Myrtle-Lee “Myrt” Young
January 2, 2018
Myrtle-Lee “Myrt” Young of Molino, Florida went to be with her Lord December 27, 2017. Myrt’s departure from this earth has broken the hearts of all who knew and loved her forever. Myrt was born April 16, 1933 in Fairbanks Florida. She resided in California for several years before coming back to Florida. Where she met and married her husband. As a military spouse she traveled to and lived in Okinawa Japan for three years and Hawaii for three years. Finally settling in Molino Florida to enjoy the quiet beauty of nature around her home. She truly loved her family and friends, and enjoyed spending time and traveling with them. As an avid tourist, Myrt traveled throughout the continent, US as well as Alaska.
In her own kitchen, Myrt was exceptionally talented. She loved to try new recipes which always were very tasty and appeared exactly like the pictures from her huge volume of cookbooks.
Myrt was an exceptionally talented lady who excelled in every task undertaken. She was employed in several occupations including interior decorating, health care and customer service. At the age of 52, Myrt went back to school and completed her degree in Registered Nursing. Myrt began her RN career as a Facility Nurse for the state of Florida HRS Pensacola Boys Base. She then advanced to Director of Nursing Choctaw Valley Home Health Century, Florida, followed by Director of Nursing/Patient Care Coordinator Mercy Medical Hospice Flomaton, Alabama. She also became Administrator for Mederi Home Health Pensacola, Florida and Manager of the Joyce Goldenberg Hospice Residence and Inpatient Facility Pensacola, Florida. Myrt retired from Nursing after years as RN Supervisor ACTS Retirement Life Communities Inc. Pensacola1 Florida.
Myrt was preceded in death by her parents Robert Lee and Alma Smith. Her siblings Thomas (Buddy) Smith, Henry Sapp, Irene Yetto, Elizabeth Smith and Jane Fox.
She is survived by her husband Ronald K. Young; two sons Wesley Morgan Howle and Michael Lee Howle (Tammy}; four grandchildren Nick Howle, Matthew Howle, Lisa Laurence (Scott) and Melissa Howle; three great grandchildren Avery Howle, Rachel Howle and Sebastian Howle.
Visitation will be held Monday, January 8, 2018 beginning at 9:00 am with the funeral service to follow at 10:00 a.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Chaplain Jim Dietz officiating. Interment will follow at Barrancas National cemetery.
Teresa O’Connor Davidson
January 2, 2018
Teresa O’Connor Davidson, age 60, of Milton, was called home Thursday, January 25, 2018.
She was born March 11, 1957, in Bay Minette, AL, to the late Alfred and Evelyn Maxine O’Connor.
Teresa was a proud part of the Cantonment community for most of her life, taking pride in her children’s involvement with the “Cantonment Cowboys.” She was a long time employee of the Oriental House restaurant and volunteered with the Emerald Coast Honor Flights 1 & 2. Teresa was an avid Alabama football and Alan Jackson fan, although her favorite color was purple. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and caretaker to her constant canine companions Christmas, Jethro and Charlie. As well as a host of houseplants she loved.
Teresa was preceded in death by her parents; her brother Charles Eugene O’Connor ; and a host of cherished pets.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband William “Bill” Davidson; her children Ruben Caro (Angie) and Latisha Burkett (fiancé Kevin); Grandchildren Brianna, Justin, Demeire, Kayleigh, Madison and Ian; great-grandson Camden, eightsiblings; step-mother Juanita O’Connnor; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Visitation will be Wednesday, January 31, 2018, from 1:00PM until the funeral service begins at 2:00PM, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Interment will follow at Clear Springs UMC, Cemetery in Clear Springs, AL. Pastor Chuck Granat will officiate.
Teresa’s family is accepting donations in memoriam to offset funeral expenses through the funeral home office (850)937-8118.
Highway 90 Closed By Overturned Lumber Truck
January 1, 2018
An overturned lumber truck closed Highway 90 in Beulah Monday night.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 27-year old Jesse Lee Coyle of Robertsdale was driving the truck eastbound just east of the AL/FL line about 6:37 p.m. The semi truck had a mechanical issue when caused the driver to lose control, with the vehicle rolling over into the wood line.
Coyle was transported by ambulance to a Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
No charges were filed in the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Vehicles Collide On Narrow Highway 97 Bridge Set For Replacement
January 1, 2018
Sunday afternoon, two vehicles side-swiped on a narrow Highway 97 bridge, just days before construction is set to begin to replace the bridge with a wider structure.
The cars collided just after 4 p.m. on the Highway 97 bridge over Sandy Hollow Creek, about a mile south of Highway 4. One vehicle remained on the bridge, while the second came to rest about 100 yards away off the roadway in a ditch. The driver of the vehicle that remained on the bridge was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital. The driver and occupant of the second vehicle refused treatment at the scene.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not been released.
Work is scheduled to begin this week, weather permitting, to replace the bridge. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the bridge was deemed functional obsolete, partially due to its narrow width.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Minimum Wage Workers Get A Pay Raise Today
January 1, 2018
Florida’s minimum wage increased to $8.25 an hour Monday, 15 cents higher than the previous rate.
Under a state constitutional amendment, passed by voters in 2004, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity adjusts the wage each year based on changes in a federal consumer price index. The wage applies to all Florida workers who are covered by the federal minimum wage, according to the Department of Economic Opportunity.
Since the passage of the amendment and the enactment of Florida’s minimum wage law in 2005, the state minimum wage has risen $2.10 an hour, or 34 percent, since the original wage was set at $6.15 in 2005.
The 15-cent increase for 2018 is the largest hourly increase since 2012, when the wage rose by 36 cents an hour, according to the Department of Economic Opportunity.
One Seriously Injured In New Year’s Eve I-10 Crash
January 1, 2018
[Updated 1/1 11 pm] At least one person was serious injured in a multiple vehicle accident involving a semi-truck on I-10 east of Davis Highway Sunday night.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 63-year old Cassandra Hutchinson of Palatka, FL, was eastbound on I-10 when her 2017 Toyota Camry crossed into another lane and collided with a Chevrolet Impala. Hutchinson’s vehicle then struck a semi-truck parked on the shoulder with emergency flasher activated due to mechanical problems. The Toyota then continued under the trailer.
It took extensive extrication efforts by firefighters to free Hutchinson from her vehicle. She was cited for failure to maintain a single lane.
There were only minor injuries reported.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Arctic Air Moves In — Hard Freeze Warning
January 1, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. Wind chill values between 5 and 10. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 40. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. Wind chill values between 15 and 20. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 21. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 44. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 49.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.
How To Protect People, Pets, Pipes, Plants During Freezing Weather
January 1, 2018
With temperatures expected to drop to near 20 tonight, Escambia County residents should prepare their family, pets and home for the extreme cold. Considerable attention should be provided to people performing outdoor activities to make sure they have the appropriate layered clothing on to protect themselves from the near zero degree wind chill.
Escambia County offers the following cold weather safety tips:
Protecting People
- Stay indoors, dress warmly and use safe heating sources.
- Guard against wind chill – One of the gravest dangers of winter weather is wind chill. The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also effected by wind chill.
Pets
- Do not leave pets out in the cold.
- Bring all pets indoors and make sure they have a warm blanket to lie on, as well as plenty of food and water.
- If pets must stay outdoors, provide a pet house or other type of shelter and line the bottom with plenty of blankets or hay along with extra food and water. Try installing a light bulb flood light in the pet house at a safe distance away from the pet to avoid burns. The heat from the bulb will help keep them warm. However, do not use light bulbs when bedding with hay.
Pipes
Water expands when it freezes and can shatter pipe seals or the pipes themselves, sending water pouring through your house if ice forms. You can avoid thousands of dollars of damage to your home by taking a few simple measures to protect your home:
- Use faucet covers, wrap rags, paper, trash bags or plastic foam around faucets and outdoor pipes.
- Cover any vents around your home´s foundation.
- Protect outdoor electrical pumps and bring water hoses indoors.
- Open the cabinets under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around water pipes.
- Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is secure.
- If you have a swimming pool, either drain the circulation system or keep the pump motor running. Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could cause damage.
- Let faucets drip, but do not run a big stream of water.
- If you leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. Make sure the faucets are turned off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.
- If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility for instructions on protecting your water heater.
If Pipes Freeze
- Turn off the water at the shut-off valve and call a plumber for help.
- Do not use lamps or electrical appliances to thaw frozen pipes. Leaking water from thawing pipes could cause a short and you can be electrocuted.
- If you try to thaw your own pipes, apply heat slowly, and move the heat toward the coldest spot on the pipe. Never concentrate heat in one spot – cracking ice can shatter a pipe.
Practice Fire Safety
- Use extra care with supplemental heating units.
- Make sure that all-combustible materials such as drapes or chairs are at least three feet away from any heating unit.
- Avoid using flammable liquids to start fireplaces and do not leave a fireplace unattended.
- Most importantly, check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly.
Plants
- Water your plants thoroughly. The water will act as an insulator. Dry plants are more susceptible to freezing.
- After watering, cover plants with a breathable material, such as fabric not plastic.
- Place mulch at the base of your plants and do not prune prior to a freeze. Pruning encourages soft growth, which is susceptible to freezing. Spraying the leaves of plants with liquid seaweed will also toughen them against cold.
Today’s Bowl Game Schedule
January 1, 2018
The college football season ends in Atlanta with the College Football Playoff national championship game on January 8. But first, four teams will face off in the CFP semifinals on January 1 — No. 1 Clemson will take on No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, while No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 3 Georgia face off in the Rose Bowl.
Monday’s complete bowl schedule is below (all times Central):
OUTBACK BOWL
Michigan vs. South Carolina
Jan. 1, 2018 | 11 a.m. on ESPN2
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
PEACH BOWL
No. 7 Auburn vs. No. 12 UCF
Jan. 1, 2018 | 11:30 a.m. on ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
CITRUS BOWL
No. 14 Notre Dame vs. No. 17 LSU
Jan. 1, 2018 | Noon on ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
ROSE BOWL GAME (CFP SEMIFINAL)
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Georgia
Jan. 1, 2018 | 4 p.m. on ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
SUGAR BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL)
No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Alabama
Jan. 1, 2018 | 7:45 p.m. on ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Concealed Weapons Licenses Now Available In Molino
January 1, 2018
Residents can now submit original applications and renewals of concealed weapon licenses in the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office in Molino.
While renewal licenses will be printed in the office, new applications still will be submitted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for final approval. The statutory turnaround time for this process is within 90 days.
The Escambia County Tax Collector Molino Office is located at 6440 Highay 95-A North, Suite A, in the Molino Community Complex.
In addition to the regular license fees, the Escambia County Tax Collector will add a convenience fee of $22 for new applications or $12 for renewals as allowed by state statute. (Click here for a fee schedule.)
Appointments for concealed weapon license applications and renewals can be made here or by visiting EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
For additional information on concealed weapon licenses, please click here.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.