Haas Holds Century Focus Group Sessions, Online Survey Available
August 14, 2019
The University of West Florida Haas Center held focus group sessions Tuesday to survey Century area residents on community goods and services needed in the area, and an online version of the survey still available for those that missed the sessions.
The survey will be open through the end of the week at Haas.uwf.edu/CenturySurvey.
The survey is part of a $24,500 marketing study funding by the Escambia County Commission.
‘200 Years Of Forgotten Alabama’ Author To Present Program Thursday
August 14, 2019
Alabama photographer Glenn Wills will bring his Forgotten Alabama Bicentennial Book Tour to the Flomaton Library on Thursday.
He will give a 45-minute presentation from his newest book “200 Years of Forgotten Alabama” at 6 p.m. at the library. The book features photographs of abandoned structures from all 67 of Alabama’s counties.
“This is the book I always wanted to do. 200 Years of Forgotten Alabama is, by far, the best, most comprehensive endeavor I’ve ever attempted. All 67 counties. 50,000 miles and thousands of hours have all culminated to this,” Wills said on his website. “I came to appreciate our forgotten past. I have traveled the entire state documenting Alabama’s forgotten and abandoned structures that still exist. I’ve taken many of these images and made a multimedia presentation about my journey.
“To see life frozen in time. A mere fraction of a second from an earlier time captured for all eternity. I realized how much I enjoyed seeing photos from the past. While I could not go back in time and recreate the photos, I could still find the remnants of what was. One day all these things will be gone and I felt it an obligation to find and document them the best way I knew how. Through pictures.”
Wills has two other books – Forgotten Alabama and Forgotten Alabama 2. A set of all three autographed books will be given away at the Flomaton Library event. Admission is free, and the program is for all ages.
Norma Jean Gilmore Wilson
August 14, 2019
Norma Jean Gilmore Wilson
The world lost the sweetest, most beautiful woman on August 12, 2019 and heaven gained a wonderful angel. Norma Gilmore Wilson was born on February 3, 1931 in Munson, Florida to the late Noah Gillis Paulk and Virginia Alice Peaden Paulk. She was a devout Christian and lived her life for the Lord. She was a longtime member of Hillcrest Baptist Church (since 1964) and truly loved her church family. She loved people and never met a stranger. Norma Jean was a member of the Holiday Rambler RV club and enjoyed traveling. Norma Jean and first husband James Gilmore together founded Gilmore Moving and Storage Company. She was never seen without a smile and was loved by everyone that met her. She will truly be missed by her family and those that knew her.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, James W. Gilmore and Joseph L. Hubbird; parents; brothers, Willie D. Paulk and Gillis Paulk; sisters, Lillie Belle Gilmore and Mildred Stokes; and granddaughter, Rebecca June Smithee.
Norma Jean leaves behind her loving husband, James C. Wilson; brother, Jack Paulk; three beautiful children, Belinda G. (Steve) Hernandez, Ronnie (Debbie) Gilmore, and Karen G. (Richard) Schrock; seven grandchildren, Jaime Moreau, Shane Schrock, Steven Hernandez, II, Marc (Nikki) Hernandez, Scott (Audrey) Hernandez, Lucas (Holly) Gilmore, and Jacob (Carla) Gilmore; seventeen great grandchildren and many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2019 at Hillcrest Baptist Church with Pastor Pat Mobley and Bro. Lee Carnley officiating. The family will receives friends 10:00 a.m. prior to services.
Burial will be held in Bayview Memorial Park Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Florida Baptist Disaster Relief at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Joan Beatrice Simonds
August 14, 2019
Mrs. Joan Beatrice Simonds, age 76, passed away Sunday, August 11, 2019, in Atmore, Alabama.
Mrs. Simonds was a native and former resident of Washington, D.C., former resident of Ocala, FL and had resided in Flomaton, AL for the past 3 ½ years. She was career Army serving in the Vietnam Conflict, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, retiring as a chief Warrant Officer (CW04) with over 30 years of service. She was the Catholic Faith. She is preceded in death by her parents, David and Mazie Elizabeth Canter and husband, Robert L. Simonds.
She is survived by her son, Bruce Simonds of Florida; one nephew, Eric Bryant of Ft. Payne, AL; two nieces, Pamela (Jeff) Shrewsbury of Flomaton, AL and Lisa Godwin of Damascus, AL and one sister, Mazie Bryant of Ft. Payne, AL.
Memorial services will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery at a later date.
Century Left Without Power For Hours Tuesday
August 13, 2019
Gulf Power says an equipment problem led to an outage that left the entire town of Century and a small surrounding area without power for hours Tuesday, one of the hottest days of the year.
Gulf Power spokesperson Kimberly Blair said the outage was due to an equipment failure at a power substation in Century. That left about 900 Gulf Power customers without power for over three hours.
Small Plane Crashes In North Santa Rosa County
August 13, 2019
FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS STORY, CLICK HERE.
Previous story:
A small plane crashed in Santa Rosa County north of Highway 4 near the Escambia River Tuesday afternoon, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The single engine plane went down about 1 p.m. in a remote area along the river near the end of Oil Plant Road in Jay, according to Sgt. Rich Aloy.
The pilot was airlifted to a local hospital as a trauma alert. Due to the remote area of the crash, the pilot was airlifted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.
The pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft.
The Jay, Allentown and Berrydale fire departments were among those that responded to the crash scene.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Log Truck Crashes And Burns Near AL-FL State Line
August 13, 2019
An 18-wheel log truck crashed and burned Monday night near the Alabama-Florida state line.
The crash occurred on Highway 112 in Baldwin County, just across the Perdido River from Muscogee Road in Escambia County.
The driver reportedly suffered on minor injuries, but the truck was completely destroyed.
The Cantonment and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were first on the scene, and they were assisted by Gateswood and other Alabama agencies.
Photos by Dalton Young for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Year Starts With Only Nine Escambia District Armed Campus Security Officers
August 13, 2019
The school year Monday started with fewer members of the Escambia County School District’s armed campus security officers (CSOs) than had been anticipated, but every school in the county had armed security on campus Monday, according to Superintendent Malcolm Thomas
Thomas said 18 people took part in the first CSO class, but only nine were certified before school started. Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputies and Pensacola Police Officers made up the difference on Monday to cover all campuses. The school district had expected to have 20 new CSOs ready for the first day of school.
“I was a little surprised. We lost some (that did not qualify) on the firing range, but several were out in the active shooter simulations. You have to engage; you can’t freeze,” Thomas said. “They are expected to engage. That’s really what they are hired for.”
Several of those hired were retired military or had previous law enforcement experience. “They are not afraid to charge,” Thomas said.
Another 14 CSO candidates begin training this week, and the superintendent said he hopes 10 or more of those are certified. Ultimately, he wants a force of about 35 campus security officers.
Applications are processed through the Escambia County School District, but the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for training to include a background screening, psychological evaluation and polygraph test. Applicants are required to successfully complete 150 hours (approximately 2 months) of training. Participants are paid during the training. Those selected will have a starting salary at $30,600, plus benefits, for a 10 month position.
Funding for ongoing salaries of the CSOs will come from dedicated “Safe Schools Categorical” funding which is separate from instructional or teacher salary funding. The district will not hire more CSOs than it can afford under this separate funding mechanism, and the district will not be arming teachers.
Otherwise, the first day of school was generally smooth in Escambia County, Thomas said. “We ended strong last year, and we look to sustain that level and build on it this year.”
“Attendance was good, and students and teachers were in good spirits. Busses were generally one time, but several car rider lines were long.”
“It’s been a pretty good first day of school,” Thomas said.
Pictured: The first day of school on Monday at Byrneville Elementary School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Heat Advisory Again Wednesday
August 13, 2019
A heat advisory is in effect again Wednesday with heat index values of 106-112 degrees, but storms will likely bring heat relief in the afternoon or early evening.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Rest Of Tonight: Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 70s. Southwest winds up to 5 mph in the evening becoming light.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds up to 5 mph shifting to the south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 70 percent. Heat index readings around 112.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the mid 70s. North winds up to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
Thursday: Partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. North winds up to 5 mph shifting to the east around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 50 percent. Heat index readings around 107.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds up to 5 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Friday: Mostly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Saturday: Mostly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Sunday: Mostly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.
Monday: Partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
Tuesday: Partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs around 90. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Roads, Bridges And Speed Limits: Barry Holds Walnut Hill Town Hall
August 13, 2019
About three dozen people attended a town hall meeting late Monday afternoon with Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry at the Walnut Hill Community Center.
Topics of discussion during the open forum included roads, bridges, parks and speed limits.
Barry said a replacement bridge on Bratt Road over Canoe Creek is about 90 percent complete and is expected to wrap up by the end of September, and a new bridge on Hanks Road is about 35 percent complete. Both are located on county roads but are Florida Department of Transportation projects.
Bratt resident Steve Hanks inquired about the status of a dirt road paving project for Ashcraft Road. Barry said engineering plans should be completed by the end of the year, with the project put out to bid in early 2020.
Local resident Ernestine Hudson (pictured inset) expressed concerns about the speed limit that varies from 45 to 55 mph on Highway 164. She told Barry she would like to see the entire road at 55 mph.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
