly before his death when he acknowledged the truth of Christianity and submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The family will hold a private memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in Norm’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in memory of Ashleigh Krin Waddell.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Three Escambia Deputies Credited For Saving Man From Burning Vehicle
November 16, 2017
Three Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies are being credited for saving a man from a burning pickup truck following an early morning accident on I-10 near Pine Forest Road.
According to a statement from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office:
“This morning Sgt. Pollock witnessed a pickup truck crash into an impact attenuator deployed on the back of an L30 truck. The pick-up truck burst into flames with the driver trapped inside. Sgt. Pollock grabbed his fire extinguisher and began battling the flames. The fire was too intense and his extinguisher ran out. Sgt. Pollock called for backup. Deputy Shelly along with Deputy Godfrey responded and were able to use their fire extinguishers to put the fire out.
“Once the fire was extinguished Sgt. Pollock and Deputy McMullen tried to get inside the vehicle. Sgt. Pollock had to use his empty fire extinguisher to bust out the back window of the truck, so the deputies could provide first aid to the driver. Fortunately, the driver didn’t suffer any burns and was airlifted to a local hospital.”
The Florida Highway Patrol report stated that 26-year old Harris McDonnel of Crestview was driving eastbound on I-10 at a high rate of speed in a lane that was closed for construction when his 2016 GMC Sierra collided with a construction zone crash attenuator truck.
McDonnel was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition.
File photo.
Century Convicted Felon Arrested With Drugs, Ammunition
November 16, 2017
The routine search of a Century area residence by a probation officer landed a man behind bars on multiple charges for weapons and drugs.
Aaron Lee Sutton, 28, was charged with felony possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A Florida Department of Corrections probation officer was conducting a routine search of a residence on Whirlpool Road when he reported finding multiple items, including small bags of marijuana, 14 rounds of ammunition, two shotgun shells hidden behind a dresser in Sutton’s bedroom and a .22 long rifle cartridge hidden in an air vent..
The probation officer also found another small bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a shed behind Sutton’s residence.
Sutton is a convicted felon out of Georgia for possession of a controlled substance, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Sutton is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail and will face extradition back to Douglas County, GA.
Firefighters Battle Large Brush, Tire Fire
November 16, 2017
Firefighters from Alabama and Florida battled a large brush and tire fire just north of Atmore late Wednesday morning.
The fire was reported about 11:15 a.m. on Power Road, just off Robinsonville Road. A brush fire ignited a pile of tires reported to be about 50-feet in diameter. The fire also consumed at least one vehicle, while firefighters were able to save a nearby mobile home.
The resulting plume of dark black smoke could be seen from as far away as Century.
Multiple Alabama fire department including Atmore, Poarch, Nokomis and Robinsonville and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue from Florida battled the fire for about two hours.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Let The Miracle League Fry Your Thanksgiving Turkey
November 16, 2017
Volunteers from the Miracle League of Pensacola will fry your turkey for you next Wednesday, saving you the time and trouble while benefiting the charity. And there is still time to make an appointment.
Completely thaw your turkey, removing all of the inside packaging and giblets. Write down exactly how much your turkey weighs so it is fried perfectly and take it to the Miracle League Park at 555 East Nine Mile Road from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday. For a monetary donation to Miracle League, the volunteers will fry your turkey to perfection. A minimum of $20 per turkey is necessary to help cover costs, and any additional donation will benefit the Miracle League of Pensacola.
Call (850) 503-8894 with questions or to schedule your time (leave a message if no answer). Reservations should be made early as the number of time slots is limited.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Property Taxes Likely To Spur School Funding Fight
November 16, 2017
Another battle about using increases in local property taxes to bolster public schools will complicate upcoming state budget negotiations.
In his $87.4 billion budget proposal for 2018-2019, Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday called for a $770 million increase in funding for Florida’s kindergarten through 12th-grade education system. But nearly $7 out of every $10 of that increase would come from rising local property-tax revenue, much of it the result of increasing property values with a stronger economy.
Senate leaders support the governor’s plan, while House leaders remain firmly opposed to using the increased local property tax collections, arguing that such a move would represent a tax increase.
The projected $534 million increase in local property tax revenue includes $450 million in “required local effort” taxes and $84 million in discretionary local school taxes.
In an explanation of Scott’s budget, his office noted the school proposal does not change the required local property-tax rate, meaning “there is not tax increase.”
“The amount of local funding provided in the (school funding formula) calculation primarily increased due to a 6.15 percent, or $117.1 billion, rise in the school taxable value that was the result of an increase in the value of Florida property,” the explanation said. “When property values rise, it’s a good thing for Florida families.”
Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the Senate supports Scott’s K-12 plan, including the use of increased local property tax collections.
“It’s not a tax increase. It’s just simply not,” Bradley said.
“If I were to buy a lawnmower at Home Depot for $200 in January and then buy the same lawnmower as a present for my brother four months later and it’s priced $230, there will be more taxes owed on the $230 purchase, but that’s not a tax increase,” Bradley said.
He said it’s “just the same tax rate being applied to a purchase that is a little higher than it used to be.”
But House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, reaffirmed Wednesday the House’s strong opposition to using increased property tax collections.
“I think our position has been very clear for the last two years and it will not change,” Corcoran said. “We’re not raising taxes.”
The House prevailed in the negotiations on the current 2017-2018 budget, with the Senate agreeing to roll back the “required local effort” property tax rate to offset the increase in tax collections.
Rather than having the majority of an increase for the K-12 system come from local property tax collections, lawmakers funded most of the $455 million increase from state revenue, along with a $92 million increase in discretionary local property-tax collections.
But that meant the Legislature had to shift $364 million in state revenue, which could have been used in other areas of the budget like health care or criminal justice, to come up with a $100 per-student increase in funding.
Under Scott’s new plan, per-student funding would rise by $200, but that is based on $450 million in property taxes. If lawmakers reject using the property tax revenue, they will have to again shift more state revenue into the schools’ budget, which will be even more difficult in the coming year.
“We’re very committed in the Senate to K-12 education,” Bradley said. “And an important part of that commitment is making sure that we have the (local property tax collections). It’s not a tax increase. I agree with the governor. And that’s where we are.”
Corcoran downplayed the differences with the Senate over the next state budget, which will be debated when lawmakers begin their annual session in January.
“Where we are right now is in a good place and the likelihood we’re going to end in a good place is as strong as ever,” he said. “I think it’s a good situation.”
by The News Service of Florida
Sunny Skies Now, Weekend Cold Front Brings Rain Chance
November 16, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Calm wind.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind around 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North wind around 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of rain or drizzle. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.