Learn About ‘Starting Your Plants From Seeds’ From Escambia Extension
January 19, 2018
Join Escambia Extension for “Starting Your Plants from Seed” on January 26 at 9:00 a.m. Attendees will learn about seed starting techniques to get a jump on a successful gardening season.
Register at https://ufstartingseeds.eventbrite.com .
The program will be held at the Escambia County Extension Office at 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment.
Melvojo McCurdy Ward
January 19, 2018
Melvojo McCurdy Ward, 88, of Mt. Carmel Community in Jay, Florida, died Thursday, January 18, 2018. Mrs. Ward was born on August 13, 1929. She was the youngest of ten children born to Ruben and Ruby McCurdy. When she was born at home with two broken arms, the doctor told her parents not to bother naming her because she wouldn’t survive more than a few hours. God had a different plan for her life. Mrs. Ward lived for 88 years within one mile of where she was born. She loved working with her hands. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, cooking, quilting and crafting. Until the time of her death, she could be seen outside working in her yard.
Mrs. Ward was an active lifelong member of the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church. She fulfilled numerous roles including Sunday School and VBS teacher, youth leader, choir member, treasurer of the Willing Workers, as well as serving on many committees. Her father helped build the original church. Her husband Pete helped with construction of the brick structure that replaced the original wooden building. She was thrilled to attend services in the recently rebuilt church.
Mrs. Ward was preceded in death by her husband, Earl “Pete” Brandford and daughter Jackie.
She is survived by her sister, Bonnie Stuckey of Brewton, AL; daughter, Joan (Gary) Mondor of Covington, LA; son, David Ward of Brewton, AL; grandchildren, Jason (Barbara) Ward of Brewton, AL, Shannon (John) Rutherford of Milton, FL, Misti (Adam) Whitney of Broussard, LA, Melodie (Timothy) Taylor of Pace, FL and Micah (Lacey) Mondor of Covington, LA. She was blessed with 14 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life service will be held Monday, January 22, 2018, at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church. The viewing will be from 1:00 – 3:00 with services beginning at 3:00. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Carlie T. James
January 19, 2018
Mrs. Carlie T. James, age 98, passed away Tuesday, January 16, 2018 in Atmore, Alabama.
Mrs. James was a native and life long resident of Atmore, AL. She was a member of the Sovereign Grace Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, William Earl James, Sr.; two sons, William Earl James, Jr. and Clifton E. James and two daughter-in-laws, Jackie James and Pat James.
Survivors include her sister, Cliffie Mae Hanks of Pensacola, FL; five grandchildren; Cheryl James (Warren) Fenner of Atmore, AL, Jonathan Earl (Christy) James of Atmore, AL, Julie James (Michael Branch) of Atmore, AL, William Earl (Lisa) James, III of Webster, FL and Claude James of Atmore, AL; eight great grandchildren, Ashley Harris Sharp, Blake (Courtney) Harris, Joanna James, Marianna (Nykia) Rolin, Lily Woods, Travis James, Brayden James and Melissa James and three great great grandchildren, Hannah Boothe, Chayton Rolin and Nyla Rolin.
Graveside services will be held Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 2:00 PM at the Pine Level Cemetery with Elder Kevin Fralick officiating.
Visitation will be held Sunday, January 21, 2018 from 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jonathan James, Travis James, Phillip James, Blake Harris and Warren Fenner.
Clifford Ray Seale
January 19, 2018
Mr. Clifford Ray Seale, 73, passed away on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at his residence in Wawbeek, Alabama.
Mr. Seale was a native of Wallace, AL and resided in Wawbeek, AL for most of his life. He was a member of the Canoe Baptist Church. He is preceded in death by his parents, Wiley & Marguerite Seale and sisters, Lucille Butt and Mary McClain.
Survivors include his three brothers, Lee Verne Seale of Atmore, AL, Murlon (Margaret) Seale of Atmore, AL and Floyd (Bettye) Seale of Wawbeek, AL and four sisters, Nancy Nelson of Foley, AL, Dottie (Charles) West of Ozark, AL, Jessie (Muriel) Swindle of Wawbeek, AL and Lois (Loyd) Creamer of Byrneville, FL.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 1:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Johnny Foxx and Bro. Sonny Steele officiating.
Burial will follow at the Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 12 Noon until service time at 1:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Stacy Seale, Christopher Seale, Tracy McClain, Kenneth McClain, Edward Wilson and Dudley Wilson.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Charles West, Willie McClain and Mike Smith.
Ollie James Strength
January 19, 2018
Ollie James Strength, 96 of Atmore, AL. passed away on January 14, 2018 in Atmore. He was born on March 9th 1921 to the late Cary Merritt and Mary Ellen Hall Strength in Atmore, AL. He served in the United States Army during WWII, Korean War and later retired from the Army National Guard. He was a member of the American Legion and Veteran of Foreign Wars. He also served with the Atmore Police Department Auxiliary and was retired from St. Regis Paper Company. He was married to the late Allie Belle King Strength on February 6, 1942. His parents, his wife and brother Leon Strength precede him in death.
Survivors are: One Daughter, Ollie Jean Strength of Atmore, Al. and a Host of Nieces, Nephews, Family and Friends
Services will be Wednesday January 17, 2018 at 2:00PM at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Robert Heard officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. Active Pallbearers are, Russell Braswell, James Braswell, Don Moye, Jed Dukes, Rodney Ball and Timothy Ball.
Family will receive friends, Wednesday January 17, 2018 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 1 PM until service time at 2 PM.
James Ryan Pitsenbarger
January 19, 2018
On January 12, 2018, my precious son, James Ryan Pitsenbarger, 24 years old, went to be with the Lord. Mr. Pitsenbarger was born in Harrisonburg, VA on August 27, 1993. He graduated with Honors from West Florida High School of Advanced Technology in 2011. He was a member of the EMT program, National Honor Society, Student Government and Health Occupation Students of America. He attended Pensacola State College working towards an Associate of Science degree.
Mr. Pitsenbarger is survived by his mother, Robin Elizabeth Pitsenbarger; brother, Daniel Logan Pitsenbarger of Pensacola; sister, Margie Lynn (Craig) Morgan of Chattanooga, TN; multiple aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is predeceased by his father, James (Jay) Luther Pitsenbarger III from Sugar Grove, WV.
Jamie was a kind and gentle soul whose smile could light up the world. He loved cold weather, retro gaming, sushi, classical music and reading. He enjoyed learning more than anything and loved playing classical piano.
Jamie died because of his addiction. His addiction was not who he was but what he had. No one plans to be an addict. Like so many, he believed the lies that heroin told about being accepted, being worthy, being loved. Instead, heroin took everything from Jamie, his home, his friends, his future and ultimately his life. The pain of his death is intolerable and that’s why his story needs to be told.
For a time Jamie was lost, but he has now found healing in his eternal home. He leaves behind many memories to be cherished by his family and friends.
Visitation will be held at Pine Summit Baptist Church on Thursday, January 18th from 5:00 – 8:00 PM. His Celebration of Life will be at Pine Summit on Friday, January 19th at 1:00 PM with Pastor Donnie Petersen officiating. Please join us to honor his memory.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jamie’s memory to First Baptist Church of Ensley, Women and Children’s Cold Weather Shelter, 50 West Johnson Ave. Pensacola, FL 32534.
The family thanks the many friends who have demonstrated their love and support through this heartbreaking time.
Northview Grad Singleton Lobbies Legislative Committee For FFA Education Bill
January 18, 2018
Northview High School graduate Mitchell Singleton lobbied a Florida legislative committee Wednesday on behalf of a bill to benefit agricultural education and the Florida FFA.
Mitchell currently serves as the Area 1 State Vice President of the Florida FFA Assocation. He spoke to the members of the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee in favor of House Bill 3053, Next Generation Agricultural Education Student.
The bill would provide a $1.25 million appropriation — $1 million would go toward making each of over 60,ooo agricultural education students in Florida members of the FFA at no cost to them, and $250,000 would go toward updates to the FFA’s Leadership Training Center in Haines City which used by thousands of FFA members each year.
“For me personally, my FFA story doesn’t being like most of you may think,” Mitchell told the committee. “I don’t have a background in agriculture. None of my family are farmers. I joined the FFA in the sixth grade at Ernest Ward Middle School because some of my friends were doing it and I thought that would just be the cool thing to do. So at that time I was a shy little sixth grader that would not even be caught dead speaking in front of this committee this morning, but also I didn’t know that I could have a place in agriculture because at that time my plan wasn’t to grow up and to be a farmer. But through the seven years that I have zipped up that blue corduroy jacket, I have realized that I can take every opportunity that is given to me to step out of my comfort zone, to grow myself as as individual, to grow myself as a leader.”
“But equally as important, I realized even I have a place in the agriculture industry,” he said.
He told the subcommittee members that the FFA and agricultural education is about much more than production agriculture, with positions such as social media marketing, scientists, or Singleton’s personal choice of education.
He said there are hundreds, or even thousands of FFA members with similar personal growth stories.
“This funding will allow us to truly change the future of Florida FFA forever,” he said. “We are asking your support to be able to open the door for every student in ag eduation courses in Florida so that we can build a better future for them, a better future Florida and a better future for the United States of America.”
Following Mitchell’s speech, the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee voted 12-0 in favor of the bill. It next goes to the full House Appropriations Committee.
Pictured: Mitchell Singleton addresses the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday in favor of the Next Generation Agricultural Education Student bill. Image courtesy The Florida Channel for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Stock Broker Gets 20 Years In $1 Million Scam
January 18, 2018
A stock broker is headed to prison in a scam that took $1 million from an Escambia County widow.
Ronald Ball was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million restitution by Judge Thomas Dannhieser.
An Escambia County jury convicted Ball of nine felony charges, including three counts of grand theft, two counts of money laundering, two counts of racketeering, and one count of criminal solicitation.
The prosecutor, Assistant State Attorney Russell Edgar, said the case was a complex white collar crime matter involving multiple victims and thousands of financial transactions.
The case was investigated by the Office of State Attorney based on a complaint referred by the FBI that Ball had defrauded a physician’s widow of more than $1 million of life insurance proceeds.
Prosecutors presented testimony and evidence that showed Ball, a suspended stock broker, obtained the widow’s money under the pretense he would invest life insurance proceeds for her benefit. Instead he used sham companies, to misappropriate the victim’s money, laundered it through multiple brokerage and bank accounts and then used more than $800 thousand for himself.
Using the same sham companies, Ball obtained more than $300 thousand from credit card companies, an auto finance company, a bank, and a mortgage loan company under false pretenses.
After his arrest, Ball sent a threatening text to the physician’s widow and tried to hide evidence of his actions from investigators. Ball solicited his brother to remove a laptop, e-drive, cell phone and papers from Ball’s house. Investigators discovered Ball’s plan, obtained a warrant, and seized items before they could be removed. Investigators testified they found multiple incriminating items of evidence in Ball’s house, including forged and altered business documents
and computer images of the widow’s signature.
Ice Related Wreck Claims Life Of Milton Man
January 18, 2018
A wreck on an icy road Wednesday morning claimed the life of a Milton man.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 36-year old Edward Joe Meno Santos was northbound on Highway 87 when he encountered a patch of ice which had formed across his entire lane. Santos was unable to maintain control of his 2005 Nissan Titan and rotated into a construction zone, colliding with a roadway milling machine.
Santos was pronounced deceased at Santa Rosa Medical Center.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Ice, Ice Baby: Our Favorite Sleet And Ice Event Photos
January 18, 2018
Here are some of our favorite sleet and ice photos from Wednesday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
