Escambia County Had 13 House Fires In December 2019. That’s Nearly Twice As Many As 2018.
January 2, 2020
There were nearly twice as many residential fires in Escambia County during December 2019 than during December 2018.
The county tracks fires during December for the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign, which places one red bulb per fire on large wreaths at fire stations across the county. There were 13 reb bulbs representing 13 residential fires during December 2019. The 2018 campaign concluded with seven red bulbs.
One of the 13 fires during December 2019 was in North Escambia. A predawn fire destroyed a Byrneville home in the 1500 block of West Highway 4 on December 12. Everyone in the home escaped without injury due to working smoke alarms and a dog alerting the family.
There were no injuries or deaths reported during the campaign.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pictured above: The “Keep the Wreath Green” wreath during December at the McDavid Fire Station. Pictured below: A residential fire early the morning of December 12 in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Texting And Driving Ban Enforcement Begins With The New Year
January 1, 2020
Enforcement begins today, January 1, 2020, of Florida’s new law banning texting and driving.
Motorists can be stopped and cited for using wireless communications devices while their vehicle is in motion. The ban includes manually entering multiple letters, numbers of characters of kind while sending or receiving a text, email and instant messaging while the vehicle is moving.
The law went into effect July 1, 2019, changing enforcement of the ban from a secondary offense to a primary offense – enabling law enforcement officers to stop a vehicle solely for texting while driving.
School zones and active construction zones are considered hands free. Drivers can use Bluetooth, but cannot pick up their device.
Exemptions exist for autonomous vehicles, emergency vehicles, reporting emergency situations or crime activity. Additional exemptions exist while activating a hands free function, receiving messages related to navigation, date used primarily by vehicle, radio broadcasts and alerts pertaining to safety including traffic and weather.
Law enforcement cannot forcefully seize or search a communication device without first obtaining driver consent or a warrant. They must first inform their right to decline a search of their device. Warrants for device records are only obtainable when a diver is involved in a crash causing injury or a fatality.
Escambia County Records 13th Residential Fire Of December
January 1, 2020
Escambia County Fire Rescue has placed an additional red bulb on the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety wreath, representing 13 structure fires during December. Last year’s campaign concluded with seven red bulbs.
The thirteenth fire occurred in the 4500 block of Lighthouse Lane on Tuesday. Escambia County Emergency Communications received a call at 11:52 a.m. about a residential structure fire. Firefighters arrived on scene and saw smoke and flames showing from the door of the single story house. Firefighters quickly performed an aggressive fire attack in the kitchen, which prevented further damage to the rest of the structure.
ECFR and the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations found that a faulty power supply area in the back of the dishwasher apparently caused the fire.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pensacola Police No Longer Responding To Most Parking Lot Crashes
January 1, 2020
Beginning today, January 1, the Pensacola Police Department will no longer respond to or take reports on simple parking lot crashes.
“This change will make our procedure consistent with the Florida Highway Patrol,” said PPD Officer Mike Wood.
When a simple parking lot crash is reported, the dispatcher will direct the caller to a self-reporting link at PensacolaPolice.com and provide a number.
Pensacola Police will still respond to parking lot crashes when
- anyone is injured/complains of injury
- a driver is believed to be impaired
- a commercial vehicle is involved
- if a vehicle is disabled to the point a wrecker is required to move it
- a city vehicle is involved
- the crash is a hit and run
- hazardous materials are involved
- or any other criminal investigations.
Bicyclist Struck By Vehicle On Pine Forest Road
January 1, 2020
A bicyclist was seriously injured when he was hit by a vehicle midday Tuesday not far from Pine Forest High School.
Alfonce Smith, 56, was riding his bicycle north on the sidewalk of Pine Forest Road at Hillcrest Avenue about 11:45 a.m.
Wanda Harley, 67, was driving her Nissan Murano in the left turn lane of Pine Forest Road in order to turn onto Hillcrest Avenue. At the same time, Alfonce Smith, 56, was riding his bicycle north on the sidewalk of Pine Forest Road, entered the crosswalk and collided with the Nissan.
Smith was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. Harley was not injured.
No charges were filed.
File photo.
Pete Shinnick NameD D2Football.com National Coach Of The Year
January 1, 2020
For the second time in the last three years, UWF head coach Pete Shinnick was named the National Coach of the Year by D2Football.com as announced by the outlet on Tuesday afternoon.
Additionally, redshirt freshman Austin Reed and senior Samuel Antoine were named honorable mention All-Americans.
UWF finished 13-2 overall in 2019 after winning the program’s first national championship, 48-40 over Minnesota State, on Dec. 21. The Argonauts completed one of the most remarkable postseason runs in NCAA history, defeating three number one seeds and four-consecutive undefeated teams for the first time ever en route to the University’s 10th team national championship.
Shinnick, who earned the award in 2017, is 35-17 in four seasons at UWF, which includes a 9-1 record in postseason play. He is 138-63 all-time as a college head coach spanning 18 seasons with stops at Azusa Pacific and UNC Pembroke.
Reed threw for 4,089 yards and 272.6 yards per game – 13th nationally – while going 13-1 as a starter after taking over the role after week one. He completed 57 percent of his passes and tossed 40 touchdowns while rushing for six more. The St. Augustine, Fla. product was responsible for 278 points and ranked 12th in the country with 18.5 points responsible per game.
Antoine completed a standout career with 13 starts in 2019 while appearing in all 41 contests during his three seasons at UWF. In 2019, the left tackles from Weston, Fla. native helped UWF average 412.3 yards of total offense, with 281.2 through the air and 131.1 on the ground. The offensive line allowed just 1.4 sacks per game.
Reed and Antoine are the ninth and tenth All-America selections in program history.
The D2Football.com All-America Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from coaches, staff, scouts, and sports information directors from around the country. D2Football.com has named an All-America Team since its inception in 2000.
Photo Morgan Givens/ UWF Athletics for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Arrests Two For Human Trafficking In Escambia County
January 1, 2020
The Florida Highway Patrol made two human trafficking arrests in Escambia County on Tuesday.
FHP troopers stopped a 2011 Cadillac Escalade for a traffic violation about three miles into Florida on I-10.
During the traffic stop, troopers discovered that all occupants were foreign nationals and neither the driver nor the passengers were linked to the vehicle in which they were riding. Upon questioning, the driver became evasive.
Troopers obtained consent to search the vehicle and asked the driver and occupants to exit for their safety. During the search, two additional occupants were found hiding between the rear hatch and the third row seats. Multiple items linking the driver and front seat passenger to human trafficking were located within the vehicle.
Driver Julio Ceasar Aguilar Moreno (pictured) was charged with human trafficking and driving without a license. Front seat passenger Joe Ivan Morales Hernadez was also charged with human trafficking. Both remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The remaining occupants were turned over to the United States Customs and Border Protection.
Two Injured In Cantonment Crash
January 1, 2020
At least two people were injured in a two vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Cantonment.
The crash happened at County Road 97 and Highway 297A. Four juveniles and another adult were not transported to the hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Sentenced To Prison For Swindling Auto Repair Customers
December 31, 2019
A Cantonment man that owned an Escambia County automotive business has been sentenced to state prison for swindling customers.
Harley Brian Palmer, owner of Harley’s Automotive & Performance, entered a plea to racketeering, organized fraud (more than $20,000 but less than $50,000), four counts of dealing in stolen property, and six counts of grand theft (more than $300 but less than $5,000).
He was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison and ordered to pay over $20,000 in restitution. He faced a maximum sentence of 135 years.
Between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018, Palmer committed multiple counts of theft and dealing in stolen property in a systematic and ongoing course of conduct against multiple victims. Victims took their vehicles to Harley’s Automotive with the expectation that their vehicles would be repaired. Money was exchanged but the repairs were never completed, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Palmer continued to use Harley’s Automotive to take in additional vehicles without completing repairs. Ultimately, he sold several of the vehicles without the permission or consent of the vehicle owners. Several of these vehicles ended up at a recycling company and were destroyed.
Palmer’s record includes convictions for worthless checks, petit theft, burglary, possession of burglary tools and more.
Group Pushing City School System In Atmore Claims Civil Rights, Public Records Law Violations
December 31, 2019
The group pushing for the formation of a city school system in Atmore is claiming civil rights and public records law violations by the Escambia County (AL) Board of Education.
Atmore Citizens for Change (ACC) has spearheaded the drive to split Atmore’s schools away from the Escambia County (AL) Board of Education as they push for an end to a racial divide and failing schools.
Atmore Citizens for Change President Loumeek White said Monday that the group has submitted a formal complaint to the Alabama Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights “on behalf of their children, the students who attend public schools in the City of Atmore, Alabama regarding violations of their civil rights and their education in the Escambia County Public School District”.
The group is also requesting that the Alabama Department of Education “force” the Escambia County Board of Education to release “all public documents that were requested” under the Alabama Open Records Act in March 2019 after the Atmore City Council voted in favor of a feasibility student into the city school system.
In an email to State Superintendent Eric Mackey, White said that the Escambia County superintendent and “most” board members “have refused to meet with the public”, and allows only Brewton and Flomaton students access to the Escambia County Career Technical Center, a notion county officials have denied.
“Students in Atmore have been denied access to educational programs and newly built facilities,” White said.
In his email to the state, White claimed Escambia County Superintendent John Knott “has continuously tried to stop parents and stakeholders from having a voice about the detriment of the city’s school system and the lack of student achievement. In February 2019, it was reported that Knott held secret meetings with two Atmore city council members and Atmore’s mayor. The four made a deal not to vote on the city school formation.”
“We are requesting that the State of Alabama, Department of Education and the Federal Department of Justice conduct an investigation on the Escambia County Public School System, its Board, and its current central office administrative staff,” White said.
He also said the ACC will file action in circuit court to seek the public records requested if they are not otherwise received in 10 days.
In an email provided by ACC, State Superintendent Mackey told White “it would inappropriate for me to respond to that matter” in reference to a civil rights complaint. Mackey said he will invite Knott and other parties to follow up with him “at their convenience to work any differences necessary to acquire andy publicly available information”.
During a March 2019 meeting with the Atmore City Council, White said many of the “smart kids” no longer attend school in Atmore. Instead, they travel to Northview High School in Escambia County, FL, to Escambia Academy, or schools in Flomaton (also part of the Escambia, AL, system), he said, adding it has created an obvious racial divide.
“The white kids are going to Flomaton and Northview,” he told the Atmore council and a crowd of about 75 that attended the March meeting. “You’ve got to see the separation.” According to the Alabama Department of Education at that time, 322 of the 368 students at Escambia County High School in Atmore are black or African American.
The council voted unanimously in March to begin the process to find a consultant to study the feasibility of operating a city system, with a particular look at if it would be affordable. That study has not been completed.
Pictured above and inset: Atmore Citizens for Change President Loumeek White (left) and Atmore Mayor Jim Staff discuss a city school system during an Atmore City Council meeting in March 2019. Pictured bottom: City officials, council members and audience members held hands and prayed after the March meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
