Century Charter Review Committee Application Deadline Is Thursday
March 1, 2021
Century seeking volunteers to help rewrite the town’s charter, and the deadline to apply is Thursday.
The previously appointed 11-member Century Charter Review Committee is now down to just six people.
The Century Town Council appointed the committee in August 2019 to explore the town charter — the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The charter has not been updated in almost 40 years, and that often creates problems in the operation of the town.
The committee held their first meeting in October 2019, two months after it was established. The early meetings were spent learning about the Sunshine Law, orderly meetings and background information. Most of the discussion at the committee’s sporadic meetings then centered around one central topic — the form of government and the possible addition of a permanent city manager.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed regular meetings for the charter committee and any chance of moving forward in 2020, preventing any charter change from making the ballot.
The Century Town Council is accepting applications for volunteers for their Charter Review Committee until March 4, 2021. All applicants must reside with the town limits.
To download an application, click or tap here. Applications are also available at the Century Town Hall.
Pictured top: Century Charter Review Committee Chairperson Mary Hudson Bourgeois (right) and member Evelyn Hammond at a 2019 meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Rain Through Tuesday Night; Then Turning Colder
March 1, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 53. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 60. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers between midnight and 3am. Low around 47. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59. North wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 66. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 64.
Florida Gas Prices Average Highest Since July 2019, AAA Says
March 1, 2021
February was the most expensive month at the pump in Florida since July 2019, according to AAA. Throughout the month, gas prices increased an average total of 24 cents per gallon.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $2.61 per gallon.
In Escambia County, the average price per gallon was $2.65. The lowest North Escambia price to be found Sunday night was $2.55 at stations on Highway 29 and on Muscogee Road. A low of $2.54 could be found at several Pensacola area stations.
“Last month’s jump at the pump was largely driven by refinery issues — caused by arctic weather in Texas,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA — The Auto Club Group. “Other factors were tightening global fuel supplies and continued optimism that the COVID-19 vaccine and stimulus money would help boost fuel demand. Drivers should expect continued volatility at the pump in the coming months as refineries enter maintenance season and prepare to switch to summer gasoline.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Reports 52 New COVID-19 Cases, No New Deaths
March 1, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 52 new COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths in Escambia County as reported Sunday by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,681 (+52)
Non-Florida residents: 3,485
Recovered: 30,836*
Total deaths: 629
Long-term care facility deaths: 266
Current hospitalizations: 72 (-15)
Number of tests reported last day: 931
Percent positive reported last day: 4.7%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.0%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 25,099 (+43)
Cantonment: 3,040 (+4)
Century: 1,142
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 475
McDavid: 199
Bellview: 56
Walnut Hill: 51
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 12
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,108 (+50)
Non-Florida residents: 214
Total deaths: 262
Long-term care facility deaths: 78
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 790*
Number of tests reported last day: 357
Percent positive reported last day: 12.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,184 (+27)
Navarre: 3,507 (+15)
Gulf Breeze: 3,189 (+4)
Pace: 1,358 (+3)
Jay: 525
Bagdad: 31
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,909,221
Florida residents: 1,874,154
Deaths: 30,852
Hospitalizations: 79,344*
*“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. Most of these people are longer be 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.
**On cases by location, the city is based upon zip code and is not always received as part of the initial notification. There may be a delay in reporting locations, and locations will not total the daily case increase as a result.
***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 is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered by Escambia County.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Darwyn Keith Owens
March 1, 2021
Darwyn Keith Owens, age 64, of Cantonment, FL was born on May 21, 1956, at NAS Pensacola to the late Dale Owens and Shirley Hayes. He was a graduate of J.M. Tate High School and retired from Veolia North America.
Mr. Owens is survived by his wife of 45 years, Judith (Judy) Owens; daughter, Melissa (Dale) Gill; grandsons, Wesley Curtis, Brandon Curtis, and Junior Gill; granddaughter, Angel Gill; sisters, Cathy (Nathan) Burns and Myra McCormick; step-grandchildren, Roger and Courtnee Gill; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He loved fishing, collecting knives, gaming, and spoiling his family.
A celebration of Darwyn’s life will be held later for family and friends. He will live on in our hearts and memories.
Edward E. McFarland
March 1, 2021
Edward E. (Ed) McFarland, 88, of Pensacola Florida, passed away unexpectedly on February 24th after a brief illness. He was surrounded by friends and family.
Ed was born May 21, 1932, in Burlington Junction, Missouri to Harry and Lucy McFarland. On Christmas Eve 1951, Ed and a few buddies, as a group, enlisted into the US Navy where he served honorably until 1971. These same men remained lifelong friends.
In 1956 Ed met and married Darlene, the love of his life. They were married for 49 years. Together they raised two children. After his retirement, Ed and Darlene both became Real Estate brokers and owned American Properties many years. As a talented businessman as well as a skilled craftsman and builder he remained active after retirement. He obtained a Machinist Degree and became a gunsmith. Later, he contracted the building of his retirement home where many family memories were made.
He was a faithful member of the Pace Church of Christ family. He volunteered his time to maintain the grounds there weekly until he was well into his eighties. He called it “working for God”.
He is survived by his sister, Norma Hughes, his children, Michael McFarland and Marlynn West; grandchildren, Jeanette Baker, James Johns, Jessica Glisson and Ryan McFarland; and four great-grandchildren.
Above all, he will be remembered as a loving and loyal patriarch. His home was a mecca to his family, filled with music and laughter and storytelling on the back porch. He will be forever missed.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday, March 6, 2021, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Pastor David West officiating.
Family will receive friends at 1 p.m. prior to services.
Private burial be in Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola, Florida.
Andrea Cumbie Boutwell
March 1, 2021
Mrs. Andrea Cumbie Boutwell, age 49, passed away on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at her home in Flomaton, Alabama.
Mrs. Boutwell was a native of Fairhope, AL and had resided in Flomaton, AL for most of her life. She loved her husband, children and grandchildren. She was a retired school bus driver with the Escambia County Alabama School Board with 21 years of service and was on the Board of Trustee with Traveler’s Rest Cemetery. She was of the Baptist Faith. She is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Ila Faye Cumbie and numerous aunts, uncles, other relatives and many friends.
She is survived by her husband of 19 years, Phillip D. Boutwell of Flomaton, AL; one daughter, Shea LeAnn (Aaron) Beasley of Flomaton, AL and two grandchildren, Mason Keith Baxter and Zoey LeAnn-Faye Baxter both of Flomaton, AL.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 2:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Greg Harris officiating.
Burial will follow at Traveler’s Rest Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, March 3, 2021 from 12:30 PM until service time at 2:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Whitney Cross, Anthony Boutwell, Scott Boutwell, Jamie Boutwell, Dustin Boutwell and Richie Thomas.
Honorary Pallbearer will be Scotty Stewart and Wayne Sullivan.