Man Charged With ‘Stealing’ Century Church
May 16, 2011
A Pensacola man is facing a felony grand theft charge for allegedly stealing a Century church.
John D. Young, 72, was arrested for signing a Century church property over to a Flomaton woman when he was not authorized to do so. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on $2,500 bond.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, Young signed the property over to Taryn Wright with a quit-claim deed on the small, 1,500 square foot church located at 401 Hecker Road in Century. Young signed the documents while acting as the bishop of the Northwest Florida Jurisdiction of God In Christ, Inc., but investigators said Young knew he was no longer the organization’s bishop and could not act on their behalf.
Young was appointed bishop of the Northwest Florida Jurisdiction of God in Christ, Inc,. in 1996 and resigned in 2008, according to the arrest report. In February 2009, a letter was sent to Young confirming the unanimous acceptance of his resignation by the church board. In July 2009, Young was removed from the corporations records with the Florida Department of State. He signed the property over to Wright as “Bishop Young of Northwest Florida Jurisdiction of God In Christ, Inc.” in May 2010.
Willie Green, the current bishop of the church, told Sheriff’s investigators that he tried unsuccessfully to resolve the issue with Young. Green said he then tried to rent the church to Wright but failed and then asked her to vacate the property. According to the Sheriff’s Office report, Wright has not vacated the church.
According to Escambia County Property Appraiser records, the church property is valued at $14,253.
Suspect Arrested After Foot Chase, Brief Manhunt
May 16, 2011
A domestic violence suspect was arrested Sunday afternoon after a brief foot chase and manhunt.
Clark Gable Burt of Century was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of domestic violence battery by strangulation and resisting an officer.
Burt, 38, fled from an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the area of West Highway 4 near North Century Boulevard about 5:15 Sunday afternoon. The officer gave chase on foot, but lost the suspect. Deputies worked to create a perimeter around the area, requesting assistance from the Flomaton Police Department and a K-9 unit from Century Correctional Institution.
About 10 minutes later, Burt was spotted by another deputy in a wooded area near Century Woods and taken into custody without incident. He remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond early Monday morning.
Northview DCT Employers, Students Recognized
May 16, 2011
Northview High School recently held their DCT Employer Appreciation Banquet to show appreciation to local businesses that employ the school’s DCT students.
“Without their support the program would not possible,” said Tommy Weaver, DCT coordinator.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the following businesses that employee Northview DCT students:
- Whataburger#890, Cantonment
- Food World#193, Atmore
- Alabama Wing House, Atmore
- Escambia Lawn & Equipment, Atmore
- Winn Dixie# 498, Cantonment
- Pizza Hut#2240, Ensley
- Diamond B Feed & Hay, Oak Grove
- Ron’s Sporting Goods, Atmore
- Subway, Cantonment
- Piggly Wiggly, Davisville
- Southern Panhandle Cafe, Century
- Winn Dixie#512, Atmore
- Power Printing, Atmore
- Radio Shack, Century
- Rowland’s Tires, Flomaton
- Lee Veterinary Clinic, Canoe
- Robertsdale Livestock, Robertsdale
- Curtis Cole’s Mowers and More, McDavid
- Northview High School, Bratt
- Northview High Cafeteria, Bratt
- Ernest Ward Middle School Cafeteria, Walnut Hill
Special thanks was given to each employer, along with a special thanks to Ron Peebles and Bill Spear of Radio Shack for their many years of support to the probgram.
“Students in the program were also recognized for being not only working students but football, baseball, softball, basketball, track,and weightlifting players. There were also cheerleaders, band,color guard, honor students, members of the senior play, and the prom king and queen in this year’s class,” Weaver said. “They were a very diversified group of young people.”
The Northview DCT program was also responsible for coordination the school’s 2nd Annual NHS Homecoming parade last fall.
A special thanks was also given at the program to NorthEscambia.com for coverage of the parade and other Northview High School events.
Subway All Star Softball, Baseball To Feature Local Players
May 16, 2011
The Subway High School All-Star Baseball and Softball Game Presented by Andrews Institute is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, 2011 at the University of West Florida.
Softball begins at 6:30, while baseball’s first pitch will be at 7:00 p.m. The games will be between the West team from Escambia County and the East team from Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties.
Tickets are $7, or $6 with a canned food donation at the gate for the Manna Food Bank.
The softball team will feature players from the North Escambia area. Shawna Montgomery, Ashley Digmon and Miranda Burkett from Northview; and Shelby Myers and Maleah McCombs from Tate will play for the West, while Alicia Ashworth from Jay will play for the East.
The West baseball team will feature Tate players Alex Stevens, Tyler Howell, Cody Griffith, Hunter Manning, Dustin Sanders and Will Schreiber; and Northview players Dabney Langhorne, Colton Simms and Austin Arrington. Hunter Brown from Jay will play for the East.
Complete rosters are below; click to enlarge.
Weekend In 360 Photos
May 16, 2011
From two big Relay for Life events, to a Fairy Tale dance recital, to Art Day and FFA honors, our NorthEscambia.com cameras were there this weekend with over 360 photos from across the area.
Click any of the items below to read more and see the photo galleries.
Regular Business Tonight For Century Council
May 16, 2011
Tonight’s regular meeting of the Century Town Council will include normal business items.
The town is expected to approve two resolutions to allow the town to continue to apply for Community Development Block Grants. The the council will also hear an update on code enforcement issues from Sandra Slay of Escambia County.
For the complete council agenda, click here.
Century Road Resurfacing Project Almost Complete
May 16, 2011
Century’s project to resurface the town’s worst streets is expected to be finished this week.
Repaving is complete on Freedom Road, the portion of Old Flomaton Road in the city limits, Hecker Road, Elm Street, Hilltop Road, B Street and Archie Street — the streets placed on the top of the town’s priority list for works.
Crews from Roads, Inc. will work raise manhole covers to street level on Freedom Road, and then traffic striping will be done on Freedom Road, Hecker Street and Old Flomaton Road. Weather permitting, the entire project should be completed this week, according to town officials.
The resurfacing part of the project will cost the town about $200,000 by piggybacking on an Escambia County contract with Roads, Inc. Of Northwest Florida. Another $14,000 will be added for pavement striping on Freedom, Old Flomaton and Hecker. Striping — those lines down the middle and on the side of the roadway — will not be added to the other roads because they are low-traffic.
There will be about a dozen roads remaining to be paved on the town’s priority list. Five of them — West Cottage Street, Academy Street, Pleasant Hill Road, Ramar Street and Lake Street — are all short or dead end streets. The remaining are dirt roads that will require extensive drainage work prior to surfacing.
Pictured top: The newly resurfaced Hecker Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Shirley F. Martin
May 16, 2011
Mr. Shirley F. Martin, 81, passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at a Mobile hospital.
Mr. Martin was a native of Troy, Ala., a former resident of Atmore and a resident of Stockton, Ala. for the past two years. He was a U.S. Army veteran, owned and operated the Martin Timber Company and attended the Methodist church.
He was Preceded in death by his wife, Betty Gibbs Martin.
Survivors include his son, Dan Steven and Pamela Martin of Gulf Shores; his daughter, Mitzi and Allen Thomas of Atmore; one grandchild, Kimberly Walker; two great-grandchildren, Alyssa Walker and Austin Walker; two brothers, Carol Martin of Atmore, and Douglas Martin of Bratt; and two sisters, Lillie Goleman of Bell Fountain, Ala., and Shelby Hatcher of Atmore.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the Serenity Garden Cemetery with the Rev. Homer Stewart officiating and Petty Funeral Homes, LLC directing.
Visitation will be held Monday, May 16, 2011, from 6-9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Ronnie Martin, Harold Martin, Bobby Martin, Greg Martin, Benjamin Martin and Michael Chavers.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the VFW.
Headed To The Beach Today? Gulf Breeze Highway Closed Due To Major Water Main Break
May 15, 2011
If you are headed to Pensacola Beach today, getting through Gulf Breeze is going to be a problem.
A major water main break has Highway 98 at Shoreline Drive — that’s just across the bridge near Gulf Breeze Highway — down to just one lane being used by traffic in both directions. There’s no word on when the roadway will re-open. With just a small detour open through a closed gas station parking lot, traffic at mid-afternoon Sunday was backed all the way up to downtown Pensacola.
Man Enters Plea On Eight Animal Cruelty Charges
May 15, 2011
A Century man has pleaded no contest to eight animal cruelty charges related to the December seizure of several malnourished dogs and horses from his property.
Willie Lee Jones, 54, entered the no contest plea to three counts of cruelty to animals and five counts of confinement of animals without sufficient food, water or exercise. Two additional confinement charges were dropped by prosecutors. Judge Thomas Dannheisser withheld adjudication on all charges and set a sentencing hearing for later this month. Jones remains free on bond.
On December 22, 2010, Escambia County Animal Control, Panhandle Equine Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized at least six dogs and four horses from Jones’ home at 6420 North Century Boulevard, just south of Tedder Road.
One of the dogs, a pit bull, was found chained to a piece of post, according to the Sheriff’s Office incident report. Another, also a pit bull, was found in a cage by itself with open sores on its body. A female pit bull was found with three puppies. The puppies were playful and appeared to be of reasonable health, according to the reporting deputy, but the mother’s ribs and hips were clearly visible.
Two of the pit bulls were euthanized due to their poor health, according to Escambia County Animal Control. The other animals are all recovering after receiving veterinary care.
One of the horses was stabled by himself in what deputies described as “an old dilapidated building”.
“The horse was standing on a thick layer of manure that coated the entire floor of the stall,” according to the Sheriff’s Office report. There was no food or water for the horse.
A man that lives on the property told deputies that he had fed and watered the horses shortly before authorities arrived, but it was the last of the food. He said that Jones was due to purchase more food and hay for the horses the following day.
Deputies found another horse in small enclosure standing in a pile of manure that was several inches thick. None of the horses on the property had food or hay, and several lacked adequate water, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Pictured above and below: A Century man is facing six animal cruelty charges in connection with these animals seized in December. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
