New Paved Walking Track Opens At Escambia Extension Service In Cantonment
March 16, 2018
A new paved walking track is now open at the Escambia County Extension Service at 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain Possible Through The Weekend
March 16, 2018
Pictured: Sunset Thursday at Lake Stone near Century. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 77. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. West wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 68.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
Jim Allen Elementary Names Students Of The Month
March 16, 2018
Jim Allen Elementary School has named their Students of the Month. They are Macey Echols and Carson Jordan. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winn Dixie Parent Company Files For Bankruptcy Protection
March 16, 2018
Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn Dixie and other brands, said Thursday afternoon it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The company said it will close 94 “under performing” stores, none of which are in the immediate North Escambia area. The closure list does includes stores 10 stores in Alabama, including locations in Mobile and Monroeville, and 35 in Florida. The company will continue to operate 582 stores.
“Southeastern Grocers has conducted a thorough review of options for reducing our current debt. Taking this step was critical to our future and the long-term health of our business,” the company said. “After careful consideration, we have chosen to voluntarily implement a court-supervised, prepackaged restructuring agreement. We have not taken these steps without careful planning and consideration. As part of this restructuring, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to close 94 underperforming stores. It is our goal to work through our financial restructuring as quickly and efficiently as possible, and we will emerge from this process likely within the next 90 days.”
“This course of action enables us to continue writing the story for our company and our iconic, heritage banners in the Southeast,” said Anthony Hucker, Southeast Grocers president and chief executive officer.
Southeast Grocers operate under the Winn Dixie, BiLo, Harvey’s Supermarkets and Fresco y Más names.
Pictured: The Winn Dixie store in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Lifters Place At Districts
March 16, 2018
Tate High School’s Chandler McGuffey won first place at Districts 183-pound weight lifting class. Spencer Ruiz won third in the 159-pound weight class and Juanita Gonzales won third in his weight class. Submitted photos.
Alabama Executes Death Row Inmate
March 16, 2018
Alabama death row inmate Michael Wayne Eggers, 50, was executed tonight by lethal injection at the William C. Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala. The execution was carried out at 6:54 p.m. Eggers was pronounced dead at 7:29 p.m.
Eggers was sentenced to death for the 2000 capital murder of his employerBennie Francis Murray, 67, in Walker County. Prosecutors said he admitted to strangling Murray during an argument.
His final words were, “no ma’am”, when Warden Cynthia Stewart asked him if he had a final statement.
Eggers had two family members, a spiritual advisor and two friends witness the execution. There were no witnesses for the victim.
Eggers has previously dropped his appeals asked the state to quickly schedule his execution.
Kitchen Fire Erupts At Apartment – While Firefighters Were Fighting Kitchen Fire Across Street
March 16, 2018
While firefighters were fighting one apartment kitchen fire Thursday afternoon, another kitchen fire broke out at a second apartment across the street.
The first kitchen fire was in the 500 block of Martin Luther King Drive, taking about 15 to 20 minutes to bring it under control.
As firefighters from the Flomaton Fire Department and the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were fighting the first kitchen fire, they receive a report of another kitchen fire across the street.
One person was transported to Jay Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Escambia County (FL) EMS and the Flomaton Police Department also responded.
Paula Kaye Bankster
March 16, 2018
Ms. Paula Kaye Bankster, 41, went to her heavenly home on Monday, March 12, 2018.
Ms. Bankster was a native of Bay Minette, AL and resided in Mobile, AL. She is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth Bankster and Carrie McMillian; and two half-brothers, Myron Bankster and Timothy Bankster.
She is survived by her two sons, Duston French of Mobile, AL and Derrick Harris of Mobile, AL; one daughter, Tamara Bankster of Mobile, AL; one half-brother, Ken Bankster of Stapleton, AL; two sisters, Carrie Monette (Darrell) Baker of Stapleton, AL and Karen Elizabeth (Steve) Biggs of Robertsdale, AL; one half-sister, Vanessa Porter of Mobile, AL; two grandchildren and step-father, Ed McMillian of Pine Grove, AL.
Graveside services were held Thursday, March 15, 2018, at the John White Cemetery (Whitehouse Fork, Alabama) with Sis. Bonnie Howard officiating.
Pallbearers were Blake Biggs, Brandon Johnson, Dylan Vinson, Jonathan Baker, Eddie Harris and Carlteze Harris.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Century Special Meeting On Natural Gas Pipeline Canceled
March 15, 2018
A special meeting planned for tonight in Century to discuss a proposed natural gas pipeline route has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.
The meeting was to be between the Town of Century and Florida Public Utilities.
NorthEscambia.com will have complete details Friday morning.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff, Commission Reach Preliminary Budget Agreement
March 15, 2018
For an update to this story, click here.
The Escambia County Commission and Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan have reached a preliminary budget settlement, months after Morgan appealed his budget to Gov. Rick Scott.
Under the four-year agreement, Morgan will receive an extra $1 million for the current fiscal year that ends September 30. The commission will increase Morgan’s budget by an additional $2.6 million in the next two fiscal years, and $2.9 million in the final year. The funds will be for benefits and raises for the implementation of a pay plan.
Beginning April 1, 2018, the BOCC will reduce budgets for discretionary outside agencies by 50 percent, except for Pathways for Change and Community Health Northwest Florida (formerly Escambia Community Clinics). In fiscal years 2019-2021, funding for outside agencies in the general fund will not exceed $734,374. These funds will be used for the implementation of the sheriff’s pay plan.
Discretionary funds for each commissioner, previously at $50,000 each, will be cut by half to $125,000 total ($25,000 each) for the next three years, with $125,000 going to the sheriff’s budget each year.
Under the agreement, Morgan agreed that 50 percent of Law Enforcement Trust fund monies will go toward funding school resource officers. If that is not possible, the remainder can be used to offset other ECSO general fund expenditures as allowed by law.
Commissioners Steven Barry and Lumon May voted against the agreement.
Morgan asked for over $2 million when he appealed his budget to Scott last October to help with pay compression issues.
Pictured: Gov. Rick Scott and Escambia County David Morgan during a meeting October 5, 2017, at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center concerning then Tropical Storm Nate. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.