Baptist Hospital To Construct Brand New $550 Million Facility
June 26, 2019
Baptist Hospital announced Wednesday morning that they will construct a brand new modern hospital campus at southwest corner of I-110 and Brent Lane. The main hospital will move from E Street to the new 650,000 square foot, $550 million facility. Administration, Lakeview and other services will remain at the current E Street campus.
The hospital said if this was an economic decision, the hospital would have been moved toward the Beulah Road area, but the decision was about staying near the current Baptist community.
“This was not an economic decision,” said Mark Faulkner, president and CEO of Baptist Health Care. “This was a community decision.”
No Injuries In East Kingsfield Single Vehicle Crash
June 26, 2019
There were no serious injuries reported in a single vehicle crash Wednesday morning on East Kingsfield Road near Eleven Mile Creek. The driver of a Nissan Altima lost control, left the roadway and ran into the woodline. The Florida Highway Patrol investigation. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Charged With Allegedly Stealing Two Trailers From Roads, Inc.
June 26, 2019
A Molino man was charged with two felony counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle for allegedly stealing two trailers belonging to Roads, Inc.
Randal Thomas Smith, 47, is accused of taking two flat bed trailers, one 16-feet long and the other 20 feet. The trailers were valued at $7,000 and sustained $1,500 in damage, an arrest report states.
Smith was using one of the trailers to haul his race car to Southern Raceway, the report states.
After being made aware the trailers were reported stolen, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted the 16-foot trailer with a race car loaded on it sitting in the driveway of Smith’s home on Chestnut Road, and the 20-foot trailer was also in plain view. Both trailers had Roads, Inc. welded on the frame, and both had registration documents in watertight containers identifying them as belonging to Roads, Inc, according to arrest report.
Smith returned home and spoke with the deputy, but Smith’s statement was redacted from the arrest report.
Smith was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Both Lanes Of Highway 4 Bridge Are Open
June 26, 2019
Both lanes of the Highway 4 bridge over Canoe Creek are open. Last week, the bridge was reduced to one lane after a state inspection found a problem with one piling under the bridge.
The 225-foot long bridge between Bratt and Century averages over 1,000 vehicles per day. The county-owned bridge was constructed in 1942.
Pictured top: The Highway 4 bridge over Canoe Creek Monday afternoon. Pictured below: On Friday after, the bridge had been reduced to one lane. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Need A Job? The Escambia School District Is Hiring Teachers
June 26, 2019
The Escambia County School District is hiring teachers.
They are looking to fill positions in elementary education, art, music, American sign language, math, reading language arts, science and ESE.
Individuals with a bachelors, masters or doctorate degree may be eligible to enter the teaching profession and obtain a temporary certificate. Individuals with an associates degree can become a substitute teacher or teacher assistant.
For a list of available positions and other information, click here.
Camp Fire Kids Learn Local History
June 26, 2019
Summer campers at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Century learned a lot about local history Tuesday with a visit to the James Houston Jones Historic Park operated by the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Chamber Recognizes Doug Broxson As Distinguished Advocate
June 26, 2019
The Florida Chamber of Commerce has recognized Senator Doug Broxson as a 2019 Distinguished Advocate for his work during the 2019 Legislative Session.
The Florida Chamber’s Distinguished Advocate award recognizes lawmakers who fought tirelessly for the passage of pro-business legislation and advocated for the Florida Chamber’s goals of securing Florida’s future and commitment to Florida’s business community through job creation, economic development and free enterprise.
“Senator Broxson successfully passed assignment of benefits legislation, carrying a six-year Florida Chamber-led effort to protect homeowners from unscrupulous vendors across the finish line,” said Frank Walker, vice president of Governmental Affairs for the Florida Chamber.
This award is designed to honor legislators who prioritize the priority business community’s legislative goals.
“It took six years to finally pass meaningful AOB reform and I was proud to champion an end to this fraud and abuse. Thank you to the Florida Chamber for working alongside me on these reforms and for their recognition as a Distinguished Advocate,” said Broxson.
Couple Sentenced In $5.8 Million Bingo Scheme
June 26, 2019
Two Escambia County residents have been sentenced in a $5.8 million bingo scheme.
Larry L. Masino, 69, of Santa Rosa County, and Dixie L. Masino, 66, of Escambia County, a were both found guilty by a jury of conspiracy and money laundering charges related to their ownership and operation of Racetrack Bingo in Fort Walton Beach.
The Masinos, through Racetrack Bingo, illegally conducted bingo games by keeping a substantial amount of the bingo proceeds for themselves rather than returning all proceeds to players in the form of prizes, as required by law. The Masinos received and laundered $5,813,584 in profit between 2006 and 2015.
Larry Masino, the original orchestrator of the illegal bingo scheme, was sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. His ex-wife Dixie Masino, who took over as the face of the operation in 2010 after Larry was prosecuted in Tallahassee for running illegal bingo games there, was sentenced to four months of house arrest as a part of a five-year probation term.
In addition to receiving sentences of incarceration, house arrest, and probation, the Masinos were jointly ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $5,813,584. The government has already seized more than $1.5 million from the Masinos’ bank accounts and forfeited three properties, the proceeds of which will be applied toward the court-ordered money judgment.
FHSAA Announces Reclassifications For Spring Sports Based On Enrollment
June 26, 2019
The Florida High School Athletic Association has announced new classifications for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons for baseball, flag football, lacrosse, tennis, track & field, boys volleyball, water polo and boys weightlifting. As requested by membership, the classifications were determined solely based on each member school’s enrollment size.
Baseball
1-6A – Tate, Navarre, Pace, Crestview, Niceville
1-5A – Pine Forest, Washington, Escambia, Gulf Breeze
2-5A – Milton, Mosley, Fort Walton Beach, Choctaw
1-4A – West Florida, Arnold, Rickards, Wakulla, Pensacola, Godby
1-3A – Pensacola Catholic, Rutherford, North Bay Haven, South Walton, Bay, Walton
1-1A – Northview, Jay, Central, Baker, Laurel Hill
Softball
1-6A – Tate, Navarre, Crestview, Niceville
1-5A – Pine Forest, Washington, Escambia, Gulf Breeze
2-5A – Choctaw, Fort Walton Beach, Milton, Pace, Mosley
1-4A – West Florida, Pensacola, Wakulla, Arnold, Godby, Rickards
1-3A – Pensacola Catholic, Rutherford, North Bay Haven, South Walton, Bay, Walton
1-1A – Northview, Jay, Central, Baker, Laurel Hill, Paxton
Boys Track and Field
1-4A – Tate, Niceville, Crestview, West Port, Navarre, Buchholz, Forest, Chiles, Niceville
1-3A – Pine Forest, Washington, Escambia, Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Fort Walton Beach, Choctaw
1-2A – Northview, West Florida, Pensacola, Pensacola Catholic, South Walton, Walton, Bay, North Bay Haven, Rutherford, Bozeman
1-1A – Jay, Central, Rocky Bayou, Pensacola Christian, Baker, Freeport, Cottondale, Central, Paxton, Rocky Bayou, Graceville, Vernon
Girls Track and Field
1-4A – Tate, Navarre, Niceville, Chiles, Crestview, Forest, Bucholz, West Port
1-3A – Pine Forest, Escambia, Washington, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Pace, Choctaw, Fort Walton Beach
1-2A – Northview, Pensacola Catholic, West Florida, Pensacola, Bozeman, Walton, Rutherford, North Bay Haven, South Walton, Bay,
1-1A – Jay, Central, Rocky Bayou, Pensacola Christian, Baker, Freeport, Paxton, Cottondale, Vernon, Graceville
Boys Weightlifting
1-2A – Tate, Pine Forest, Escambia, Washington, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Pace, Navarre
1-1A – Northview, Jay, Pensacola Catholic, West Florida, Pensacola, Rocky Bayou, Vernon, Baker, Holmes County
Girls Tennis
1-3A – Tate, Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Washington, Escambia
1-2A – Pine Forest, Arnold, Pensacola, West Florida, Bay, South Walton, North Bay Haven, Rutherford
Boys Tennis
1-3A – Tate, Navarre, Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Washington, Escambia
1-2A – Pine Forest, Arnold, Pensacola, West Florida, Bay, North Bay Haven, Rutherford, South Walton,
1-1A – Pensacola Catholic, Freeport, Vernon, Jay, Rocky Bayou, Maclay, North Florida, Community
Flag Football
1-2A – Tate, Navarre, Crestview, Chiles, Niceville, Leon, Lincoln, Pace
1-1A – Northview, Pine Forest, Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Washington, Escambia, Fort Walton Beach, Choctaw
Democrat Goins Pre-files For The District 5 Commission Seat
June 26, 2019
There’s a new candidate for the Escambia County Commission.
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office said Barbara Goins pre-filed Tuesday as a Democrat for the District 5 seat in the 2020 election.
Incumbent Republican Steven Barry has pre-filed for a third term.