Pickup Truck Crashes, Pushes Car Into Home
April 30, 2008
A man’s medical condition apparently led to a vehicle crash that sent a car under the porch of a mobile home in Century Wednesday morning.
The accident happened about 11:20 in the 9000 block of North Century Boulevard, near the intersection of Henry Street. The Florida Highway Patrol says a pickup driven by Willie Mitchell, 50, was southbound on Century Boulevard when he apparently suffered a seizure that caused him to drift across the highway and crash into a parked Saturn in front of a mobile home. The force of the impact pushed the Saturn under the porch of the mobile home.
Troopers said that Mitchell did not appear to be injured as a result of the crash. He was taken from the scene by ambulance for treatment of his medical condition.
No one in the mobile home was injured in the crash.
Pictured above: The red pickup truck crashed into this Saturn, pushing it under the the porch of a mobile home on North Century Boulevard late Wednesday morning. Pictured below: The Saturn under the porch after the pickup was towed from the scene. Pictured bottom: More photos from the accident. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Breaks Out At Bondurant Lumberyard
April 30, 2008
Fire departments from across the area responded to a fire at Bondurant Lumber in Flomaton, Alabama, about 12:40 Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities on scene told NorthEscambia.com that two trailers loaded with wood chips were pulled burning out of from under a covered building in the lumberyard. Firefighters on one side of the complex worked to extinguish the burning wood chips in the trailers, while firefighters on the other side of the yard worked to extinguish the fire in the building.
When NorthEscambia.com arrived on scene just moments after the blaze was reported, a thick white smoke was pouring from both side of the lumberyard from the two fires.
The Century Volunteer Fire Department, the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department and the Walnut Hill Volunteer Department from North Escambia responded to assist the Flomaton Fire Department with the two blazes. Fire departments from across western Escambia County, Alabama, were also called to the scene, including the Atmore, Lambeth and Wawbeek fire departments.
The Walnut Hill and McDavid volunteer fire departments left the scene about 2:20; some members of the Century Volunteer Fire Department remained on the scene until about 4:25.
For a photo gallery from the fires at Bondurant Lumber in Flomaton, click here.
Bondurant Lumber is located just west of Flomaton, Alabama, on Highway 31.
Pictured above: Fire explodes from the back of a wood chip trailer when it is opened at Bondurant Lumber in Flomaton Wednesday afternoon. Pictured below: A fireman works in the rafters of a building at the lumber company. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Three North Escambia Veterans On Honor Flight
April 30, 2008
Three North Escambia area men were among 100 veterans that took a one day trip from Pensacola to Washington to visit the National World War II Memorial Wednesday.
Odie Bell of Molino, Valentine Henn of Cantonment and Nathan Welch of Cantonment were aboard the inaugural Emerald Coast Honor Flight, a flight for World War II veterans. They landed in Washington just after 9:00 Wednesday morning and returned about 12 hours later.
While in the nation’s capital, they visited the National World War II Memorial where they were honored for their service to the country. They were met at the airport by Rep. Jeff Miller, and met with Sen. Bob Dole. They also visited the Vietnam and Korean war memorials and Arlington National Cemetery.
The Emerald Coast Honor Flight is at no cost to the 100 veterans. The trips are paid for by the non profit Honor Flight organization.
Oops! How Do You Spell That?
April 30, 2008
This sign erected by the Escambia County Road Department at the intersection of Arthur Brown Road and Corley Road in Walnut Hill has a bit of misspelling on it. Notice that “Arthur” is spelled “Authur”.
The County Engineering Department has been notified about the misspelling, and a supervisor indicated that the sign would be replaced soon.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
School Board Cuts 115 Teachers, 40 Clerks, Carver/Century Assistant Principal And More
April 30, 2008
The Escambia County School Board voted Tuesday night to cut 115 teaching positions, 40 elementary school administrative clerks and the assistant principal position at Carver/Century K-8 School.
The total cuts recommended by Superintendent Jim Paul and approved by the board total $6.2 million. Most of that $6.2 million will come from having high school teachers teach another class each day. High school teachers currently are in the classroom for five out of seven periods each day, but next year that will increase to six out of seven. That portion of Paul’s plan will save the district an estimated $3.2 million.
A total of 40 administrative clerk positions at elementary schools will be cut for a savings of just over $845,000.
The assistant principal position at Carver/Century will be eliminated, as will the principal of the OASIS student program in Pensacola for a total savings of about $170,000.
Sixteen of the115 teaching positions to be cut will be the exceptional student education (ESE) program to save $705,000. Ten teachers will be cut from various art, physical education and music positions in the county to save $440,870. Sixteen “sparsity unit” positions….teachers in classes that do not have enough students to qualify for financial aid from the state…will be cut to save $741,102.
The board says that no current employee will lose their job; those in the eliminated positions will be reassigned within the district.
The only vote against Paul’s proposal came from Claudia Brown-Curry who called for more administrative cuts and fewer cuts directly related to the district’s classrooms.
The district expects a $15 million shortfall next year due to state budget cuts and rising fuel costs.
Carver/Century Student Wins National Poetry Month Award
April 30, 2008
A Carver/Century K-8 School student’s poem was named a winner in a poetry contest.
Melanie Foust won third place representing Grades 7-9 in the April National Poetry Month Student Poetry Contest sponsored by the West Florida Literary Federation and the Friends of the Pensacola Public Library.
Melanie won a $15.00 award for her poem “Connect” and will be offered the opportunity to have her poem published in the WFLF’s 2008 creative writing anthology, The Emerald Coast Review XIV, coming this fall.
She was also invited to a reception in her honor at Books-a-Million.
Pictured above: Melanie Foust and Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite. Pictured below: Melanie’s poem “Connect”. Submitted story and photo.
Northview Falls To Marianna In Quarterfinal Baseball
April 30, 2008
The Northview High School Varsity Baseball Team lost their quarterfinal game by a point Tuesday night.
Marianna downed the Chiefs 6-5 in their Region 1-3A quarterfinal game.
The Marianna Bulldogs (19-7) were up 6-0 in the third. Northview (12-14) picked up five runs on eight hits for the night.
In other 1-3A quarterfinal action, Catholic beat Chipley 4-2.
Sunny And Warmer Today, Rain In The Forecast For Friday, Saturday
April 30, 2008
After a cool start this Wednesday morning in the 40’s, the North Escambia area will warm to about 78 this afternoon under sunny skies.
Tonight’s low will be warmer, about 53, followed by a high back in the low 80’s for Thursday. A chance of rain creeps into our forecast by Friday at 40 percent. The rain chance continues at 50 percent for Friday night and 40 percent on Saturday.
Sunny skies will return for your Sunday, with a warm high of 85.
Pictured above: The sun sets at Lake Stone near Century Tuesday night. Submitted photo by Alisa Hart of Flomaton, who says the fishing at Lake Stone “is once again worth going for”.
Escambia Property Tax Payment Deadline is 5:00 This Afternoon
April 30, 2008
Escambia County property taxes must by paid by 5:00 Wednesday afternoon, or they will be advertised as delinquent. Once advertised, additional cost for the ad in Pensacola newspaper will be added to the unpaid amount. The due date is for both real estate and tangible personal property taxes.
Over $29 million, about 10 percent of the entire tax roll, remains unpaid according to the tax assessor’s office.
You can check the status of your tax account or pay online at www.escambiataxcollector.com or on an automated phone system by calling 438-3299. For more information, call call the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office at 438-6500, Ext. 252. Or call 472-0031 if you are hearing-impaired.
Payments must be made and posted by 5:00 Wednesday afternoon.
Nurse Arrested For Drug Theft By Attorney General’s Office At Home Next To Bratt Elementary School
April 29, 2008
A local nurse was arrested at her home in Bratt Monday morning for stealing prescription pain killers from her patients.
Elizabeth Hope, 55, was taken into custody without incident by law enforcement officers with the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department at her home in the 4900 block of West Highway 4, a spokesperson for the Florida Attorney General’s Office told NorthEscambia.com.
That address is located just a short distance west of the West Highway 4 and North Highway 99 intersection, directly adjacent to the north fence at Bratt Elementary School.
Attorney General Bill McCollum said Hope, a licensed practical nurse, was arrested on charges that she stole narcotics prescribed to one of the patients under her care at University Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center in Pensacola.
Hope was confronted about the thefts by the facility’s director of nursing after a resident complained that he hadn’t been getting his medication. Hope admitted she had stolen over 180 Methadone pills from the resident and had been addicted to a host of controlled substances. Using the pharmacy’s records, staff was able to confirm that Hope had signed for the pills once they were delivered to the facility. The type of medication taken is classified by law as a schedule II drug which has a high potential for abuse and physical dependence.
Officials with the Department of Health moved swiftly to suspend Hope’s nursing license after she chose not to enter a rehabilitation program. The case was referred for further investigation to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit because the resident who should have received the medication was a Medicaid recipient and the Medicaid program was reimbursing the facility for the cost of the prescriptions Hope allegedly stole.
Hope was booked into the Escambia County Jail under one count of possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, or deception, and one count of theft. If convicted, she could receive up to five years and two months in prison and up to $5,500 in fines. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the First Judicial Circuit.
