United Way of West Florida Celebrates New Headquarters
November 22, 2023
United Way of West Florida proudly celebrated the opening of its new headquarters recently, symbolizing a significant step in the organization’s mission to unite and serve the communities of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. This achievement coincides with the anticipation of United Way of West Florida’s upcoming 100th anniversary.
The new headquarters, strategically located to enhance accessibility and engagement, symbolizes United Way of West Florida’s commitment to uniting and supporting communities across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. As the organization prepares to commemorate its 100th year of service, this new facility stands as a testament to its enduring dedication to creating a lasting impact in the region. In attendance for this evening were the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce, Cat Country 98.7, United Way of West Florida Board Members, sponsors, local non-profits, and community members.
Laura Gilliam, President/CEO of United Way of West Florida, expressed her enthusiasm for this significant development, stating, “The opening of our new headquarters is a testament to the collaborative spirit that defines our work. We are thrilled to have a centralized hub from which we can continue our mission of empowering individuals and improving lives. As we approach our 100th anniversary, we are inspired by the decades of impact and energized to shape an even brighter future for our communities.”
The upcoming 100th anniversary represents a remarkable milestone for United Way of West Florida, highlighting a century of service, partnership, and resilience. The organization looks forward to commemorating this achievement by renewing its commitment to addressing the most pressing needs in the region and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
The new office is located at 7100 Plantation Road, Suite 18
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Beulah Academy FFA Student Project Places 7th In Country
November 22, 2023
Aiden Hollingsworth and Luke Graham of the Beulah Academy of Science FFA Chapter, placed first for their Florida FFA Agriscience Fair project in animal systems category, “Does a Cleaner Chicken Coop Maximize Backyard Egg Production?”
This allowed eligibility to apply for the National FFA Agriscience Fair. Their application was accepted and they were selected to interview for the agriscience fair. Through the application and interview process, they were named a National Top 10 finalist. They traveled to the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it was announced that they placed seventh in the Nation.
AAA Urges Thanksgiving Drivers To Ensure Their Vehicle Is Ready For The Road
November 22, 2023
Nearly 48.3 million Americans will hit the road this Thanksgiving. Yet some may travel in a vehicle that isn’t ready for an extended road trip.
AAA estimates 400,000 Americans will need roadside assistance during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The three most common issues are dead batteries, flat tires, and lock outs.
“Most vehicle problems like these could be prevented with a pre-trip vehicle inspection,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Before you hit the road this Thanksgiving, make sure to check everything from the battery to the tires. That could make the difference between spending Thanksgiving at the table or on the roadside.”
TOP 5 ITEMS ON A VEHICLE CHECKLIST
- Tires
- Battery
- Brakes
- Fluids
- Wiper Blades
TIRES ARE MOST IMPORTANT
If neglected, tires could create serious consequences – ranging from a simple flat to a dangerous blowout on the highway. In 2020, there were 3,069 tire-related crashes in Florida, resulting in 184 serious bodily insures and 61 fatalities, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Check your tires once a month, at minimum, and before taking a long trip.
Inspect all four tires. Since some new vehicles don’t come with a spare tire, know whether you have one and if it’s inflated too. Look for cuts, gouges or sidewall bulges. Drivers should pay special attention to both tire inflation pressure and tire tread depth:
- Check Tire Inflation Pressure – Check tire pressure when the car has been idle and tires are cool. Inflate as needed to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure. You will find it listed in the owner’s manual and on the sticker on the driver side door. Do NOT use the number on the tire sidewall.
- Check Tire Tread Depth – Insert a quarter upside down into the grooves. If you see the top of George Washington’s head, it is time for new tires. Be sure to check in multiple spots across your tire to diagnose any uneven wear patterns.
BATTERIES ARE VULNERABLE TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES
Changes in temperature can take a toll on your car battery. Have a service professional do a battery check to determine remaining capacity.
Symptoms of a dying battery include:
- Car hesitates or slowly cranks when you’re trying to start it
- A grinding, clicking or buzzing sound when you turn the ignition
- Dim headlights, especially when your car is idling
- The battery warning light is illuminated
- Corrosion, cracks or bulges on your battery
OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS IN YOUR VEHICLE CHECKLIST
- Brakes – Listen to and feel the brakes – If you hear a grinding sound or feel a vibration when applying the brakes, take your vehicle to an auto repair shop for a brake inspection.
- Top off engine oil and other fluids – Check that engine oil, coolant, brake, transmission and power steering fluids are at the correct levels for safe vehicle operation. When adding fluids, use products that meet the specifications listed in the owner’s manual.
- Replace wiper blades and replenish windshield cleaner – Rubber wiper blades naturally deteriorate over time. If wipers streak or fail to clear the windshield thoroughly, replace the blades. Fill the windshield washer reservoir with fluid formulated to remove insects and other debris, and test to make sure the nozzles spray adequately.
- Replenish emergency kit supplies – AAA recommends keeping a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle. Include a cellphone charger, flashlight and extra fresh batteries, first-aid supplies, drinking water, non-perishable snacks for people and pets, car battery booster cables, emergency flares or reflectors, a rain poncho, a basic tool kit, duct tape, gloves and shop rags or paper towels.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VEHICLE BREAKS DOWN
- Pull off the road to a safe place
- Turn on emergency flashers to notify other drivers
- Call AAA for roadside assistance
- Stay with your vehicle, unless it is unsafe to do so
Drivers who find themselves stranded can reach AAA by calling or texting “HELP” to 1-800-AAA-HELP
Dan A. Currie, Jr.
November 22, 2023
Dan A. Currie, Jr., died peacefully on November 19, 2023, he was 73 years old.
The only child of the late Dan A Currie, Sr. and Audie Marie Steele Currie, he is survived by his Beloved wife Rhecy L. Currie, his daughter Sheena-Marie C. Rosenbaum, and his son Daniel A. Currie, III.
Dan was a 1969 graduate of Sewanee Military Academy and he attended Birmingham-Southern College before joining the United States Army in 1971. He served with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Nurnberg and Bindlach, Germany and was honorably discharged in 1974. He lived there until 1976 when he returned to Atmore and began his 32-year career with the Atmore Fire Department. Dan continued his education at the then Faulkner State Community College before transferring to Troy State University where he received Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and History in 1978 and 1980.
In the fall of 1980 Dan enrolled in Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham and spent the next 3 years there before graduating with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1983. Following law school, Dan returned to the Atmore Fire Department and retired as a Fire Captain in 2012. As he said, the passion of the Law did not match the excitement of Fire Service. In 1990 Dan married Rhecy L. Lebumfacil, a teacher from the Philippines, and they had two wonderful children. The oldest, Capt. Sheena-Marie C. Rosenbaum, is an Intelligence Officer with the USAF, and his son Daniel A. “Trey” Currie, III.
During his retirement he worked as an E911 Dispatcher with the Poarch Police Department and continued as the Senior Instructor of the Golden Dragons Taekwondo at the Atmore area YMCA which he founded in 2007. He was a member of the Patriot Guard and rode with both the Northwest Florida and the Southwest Alabama Chapters and the Honda ST-Owners Sport Touring Group.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 2:00 PM at St. Roberts Catholic Church with Father, Joseph Chacko officiating.
Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Saturday, November 25, 2023 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC.
Pallbearers will be Glenn Kelley, Wayne Kelley, Louis English, Daniel White, Eugene Edwards, and Daniel Currie III.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC. Atmore, Alabama is in charge of all arrangements.
FHP Update: Troopers No Longer Searching For Suspect Vehicle In Fatal Nine Mile Hit And Run Crash That Killed Molino Man
November 21, 2023
The Florida Highway Patrol is no longer looking for a suspect vehicle in a fatal hit and run crash that claimed the life of a Molino man last week, but troopers have not specifically said if a suspect vehicle has been located.
“We are no longer in search of a suspect vehicle, this is an ongoing investigation, more to follow when we are able to share the information,” Lt. Jason King said late Tuesday afternoon.
FHP had released a blurry photo of what they said was the suspect vehicle.
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for clues about a hit and run driver after a 20-year old motorcyclist from Molino was killed in a hit and run November 15 in Beulah.
The crash happened about 8:45 p.m. on West Nine Mile Road and Allegheny Avenue. Troopers said an unknown type of passenger vehicle turned left in front of the motorcycle, causing the crash. The Molino man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The suspect vehicle may have both right side windows shattered and may be grey or silver, troopers said at the time.
Anyone with information is asked to call *FHP (*347), Crime Stoppers, or 911.
Embattled Contractor Jesse LaCoste Indicted On Felony Fraud, Racketeering Charges
November 21, 2023
Embattled contractor Jesse Wayne LaCoste of Cantonment has been indicted by a sitting Escambia Count Grand Jury on one count of racketeering and two counts of organized fraud.
Both are first degree felonies punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count.
The indictment was announced Tuesdayday by State Attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida Ginger Bowden Madden
The indictment alleges that between June 2018 and August 2022, LaCoste unlawfully conducted LaCoste Construction Group, LLC and LaCoste General Contractors LLC, through a pattern of racketeering activity, involving forgery, perjury, false official statements, theft, and insurance fraud.
The charges resulted from investigation of complaints of homeowners, business owners, subcontractors, and material suppliers, who contracted with LaCoste to provide repairs, renovations, new construction, and building material and services.
According to investigators, LaCoste allegedly defrauded homeowners, their insurance companies, and subcontractors and suppliers of more than $2 million. LaCoste also allegedly forged and falsified applications to obtain his county and state contractor licenses.
Bowden-Madden, whose staff investigated and presented the case to the grand jury, said that she is committed to protect the rights of homeowners and business owners and bring those who victimize them to justice.
LaCoste remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $405,000.
Rain Has Cleared. Turning Cooler For Thanksgiving.
November 21, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind around 5 mph.
Thanksgiving Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.
Escambia County Employees Team Up To Revamp Historic Davisville Community Center
November 21, 2023
The Davisville Community Center has been well-loved over the years, with a long, rich history in North Escambia – once used as a school, and now as a community gathering place.
As with any 100-year-old building, the Davisville Community Center has started to show its age, with peeling paint, dry rot, and a severely weathered sign welcoming visitors to the building, located on Highway 97 in the Davisville community south of Atmore.
The Escambia County Facilities Management Department started making a plan to repair the community center, originally requesting a quote from an outside contractor to do the job. But when Maintenance Technician Samantha Mitchell caught wind of the project, she asked her supervisor if she could take the lead on the project and complete the work in-house instead. He agreed, and Mitchell quickly got to work, assembling a team of county staff and coordinating what needed to be done to give the community center a much-needed facelift.
For more photos, including before and after pictures, click or tap here.
After several months of work, the Facilities Management team completed numerous improvements at the Davisville Community Center, including repainting the building’s entire exterior, rebuilding four front gates, painting and repairing fencing, completely rebuilding the wheelchair ramp, replacing dry rotted siding, and installing new metal skirting to cover the building’s crawl space. They also completed some landscaping improvements, replaced potentially hazardous deck nails with screws, and replaced the community center’s front sign, among other interior and exterior upgrades.
For Mitchell, who has only worked at the county for just over a year, it was rewarding to see her first big project come to fruition. Mitchell said it was a team effort that involved multiple county staff members, but she and her coworker Jack Taylor took the lead on the project.
“We’re very project oriented, so having a big project like this versus having something that takes a couple hours is exciting to us,” Mitchell said. “It’s an accomplishment, because you can see a difference from where you started. The building has a lot of history, and it’s really cool because most of the stuff there is original, so you get to see the history.”
The project began in May 2023 and wrapped up by the end of July 2023, at a total cost of approximately $5,000 for materials and in-house labor. The same work would have cost more than $30,000 for a contractor to complete, meaning Mitchell’s initiative saved Escambia County approximately $25,000.
“It’s amazing to see the positive transformation of this historic and beloved building in the Davisville community, and even better knowing that the work was completed in-house by county staff at a cost savings to Escambia County and our citizens,” District 5 Commissioner and Chairman Steven Barry said. “The Davisville Community Center has long been a popular gathering place for the north end of the county, and I’m excited that we were able to make it an even better facility for the community to continue to enjoy for many years to come.”
Facilities Management Deputy Director Robby Freeman, one of Mitchell’s supervisors, said she has hit the ground running since she started working for the county, always taking initiative and looking for new projects to tackle.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
“She pulled a team together, they went up there, and they saved the county about $25,000 doing that project in-house,” Freeman said. “I’ve never had anybody step up that much to do that, and she’s continued to do that since she’s been here – wanting to take on pretty much anything and everything.”
In addition to Samantha Mitchell and Jack Taylor, other Escambia County staff members who worked on the Davisville Community Center improvements include Bill Barrett, Steve Dillard, Harold Hodges, and Glenn Kelly.
Mitchell said she’s already received positive feedback from residents and visitors who frequent the community center, which is used for everything from gymnastics and yoga classes to family gatherings and birthday parties.
“They were really excited that it went from looking kind of dingy and not very appealing to bright and shiny,” Mitchell said. “It’s a building that’s used quite often and rented out to the public, and it was cool to do something that the community is going to use, and something they can be proud of.”
Freeman echoed the public’s positive feedback about the project, also praising Mitchell’s drive to take the initiative and work with her team to get it completed.
“It went above and beyond what I expected,” Freeman said. “Just the whole aesthetics, and the whole entire project, came together I think even better than she thought it would. And it made a world of difference up in Davisville. She made a big showing up there, and the people up there absolutely love it. It looks like a brand-new place.”
For information about Davisville Community Center rentals, contact Escambia County Parks and Recreation at 850-475-5220.
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Farm-City: Volunteers Harvest Thanksgiving Dinner For 1,000 Needy Families (With Gallery)
November 21, 2023
Monday, students and volunteers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties worked in fields near Jay to harvest vegetables that will help feed 1,000 needy families this week for Thanksgiving.
The event at the University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center is part of Farm to City Week, bringing the bounty of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences farm to the needy of the city.
The students were from agricultural programs and organizations that included FFA members from schools including Northview High, Ernest Ward Middle, Jay High School, Central High, Beulah Academy, Beulah Middle and others.
The produce will be distributed to 500 families in Escambia County and 500 more in Santa Rosa County along with a turkey or ham and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal from Feeding the Gulf Coast and the Waterfront Rescue Mission. The food will be distributed Tuesday at the Waterfront Rescue Mission at 348 West Herman Street from 9 a.m. until noon. Another distribution will take place Tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon at the the Milton Community Center. Both distributions are first come, first served with up to two families per vehicle.
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Escambia Fire Rescue Urges Caution When Frying Turkey
November 21, 2023
Escambia County Fire Rescue is urging caution if you choose to fry your Thanksgiving turkey.
ECFR recently held their annual turkey burn demonstration, which exploded into flames.
Escambia Fire Rescue encourages residents to use these safety tips when deep-frying a turkey this Thanksgiving:
- Use a fryer with thermostat controls. This will ensure the oil does not become overheated.
- Thaw your turkey completely. Ice on the bird will cause the oil to splatter.
- Don’t overfill the pot with oil. If you do, the oil will overflow when you add the turkey, causing a fire hazard.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the fryer.
- Always use the fryer outdoors. Ensure the fryer is at least 10 feet from a structure or other combustible material.
- Only use your turkey fryer on sturdy, level surfaces as they can easily tip over.
- Consider using an electrical or air fryer.
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