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.
House Bill Takes Aim At Prescription Costs
January 18, 2018
Pharmacists would be required to advise people about the costs of escriptions and whether the retail prices of drugs are lower than cost-sharing requirements imposed by insurers or HMOs, under a bill approved unanimously Wednesday by a House health-care panel.
Filed by Rep. David Santiago, R-Deltona, the bill (HB 351) also would require pharmacy benefit managers — often called “PBMs” — to register with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and to supply information about their chief executive officers, chief financial officers and people responsible for the day-to-day operations of the companies. Registrations would be valid for two years.
Santiago said the bill, approved by the House Health Innovation Subcommittee, “begins to shine light and accountability” on pharmacy benefit managers and their practices.
Insurers and HMOs use pharmacy benefit managers as intermediaries with other health-care companies. Among the largest are Express Scripts and CVS Caremark. Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate large customer contracts and negotiate with pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies to get the best rates.
In addition to requiring pharmacy benefit managers to register with the state, the bill would amend insurance and HMO laws to detail what is allowable in contracts with pharmacy benefit managers and what is banned.
For instance, under the contracts, pharmacy benefit managers could not limit the ability of pharmacies to substitute generic equivalent drugs for brand-name drugs.
Rep. Nicholas Duran, D-Miami, said he was concerned the bill only ties the prohibition to contracts and that Santiago should consider changing it to make sure other documents between insurers or HMOs and pharmacy benefit managers would not impede pharmacists’ ability to let patients know about the most cost-effective options.
The bill is next scheduled to head to the House Appropriations Committee.
While the bill was supported by pharmacists and physicians, Abigail Stoddard, a lobbyist for Prime Therapeutics, raised some concerns. Those concerns included amending state insurance and HMO laws with measures that are currently included in pharmacy regulations. Prime Therapeutics is a pharmacy benefits management company owned by 18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans.
The House Health Innovation Subcommittee also approved a pharmacy-related bill that would preclude HMOs and insurers from requiring customers to be subjected to repeated “step therapy” protocols.
As initially filed, the proposal (HB 199) would have required insurers and HMOs to authorize or deny physicians’ requests to circumvent “step therapy” requirements within three business days for non-urgent care situations and within 24 hours for urgent care situations. If the requests were denied, insurers would have been required to provide detailed written explanations of the denial.
Step therapy is a type of prior authorization where patients must first try less-expensive drugs before they can “step” to more expensive drugs.
Bill sponsor Shawn Harrison, R-Tampa, said the initial bill was identical to a Senate measure (SB 98), which he prefers. But Harrison said he agreed to changes as a way to get the issue considered in the House.
“This is a vehicle we thought we could get started with,” Harrison said. “It’s smaller and we’ll see how it goes as the process moves along.”
by Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida
Another Freeze Tonight
January 18, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Clear and cold. Low 19.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Calm wind.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Calm wind.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 68. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 61.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 58.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
FHP Troopers Issued Narcan To Help Fight Opioid Epidemic
January 18, 2018
The Florida Highway Patrol announced Wednesday it is issuing naloxone, an overdose-reversal drug commonly known by the brand name Narcan, to state troopers.
The troopers will be the latest law-enforcement officers to start using the drug, which revives overdose victims. The move comes as law-enforcement agencies and other first responders struggle to deal with the state’s opioid epidemic, which is responsible for at least 16 deaths each day in Florida.
The highway patrol “is part of a concerted, collaborative effort to combat the opioid crisis,” Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Terry Rhodes said in a prepared statement. Rhodes, whose department includes the highway patrol, said it is “critical that our members can safely perform their jobs to help prevent any unnecessary injuries or deaths in our state.”
Troopers in Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin and Indian River counties were the first officers to receive supplies of the drug, according to a news release.
“FHP knows firsthand the seriousness of the opioid crisis and the department is taking the necessary steps to adapt our techniques and arm our troopers with the tools that will ensure the safety of the public and FHP,” Col. Gene Spaulding, director of the highway patrol, said.
The overdose reversal drug will be used to assist members of the public as well as first responders who may be accidentally exposed to potentially fatal synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and carfentanil. Miniscule amounts of such drugs “have been determined to be fatal, and even exposure from minor skin contact” can cause serious medical issues as well as death, according to the release.
by The News Service of Florida