Go Chiefs, Go! Community Pep Rally Held For Northview Chiefs, NWE Chiefs
November 19, 2021
Hundreds of people turned out Thursday night for a community Chiefs pep rally for the Northview Chiefs and the Northwest Escambia Chiefs.
The pep rally at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill was for the Northview Chiefs as they travel to Baker Friday night for the regional semifinals and the NWE Chiefs as they work to bring home an Escambia River Conference league championship in all four age divisions Saturday in Andalusia. The NWE cheerleaders will also be competing in the ERC cheer championships.
“I’d like to have each and every person from this community at Baker Friday night,” Northview head football coach Wes Summerford told the crowd, “and make Baker’s stadium our stadium. I can tell you our players have worked extremely hard, and we are as prepared as ever to bring back that big dream over Baker Friday night. I told them to look forward to round number three.”
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Clear And Cold Tonight
November 19, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 70. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. East wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph after midnight.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 30. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Thanksgiving Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.
Fallen Escambia Fire Chief Dwain Bradshaw’s Name Added To Florida Memorial
November 19, 2021
Fallen Escambia County Assistant District Chief Dwain Bradshaw was honored Thursday at the Florida Fallen Fallen Firefighter Memorial at the Florida State Fire College in Ocala.
Bradshaw was recognized as a line of duty death on November 6, 2019, from a motor vehicle accident.
Bradshaw, 41, lost his life during the early morning hours of November 2019 in the line of duty on scene of a fatal crash on the Muscogee Bridge. He was a volunteer district chief at the Bellview Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, volunteer assistant district chief for the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, and lived a life of public service.
Bradshaw was also a Department of Defense firefighter at Naval Air Station Pensacola, an U.S. Army veteran, a member of the Mississippi Air National Guard and a former police officer in Bay Minette.
Members of Escambia County Fire Rescue and ECFR Honor Guard represented the department during the ceremony in Ocala.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Signs Bills Preventing Vaccine Mandates For Businesses, Schools In Florida
November 19, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that he says will protect Floridians from losing their jobs due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and protect parents’ rights to make healthcare decisions for students.
The bills were passed this week during a special session of the Florida Legislature and were effective upon the governor’s signature.
Now effective in Florida:
- Private Employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates are prohibited.
- Employees can choose from numerous exemptions, including but not limited to, health or religious concerns; pregnancy or anticipated future pregnancy; and past recovery from COVID-19.
- Employees can choose to opt for periodic testing or PPE as an exemption.
- Employers must cover the costs of testing and PPE exemptions for employees.
- Employers who violate these employee health protections will be fined.
- Small businesses (99 employees or less) will face $10,000 per employee violation.
- Medium and big businesses will face $50,000 per employee violation.
- Government entities may not require COVID-19 vaccinations of anyone, including employees.
- Educational institutions may not require students to be COVID-19 vaccinated.
- School districts may not have school face mask policies.
- School districts may not quarantine healthy students.
- Students and parents may sue violating school districts and recover costs and attorney’s fees.
“I told Floridians that we would protect their jobs and today we made that the law,” DeSantis said. “Nobody should lose their job due to heavy-handed COVID mandates and we had a responsibility to protect the livelihoods of the people of Florida. I’m thankful to the Florida Legislature for joining me in standing up for freedom.”
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs legislation against vaccine mandates in the state Thursday in Brandon, Florida. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here Is Tonight’s High School Football Playoff Schedule
November 19, 2021
Here is tonight’s North Escambia area high school football playoff schedule:
FLORIDA
1A Regional Semifinal
- Northview (6-4) at Baker (6-2), 7:30 p.m.
5A Regional Semifinal
- West Florida (9-1) at Baker County (9-2), 7:30 p.m. (EST)
6A Regional Semifinal
- Riverside (10-1) at Pine Forest (9-1), 7:30 p.m.
ALABAMA
AHSAA 3A Quarterfinals
- T.R. Miller (10-2) at Montgomery Academy (10-3), 7 p.m.
AISA Class AA State Championship
- Escambia Academy (11-1) vs. Autauga (12-0), 3:30 p.m. Cramtom Bowl, Montgomery
Pictured: Northview beat Bozeman 27-21 in round one last Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Brewton Sweeps Two From Ernest Ward Middle Basketball (With Gallery)
November 19, 2021
The Brewton Middle School Tigers swept two from the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles Thursday night in Walnut Hill.
In girls action, BMS won 42-20, and the Brewton boys defeated the Eagles 54-12.
Boys game photo gallery, click or tap here.
Girls game photo gallery, click or tap here.
After the Thanksgiving break, the EWMS boys will travel to Pollard McCall at 5:30 p.m. on November 29. Both the Ernest Ward boys and girls will be in action at home against Flomaton beginning at 5:30 p.m. on November 30.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Eugene Emil Gabbert
November 19, 2021
Eugene Emil Gabbert
By wife, Brenda Joyce Gabbert
Gene lost his fight to stay here with us on earth, but he won the entrance through the Holy Gates of Heaven. He passed on to his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. We are members of Immanuel Lutheran Church, downtown Pensacola, but the visitation will be held at Cora Baptist Church at 1:00 PM and the service will begin at 2:00 PM; and burial will follow in the church community cemetery. Cora Baptist Church is located at 12953 Chumuckla Highway (197) Jay, FL.
I was fortunate to have spent 61 years of marriage to the most wonderful man and the most loving father to our daughters, Amanda (Mandy) Lynn (Tony) Simmons and Melissa Caroline Gabbert (deceased).
Gene was born on September 11, 1937 to Emil and Rosa Gabbert (deceased). His family lived on a 160-acre farm, in Howard Lake Minnesota with his parents and his three sisters, Joyce (Helmuth) Schmidt (deceased), Donna (Rodney) Anderson and Doreen (Sam) Merrill. Gene loved living on his family farm, as he did on ours her on Pine Level church Road, Jay, FL.
Gene joined the U.S. Air Force when he was nineteen and served 4 years of active duty and 2 years in Reserve. We were married on August 21, 1960, after I graduated from Bay High School, Panama City, FL; while Gene was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base. After he received his Honorable Discharge, he worked for General Dynamics for a while. He then worked for a private telephone company in Hutchinson, MN; until he got the job he wanted with Western Electric, making supervisor. After that, he went to work with Southern Bell and made supervisor there also. He then decided to become a John Deere Dealer, in Jay, FL. We opened our dealership in September of 1975; moving to Jay, FL; from Cantonment, FL; in January, 1977. We were dealers for 11 years. Gene worked for dealerships as a salesman for a while, and he was still farming. He then decided to retire from outside jobs to work from his home shop, repairing farm tractors and equipment. He loved restoring old 2- cylinder tractors, wagons, and other farm equipment.
Gene was proud when we received the U.S. congressional Award for sponsoring and hosting the Peanut Festival on our Farm, the first Saturday in October, every year. We thank Jeff Miller, who was our congressman in 2014. I also won the “Spirit of Santa Rosa County” that year, given to me, from the SRC Chamber of Commerce for our involvement in the community.
There was not much that Gene could not build, repair, or maintain. He built everything on our farm with his own two hands. He was a good man with a loving heart and soul.
Active pallbearers will be Shawn Jarrell, Stephen Jones, Jerod Jones, Jerry Jones, Tanner Laney, and Levi Findley.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Salem Saloom, Dr. Eduardo Puente, Tom Banjanin, Bob Barkley, and Arlan Shelly.
Rev. Matthew Dobson, Rev. Jim Lassiter and others will speak. There will be music and songs.
Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC. Atmore, AL. is in charge of all arrangements
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mr. Eugene Emil Gabbert please visit our Sympathy Store.
Gladine Elizabeth McMillian
November 19, 2021
Gladine Elizabeth McMillian was born on April 21, 1941 and passed on November 18, 2021 at the age of 80. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thelton Lewis McMillian, Sr., and her parents, Marlvin and Elizabeth Boyd Gay. Gladine is survived by her five children, Cindy McMillian Haas (Billy), Karen Gundersen, Dwight McMillian (Terri), Kenneth Gundersen, and Thelton McMillian, Jr. (Christy); 13 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home in the Florida Room at 2:00PM. The family will receive friends from 1:00PM to 2:00PM prior to the service. Burial will be held in Barrancas National Cemetery on Tuesday November 23, 2021 at 9:00AM. A procession will leave Olive Baptist Church Campus at Warrington at 8:30AM.
In lieu of flowers please donate to American Humane Society or your favorite dog charity.
Faith-Based Pregnancy Resource Center Opens In Century
November 18, 2021
A new faith-based pregnancy resource center is now open in Century.
The Life Options Clinic provides pregnancy support, resources, and information for women and their families free of charge to anyone. The center is located in a county-owned building at 511 Church Street.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“Who we are, and what we do, is help families. That is what we do,” Life Options Clinic Executive Director Cindy Roberts said before a ribbon cutting Wednesday. .”We want to strengthen the family. We want to encourage the families so that they can come in.”
“We are a faith-based pro-life organization that everything that we present is done in love and grace and kindness, never judgment, or condemnation,” Roberts (pictured left) continued. “We are not here to force a girl to change her mind. We are here to inform her, and she’s going to make whatever choice she has to make. But if they choose to keep their baby, we come along beside them and walk with them on that journey.”
The Life Options Clinic offers pregnancy tests and ultrasounds (currently at their Milton locations but coming soon to Century). They make referrals for medical care, adoption information, housing, education, job searches and financial aid. The clinic also holds classes on topics including prenatal, nutrition, child safety, parenting, financial planning, other life skills and Bible students.
Clients that take part in the classes earn “baby bucks” that can be used in the clinic’s in-house baby store for baby and maternity clothing, toys, diapers, baby furniture and more. Baby formula and food are available without the use of “baby bucks”.
All of the Life Options Clinic services are free of charge and confidential, Roberts said.
The non-profit volunteer organization is donor supported, receiving support from numerous churches, community organizations and businesses. In addition to financial donations, the Life Options Clinic accepts donations of baby diapers and new or gently used clothing through size 2T.
The Life Options Clinic in Century is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, call (850) 904-3344.
Escambia County entered into a three-year lease with Life Options Clinic for the Church Street Property at $1 per year. There is an option to renew for two additional two-year terms. Life Options must pay for routine maintenance and utilities; Escambia County will take care of major repairs to the building and systems such as HVAC, plumbing and electrical.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Employees Soon To Receive $1,000 For Pandemic Work – Except Teachers And Principals
November 18, 2021
Current Escambia County School District employees that worked during the last school year will soon receive an extra $1,000 — except for classroom teachers and principals.
Teachers and principals in the Florida previously received a $1,000 bonus from the state for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the Escambia County School Board has approved $1,000 for other administrative, professional, instructional and educational support personnel that worked during the 2020-2021 school year, as long as they are still employed by the district.
“The School Board Members and I are so appreciative of the hard work and dedication exhibited by district employees during this most difficult of times. This is one of the ways we can communicate to everyone their commitment has not gone unnoticed, and we are grateful for their perseverance,” Superintendent Tim Smith stated. “It is our goal for the District to issue these payments before the close of the 2021 calendar year.”
To receive the $1,000 initiative payment, employees must have been actively employed on or before June 2, 2021, and be currently employed at the time payment is made.