Bratt Elementary School Names November Students Of The Month
December 4, 2018
Bratt Elementary School has named students of the month for November. They are:
Pre-K
Brantley Cummings
Hendrix Ward
Kindergarten
Tiffin Hubbard
Cameron Parmer
Cory Stetson
Emma Norton
1st Grade
Carrie Emmons
Bailey Campbell
Bentley Lowey
Ryan Johnson
Zoe Jantz
2nd Grade
Kimmora Thomas
Alexa Hardy
Lane Lisenby
Addison Carpenter
3rd Grade
Makinzi Roley
Jack Carpenter
Eli Franklin
Wyatt Spence
Cassie Stillwell
4th Grade
Zachary Weaver
Avery Stuckey
Annberly Dunn
5th Grade
Talaysha Curry
Emily Jarvis
Alexis White
Mya Wilson
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No Mail Delivery, Post Offices Closed On Wednesday
December 4, 2018
The U.S. Postal Service has announced that they will be closed Wednesday, a national day of mourning for former President George H.W. Bush.
All post office locations will be closed, regular mail will not be delivered and package delivery will be limited.
“We will provide limited package delivery service on that day to ensure that our network remains fluid and we do not experience any impacts to our package delivery operations that might negatively affect our customers or business partners during the remainder of our busy holiday season,” the Postal Service said in a statement.
Bush died Friday at age 94. He was the 41st president of the United States
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FWC Law Enforcement Report
December 4, 2018
Here is the latest report from the Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Ramos represented FWC at Escambia High school at their annual Law Enforcement Career day where local and federal police agencies were on-hand to discuss law enforcement careers with interested students. Students enjoyed the many static displays including an opportunity to tour a FWC patrol truck and patrol vessel. Officer Ramos spoke with many curious students and explained the unique roles and responsibilities that conservation law enforcement officers serve across the state.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis received a complaint about a baited blind in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA.) He located the baited blind and observed that it was covered with freshly cut pine trees from the surrounding area. Officer Lewis encountered a subject on a road near the baited blind carrying the blind’s storage bag. The subject admitted to cutting the trees used to cover the blind. Officer Lewis explained to the subject that cutting trees in a WMA was a criminal offense and issued the subject a notice to appear for cutting trees in a WMA.
Officers Mullins and Roberson received a complaint about the harvest of a short-horned buck in Blackwater State Forest. The officers visited a subject’s residence to speak about the illegal deer. After investigation, the subject admitted that he hid the horns in the back of a vehicle at another location. The officers located and measured the horns’ main beams which were 8 inches on both sides. The suspect admitted he harvested the illegal deer in Blackwater State Forest and was charged with the taking of the illegal deer.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Sunny And Cooler Today, Low 30’s Tonight
December 4, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 46. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 59. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
High School Hoops: Chipley Tops Northview
December 4, 2018
The Northview Chiefs lost were defeated by Chipley 70-53 Tuesday night in Bratt, while the Lady Chiefs lost to Chipley 41-22. Northview will host Laurel Hill on Tuesday.
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Orley Joseph Adams
December 4, 2018
Mr. Orley Joseph “Joe” Adams, age 60, passed away Saturday, December 1, 2018m at his home in McDavid, Florida.
Mr. Adams was a native of Three Rivers, MI and had resided in McDavid, FL for the past 22 years. Joe was retired from the US Navy with 21 years of service, serving in various duty stations around the world and aboard the following ships, RTC Great Lakes Illinois (June 1976), MS (A) School (September 1976), Diego Garcia (January 1977), Adak Alaska (January 1978), USS Lexington CVT 16 (January 1979), NTC Corey Station (1980), USS R.E. Byrd DDG 23 (1982), CBC Gulfport Mississippi (1986) and Kitty Hawk CV 63 (1988). He was a former employee at Crary’s Dairy, the Florida Department of Corrections with 14 years of service and a member of the McDavid United Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Lee Cunningham and sister, Rebecca Pauline Graves.
He is survived by his father and step-mother, Gary and Janet Rose Adams of Monroe, MI; wife of 22 years, Ruth Crary-Adams of McDavid, FL; two sons, Garald “Hank” Adams of Pensacola, FL and Edward Luther “Big Ed” Adams of Pensacola, FL; one brother, Gary John (Cathy Marie) Adams of Monroe, MI; two grandchildren, Tommie Willow Adams and Ivy Josephine Adams; one step-brother, Daniel (Mary) Adams of Michigan; one step-sister, Joanne (Bill) Godfrey of Michigan; mother-in-law, Dean Crary of Century, FL; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. David W. Cook officiating.
Burial will follow at the Crary Memorial Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 5, 2018m from 12:30 p.m. until service time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Andrew Johnson, John Godwin, Terry Stanford, Ashton Johnson and Jackie Godwin.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Otha Adon Luker
December 4, 2018
Otha “Don” Adon Luker, age 84, passed away on Saturday, December 1, 2018. Don was born in Oak Grove, Florida on August 16, 1934.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Annie Mae and Clarence Luker; and seven siblings.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Betsy and the children God blessed them with, son, Donnie; daughter Diane (Steve) Jackson; son Danny; daughter, Denise (George) Kelly; two grandsons, Kevin (Jordan) Jackson and Kyle Jackson; one granddaughter, Missy Kelly (fiancé Troy Brown); two brothers, Wilbur (Carolyn) Luker and Wayne (Cathy) Luker; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Don loved coaching youth football and baseball at Brent. During his baseball coaching time at Brent, his teams went to 10 Dizzy Dean World Series, winning five of those. With one of those World Series wins, they also won the Sportsmanship Award of which he was very proud.
Don enjoyed fishing trips with his brother Wilbur and spending time with his brother Wayne. Some of the happiest times of his life were spending time with his grandchildren (to whom he was known as “Bubba”) and to see each of them complete their college degrees to pursue their career choices. Don will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, December 7, 2018, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Burial will follow in Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola, Florida.
The family will receive friends at 8:30 a.m. prior to services.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Jackie Coppenger
December 4, 2018
Jackie Coppenger, 77, of Milton, Florida went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, November 25, 2018, at a local hospital surrounded by her loving family. Jackie was born July 31, 1941, in Atmore, Alabama to Clarence E. Smith and Helen Keller Smith Chiscoski.
Jackie lived in Pensacola, Florida most of her life graduating from Pensacola High School in 1959. She married the love of her life, Jack Coppenger in Jacksonville, Florida in 1961. While there, she finished her degree in education at Jacksonville University. She and Jack moved back to Pensacola where she began her 30 year teaching career beginning and ending at Pine Meadow Elementary. She also taught at Longleaf Elementary, Bellview Elementary as well as schools in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Sandersville, Georgia. Jackie loved using the “Little House on the Prairie” books to read to her class, usually after lunch, using the time to teach them about God’s provision and other valuable life lessons.
Jackie also wrote and composed several gospel songs that encouraged many people. She sang her songs and played the piano beautifully over the years. Jackie and her husband pastored several churches beginning at Pine Forest Misson/Chapel, where Jackie served the Lord playing the piano or leading the music. She also served in this capacity at Ridgeland Heights Baptist Church in Sandersville, Georgia. They were the founding pastors of Charity Chapel in Pensacola as well. She also had a great ministry at Pensacola Boys Base alongside of her husband, who was the Superintendent for 17 years. They ministered to hundreds of troubled youth in the Pensacola area. Jackie will be remembered by many as having a heart of compassion to anyone she met, especially those with a need.
Jackie is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Jack.
She is survived by her three children, Jill (Bill) Hunt, Jennifer Coppenger-Ward, and Jack E. (Renee) Coppenger; her grandchildren, Bobby (Melissa) Wilson, Ricky (Stefani) Wilson, and Dillon Hunt; Hayden, Liam, and Isabella Ward; Jack R., Deborah, Abbey, Emma, Andrew, and Wesley Coppenger; great-grandchildren, Jaxson Wilson and Stella Wilson. She is also survived by her sisters, Joyce Seymour, Judy Sizemore and Noveta (Doug) Nellums; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and extended family members and friends.
The family would like to say “thank you” to her niece, Shannon N. McGhee, for her caring attention and medical advice. She was a very calming influence at a very difficult time. Also, thank you to the trauma team at West Florida Hospital Emergency Room.
Services were held at Faith Chapel North on Monday, December 3, 2018, with former Pastor and family friend, Richard “Chip” Fox and son, Jack E. Coppenger officiating.
Interment was at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers were Bobby Wilson, Ricky Wilson, Jack R. Coppenger, Liam Ward, Dillon Hunt, Bill Hunt, Craig Seymour, Mark Seymour, Daniel Heyse and Michael Roberts.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gideons International, where Bibles can be designated in Jackie’s memory.
Faith Chapel North Funeral Home North is entrusted with all arrangements.
Court Questions If Felons’ Voting Rights Fight Is Moot
December 4, 2018
After Floridians passed a constitutional amendment in the Nov. 6 election, a federal appeals court is questioning whether it needs to rule in a high-profile case about how Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet have handled requests to restore felons’ voting rights.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing in July in a long-running legal battle about whether the state’s rights-restoration process has violated the federal Constitution. But the Atlanta-based appeals court has not ruled in the case, which was filed on behalf of several felons who served their sentences but have not been able to vote.
In the Nov. 6 election, however, Floridians approved an amendment to the state Constitution that requires the state to restore voting rights to most felons who have completed terms of their sentences, including probation or parole. The only exceptions to the automatic restoration are for felons convicted of murder or sexual offenses.
After passage of the amendment, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week issued a memo directing attorneys for the plaintiffs and the state to file arguments about whether the federal lawsuit is now moot. The memo was issued Nov. 20 and gave the attorneys 15 days to respond.
The memo requested that attorneys answer whether “any of the plaintiffs in this case, as a result of their prior felony convictions, will continue to be disqualified from voting after the recently adopted amendment to … Florida’s Constitution goes into effect.” Also, it requested that they provide arguments about, “whether this case is moot under current law” if the plaintiffs are not disqualified from voting after the amendment takes effect.
But Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, told The News Service of Florida he does not think the lawsuit is moot for a variety of reasons.
First, the constitutional amendment only addressed the restoration of voting rights, Simon said. It does not affect felons’ ability to serve on juries or be granted state occupational licenses.
Also, felons convicted of murder or sex offenses are excluded from the amendment.
“So whether or not it’s voting rights, or even the restoration of all of their civil rights, those people can only have their voting rights restored by a case-by-case vote by the clemency vote,” said Simon, whose organization was a key supporter of the Nov. 6 ballot measure.
“Whatever rights it involves, whoever it involves, there’s got to be some rational standards, and it can’t be arbitrary. And until that is addressed by the courts, this case is far from moot,” he said.
The lawsuit was initially filed in March 2017 and came after years of political and legal debates about restoration of felons’ rights. A major part of that debate has centered on a process that Scott and the Cabinet put in place in 2011, making it harder for felons to get rights restored. Under the process, the state has required felons to wait five or seven years to apply for rights restoration — and years after that to complete the process.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker this spring found the process was arbitrary and violated the federal Constitution. Walker ordered the state clemency board — made up of Scott and the Cabinet — to come up with a set of “specific, neutral criteria” upon which to base their decisions.
But a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in April blocked a Walker order that would have required state officials to quickly overhaul Florida’s process of restoring felons’ rights. That panel decided 2-1 that “binding precedent” gives the governor “broad discretion to grant and deny clemency, even when the applicable regime lacks any standards.”
The April ruling, however, did not end the state’s appeal of Walker’s ruling that the restoration process was unconstitutional, prompting the July hearing before a separate three-judge panel of the court.
The legal wrangling came as backers of the ballot proposal, known as Amendment 4, campaigned to build public support for changing the process. The automatic-restoration proposal received support from 64.55 percent of the voters in the Nov. 6 election, easily topping the 60 percent needed for passage.
by Dara Kam and Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Three Injured in Semi, SUV Crash On Nine Mile Road
December 3, 2018
Three people were in injured a crash involving a semi-truck early Monday morning on Nine Mile Road just west of Pine Forest Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 41-year old Aisha Westbrooks of Pensacola was westbound on Nine Mile Road in a 2017 Infiniti when she crossed the center line and collided head-on with a semi truck driven by 60-year old William Goodwin of Pensacola.
Westbrooks, her 4-year old passenger, and Goodwin were all transported with minor injuries to Sacred Heart Hospital by Escambia County EMS following the 12:45 a.m. accident.
The truck driver’s dog suffered no apparent injuries and was picked up by family members.
Nine Mile Road was closed until 5:48 a.m. due to the crash and a fuel spill that covered a large area.
Westbrooks was cited for failure to drive in a single lane.
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