Hot, Humid, Heat Index 105-110 Monday
June 24, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 105. Calm wind.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Calm wind.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Got Milk? It’s Still National Dairy Month
June 24, 2018
“Milk Does a Body Good” is not just an advertising slogan. It’s a way to get people to drink the dairy product, because it offers so many nutrients, says a University of Florida expert
As we celebrate June as National Dairy Month, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences experts tout the benefits of dairy in the daily diet.
Milk and other dairy foods are loaded with calcium and vitamin D as well as protein and other essential nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B12, and riboflavin, said Nan Jensen, a family and consumer sciences agent for UF/IFAS Extension.
“These nutrients help keep us healthy,” Jensen said. “Calcium builds and maintains strong bones and teeth and helps reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life. Phosphorous and vitamin D partner with calcium to keep bones strong as well.”
Dairy products provide these additional benefits, according to Jensen:
- Calcium combined with potassium and magnesium play an important role in maintaining normal blood pressure.
- Milk nutrients can help maintain weight. Studies should that people who consume calcium and dairy products weigh less or have less body fat than those who don’t.
- Cultured dairy products like kefir and yogurt provide “friendly bacteria” that help promote a healthy gut.
- Dairy nutrients provide a source of protein to build and maintain lean muscle.
Those who can’t tolerate dairy or don’t like it can choose from an array of non-dairy choices, including soy, almond, rice, hemp and oat milk, Jensen said. She suggests consumers read the ingredient list and nutrition facts label to compare these and other non-dairy alternatives.
Molino Preschool Students Receive Letter From Donald Trump
June 24, 2018
A Molino preschool class recently sent their artwork and a letter to President Donald Trump to wish him a happy Presidents Day. And to their surprise, the Tinker II Childcare students e received a letter back from Trump on Friday.
“Thank you for taking the time to write me. I always enjoy hearing from young Americans like you. As your President, I want you to know that I am listening and will always work hard for you. Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for many years to come, and we will create a better future for you and your family,” the letter stated.
“I encourage you to do your best in school each day, never stop learning, and look for ways to make positive changes in your community. With best wishes, Donald Trump.”
Pictured below are students (L-R)Gannon Lepley, Breylin Few, Brantley Driver, Taylor Stokes and Josie Brasch. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Commission Recognizes Historic Little League Team
June 24, 2018
The Escambia County Commission recently recognized the 1955 Pensacola Jaycees Baseball Team for their peaceful and heroic contribution to the civil rights movement. The group of 12-year-old boys and their families risked social, physical and economic repercussions for playing the first game of integrated Little League baseball in the south against the all-white team the Orlando Kiwanis. Shortstop Admiral LeRoy, second baseman Rev. Freddie Augustine and family representatives of Clyde Charley, Richard Morris and Phillip Stewart attended the commission meeting.
The Pensacola Jaycees became the Northwest Florida regional champions not just for their skill, but because the all-white teams in the area refused to play the Jaycees. By local teams forfeiting the regional games, the Pensacola Jaycees advanced to the state championship in Orlando. While the Orlando Kiwanis beat the Jaycees 5-0, the game when down in history for breaking barriers. The all-black team is the subject of a new documentary film, “Long Time Coming: A 1955 Baseball Story.”
Commissioner Robinson wrote the proclamations and Commissioner May made the presentations. Both commissioners attended a screening of the film held at Pensacola State College sponsored by the African-American Heritage Society and the Pensacola State College Black History/Multicultural Committee.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Power Past Generals 11-4
June 24, 2018
The Blue Wahoos launched four home runs on Saturday night in an 11-4 win over the Jackson Generals at the Ballpark at Jackson. Taylor Sparks led the charge with two of them, including an inside-the-park homer to the left-center field wall in the fifth inning.
Gavin LaValley got the Wahoos going with his sixth homer of the season leading off the second inning. In the third, Shed Long singled home TJ Friedl to make it 2-0. In the fifth, Sparks drove a pitch off the wall in left-center field that caromed past the center fielder Daniel Robertson, and Sparks circled the bases for his first of two home runs on the night.
Jackson rallied to take the lead with a four-run bottom of the fifth. Robertson delivered the big blow, a three-run shot to give Jackson a 4-3 advantage. Pensacola followed with more big hits to reclaim the lead. In the seventh, Taylor Sparks belted his second home run of the game, this time over the fence with a man on, to put the Blue Wahoos up for good.
Jose Siri hit his first home run as a Blue Wahoo with a man on in the seventh inning, and Pensacola blew the game open with four runs in the ninth inning. Friedl delivered the knock-out punch with a bases-clearing double and later scored on a sac fly from Luis Gonzalez.
Seth Varner (W, 4-0) retired the first eight batters he faced on the mound before surrendering a two-out double to Generals starter Bo Takahashi (L, 0-2). Varner was charged with four runs (two earned) over six innings. He allowed just five hits with one walk and one strikeout in the win. Takahashi suffered the loss after giving up five runs on six hits over seven innings. He struck out 10 Wahoos without issuing a walk.
The two teams continue the series Sunday night with RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (3-8, 5.63) starting for the Blue Wahoos opposite RHP Taylor Widener (4-3, 2.53).
One Century Council Member Unopposed, Five Running For Two Other Seats
June 23, 2018
An incumbent Century Town Council member earned another term Friday, as five other candidates will face off on the ballot for two other seats.
No one qualified to run against Seat 5 holder Sandra McMurray-Jackson, returning her to office for a third four-year term that begins in January.
“I thank God for giving me another opportunity,” she said. “I am going to roll up my sleeves and get out there and be active meeting with the citizens and hearing their concerns. Anything that can be done within norm, we will do all we can to make Century a better place to give our children and grandchildren something to look forward to.”
For Seat 3, incumbent Ben Boutwell will face challenger Amanuel Onell Dubose on the general election ballot on November 6.
For Seat 4, Mary Bourgeois, John Brian Johnston and James Edward Smith, Jr. qualified for the seat currently held Gary Riley. They will be on the August 28 primary ballot with a runoff in November if no candidate receives one vote more than 50 percent.
Riley tearfully announced in May that he would not seek re-election to the seat he has held for 20 years.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Hot And Humid, Low Rain Chances For The Weekend
June 23, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Cantonment Woman Gets Five Years In ‘Heart-Wrenching’ Child Abuse Case
June 23, 2018
A Cantonment woman has been sentenced to five years in state prison for her part in the abuse of three children.
Rachel Linton was sentenced Friday in Escambia County; the five year sentence was the maximum allowed by law. Her husband, Jeffrey Scott Linton, was sentenced last year to 35 years in state prison for aggravated child abuse and multiple counts of child neglect.
Sheriff David Morgan called the case “heart-wrenching” and one of the worst he has ever seen.
The investigation began after the Department of Children and Families received an anonymous tip. That led to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office opening an investigation and executing a search warrant at the couple’s Cantonment home.
The allegations against the Lintons span the period August 2015 to May 23, 2016.
Nine children were removed from the home when the couple was arrested.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The remainder of this story details some of the severe physical child abuse allegations in this case. There are details that some readers will find disturbing.
The couple’s arrest reports indicated that one of the victims suffered a broken leg and then a broken arm caused by one of the siblings, and that Rachel Linton did not feed or bathe the children or take them to medical appointments. Two of the victims were born prematurely and are developmentally delayed.
DCF received a tip that Rachel Linton was planning to flee the area and has a history of fleeing when she is under investigation.
DCF received a report that two victims had injuries to their faces and heads, and Rachel Linton took the victims to West Florida Hospital where a trauma survey found that one victim had two broken arms and a broken leg and all three victims were malnourished.
The report says Rachel Linton frequently hit the victims’ heads on the walls and that Jeffrey Linton also abused them. Rachel Linton threatened the children with further punishment if they provided any information to DCF about the ongoing abuse in the home. Both allegedly told the children to blame their injuries on the other children in the home.
One child allegedly suffered a broken arm as the result of Jeffrey Linton twisting an arm. DCF discovered the children had multiple bruises on their faces, back and arms, and that the children had knots on the back and tops of their heads. They suffered a variety of other injuries, including an abscess on the bottom of a foot, scarring and scabbing of lips, scarring of a nose, lacerations to their ears and bruising to their genital areas.
A witness alleged that Jeffrey Linton would hold the victims upside down by their feet and hit their heads on the floor as punishment and that he would hit them with a paddle “2-3 feet long” and throw them and slam their heads against a wall, and he would allegedly hit them with a fly swatter.
The witness said the paddle was broken from use, and that she would hear the children cry and scream in pain.
Few Surprises As State Candidates Qualify To Run
June 23, 2018
Florida’s 2018 state elections are set, with seven major candidates running for governor, three contested state Cabinet seats and fifteen state Senate incumbents facing opposition as the qualifying period closed Friday.
At the top of the list is the campaign to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is running against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
Chris King, a Democrat and Orlando-area businessman, was the last major gubernatorial candidate to file, submitting his paperwork shortly before the five-day qualifying period for state and local offices ended at noon Friday.
King entered a crowded Democratic field that includes former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, Palm Beach investor Jeff Greene and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
“I still very much believe that I have a pathway to win this race, but I recognize that it’s daunting,” King said. “Democrats haven’t won since I was a freshman in high school. I would argue that it’s because we have not cast a vision that excites people and that lifts people up.”
Heading into the Aug. 28 Republican primary for governor are Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis of Palm Coast.
A third elected official won’t be on the ballot but will be involved in the GOP primary, a point that was underscored Friday morning when President Donald Trump tweeted an endorsement of DeSantis.
“Congressman Ron DeSantis, a top student at Yale and Harvard Law School, is running for Governor of the Great State of Florida. Ron is strong on Borders, tough on Crime & big on Cutting Taxes – Loves our Military & our Vets. He will be a Great Governor & has my full Endorsement!” the president tweeted.
DeSantis said he was “honored” by the thumbs-up from Trump.
“He has thrown his support behind me, because he knows I’ll fight to keep Florida the best state in the nation when I’m your governor!” DeSantis told his Twitter followers.
Trump’s endorsement comes after a new Fox News poll of likely Republican primary voters showed Putnam leading DeSantis by a 32-17 percent margin, with 39 percent undecided.
In other statewide races, 14 candidates — not including write-in candidates — qualified for the three Cabinet seats.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who was appointed to his post by Scott, will face former state Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, in November.
Republican candidates seeking to replace term-limited Attorney General Pam Bondi include Ashley Moody of Tampa and state Rep. Frank White of Pensacola, while two Tampa Democrats — state Rep. Sean Shaw and Ryan Torrens — will face off in the August primary.
In the race for state agriculture commissioner, qualified Republican candidates include state Sen. Denise Grimsley of Zolfo Springs, former state Rep. Baxter Troutman of Winter Haven and state Rep. Matt Caldwell of North Fort Myers. On the Democratic side are Nikki Fried of Fort Lauderdale, Jeffrey Porter of Cooper City and Roy Walker of Fort Lauderdale.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger The News Service of Florida
Photos: Vegetation Fire In Walnut Hill
June 23, 2018
Firefighters from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue extinguished a small vegetation fire Friday afternoon on Highway 97 just north of Pine Forest Road. There was no property damage reported. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
