Gloria Annette Sanspree
July 16, 2020
Mrs. Gloria Annette Sanspree, age 81, passed away on Sunday, July 12, 2020, at her home in Atmore, Alabama.
Mrs. Sanspree was a native of Mobile, AL; former resident of Choctow Beach, FL and had resided in Atmore, AL for the past 49 years. Mrs. Sanspree was a military wife serving many duty stations as she traveled around the country supporting her husband. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was a member of the West End Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Horry Daniel Sanspree; her mother and father, Ed and Gladys Brunson; grandson, LCpl. Travis Nelson USMC; son-in-law Scott Nelson; a great-granddaughter, Jenifer Elliott; and a sister, Bonnie Smith.
She is survived by her three daughters, Marty Sanspree of Atmore, AL, Debra Sanspree Fight of Atmore, AL, and Beckie Sanspree Nelson of Atmore, AL; two grandsons, Danny Elliott and Jason Elliott; one granddaughter, Anna Nelson; three great-grandchildren Michael, Jacob and Julius; and three nephews.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 15, 2020, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Mitch Herring officiating.
Burial was at the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Danny Elliott, Michael Ward, William Lovelace and Ronnie Stryker.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Statewide Mask Order Takes Effect Thursday In Alabama
July 15, 2020
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a statewide mask order.
Ivey’s order takes effect at 5 p.m. Thursday and requires people to wear a mask in public “when interacting within six feet” of people from different households.
The Alabama health order mandates masks must be worn in the following places:
- an indoor space open to the public
- a vehicle operated by a transportation service
- an outdoor space where 10 or more people are gathered.
The orders continues through at least July 31. That’s when Ivey’s current amended Safer at Home order is set to expire.
Ivey said the penalty for violating the order can be a $500 fine or jail time,. But she said the ultimate goal is for people to use masks, not for law enforcement to search for violations.
The governor’s office provided the following frequently asked questions:
1. When do I have to wear a mask?
You have to wear a mask when you are in public and in close contact with other people. Specifically, the order says to wear a mask when you are within six feet of a person from another household in any of the following places: (a) an indoor space open to the public; (b) a vehicle operated by a transportation service; and (c) an outdoor public space where ten or more people are gathered.
2. Do young children have to wear a mask? What about people who are exercising? In other words, are there any exceptions to the mask-wearing requirement?
There are five categories of exceptions. The largest category, exceptions for “practical necessity,” covers people or situations where mask use is incompatible with the realities of life—for example, children six or younger, people with certain medical conditions or disabilities, eating and drinking, medical and dental procedures, and so on. There are also categories of exceptions for exercise, for communicating with an audience, and for certain essential job functions. An additional category carves out narrow exceptions for protected activities like voting and religious worship— but even then, wearing a mask is strongly encouraged.
3. What kind of face mask is required?
The requirement allows all kinds of masks to be used—whether store-bought, homemade, or improvised from household items like scarves, bandanas, or t-shirts. The key is for the mask to cover your nostrils and mouth. For instructions on how to make your own mask, see the CDC’s “How to Make Cloth Face Coverings” page.
4. I live in a city or county that already has a local mask order. Am I supposed to follow my local order or this new statewide order?
Follow this new statewide order. While this order is in effect, it will replace all local mask rules to provide a uniform, statewide rule.
5. I am a business owner. What does this order mean for my business?
The order requires businesses to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to encourage mask use by employees and customers. One example of a reasonable step might be to post signs encouraging customers and patrons to wear a mask. Although a business is not required to deny entry to people who are mask-less, they always retain the right to do so—and doing so would certainly be a reasonable step to encourage mask use.
6. How long will the new mask requirement be in effect?
The new mask requirement goes into effect Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. It is currently set to expire on July 31, 2020.
Wednesday Report: Escambia Adds 262 Cases, One New COVID-19 Death
July 15, 2020
Escambia County had an increase of 262 new COVID-19 cases and one death reported on Wednesday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The death was a 63-year old male that was not a long-term care facility resident.
Escambia County cases increased to 4,745 and Santa Rosa cases were up by 111 to 1,523.
Of the 1,350 test results returned on Tuesday, 14.3% were positive in Escambia County and 14.7% were positive from 633 tests in Santa Rosa County. Over the past week, the average positivity rate for Escambia County is 12.2%.
As of Wednesday, there were 196 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Escambia County, according to the three local hospitals.
Of the 55 deaths in Escambia County, 39 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been 11 deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 301,810 cases including 297,876 Florida residents. There have been 18,881 hospitalizations* and 4,409 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
Total cases — 4,745 (+262 since Tuesday)
Non-Florida residents — 608
Pensacola — 3,632 (+194)
Cantonment — 325 (+17)
Molino— 58 (+7)
Century — 31 (+2)
McDavid — 17
Bellview — 8 (+1)
Walnut Hill — 6
Perdido Key — 4
Gonzalez — 1
Current hospitalizations: 196 (+1)
Deaths — 55 (+1)
Male — 1,863
Female — 2,226
Youngest — 0
Oldest — 105
Median Age — 36
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases — 1,523 (+111 since Tuesday)
Non-Florida residents — 10
Milton — 628 (+57)
Gulf Breeze — 296 (+14)
Navarre — 257 (+9)
Pace — 149 (+7)
Jay — 52 (+7)
Bagdad — 1
Cumulative Hospitalizations — 85* (+15)
Deaths — 11
Male — 734
Female — 755
Youngest — 2 months
Oldest — 101
Median Age — 34
Florida cases:
Total cases — 301,810
Florida residents — 297,876
Deaths — 4,521
Hospitalizations — 19/334*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
Pensacola City Council Votes To Remove Confederate Monument, Rename Lee Square
July 15, 2020
The Pensacola City Council voted Tuesday night to remove the Confederate monument from downtown Pensacola and change the name of Lee Square.
The council voted 6-1, with Councilman Andy Terhaar against, to relocate the monument. Terhaar instead wanted to make it more inclusive. The council also voted 7-0 to revert the name Lee Square back to its original name of Florida Square. Old maps show Florida Square was the original name of the parcel on North Palafox Street one block south of East Cervantes.
The monument won’t be coming down immediately; it will take the city some time to find a contractor to remove it to another location yet to be finalized. St. John’s Cemetery, which has numerous Confederate graves, is currently under consideration.
Tuesday night’s special council meeting went on for about five hours, with most of that time dedicated to public comment from both sides of the monument issue.
The Confederate monument at Lee Square will remain fenced off until it is removed; the area is now considered a construction zone.
Pictured: Pensacola City Council President Jewel Cannada-Wynn (top) and Mayor Grover Robinson (below) at a special meeting of the council Tuesday night. Pictured second below: Councilman P.C. Wu participated by video, as did Sherri Myers. Pictured bottom: The public was not allowed to attend the meeting in person, only remotely.
A Bottle Of Stolen ‘99 Peach’, A Knife And Cocaine Land Man In Jail
July 15, 2020
A local man is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing a bottle of “99 Peach” from a Century liquor store.
Aaron Keith Baxter, 33, was charged with retail theft, felony possession of cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $1,500.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Fusion liquor store at 9515 North Century Boulevard. The clerk showed deputies surveillance video recorded as Baxter took a $14.99 bottle of “99 Peach” from the shelf, placed it down his shorts, and walked out.
Deputies located Baxter and his red Dodge Neon parked at the Southern Pit Stop store on North Century Boulevard, south of the liquor store. According to an arrest report, Baxter was standing at the driver’s door of the vehicle in the same clothes he was wearing at the liquor store and a bottle of 99 Peach was in plain view. He was placed under arrest for retail theft.
As Baxter was searched, deputies located a zippered case containing a bag of cocaine in his front pants pocket and a 6-inch throwing knife in his back pocket, according to an arrest report. A meat cleaver was also located under the driver’s seat within easy reach, the report states.
Flomaton Police Seek Man That Stole Fan From Local Laundry
July 15, 2020
The Flomaton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find a man that stolen a fan from a local business.
The man appeared to be wearing jeans, a camouflage shirt, a white hat and a dark-color face covering as he walked out of laundry with the barrel fan.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811 and ask for Chief Thompson.
Don’t Forget It’s Tax Day. Federal Taxes Forms Are Due Today. Here’s How To Get An Extension.
July 15, 2020
Don’t forget…it’s tax day.
The federal income tax deadline was postponed until July 15 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taxpayers have through today to file an extension for their 2019 federal tax return. The extension gives taxpayers until October 15 to actually file, but taxes owed are due by today, July 15.
The July 15 due date generally applies to all taxpayers who have an income tax filing or payment deadline falling on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15, 2020. Taxpayers and tax professionals should continue to use electronic options. The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically. Doing so, whether through e-file or IRS Free File, reduces tax return errors, as the tax software does the calculations, flags common errors and prompts taxpayers for missing information. Free File Fillable Forms means there is a free option for everyone.
Here’s how to get an extension of time to file
Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline can request a filing extension to Oct. 15 in one of two ways:
- Filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using Free File on IRS.gov.
- Submitting an electronic payment with Direct Pay, Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by debit, credit card or digital wallet options and selecting Form 4868 or extension as the payment type. The automatic extension of time to file will process when taxpayers pay all or part of their taxes, electronically, by the July 15 due date.
Businesses that need additional time to file income tax returns must file Form 7004, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns.
Summer Pattern: Showers And Storms, Otherwise Hot And Humid
July 15, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Florida Sexual Predator Charged With Sex Crime Against Atmore Teen
July 15, 2020
A convicted Florida sexual predator has been charged with a sex crime against a minor in Atmore.
Ernest Powell III, age 40, is charged with transmitting obscene material to a child by computer. He remained in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton bond set at a half million dollars.
According to the Atmore Police Department, the parents of a 15-year old girl reported Powell showed the girl sexaully explicit photos from a cellphone while she was working at a local business.
Powell was convicted in 2002 of sexual battery with a weapon or force in Escambia County. He was released from a Florida prison in April 2018 after serving a 20 year sentence and required to register as a sexual predator.
Editor’s note: The “Inmate” watermark on the picture was placed by Escambia County (AL) Detention Center’s system.
Escambia County Seeks Volunteer For Disability Awareness Committee
July 15, 2020
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking District 2 and District 3 county residents interested in volunteering for an appointment to the Escambia County Disability Awareness Committee, which was established by the board in 2013.
Escambia County residents interested in serving on the committee are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve by the close of business Friday, July 16. Letters and resumes should be submitted to Shamara Jernigan, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1591, Pensacola, FL 32502, or emailed to BoardApply@myescambia.com.
Resumes submitted for consideration are subject to public records requests and are included in Escambia County Commission meeting information, including the agenda and official meeting minutes.
The purpose of the committee is to make recommendations to the board of county commissioners regarding issues relating to the disabled community and any other issues requested by the board. The committee is composed of seven voting members, and all members of the committee must be electors of Escambia County. Each commissioner on the board of county commissioners appoints one member to the committee, and each member serves concurrently with his or her appointing commissioner’s term. The board collectively appoints two at-large members, who each serve a four-year term.
There are four meetings scheduled each year on the third Wednesday of the month. Meetings begin at 3 p.m. and typically last until 5 p.m. Special meetings may be scheduled if needed. There is no travel required.