I-10 Bridge Over Escambia Bay Reopens; Wildfire Contained
March 7, 2012
The I-10 bridge across Escambia Bay has reopened to traffic in both directions after being closed overnight due to smoke from two large fires in Santa Rosa County.
Florida Forest Service crews worked throughout the night to knock down smoke and mop up the I-10 Eagle’s Nest Fire in Santa Rosa County.
The south fire was 90 percent contained at 32 acres as of 6:30 am. The north fire was 95 percent contained at 10 acres.
Forestry will will continue to work on lines and ensure containment today and overnight tonight. Four Forestry brush trucks will be on scene today with two tractor/plow units.
Pictured top: Traffic begins to flow across the I-10 bridge about 6:25 Wednesday morning. Traffic backs on I-10 to exit at Scenic Highway just before 2 p.m. Tuesday.
David Glenn Hardin
March 7, 2012
Mr. David Glenn Hardin, age 44 of Van Hoosen Road Flomaton, passed away suddenly Sunday, March 4, 2012, at his residence. He was a native and longtime resident of Brewton. Mr. Hardin attended W.S. Neal High School. He was an avid deer hunter, and was a millwright at T.R. Miller Mill Company for the past 14 years.
He is survived by a daughter, Kimberly Ann Hardin (Brian) Gabel of Virginia Beach, VA; a granddaughter, Rylee Nicole Gabel; his fiancee, Amy Turk of Flomaton and her daughter, Paige Turk of Flomaton; stepbrothers William Pugh and Buddy Pugh, both of Flomaton; stepsister Susan Faddis of California; and two half-sisters. Rita Johnson of Brewton and Judy Crawford of Jay.
Visitation will be held Friday, March 9, 2012, from 6-9 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Brewton.
Hugh Lebron Ellington
March 7, 2012
Mr. Hugh Lebron Ellington, age 76 of Highway 31 North Brewton, passed away Sunday, March 4, 2012, in a Mobile hospital after a brief illness. He was a native of Montgomery, a former resident of Jackson, AL, and a longtime resident of Brewton. Ellington was a member of the Brewton Church of Christ, a former member of the Air National Guard and was the owner/broadcaster of WKNU from 1979 to 2007.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Crozier Ellington of Brewton; sons Joe Ellington of Brewton, Clay Pearce of Leroy, AL; daughter Wendy Bramlett of Tuscaloosa; brothers Eugene Ellington of Camden, AL, Robert Ellington of Brooklyn, AL, James Ellington of Clifton, VA; five grandsons, Joe Pate, Seymour Pate, Tanner Bramlett, Trey Pearce, Dusty Faith; and one granddaughter, Anna Pearce.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday afternoon March 17, 2012 at noon, at the Brewton Church of Christ with Minister Mike Williams and Minister Richard Rogers officiating with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Brewton officiating.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Brewton Church of Christ Handicapped Facilities.
Minnie Ruth Dawe
March 7, 2012
Minnie Ruth Dawe, age 92 of Atmore., passed away Monday, March 5, 2012, in Atmore. She was a retired seamstress with Vanity Fair Mills. She was born in Escambia County (Ala.). to the late Jabe Cleveland and Minnie Wilson Myrick. She attended the Holiness church.
She was preceded in death by her son, Darryl Dawe and a grandson, Lance Dawe.
Mrs. Dawe is survived by one daughter, Beverly Daw and husband, Stoney; a daughter-in-law, Annette Dawe, all from Atmore; one sister, Evelyn Beasley of Jay; three grandchildren, Adam Dawe and wife, Candice of Atmore, Ethan Dawe and wife, Mirinda of Semmes, Ala. and Natalie Donaldson and husband, Steven of Atmore; and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 9, 2012, at 10 a.m. from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Sammy Thomley officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
The family will receive friends, Thursday, March 8, 2012, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, is in charge of all arrangements.
Cool Night, Great Wednesday
March 6, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 73. East wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
- Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.
- Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.
Century Resident Concerned That ‘White Citizens’ Skip Council Meetings
March 6, 2012
A Century resident, who is black, is concerned that white residents of Century are not attending town council meetings and are not involved in town government.
“What happened to all of the white citizens? Nobody comes to the council meetings,” Helen Mincy said as she addressed the Century Town Council Monday night during the public form portion of their meeting.
Mincy asked the council why white citizens of Century do not attend council meetings.
“I am hoping that people elected us to do a good job, and we are doing a good job,” Mayor Freddie McCall said. “I hope they are trusting us.”
Only a small number of people attended Monday night’s council meeting. All were black, with the exception of two reporters.
Pictured: The Century Town Council meets Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Arrested On Weapons Charge For Gun; Sword Was Legal
March 6, 2012
A Walnut Hill man was arrested over the weekend following a traffic stop on a felony weapons charge.
Robert Charles Allen, age 50 of South Highway 99, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
According to an arrest report, an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy spotted Allen driving erratically on Highway 29 near 9½ Mile Road. During a traffic stop, the deputy reported finding a .22 caliber Derringer in Allen’s pocket.
Allen did not have a firearms or concealed weapons permit, according to the report.
He passed a field sobriety test, but was cited for an open container violation for an open bottle of beer sitting on the floorboard of the vehicle.
There was also a 12 gauge shotgun and a full size regimental sword on the passenger floorboard of the truck, but those weapons were being carried legally, deputies said.
Teen Enters Plea In Sexual Assault Of Young Boy
March 6, 2012
The Century teen accused of sexually abusing a 6-year old boy has pleaded no contest to the charge against him and will be sentenced as a youthful offender.
Michael Alexander Dubose of West Highway 4, was charged with two felony counts of sexual battery on a victim under 12 and fondling a child under 12. The sexual battery charges were dropped late last week as Dubose pleaded no contest to the fondling charge. He is set to appear in court before Judge Gary Bergosh in early May for sentencing as a youthful offender.
As a youthful offender, Dubose faces a maximum of 364 days in jail and up to six years probation. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond as he awaits sentencing.
Now 18, Dubose was 17-years old when he was arrested after a male victim told investigators at the Gulf Coast Kids House that Dubose had sexual relations with him over a one year period at two different units at Century Woods Apartments. He was later transferred from the Department of Juvenile Justice to adult court.
After his arrest, Dubose himself became the victim of alleged physical abuse by his mother and the mother of the victim. Juliette Dubose was accused of “whipping” Michael Alexander Dubose with an extension cord after learning that he allegedly had sexual relations with her son. After the beating, Juliette Dubose instructed the mother of Michael Dubose, Kassedra Dubose, to also beat him with the extension cord, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Both women pleaded to no contest to charges of cruelty toward a child. They entered into a pretrial diversion program under which charges will be dropped if they successfully complete the one year program.
VPK Registration Underway At Bratt, Jim Allen, Molino Park
March 6, 2012
Voluntary Pre Kindergarten registration is underway at three North Escambia schools for children that will be four on or before September 1, 2012.
The VPK program is offered in North Escambia at Bratt, Jim Allen and Molino Park elementary schools. Parents and guardians may register their children at the schools between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Parents must bring the following documents in order to register their child: child’s birth certificate, proof of residency (utility bill or rent receipt, within the last ninety days), photo identification of the parent registering the child, current immunization record, and a physical within one year of August 20, 2012. Parents will complete the State VPK application as part of the enrollment process.
Registration will continue through March 30. Children whose parents reside in the selected school attendance areas will receive priority for enrollment.
For more information, contact the Title I Office at (850) 595-6915, Bratt Elementary at (850) 327-6137, Jim Allen Elementary at (850) 937-2260 or Molino Park Elementary at (850) 587-5265.
Abortion Bill Stalls In Senate
March 6, 2012
A measure requiring women to wait 24 hours before receiving an abortion stalled in the Florida Senate on Monday, virtually ending the possibility of its passage before lawmakers adjourn later this week.
Without debate, a procedural vote to bring the always emotionally charged issue to the floor by pulling the bill out of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee failed on a 23-16 vote, less than the two-thirds needed in the 40-member chamber. The failure makes the issue unavailable for further debate.
Minutes after the vote, the Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said the issue was settled and would not return.
“Given the mood — the Senate chamber — they felt like with all the pressing issues …that this might take a little bit too much time, though it’s something that I would happen to support, as I showed by my vote today. There are some folks who are in the pro-choice caucus within my Republican caucus who didn’t want to vote for this,” Haridopolos told reporters.
“I think that (procedural) vote expressed where people are at,” Haridopolos added.
“I think it was a pretty definitive vote,” said Senate Rules Committee Chairman John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.
Last week, the Florida House passed its version of the bill (HB 277), which would make women wait 24 hours after seeing a physician before an abortion could be performed. Patients also would have to be informed that a fetus feels pain at 20 weeks, an assertion that has been prompted debate in the scientific community.
Further, the bill would require doctors who perform the procedure to take yearly ethics course as part of their continuing education.
Over the past few years, Florida lawmakers have passed a series of bills seeking to make it more difficult to get an abortion, though many of their efforts have been challenged in court.
Following lengthy, at times emotional debate, the House last week voted 78-33, largely along party lines, to approve the bill, which also would require new abortion clinics to be owned by doctors and prohibit an abortion if the physician has determined the fetus has reached “viability.”
By The News Service of Florida