Man Busted For Burglary One Day After Getting Probation For Previous Burglary
July 16, 2011
An 18-year old Pensacola man was charged with burglary for allegedly breaking into a Cantonment home on Thursday — just one day after being sentenced to probation for another burglary.
Antonio Demetris Grace has been charged with felony armed burglary, grand theft, grand theft of a firearm and criminal mischief. He remained in the Escambia County Jail early Saturday morning with bond set at $86,000.
A homeowner reported a burglary in progress about 3:30 p.m. Thursday on Stefani Road near Twilight Drive. Arriving deputies nabbed Grace as he tried to run to a nearby SUV parked in a driveway. He told deputies that he had an accomplice named “Slim”, but a search with a K-9 did not result in the arrest of any other suspects.
According to Escambia County Clerk of the Court records, Grace was sentenced on Wednesday to one year probation after being convicted on burglary and petty theft charges in another case from January of this year. He pleaded guilty to the charges and received the sentence of probation from Judge Nicholas Geeker.
Pictured above: Deputies investigate after a reported burglary in progress Thursday afternoon in Cantonment. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Charged With DUI After Deputies Chase Her The Wrong Way On Highway 29 For Miles
July 16, 2011
A 61-year old Cantonment woman is charged with leading deputies on a drunken chase on the wrong side of Highway 29 for miles late Friday night.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy began chasing Elizabeth Ann Dawson north on Highway 29 in Molino. She continued driving into oncoming traffic, headed north in the southbound lane until deputies were able to block her in and stop her south of Highway 164 in McDavid about 11:10 p.m.
Deputies from the Century area responded south on Highway 29 during the chase, attempting to stop southbound traffic to avoid a collision.
There were no crashes. and no injuries reported.
Dawson was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of driving under the influence and fleeing and eluding police.
More Rain Tonight, Sunday
July 16, 2011
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 87. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Sunday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Monday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 96. East wind around 5 mph becoming south.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Wednesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Thursday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Friday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Despite Rain, Burn Ban Still In Place
July 16, 2011
Despite our recent wet weather, a burn ban remains in effect in Escambia County.
The burn ban issued last month prohibits all open outdoor burning, including trash and debris burning, campfires, bonfires, fireworks and all other similar fires. The Town of Century and the City of Pensacola are included in the burn ban.
Sonya Daniel, public information office for Escambia County, said Friday that the burn ban is still in place. She said the need for the burn ban will be reviewed on Monday by the county’s fire chief.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Super Bowl Champ At Park Dedication Tonight
July 16, 2011
Two-time Super Bowl champion Anthony Pleasant will be in Century tonight as the town dedicates the sports facility that bears his name.
The Anthony Pleasant Sports Complex will be dedicated at 6 p.m. The celebration will include free hot dogs and soft drinks.
The 22 -acre park was named after Century native Pleasant (pictured), a former pro football player selected in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. During his 14 year NFL career, Pleasant played for the Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots. He played a total of 202 NFL games and racked up 58 sacks and two interceptions.
The 1986 Century High School graduate earned two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. Pleasant is currently the defensive line coach for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Anthony Pleasant Park is located off Highway 4 just east of North Century Boulevard; turn right after crossing the railroad tracks.
Pictured : Anthony Pleasant, courtesy Kansas City Chiefs.
Football: NWE, Cantonment Registration
July 16, 2011
Football season is approaching fast, and registration is set for two local leagues.
NWE Football Registration
Registration for Northwest Escambia football will continue every Saturday through July from 10 a.m. until noon at the Ernest Ward field. Participants are encouraged to sign up early. The first practice for NWE is August 8. For more information, contact Charles at (850) 327-4603.
Cantonment Football Registration
Football and cheerleading registration for the Cantonment Cowboys will be held each Saturday through July 30 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call (850) 292-1775.
District 5 Commissioner White Schedules Town Hall Meeting
July 16, 2011
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White will hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday, August 2
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Escambia County Extension Office Auditorium at 3740 Stefani Road.
The meeting will begin with comments from the commissioner and proceed into an open forum. The public is encouraged to attend for the opportunity to ask questions and share comments.
Pesticide Applicator Training Course Offered
July 16, 2011
Escambia County Extension and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) will present a restricted use pesticide training course for those individuals wishing to obtain or renew their pesticide applicator license.
The course includes topics on the principles of pest control, pesticide labeling and formulations, harmful effects and emergency response, worker protection standards, application equipment, calibration, formulation, area calculations, Florida Law and Regulations, etc. This course counts for continuing education units.
Two sessions will be offered as follows:
- General Standards CORE: Tuesday, July 19, 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
- Private Applicator Agricuture Pest Control: Wednesday, July 20, 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The course will be offered at the Escambia County Extension Office located at 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment. A $10 fee, payable at the door, covers lunch and materials.
For more information, or to register, please contact Libbie Johnson, Escambia County Agriculture Extension agent, at (850) 475-5230, or email libbiej@ufl.edu.
James Alton Robbins
July 16, 2011
Mr. James Alton Robbins, 80, passed away on Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Pensacola.
Mr. Robbins was born in Walnut Hill on April 9, 1931, and resided in Bratt. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served from 1949 – 1960. He retired from Monsanto in 1971 and started his construction business where he worked for several years before retiring. Alton was an avid fisherman and enjoyed many years of fishing with his son, Matt and good friend, Barney. He also loved to play the guitar and gospel singing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Mae Robbins; two brothers, William T. Robbins, and Harrell Robbins; and a sister, Louree Battaglia.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Lucille Robbins of Bratt; his son, Matt and Margo Robbins of Bratt; two grandchildren, Harmony Bell of Mobile and Sheldon Robbins of Bratt; two great-grandchildren, Logan Bell and Mackenzie Bell; a brother, Bill and Bernice Robbins of Pensacola; a sister, Charlene and J.D. Warrick of Jay; a special niece, Arlene Delafoasa of Atmore; a sister-in-law, Glennie Robbins; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, July 17, 2011, at 3:00 P.M. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Theron Collinsworth, the Rev. Ted Bridges and the Rev. Ronald Hall officiating.
Burial will follow at Godwin Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, July 17, 2011, from 2:00 p.m.. until funeral time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be his nephews, Mike Robbins, Alan Robbins, Ray Hood, Greg Robbins, Brian Robbins and Phillip Robbins.
Honorary pallbearers will be Barney Cash, Clark Hall, Lindy Phillips, Jason Stabler, W.T. Gilley and Leslie Barnes.
July Gardening Tips
July 16, 2011
The heat, humidity and frequent rains of July are great for tropical plants. Gardeners, however, take a bit of a beating. Remember to keep the sunscreen, insect repellant and iced tea handy as you venture out into your garden to perform some needed summer maintenance.
A midsummer application of fertilizer is usually required, especially on annual flowers, lawns, shrub beds and vegetable gardens. This is a supplemental application, so don’t overdo it. A 15-0-15 slow-release fertilizer is a good general purpose landscape fertilizer for most plants.
Major pruning jobs should have been done earlier, but there is still some maintenance pruning that should be done. Deadhead, or clip old flowers, from summer flowering shrubs as soon as they fade to help insure an extended season of bloom. Crape myrtles, hibiscus, hydrangeas and althea are examples of shrubs that will bloom repeatedly if light, selective pruning is done.
Flowering annuals also respond well to deadheading. Snip off old flowers and flower spikes before they have an opportunity to form seed. Allowing annual flowers to set seed can shorten their blooming season considerably.
Inspect your lawn and shrub plantings frequently in order to identify pest problems as early as possible. The most severe damage from pest insects normally begins in July. Be on the lookout for chinch bugs in St. Augustine grass; spittlebugs in centipede grass; sod webworm in all lawns-especially new ones; lacebug and caterpillars on azaleas; whiteflies on gardenia and spider mites on lots of different types of shrubs.
Sod webworms often attack lawns in the summer. They eat the grass blades producing areas that look as if they have been mowed too short. Close inspection will reveal that the blades have not been cleanly cut as with a mower blade but have been chewed along their edges and tips. These caterpillars feed at night and rest during the day down among the runners and in the thatch.
Once an insect pest is found, evaluate the damage and determine if control is necessary. If it is, choose the least toxic option. If only a few caterpillars are found, hand picking might be the choice. Aphids and spider mites can often be controlled by spraying with an insecticidal soap solution. Chemical insecticides are sometimes required. Before choosing one be sure that the insect pest has been properly identified and that the insecticide is labeled for that purpose For vegetable gardeners that have problems with nematodes, soil borne diseases and extensive weed problems, July is a great time to try soil solarization.
Prepare the soil as you normally would for a vegetable garden including adding organic matter. Moisten the area and cover with clear plastic, not black plastic. Clear plastic will produce the highest temperatures. Be sure to weigh down the edges of the plastic so that it doesn’t blow up. Allow the soil to bake in the sun for four to six weeks. The sun will raise the soil temperature high enough to kill many soil borne problems.
Tip of the Week: The nice thing about tomatoes is that you have the option of harvesting when the fruit is green if needed. Tomatoes will ripen indoors at room temperature. To ensure even ripening, place the tomato with the stem up. The ideal time to harvest tomatoes is when they are fully colored but still firm.
In general, it is best to harvest vegetables early in the mornings while the moisture content is higher. The overall quality will quickly diminish as vegetables are exposed to hotter temperatures later in the day.
For more information, contact Theresa Friday at 850-623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.