Shelmerdene Pruett Folsom
May 2, 2021
Mrs. Shelmerdene Pruett Folsom, age 89 of Loxley, AL, formerly of Flomaton, AL, passed away on Tuesday, April, 27, 2021 at the home of Kenny and Sharon Folsom in Loxley. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years John Lewis Folsom, Sr and her brother, Gerald W. Pruett.
Mrs. Folsom was a native of Uniontown, AL, and a member of the Flomaton community for 60 years. She was a dedicated educator for 30 years in the state of Alabama with the majority of her years at Flomaton High School teaching senior English, serving as school librarian, and advisor for the yearbook. Community involvements include singing in the choir at Flomaton First Baptist Church, an active member of the Research Club, and an officer on the Library Board where she was instrumental in raising funds for the construction of a new public library building in downtown Flomaton. In their early retirement years Mr. and Mrs. Folsom were very active in Campers on Missions. In 2007 the Town of Flomaton honored John and Shelmerdene as Citizens of the Year.
Mrs. Folsom is survived by sister, Luverne Ratliff of Demopolis, AL; brother, Eddie Pruett of Uniontown, AL; sons, John L. (Betty Ann) Folsom, Jr of Columbus, MS; Michael T. (Rita) Folsom of Clayton, NC; Kenneth L. (Sharon) Folsom of Loxley, AL; Stephen Christopher (Tina) Folsom, of Helena, AL; thirteen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at Flomaton First Baptist Church with Rev. Earl Lee officiating. Interment will follow at Flomaton Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton First Baptist Church on Saturday from 1:00 P.M. until service time at 2:00 P.M.
Pallbearers: Ken Folsom, Austin Folsom, Carter Folsom, Bryan Gross, Chris Morrow, and Joey Braswell.
Honorary Pallbearers: Craig Aarhus, Wes Buchta, Pat Donnelly, Jeff Craven.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Flomaton Public Library or to Fervent Fire Ministries at https://www.ferventfire.org
A Mom Remembers Her Daughter As Search Continues For Molino Woman’s Killer
May 1, 2021
“You left us too soon. Not by fault of your own. Caught unsuspecting, while jogging alone. Wickedness consumed him and a heart full of rage felled you, silenced you, sent you to your grave.”
Those are the words of Sue Brown as she remembered the murder of her daughter Anna Louise Brown. Friday marked four years since Anna was found shot and killed on Gibson Road off Crabtree Church Road in Molino. Her family is hoping for closure and the arrest of a suspect.
Brown, 38, was pronounced deceased at the scene; her body was discovered face down by the roadway.
Investigators believe the murder was not a random act of violence, and they believe Brown knew the person that killed her. No suspect has been named by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“We mourn you, we miss you, tears readily fall. Shared secrets we have but not really, not at all. Hearts of hope have we, to see you in the Great Halls,” Brown continued in a poem she penned in her daughter’s memory. “One day, with rejoicing we’ll see you in heaven, for all eternity.”
When Anna joined a class at Hamilton Baptist Church in Robertsdale before her death, she as asked to write down something about her life.
“I am … doing life as a working, blessed Mom of two amazing children,” Anna wrote. “I love being a mom! There are moments and days and situations that are tough and rough and painful and challenging and hard; but the joy of loving and having the privilege to nurture and teach my kids is a gift. I know they are each God’s first, and that helps me worry less when they are away,” Anna wrote. “I work as a Physical Therapist Assistant … I love doing therapy!”
She continued, “I have a great family. I have wonderful parents and I have a growing relationship with my Creator, my Lord, my salvation, my strength, provider, comforter and friend. With my natural family and my church family, I am never alone or separated. I receive love and support and physical, tangible help when it’s needed. That support and encouragement makes single parenting not so single! Yay!”
Anyone with information on the murder is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Below: NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sunny And Warm Saturday, Good Rain Chance Sunday Through Wednesday
May 1, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Nine Mile Road Traffic Shifted Between Allegheny And Navy Federal Way
May 1, 2021
The Nine Mile Road westbound travel lanes, between Allegheny Avenue and Navy Federal Way, were shifted to the newly constructed westbound lanes by Friday morning.
The section between Security Place and Navy Federal Way remains one lane westbound to provide a safe area for crews to construct the remaining median work.
In the first photo shows drivers using the new outside westbound lane between Security Place and Navy Federal Way.
The photo below shows traffic using both westbound lanes opened between the new Beulah Middle School and Security Place. Eastbound traffic will remain in one lane as the remaining median work is completed.
This traffic shift allows crews to complete the new median and inside eastbound left turn lanes.
Traffic is expected to remain in this configuration until this summer.
The work is part of a $46 million effort to widen and improve Nine Mile Road from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road. Once completed, the project will enhance safety, improve mobility, and reduce congestion for the estimated 19,000 drivers who travel the roadway daily.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winning $112K Fantasy Five Ticket Sold On Pine Forest Road
May 1, 2021
Someone is over $112,000 richer this morning after purchasing a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket at a Pine Forest Road convenience store.
The ticket sold at the Raceway on Pine Forest Road near I-10 was one of two winning tickets sold for Friday night’s drawing and is worth $112,367.87. The other winning ticket was sold in Tampa.
The 318 tickets matching four numbers won $113.50 each. Another 10,172 tickets matching three numbers are worth $9.50 each, and 98,998 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
Tuesday’s winning numbers were 05-15-17-21-36.
Female And Young Child Injured In Oak Grove Wreck
May 1, 2021
A female driver and a young child were injured in a single vehicle wreck Friday in Oak Grove.
The crash happened on North Highway 99 at the Oak Grove Cemetery when she lost control of a pickup truck and ran off the roadway.
The female and the 4-year old were transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS. Their injuries were not considered serious.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released any more information. Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
May 1, 2021
Tate High School recently named students of the month.
For February, the students of the month were Tucker Philley and Brianna Deason (pictured below).
For March, the students of the month were Caleb Strickland and Shelby Lollie (pictured above).
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County High School Mourns Loss Of Coach
May 1, 2021
The Atmore community is mourning the loss of a beloved coach.
Escambia County High School Boys basketball coach John Shears, 44, has passed away at his Mobile home. He was also an offensive coordinator for the Blue Devils football team and a physical education teacher.
“Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all who loved him,” the school said in a statement. “Rest in Heaven Coach Shears.”
Counselors have been made available to ECHS students.
Funeral services have not yet been announced.
FDOH Reports 39 Additional Escambia COVID-19 Cases
May 1, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were another 39 COVID-19 cases reported Friday in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 35,929 (+39)
Non-Florida residents: 3,676
Recovered: 33,241*
Total deaths: 678
Long-term care facility deaths: 282
Current hospitalizations: 26 (-3)
Number of tests reported last day: 741
Percent positive reported last day: 6.8%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.5%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,900 (+32)
Cantonment: 3,220 (+3)
Century: 1,176
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 493 (+3)
McDavid: 212
Bellview: 58
Walnut Hill: 55
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 18,141 (+13)
Non-Florida residents: 248
Total deaths: 285 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 82
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 895*
Number of tests reported last day: 439
Percent positive reported last day: 3.5%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,656 (+4)
Navarre: 3,743 (+3)
Gulf Breeze: 3,346 (+4)
Pace: 1,470 (+1)
Jay: 550
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,233,518
Florida residents: 2,191,695
Deaths: 35,161
Hospitalizations: 90,489
*“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.