Vickie A. Boyette
November 24, 2023
Vickie A. Boyette, age 66, of Atmore, AL passed away on November 12, 2023. She was born on September 13, 1957 in Eustis, FL. She was a member of the Church of the Living God in Atmore. She was a school bus driver with the Escambia County Alabama School System for eleven years. She is preceded in death by her parents, Elisha Edward Gay, Jr. and Lillian Odell Gay; her grandson, Griffin Parker Boyette and her sister, Voncile Burkett.
She is survived by her husband of over 48 years, Daniel Boyette of Atmore, AL; her son, Mitchell (Amanda) Boyette of Saraland, AL; her brother, Charles Cole of Pensacola, FL; her sisters, Kim Reents of Pensacola, FL, Lydia Fleming of Pensacola, FL and Trudy
Wilson of Milton, FL and her grandchildren, Peyton Boyette and Adaline Boyette. Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Johnson- Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Earl Harrison officiating. Interment will follow
in Serenity Gardens in Atmore, AL.
Active pallbearers will be Donnie Macks, Terry Godwin, Deanna Macks, Brandon Stophel, Justin Morse and Brianna Pearson.
Visitation will be held Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Waterfront Rescue Serves 2,000 Thanksgiving Meals
November 23, 2023
Volunteeers at the Waterfront Rescue Mission served about 2,000 meals on Thanksgiving to those in need.
Over 100 volunteers helped out.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Tate Showband Members March In Macy’s Parade
November 23, 2023
Two Tate High School Showband of the South members marched in Thursday’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Leslye Hardnack on the clarinet and Jax Hardnack on the Mellophone marched with the 2023 Macys Great American Marching Band.
Partly Sunny, About 60 For Friday
November 23, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Sunday: Showers likely, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58. North wind around 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. North wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 54.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Most Local Government Offices Closed Today Due To Thanksgiving Holiday
November 23, 2023
Most local government offices are closed Friday due to the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Escambia County
The following Escambia County Offices are closed Friday (with exceptions noted below):
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners - all departments
- West Florida Public Libraries – all locations
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Waste Services Administration
- ECAT administrative offices and customer service
Escambia County notes:
- ECAT buses will not run service Thursday, Nov. 23. Regular service will resume Friday, Nov. 24. ECAT customer service will re-open Friday, Nov. 24.
- The UWF campus and express trolleys will not run service Wednesday, Nov. 22, Thursday, Nov. 23 or Friday, Nov. 24. The express trolley will resume regular service Saturday, Nov. 25. The campus trolleys will resume service Monday, Nov. 27.
- The Animal Welfare and Adoption Center will be open Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26.
- The Perdido Landfill will be closed Thursday, Nov. 23. The landfill will reopen Friday, Nov. 24.
- West Florida Public Libraries will be open Saturday, Nov. 25.
Town of Century
- All Town of Century offices and services are closed Friday. There is no change to trash collection.
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority
- EAll residential sanitation, recycling, and yard trash collections, and all commercial sanitation collections for ECUA customers that would normally be made on Thursday, Nov. 23, or Friday, Nov. 24 will be made one day later, on Friday, Nov. 24, or Saturday, Nov. 25, respectively. ECUA business offices will be closed on Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Offices will reopen on Monday, November 27.
Former Flomaton Cop Arrested In Molino Gets 10 Years For Trafficking Meth
November 23, 2023
A former Flomaton Police Department lieutenant has been convicted of drug trafficking after an investigation involving law enforcement from two states and the DEA that culminated in Molino.
Lopez entered a straight up plea to one count of trafficking in methamphetamine 28 to 200 grams and unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Lopez was sentenced by Judge Coleman Robinston to 10 years in state prison, incluing a seven year mandatory minimum on the drug trafficking charge. He will receive credit for 346 days time served while awaiting trial. He will also be responsible for $518 in court costs and a $5,000 fine.
Lopez faced a maximum of 30 years in state prison, plus fines totaling $105,000.
Lopez arranged a narcotics deal for methamphetamine from an Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office investigator by phone and text messages. An arrest report states he arrived on December 7, 2020, at a predetermined location near the ECSO precinct in Molino and accepted the two ounces of methamphetamine from the undercover officer. He was then taken into custody by deputies and the SWAT team.
The cellphone used by Lopez to arrange the meth deal belonged to the Town of Flomaton, according to Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Health Jackson. As a result, Lopez was charged in Alabama for felony use of official position or office for personal gain.
Lopez was terminated from the Flomaton Police Department.
School District, Teachers Union Reach Salary Agreement
November 23, 2023
Escambia County Public Schools, the Escambia Education Association (EEA), and the Union of Escambia Education Staff Professionals have reached an agreement to improve salaries for teachers and Ed. Support employees for the 2023-2024 school year.
The agreement commits to a 3% raise for all teachers plus a performance payment and ESE Self Contained supplement. The Ed. Support employees will receive a 1% COLA and eligible employees will receive a step roll (2%) with the exception of the School Bus Operators. The School Bus Operator hourly rate of $16.14 per hour will be improved to $17.61. Other select employee groups will receive pay grade increases and two supplements were also added. Please visit www.escambiaschools.org/laborrelations for specific details.
Furthermore, the School Board and Superintendent extended a $1,000 Recruitment and Retention bonus to be paid in two $500 installments to the employees of both bargaining units. The first of these payments is scheduled to be deposited on the last day of school prior to the Winter Holiday break.
Darzell Warren, EEA President, and Nicole Lindsey, UESP President provided the following statement: “We are thrilled to announce that after extensive negotiations and dedicated efforts, the Escambia Education Association and the Union of Escambia ESP have reached a favorable settlement with Escambia Public Schools. This collaborative achievement is the result of hours of hard work moving to strike a deal that will benefit our dedicated teachers and support staff. While we celebrate this settlement, we acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Our commitment to excellence and the well-being of our members drives us to continue this collaborative effort. By doing so, we aspire not only to achieve success within our own school district but also to set a standard that other school districts can look to as a model of excellence. We extend our gratitude to all parties involved in the negotiation process and express our appreciation for their unwavering commitment to the betterment of education in Escambia County. Together, we will continue to strive for success and work towards creating a positive and thriving educational environment that benefits both educators and students alike.”
Over the next few weeks, the unions will be advertising and delivering ratification packets and ballots to each work site. “It is important to make all of our employees aware of the ratification process. Union members and non-members should be informed and vote in order to properly request for School Board approval,” stated Caroline Gray, ECPS Chief Negotiator. “At this time, voting will likely take place the week of December 11, and Board Approval will be the following Monday, December 18. This is something we look forward to having accomplished as we move into 2024.”
Beulah Academy Collects 245 Canned Items In Food Drive
November 23, 2023
The Beulah Academy PTSA collected 245 canned food items during their recent food drive to fight hunger in the community.
With 99 cans, eighth graders brought in the most cans of food. Seventh grade collected 57 cans, while sixth graders collected 89 cans.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AAA Predicting 3 million Floridians To Travel Over Thanksgiving Weekend
November 23, 2023
AAA projects more than 3 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period*. This year’s forecast is the second highest on record (2005), with an expected 87,000 (3%) more holiday travelers than last year.
“Travel demand has been strong all year and that trend will continue with one of the busiest Thanksgivings on record,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “With more people taking to the roads, skies, rails and sea; travelers should expect congested roads and longer lines at transportation terminals. AAA encourages travelers to develop their plan now, leave early, and be courteous to others.”
Most Thanksgiving travelers will drive to their destinations. AAA predicts nearly 2.8 million Floridians will take a road trip of 50 miles or more. That’s nearly 71,000 more Florida drivers (+2.6%) than last year. This year’s forecasted auto travel volume is 10,000 shy of the all-time high, set during the 2005 Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving road trips should be less costly at the gas pump this year. Despite global tensions causing ripples through the oil market, strong domestic gasoline supplies are causing pump prices to drop. Last Thanksgiving, the national average price for gasoline was $3.58 per gallon, while the state average was $3.41. AAA believes gas prices should remain low through the holiday season unless oil prices suddenly spike. Visit GasPrices.AAA.com to view updated gas price averages.
AAA expects nearly 210,000 Floridians to fly for Thanksgiving. That’s nearly 12,000 (6%) more than 2022, and the second highest air travel volume in 15 years, behind 2019.
Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are the busiest air travel days ahead of the holiday and the most expensive. While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA data shows Monday is also a popular day to fly back after Thanksgiving.
The number of Floridians traveling by cruise, bus, and train over Thanksgiving is up nearly 9% over last year. AAA expects 50,000 travelers to head out of town using these other modes of transportation, which suffered a severe setback during the pandemic, but have rebounded nicely.
“The cruise industry, in particular, has made a remarkable comeback, and thrives during the holidays,” Haas added. “Holiday cruises are highly sought-after as a means for large families to travel together and visit multiple destinations without having to worry about the cooking and cleanup. For those looking to plan a 2024 vacation, this is also a great time to connect with a Travel Advisor, who can navigate the many options available to find the best fit.”
Jim Allen Elementary School Students Hold Their Own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 23, 2023
Ms. Taylor and Mrs. Cooley’s classes at Jim Allen Elementary School learned about the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Along with learning about gravity, the students worked together to design balloons to overcome gravity. When they finished, they held their very own “Macy’s” parade.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
